Mass Chat: I think the Pope is right.

It just might be the priest's fault.

Last evening I was at Mass and a kindly priest was filling in for the evening Mass.  He's from the seminary - an excellent priest, no doubt.  A family with young kids was sitting ahead of me.  I've seen them before - they are a large family and rather devout.  Two of the preteen boys were slumped over and or slouching during Mass.  One kid held his head with both hands, not that he was ill, he was totally bored.  I listened to the music, the readings, the homily.  The kid was right - the entire thing was so banal, so boring.  I normally don't pay any attention to how people act during Mass, I don't care.

I remain rather recollected at Mass so I never notice much, but these kids were right in front of me, I couldn't avoid seeing them.  So I put myself in their place and tried to experience Mass as they did.  The woman doing the readings flat-lined - which is fine.  The responsorial was well sung - but it really isn't a spontaneous responsorial when it's a rehearsed and conducted performance by the new music director with a really great voice.  (I know the place of the responsory, so I'm not suggesting it be spontaneous.)  The Gospel obviously echoed the first reading and the priest preached about that - at length.  Nice biblical commentary and very smart exegesis, with something about being judged in the end, but we should  have no anxiety about it.  In the meantime the boys were kicking one another without even cracking a smile.  They knew what to do all through Mass, because they politely greeted me at the sign of peace, bowed at communion, and so on.  So they went through the motions and couldn't wait to get out.

Please don't be angry with me - I'm neither trying to channel the pope or complain about priests.  I'm just reflecting on what I observed in the light of all the controversy surrounding the pope(s), liturgy, priesthood, and vocations.  I could feel the boys apathy, I could feel their boredom.  It really isn't the priest's fault - but I'm not sure it was the boys fault either.

So why did the tenants of the vineyard not cooperate with the landowner?

The priest reminded me of the priests and seminarians the Pope complains about.  Perfect decorum, devout Mass according to the rubrics, well prepared homily - perhaps a little too academic and a bit too long.  Nothing engaging.  Very safe - but no 'fires' started.  (If it had been the Extraordinary Form of Mass the kids maybe would have been curious, but unless the priest was on fire himself, the kids could have slept through it.)  Even when the priest is 'enthusiastic' and animated, very often it's more about popular catch phrases and chuckles than real life problems.  Last evening I half expected to hear something about the social problems in the world, anxieties people have about war and peace, not to mention some kind of instruction regarding the confusion in the church and the world.  Nothing there.  It seemed so perfunctory.

The Holy Father is right.  I am convinced that is why many priests don't like him.  He's never departed from Catholic teaching or proposed heresy.  People say he does, but it's a convenient criticism by those who don't like him in order to deflect his efforts at reform.  Even lay seminary professors feel challenged and insulted, which says to me there really is something wrong in formation.  Think about it.  Piously repeating 'save the liturgy save the world' anthems doesn't make a priest fervent or holy.


What the Pope said yesterday ...

Drawing inspiration from the bible passage in which the Lord says to the prophet Jeremiah: "Get up and go down into the potter's shop", the Pope explained that “priestly formation depends first of all on God's action in our lives and not our activities, adding, it is a work that requires the courage to let oneself be molded by the Lord, for it transforms our heart and our lives.” 

During his address the Pope stressed that if one does not let oneself be molded like clay by the Lord every day, he becomes a priest who is out of the office with inertia, without enthusiasm for the Gospel or passion for the People of God. Instead, Pope Francis said, the seminarian needs to be guided by the Lord, as the craftsman, being led to become more and more his daily disciples. 

The Church, Pope Francis said, “needs priests capable of proclaiming the Gospel with enthusiasm and wisdom.”

Finally, the Holy Father left the group with a question, “What do I want to be? A "priest in the lounge", quiet and well-arranged, or a missionary disciple whose heart is burning for the Master and the People of God? - Pope Francis

Just a thought.  I may be wrong.  I'm not picking on priests.  All the priests I know are on fire with the love of God and are above criticism and are living saints.  What?

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Pope Francis' Prayer to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii

Virgin of the Holy Rosary, Mother of the Redeemer, our earthly Lady raised above the heavens, humble servant of the Lord, proclaimed Queen of the world, from the depth of our miseries we turn to you. With the faithfulness of children we look to your sweet gaze.

Crowned with twelve stars, you bring us to the mystery of the Father, you shine the splendor of the Holy Spirit, you give us our Divine Child, Jesus, our hope, our only salvation in the world. Comforted by your Rosary, you invite us to be fixed to his gaze. You open to us His heart, abyss of joy and sorry, of light and glory, mystery of the son of God, made man for us. At your feet in the footsteps of the saints, we feel as God’s family.

Mother and model of the Church, you are our guide and secure support. Make us one heart and one mind, a strong people on the way towards the heavenly homeland. We entrust our miseries, the many streets of hate and blood, the thousands of ancient and new poverties and above all, our sins. To you we entrust ourselves, Mother of Mercy: grant us the forgiveness of God, help us to build a world according to your heart. 

O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain that ties us to God, chain of love that makes us brothers, we will not leave you again. You will be in our hands a weapon of peace and forgiveness, star that guides our path. And the kiss to you with our last breath, we plunge into a wave of light, in the vision of the beloved Mother and the Son of God, the desire and joy of our heart, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Vatican Radio 21 March 2015

Pope Francis visits Naples - © Cesare Abbate, EPA

Prayer for the Pope

O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other apostles, look with favor, we pray, on Francis our Pope, and grant that he, whom you have made Peter’s successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

St. Bruno

Pray for us.

Many Catholics Online Have Lost Their Minds ...

Or it's mass hysteria sweeping through the trad-o-sphere. Take a look at this screwball screenshot of a so-called Catholic news-aggregate. Fake news bites - to be sure.  The editor is a click bait specialist. (Links to the stories have been removed.)

Register: Catholic parishes are crashing

FrancisVatican online 'child protection' expert: You need people doing this 24/7. People who are actually collaborating with UNICEF, with the United Nations, with Interpol!

Barnhardt and SuperNerd: The civic body should be willing to take steps to protect the citizenry from people like James Martin

DR. SEIFERT: THE MORAL-THEOLOGICAL CRISIS HAS MOVED FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP OF THE CHURCH. THE PERSECUTION OF ORTHODOXY HAS BEGUN

FrancisCatholic: Mexican 'Saint Death' believed to be more merciful and forgiving than the Catholic Church

Francis attacks those dangerous nuts who resist his Islamization program: 'They prefer psychological exile from society. It's a disease that does much harm!'

Francis joins list of fiendish world leaders in running for this years’ Nobel Peace Prize

Communist Francis opens two-day DeathAcademy conference by railing against 'technocratic materialism', plugging that seamless garment

Communist Daily Distributes Francis Speeches!

Catholics live in an abusive family, the time to stand up to the abusers is long past - wake up!

"It’s boring, and the list of signatories is unimpressive and badly judged." - Damian Thompson slams Filial Correction and 'dark online Catholic Alt Right propaganda'

Correctio Filialis Signature List Grows, but Still Few Traditional Priests

Filial Correction Spox Dr. Shaw to Opus Dei: If there are problems, we should talk about them, and not pretend they do not exist.

....Why doesn’t Planned Parenthood join the list of Freakish FrancisCardinals and Mouthpieces at Upcoming Boston College ‘Joy of Sex’ Strategy Session?

Saints and Blessed for Today ...

Among them, my special patron, Blessed Alberto Marvelli.

Blessed Albert Marvelli

Alberto Marvelli was born at Ferrari on 21st March 1918, the second of seven brothers. Later, he began to attend the Salesian Oratory. He was always available and became a catechist and leader: the Salesians’ right arm. He loved to play all kinds of sports. He joined the Oratory group for Catholic Action soon becoming its parish president. In June 1942 he graduated from college as an engineer and began working with Fiat in Turin. He did his military service and succeeded in bringing many of his friends to Mass. During the Second World War he became an apostle amongst displaced persons and a real source of providence for the poor. His Marian and Eucharistic devotion really were the supporting columns in his life: “What a new world opens up to me contemplating Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament”, he wrote in his diary. Each time I receive Holy Communion, each time Jesus in his divinity and humanity enters into me, in contact with my soul, it awakens holy ideas in me, a burning and consuming flame, but one that makes me so happy!”. He died when he was hit by an army truck on October 5th 1946. He was, as Don Bosco wanted, a good Christian and upright citizen, committed to the Church and society with a Salesian heart. As a youth his motto was: We go forward or we die. - Bosc.org

Tomba B. Alberto Marvelli

I also found this prayer card here.

Praise God in his angels and his saints!

Bl. Alberto, pray for us.

Other patrons whose feast is today:

St. Faustina, pray for us.
St. Placid, pray for us.
Bl. Raymond Capua, pray for us.
Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos, pray for us.
Bl. Bartolo Longo, pray for us.

On the feast of St. Francis ...

Everybody is talking about the 'real' St. Francis - reminding little kids and their pets that he was as 'nice' as people say he was. These people are very much like the Grinch who tell kids there is no Santa - and yet - there is. His name was St. Nicholas and he helped little kids escape death, and helped girls escape prostitution, and helped innumerable other outcasts with charitable gifts - not gifs. But I digress.

Yes kids. Francis was rich, then he chose to be poor, just like Christ. He really was poor - but people online say that is wrong - his poverty was something mystical and he wouldn't mind if his followers wore really nice clothes under their really nice habits and living in really nice friaries and driving really nice cars, and so on. In a strange way - those who say he was 'not nice' are right - because he didn't like their brand of nice ... 

Not only was he poor, but he was deeply respectful of the Church and her ministers - and of course the liturgy - so yes indeed he loved beautiful churches, exquisite sanctuaries, and beautiful vestments.  He also once ordered the friars to give a poor woman their only copy of the New Testament, so that the woman might sell it.  He loved Lady Poverty because Christ chose it for himself.  

As for his respect for the 'Lord Pope' and the ministers of the Church, I will share something the Pope said:

Let us return to the life of St Francis. When his father Bernardone reproached him for being too generous to the poor, Francis, standing before the Bishop of Assisi, in a symbolic gesture, stripped off his clothes, thus showing he renounced his paternal inheritance. Just as at the moment of creation, Francis had nothing, only the life that God gave him, into whose hands he delivered himself. He then lived as a hermit, until, in 1208, another fundamental step in his journey of conversion took place. While listening to a passage from the Gospel of Matthew Jesus' discourse to the apostles whom he sent out on mission Francis felt called to live in poverty and dedicate himself to preaching. Other companions joined him, and in 1209 he travelled to Rome, to propose to Pope Innocent III the plan for a new form of Christian life. He received a fatherly welcome from that great Pontiff, who, enlightened by the Lord, perceived the divine origin of the movement inspired by Francis. The Poverello of Assisi understood that every charism as a gift of the Holy Spirit existed to serve the Body of Christ, which is the Church; therefore he always acted in full communion with the ecclesial authorities. In the life of the Saints there is no contradiction between prophetic charism and the charism of governance, and if tension arises, they know to patiently await the times determined by the Holy Spirit.

It is also true that Francis had no intention of creating a new Order, but solely that of renewing the People of God for the Lord who comes. He understood, however, through suffering and pain that everything must have its own order and that the law of the Church is necessary to give shape to renewal. Thus he placed himself fully, with his heart, in communion with the Church, with the Pope and with the Bishops. He always knew that the centre of the Church is the Eucharist, where the Body of Christ and his Blood are made present through the priesthood, the Eucharist and the communion of the Church. Wherever the priesthood and the Eucharist and the Church come together, it is there alone that the word of God also dwells. The real historical Francis was the Francis of the Church, and precisely in this way he continues to speak to non-believers and believers of other confessions and religions as well.

Innocent III's Successor, Pope Honorius III, with his Bull Cum Dilecti in 1218 supported the unique development of the first Friars Minor, who started missions in different European countries, and even in Morocco. In 1219 Francis obtained permission to visit and speak to the Muslim sultan Malik al-Klmil, to preach the Gospel of Jesus there too. I would like to highlight this episode in St Francis' life, which is very timely. In an age when there was a conflict underway between Christianity and Islam, Francis, intentionally armed only with his faith and personal humility, travelled the path of dialogue effectively. The chronicles tell us that he was given a benevolent welcome and a cordial reception by the Muslim Sultan. It provides a model which should inspire today's relations between Christians and Muslims: to promote a sincere dialogue, in reciprocal respect and mutual understanding (cf. Nostra Aetate, 3). - Pope Benedict XVI

In his day, when bishops and priests scandalized the faithful, many openly criticized and spread stories about the sins of priests.  One story in particular is well known.  Villagers approached St. Francis, scandalized by a priest, and Francis knelt before the priest with great reverence, saying:

 "I don't know whether these hands are stained as the other man says they are. [But] I do know that even if they are, that in no way lessens the power and effectiveness of the sacraments of God... That is why I kiss these hands out of respect for what they perform and out of respect for Him who gave His authority to them." - St. Francis

Francis never criticized the Church, the Pope or the clergy.  He never acted on his own initiative or on private revelations.  He submitted to the authority of the Church, he never did anything without permission.   So that, my friends is the real St. Francis.  He also loved lambs and wolves and rabbits, kitties and puppies, birds and squirrels - he placed special food out for them at Christmas.  So don't spoil the legends which surround him with your mean-spirited 'truth in charity' stories.

Happy feast day!

He really did embrace 

lepers.

I am bi-locating to Assisi today.

Apparition of St. Francis

Josep Benlliure Gil

Bye!

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

The Vision Of Saint Francis Of Assisi by Lodovico Carracci

Prayer of St. Francis to obtain divine love.

I beseech Thee, O Lord, that the fiery and sweet strength of Thy love may absorb my soul from all things that are under heaven, that I may die for love of Thy love as Thou didst deign to die for love of my love.

St. Francis pray for us. 

Francesco

The transitus ... will you notice ... will you find me?

Prayers for all the victims of the Las Vegas shooting ...

May the angels lead you into paradise

May Christ, who called you, take you to himself;

may Angels lead you to Abraham's side.

Give them eternal rest, O Lord,

and may your light shine on them forever.

May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.  Amen

Something for the feast of St. Therese.

I want to repost a story about an Argentinian Carmelite nun who reminds me very much of St. Therese.  Therese once confided to her sister, 'If I had not been accepted in Carmel, I would have entered a Refuge (for fallen women) and lived out my days there, unknown and despised among the poor penitents.' - St.Therese of Lisieux

How appropriate that the readings for today speak of Christ who emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, including himself among sinners and outcasts.  In the Gospel Jesus points out 'tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God' before those who believe they are there already.

The story of Sister Monica Astorga, OCD is extraordinary for a Carmelite nun - yet we live in extraordinary times.  I'm sure she must be criticized for her work.  Maybe some are scandalized.  Yesterday I read a friend's comment on a Facebook post calling Pope Francis a scandal machine.  That made me sad - for my friend, not the Pope.  Just as sad as I am saddened by the controversy surrounding Fr. Martin, S.J. - which I pray will be resolved. 

Sister Monica Astorga, o.c.d.

For the past 10 years, Sister Monica Astorga, a Discalced Carmelite in the central Argentine city of Neuquen, has helped a group of transvestites and transsexuals who decided to give up prostitution and addictions to alcohol and drugs. She has started them on the path of recovery and reintegration into society.

But the work has been full of obstacles, she said. “People asked me why there were transgendered people in church. I told them the Church is for everyone. Who was Jesus with? With sinners. What is important here is that they live in dignity, so they don’t have to sleep on the street in cold temperatures—even below zero. What I offer them is a space for prayer and to find a way to work, and the rest is for the judgment of God, which I know is so merciful.” - Read the rest at Aleteia

It's a very moving account.  Sr. Monica has the permission of her Bishop, and the encouragement of the Pope.  Perhaps like Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, Sr. Monica received a 'call within a call'.  I also think of  St. Simon Salus, who left his desert solitude to live amongst the outcasts, criminals, and whores, to demonstrate the love of God, to be a sort of presence of merciful love amidst the unlovable.  I'm so edified by this story of Sr. Monica.  I'm betting Sr.'s penitents may not always manage to be faithful, nor may they change all that much in appearance or their identity, yet the grace of God is available to them and they have indeed found a place in the Church.

We always hear people say we have to make a place for people in the Church - the truth is, there is a place ... a place for all of us.  It is there already.  No special clubs or groups to join is necessary.  The sacraments - the life blood of the Church are enough.  Christ is enough.  So why do those in the Church, those receiving the sacraments, complain and call others out?  Why do they complain like those in the marketplace who have no faith?

Christ can do all things if we ask with the least bit of faith. "O Lord, I want to return to the Church and the sacraments but I don't know how." The Lord finds a way. When I write about two men or two women living together, agreeing to renounce sinful relations and determining to sanctify their lives and return to the Church and the sacraments, I'm saying that Christ can accomplish for them even more than they ask or desire. The Church does not lay burdens too heavy to carry on those who wish to be reconciled. The Church calls homosexuals, transsexuals, prostitutes, sinners to freedom, to chastity, to holiness. The Church does not dictate with whom and where a person must live, the Church doesn't command a person to join this or that group.  

I had a Discalced Carmelite nun as a spiritual sister who died a few years ago.  I came upon a letter from her last night, written many years before.  She is the one who told me, to go to confession after every fall - even if it is every day - and then go to communion.  In time the Lord will free you.  The Lord did free me.  My sister never gave up on me.  I had confessors who nearly did - she never did.  Anyway - I repeat myself - anyone who knows me know that story.

Have faith: Ask, seek, knock. It will be opened for you. 

The last day of the novena: "Go on with courage - I shall be with you."

Ninth day of the novena to St. Therese.

"On this evening of her death, therefore, as I placed a small piece of ice upon Therese's parched lips, I received in turn a beautiful smile.  As she fixed a tender gaze upon me, it seemed she was looking into the future, with all that it held for me.  Her superhuman expression was full of encouragement and promise as though she were saying to me: 'Va, va, ma Celine, je serais avec toi'"* - My Sister St. Therese

*"Go on with courage, my Celine; I shall be with you."

Therese died at seven twenty in the evening of September 30, 1897.

In thanksgiving for the continual companionship of my patroness and little mother, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

Fr. Martin's dissent.

Makes me sad.

It really does.  I've been loath to admit it it.  I found it hard to believe Fr. Martin was actually dissenting from Catholic teaching.  I still grapple with that.  For me Dr. Janet Smith's recent article in Catholic World Report, Overcoming Fr. Martin's dissent ... is more convincing for me than anything else written to date.  Dr. Smith expresses it beautifully and with great charity. 

I'll share a couple excerpts which resonated with me, and you can read the rest at CWR.  It's stuff I might have, could have said myself.

For Catholics who have some background in theology and philosophy it is deeply disappointing when a highly educated priest uses specious arguments to advance his cause; for those whose every fiber of their Catholic being leads them to want to trust priests, bishops, and religious superiors, such instances of untrustworthiness are scandalous; for those of us who have been fighting dissent for nearly 40 years, seeing a dissenter get ecclesial support and public acclaim is demoralizing. But, mostly, it is sad in the extreme that souls could well be lost.

I find myself, as an aging Catholic warrior, experiencing déjà vu all over again. The faithful of my generation spent a lot of our lives countering the equally specious (though more sophisticated) arguments of Father Charles Curran and his ilk—those who dissented from Humanae Vitae and for decades dominated virtually every Catholic institution. We fought a fight that has enjoyed a lot of success. Because of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Saint John Paul II’s Veritatis Splendor, the appointment of good bishops, the reform of seminaries and many Catholic colleges and universities, the proliferation of the “movements,” and the development of nearly countless good resources and programs, it seemed dissent was almost a thing of the past. Indeed, the younger generation, in general, is unaware of it. Thus they are even more scandalized by dissent when it does emerge.

But it is back and, to be sure, I am despondent to some extent. Though undoubtedly the damage will still be great, it helps that we are much better equipped to respond to it this time. We must not let this crisis go to waste. - Finish reading here.

As she said, "for those whose every fiber of their Catholic being leads them to want to trust priests, bishops, and religious superiors, such instances of untrustworthiness are scandalous."  I want, with every fiber of my Catholic being to trust.  I can't tell you how often that trust has been betrayed - but I keep on.  Jesus, I trust in you!

We got through it before, we will get through it again.

St. Michael and Yom Kippur

St. Michael lent is over, but there is still reason to fast.

Seventh Day of the Novena: The Hidden Face ...

"I am resigned to being always imperfect, and I even find happiness in it.  

I keep an eye on myself to see if I can discover any new imperfections." *

- Therese to Mother Agnes of Jesus

Who is St. Therese?

Many years ago a Carmelite told me that The Hidden Face by Ida Gorres was not especially representative of the life of St. Therese because it was more a psychoanalytical biography and somehow missed the authentic spirituality of Little Therese.  I believed what I was told, in spite of myself - liking very much the insights Gorres provided into the personality of Therese.  Over the years I disagreed with my Carmelite critic, and consider the book a valuable resource for getting to know Therese.

Although I have to say I think St. Therese, always the novice master, helps little souls understand her doctrine quite well all on her own.  One doesn't have to make a study of her, because little ones are immediately attracted to her little way - often just by looking at a photo or statue of the saint.  We come to understand her 'doctrine' best in and through our clumsy falls and pretentious play-acting that we are adults, wise enough to know all spiritual mysteries.  Like little kids when they pretend or play act.  It is precisely in our weakness, our failures, our insignificance wherein we grasp the meaning of the doctrine of St. Therese, her little way of confidence and love.

At least that's what I think.  

You don't have to be good for St. Therese to help you, or even be conscious of her at a given moment, or making a novena of elaborate prayers and meditations for her to do something to show her patronage.  Though it is very good to make a proper novena, Therese sometimes just shows up - with a little sign of her love, and God's great love for you.  You may still be caught in your sins, or not believe in this or that, or just think you know everything and are just fine - then she will show up with rose petals or some other thing to cause you to recognize her presence and that God is there - that he's been there all the time - and so has she.  Therese has done that for me, so that's how I know she does it for others.  I'm convinced she still does it. 

I used to think looking for signs like roses and stuff like that was not good - or at least a huge imperfection.  St. Therese changed my mind on that, as did her little Pope Francis, who, just like us often hopes to receive an assurance from her when he asks for something special.  That's what I meant by little kids pretending to be grown up - I pretended that I didn't need expressions of love and friendship - but I do.  St. Therese helped me understand that.

Making a novena isn't the only time she's listening or praying for us.  She's always doing that - she's always aware of us and our needs.  So let us thank her for that.  Thanks St. Therese.

O Lord, Who has said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow in humility and simplicity of heart the footsteps of St. Therese, the virgin, that we may obtain everlasting rewards. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.

*St. Therese actually asked to be placed near Celine for this photo, since they were rarely in photos together.  It almost seems like an imperfection to some degree, since she never did her own will, and never ask for special treatment.  No wonder she rejoiced! :) 

Sixth day: Surrender and abandonment.

I want to use Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo's prayer for today's novena prayer.

And when I must lead you on a path different from the one you see, I will prepare you; I will carry you in my arms; I will let you find yourself, like children who have fallen asleep in their mother’s arms, on the other bank of the river. What troubles you and hurts you immensely are your reason, your thoughts and worry, and your desire at all costs to deal with what afflicts you.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times) - Source

St. Therese, pray for us. 

Fifth Day of the Novena.

THE SCIENCE OF DIVINE LOVE, which the Father of mercies pours out through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, is a gift granted to the little and the humble so that they may know and proclaim the secrets of the kingdom, hidden from the learned and the wise; for this reason Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, praising the Father who graciously willed it so.

[...] 

Even though Thérèse does not have a true and proper doctrinal corpus, nevertheless a particular radiance of doctrine shines forth from her writings which, as if by a charism of the Holy Spirit, grasp the very heart of the message of Revelation in a fresh and original vision, presenting a teaching of eminent quality. - SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS AND THE HOLY FACE IS PROCLAIMED A DOCTOR OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

The wise and the learned claim Therese now that she is 'Doctor of the Church', but I like to say she doesn't esteem such titles, preferring to remain little.  Because of this she continues to be the greatest saint of modern times, one from whom theologians and scholars can learn.  I believe she embodies the sensus fidelium of today: “... You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to the little ones”.   I'm thinking of Pope Francis and his 'little way' of exercising the Petrine ministry.

So today, I pray St. Therese comes to the aid of our Holy Father Pope Francis and assists him with an abundance of grace, consoling him with her presence.  I understand Pope Francis likes the following prayer:

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus
Please pick for Pope Francis a rose
from the heavenly garden
and send it to him
as a message of love.
O Little Flower of Jesus,
ask God to grant Francis the favors
we now place with confidence
in your hands
( mention your special prayer request here )
St. Therese, help us to always believe
as you did, in God's great love for us,
so that we may imitate your "Little Way" each day.

The fourth day of the novena to St. Therese.

"Jesus, repair what I have done badly!"

Thank God Christ came to save sinners.

One day Therese counseled her sister Celine: "Your programme of life seems to be this: 'I will be kind to those who are kind, and be amiable with those who are amiable.'  Then naturally you become agitated as soon as someone disagrees with you.  In this you are like the pagans in the Gospel who our Lord tells us not to be like.  Rather he tells us, 'love your enemies, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who persecute you.'" -My Sister St. Therese, Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face

"Jesus, repair what I have done badly!"

"A notion which is not widespread and which, nevertheless, is very important is that Jesus, when we ask him with confidence, repairs not only the evil we have done in ourselves, but also the evil we have done around us.

Indeed, he has made all things right in me, but what about the evil I have done to others?  The bad example I have set, the scandal I have given, the good I would have been able to do and did not do, the injustice I committed?  I am set aright myself, but what about the others?

Say then, 'Jesus, from this evil also which I have wrought around me, draw forth good.  Even, I dare to ask you, draw a greater good from it than if I had not done the evil... Jesus, make reparation in me and around me.'" - I Believe In Love, Pere Jean du Coeur de Jesus D'Elbee

Jesus, repair what I have done badly! St. Therese pray for us!

Skepticism and the critical spirit.

You can't go to communion if ...

The toxic atmosphere.

I always accuse myself of being afflicted by a skeptical spirit, pretty much because I'm always dismissing locutionists and seers and their prophecies of doom and gloom as nothing more than fantasy based upon their personal meditations and the influence of earlier mystics and their prophecies of catastrophic events.  Which they seem to recycle and repeat.

Today the very, very, very devout Catholics online have, through their own critical spirit and fault finding, created a toxic atmosphere in the Church.  Talk about the smoke of Satan entering through some fissure ... the negative critical skepticism which pervades our culture and political system has been set up in the sanctuary.  Under the cover of being concerned for the salvation of souls, the very devout condemn just about everyone they disagree with or suspect of harboring a liberal thought or progressive idea.

Yesterday I went to a different church for Mass again.  I was disturbed by temptation throughout the Mass, making it hard to pray.  Wondering about the priest, the music, and so on.  Is he a good priest?  Is he all about promoting himself?  Is the music too loud, too secular - not conducive to recollection and prayer?  Is the priest ambitious for promotion?  Does he institute programs in the parish to impress the archbishop?  I was able to pray, because thoughts like these - which indeed are temptations, come and go like leaves in the wind.  Yet at bedtime they all returned and I wasn't able to sleep well.

No longer just whispers in the loggia.

Thoughts, temptations like these seem to arise from the chatter and gossip in the Church - no longer 'court gossip' and intrigue, the gossip is now spread online by social media, prompting dubia and corrections of bishops, priests, religious, and even the pope.  'They' claim to be working for the salvation of souls, but they are fueling skepticism and the critical spirit, making matters worse.  (I fault myself for reading their stuff, and going to their sites.)  Of course they will object and say that is not the case, once again claiming to be working for the salvation of souls - by sowing doubt and deeper suspicions that the Church is filled with heresy and demons.  They are blind guides.

Yes, I hear the whisperings of many: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!" All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. "Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him." - Jeremiah 20:10

Their rancor seems to indicate a deeper spiritual malaise, perhaps acedia?  In 'community' it can be infectious and contagious.  It leads to malice, rancor, pusillanimity, discouragement, sluggishness, and dissipation of spirit - as Garrigou-Lagrange explains it.  Almost certainly by those preoccupied with the spiritual and moral life of others - even in matters of conscience - especially when they offer public corrections, and in some cases, unauthorized 'canonical' judgments.  I'm no expert of course, but if indeed that be the case, in the mix is a great spiritual pride which causes a certain type of blindness, or tunnel vision.  Then a man abandons meekness and humility, boasts of his perfection, judges others severely, sets himself up as a master, to ask questions to entrap another, and to condemn by offering fraternal corrections  - which show how learned and holy and righteous the judge is, making himself the highest authority, in drawing souls to oneself or to the group to which one belongs instead of leading them to our Lord.

When confronted by a rebuke or counter criticism their rancor and critical spirit feigns humility, insisting their harsh rebukes are charity - the truth in charity, and their purpose is for the salvation of souls.  Again, I'm tempted to skepticism.

I see my experience, or these temptations, as a call to deeper repentance, of detachment, and to remain in the solitude of recollection, putting no trust in princes or men, but in God alone.  I'm not discouraged, but understand better what distress doubters feel and how these things distract from the one thing necessary.

Christ walked in peace through the midst of them.

Pretty much for my own edification, I'll reprint some pious thoughts which help me return to recollection and prayer - not at all an escape into some false security of the 'Benedict option' - which is another delusion many seem to opt for these days.

"Realize that your soul is the temple of God - it is St. Paul who teaches this. At every moment of the day and night the three Divine Persons are living within you." - Elizabeth of the Trinity

Therefore, if the mountains fall into the sea, the earth quakes and every structure collapses - nothing can separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ. It is Christ who begs us, "Remain in me": "It is the Word of God who gives this order, expresses this wish. Remain in me, not for a few moments, a few hours which must pass away, but 'remain' - permanently, habitually. Remain in me, pray in me, adore in me, love in me, suffer in me, work and act in me." - Elizabeth of the Trinity

So. It is not by careful watching, judging the orthodoxy of others, questioning every report and searching every word to see if it indicates this or that, is true or false, or may open the door to error, and so on. None of that is necessary for simple souls ... not even for ordinary people.

"I wish I could tell all souls what sources of strength, of peace, and of happiness they would find if they would only consent to live in this intimacy." (Prayer of recollection) - Elizabeth of the Trinity

One mystic I was always inclined to trust was Sr. Mary of the Holy Trinity, a Poor Clare of Jerusalem.  I like this:

“I passed through the world doing good-I brought peace, order, kindness, an easy kindness. I healed the sick; I forgave sins; I gave joy, true joy, tranquil joy. I brought the Beatitudes. I revealed God. It is because men do not know Him that they do not love God. You must reveal God. That is charity.” - Our Lord to Sr. Mary of the Holy Trinity, Poor Clare of Jerusalem

Every good thing I read echoes the Holy Father, and I am once again encouraged - because he too follows Christ and reveals God to the poor.

Let nothing disturb your peace. It is heaven on earth. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

"I am resigned to being always imperfect." - St. Therese

Third day of the novena to St. Therese.

"Therese believed that God frequently allows us to experience in ourselves the same weaknesses which we deplore in others,,,  [Thus] when we see ourselves fallen into those faults we are then more prompt to excuse them in others." - My Sister St. Therese, Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face
.
"'Sometimes it happens,' she went on, 'that despite their best efforts, some souls remain imperfect because it would be to their spiritual detriment to believe they are virtuous or to have others agree that they are.'" - Ibid
.
"I am resigned to being always imperfect, and I even find happiness in it.  I keep an eye on myself to see if I can discover any new imperfections." - Therese to Mother Agnes of Jesus

NOVENA A SANTA TERESITA DEL NIÑO JESUS SEGUNDO DÍA.

Novena to St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Second Day.

I'm late to the novena, but as I always say, so were the workers in the Gospel who were hired late in the day but got the same pay as the workers hired first thing in the morning. So it is with novenas - start late, miss a day - it's all fine - especially with Therese - she is all about confidence and love and expecting what you get, and maybe even more than you hoped for: graces packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap! St. Therese pray for us... and thank you ahead of time!

O Lord, Who has said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow in humility and simplicity of heart the footsteps of St. Therese, the virgin, that we may obtain everlasting rewards. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.

I'm as interested in the signs and omens as the next person, but ...

Where are the authorities on this?

I'm not talking about authors, seers, mystics and locutionists either.

It's like everyone seems preoccupied with this guy and that guy, and/or some 'anonymous' locutionist, except for those who maybe should be.

And who is that, you ask?

The Cardinals and the Bishops, and the Pope.  The Magisterium of the Church, you know?  I mean if we are that close to the brink, the end of the world as we know it, and expecting fire to fall from the sky within the next month, while the earth is shifting due to calamitous earthquakes and volcanic activity, and expecting at least one tsunami to wipe out the East coast, yet not one official in the Church says anything about preparing for complete annihilation, and/or calling for fasting and prayers to avert or mitigate such disasters?

Even I have been posting on Facebook curious stories concerning Eskimos claiming the axis of the earth has shifted, which made some sense considering the Indian Ocean quake of 2004 caused the earth to wobble slightly: Which BTW also seems to fit Sr. Lucia's vision of the angel striking the earths axis.  I of course do not claim any locutions or revelations.  However, such events did not go by unnoticed by those who do.  For example, Mark Mallet has already posted on the great shaking thing, corroborated by a few other mystics and blogger followers alike.

But they are the only ones.  The Church, the Government, the Military, NASA - none of them are issuing warnings.  Although there were hurricane warnings.  After the Mexico City earthquake, California may have issued earthquake warnings, and as we all know, North Korea is making a lot of threats.  But that's it.

Other than that, everything seems to be business as usual.

Cardinal Burke continues giving interviews, warning the correction of the Pope is imminent - but not a word on any sort of imminent chastisement and the end of days thing.  (Maybe because he thinks the Pope would just ignore him on that as well?)  When it comes to the Church in the United States, the huge issue these days revolves around making Fr. Martin's book, Building Bridges the biggest best seller of the century.  That, along with the daily attacks on the Pope seems to attract all the attention of Church leaders in the U.S..  Oh, and the immigrants, the wall, and politics.  Not a word about the chastisement.  Not a peep about the coming apocalypse?

I'm confused.

Monarchial splendor ...

Pope St. John XXIII

1960

King Victor Emmanuel III and Queen Elena

presented at the Vatican

Pio XII

Gloria Princess of Thurn and Taxis and Cardinal Gerhard Müller

The Cardinal and the Princess.

Princess Gloria of Thurn and Taxis invited Müller to present his new book.

The Vatican’s former doctrine chief has criticised Francis’ papacy for lacking theological rigour, while suggesting he is ready to make a comeback and work in the Roman Curia.

During a book presentation in Germany last Friday, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, dismissed from his job by the Pope in July, recalled how the Jesuit Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) told Pope Clement VIII that he did not understand anything about theology.

According to reports of the event in Mannheim the German cardinal then pointed out that Bellarmine was sacked from the Curia three times. Muller added he thought it possible he could return to the curia - a suggestion which was greeted with great applause.

In Mannheim, the cardinal criticised Latin American approach to theology, in what was a thinly veiled critique of the Argentinian Pope and his theological advisers from the continent.

“In Europe, theologians immediately have to have the exact council text ready when words like ‘faith’ or ‘mercy’ are used. This kind of theology with which we are familiar doesn’t exist in Latin America. They are more intuitive there,” Cardinal Muller said during a presentation of his new book 'The Pope - Mission and Task' at the Reiss-Engelholm-Museum at Mannheim.

“They look at a text without considering it as part of a whole. We must somehow respect and accept this style. But I nevertheless wish that as far as teaching documents are concerned clear theological preparation must take place.”

Princess Gloria of Thurn and Taxis invited Müller to present his new book at the museum where there is an exhibition on the Papacy. - Source

I find this story interesting since - from what I understand, the German church is quite rich.  I won't take time to back that up with statistics and anecdotes, but I just remember the so-called Bishop of Bling and other stories associated the wealth of the Church in Germany.  I immediately thought of the rebukes Pope Francis has made against cardinals acting like Princes of the Church, declaring, "one who considers himself a prince has a ‘clericalist attitude’ – that is, hypocritical."

Indeed, Latin American theology may be more intuitive, just as the papacy of Pope Francis is more populist.  Perhaps Müller's remarks shed more light on why he was dismissed than anything Catholics online might come up with to condemn the Pope?  As Pope Francis explained:

Jesus served the people, He explained things because the people understood well: He was at the service of the people. He had an attitude of a servant, and this gave authority. On the other hand, these doctors of the law that the people… yes, they heard, they respected, but they didn’t feel that they had authority over them; these had a psychology of princes: ‘We are the masters, the princes, and we teach you. Not service: we command, you obey.’ And Jesus never passed Himself off like a prince: He was always the servant of all, and this is what gave Him authority. - Pope Francis

Hmmm.

Bonus photos of the Princess

The Princess and the Cardinal.

Family portrait.

The Princess with interior designer to the rich

and famous, Peter Marino,  Marino at her right. 

The Princess at the dedication of a boat.

For more information on the 'Punk Princess' go here.

I won't hear of it!

San Gennaro 2017, si scioglie il sangue del patrono di Napoli

Looking good - it liquefied!  Applause in church.  Loud cheers in church.  

Our Lady of La Salette

Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of sinners, 

pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.

On 19 September 1851, Pope Pius IX formally approved the public devotion and prayers to Our Lady of La Salette, referring to the messages of the apparition as "secrets".

The Fr. Martin, S.J. defense vs. the Catholic cyber-militia.

They're going after Fr. Z and Church Militant.

Fr. Z proclaims his innocence - he did not instruct readers to voice complaints - he just called out Fr. martin as a homosexualist.  (I didn't see him issue an 'action alert' on this, so I agree he didn't call up the troops to protest.)  But he is definitely being blamed.  I think his status is being questioned, since the LaCroix article identifies him as an "American priest known as “Fr Z” who, strangely enough, is incardinated (that is, belongs to) an Italian diocese, but lives in the United States."

This sort of vitriol is profoundly changing the communion of the Catholic Church. And not just in its ethos, but also in the way it functions. It signals a new kind of censorship that uses verbal violence to intimidate individual Catholics, as well as institutions within the Church – institutions that exist (also) to protect the rights of Catholics. 

The small groups that are behind the campaign that persuaded a prestigious Catholic seminary in the US capital to rescind its invitation to Fr Martin have grown over the last few years. They make up a Catholic cyber-militia that include “news” organizations like the Detroit-based “Church Militant” and bloggers such as Fr John Zuhlsdorf, an American priest known as “Fr Z” who, strangely enough, is incardinated (that is, belongs to) an Italian diocese, but lives in the United States. - LaCroix

Fr. Z is not scared.  I'm sure complaints about him pile up in Rome, but he appears to be safe under Bishop Morlino.  I think the most offensive thing Fr. Z ever does is call out people using labels which often denigrate their authority or identify them with liberal ideologies.  Sometimes he calls for 'action alerts' - and some time ago he used to ask for donors to donate to him instead of donating to NCR.

"I think a good way to show what you think of the NCR would be, first, to talk someone out of a subscription and, then, a spiffy donation to WDTPRS using the donation button below. If every reader here would pitch in $5, that would make a statement, given the number of readers we have." - WDTPRS

 One can't forget his feud with Phyllis Zagano and The NCR which he dubbed the 'fishwrap' and later National Sodomite Reporter a few years back.  Google Zagano and Fr. Z and you get: "I am told that Phyllis Zagano, who works for the National Catholic Reporter, is still calling around in order to make trouble for me and harm my reputation."  Therefore, I think it safe to say, one may assume that kind of thing is most likely happening right now in the wake of the Fr. Martin 'dust-up'.

So as we pray for Fr. Martin, let's keep praying for Fr. Z as well.

The Catholic blogosphere seems to be turning into the vestibule of hell.

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate

A Franciscan and a Dominican Saint for September 18

St. Joseph Cupertino, pray for the unwanted.

I like St. Joseph Cupertino for so much more than his miracles and wonders.  In the account of his life it is noted that even as a child, "nobody wanted Joseph; even his mother did not want him; Joseph learnt this lesson very early and accepted it." - Read more on his life here.

St. John Macias, pray for the simple.

"Rays of light streamed from the blessed's face as he taught the catechism to the poor, or prayed by himself in the gatehouse. He said an amazing number of rosaries and made no less than twenty daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament. He is said to have liberated more than a million souls from purgatory, many of whom came back, while he was at prayer, to thank him for his help." - More on his life here.

September 17 - The Sacred Stigmata of St. Francis