Dan Gilgoff of U.S. News & World Report’s “God & Country” blog posted an exclusive interview in which Newt Gingrich speaks on following his desire to enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
The former Speaker of the House said in part: “The whole effort to create a ruthless, amoral,
situational ethics culture has probably driven me toward a more overt
Christianity.”
To read the interview
“Please let me suffer like You, Divine Savior,” was Saint Rita’s prayer.
Saint Rita of
Cascia (d. 1457) is the well-known saint and patron of the desperate, seemingly impossible causes
and situations. She assists Saint Jude and others before the Throne of Grace. The
reputation of Saint Rita is such because she had been involved in so many
stages of life as a – wife, mother, widow, and Augustinian nun, she buried her
family, helped bring peace to her city Unmbria in Italy, saw her dreams denied
and fulfilled – and never lost her faith in God, or her desire to be with Him. The
shrine where her relics are venerated in Cascia (Italy) is well-visited.
Holy Patroness
of those in need, Saint Rita, you were humble, pure and patient. Your pleadings
with your divine Spouse are irresistible, so please obtain for me from our
risen Jesus the request I make of you: (mention your petition). Be kind to me
for the greater glory of God, and I shall honor you and sing your praise
forever.
Glorious Saint Rita,
you miraculously participated in the sorrowful passion of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Obtain for me now the grace to suffer with resignation the troubles of
this life, and protect me in all my needs. Amen.
Visit the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia
Just as the man
who thinks only of this world does everything possible to make life here easier
and better, so must we, too, who believe in the eternal kingdom, risk
everything in order to receive a great reward there. (Franz Jägerstätter)
Franz Jägerstätter
(1907-1943) married Franziska Schwaninger in 1936 and honeymooned in Rome
receiving a blessing from Pope Pius XI after which he maintained it was a
spiritual awakening. He was a daily communicant and a Secular Franciscan.
At the time of
his death at age 36, Blessed Jägerstätter left behind a widow and 3 small
daughters. Interestingly both his priest and his bishop urged him to give up
his conscientious objection, and join the army; his sacrifice was regarded as
folly by his neighbors. The chaplain who saw Jägerstätter to his death related
that Jägerstätter said, “I am completely bound in inner union with the Lord.”
Reflecting upon
the context of his life he said:
The situation in
which we Christians of Germany find ourselves today is much more bewildering
than that faced by the Christians of the early centuries at the time of their
bloodiest persecution … We are not dealing with a small matter, but the great
(apocalyptic) life and death struggle has already begun. Yet in the midst of it
there are many who still go on living their lives as though nothing had changed
… That we Catholics must make ourselves told of the worst and most dangerous
anti-Christian power that has ever existed is something that I cannot and never
will believe … Many actually believe quite simply that things have to be the
way they are. If this should happen to mean that they are obliged to commit
injustice, then they believe that others are responsible. … I am convinced that
it is still best that I speak the truth even though it costs me my life. For
you will not find it written in any of the commandments of God or of the Church
that a man is obliged under pain of sin to take an oath committing him to obey
whatever might be commanded him by his secular ruler. We need no rifles or
pistols for our battle, but instead spiritual weapons, and the foremost of
these is prayer.
The Common for Martyrs: One Martyr in Easter Time
Read William
Diono’s First Things article, “Franz Jägerstätter: Martyr and Model”
For another essay on
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter read…
His biography,
In Solitary Witness, can be purchased from Amazon
Erna Putz’ biography, Franz Jägerstätter-Martyr: A Shining Example in Dark Times can be read here
The Houston
Catholic Worker’s article on the witness of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter
Franz Jägerstätter: Letters and Writings from Prison (Orbis Books, 2009).
Sister Mary Irmina Blatt recently celebrated her 102nd birthday. Sister Blatt is a Benedictine Sister of Perpetual Adoration.
Yet another example of Catholic higher ed making foolish distinctions in order to justify their morally wrong actions and doing an end-run around the face of Christ and His Church. It is not merely as one headline reads: contempt for the bishops BUT contempt for Christ!
Please pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of the Reverend Father Paul Cioffi, S.J.
We believe in
Jesus whom we have not seen. Those who have seen and touched him with their own
hands, who have heard the word from his mouth, are the ones who have borne
witness to him. It was to teach these things to the world that they were sent
by him. They did not presume to go out on their own initiative. And where did
he send them? You heard the answer to that in the gospel reading: “Go, proclaim
the Good News to every creature under heaven.” The disciples were sent to the
ends of the earth, with signs and wonders accompanying them in confirmation of
their testimony, because they spoke of what they had actually seen.
We believe in
him though we have not seen him, and we await his return. Whoever waits for him
in faith will rejoice when he comes, but those without faith will be put to
shame at the appearance of what they cannot at present see. Then let us abide
in his words, so that his coming may not put us to shame. In the gospel he
himself says to those who have believed in him: “If you persevere in my word,
you will truly be my disciples.” And to their unspoken question, “What will it
profit us?”, he adds: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free.”
At present we
possess our salvation in hope, not in fact; we do not yet possess what we have
been promised, but we hope to do so in the future. The one who promised it is
faithful; he will not deceive you, so long as you wait for his promised gift
without growing weary. The truth cannot possibly deceive. Make sure then that
you yourself are not a liar, professing one thing and doing another; keep faith
with him, and he will keep his word to you. If you do not keep faith, it will
be you who deceive yourself, not he who made the promise.
“If you know
that he is righteous, you can be sure that everyone who acts rightly is born of
him.” Our righteousness in this life comes through faith. None but the angels
are perfectly righteous, and they have only a shadow of righteousness in
comparison with God. Nevertheless, if there is any perfect righteousness to be
found in the souls and spirits created by God, it is in the holy angels who are
good and just, who have not fallen away from God nor been thrust out of heaven
by their pride. They abide forever in the contemplation of God’s word and find
their happiness in nothing apart from him who made them. In these is found the
perfection of righteousness, but in us righteousness has its beginning through
faith, as the Spirit leads us.
World Youth Alliance (WYA) Europe invites young people from
all over Europe to a 4-day summer camp (June 26- 29, 2009), “The Drama of Love” in a beautiful
mansion in Orleans, France, to learn about and experience love, fulfilment and
the goal and meaning of life. Through different lectures, workshops and movies
we will learn about love and relationships, their potential for problems but
also for fulfilment and happiness, as well as one’s own personality. We will also
explore the wisdom of great literature such as Greek and Roman mythology,
Plato, etc. We will visit Paris and the castles and sights of the Loire valley,
the very place of Renaissance romanticism and acquire journalistic and writing
skills through the composition of a Viviamo magazine.
More information will be
online soon, until then please contact us at iris@wya.net.
No other name under heaven has been given to men by which we can be saved.
Father, You gave Saint Bernardine a special love for the holy name of Jesus. By the help of his prayers, may we always be alive with the spirit of your love.
Many people think the IHS symbol originated with and belongs exclusively with the Society of Jesus. The typical Jesuit use of IHS is slightly different from the one used by Bernardine in that the 3 nails are included in the Jesuit monogram. Historically the IHS is an ancient symbol and it was popularized by today’s Saint Bernardine of Siena, the Apostle of Italy or alternatively called the Apostle of the Holy Name.
As a monograph for the name of Jesus Christ it became more popular after the 12th century. We know that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux had a devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus as well as other notable other churchmen and women. Let’s remember that Bernardine suffered great opposition at the hands of the Church for his use devotion and propagation of the Name of Jesus because it was seen as idolatry. By 1530, the Church approved of the Mass text for the feast of the Triumph of the Holy Name of Jesus, celebrated today on January 3, restored to the Roman Missal by Pope John Paul II in 2002. Moreover, there is a long tradition of celebrating the second Sunday of each month as Holy Name Sunday (we did so growing up at St. Stanislaus Church, New Haven, CT).
I would like to recommend membership in The Holy Name Society
One Saint Bernardine’s famous homilies:
The name of Jesus is the glory of preachers, because the shining splendor of that name causes his word to be proclaimed and heard. And how do you think such an immense, sudden and dazzling light of faith came into the world, if not because Jesus was preached? Was it not through the brilliance and sweet savor of this name that God called us into his marvelous light? When we have been enlightened, and in that same light behold the light of heaven, rightly may the apostle Paul say to us: Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.
So this name must be proclaimed, that it may shine out and never be suppressed. But it must not be preached by someone with sullied mind or unclean lips, but stored up and poured out from a chosen vessel. That is why our Lord said of Saint Paul: He is a chosen instrument of mine, the vessel of my choice, to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. In this chosen vessel there was to be a drink more pleasing than earth ever knew, offered to all mankind for a price they could pay, so that they would be drawn to taste of it. Poured into other chosen vessels, it would grow and radiate splendor. For our Lord said: He is to carry my name.
When a fire is lit to clear a field, it burns off all the dry and useless weeds and thorns. When the sun rises and darkness is dispelled, robbers, night-prowlers and burglars hide away. So when Paul’s voice was raised to preach the Gospel to the nations, like a great clap of thunder in the sky,
his preaching was a blazing fire carrying all before it. It was the sun rising in full glory. Infidelity was consumed by it, false beliefs fled away, and the truth appeared like a great candle lighting the whole world with its brilliant flame.
By word of mouth, by letters, by miracles and by the example of his own life, Saint Paul bore the name of Jesus wherever he went. He praised the name of Jesus at all times, but never more than when bearing witness to his faith. Moreover, the Apostle did indeed carry this name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel as a light to enlighten all nations. And this was his cry wherever he journeyed: The night is passing away, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves honorably as in the day. Paul himself showed forth the burning and shining light set upon a candlestick, everywhere proclaiming Jesus, and him crucified.
And so the Church, the bride of Christ strengthened by his testimony, rejoices with the psalmist, singing: “God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. The psalmist exhorts her to do this, as he says: Sing to the Lord, and bless his name, proclaim his
salvation day after day. And this salvation is Jesus, her savior.”
From a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena
Sermo 49, De glorioso Nomine Iesu Christi, cap 2: Opera omnia, 4. 505-506
For the 43rd World
Communications Day the Vatican has rolled out some new tech initiatives. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications has been working overtime these days to bring the Church into the 21st century via technology.
See the
following:
Some resources for pastor
types
The Pope’s
address for the Communications Day on May 24th: “New
Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a culture of Respect, Dialogue and
Friendship“
Pope2You (to be officially launched Thursday)
Plus there is
The Vatican on YouTube
iBreviary (available from iTunes for the iPhone for a $1.00, in English & Italian)
For your iPhone there is an application for a Jewish Prayerbook
