The late spring months have a few notable celebrations: the continuation of the Easter Mysteries like the Ascension and Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Mother's and Father's Day, and priesthood celebrations. Nothing moves the heart spiritually, that is, than witnessing the blessing of a newly ordained priest. Here a newly ordained priest of Toronto bestows God's blessing on a little one...
The Church gives us Saint Pachomius (+346), the Egyptian monk and abbot famous for being the "founder" of community-focussed monasticism (cenobitic) thus offering an new pattern of following Christ as a monk that up until Pachomius, one did alone. 200 years later Saint Benedict brought this version of monastic life in general acceptance in the west, drawing on what this sainted abbot first done. He's known, too, for his writings titled "Koinonia" (in Latin, Communio). He wrote: "Brothers, as long as you have breath in your bodies, strive for your salvation. Before the hour comes in which we shall weep for ourselves, let us practice virtue eagerly."
"The Church welcomes with joy and compassion the mothers who, recognizing that all life is a gift from God, come to the Church seeking a blessing for their unborn child. Such a blessing sustains the parents by imparting grace and comfort in time of concern and need, unites the parish in prayer for the unborn child, and fosters respect for human life within society."
Here's the key prayer:
Lord, who have brought to these women the wondrous joy of motherhood, grant them comfort in all anxiety and make them determined to lead their children along the ways of salvation.
[For the fathers: Lord of the ages, who have singled out these men to know the grace and pride of fatherhood, grant them courage in this new responsibility, and make them examples of justice and truth for these children.]
[For the family: Lord, endow these families with sincere and enduring love as they prepare to welcome these children into their midst.]
Lord, you have put into the hearts of all men and women of good will a great awe and wonder at the gift of new life; fill this (parish) community with faithfulness to the teachings of the Gospel and new resolve to share in the spiritual formation of these children in Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
The full English and Spanish text is available here: Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb.pdf
More info for prolife materials may be found at the USCCB site.
Happy Mother's Day
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Saint Hildegard of Bingen is getting some press these days. Many are very curious to know how and why the Pope did such an unusual thing in making her cult as concrete as possible. Being inscribed as a saint in the album of the saints is pretty concrete, I'd say.
The Church's official teaching is seen by the use of concepts like "extension of Hildegard of Bingne's cult to the entire Church," meaning that she is proposed as a model of holiness with moral certainty to the faithful. Remember, only the Blessed Trinity is worshiped at the Liturgy. Saints and Blesseds are venerated, honored. Not the same. Hence, the definition of "cult" in Catholic theology is that the veneration saints particularly at the sacred Liturgy (i.e., the worship of God at Holy Mass, Lauds and Vespers) is made possible by the Church recognizing that this person is with God in heaven and is a reliable witness for Christian living.
]]>For a long time Hildegard's been called "saint." And, so, some may say, "It's about time" the Church made this fact official. Perhaps it wouldn't make a difference if she was officially added to the canon of saints, but there is a certain relief that the Church has settled the cause. It has to be acknowledged that in the 800+ years since Hildegard's death, her cause for canonization must be one of the higher profile ones around. And for whatever reason Hildegard's cause wasn't completed until recently. What we've been given by the Tradition is that Hildegard has been known as a saint, her writings, and her many ecclesial contributions are well-regarded. It is also well-known that the Pope has spoken eloquently of Hildegard a few times in the past years; hence he decided to end the ambiguity of her ecclesial status, writing her name "in the album of the saints." Some would say that Benedict's gesture rehabilitates Hildegard's place in Church and state. While that may be an overstatement, he did "do good by her."
Our newest saint is revered by the Anglo-Catholics, so this is another point of connection with those who hold the Anglican patrimony in high esteem.
You may want to read Nathaniel M. Campbell essay on his blog Fides Quaerens Intellectum.
Some things to read:
Augustine Thompson, OP, "Hildegard of Bingen on Gender and the Priesthood" and Dr. Leroy Huizenga's First Things essay published, Hildegard of Bingen: "Saint of the Universal Church"
Hildegard von Bingen with Richardis von Stade (right) and Volmar (left). Miniature painting, c. 1230; Lucca, Biblioteca Statale
The departure of Jesus in terms of his bodily presence, therefore, is not a reason to be sad; instead, it is a cause of great joy. And this is exactly what the Lord promises when he says: "I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" (Jn 16:7).
Christ sends us the Counselor, that is the Holy Spirit, in union with his Father. In fact, the Holy Spirit is the special promise of the Father (cf. Acts 2:33; Eph 1:13; Lk 24:49), the gift which allows us to know him more intimately, "for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God" (1 Cor 2:10). The good fathers of this world show their goodness towards their children giving them the most precious gift, that of personal love. The Lord says to earthly fathers: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Lk 11:13). Given that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (Jas 1:17), as we heard in today's epistle [May 9, 2012], it is clear that the best gift that the Father can bestow is that of his Holy Spirit, through whom the Father and the Son are able to dwell in us (cf. Jn 14:23).
How eager, therefore, should we be to receive this Spirit! O how we should implore the Father for this perfect gift! We should say, therefore: Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth thy Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.
Father Basil Nixen, OSB
9 May 2012
Monastery of Saint Benedict
Norcia, Italy
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In our catechesis on Christian prayer, we now consider Saint Peter's miraculous liberation from imprisonment on the eve of his trial in Jerusalem. Saint Luke tells us that as "the Church prayed fervently to God for him" (Acts 12:5), Peter was led forth from the prison by an Angel of light. The account of Peter's rescue recalls both Israel's hasty exodus from bondage in Egypt and the glory of Christ's resurrection. Peter was sleeping, a sign of his surrender to the Lord and his trust in the prayers of the Christian community. The fulfillment of this prayer is accompanied by immense joy, as Peter rejoins the community and bears witness to the Risen Lord's saving power. Peter's liberation reminds us that, especially at moments of trial, our perseverance in prayer, and the prayerful solidarity of all our brothers and sisters in Christ, sustains us in faith. As Peter's Successor, I thank all of you for the support of your prayers and I pray that, united in constant prayer, we will all draw ever closer to the Lord and to one another.
Pope Benedict XVI10 May 2012
Do we have perseverance in prayer?What really sustains our prayer?
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This morning the Holy Father had received in a private audience Angelo Cardinal Amato, SDB, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, who presented the cases for sainthood that his office has been working on.
Among the many important things decided, the Pope has given us the liturgical memorial of and inscribed in the catalog of Saints of the Universal Church, the model of holiness in the person of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a German Benedictine nun born in Bermershein in 1089 and who died in Rupertsberg on 17 Septemeber 1179.
What is interesting here is that Hildegard never really went through the same process of canonization that's done nowadays so you can say the Church is recognizing her sanctity and place with God without the rigorous investigation that is being done for the Venerable Servant of God Michael J. McGivney. In part, this is because through the centuries the Church has changed several times, the process by which it is judged a person is a blessed or saint. Previously, people used the title "saint" with Hildegard as "popular theology and cult of the saints."
So, with this ecclesial recognition Saint Hildegard of Bingen may be honored officially as a saint of the Church. She may be considered the Church's newest Benedictine saint.
~ the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Frederick Irenaeus Baraga, first bishop of the Diocese of Marquette (Michigan), born in Solvenia on 28 June 1797 and died in Marquette on 19 January 1868;
~ the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a professed sister of the Congregation of Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, born in Bayonne (New Jersey) on 26 March 1901 and who died in Elizabeth (New Jersey) on 18 May 1927;
~ and the recognition of a 14 March 2012 act of the Congregation of Saints in promulgating a Decree regarding the heroic virtue of the Servant of God Felix Francis Joseph of the Conception Varela Morales, a secular priest born in Havanna, Cuba on 20 November 1788 and who died in Saint Augustine (Florida) on 25 February 1853.
The monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey are gaining traction in the use of social media to promote prayer, the monastic life and ecclesial service.
Spiritual infirmities such as tepidity are caused, not only by chills but also by fevers, that is, by excessive zeal. Saint Paul says, let your service be a reasonable service [Rom. 12:1], because he knew the truth of the words of the Psalmist, the king in his might loves justice [99:4], that is, discretion; and what was prefigured in Leviticus, whatsoever sacrifice you offer, you shall season it with salt [2:13]. In the same vein does Saint Bernard speak: the enemy has no more successful ruse for depriving the heart of real charity than to get him to act rashly and not in keeping with spiritual reasonableness. "Nothing in excess," said the philosopher. And this principle should be our guide even in a matter pertaining to justice itself, as we read in Ecclesiastes, be not over just [7:16]. If one fails to observe this moderation, he will find that good is turned into evil and virtue into vice. He will also learn that many inconveniences follow which are quite contrary to the purpose of the one who so acts.
]]> The first is that God is not really served in the long run, as the horse worn out in the first days does not as a rule finish the journey, and thus it happens that someone must be found to care for it.
Second, gains that are made through such excessive eagerness do not usually endure, as Scripture says, wealth gathered in haste will dwindle [Prov. 13:11]. Not only dwindle, but it may be the cause of a fall: and he that is hasty with his feet shall stumble [Prov. 19:2]; and if he stumbles, the further he falls, the greater the danger for he will not stop until he has reached the bottom of the ladder.
Third, there is the danger of being careless in overloading the vessel. There is danger, of course, in sailing it empty, as it can then be tossed about on the waves of temptation; but there is also danger of so overloading it that it sinks.
Fourth, it can happen that, in crucifying the old man, the new man is also crucified and thus made unable through weakness to practice virtue. Saint Bernard tells us that because of this excess we lose four things: "The body loses the effect of the good work, the soul its devotion, our neighbor good example, and God His honor." From this we infer that whosoever thus mistreats the living temple of God is guilty of sacrilege. Saint Bernard says that the neighbor is deprived of good example, because the fall of one and the ensuing scandal are a source of scandal to others; and he calls them, in cause at least, disturbers of unity and enemies of peace. The example of such a fall frightens many and makes them tepid in their spiritual progress. In the fallen there is danger of pride and vainglory, since they prefer their own judgment to the judgment of everyone else, usurping what is not their own by setting themselves up as judges in their own cause when the rightful judge is their superior.
Besides these, there are also other disadvantages, such as overloading themselves with weapons which they cannot use, like David with the armor of Saul [1 Sam. 17:38-39]. They apply spurs to a spirited horse rather than the rein. Therefore there is need of discretion on this point to keep the practice of virtue between both extremes. Saint Bernard gives this advice: "Good will is not always to be trusted, but it must be bridled, regulated, especially in beginners," if one wishes to benefit others without any disadvantage to himself, for he that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? [Sir. 14:5].
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Letter to the Fathers and Brothers studying in Coimbra, Portugal
May 7, 1547
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One of the US's monasteries of Benedictine nuns is getting a lot media attention lately. Regina Laudis Abbey (Bethlehem, CT) is now recognized by the European Catholic press for a story written by Mauro Pianta for the Vatican Insider, "U.S.: Cameron's former lover becomes cloistered nun." Mr. Pianta tells of the UK's Prime Minister David Cameron's former very beautiful girlfriend who found her vocation in the American abbey after a conversion in her life. Sister John Mary known in history as Laura Adshead left the world to follow Christ. Let's note, however, Sister John Mary has been at the Abbey for four years, now. So this story is not exactly new, but it is good to know that smart women still follow the Lord's call.