O blessed Aloysius, adorned with angelic virtues, I
thy most unworthy suppliant recommend specially to thee the chastity of my soul and body, praying thee by thy angelic purity to plead for me with Jesus Christ the Immaculate Lamb, and His most Holy Mother, Virgin of virgins, that
they would vouchsafe to keep me from all grievous sin. Never suffer me to be defiled with any stain of impurity; but when thou dost see me in temptation, or in danger of falling, then remove far from my mind all evil thoughts and unclean desires, and awaken in me the memory of eternity to come, and of Jesus crucified; impress deeply in my heart a sense of the holy fear of God; and kindling in me the fire of Divine love, enable me so to follow thy footsteps here on earth, that in heaven I may be made worthy to enjoy with thee the
vision of our God for ever.
Author: Paul Zalonski
Benedict asks us to preserve and appreciate our Christian values, identity
Yesterday Pope Benedict visited San Marino. You remember, San Marino is the oldest republic founded by Saint Marin, a deacon, and Saint Leo who escaped the clutches of the Emperor Diocletian by coming from Dalmatia to Rimini. San Marino is in central Italy with about 24 square miles with a population of about 31K. San Marino was first founded as a monastic community in the early period of the 4th century and today it is governed by a constitution adopted in 1600 and is still in effect. Two interesting facts: Saint Agatha is the patron saint and Abraham Lincoln was an honorary citizen.
Follow the Pope in a historical way (even spiritually) who’ll notice his insistence on Europeans –indeed all nations with Christian roots– preserving and appreciating Christian tradition as the moral ground of society. There’s a tendency today to push aside one’s Christian patrimony in favor of a secularist mentality that rejects Christ and His Gospel. It seems that we are now embarrassed by our belief in Christ; we longer say with confidence that Christ died for me and that He’s now risen from the dead and that the Holy Spirit lives in us; that we are scared by what others are going to say and I dare say we’d rather be superficial and believe in nothing than accept the offer of Love from God. Why is it that Christ, who is the source of our being and our destiny is easily dismissed?
In San Marino, Pope Benedict exhorts us all to hold fast to what has been given to us: freedom, love, and meaning.
My heartfelt
gratitude for your hospitality, in particular I express my gratitude to the
captains regent, also for the courteous words they addressed to me. I greet the
members of the government and of the Congress, as well as the diplomatic corps
and all the other authorities gathered here. In addressing you, I embrace
ideally the whole people of San Marino. From its birth, this republic has had
friendly relations with the Apostolic See, and in recent times they have been
intensified and consolidated; my presence here, in the heart of this ancient
republic, expresses and confirms this friendship
Continue reading Benedict asks us to preserve and appreciate our Christian values, identity
The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity
The Church celebrates her belief in the Most Holy Trinity, a communion of persons of Love. This feast given to us not to celebrate the revelation of an idea and divine works in history, but to meet in a personal way the community of the Trinity.
While in Genoa for Trinity Sunday in 2008, Pope Benedict taught that
From the reality of God which he himself made known to us by revealing his “name” to us comes a certain image of man, that is, the exact concept of the person. If God is a dialogical unity, a being in relation, the highest creature made in his image and likeness reflects this constitution; thus he is called to fulfill himself in dialogue, in conversation, in encounter.
The Collect of the Mass for today is (trans. by Fr Z):
Almighty everlasting God, who granted to Your servants, in the profession of the true Faith, to recognize the glory of the eternal Trinity and to adore Its Unity in the might of majesty: we beseech You; that, in the steadfastness of that same Faith, we may always be defended from all adversities.
Perhaps you’d consider reading Joseph Ratzinger’s book, The God of Jesus Christ: Meditations on the Triune God.
John Corapi takes a break from priesthood
In the past days the story of Father John Corapi’s taking a break from the Catholic priesthood has been circulating. In the meantime, read the current news of Father Corapi, 64, on his blog, The Black Sheep Dog.
Distressing indeed and a situation that requires guidance from the Holy Spirit. So, pray to Saints Padre Pio and John Neumann and John Mary Vianney for their intercession.
Corapi’s account of the situation and the process of investigation for innocence (or guilt) is too problematic. The problem with the case is not with Father Corapi –yet there are questions that persist– but in the process of coming to truth. Or so it seems.
May the Most Trinity, shower grace on us.
UPDATE: read “Father Corapi’s Bombshell” by Joan Frawley Desmond
St John Neumann celebrated in native land
The 200th anniversary of birth of Saint John Nepomucene Neumann is being celebrated in his homeland, today called the Czech Republic. Here’s the story in Czech. Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, is the Pope’s special envoy. His special connection with the Saint is that John Neumann was the bishop of Philadelphia and is buried in Philadelphia.
Pope Benedict’s letter of credence for Cardinal Rigali’s mission as a papal representative may be read here.
Benedict notes Saint John’s work included spiritual and social progress of the faithful, assistance with counsel and charity and he provided for Christian education. He’s known as the first US bishop to organize Catholic education.
You should also know that Saint John Neumann is the first bishop of the United States to be canonized. He’s not the first American saint and nor was he native born, but he is one of us. As a grammar school student my dad and I visited the shrine of Saint John Neumann which sticks with all these years later.
Saint John Neumann, pray for us.
Together in Christ
Image via Wikipedia
The Pope’s “Together in Christ” two day visit of Croatia was significant for several reasons. For him, and I think for all of us who were either physically in Zagreb or tuned via the media, time spent with the Croatians was monumental because it clearly exhibited the “dynamism of communion.” (What visit of a pope is insignificant, the wag asks?) In his own words, the Benedict reviews the events he and the world lived with him in this way:
- “the experience of finding ourselves together united in the name of Christ,
- the experience of being Church, which is manifested … around the Successor of Peter.
- ‘Together in Christ’ referred in a particular way to the family (… the occasion of my visit was the First National Day of Croatian Catholic Families…
It was very important for me to confirm in the faith especially these families that the Second Vatican Council called “domestic churches” (cf. Lumen Gentium, 11).
In today’s Europe [and one can extend this to the globe], nations with a strong Christian tradition have a special responsibility to defend and promote the value of the family founded on marriage, which remains decisive both within the field of education as well as in the social sphere.”
Catholics understanding the Book of Revelation and the Rapture
The rapture came and went…and this guy got caught up in it. Good for him. The rest of us will meander along…but in case you want to join the others in the rapture, the actual date is now October 21. So I am told. But what time should people be ready? Harold Camping, founder of Family Radio and rapture prophet. Camping might be ready for the rapture as he’s now recovering from a stroke. The 89 year old prophet of doom-and-gloom-Christian-style alters his guaranteed prediction of Judgement Day every so often.
In case you’re interested, we’re having a 3 presentations on the Book of Revelation, the Catholic teaching on the belief of the Second Coming Christ and what the rapture means. Brother Leo Checkai, OP, is going to lead us through the theology and visions as found in the Revelation and giving a strategy to read and understand this famous and mysterious final book of the Bible. Come for the class at Saint Catherine of Siena Church at 6:30 on June 29, July 6 and 13. The church is located at 411 East 68th Street, NYC.
photo taken from In Caritate Non Ficta by Philip Gerard Johnson: this pic is a hoot….
James Wiseman elected abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey, Washington, DC
Father James Wiseman, 66, was elected the new and fifth abbot of Saint Anselm’s Abbey, Washington, DC Thursday. Dom James will serve for an eight year term as abbot. He replaces the Prior Administrator Simon McGurk, a monk of Belmont Abbey in the UK.
The new abbot’s been called to serve his community in a variety of ways since his profession in 1966: priesthood (1970), abbot (1975-1983), novice master (1983-1994) and prior (1990-2006). In fact, Dom James has been elected as abbot for the second time; the first time around he was the second abbot.
Abbot James teaches theology at Catholic University of America, and has done so since 1985, and at the abbey’s school since 1969. Since 2007, he’s held the rank of ordinary professor at Catholic University.
He has served twice as chair of CUA’s theology department, and for a period of time as an associate dean. James Wiseman has written or edited six books and more than 30 published articles. He’s also chaired the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, a collection of monks and nuns interested in questions of interfaith relations. For 12 years Dom James edited the Bulletin of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue.
Saint Anselm Abbey is one of three Benedictine abbeys in the USA of the English Benedictine Congregation, there are a total of 13 EBC houses of monks. The others being Saint Gregory the Great (Portsmouth, RI) and Saint Louis (St Louis, MO). The Benedictine monastic community was founded in 1923 Father Thomas Verner Moore and some companions. In 1961, Blessed Pope John XXIII gave the Benedictine community the rank of an abbey. Today, there are 15 monks at Saint Anselm’s.
Through the intercession of Saints Benedict, Scholastica and Anselm, and Father Luigi Giussani, may the Blessed Trinity give Abbot James the wisdom and love to serve well and prudence. Especially offer your prayers for the monastic community as it continues the work of deepening their faith and giving clear witness to monastic witness of the Gospel. There’s is an unique vocation in the Nation’s heart.
“The Western Mass” — now really…..
Clearly the liturgical formation of seminarians in the Archdiocese of Vienna is pretty bad if what is protrayed here is true. Gloria.TV exposes yet another example of how some trash the sacred Liturgy under the guise of making it accessible to the people: “The Western Mass.”
The celebrant was the rector of the Vienna Cathedral, Father Anton Faber; AND, according to Father Faber, the Cardinal-Archbishop Christoph Maria Michael Hugo Damian Peter Adalbert Graf von Schönborn, OP, approves of the way Father Faber celebrates the sacred Liturgy.
Nicholas James Samra: New eparch of Newton for the Melkites
The Holy Father, upon the recommendation of the Melkite Synod, has given his assent to election of the Most Reverend Nicholas James Samra as the new Eparch of Newton for the Melkites. Bishop Nicholas, 67, has been the auxiliary of the same. Bishop Nicholas replaces Archbishop Cyril Salim Bustros who has been elected the Metropolitan of Beruit and Jbeil.
The Eparchy of Newton covers the entire country; it was founded in 1966 and erected as an eparchy in 1976. According to 2009 stats the Eparchy has 26,700 faithful.
I have known Sayedna Nicholas for years and this is a terrific choice for the Eparchy!!!
Bishop Nicholas is the first native born to be the Father of the Eparchy!
God grant him many years!!!!!