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  Mater Dolorosa, Friday of Passion Week
Posted by: SAguide - 03-26-2021, 10:40 AM - Forum: Lenten Devotions - Replies (9)

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The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin
  Friday in Passion Week
Today, the Friday of Passion Week is consecrated, in a special manner, to the sufferings which the Holy Mother of God endured at the foot of the Cross. The whole of next week is fully taken up with the celebration of the mysteries of Jesus' Passion; and, although the remembrance of Mary's share in those sufferings is often brought before the Faithful during Holy Week, yet, the thought of what her Son, our Divine Redeemer, goes through for our salvation, so absorbs our attention and love, that it is not then possible to honor, as it deserves, the sublime mystery of the Mother's Compassion.

It was but fitting, therefore, that one day in the year should be set apart for this sacred duty; and what day could be more appropriate, than the Friday of this Week, which, though sacred to the Passion, admits the celebration of Saints' Feasts, as we have already noticed? As far back as the 15th century, (that is, in the year 1423,) we find the pious Archbishop of Cologne, Theodoric, prescribing this Feast to be kept by his people (Labb, Concil. t. xiiu p. 365). It was gradually introduced, and with the connivance of the Holy See, into several other countries; and at length, in the last century, Pope Benedict the Thirteenth, by a decree dated August 22nd, 1727, ordered it to be kept in the whole Church, under the name of the Feast of the Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for, up to that time, it had gone under various names. We will explain the title thus given to it, as also the first origin of the devotion of the Seven Dolors, when our Liturgical Year brings us to the Third Sunday of September, the second Feast of Mary's Dolors. What the Church proposes to her children's devotion for this Friday of Passion Week, is that one special Dolour of Mary, her standing at the Foot of the Cross. Among the various titles given to this Feast, before it was extended, by the Holy See to the whole Church, we may mention, Our Lady of Pity, The Compassion of our Lady, and the one that was so popular throughout France, Notre Dame de la Pamoison. These few historical observations prove that this Feast was dear to the devotion of the people, even before it received the solemn sanction of the Church.

That we may clearly understand the object of this Feast, and spend it, as the Church would have us do, in paying due honor to the Mother of God and of men, we must recall to our minds this great truth: that God, in the designs of his infinite wisdom, has willed that Mary should have a share in the work of the world's Redemption. The mystery of the present Feast is one of the applications of this Divine law, a law which reveals to us the whole magnificence of God's Plan; it is also, one of the many realizations of the prophecy, that Satan's pride was to be crushed by a Woman. In the work of our Redemption, there are three interventions of Mary, that is, she is thrice called upon to take part in what God Himself did. The first of these was in the Incarnation of the Word, Who takes not Flesh in her virginal womb until she has given her consent to become His Mother; and this she gave by that solemn Fiat which blessed the world with a Saviour. The second was in the sacrifice which Jesus consummated on Calvary, where she was present, that she might take part in the expiatory offering. The third was on the day of Pentecost, when she received the Holy Ghost, as did the Apostles, in order that she might effectively labor in the establishment of the Church. We have already explained on the Feast of the Annunciation, the share Mary had in that wonderful mystery of the Incarnation, which God wrought for His own glory and for man's redemption and sanctification. On the Feast of Pentecost we shall speak of the Church commencing and progressing under the active influence of the Mother of God. Today we must show what part she took in the mystery of her Son's Passion; we must tell the sufferings, the Dolors, she endured at the foot of the Cross, and the claims she thereby won to our filial gratitude.

On the fortieth day after the Birth of our Emmanuel, we followed, to the Temple, the happy Mother carrying her Divine Babe in her arms. A venerable old man was there, waiting to receive her Child; and, when he had Him in his arms, he proclaimed Him to be the Light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel. But, turning to the Mother, he spoke to her these heart-rending words: Behold! this Child is set to be a sign that shall be contradicted, and a sword shall pierce thine own soul. This prophecy of sorrow for the Mother told us that the holy joys of Christmas were over, and that the season of trial, for both Jesus and Mary, had begun. It had, indeed, begun; for, from the night of the Flight into Egypt, up to this present day, when the malice of the Jews is plotting the great crime, what else has the life of our Jesus been, but the bearing humiliation, insult, persecution, and ingratitude? And if so, what has the Mother gone through? what ceaseless anxiety? what endless anguish of heart? But, let us pass by all her other sufferings, and come to the morning of the great Friday.

Mary knows, that on the previous night, her Son has been betrayed by one of his Disciples, that is, by one that Jesus had numbered among his intimate friends; she herself had often given him proofs of her maternal affection. After a cruel Agony, her Son has been manacled as a malefactor, and led by armed men to Caiphas, His worst enemy. Thence, they have dragged Him before the Roman Governor, whose sanction the Chief Priests and the Scribes must have before they can put Jesus to death. Mary is in Jerusalem; Magdalene, and the other holy women, the friends of Jesus, are with her; but they cannot prevent her from hearing the loud shouts of the people, and if they could, how is such a heart as hers to be slow in its forebodings? The report spreads rapidly through the City that the Roman Governor is being urged to sentence Jesus to be crucified. Whilst the entire populace is on the move towards Calvary, shouting out their blasphemous insults at her Jesus, will His Mother keep away, she that bore Him in her womb, and fed Him at her breast? Shall His enemies be eager to glut their eyes with the cruel sight, and His own Mother be afraid to be near Him?

The air resounded with the yells of the mob. Joseph of Arimathia, the noble counselor, was not there, neither was the learned Nicodemus; they kept at home, grieving over what was done. The crowd that went before and after the Divine Victim was made up of wretches without hearts, saving only a few who were seen to weep as they went along; they were women; Jesus saw them, and spoke to them. And if these women, from mere sentiments of veneration, or, at most, of gratitude, thus testified their compassion, would Mary do less? could she bear to be elsewhere than close to her Jesus? Our motive for insisting so much upon this point, is that we may show our detestation of that school of modern rationalism, which, regardless of the instincts of a mother's heart and of all tradition, has dared to call in question the Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the way to Calvary. These systematic contradictors are too prudent to deny that Mary was present when Jesus was crucified; the Gospel is too explicit, Mary stood near the Cross (St. John, xix. 25.): but, they would persuade us, that whilst the Daughters of Jerusalem courageously walked after Jesus, Mary went up to Calvary by some secret path! What a heartless insult to the love of the incomparable Mother.

No, Mary, who is, by excellence, the Valiant Woman, (Prov. xxxi. 10.)" was with Jesus as He carried his Cross. And who could describe her anguish and her love, as her eye met that of her Son tottering under his heavy load? Who could tell the affection, and the resignation, of the look He gave her in return? Who could depict the eager and respectful tenderness wherewith Magdalene and the other holy women grouped around this Mother, as she followed her Jesus up Calvary, there to see Him crucified and die? The distance between the Fourth and Tenth Station of the Dolorous Way is long: it is marked with Jesus' Blood, and the Mother's tears.

Jesus and Mary have reached the summit of the hill, that is to be the Altar of the holiest and cruelest Sacrifice: but the divine decree permits not the Mother as yet to approach her Son. When the Victim is ready, then She that is to offer him shall come forward. Meanwhile, they nail her Jesus to the Cross; and each blow of the hammer was a wound to Mary's heart. When, at last, she is permitted to approach, accompanied by the Beloved Disciple, (who has made amends for his cowardly flight,) and the disconsolate Magdalene and the other holy women, what unutterable anguish must have filled the soul of this Mother, when, raising up her eyes, she sees the mangled Body of her Son, stretched upon the Cross, with his face all covered with blood, and his head wreathed with a crown of thorns!

Here, then, is this King of Israel, of whom the Angel had told her such glorious things in his prophecy! Here is that Son of hers, whom she has loved both as her God and as the fruit of her own womb! And who are they that have reduced Him to this pitiable state? Men, for whose sake, rather than for her own, she conceived him, gave him birth, and nourished him! Oh! if, by one of those miracles, which his Heavenly Father could so easily work, He might be again restored to her! If that Divine Justice, which He has taken upon Himself to appease, would be satisfied with what He has already suffered!--but no; He must die; He must breathe forth His blessed Soul after a long and cruel agony.

Mary, then, is at the foot of the Cross, there to witness the death of her Son. He is soon to be separated from her. In three hours' time, all that will be left of her beloved Jesus will be a lifeless Body, wounded from head to foot. Our words are too cold for such a scene as this: let us listen to those of St. Bernard, which the Church has inserted in her Matins of this Feast. "O Blessed Mother! a sword of sorrow pierced thy soul, and we may well call thee more than Martyr, for the intensity of thy compassion surpassed all that a bodily passion could produce. Could any sword have made thee smart so much as that word which pierced thy heart, reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit: 'Woman! behold thy son!' What an exchange! John, for Jesus! the servant, for the Lord! the disciple, for the Master! the son of Zebedee, for the Son of God! a mere man, for the very God! How must not thy most loving heart have been pierced with the sound of these words, when even ours, that are hard as stone and steel, break down as we think of them! Ah! my Brethren, be not surprised when you are told that Mary was a Martyr in her soul. Let him alone be surprised, who has forgotten that St. Paul counts it as one of the greatest sins of the Gentiles, that they were without affection. Who could say that of Mary? God forbid it be said of us, the servants of Mary! (Sermon On the Twelve Stars.)"

Amidst the shouts and insults vociferated by the enemies of Jesus, Mary's quick ear has heard these words, which tell her, that the only son she is henceforth to have on earth is one of adoption. Her maternal joys of Bethlehem and Nazareth are all gone; they make her present sorrow the bitterer: she was the Mother of a God, and men have taken Him from her! Her last and fondest look at her Jesus, her own dearest Jesus, tells her that He is suffering a burning thirst, and she cannot give Him to drink! His eyes grow dim; His head droops; all is consummated!
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Mary cannot leave the Cross; love brought her thither; love keeps her there, whatever may happen! A soldier advances near that hallowed spot; she sees him lift up his spear, and thrust it through the breast of the sacred Corpse. "Ah,"cries out St. Bernard, "that thrust is through thy soul, O Blessed Mother! It could but open His side, but it pierced thy very soul. His Soul was not there; thine was, and could not but be so (Sermon On the Twelve Stars.)." No, the undaunted Mother keeps close to the Body of her Son. She watches them as they take it down from the Cross; and when, at last, the friends of Jesus, with all the respect due to both Mother and Son, enable her to embrace it, she raises it upon her lap, and He that once lay upon her knees receiving the homage of the Eastern Kings, now lays there cold, mangled, bleeding, dead! And as she looks upon the wounds of this divine Victim, she gives them the highest honor in the power of creatures, she kisses them, she bathes them with her tears, she adores them, but oh! with what intensity of loving grief!

The hour is far advanced; and before sunset, He, Jesus, the author of life, must be buried. The Mother puts the whole vehemence of her love into a last kiss, and oppressed with a bitterness great as is the sea (Lament, i. 4, ii, 13), she makes over this adorable Body to them that have to embalm and then lay it on the sepulchral slab. The sepulchre is closed; and Mary, accompanied by John, her adopted son, and Magdalene, and the holy women, and the two disciples that have presided over the Burial, returns sorrowing to the deicide City.

Now, in all this, there is another mystery besides that of Mary's sufferings. Her Dolors at the Foot of the Cross include and imply a truth, which we must not pass by, or we shall not understand the full beauty of today's Feast. Why would God have her assist in person at such a scene as this of Calvary? Why was not she, as well as Joseph, taken out of this world before this terrible day of Jesus' Death? Because God had assigned her a great office for that day, and it was to be under the Tree of the Cross that she, the second Eve, was to discharge her office. As the heavenly Father had waited for her consent before He sent His Son into the world; so, likewise, He called for her obedience and devotedness, when the hour came for that Son to be offered up in sacrifice for the world's Redemption. Was not Jesus hers? her Child? her own and dearest treasure? And yet, God gave Him not to her, until she had assented to become His Mother; in like manner, He would not take Him from her, unless she gave Him back.

But, see what this involved, see what a struggle it entailed upon this most loving Heart! It is the injustice, the cruelty, of men that rob her of her Son; how can she, His Mother, ratify, by her consent, the Death of Him, Whom she loved with a twofold love, as her Son, and as her God? But, on the other hand, if Jesus be not put to death, the human race is left a prey to Satan, sin is not atoned for, and all the honors and joys of her being Mother of God are of no use or blessing to us. This Virgin of Nazareth, this noblest heart, this purest creature, whose affections were never blunted with the selfishness which so easily makes its way into souls that have been wounded by original sin, what shall she do? Her devotedness to mankind, her conformity with the will of her Son Who so vehemently desires the world's salvation, lead her, a second time, to pronounce the solemn Fiat: she consents to the immolation of her Son. It is not God's justice that takes Him from her; it is she herself that gives Him up; but, in return, she is raised to a degree of greatness, which her humility could never have suspected was to be hers: an ineffable union is made to exist between the two offerings, that of the Incarnate Word and that of Mary; the Blood of the Divine Victim, and the Tears of the Mother, flow together for the redemption of mankind.

We can now understand the conduct and the courage of this Mother of Sorrows. Unlike that other mother, of whom the Scripture speaks, the unhappy Agar, who, after having sought in vain how she might quench the thirst of her Ismael in the desert, withdrew from him that she might not see him die; Mary no sooner hears that Jesus is condemned to death, than she rises, hastens to Him, and follows Him to the place where He is to die. And what is her attitude at the foot of His cross? Does her matchless grief overpower her? Does she swoon? or fall? No: the Evangelist says: "There " stood by the Cross of Jesus, his Mother.(St. John, six. 25.)" The sacrificing Priest stands, when offering at the altar; Mary stood for such a sacrifice as hers was to be. St Ambrose, whose affectionate heart and profound appreciation of the mysteries of religion have revealed to us so many precious traits of Mary's character, thus speaks of her position at the foot of the Cross: "She stood opposite the Cross, gazing, with maternal love, on the wounds of her Son; and thus she stood, not waiting for her Jesus to die, but for the world to be saved (In Lucam, cap. xxiii.)."

Thus, this Mother of Sorrows, when standing on Calvary, blessed us who deserved but maledictions; she loved us; she sacrificed her Son for our salvation. In spite of all the feelings of her maternal heart, she gave back to the Eternal Father the divine treasure He had entrusted to her keeping. The sword pierced through and through her soul, but we were saved; and she, though a mere creature, cooperated with her Son in the work of our salvation. Can we wonder, after this, that Jesus chose this moment for the making her the Mother of men, in the person of John the Evangelist, who represented us? Never had Mary's Heart loved us as she did then; from that time forward, therefore, let this second Eve be the true Mother of the living (Gen., iii. 20)! The Sword, by piercing her Immaculate Heart, has given us admission there. For time and eternity, Mary will extend to us the love she has borne for her Son, for she has just heard Him saying to her that we are her children. He is our Lord, for He has redeemed us; She is our Lady, for she generously cooperated in our redemption.

Animated by this confidence, O Mother of Sorrows! we come before thee, on this Feast of thy Dolors, to offer thee our filial love. Jesus, the Blessed Fruit of thy Womb, filled thee with joy as thou gavest Him birth; we, thy adopted children, entered into thy Heart by the cruel piercing of the Sword of Suffering. And yet, O Mary! love us, for thou didst cooperate with our Divine Redeemer in saving us. How can we not trust in the love of thy generous Heart, when we know, that, for our salvation, thou didst unite thyself to the Sacrifice of thy Jesus? What proofs hast thou not unceasingly given us of thy maternal tenderness, O Queen of Mercy! O Refuge of Sinners! O untiring Advocate for us in all our miseries! Deign, sweet Mother, to watch over us, during these days of grace. Give us to feel and relish the Passion of thy Son. It was consummated in thy presence; thine own share in it was magnificent! Oh! make us enter into all its mysteries, that so our souls, redeemed by the Blood of thy Son, and helped by thy Tears, may be thoroughly converted to the Lord, and persevere, henceforward, faithful in His service.

 
- From The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.B.

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Regina Martyrum, ora pro nobis

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  7 Dav Devotion in Honor of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Posted by: SAguide - 03-26-2021, 10:13 AM - Forum: In Honor of Our Lady - No Replies

The Devotion of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary


Taken from The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

The Chaplet (Little Rosary) of the Seven Sorrows. (Can be used as a novena.)

Make an Act of Contrition


MONDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The First Sorrow of Mary

St. Simeon’s Prophecy

In the Temple, St. Simeon had received the Divine Child in his arms and predicted that this Child would be a sign (of God) which shall
be contradicted by men. “Behold this Child is set … for a sign which shall be contradicted. And Thy own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Lk. 2:34-35).

Meditation


The Blessed Virgin told St. Matilda that when St. Simeon pronounced these words “all Her joy was changed into sorrow.” For, as was revealed
to St. Teresa, although the Blessed Mother already knew that the life of Her Son would be sacrificed for the salvation of the world, She then
learned more distinctly and in greater detail what sufferings and what a cruel death awaited Him. She knew that He would be persecuted
and opposed in every way. He would be opposed in His teaching: instead of being believed, He would be called a blasphemer for
claiming to be the Son of God. The reprobate Caiphas was to say: “He hath blasphemed … He is guilty of death” (Mt. 26:65-66). He would
be opposed in His reputation: for though He was of noble, even of royal descent, He was despised as a peasant: “Is not this the carpenter’s
son?” (Mt. 13:55). “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?” (Mk. 6:3). He was Wisdom itself, and was treated as ignorant: “How doth
this man know letters, having never learned?” (Jn. 7:15). As a false prophet: “And they blindfolded Him, and smote His face … saying:
Prophesy, who is it that struck Thee?” (Lk. 22:64). He was treated as a madman: “He is mad, why hear you Him?” (Jn. 10:20). As a drunkard,
a glutton, and a friend of sinners: “Behold a man that is a glutton, and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners” (Lk. 7:34). As a
sorcerer: “By the prince of devils He casteth out devils” (Mt. 9:34). As a heretic and one possessed by the evil spirit: “Do not we say well that
Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?” (Jn. 8:48). In short, Jesus was considered so notoriously wicked that, as the Jews said to Pilate, no
trial was necessary to condemn Him. “If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee” (Jn. 18:30).

One Our Father … Seven Hail Mary’s ...

Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.


TUESDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The Second Sorrow of Mary

The Flight of Jesus into Egypt

“Let us now consider the second sword of sorrow which wounded Mary, the flight of Her Infant Jesus into Egypt to escape the persecution
by Herod.”

Meditation

Having heard that the long-awaited Messiah had been born, Herod foolishly feared that He would deprive him of his kingdom. Herod
waited to hear from the holy Magi where the young King was born, and planned to take His life. When he found he had been deceived,
he ordered all the infants in the neighborhood of Bethlehem to be put to death. It was at that time that the angel appeared in a dream to
St. Joseph and told him: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and flee into Egypt”(Mt. 2:13). No sooner is Jesus born than He is
persecuted. Mary began to realize that Simeon’s prophecy regarding Her Son was beginning to be fulfilled. What anguish the realization
of the impending exile must have caused Mary. It is easy to imagine that Mary must have suffered on the journey. The distance to Egypt
was considerable: three hundred miles, requiring a journey of up to thirty days. The road was rough, unknown and little travelled. It was
winter time, so that they had to make their way through snow, rain and wind, over rough and dirty roads. Where could they have slept
on such a journey, especially on the two hundred miles of desert? They lived in Egypt seven years. They were strangers — unknown,
without money, and barely able to support themselves by the work of their hands. Landolph of Saxony has written (and let this be a
consolation to the poor) that Mary lived there in such poverty that there were times when She did not have even a crust of bread to
give Her Son when He was hungry. The thought of Jesus and Mary wandering as fugitives through a strange land teaches us that we
must also live as pilgrims here below, detached from the material things that the world offers, and which we must soon leave to enter
eternity. It also teaches us to embrace crosses, for we cannot live in this world without them. Let us make Mary happy by welcoming Her
Son into our hearts, the Son whom men still continue to persecute by their sins.

One Our Father … Seven Hail Mary’s … Verse …


WEDNESDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The Third Sorrow of Mary

The Loss of Jesus in the Temple

The third sorrow was one of the greatest that Mary had to endure in Her life, the loss of Her Son in the temple. Having lost Her Son
for three days, She was deprived of His most sweet presence.

Meditation

What anxiety this broken-hearted Mother must have felt during those three days when She searched everywhere for Her Son, and
asked for Him as the spouse did in the Canticles: Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth? (Cant. 3:3). This third sorrow of Mary ought
to serve in the first place as a consolation to souls who are desolate, and who no longer enjoy, as they once enjoyed, the sweet presence of
the Lord. They may weep, but they should weep confidently, just as Mary wept over the loss of Her Son. But whoever wants to find Jesus
must look for Him as Mary did, not amid the pleasures and delights of the world, but amid crosses and mortifications. “We sought Thee
sorrowing,” Mary said to Her Son. Let us learn then from Mary, to seek Jesus. Moreover, we should look for no other good in this
world than Jesus. St. Augustine says that Job “had lost what God had given him, but not God Himself.” If Mary wept over the loss
of Her Son for three days, how much more should sinners weep who have lost sanctifying grace. To them God says: “You are not My
people, and I will not be yours” (Os. 1:9). For this is the effect of sin: it separates the soul from God. “Your iniquities have divided between
you and your God” (Isa. 59:2). Sinners may possess all the wealth in the world, but inasmuch as they have lost God, everything in this
world becomes a source of affliction to them, as Solomon confessed: “Behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit” (Eccles. 1:14).

One Our Father … Seven Hail Mary’s … Verse...


THURSDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The Fourth Sorrow of Mary

The Meeting of Mary and Jesus on the Way to Calvary

The greater Her love for Him, the greater Her grief at the sight of His sufferings, especially when She met Him on that dolorous way,
dragging His cross to the place of execution. This is the fourth sorrow on which we are to meditate.

Meditation

“O sorrowful Mother,” exclaimed St. John, “Your Son has now been condemned to death; He has already set out on the road to Calvary,
carrying His own cross. Come, if You desire to see Him and say farewell to Him, as He passes through the streets.” Mary goes along
with St. John. While She waited for Her Son to come along, how much must She have heard said by the Pharisees (and their associates)
against Her beloved Son, and perhaps even mockery against Herself.  What a frightening picture as the nails, the hammers, the ropes and
all the fatal instruments that were to put an end to Her Son’s life were paraded by. But now the implements, the executioners, have all
passed by. Mary raised Her eyes, and saw, O God!, a young man all covered with blood and wounds from head to foot, a wreath of thorns
on His head, and carrying two heavy beams on His shoulders. She gazed at Him, but hardly recognized Him. The wounds, the bruises,
and the clotted blood gave Him the appearance of a leper, so that He could no longer be recognized. According to St. Bridget, Jesus wiped
away the clotted blood which prevented Him from seeing Mary. The Mother and the Son looked at each other. And Their looks became
as so many arrows to pierce those hearts which loved each other so tenderly. Even though the sight of Her dying Son was to cost Her such
bitter sorrow, Mary would not leave Him. The Mother also took up Her cross and followed Him, to be crucified along with Him. Let us
pity Her, and accompany Her and Her Son by patiently carrying the cross Our Lord imposes on us.

One Our Father … Seven Hail Mary’s … Verse...


FRIDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The Fifth Sorrow of Mary

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

“There stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother” (Jn. 19:25). St. John did not feel it necessary to say more than these words with reference to the
martyrdom of Mary. Picture Her now at the foot of the cross beside Her dying Son, and then ask yourself if there can ever be sorrow like Her
sorrow. Remain for a while on Calvary and consider the fifth sword which transfixed the heart of Mary — the death of Jesus.

Meditation

As soon as our agonized Redeemer had reached Mount Calvary, the executioners stripped Him of His clothes, and piercing His hands and
feet with nails, they fastened Him on the cross. They raised the cros and left Him to die. The executioners left Him, but not Mary. She came
up close to the cross to be near Him in death. “I did not leave Him,” She revealed to St. Bridget, “but stood nearer the cross.” Ah, true Mother,
most loving Mother, Whom not even the fear of death could separate Thee from Thy beloved Son. But, O God, what a spectacle of sorrow
must have confronted those who could see Jesus hanging in agony on the cross, and His Mother there at the foot of the cross suffering all
His torments with Him. All these sufferings of Jesus were also Mary’s sufferings. Saint Jerome says, “Every torture inflicted on the body of
Jesus, was a wound in the heart of His Mother.” “Anyone who had been present then on Mount Calvary, would have seen two altars on which
two great sacrifices were being offered: the one in the body of Jesus — the other in the heart of Mary.” (St. John Chrysostom)

One Our Father … Seven Hail Mary’s … Verse ...


SATURDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The Sixth Sorrow of Mary

The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His Descent from the Cross

We must now consider the sixth sorrow which weighed upon the heart of Our Blessed Lady. On this day, You will be wounded with another
sword of sorrow. A cruel lance will pierce the side of Your dead Son, and You will receive Him in Your arms after He has been taken down from
the cross.

Meditation

It is enough to tell a mother that her son is dead to arouse in her heart all her love for the dead child. “One of the soldiers with a spear opened
His side, and immediately there came out blood and water” (Jn. 19:34).  “Christ,” says the devout Lanspergius, “shared this wound with His Mother.
He received the hurt; His Mother endured the pain.” Mary’s sufferings were so great that it was only through the miraculous intervention of
God that She did not die. When She suffered before, She at least had Her Son to pity Her; but now She had no Son to commiserate with Her.
Jesus was taken down from the cross, the afflicted Mother waiting with outstretched arms to take Her beloved Son. She embraced Him and then
sat down at the foot of the cross. Her Son died for men, men still continue to torture and crucify Him by their sins. Let us resolve not to torment our
sorrowful Mother any longer. And if we have saddened Her in the past by our sins, let us now do what She wants us to do.

One Our Father … Seven Hail Mary’s … Verse ...


SUNDAY

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be ...

The Seventh Sorrow of Mary

The Burial of Jesus

Let us meditate now on Mary’s last sword of sorrow. She has witnessed the death of Her Son on the cross. She has embraced His
lifeless body for the last time. Now She has to leave Him in the tomb.

Meditation

In order to grasp the meaning of this last sorrow more fully, let us return to Calvary and picture our afflicted Mother there, still holding
the lifeless body of Her Son clasped in Her arms. The disciples, afraid that Mary may die of grief, approach and take the body of Jesus
from Her arms to bury it. With reverence they lift Him from Her arms, embalm Him with aromatic herbs, and wrap Him in a shroud
they have already prepared. The mournful procession sets out for the tomb. The afflicted Mother follows Her Son to His last resting
place. When it was time to move the stone to close the entrance, the grief-stricken disciples approached Our Blessed Lady and said
to Her: “It is time now, O Lady, to close the tomb. Forgive us; look at Thy Son once more, and say goodbye to Him for the last time.”
Finally, they took the stone and sealed off the Sacred Body of Jesus in the sepulcher, that Body which is the greatest treasure there can
possibly be on earth or in Heaven. Mary left Her heart in the tomb of Jesus, because Jesus was Her whole treasure: “For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also” (Lk. 12:34). After speaking Her last farewell to Her Son, She left and returned to Her home. Mary was so
desolate and so sad that, according to St. Bernard, She “moved many to tears.” In fact, wherever She passed, those who saw Her could not
help weeping with Her. St. Bernard also says that the holy disciples and women who accompanied Her “mourned even more for Her
than for their Lord.”

One Our Father ... Seven Hail Mary’s ... Verse ...

Hail, Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To
Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, Most gracious Advocate, Thine eyes of mercy
toward us, and after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. V. Pray
for us, O Holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the  promises of Christ.

Let us pray

O God, at whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow did pierce through the most sweet soul of the
glorious Virgin and Mother Mary; grant that we, who commemorate and reverence Her sorrows, may experience the blessed effect of Thy
Passion, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Pray

Three Hail Mary’s in honor of the tears shed by Our Lady in Her Sorrows.

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Photo Catholics should be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with anti-lockdown protestors
Posted by: Deus Vult - 03-26-2021, 12:13 AM - Forum: Pandemic 2020 [Spiritual] - No Replies

Catholics should be standing shoulder-to-shoulder
with anti-lockdown protestors

Is it not imperative that we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who have the foresight to at least see
a degree of the problem? Lest they see of the Church nothing but the locking of doors, the withdrawing of
sacraments, and a reflection of 'woke' politics of the liberal society they find themselves imprisoned within.

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A man holds a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe at London's anti-lockdown protest - one of the Resistance's own!

Editor’s note: The author of the following piece wished to remain anonymous.
LONDON, England, March 24, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) – This past Saturday several friends and I apprehensively walked up Grosvenor Place towards Hyde Park Corner in the center of London. We'd heard that numbers of anti-lockdowners had started to amass there, with the police helicopter overhead and riot vans zooming past confirming our suspicions.
With most of us known to each-other through the traditional Catholic movement, we had no idea what to expect after varying experiences at previous anti-lockdown events. In the midst of hundreds soon to be thousands of people grouping together, one of our number revealed a large, framed image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
And in the middle of what was, at that point, semi-organized chaos, people began approaching Our Lady with a sense of calm and, in some cases, to pay respects in their own way. Several of the journalists and film crews present had their cameras fixated on her, strangely ignoring the far more “exciting” occurrences taking place all around.

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As the numbers now in their thousands processed intrepidly up Park Lane towards Marble Arch and Oxford Street, I suspect the vast majority of those present hadn't felt so exhilarated in quite some time. That in itself is worth something, as huge swathes of society have been living in blanket misery for the best part of a year now.

I pondered on what role the Catholic laity, or indeed the clergy, should play in all of this and the answer seemed abundantly clear to me. It's beyond a shadow of a doubt that this lockdown is wrong! Not one iota of it is justified, and it never has been. But its installation was anything but spontaneous – as Jacob Rees Mogg (possibly England’s most famous Catholic, who last year voted to suppress the public celebration of Mass and impose fines on those who organize or attend Mass) has made clear: it has, at least to some extent, required the consent of the general public.

As Catholics, we know Holy Mother Church offers the only solution to this nefarious global tyranny. That is, the Social Reign Of Christ The King. Is it not imperative that we stand shoulder to shoulder with those who have the foresight to at least see a degree of the problem? Lest they see of the Church nothing but the locking of doors, the withdrawing of sacraments and a reflection of “woke” politics of the liberal society they find themselves imprisoned within.

Catholics are not called to endure decline, be it moral or social, but instead to fight against it. Pray the Rosary at home, yes, but never forget that prayer itself doesn't dispense from action. Today presents an opportunity perhaps never seen before, where so many in society have a distrust of both their government and associated media.

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Catholics in London praying outside Westminster Cathedral in reparation for church closures, 2020. SOURCE: www.davidwright.photography

Those today opposing sinister global initiatives often describe themselves as “truth seekers,” belonging to what many now know as the “truth movement.” Such collectives have often had shady characters acting as the gurus, typically serving either their own egos, wallets, or even the state itself. Several of us agreed that compared to previous anti-lockdown events, Saturday just gone perhaps represented a new departure. The usual fringe issues, that quite frankly scare the average man off, didn't seem quite so prevalent at this event, if even noticeable at all.

Our Lady however had the opposite effect to these potential pitfalls, attracting questions, interest, and devotion alike. I think it's clear she wants us to play a public part in this.

Whereas Catholics have played a leading role fighting tyrannical globalism in Ireland, France, and Italy this past year, we have less of a demographic advantage in Britain. We need to work within our means and the realms of reality, whilst not shying away from the challenge.

Network with other likeminded Catholics, form small action associations, liaise with other such groups, and come together practically where appropriate and necessary. Assess and understand each others’ means and talents, and attribute roles accordingly. Study the relevant social teachings of the Church and related manuals. Let us step out and proclaim our King as Christ which, more than you might expect, will resonate with the inner nature of our fellow men.

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  You, Too, can Help the Sick and Dying!
Posted by: Hildegard of Bingen - 03-25-2021, 11:20 AM - Forum: Prayers and Devotionals - No Replies

You, Too, Can Help the Sick and Dying!


Early in World War-II, a young soldier, seriously wounded in combat, Tossed restlessly on a white hospital cot.  Terrible pain shot through His shattered body.  He sensed all was not well.  “Nurse,”  he called Out.  “help me to pray.”  What would we pray with him?  How Would we help him prepare for death?

What prayers would you say if you were passing an accident, and the Injured person begged.  “Help me to pray!”  Would you remember your Prayers?  Would you be calm and cool?  Do you know what prayers would help a Protestant or unbeliever into Heaven?

 More than 80 years ago, a professor at St. Mary Seminary, Norwood, Ohio, pondered this question.  Monsignor Raphael Markham knew the Theology of getting unbelievers.  Protestants and Catholics into Heaven.  He know that an Act of Perfect Contrition and Love could suffice for Baptism of Desire in many cases.  He knew the basic truths that all men must believe to be saved.  Msgr. Markham composed a small prayer card containing these necessary prayers and recommended its use to all his seminary students.  A copy of the card was sent to the Archbishop of Cincinnti, John McNicholas and led to the foundation of the “Apostolate to Aid the Dying” in 1931.

 Archbishop McNicholas directed a letter explaining the idea fully to every Catholic hospital in the USA.  Thousands of souls have said the prayer on their deathbeds.  Many have entered the Church.

Soldiers could assist at the bedside of soldiers, family members at the bedside of a loved one; nurses, doctors, pastors, deacons, and guardians might help a loved one to pray in the hour of their death enabling them to steal Heaven in the same way the Good Thief remained a thief to the end:

“Lord, remember me, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.”
 

 

This simple prayer, My Daily Prayer, has helped fallen away Catholics, prospective converts members of mixed marriages and non-Catholics alike to draw closer to God.

 

MY DAILY PRAYER
 
I believe in one God.  I believe that God rewards the good and punishes the wicked.
 
I believe that, in God, there are three Divine Persons:  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.
 
I believe that God the Son became Man, without ceasing to be God.  I believe that He is my Lord and Savio, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the human race, Who died on the Cross for the Salvation of all men, Who died also for me.
 
I believe, on God’s authority, everything that He has taught and revealed.
 
O my God, give me strong faith.  O my God, help me to believe with lively faith.
 
O my God, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I sincerely hope to be saved.  Help me to do all that is necessary for my salvation.
 
I have committed many sins in my life, but now I turn away from them, and hate them.  I am sorry, truly sorry for all of them, because I have offended Thee, my God, Who art all-good, all-perfect, all-holy, and all-merciful, my kind and loving Father.
 
I love Thee, O my God, with all my heart.  Forgive me, I implore Thee, for having offended Thee.
 
I promise, O God, that with Thy help, I will never offend Thee again.
 
My God, Have Mercy on Me.
[Image: EIP_xwPX0AIF3Fi.jpg]
 

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  St. Thérèse Novena Rose Prayer
Posted by: Hildegard of Bingen - 03-25-2021, 10:53 AM - Forum: Novenas - No Replies

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St. Thérèse Novena Rose Prayer

O Little Thérèse of the Child Jesus,
please pick for me a rose from
the heavenly garden and send it
to me as a message of love.

O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God
today to grant the favors I now place
with confidence in your hands.

(Mention specific requests)

St. Thérèse, help me to always
believe, as you did, in God's great
love for me, so that I might imitate
your "Little Way" each day.
Amen.

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  In Memoriam - Anniversary of the Passing of Archbishop Lefebvre
Posted by: Stone - 03-25-2021, 08:43 AM - Forum: Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre - Replies (4)

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Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
Nov 29, 1905 - Mar 25, 1991

Today [March 25, 2021] is the 30th Anniversary of the Archbishop's holy passing; when His Grace gave back to God his heroic and pure soul. According to his request, those famous words of St. Paul were engraved on his tombstone: Tradidi quod et accepi - “I handed on what I received.”  We pray that our beloved Founder intercede for his Priestly Fraternity and inspire more of his true sons to stand firm and resist the compromising new direction of the Conciliar-SSPX. Source


✠ ✠ ✠


The Angelus - September 1999


ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE IN MEMORIAM 
[PART 2; PART 1 appears to be unavailabe online]
by Rev. Fr. Michel Simoulin

[Image: In_Memorium_A.jpg]

This account of the last days of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was written by Fr. Michel Simoulin, who was at the time rector of the Society's seminary in Ecône, Switzerland. It is taken from Les Cahiers de Controverses, No. 1. It has been translated from the original French and appears for the first time in English.

Friday, March 15. In the afternoon the Archbishop was taken to Monthey for the scan. They had planned to take him by car, but the Archbishop preferred to go in an ambulance, since it would be easier, especially with the IV stand. "The chauffeur was from Martinique. You should have seen it! I had to hold on tight in the turns...like with Fr. R., but at least we didn't waste any time." That evening, having returned from Montalenghe, I brought him Communion with Fr. G., one of our young priests who came for the ordinations tomorrow. The Archbishop was in bed. After Communion he told us to sit down. He had a big smile, springing from remembered adventures with one of his turbulent sons, who came to be known throughout Valais as "the Cardinal." They exchanged some thoughts on the priesthood and the difficulties he was encountering in the apostolate, notably with families on the subject of education.

The Archbishop's disposition towards his own case is the same: indifference and confidence in Divine Providence. He was having trouble with his intravenous tubes, which were causing edemas. It was necessary to change the arm, and one unskilled nurse did not know how to insert the tube. An anesthetist came while we were there and gently placed the tube into the vein of the right hand. I told him, "You have tough veins!" "No, on the contrary. It seems that they are too fine and delicate! Do you realize...for a bishop of iron! The fluid passes through the vein into the tissue. Now they no longer know where to stick me." The Archbishop, who did not wish to offend anyone, apologized to the anesthetist for seeming to be critical: "I do not reproach her, but she has injured my arm," he said, showing the small hematoma caused by the clumsy nurse. Before our departure, the Archbishop blessed us, in spite of the intravenous tubing which encumbered his right hand.

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APRIL 29, 1990. Friedrichshafen, Germany. Archbishop Lefebvre had already promised to preach, but, after hesitating, he agreed to officiate. His fatigue disappeared, he remained standing for the entire sermon and its translation. "Fortunately," he said, "I had my third leg! Without my crozier, I would never have made it."


Saturday, March 16. At Ecône, it was the day of the ordinations to the subdiaconate. "I am indeed united by prayer to the ordination of the subdeacons," said the Archbishop to Fr. Puga. "It is the first ordination which could not have taken place if you had not given us bishops!" "Yes, indeed. That year, 1988, was a great grace, a blessing from God, a veritable miracle...This is the first time that, being gravely ill, I find myself perfectly at peace. I must admit...I am sorry...but before, when I would fall sick, I was worried that the Society still needed me, that no one could do the work in my place. Now I am at peace; everything is in place and functioning."

That evening it was Fr. C., who had come for ordinations, who brought Communion to our founder. I accompanied him. After Communion, the Archbishop expressed his joy at seeing one of his older priests, and we chatted for a while. The Archbishop spoke humorously as always about his approaching death. "It is better that it be me than another. If it were one of our priests on the circuit, it would be necessary to replace him... This would be quite a job, and our poor Superior General would have more problems. But, as for me...there is no need to replace me, I have nothing more to do. All is in order and I am of no use any more! It is true...I am good for nothing. So then, it will be off to the vault with him, and no one will talk about him any more." At the moment of parting, the Archbishop apologized for not having his ring for us to kiss...so we kissed his hand.

Sunday, March 17. The doctors have decided to operate on the Archbishop on Monday if the anesthetist, who should see the Archbishop today, gives his approval. The surgeon left it up to him to decide and would operate only if he deemed the Archbishop's system and heart could tolerate the shock of an operation.

Again at the same hour, I took him Communion, accompanied by one of the older subdeacons ordained yesterday. This was to be the last Communion of our founder, who received sitting. The Archbishop seemed tired. His face, showing suffering on our arrival, showed relief after Communion. After his thanksgiving, he bade us to sit down. He addressed words of congratulations to our subdeacon, telling him that yesterday he had prayed for them. He confirmed the operation to us. The anesthetist had found no contra-indication and it would take place at 9:00 a.m. The Archbishop was very resigned. "Let the good Lord take me, if He wills." "But we are all praying for the opposite." "We shall see who wins...I didn't dare tell Dr. Tornay, but I wanted to tell him that if he wished to obtain worldwide renown, and to have his name in all the newspapers, he need only leave me on the table." "Indeed, but it could have an adverse affect upon his practice." "Yes, that's true." All this banter was punctuated by the Archbishop's mirthful laughter.

The Archbishop spoke again of his difficulties with the nurses in inserting the intravenous tube. This evening it is placed in his shoulder; fortunately, the Archbishop has his "crosier" (that is what he called the IV stand on which the bags and tubes are suspended) and that enables him to move about without too much trouble.

He recalled the gift which had been brought to him and what he planned to do with it. "We shall drink the brandy together when I return to the seminary, and I will give the chocolates to Fr. Puga. He'll distribute them to the nurses. He knows the whole group, and he will know to whom to give them." We speak a little of the Society, the future priests, of their nominations. The Archbishop could not help but jest a little on this subject. He asked if there were news of our Sisters dispersed to the four corners of the world. We finally asked the Archbishop to bless us and we left him to rest in order to be ready for the surgery. Before Compline, we recited the Litany of the Saints for the Archbishop.

[Image: In_Memorium_C.jpg]

NOVEMBER 29, 1990 Ecône, Switzerland. Group photo of seminarians and guests on the occasion of Archbishop Lefebvre's 85th birthday.


Monday, March 18. "When the doctor told me to count to ten, just before I fell asleep, I made a huge sign of the cross...and then...nothing. Then I woke up and asked, "The surgery is off?" "But M. Lefebvre, it is over!" he replied. That is how the Archbishop recounted his surgery.

About 10:45 a.m., a telephone call was received from Nathalie B. "The Archbishop is leaving the operating room. All went well and he is awakening nicely." Deo Gratias. I immediately informed the seminary and the Mother House. The Archbishop was moved to Intensive Care. The surgeon had removed a tumor the size of a grapefruit. It appeared to be benign, but we must await the pathology report. Visitation to the Archbishop was very limited and was made by Fr. Puga twice a day. The Archbishop was exhausted by the operation, but he smiled behind his mask and tried to communicate, though he could not sustain a conversation. Some daily worries and some difficulty regulating his cardiac rhythm would mark his first days, but all returned to normal, little by little.

Wednesday, March 20. At 2:00 p.m. I made a short visit to the Archbishop. The gastric tube and the mask rendered his talk almost unintelligible, but his smile was well visible and the word "thanks" was clear on his lips. He asked if we had the pathologist's report yet, if it was cancer. The doctors and nurses were optimistic and tried to calm his fears. Fr. Puga got excited on his visit that evening when the Archbishop was difficult to rouse. The Archbishop seemed in distress. He complained of backache and headache. His limbs were badly swollen. He believed that the priest had been called for his last moments. "It is the end, I have a terrible headache; it seems the good Lord is coming to fetch me. I desire ardently to die with some of my priests at my side to recite the prayers for the dying. One cannot refuse me that." The Archbishop passed a bad night because of the wearing off of the pain killers and a problem with edema of the lungs, cardiac weakness and renal difficulties. By morning, the Archbishop called Mr. Grenon, who alerted us. Fr. Puga went to see the Archbishop, who was again in distress (result of cardiac difficulties), believing that they were keeping the priests from coming to see him. The presence of Father reassured him, and the Archbishop gradually calmed down. When Father was leaving, the Archbishop had brightened up. By 1:00 p.m. the Archbishop was very calm, peaceful and suffering less.

March 21, Thursday evening. The Archbishop was sitting up in bed. He has found his optimism and moral strength. The gastric tube was removed and a transfer back to the surgery ward was foreseen. The Archbishop looked forward to returning to his Room 213. But he is still very feeble. As long as he is stretched out, he finds himself feeling well, but when he lifts himself, he realizes that he is still very sick and unable to maneuver, and he speaks less of going back to his room. The possibility of the seminarians taking turns keeping him company one by one was mentioned, but it would not be easy; it would have to wait. "That was the biggest surgery of my life, but it's over! I believe that it is not for this time...what is necessary now is that the area not get infected."

Friday, March 22nd. We learned yesterday that the Archbishop lost his appeal on the case brought against him by LICRA [which had charged His Grace with racism], but we do not speak of this to him. Rather, we make plans for the future, and the Archbishop's convalescence (a chalet, Italy...) but the Archbishop said to Fr. Puga: "When I leave here, you buckle me up!" It was to Ecône that the Archbishop wished to return, where he could be protected from importunate visits. The Archbishop asked that he be given his chain with his medals, his watch and his hearing aid. But it was not possible to put the watch on his wrist, so it was hung on the rail of his bed before his eyes. The Archbishop seemed more and more tired, spoke little and seemed more aware how little strength he had; the doctors, however, were optimistic...

Saturday, March 23rd. 2:00 p.m. I brought Fr. Ph. L. with me. The Archbishop seemed surprised at our presence and we sensed that he was troubled. Things cleared up when we realized that the Archbishop, deceived by the semi-darkness and his interrupted sleep, believed that it was 2:00 in the morning. He spoke of the painful and humiliating cares imposed upon him. He told us of his exhaustion at the least amount of effort. His hands were still swollen with edema. Having told him that we were in Passion week, the Archbishop closed his eyes and repeated: "Yes, it is the passion!..."

I reported that I had told the seminarians that he was offering all for them, for the Society, for the Church; he nodded his head: "Yes, it is true!" He told us of the great news and the great joy; he was served a bowl of coffee with milk! We reminded him finally of moving back up to his room and the perspective of being able to bring him Our Lord: "Yes, that I miss... I have need of Him...that will give me strength." We left the Archbishop, who smiled at us with emotion and warmth. Although medically the Archbishop seemed better, he appeared to us to be more and more fatigued, aware of coming to terms with a long suffering and the happy sweetness of coming to the end.

Saturday evening. The pathology report was communicated to us by Dr. Tornay himself. He was dismayed: the test results showed it was cancerous. Fr. Puga did not have the heart to tell the Archbishop. The Archbishop was less well, aching, but very lucid and very much at peace. He spoke to Fr. Puga about the last conference that he (Fr. Puga) was going to give tomorrow in Paris for Lent, and Father told him about the telephone call of Cardinal Oddi to the Abbé du Chalard. The Archbishop said nothing; he seemed indifferent. It concerned declarations of Cardinal Gagnon to the magazine Thirty Days, according to which he did not know if the Pope had read his report, and he had not found doctrinal error at Ecône. The Archbishop shrugged his shoulders. "One day the truth will be known...I do not know when, God knows, but it will happen." Until the end, our founder's mind was not troubled in the least by any doubt of the justice of his cause.

[Image: In_Memorium_D.jpg]

DECEMBER 2, 1990 Laying the cornerstone for the new building of the Carmel at Cremières.


Sunday, March 24. Palm Sunday. Towards 1:30 p.m. I called Mr. Grenon to learn if the Archbishop had been transferred back to his room in order to bring him Holy Communion. Several moments later, Mr. Grenon called me back, very shaken. He went to see the Archbishop, who was not doing well at all; he had been observed in Intensive Care. I rushed to the hospital and found the Archbishop very agitated, feverish and suffering. The Archbishop had a terrible rise in temperature (104°) and he had auricular fibrillation. The dosage of antibiotics had been modified to try to bring the fever down, and it was necessary to wait before making a decision. The Archbishop smiled sweetly when I told him how much I was distressed for not understanding. I spoke to him of the ceremonies of the morning, and he followed my words with attention and interest. I told him that his brother Michael had been alerted because of my concern and that he would arrive tomorrow to see him. The joy sparkled in his eyes. The Archbishop tried again to articulate his thanks and smiled as much as he could. I told him how many prayers, Masses and sacrifices were being offered around the world for him, to keep him here on earth, and the Archbishop smiled again, closing his eyes as if to say, what he heard was well, but the will of God was clear. One must let it be accomplished without disputing, and, as for himself, he only aspired to its accomplishment.

About 7:00 p.m. I returned to the hospital. The fever had fallen a little, but the Archbishop was failing. The nurse tried to reassure me by saying that things could improve tomorrow... I wished I could believe that! She worked very gently with the Archbishop, regularly moistening his mouth and his very dry lips. The Archbishop could not articulate a word, but he understood what I said to him. I spoke to him of the retreat that he was supposed to be preaching to us, and that he was preaching to us in a manner we had not foreseen; the Archbishop smiled! It was Fr. Ph. L. who had agreed to replace him...and the Archbishop shrugged his eyebrows approvingly! A certain number of Valaisans, among whom were the Archbishop's chauffeurs, were making the retreat with us...and the Archbishop smiled again. Helping a little to arrange his pillows, which supported his arms, I caught sight of the crucifix on the wall and I made a glowing remark about this hospital and its director who placed each sick person under the care of the Redeemer... and the Archbishop very slowly turned his head and his eyes to see the point which I had designated towards his left, then sweetly closed his eyes. I could do no more than be silent, and withdrew.

Returning to the seminary, I received a call from his sister, Marie Theresa, anxious to know if she ought to come; I call Rickenbach anew and the Superior General begged me to call him back and alert him if anything happened during the night. Before Compline, we recited once more the Litany of the Saints...and the night began.

At 11:30 p.m. the telephone rang. Fr. Laroche, faster than I, picked it up. Mr. Grenon had just been informed, and was calling us. The Archbishop had had a cardiac arrest and was being revived. We decided to leave immediately, each in his own car. I tried to call Rickenbach but the ringing was too quiet, and could not pull anyone from sleep. On our arrival at the hospital, about 11:50 p.m., Dr. Tornay, Dr. Schumacher, his assistants and the nurses were around the Archbishop. He was intubated to feed his lungs with oxygen, a cardiac massage had been done and cardiac stimulants were being administered. According to the radio, the doctors thought that he had a pulmonary embolus. He was given maximum treatment to help his systems restart, but no one knew if he could take the relay of the stimulants and continue alone. We were authorized to remain near him and do whatever was necessary, and the nurse who remained with the Archbishop was remarkably attentive. We recited the prayers for the dying. I then asked Fr. Laroche to return to the seminary, wake the community and recite in common the prayers for the dying in the chapel, then try to inform Richenbach, the seminaries, the districts, our sisters, friends of the community, etc., so that everyone could begin praying.

Monday, March 25: It was 1:15 a.m. when the bells of the seminary echoed. After a time of silence the voice of Fr. Laroche was heard: "All the community is asked to meet in the chapel to pray for the Archbishop who is entering his last moments."

At the hospital I remained alone then with our father in the priesthood to accompany him in his agony. Having found in his belongings his rosary, which he was never without during the hospital stay, I recited one rosary, then another... The hours passed slowly and I saw with dismay the indications on the control mechanism, which lessened little by little, meanwhile his breathing became less violent. The nurse came from time to time to regulate the apparatus, to change a sack, a syringe... We exchanged several grieving words. "It is sad not to be able to die at home," she said. I asked her if she knew who this patient was and she nodded her head with a big smile. "You are a privileged one," I said to her. "If I can do something useful," she said, "I would be happy to do so. I would like to remove the plank which is under his shoulders (which had been placed there for cardiac massage) and which is very hard, but I fear it would hasten things." About 2:30 a.m. the slowing down became more and more pronounced. His pulse, which at midnight had been more than 100, had fallen to 60, and the fall accelerated more and more. His breathing also slowed, while his brow was creased by pain. All became peaceful little by little. Towards 3:15 a.m., having said to the nurse that "his soul awaits only one thing, to leave the body which suffers, to rejoin God." She replied, "I believe that it is ready to depart." She went out leaving me alone for the final moments. I began the prayers "in expiration." At precisely the moment when I finished (it was near 3:20 a.m.), our Superior General entered Intensive Care. The dial face showed "00" for pulsations. I handed him the ritual and he repeated the prayers in expiration.

Our Superior General closed the eyes of our beloved father. It was the 25th of March, the day of the sacerdotal ordination of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Eternal and Sovereign Priest, in the womb of His sweet Mother. This date, according to the ancient Martyrologies, was also the date of the death of the Savior. It was between 3:25 and 3:30 a.m.

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  Feast of the Annunciation
Posted by: Stone - 03-25-2021, 07:38 AM - Forum: Our Lady - Replies (6)

March 25 – The Annunciation of the Ever Blessed Virgin
Taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger (1841-1875)

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This is a great day, not only to man, but even to God himself; for it is the anniversary of the most solemn event that time has ever witnessed. On this day, the Divine Word, by which the Father created the world, made made flesh in the womb of a Virgin, and dwelt among us. We must spend it in joy. While we adore the Son of God who humbled himself by thus becoming Man, let us give thanks to the Father, who so loved the world, as to give his Only Begotten Son; let us give thanks to the Holy Ghost, whose almighty power achieves the great mystery. We are in the very midst of Lent, and yet the ineffable joys of Christmas are upon us: our Emmanuel is conceived on this day, and nine months hence, will be born in Bethlehem, and the Angels will invite us to come and honor the sweet Babe.

During Septuagesima Week, we meditated upon the fall of our First Parents, and the triple sentence pronounced by God against the serpent, the woman, and Adam. Our hearts were filled with fear as we reflected on the divine malediction, the effects of which are to be felt by all generations, even to the end of the world. But, in the midst of the anathemas then pronounced against us, there was a promise made us by our God; it was a promise of salvation, and it enkindled hope within us. In pronouncing sentence against the serpent, God said, that his head should one day be crushed, and that, too, by a Woman.

The time has come for the fulfillment of this promise. The world has been in expectation for four thousand years; and the hope of its deliverance has been kept up, in spite of ail its crimes. During this time, God has made use of miracles, prophecies, and types, as a renewal of the engagement he has entered into with mankind. The blood of the Messias has passed from Adam to Noah; from Shem to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; from David and Solomon to Joachim; and now it flows in the veins of Mary, Joachim’s Daughter. Mary is the Woman by whom is to be taken from our race the curse that lies upon it. God has decreed that she should be Immaculate; and, thereby, has set an irreconcilable enmity between her and the serpent. She, a daughter of Eve, is to repair all the injury done by her Mother’s fall; she is to raise up her sex from, the degradation into which it has been cast; she is to co-operate, directly and really, in the victory which the Son of God is about to gain over his and our enemy.

A tradition, which has come down from the Apostolic Ages, tell us that the great Mystery of the Incarnation was achieved on the twenty-fifth day of March. It was at the hour of midnight, when the most Holy Virgin was alone and absorbed in prayer, that the Archangel Gabriel appeared before her, and asked her, in the name of the Blessed Trinity, to consent to become the Mother of God. Let us assist, in spirit, at this wonderful interview between the Angel and the Virgin: and at the same time, let us think of that other interview, which took place between Eve and the serpent. A holy Bishop and Martyr of the 2nd century, Saint Ireneus—who had received the tradition from the very disciples of the Apostles—shows us that Nazareth is the counterpart of Eden.

In the garden of delights, there is a virgin and an angel; and a conversation takes place between them. At Nazareth, a virgin is also spoken to by an angel, and she answers him; but the angel of the earthly Paradise is a spirit of darkness, and he of Nazareth is a spirit of light. In both instances, it is the Angel that has the first word. Why, said the serpent to Eve, why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of Paradise? His question implies impatience and a solicitation to evil; he has contempt for the frail creature to whom he addresses it, but he hates the image of God which is upon her.

See, on the other hand, the Angel of light; see with what composure and peacefulness he approaches the Virgin of Nazareth, the new Eve; and how respectfully he bows himself down before her: Hail full of grace! The Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women! Such language is evidently of heaven: none but an Angel could speak thus to Mary.

Eve imprudently listens to the tempter’s words; she answers him; she enters into conversation with one that dares to ask her to question the justice of God’s commands. Her curiosity urges her on. She has no mistrust in the serpent; this leads her to mistrust her Creator.

Mary hears what Gabriel has spoken to her; but this Most Prudent Virgin is silent. She is surprised at the praise given her by the Angel. The purest and humblest of Virgins has a dread of flattery; and the heavenly Messenger can get no reply from her until he has fully explained his mission by these words: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

What magnificent promises are these which are made to her in the name of God! What higher glory could she, a daughter of Juda, desire? knowing too, as she does, that the fortunate Mother of the Messias is to be the object of the greatest veneration! And yet it tempts her not. She has forever consecrated her virginity to God, in order that she may be the more closely united to him by love. The grandest possible privilege, if it is to be on the condition of her violating this sacred vow, would be less than nothing in her estimation. She thus answers the Angel: How shall this be done? because I know not man.

The first Eve evinces no such prudence or disinterestedness. No sooner has the wicked spirit assured her that she may break the commandment of her divine benefactor and not die; that the fruit of her disobedience will be a wonderful knowledge, which will put her on an equality with God himself—than she immediately yields; she is conquered. Her self-love has made her at once forget both duty and gratitude: she is delighted at the thought of being freed from the two-fold tie, which binds her to her Creator.

Such is the woman that caused our perdition! But how different is she that was to save us! The former cares not for her posterity; she looks but to her own interests: the latter forgets herself to think only of her God, and of the claims he has to her service. The Angel, charmed with this sublime fidelity, thus answers the question put to him by Mary, and reveals to her the designs of God: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren; because no word shall be impossible with God. This said, he is silent, and reverently awaits the answer of the Virgin of Nazareth.

Let us look once more at the virgin of Eden. Scarcely has the wicked spirit finished speaking than Eve casts a longing look at the forbidden fruit: she is impatient to enjoy the independence it is to bring her. She rashly stretches forth her hand; she plucks the fruit; she eats it, and death takes possession of her: death of the soul, for sin extinguishes the light of life; and death of the body, which, being separated from the source of immortality, becomes an object of shame and horror, and finally crumbles into dust.

But let us turn away our eyes from this sad spectacle, and fix them on Nazareth. Mary has heard the Angel’s explanation of the mystery; the will of heaven is made known to her, and how grand an honor it is to bring upon her! She, the humble maid of Nazareth, is to have the ineffable happiness of becoming the Mother of God, and yet the treasure of her Virginity is to be left to her! Mary bows down before this sovereign will, and says to the heavenly Messenger: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.

Thus, as the great St. Ireneus and so many of the Holy Fathers remark, the obedience of the second Eve repaired the disobedience of the first: for no sooner does the Virgin of Nazareth speak her fiat—be it done—than the Eternal Son of God (who, according to the divine decree, awaited this word) is present, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, in the chaste womb of Mary, and there he begins his human life. A Virgin is a Mother, and Mother of God; and it is this Virgin’s consenting to the divine will that has made her conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost. This sublime Mystery puts between the Eternal Word and a mere woman the relations of Son and Mother; it gives to the Almighty God a means whereby he may, in a manner worthy of his Majesty, triumph over Satan, who had hitherto seemed to have prevailed against the divine plan.

Never was there a more entire or humiliating defeat, than that which was this day gained over Satan. The frail creature, over whom he had so easily triumphed at the beginning of the world, now rises and crushes his proud head. Eve conquers in Mary. God would not choose man for the instrument of his vengeance; the humiliation of Satan would not have been great enough; and therefore she who was the first prey of hell, the first victim of the tempter, is selected as the one that is to give battle to the enemy. The result of so glorious a triumph is that Mary is to be superior not only to the rebel angels, but to the whole human race, yea, to all the Angels of heaven. Seated on her exalted throne, she, the Mother of God, is to be the Queen of all creation. Satan, in the depths of the abyss, will eternally bewail his having dared to direct his first attack against the woman, for God has now so gloriously avenged her; and in heaven, the very Cherubim and Seraphim reverently look up to Mary, and deem themselves honored when she smiles upon them, or employs them in the execution of any of her wishes, for she is the Mother of their God.

Therefore is it that we the children of Adam, who have been snatched by Mary’s obedience from the power of hell, solemnize this day of the Annunciation. Well may we say of Mary those words of Debbora, when she sang her song of victory over the enemies of God’s people: The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel, until Debbora arose, a Mother arose in Israel. The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overthrew the gates of the enemies. Let us also refer to the holy Mother of Jesus these words of Judith, who, by her victory over the enemy, was another type of Mary: Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in him. And by me, his handmaid, he hath fulfilled his mercy, which he promised to the house of Israel; and he hath killed the enemy of his people by my hand this night … The Almighty Lord hath struck him, and hath delivered him into the hands of a woman, and hath slain him.


FIRST VESPERS

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When the Annunciation falls on any other day than Monday, the First Vespers of this Feast are sung before mid-day, according to the rule prescribed for Fast-days of Lent: but when it falls on a Monday, this Office is celebrated at the ordinary time of Vespers, and only a commemoration is made of the Sunday by the Magnificat Antiphon and the Prayer.

The Office of First Vespers is always the commencement of a Feast. The Antiphons of the Vespers, at which we are going to assist, are taken from the Gospel of St. Luke, where the Evangelist reveals to us the sublime interview between the angel and the Virgin. The psalms are those which tradition has consecrated to the celebration of Mary’s glories. We have elsewhere (Dec. 8 – Advent Vespers) shown how each of the five refers to the Mother of God.

ANT. The Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, a Virgin, espoused to Joseph.

The Lord said to my Lord, his Son: Sit thou at my right hand, and reign with me.

Until, on the day of thy last coming, I make thy enemies thy footstool.

O Christ! the Lord thy Father, will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: from thence rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.

With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength, in the brightness of the Saints: for the Father hath said to thee: From the womb, before the day-star, I begot thee.

The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: he hath said, speaking of thee, the God-Man: Thou art a Priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

Therefore, Father, the Lord, thy Son, is at thy right hand: he hath broken kings in the clay of his wrath.

He shall also judge among nations, he shall fill the ruins of the world: he shall crush the heads in the land of many.

He cometh now in humility: he shall drink, in the way, of the torrent of sufferings: therefore, shall he lift up the head.



ANT. The Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, a Virgin, espoused to Joseph.

ANT. Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.

Reading of PSALM 112

ANT. Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.

ANT. Fear not, Mary; thou hast found grace with God: behold thou shalt conceive, and shalt bring forth a Son.



Reading of PSALM 121
ANT. Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: behold thou shalt conceive, and shalt bring forth a Son.

ANT. And the Lord shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign forever.


Reading of PSALM 126
ANT. And the Lord shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign forever.

ANT. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.


Reading of PSALM 147
ANT. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.


CAPITULUM (Is. VII.)
Behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good.



HYMN – Ave, Maris Stella

Hail, Star of the Sea! Blessed Mother of God, yet ever a Virgin! O happy gate of heaven!

Thou that didst receive the Ave from Gabriel’s lips, confirm us in peace, and so let Eva be changed into an Ave of blessing for us.

Loose the sinner’s chains, bring light to the blind, drive from us our evils, and ask all good things for us.

Show thyself a Mother, and offer our prayers to Him, who would be born of thee, when born for us.

O incomparable Virgin, and meekest of the meek, obtain us the forgiveness of our sins, and make us meek and chaste.

Obtain us purity of life, and a safe pilgrimage; that we may be united with thee in the blissful vision of Jesus.

Praise be to God the Father, and to the Lord Jesus, and to the Holy Ghost: to the Three one self-same praise. Amen.

℣. Hail, Mary, full of grace.

℟. The Lord is with thee.



ANTIPHON OF THE MAGNIFICAT
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, O Mary, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee.

LET US PRAY

O God, who wast pleased that thy Word, when the angel delivered his message, should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, give ear to our humble petitions, and grant, that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her prayers. Through the same, etc.


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Mass

The Church has taken most of the chants of today’s Mass from the Forty-fourth Psalm, wherein the Royal Prophet celebrates the mystery of the Incarnation. In the Introit, she greets Mary as the Queen of the human race, to whom every creature should pay respectful homage. It was her Virginity that fitted Mary to become the Mother of God. This virtue will be imitated in the Church, and each generation will produce thousands of holy Virgins, who will walk in the footsteps of her that is their Mother and their model.

Introit
Vultum tuum deprecabuntur omnes divites plebus: adducentur Regi virgines post eam: proximæ ejus adducentur tibi in lætitia et exsultatione. 
All the rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance: after her shall virgins be brought to the King: her neighbors shall be brought to thee in joy and gladness.

Ps. Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea Regi. ℣. Gloria Patri. Vultum tuum. 
Ps. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King. ℣. Glory, &c. All the rich.


In the Collect, the Church glories in her faith in the divine Maternity; she puts it forward as a claim to Mary’s interceding for her with this God who is her Son. This dogma of Mary’s being the Mother of God is founded on the mystery of the Incarnation, which is the basis of our Faith, and was accomplished on this twenty-fifth of March.

Collect
Deus, qui de beatæ Mariæ Virginis utero, Verbum tuum, Angelo nuntiante, carnem suscipere voluisti: præsta supplicibus tuis: ut qui vere eam Genetricem Dei credimus, ejus apud te intercessionibus adjuvemur. Per eumdem. 
O God, who wast pleased that thy word, when the Angel delivered his message, should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, give ear to our humble petitions, and grant, that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her prayers. Through the same, &c.

To this is added the Collect for the Feria of Lent.

Epistle
Lesson from Isaias the Prophet. Ch. VII.

In those days: the Lord spoke unto Achaz, saying: Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above. And Achaz said: I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord. And he (Isaias) said: Hear ye therefore, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to be grievous to men, that you are grievous to my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good.

Quote:The Prophet is speaking to a wicked king who refused to accept a miraculous proof of God’s merciful protection over Jerusalem; and he makes this an opportunity for announcing to Juda the great portent which we are celebrating today: A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son. And when was it that God fulfilled the prophecy? It was in an age when mankind seemed to have reached the highest pitch of wickedness, and when idolatry and immorality reigned throughout the whole world. The fullness of time came, and the tradition, which had found its way into every country, that a Virgin should bring forth a son—was exciting much interest. This is the day on which the Mystery was accomplished; let us adore the power of God and the fidelity wherewith he fulfills his promises. The author of the laws of nature suspends them; he acts independently of them—Virginity and Maternity are united in one and the same creature, for the Child that is to be born is God. A Virgin could not bring forth other than God himself: the Son of Mary is, therefore, called Emmanuel, that is, God with us.

Let us adore this God, the Creator of all things visible and invisible, who thus humbles himself. Henceforth, he will have every tongue confess, not only his divinity, but also his Human Nature, which he has assumed in order that he might redeem us. From this day forward, he is truly the Son of Man. He will remain nine months in his Mother’s womb, as other children. Like them, he will, after his birth, be fed on milk and honey. He will sanctify all stages of human life, from infancy to perfect manhood, for he is the New Man, who has come down from heaven that he might restore the Old. Without losing aught of his Divinity, he shares in our weak finite being, that he may make us partakers of the divine nature.


In the Gradual, the Church unites with David in praising the beauty of the Emmanuel, his kingdom and his strength; for he comes in humility, that he may rise again in glory; he comes to give battle that he may conquer and triumph.

Gradual
Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis; propterea benedixit te Deus in æternum. 
Grace is spread on thy lips; therefore hath the Lord blessed thee for ever.

℣. Propter veritatem, et mansuetudinem, et justiam; et deducet te mirabiliter dextera tua. 
℣. For thy truth, meekness and righteousness, shall thy right hand lead thee on wonderfully.

The Church continues the same Canticle in the Trace, but it is in praise of Mary, the Virgin and Mother. The Holy Ghost loves her for her incomparable beauty: it is on this day that he overshadows her and she conceives the Word. Where is there a glory like that of Mary, who is an object of complacency to the Three Persons of the Trinity? God could create nothing more exalted than the Mother of God. David foretells how this, his daughter, was to be surrounded by holy Virgins, who would follow her as their Queen and Model. This day is also the triumph of her Virginity, for it is raised to the dignity of divine Maternity! Her triumph frees her sex from slavery, and renders it capable of everything that is honorable and great.

Tract
Audi, filia, et vide, et inclina aurem tuam: quia concupivit Rex speciem tuam. 
Hearken, O Daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: for the King is taken with thy beauty.

℣. Vultum tuum deprecabuntur omnes divites plebis: filiæ regum in honore tuo. 
℣. All the rich among the people shall intreat thy countenance: the daughters of kings shall honor thee.

℣. Adducentur Regi virgines post eam: proximæ ejus afferentur tibi. 
℣. Virgins shall be brought in her retinue to the King: the virgins, her companions, shall be presented to thee.

℣. Adducentur in lætitia et exsultatione: adducentur in templum Regis. 
℣. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the King.


Gospel
Sequel of the Holy Gospel according to Luke. Ch. I.

At that time: The Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin’s name was Mary. And the Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the Angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the Angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.

Quote:By these last words of thine, O Mary! our happiness is secured. Thou consentest to the desire of Heaven, and thy consent brings us our Savior. O Virgin-Mother! Blessed among women! we unite our thanks with the homage that is paid thee by the Angels. By thee is our ruin repaired; in thee is our nature restored; for thou hast wrought the victory of man over Satan!—St. Bernard, in one of his Homilies on this Gospel thus speaks: “Rejoice, O thou our father Adam! but thou, O mother Eve, still more rejoice! You were our Parents, but you were also our destroyers; and what is worse, you had wrought our destruction before you gave us birth. Both of you must be consoled in such a Daughter as this: but thou, O Eve, who wast the first cause of our misfortune, and whose humiliation has descended upon all women, thou hast a special reason to rejoice in Mary. For the time is now come when the humiliation is taken away, neither can man any longer complain against the woman, as of old, when he foolishly sought to excuse himself, and cruelly put all the blame on her, saying: The woman, whom thou gavest me, gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. Go, Eve, to Mary; go, Mother, to thy Daughter; let thy Daughter take thy part, and free thee from thy disgrace, and reconcile thee to her father: for if man fell by a woman, he is raised up by a woman.

“What is this thou sayest, Adam? The woman, whom thou gavest me, gave me of the Tree, and I did eat? These are wicked words; far from effacing thy fault, they aggravate it. But divine Wisdom conquered thy wickedness by finding in the treasury of his own inexhaustible mercy a motive for pardon, which he had in vain sought to elicit by questioning thee. In place of the woman, of whom thou complainest, he gives thee another: Eve was foolish, Mary is Wise; Eve was proud, Mary is humble; Eve gave thee of the tree of death, Mary will give thee of the Tree of life; Eve offered thee a bitter and poisoned fruit, Mary will give thee the sweet Fruit she herself is to bring forth, the Fruit of everlasting life. Change, then, thy wicked excuse into an act of thanksgiving, and say: The Woman, whom thou hast given me, O Lord, hath given me of the Tree of Life, and I have eaten thereof; and it is sweeter than honey to my mouth, for by it thou hast given me life.” (St Bernard, Homil. II. Super Missus est.)

In the Offertory, the Church addresses Mary in the words spoken to her by the Archangel, to which she also adds those used by Elizabeth, when she saluted the Mother of God.

Offertory
Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui. 
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.


In the Secret, the Church renews her profession of faith in the Mystery of the Incarnation; she confesses the reality of the two Natures, Divine and Human, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary.

Secret
In mentibus nostris, quæsumus, Domine, veræ fidei sacramenta confirma: ut, qui conceptum de Virgine Deum verum et hominem confitemur, per ejus salutiferæ resurrectionis potentiam, ad æternam mereamur pervenire lætitiam. Per eumdem. 
Strengthen, we beseech thee, O Lord, in our soul, the mysteries of the true faith: that we who confess him, that was conceived of a Virgin, to be true God and true Man, may, by the power of his saving resurrection, deserve to come to eternal joys. Through the same, &c.

To this is added the Secret for the Feria of Lent.


The greatness of the Solemnity obliges the Church to substitute, for the Lenten Preface, the one she uses on our Lady’s Feasts.

Preface
Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus: Et te in Annuntiatione beatæ Mariæ semper virginis collandare, benedicere, et prædicare. Quæ et Unigenitum tuum Sancti Spiritus obumbratione concepit, et virginitatis gloria permanente, tumen æternum mundo effudit Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates. Cœli Cœlorumque Virtutes, ac beata Seraphimm, socia exsultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti jubeas deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus. 

It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God: and that we should praise, bless, and glorify thee, on the Annunciation of the Blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, who by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, conceived thy Only Begotten Son, and the glory of her virginity still remaining, brought forth to the world the eternal Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. By whom the Angels praise thy majesty, the Dominations adore it, the Powers tremble before it; the heavens and the heavenly Virtues, and the blessed Seraphim, with common jubilee, glorify it. Together with whom, we beseech thee that we may be admitted to join our humble voices, saying: Holy! Holy! Holy!


The Communion-anthem repeats the prophetic words of the Epistle. It is a Virgin that has conceived and brought forth Him, who, being God and Man, is also the living Bread that came down from heaven, whereby God is with us, and in us.

Communion
Ecce Virgo concipiet, et pariet filium: et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel. 
Behold a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.


In the Postcommunion, the Church gratefully recalls to mind all the Mysteries which God has achieved for our Salvation, and which were the consequences of the one of today. After the Incarnation, which unites the Son of God to our Human Nature, we have had the Passion of this our Divine Redeemer; and his Passion was followed by his Resurrection, whereby he triumphed over our enemy, Death.

Postcommunion
Gratiam tuam, quæsumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde: ut, qui Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus; per Passionem ejus et Crucem, ad Resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eumdem. 
Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may, by his Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same, &c.


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O Emmanuel, God with us! who, as thy Church says in her Hymn, “being to take upon thee to deliver man, didst not disdain the Virgin’s womb,”—the whole human race gives thanks to thee, on this day, for thy merciful coming. O Eternal Word of the Father! it was not enough for thee to have drawn man out of nothing by thy power; thine exhaustless love would follow him even to the abyss of misery into which he had fallen. By sin, man had forfeited the dignity thou hadst given him; that he might regain it, thou didst come in person and assume his nature, so to raise him up again to thyself. In thee, from this day forward unto all eternity, God is made man, and man is made God. Thy Incarnation is the fulfillment of the promises made in the Canticle; thou unitest thyself to human nature, and it is in the virginal womb of a daughter of David that thou celebratest these ineffable espousals. O incomprehensible humiliation! O ineffable glory! The humiliation is for the Son of God, the glory is for the son of man. Thus hast thou loved us, O Divine Word! thus hast thou removed from us the degradation of our fall! The rebel angels fell, and thou didst leave them in the abyss; we fell, and thou hadst mercy on us. A single look of thy pity would have sufficed to save us; but it would not satisfy thy love; therefore didst thou descend into this world of sin, take upon thyself the form of a slave, and lead a life of humiliation and suffering. O Word made Flesh! who comest not to judge, but to save! we adore thee, we praise thee, we love thee. Make us worthy of all that thy love has led thee to do for us.

We salute thee, O Mary, full of grace, on this the day whereon thou didst receive thy sublime dignity of Mother of God. Thy incomparable purity drew down upon thee the love of the great Creator, and thy humility drew him into thy womb; his presence within thee increased the holiness of thy spirit and the purity of thy body. What must have been thy happiness in knowing that this Son of God was living by thy life, and was taking from thine own substance the new being, which his love for us induced him to assume! Between thee and him is formed that ineffable union which is granted to none else but to thee: he is thy Creator, and thou art his Mother; he is thy Son, and thou art his Creature. Every knee bows down before him, O Mary! for he is the great God of heaven and earth; but every creature reveres thee, also, for thou hast carried him in thy womb, thou hast fed him at thy breast; thou alone canst say to him, as does his heavenly Father: Thou art my Son! O Mother of Jesus! thou art the greatest of God’s works: receive the humble homage of mankind, for thou art most dear to us, seeing that thou art of the same flesh and blood as ourselves. Thou art a Daughter of Eve, but without her sin. By the obedience to the divine decrees, thou savest thy mother and her race; thou restorest Adam and his children to the innocence they had lost. Jesus, whom thou bearest in thy womb, is our pledge that all these blessings are to be ours; and it is by thee that he comes to us. Without Jesus, we should abide in death; without thee, we should not have had him to redeem us. It is from thy virginal womb that he receives the precious Blood which is to be our ransom, that Blood whose purity he protected in thy Immaculate Conception, and which becomes the Blood of God by the union that is consummated in thee of the Divine with the Human Nature.

Today, O Mary! is fulfilled in thee the promise made by God after Adam’s sin—that he would put enmity between the Woman and the Serpent. Up to this time, the human race had not the courage to resist the enemy; it was subservient to him, and everywhere were altars raised up in his honor; but on this day, his head is crushed beneath thy foot. Thy humility, thy purity, thy obedience, have conquered him; his tyranny is checked. By thee we are delivered from his sway; and nothing but our own perversity and ingratitude could again give him the mastery. Let not this be, O Mary! Come to our assistance. During this Season of repentance, we humbly acknowledge that we have abused the grace of God; we beseech thee, on this the Feast of thy Annunciation, intercede for us with Him who, on this day, became thy Son. Holy Mother of God! by the salutation addressed to thee by the Angel Gabriel, by thy virginal fear, by thy fidelity to God, by thy prudent humility, by thy consent—obtain for us conversion of heart and sincere repentance; prepare us for the great Mysteries we are about to celebrate. These Mysteries are so full of sorrow to thy maternal heart, and yet thou wouldst have us rejoice on this day, as we think on the ineffable happiness which filled thy soul at the solemn moment when the Holy Ghost overshadowed thee, and the Son of God became thine. Yes, Blessed Mother of Jesus! we will spend the whole of this day near thee, in thy humble dwelling at Nazareth. Nine months hence, we will follow thee to Bethlehem, and there, in company with the Shepherds and the Angels, we will prostrate ourselves in adoration before the Infant-God, our Savior: we will join our voices with those of the heavenly host, and we will thus express our gladness: Glory be to God in the highest! and peace on earth to men of good will!

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  St. Peter Julian Eymard: The Real Presence
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 02:12 PM - Forum: The Saints - No Replies

THE REAL PRESENCE
Eucharistic Meditations
by St. Peter Julian Eymard

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THE EUCHARISTIC VEIL
Cur faeiem tuam abscondis? Why hidest Thou Thy face? (Job xiii 24)

I

WHY is our Lord veiled beneath the Sacred Species in the Most Blessed Sacrament? It is difficult to get accustomed to this hidden state of our Lord. We must frequently insist upon this truth; for we must believe firmly and practically that although Our Lord Jesus Christ is veiled, He is really and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist.

But why this silent presence, this impenetrable veil? We are often tempted to say: 'Lord, show us Thy face! Our Lord makes us feel His power; He draws us to Himself; He keeps us respectful; but we do not see Him. And it would be so sweet, so good to hear words from our Lord's lips! What a consolation for us were He to show Himself!' What an assurance of being His friend! For He would supposedly show Himself only to those He loves.


II

WELL, Our Lord is more lovable when hidden than if He were to show Himself. He is more eloquent when silent than if He were to speak. And what we look upon as a punishment is an effect of His love and good ness.

Yes, if He were to show Himself as He is, we would be unhappy; the contrast of His virtues, of His glory would humiliate us. We would say: 'What! A Father so good, with children so miserable! We would not dare approach Him or show ourselves. Now that we know only His kindness, we come at least without fear.

And everybody comes to Him. Let us suppose that our Lord were to manifest Himself to the good only,-for since His Resurrection He cannot reveal Himself to sinners-who would dare rank himself among the good? Who would not dread coming to church lest Jesus Christ, on not finding him good enough, would not manifest Himself to him? People would grow envious of one another. The proud alone would dare think enough of themselves to come to our Lord. Whereas under the present order of things everyone has equal rights and can take it for granted that he is loved.


III

BUT perhaps the sight of our Lord's glory would convert us? No, no! We cannot convert people by dazzling them. The Jews became idolaters at the foot of a flaming Sinai; the 
Apostles talked nonsense on Mount Thabor.

We would be either frightened or e lated by our Lord's glory, but not converted. The Jewish people were afraid to come near Moses after his face shone with divine light. 'No, Lord, please remain hidden; that is better for us. I can thus draw near to Thee and at least hope that Thou lovest me since Thou drivest me not away. But would not the great power of His words convert us?

The Jews heard our Lord for three years; were they converted? A. mere handful of them. The human words of our Lord, those that strike the ear, will not convert us; the words of His grace will. Now, Our Lord in The Blessed Sacrament speaks to our heart, and that ought to be enough for us, for His words are real. BUT if I could at least experience our Lords love, some of its ardent flames, I would love Him much more; they would transform my heart and set it ablaze with love! 

We mistake feeling for love. When we ask our Lord 'to make us love Him, we expect Him to make us feel that we love Him. Things would come to a sorry pass were He to listen to us. No! Love means sacrifice, the gift of our will and submission to that of God.

The virtue of strength is the fruit of Eucharistic contemplation and of Communion,- which is perfect union with Jesus. The sweetness of it is short-lived; strength alone endures. And what are we in need of against ourselves and the world if not strength? Strength brings us peace.

Do you not feel at peace in the presence of Our Lord? That proves that you love Him. What more do you want? When two friends get together, they spend their time looking at each other and in telling their love for each other. They are wasting their time; for their affection is not thereby increased. But separate them for a while; they will think of each other and recall each other's face; they long for each other.

The same is true of our Lord. What did the Apostles do during the three years they lived with Him? He has hidden Himself in order to have us ponder over His goodness and His virtues; in order that our love might become serious, disengaged from the senses, content with the strength and peace of God.

LET us sum up what we have said. Our Saviour is really present beneath the veils of the Sacrament, but He denies us the view of His body so as to have us abide in His love, in His adorable personality. If He were to show Himself, or even a single ray of' His glory, one trait of His adorable countenance, we would forget Him and abide in that manifestation of Himself, But He has told us His body is not our end; it is hut a step to help us reach first His soul and then His divinity through His soul. We have His love to guide us thither.

The strength of our love will bring complete certitude to our faith. The senses having been reduced to silence, our soul will enter into communion with Jesus Christ; and since Jesus is happiness, repose, and joy, the more intimately we commune with Him, the happier we shall be.



THE MYSTERY OF FAITH
Hoc est opus Dei ut credatis in Eum. This is the work of God, that you believe in Him. (John vi. 29.)

I

OUR Lord wants us to remember all He did for us on earth, and to honour His presence in the Most Blessed Sacrament by meditating on all the mysteries of His life. To make the mystery of the Last Supper more vividly present to us, He was not content with giving us the Gospel narrative; He left us a living, personal reminder: His very Self, His adorable Person.

Although our Lord is in our midst, we cannot see Him, nor can we picture to ourselves the manner of His presence in the Eucharist. Our Eucharistic Lord, however, has frequently appeared. Why did He not permit pictures of these august apparitions to be preserved? Ah! Our Lord is well aware that pictures would only result in drawing us away from the reality of His actual presence under the sacred veils of the Eucharist. But if I could see, would I not have more faith? Do we not love better what we see?

Yes, the senses may confirm my wavering faith. But our risen Lord does not want our perverted senses to reach Him; He demands pure faith. He has not only a body but a soul as well. He does not want to be loved as bodies are loved; He wants us to go straight to His Soul with our minds and our hearts, without using our senses to discover Him. For that matter, although our Lord is truly resent in the Blessed Sacrament in body and in soul, He abides therein after the manner of spirits. Spirits cannot be analysed or dissected; neither can they be reached with the senses.


II

BESIDES, why should we complain? Our Lord has arranged everything harmoniously. The Sacred Species do not touch Him, nor do they form part of Him. They are however, inseparably united to the sacramental Christ. They are, as it were, the terms of His presence. They tell us where He is. They localize Him. Our Lord could have taken a purely spiritual manner of existence; but then, how could we find Him? Where could we look for Him?

Let us thank this good Saviour! He is not hidden, but only veiled. A hidden object practically does not exist for us; we do not know where it is. But we can possess a veiled object; we are sure of it even though we do not see it. Does it not already mean a great deal to us to know that our friend is at our side, that he is really there? Well, you can see where our Lord is. Look at the Sacred Host; you are sure He is there.


III

OUR Lord veils Himself for our good and our advantage, to force us to study His soul, His intentions, and His virtues in Himself. If we saw Him, we would be satisfied to admire His appearance, we would have for Him only sentimental love; our Lord wants us to love Him with a love of sacrifice. It is hard for our Lord thus to veil Himself. He would prefer to show His divine countenance which drew so many hearts to Him in His mortal life; but He veils it for our good.

Our mind is thus forced to study the Eucharist; our faith is spurred on; we acquire a deeper understanding of Our Lord. Instead of showing Himself to our eyes, He shows Himself to our soul. Through His own light He notifies us of His presence in us. He is both the light and the object we must contemplate in that light; He is the object and the means of our faith.

The clearness of one's insight into the Eucharist is proportioned to one's greater or le sser love and purity of life. Our Lord said so: 'He that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. Our Lord gives to souls of prayer a deep understanding of Himself; He never deceives them.

He varies His grace of light. He directs it now to one point of His life, now to another. And since the Eucharist is the glorification of all the mysteries, Jesus Christ becomes Himself the object of our meditation, no matter what its topic may be.


IV

HOW much easier it is, consequently, to meditate before the Blessed Sacrament than at home! At home we are in the presence of the immensity of God; here, we are in the presence of our Lord, Who is very close to us. And since the heart follows the mind, since affection follows knowledge, it becomes easier to love in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Love is then actual, since it has for its object Jesus living before us and renewing all His mysteries in the Eucharist.

He that meditates on the mysteries in themselves without giving them life through the Eucharist always feels that something is missing, and he harbours a regret in spite of himself. 'Oh, that I had been there! he says to himself. But in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament, what is there to regret, to desire? All the mysteries live anew through the Saviour's presence. Our love actually enjoys Him. Whether you are thinking of the mortal life of Jesus or of His risen life, you know that Jesus Christ is there with His body, His soul, and His divinity.

Let us therefore put these ideas into practice. No matter what mysteries are represented in our imagination, let us strengthen and quicken the remembrance of them through the presence of Jesus Christ. Let us then remember that our Lord is in the Host in all His different states, and in His entirety. He who does not realise that lives in darkness; his faith is always weak and fails to make him happy.

Let our faith be active and thoughtful; that is what will make us happy. Our Lord wants to bring us happiness all by Himself. No man can make us happy; even piety cannot do it of itself. We need a piety that has fed on the Eucharist; for happiness comes only from the possession of God, and in the Eucharist we own God.


THE LOVE OF JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST 
Nos credidimus caritati quam habet Deus in nobis. We have believed the charity, which God hath to us. (1 John iv. 16.)

WE believe in the love of God for us. That is a profound saying. Belief in the truth of the words of God is required of every Christian; but there is another belief, which is more perfect and is the crown of the first: belief in divine love. Belief in the divine truths will be vain if it does not lead to belief in divine love. 

What is this love in which we must believe? It is the love of Jesus Christ; the love, which He manifests to us in the Eucharist, a love that is Himself, a living and infinite love. They who are satisfied with believing in the truth of the Eucharist, love not at all, or very little. But what proofs of His love does our Lord give us in the Eucharist?


I

FIRST of all we have His word, His veracity. Jesus tells us that He loves us, that He instituted His Sacrament only out of love for us. Therefore, it is true. We believe an honest man on his word. Why should we not trust our Lord as much? When someone wants to give his friend a proof of his love, he tells him personally that loves him and he gives him an affectionate handshake.

Well, Our Lord sends neither angels nor ministers to assure us of His love; He comes in person. Love will have no go-between. And so He perpetuates Himself only to tell us over and over again: 'I love you. You see that I love you!

Our Lord was so afraid we might forget Him that He took up His abode among us. He made His home with us so that we might not be able to think of Him without thinking of His love. By giving Himself thus and insisting on. this gift, He hoped not to be forgotten. Whoever gives serious thought to the Eucharist, and especially whoever partakes of it, cannot help feeling that our Lord loves him, He feels that in Him he has a father. He feels that he is loved as a child and that he has a right to come to his Father and speak to Him. In church, at the foot of the tabernacle, he is in his Father's home; he feels that he is.

Ah! I understand why people like to live near a church, in the shadow of their Father's house! And so, Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament tells us that He loves us; He tells us interiorly and makes us feel it. Let us believe in His love.


II

DOES He love me personally? To this there is but one answer; do we belong to the Christian family? In a family, do not the father and the mother love each one of their children with an equal love? And if there were any preferences, would they not be for the weakest and frailest child? Our Lord's sentiments toward us are at least those of a good father; why deny Him this quality?

Besides, see how our Lord manifests His personal love for each one of us. Every morning He comes to see each one of His children in particular, to converse with them, to visit them, to embrace them. Although He has repeated this so many times, He is as gracious and as loving at His last visit as He was at the first. He is as young as ever and is not tired of loving us and giving Himself to each one of us.

Does He not give Himself whole and entire to each one? And if a greater number come to receive Him, does He divide Himself up? Does He give less to each one? If the church is full of adorers, can they not all pray to Jesus and converse with Him? Is not each one listened to and his prayer granted as if he were the only one in church?

Such is the personal love of Jesus for us. Each one may take it all for himself and wrong no one; the sun gives all its light to each and everyone of us; the ocean belongs whole and entire to each and every fish. Jesus is greater than us all. He is inexhaustible.


III

THE persistency of the love of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament is another undeniable proof that He loves us. An almost incalculable number of Masses are celebrated every day; they follow one another almost without interruption. But how distressing it is for an understanding soul to realise that very often no one is present to hear or assist at these Masses, in which Jesus offers Himself up for us! While Jesus is crying mercy on this new Calvary, sinners are insulting God and His Christ.

Why then does our Lord renew His sacrifice so often, since men do not profit by it? Why does our Lord remain day and night on so many altars to which no one comes to receive the graces He is offering so lavishly? He loves, He hopes, and He waits!

If He came down on our altars on certain days only, some sinner, on being moved to repentances might have to look for Him and, not finding Him, have to wait. Our Lord prefers to wait himself for the sinner for years rather than keep him waiting one instant; having to wait would perhaps discourage the sinner in his attempt to break with the slavery of sin.

Oh! How few reflect that Jesus loves them that much in The Most Blessed Sacrament! And yet all these things are true! We have no faith in the love of Jesus! Would we treat a friend, or any man at all, as we do Our Lord?


THE EUCHARIST, THE CENTRE OF OUR LOVE 
Manete in Me. Abide in Me. (John xv,. 4.)

I

THE heart of man needs a centre of affection and expansion. As a matter of fact, when God created the first man He said: 'It is not good for man to be alone; let Us make him a help like unto himself. And the Imitation also says: 'Without a friend thou canst not well live. Well, Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament wants to be the centre of all hearts, and He tells us: 'Abide in Me . . . Abide in My love.

What does abiding in our Lord's love mean? To abide in His love is to make His Eucharistic love the centre of our life, the only source of our consolation; it is to cast ourselves into the Heart of Jesus in our afflictions, in our sorrows, in our deceptions, in the circumstances in which the heart unbosoms itself more spontaneously. He invites us to do so. 'Come to Me, all you that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you.

To abide in His love is, in time of joy, to refer our happiness to Him; for delicacy of friendship wants a friend with whom to share its joys. To abide in His love is to make the Eucharist the centre of our desires: 'Lord, I desire this only if Thou desirest it. I will do this to please Thee. To abide in His love is to delight in surprising Him with some gift, or some little sacrifice. To abide in His love is to live by the Eucharist; to guide ourselves in our actions by His thought, and to make it a point unswervingly to prefer the good service of the Eucharist to everything else.

Alas! Is Jesus Eucharistic really our centre? Perhaps in time of extraordinary difficulties, or of very fervent prayer, or of urgent need; but in everyday life, do we think, do we reflect, do we act in Jesus as in our centre?


II

WHY is our Lord not my centre? Because He is not yet the ego of my ego; because I am not completely under His control, under the inspiration of His will; because I have desires that are vying with the desires of Jesus within me; because He does not mean everything to me. And yet a child works for his parents, an angel for his God; I ought therefore to work for my Master, Jesus Christ.

What am I to do? I must enter into this centre, abide in it, and act in it, not indeed by the sentiment of His sweetness, which does not depend on me, but by repeated attempts, by the homage of every action. Come, () my soul! Leave the world; come but of thyself; renounce thyself; and go to the God of the Eucharist. He has an abode in which to receive thee; He longs for thee; He wants to live with thee, to live in thee. Abide therefore in Jesus present in thy heart, live in thy heart; live in the goodness of Jesus Eucharistic.

O my soul, study our Lord in thee, and do nothing but by Him. Abide in our Lord. Abide in Him through A sense of devotedness, of holy joy, of readiness to do whatever He will ask of thee. 'Abide in the Heart and the peace of Jesus Eucharistic.


III

W HAT impresses me is that this centre of the Eucharist is hidden, invisible, altogether interior, and, for all that, most real, living, and sustaining. Jesus draws the soul spiritually into the wholly spiritualised state that is His in the Sacrament. What, in fact, is the nature of the life of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament? It is entirely hidden, all interior.

He conceals therein His power and kindness; He conceals His divine Person. And all His actions and virtues take on this simple and hidden character. He requires silence around Him. He no longer prays to His Father 'with a strong cry and tears as in the Garden of Olives, but through His self-abasement. All graces come from the Host. From His Eucharist Jesus sanctifies the world, but in an invisible and spiritual manner. He rules the world and the Church without either moving or speaking.

Such must the kingdom of Jesus be in me, all interior. I must gather myself up around Jesus: my faculties, my understanding, and my will; and my senses, as far as possible. I must live of Jesus and not of myself, in Jesus and not in myself. I must pray with Him, immolate myself with Him, and be consumed in the same love with Him. I must become in Him one flame, one heart, one life with Him.

What nourishes this centre is something similar to God's call to Abraham: egredere (Go forth out of thy country); it is the renouncing and abandoning of outside things; the turning to those within and the losing of oneself in Jesus. This manner of life is more pleasing to His Heart and gives greater glory to His Father; that is why our Lord desires it ardently. He tells us: 'Come out of thyself and follow Me into solitude where, alone with thee, I will speak to thy heart.

This life in Jesus is nothing other than the love of predilection, the gift of self, the intensifying of union with Him; through it we take root, as it were, and prepare the nourishment, the sap of the tree. Regnum Dei intra vos est.The kingdom of God is within you.


IV

THERE is no centre other than Jesus, and Jesus Eucharistic. He tells us: 'Without Me you can do nothing. He alone gives grace. He reserves to Himself the distribution of it in order to oblige us to come to Him and ask Him for it.

He wants thus to establish and foster union with us. He reserves to Himself the right of giving consolation and peace, so that in sorrows and combats we may have recourse to Him. He wants to be the heart's only happiness. He has placed this centre of repose in none other than himself: Manete in Me. And lest we should ever miss Him when we come to Him, He remains always at our service, always ready, always lovable.

He is continually drawing us to Himself. The life of love is nothing other than this continual attraction of us to Him. Alas! I am so little established in this centre of love! My aspirations to Jesus are still so imperfect, so rare, and so interrupted, often for long hours at a time! And yet Jesus tells us repeatedly: 'He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood abideth in Me, and I in him.


GOD IS THERE!
Vere Dominus est in loco isto, et ego nesciebam! Indeed the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not! (Genesis xxviii. 16.)

I

In order to form a fair judgment of a family, we must see whether the law of respect is observed. When you meet with a family in which the children and servants are obedient and respectful, you can say: 'Here is a good and happy family. The respect and honour given to parents is the religion of the family, just as respect for the sovereign or his representatives is the religion of societies. We are not asked to honour the qualities of the individual, but his authority, which comes from God.

We owe respect to Our Lord; that is our first duty. Under pain of failing in our duties towards Our Lord, we must have for him a spontaneous respect, a respect of instinct that should require no premeditation. It must be in the nature of an impression in us. We must honour our Lord wherever He is; His dignity as God-Man requires it. In His name every knee bows in heaven, on earth, and in hell. In heaven, the angels prostrate themselves before His Majesty in trembling adoration; the place of our Lord's glory is also the place where He receives sovereign respect.

Every creature on earth has obeyed our Lord. The sea adored Him by becoming solid beneath His feet. The sun and the heavenly bodies mourned Him; they honoured Him while men were cursing Him. And in hell the damned tremble beneath the justice of the severe Judge of the living and the dead.


II

RESPECT for the presence of Our Lord should not have to be reasoned out. When the court or the King is announced, all stand; it is instinctive. When the Sovereign goes by, everyone pays him reverence. A spontaneous movement of respect and deference greet him everywhere. He who is no longer of that sentiment or who wishes to destroy it in others is no longer a man.

Catholics have much reason to blush for their lack of respect in our Lord's presence. I am speaking only of spontaneous respect. Enter a synagogue; if you speak or do not behave properly, you are expelled. Before entering a mosque, you are requested to take off your shoes. All these infidels have nothing real in their temples, but we have everything. In spite of that, their respect far surpasses ours.

Our Lord might very well say the devil is honoured more than He is. 'I have brought up children . . . but they have despised Me. I ask mothers whether they would be pleased to be disowned publicly by their children. Why do we do to our Lord what would offend us so much if it were done to us? Why are we less sensitive when our Lord's honour is at stake than when our own petty dignity is?

Nothing could be more false. Our dignity, in fact, comes to us from no one but God, by reflection from Him to us. When, therefore, we allow respect for our Lord to be lost, we destroy the respect due to our own selves. Oh! If our Lord were to punish us for our lack of respect as we deserve!

God had Heliodorus scourged for profaning His temple; but there is more than the temple here. Let us, therefore, give our Lord this first homage of a sentiment of respect as soon as we come into His presence. We are but wretches if we allow levity or carelessness to precede this homage. Yes, our greatest sins against faith come from our lack of respect.


III

He who believes knows where he is going when he goes to church: he is going to Our Lord Jesus Christ. On entering the church, he says to all his occupations, like Saint Bernard: 'Stay here at the door. I feel the need of seeking comfort and strength from God.

Act in the same manner. You know how much time you are to spend in church, forget everything else. If you come to pray, you do not come to transact business. And if you are pestered with distractions and worries, turn them all out of doors without getting troubled over them. Persevere in prayer and make acts of reparation and of respect. Take a better posture, and let Our Lord see that you detest your distractions. By your respectful attitude, if not by the attention of your mind, you are still proclaiming His divinity, His presence; were you to do only that, you would be doing a great deal.

Watch a saint enter a church. He goes in without concerning himself with those who are already there. He concentrates on our Lord and forgets everything else. In the presence of the Pope we hardly give a thought to cardinals and bishops. And in heaven the saints do not idle away their time honouring one another; to God alone they give all honour and glory. Let- us imitate them; our Lord is the only one in church.

Remain quiet for a moment after you have come into church; silence is the greatest mark of respect, and the first disposition for prayer is respect. Most of our dryness and lack of devotion in prayer is due to our lack of respect for Our Lord on entering the church; to our disrespectful posture.

Let us therefore take the firm resolution to foster in ourselves this instinctive respect; we do not have to appeal to reason for that. Must our Lord prove His presence to us every time we enter the church? Must He always send us an angel to tell us that He is there? It certainly would be most unfortunate if He did, but, alas! quite necessary.


IV

YOU owe our Lord exterior respect, which is the prayer of the body. Nothing helps so much the prayer of the soul. See with what religious care the Church has regulated the minutest details of exterior worship. It must then be that this prayer gives great glory to Jesus Christ. He gave us the example of exterior worship by praying on His knees; tradition tells us He prayed with arms outstretched in the form of a cross and lifted up to heaven. The Apostles have handed down to us this manner of praying; the priest uses it during the Holy Sacrifice.

Since our body has received its life from God and lives on the divine favours that are constantly showered upon it, does it not owe God something? We must then make it pray by giving it an attitude full of respect.

Careless postures of the body unnerve the soul, whereas a crucifying posture strengthens and helps her. You must not torment yourself by taking too uncomfortable a posture, but let it be stern enough. Postures that denote too much familiarity are out of place in the presence of God; they breed contempt. Love Our Lord; be tender and affectionate towards Him, but never exaggeratingly familiar. Dryness and lack of devotion in prayer are nearly always the result of disrespect in posture.

When you are travelling or when you are saying extra prayers at home, you may take a less uncomfortable posture, but in the presence of Our Lord you must also adore externally with your senses. Remember how strict God was on this point in the Old Law, and what a number of preparatory details the Levites had to go through. God wanted to make them feel their dependence on Him and prepare them to pray well.

Our piety is agonising because we lack this external respect. I know that we should not tremble with fear before God, nor be afraid to come into His presence; but, on the other hand, neither should we seem to be despising Him.

An austere posture helps us to pray better; we refuse this help in order to satisfy our sensuality. We imagine we are tired; how often our imagination deceives us! If the Pope were passing by, our imaginary fatigue would not prevent us from remaining on our knees. And even supposing that we are really tired, why be so afraid of suffering, which gives wings to prayer? We should at least have even then a becoming and grave posture. Let the lay people sit down if they are tired, but in a becoming manner; they should not slouch in their seats. Let them not take any position that would tend to weaken the soul's energy and render it unfit for prayer. We religious; however, should remain on our knees; that is the correct posture for an adorer. If we grow tired, we should stand up; that, too, is a respectful posture. We should never sit down. Let us be soldiers of the God of the Eucharist. And if our heart is not burning with love, let our body at least bear witness to our faith and our desire to love and to do things properly.

Let our body therefore take the attitude of prayer, of adoration. Let us all form the court of our King Jesus: Keep the presence of the Master in your thoughts; impress your mind with the truth of it. Let all your attentions be for our Lord Jesus Christ! Vere Dominus est in loco isto. Truly, the Lord is here.


Imprimi Potest: Alphonsus Pelletier, S.S.S., Provincialis.
Nihil Obstat: Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D., Censor Librorum.
Imprimatur: @ Patrick Cardinal Hayes, Archbishop of New York.
May 21, 1938.*****

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  April 28th - Sts. Louis de Monfort, Paul of the Cross & Vitalis of Ravenna & Blessed Luchesio
Posted by: Elizabeth - 03-24-2021, 12:01 PM - Forum: April - Replies (3)

[Image: MontfortLouis.jpg]
Saint Louis Mary de Montfort
Missionary in France and Founder
(1673-1716)

One of the great Saints whose mission appears verified and on the increase as the years pass and as we find ourselves amid the latter times, Saint Louis Mary de Montfort can now be recognized as a prophet and an oracle of God for the sanctification of the Church which must resist the foretold evils of this period. Author of a Prophetic Prayer Requesting the Apostles of the Latter Times, he is also the ardent apostle of True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Saint of love for the Cross of the Lord, as we see from his Letter to the Friends of the Cross and his entire life of missionary activity.

Born at Montfort-la-Cane near Saint-Malo in 1673, he was the oldest of eight children. He studied with the Jesuits and at the age of nineteen went to Paris to enter the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. His poverty was aided by the charity of benefactors, and after five years, during which he edified the Seminary, he was ordained a priest in 1700.
Destined to be the target of a siege of crosses, he began to experience the first ones when he went to Nantes to aid a good priest of that diocese and found a serious infestation of Jansenism there. He returned to Paris afterwards to assist one of his sisters to enter religion there, then went to Poitiers, where he became chaplain of a hospital for the poor. His zeal transformed the sick of that hospital into a community of saints; and there he established the kernel of his future Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom. He found many other channels also open to his fervor.

Saint Louis Mary at a given moment desired to go as a missionary to New France, but the Holy Father Clement XI committed to him the vast mission of preaching in his own homeland under the bishops of France. He was commissioned to teach Christian doctrine to the children and the people, and reawaken the spirit of Christianity through the renewal of their baptismal vows. At Dinan he joined a group of missionaries and taught catechism, for which mission he had a special attraction. He could not neglect the poor, and organized a group of virtuous ladies there to take care of them.

He continued preaching in the west of France, placing before the eyes of all listeners the very source of our Redemption through the erection of large crucifixes and Calvaries. He became the target of calumny for the angry Jansenists against whose erroneous notions he preached; certain young libertines also grew irritated against him. He was poisoned; though this did not kill him, his health was seriously undermined. His enemies succeeded in influencing the bishop of Nantes to cancel the benediction of a large Calvary which had been under construction by the people for a year. The bishop required the demolition of the man-made hill which they had labored to prepare for it, transporting stones and dirt in wheelbarrows. Saint Louis Mary's enemies had told him it contained secret chambers for conspirators and evil-doers.

With patience Father de Montfort bore all his trials: Blessed be God; I have not sought my glory but only that of God; I hope to receive the same reward as I would had I succeeded. He was a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic and taught the Holy Rosary everywhere, converting many heretics. Before he died at the age of forty-three in April of 1716, he had organized his Company of Mary at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre, where he was buried and where his remains are still in profound veneration.


[Image: PauloftheCross.jpg]
Saint Paul of the Cross
Founder
(1694-1775)

The eighty-one years of this Saint's life were modeled on the Passion of Jesus Christ. In his childhood, when praying in church, a heavy bench fell on his foot, but the boy paid no attention to the bleeding wound, and spoke of it as a rose sent from God. As a young man, he wished to be a religious, but his confessor, who had determined to humiliate him, commanded him to go to a dance. As he stepped out onto the floor out of obedience, the strings of the musicians' instruments broke, and the event ended.

About this time, the vision of a scourge with love written on its lashes made him understand that God wanted to scourge my soul, but out of love. His thirst for penance would indeed be satisfied. In the hope of dying for the Faith, he enlisted in a crusade against the Turks; but a voice from the Tabernacle told him to return home, because another war, a spiritual one, was awaiting him there.

At the command of his bishop, he began while a layman to preach the Passion, and a series of crosses tested the reality of his vocation. He made a retreat of forty days in a damp outbuilding near the church of Castellazzo, and there he wrote in five days the Rule for a Congregation which he knew he had to found. A penitential trip across the Apennines in winter, without coat, hat or sandals, and with virtually no food, made under obedience to consult a bishop, was only the first of his long journeys. The bishop could not give approbation to his intentions. Having been jeered at on the road, he said, These scoffings were of great benefit to my soul.

In the hermitage where he dwelt on his return to Castellazzo, several companions came to join him, but all of them save his faithful younger brother, John Baptist, deserted him. He taught catechism to the children, and when he preached before adults he held them spellbound for two hours. The Passion's full sanctifying power was bearing fruit through him. Nonetheless, when he went to Rome the Sovereign Pontiff refused him an audience; it was only after a delay of seventeen years that papal approbation was obtained and the first house of the Passionists opened on Monte Argentaro, which was the site Our Lady had pointed out.

Saint Paul of the Cross established for his Order, on the breast of their black habit, a badge he had seen in a vision, having on it the Holy Name of Jesus and a cross surmounting a heart with three nails, in memory of the sufferings of Jesus. But he invented another more secret and durable sign for himself. Moved by the same holy impulse as Blessed Henry Suso, Saint Jane Frances de Chantal and other Saints, he branded on his chest the Holy Name; it was still found there after his death. His heart beat with a supernatural palpitation which was especially vehement on Fridays, and the heat at times was so intense as to scorch his shirt in the region of his heart.

Saint Paul of the Cross suffered for forty-five years from spiritual desolation, an expiatory suffering which he bore with perfect patience. Despite fifty years of incessant bodily pain and all his trials, he read the love of Jesus in all things, though demons were tormenting him constantly. At one time his sciatica prevented him from sleeping for forty days; he prayed for the grace of an hour's sleep, but to this Passionist's prayer, heaven saw fit to remain deaf. Such was the life of one of the greatest disciples of Christ's Passion. He died while the Passion was being read to him, and so passed like his Lord from the cross to eternal glory.

The eighty-one years of this Saint's life were modeled on the Passion of Jesus Christ. In his childhood, when praying in church, a heavy bench fell on his foot, but the boy paid no attention to the bleeding wound, and spoke of it as a rose sent from God. As a young man, he wished to be a religious, but his confessor, who had determined to humiliate him, commanded him to go to a dance. As he stepped out onto the floor out of obedience, the strings of the musicians' instruments broke, and the event ended.

About this time, the vision of a scourge with love written on its lashes made him understand that God wanted to scourge my soul, but out of love. His thirst for penance would indeed be satisfied. In the hope of dying for the Faith, he enlisted in a crusade against the Turks; but a voice from the Tabernacle told him to return home, because another war, a spiritual one, was awaiting him there.

At the command of his bishop, he began while a layman to preach the Passion, and a series of crosses tested the reality of his vocation. He made a retreat of forty days in a damp outbuilding near the church of Castellazzo, and there he wrote in five days the Rule for a Congregation which he knew he had to found. A penitential trip across the Apennines in winter, without coat, hat or sandals, and with virtually no food, made under obedience to consult a bishop, was only the first of his long journeys. The bishop could not give approbation to his intentions. Having been jeered at on the road, he said, These scoffings were of great benefit to my soul.

In the hermitage where he dwelt on his return to Castellazzo, several companions came to join him, but all of them save his faithful younger brother, John Baptist, deserted him. He taught catechism to the children, and when he preached before adults he held them spellbound for two hours. The Passion's full sanctifying power was bearing fruit through him. Nonetheless, when he went to Rome the Sovereign Pontiff refused him an audience; it was only after a delay of seventeen years that papal approbation was obtained and the first house of the Passionists opened on Monte Argentaro, which was the site Our Lady had pointed out.

Saint Paul of the Cross established for his Order, on the breast of their black habit, a badge he had seen in a vision, having on it the Holy Name of Jesus and a cross surmounting a heart with three nails, in memory of the sufferings of Jesus. But he invented another more secret and durable sign for himself. Moved by the same holy impulse as Blessed Henry Suso, Saint Jane Frances de Chantal and other Saints, he branded on his chest the Holy Name; it was still found there after his death. His heart beat with a supernatural palpitation which was especially vehement on Fridays, and the heat at times was so intense as to scorch his shirt in the region of his heart.

Saint Paul of the Cross suffered for forty-five years from spiritual desolation, an expiatory suffering which he bore with perfect patience. Despite fifty years of incessant bodily pain and all his trials, he read the love of Jesus in all things, though demons were tormenting him constantly. At one time his sciatica prevented him from sleeping for forty days; he prayed for the grace of an hour's sleep, but to this Passionist's prayer, heaven saw fit to remain deaf. Such was the life of one of the greatest disciples of Christ's Passion. He died while the Passion was being read to him, and so passed like his Lord from the cross to eternal glory.



[Image: Saint_Vitalis.jpg]
Saint Vitalis of Ravenna
Martyr
(† 171)

Saint Vitalis was a first century Christian citizen of Milan and the father of the twin brothers and future martyrs, Saints Gervasius and Protasius. He is the principal patron of Ravenna, where he was martyred.

Divine providence had conducted him to that city, where he saw come before the tribunal there a Christian physician named Ursicinus, who had been tortured and who then was condemned to lose his head for his faith. Suddenly the captive grew terrified at the thought of death, and seemed ready to yield. Vitalis was extremely moved by this spectacle. He knew his double obligation to prefer the glory of God and the eternal salvation of his neighbor to his own corporal life; he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over death, saying, Ursicinus, you who cured others would want to drive into your soul the dagger of eternal death? Do not lose the crown the Lord has prepared for you! Ursicinus was touched; he knelt down and asked the executioner to strike him. After his martyrdom Saint Vitalis carried away his body and respectfully interred it.

Saint Vitalis now resigned his post as judiciary assistant to Paulinus, who had been absent on the occasion of the sentence of Ursinius. Paulinus had his former assistant apprehended, and after having him tortured, commanded that if he refused to sacrifice to the gods, he be buried alive, which sentence was carried out. Afterwards, his wife Valeria, as she was on her way from Ravenna to Milan, was beaten by peasants because she refused to join them in an idolatrous festival and riot. She died two days later in Milan, and is also honored as a martyr and Saint. Gervasius and Protasius, their sons, sold their heritage and for ten years before their own martyrdom, lived a penitential life of prayer.



[Image: 710.jpg]
Blessed Luchesio
Confesseur, First Franciscan Tertiary
(† 1241)

Luchesio was a merchant of Poggibonzi, a city not far from Siena, Italy, who found politics and commerce more interesting than the service of God and the salvation of his soul. This man had a very dear wife by the name of Bona Dona, and he possessed a prosperous business. But neither the joys of his home life nor the success of his commerce had satisfied his ambition, since he felt destined for a brilliant public life, and desired to enter into the society of the rich. To attain that goal, he was striving to increase his receipts by unjust practices and rash speculations. To make matters worse, he joined the fratricidal combats between the city-states which were wreaking havoc and ruin on the Italian peninsula. Saint Francis of Assisi was traveling about in Toscany, however, announcing the Word of God and calling souls to penance. Sometime around 1221 he came to Poggibonzi, and the whole population turned out to hear him, including the merchant Luchesio. The gift to touch his heart was given Saint Francis, with the grace of God. How fail to be touched, indeed, hearing the Saint preach on "that Being without beginning or end, immutable and inexpressible, ineffable, incomprehensible, beyond the grasp of creatures, Who is blessed, praised, glorious, exalted, sublime, most-high, lovable, delectable, and forever worthy above all else, of being sought and desired! And after his sermon Francis saw Luchesio come to introduce himself, asking what he should do to gain Heaven.

Saint Francis at that moment had a revelation from on High. By it he understood that Luchesio was to be the one who first of all would adopt the Rule of the third Order, which for some time he had been intending to initiate. And he went to visit Luchesio at his home and made known his plans to him and his wife: "For quite some time I have been thinking of establishing a Third Order, by means of which people living in the world, and in particular those who are married ,will be enabled to serve God more perfectly. I think you could do no better work than to inaugurate it. Immediately Luchesio and Bona Dona accepted the proposition. Soon afterward, the Saint received them with joy and gave them habits made of a plain cloth, with a cord for cincture. He also gave them the rules which later were approved by Pope Nicolas IV, and of which it has been said that justice and democracy in Italy had their source in the little notebook where the Saint wrote down the Rule of the Third Order. The happy new tertiaries resolved to give all their fortune to the poor, reserving for themselves only their house and a garden which they could maintain without hired help.

After this, Luchesio completely abandoned politics and business to concern himself only with his salvation and the works of mercy. This speculator well-known as such to his co-citizens, this man formerly so harsh towards others and avid for profit, became the just and charitable Christian of that city, and his house, which was the place of reunion for the first Fraternity, also became known as"The Inn for the Poor. He not only received the poor into his house, he went out to search for the sick in swampy regions infected with malaria, and became their Providence also in their abandonment. He would go out with a little donkey to procure, or beg if necessary, what was needed for their convalescence. In this Bona Dona seconded him with all her strength.

He was a great penitent, and had the gift of mental prayer extending even to ecstasy; yet it was charity which remains his most memorable quality. He and his beloved spouse fell ill on the same day; declining rapidly, Luchesio sent for their Franciscan chaplain. Having received from the priest the Last Sacraments, he heard that Bona Dona was in agony. He found the strength to go to her and take her hands in his, encouraging her to her very last breath. Carried back to his bed, he gave up his blessed soul to God, without further delay.

The only glory that Luchesio could not evade was that of having been the first member of the Third Order of Saint Francis which has saved so many souls: he stands at the head of the providential offshoot planted at Poggiabonsi. In the 13th century already, fourteen beatified or canonized tertiaries are counted. In 1694 the Friars Minor obtained from Pope Innocent XII permission to celebrate a feast day in honor of Blessed Luchesio, on the 28th of April. He was chosen by his native city as its patron, and his feast day is one of obligation there.

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  Msgr. Bernard Tissier de Mallerais: Faith Imperiled by Reason - Benedict XVI’s Hermeneutics
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 11:41 AM - Forum: The Architects of Vatican II - Replies (14)

Faith Imperiled by Reason: Benedict XVI’s Hermeneutics
by Msgr. Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, SSPX
[Slightly reformatted from here. It can also be downloaded from this website.]

[A reminder that the word 'hermeneutics,' by definition, is the 'science of interpretation.' So anywhere we see the word 'hermeneutics', we could substitute the word 'interpretation'. Therefore, the title of this work could easily read: 'Faith Imperiled by Reason: Benedict XVI's Interpretations' - The Catacombs]


Quote:
PREFACE
by Dr. Peter Chojnowski

Those who remain attached to the Catholic Faith as articulated by all the great dogmatic Councils of the Church are greatly indebted to His Excellency Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais for this article, published just last summer in the French Dominican publication Le Sel de la Terre and just translated into English.

The fight we are in for Catholic Tradition is not a fight over ceremonies and rituals, which some happen to like and others happen not to like. The Sacred Rites of the Church are “sacred” precisely because they express and apply to the concrete lives of the Faithful, the truths and grace which even God the Son did not “make up,” but were, rather, revealed to Him by His Father in Heaven.

This article, which compares the theology of Josef Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) to that of the traditional theology of the Church as articulated by the Popes, the Fathers, and the Doctors, is truly a comprehensive study for all those interested in the doctrinal issues now being discussed behind closed doors.

Since the Conciliar Church has decided to accept the personal theology of each new pope as its current interpretation of the fundamentals of the Faith, it is absolutely essential for real Catholics to understand the Modernist Revolution in its current stage.

Please spread this article far and wide. The text is long, however, the reader should make it to the end in order to understand how the New Theology attempts to transform the most fundamental doctrines of the faith.

After reading this fascinating essay, anyone who thought that “reconciliation” between Catholic Tradition and Vatican II theology is right around the corner will have to think again!

January 2010


✠ ✠ ✠


Faith Imperiled by Reason: Benedict XVI’s Hermeneutics
Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais

From La Sel de Terre, Issue 69, Summer 2009

Translated by C. Wilson
Translator’s Note: I have decided rather to preserve the Bishop’s slightly familiar writing style than to convert the tone of the article to something purely academic.


✠ ✠ ✠



FOREWARD
Introduction


Chapter I. The Hermeneutic of Continuity

1. The Christian Faith of Yesterday and Today: the ‘why’ of hermeneutics
2. Faith at risk from philosophy
3. Hermeneutics in the Patristic School
4. The Homogenous progress of dogmas
5. Return to the objectivity of the Fathers and the councils
6. A new refl ection by a new vital connection?
7. The Method: Dilthey’s historicist hermeneutics
8. Benedict XVI reclaims the purification of the Church’s past
9. When hermeneutics begins to distort history
10. A new Thomas Aquinas


Chapter II. Joseph Ratzinger’s Philisophical Itinerary

1. From Kant to Heidegger: a seminarian’s intellectual itinerary
2. Kantian agnosticism, father of modernism
3. The autonomy of practical reason, mother of the Rights of Man-without-God
4. Reconciling the Enlightenment with Christianity
5. In search of a new realist philosophy
6. Relapse into idealism: Husserl
7. Heidegger’s existentialism
8. Max Scheler’s philosophy of values
9. Personalism and communion of persons
10. The dialogue of ‘I and Thou’ according to Martin Buber
11. ‘Going Out of Self’ according to Karl Jaspers


Chapter III. Joseph Ratzinger’s Theological Itinerary

1. Living Tradition, continuous Revelation, according to the school of Tübingen
2. Revelation, living Tradition and evolution of dogma
3. Tradition, a living interpretation of the Bible
4. The doctrine of faith as experience of God
5. The power of assimilation, driving force of doctrinal progress, according to Newman
6. Far from pledging allegiance to our concepts, Revelation judges and uses them


Chapter IV. An Existentialist Exegesis of the Gospel

1. ‘He Descended into Hell’
2. ‘He rose again from the dead’
3. ‘He ascended into heaven
4. The reality of Evangelical facts put between parentheses
5. Existentialist exegesis, a divinatory art
6. A Historicist Hermeneutic


Chapter V. Hermeneutic of Three Great Christian Dogmas

1. The dogma of the Trinity reviewed by personalism
2. The equivocation of the perpetual search for truth
3. The dogma of the incarnation, revised by Heidegger’s existentialism
4. The dogma of the redemption reviewed by Christian existentialism
5. Satisfaction, the tact of divine mercy
6. A denial worse than Luther’s
7. Existentialist sin
8. The priesthood reduced to the power of teaching


Chapter VI. Personalism and Ecclesiology

1. The Church, communion in charity
2. The Church of Christ ‘subsists’ in the Catholic Church


Chapter VII. Political and Social Personalism

1. Personalism and political society
2. Personalism applied to marriage and chastity


Chapter VIII. Christ the King Re-envisioned by Personalism

1. Political implications of man’s ultimate end
2. Religious liberty purified by the help of Emmanuel Mounier
3. Jacques Maritain’s vitally Christian lay civilization
4. Sophistic refutations


Chapter IX. Benedict XVI’s Personalist Faith

1. Faith, encounter, presence and love
2. Philosophical experimentation and mystical experience
3. Divine authority replaced by human authority


Chapter X. Skeptical Supermodernism

1. An inaugural anti-program
2. A resigned and demoralized skepticism
3. Faced with skepticism, the remedy is found in Saint Thomas Aquinas


Epilogue: Hermeneutic of the last ends

1. Retractions
2. Limbo reinterpreted by hermeneutics
3. Death, a remedy
4. Eternal life, immersion in love
5. Collective salvation according to Henri de Lubac
6. Purgatory diminished
7. A humanistic particular judgment
8. The fundamental option, economy of mortal sin
9. Hell, a state of soul


Afterword: Christianity and Lumieres

1. A fragile equilibrium
2. Mutual regeneration and polyphonic correlation

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  Fake Resistance: "We will crush you!"
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 10:29 AM - Forum: True vs. False Resistance - No Replies

Taken from The Recusant - Issue 43 [September/October 2017]

We can only apologise for a curious set of circumstances which prevented us from bringing this extraordinary account to the attention of a wider audience sooner. Not a great deal has changed since, except perhaps the episcopal consecration of Fr. Zendejas.


We Will Crush You!
Fr. Rafael vs. The Fake Resistance


1. Extract from a Conference given by Fr. Rafael, 27th April, 2017 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXM8dWCeu_0)

“So we ended up in Columbia from June 2013, where a property to was offered to me, halfbuilt. And for three years we were working on this property. At one point we were nine monks. The turning point came in 2016, after having built the second floor which was almost finished. And the turning point was when Bishop Tomas Aquinas stopped supporting me. The only reason was [my] attacking the New Mass and the new SSPX, and this went against the line of Bishop Williamson, because he still thinks there’s something good in the New Mass and in the SSPX, that we have to consider them as Catholic still. So I ended up being stripped of monks and of support, and being interfered with in my internal affairs. They even called the Police to chase me away and keep me away from my property. So I decided to go to Ecuador and was there for eight months. […]

I would summarise them [the Fake Resistance] as being tolerant in doctrine and intolerant in charity, as opposed to what Cardinal Pie said, that we have to be intolerant in doctrine and tolerant in charity [i.e. tolerant of persons]. […]

First Dom Tomas Aquinas said that there is something good in the New Mass. And when I contested it, he said ‘You have to understand it according to the circumstances.’ So he was being evasive. And when we spoke about the SSPX, and that we have to avoid it completely, he told me ‘You are right. But we cannot follow you, because I follow the line of Bishop Williamson.’ 

Concerning Fr. Zendejas, when I went to visit him in New York, las July [2016], I asked him two main things. First I asked him what advice I should give to my own brother who is a Society of St. Pius X priest, in order to help him leave the liberal new SSPX. And Fr. Zendejas answered me, ‘Just leave him where he is. He should stay inside the SSPX. I think that this is the best he can do.’ And also, speaking about the topic of whether the New Mass give grace or not, he said the following: ‘Of course there is grace at the Novus Ordo Mass. I don’t understand how the Catholic Candle thinks otherwise!’ So he said to me: ‘You should leave the Pfeiffers [sic] alone. Don’t stay with them. And then we can organise a collection
for your monastery in South America. If you do otherwise, we can easily crush you.’ In fact they told me, if I remained with the Fake Resistance they would give me back my monastery after having a retreat for three months. […]

I was shocked by that. But as I told you, I have seen lack of charity and lack of doctrine in this attitude of the Fake Resistance. ‘Fr. Pfeiffer is going down, we’re going up! And we will crush whatever is left!’ basically. I was shocked by that. And he told me: ‘If I had known that you were so rigid, I would not have invited you to visit me here in New York!’ […]

The closer something false is to the truth in appearance, we have to avoid it completely. So I would have to say we have to avoid now completely the Fake Resistance with Bishop Williamson and the other three bishops, and take from them the flag of Christ the King. And that includes also the SSPX and those who are silent about so many errors. Our Lord says ‘He who confesses me before men, I will confess him before my Father.’ ”


2. Extract from a sermon by Fr. David Hewko, 30th April, 2017 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kITzYhrMf08)

“We also learned from Fr. Rafael, he had visited, he was invited to visit Fr. Zendejas last year (2016), and Fr. Zendejas told him, ‘Look we will give you money, we’ll give you buildings, we’ll give you support, just side with Bishop Williamson. Just recant your condemnation of the New Mass and saying that it doesn't give grace.’ Fr. Rafael said, ‘What are you talking about? The New Mass is deadly! How can we possibly compromise on the New Mass?’ So Fr. Zendejas told him ‘If you don't come with us’ - meaning the Fake Resistance, which is like FSSP of 1988, but now in 2015, 2016, 2017 - Fr. Zendejas threatened him and said, ‘If you do not come with us, we will CRUSH you! And we are going to CRUSH Fr. Pfeiffer and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We will CRUSH them!’ And he means aggressively. So, this is what we are up against. So Fr. Zendejas is going to be made a bishop next month. Pray for him. 

This shows you what battles we are in. The lines are drawn. If you are for the New Mass you are on the side you’re on the side of the light. We can never compromise with the New Mass and Vatican II. We should rather die a thousands deaths than compromise on any of these questions of the Faith.”


3. Our Comment - Notice Fr. Zendejas’s use of the word “we”. Who exactly is this “we”? On whose behalf does he speak? Is it not indicative of a group mentality, that there actually is a “we”..? The bishop who continually denounces structure as being so passé, so “yesterday,” and says that what he wants to see is small independent groups who are free to contact each other but not work together, this same Bishop Williamson nevertheless allows himself to be surrounded by acolytes who see themselves precisely as being a “we”, as belonging to a “structure” or “hierarchy” of which he is the head and against which no one is permitted to rebel, to disobey, or to publicly disagree. Bishop Williamson has gone soft on the New Mass?

Very well, then so must we! What’s more, “we will crush” (!) anyone who persists in denouncing the New Mass. Bishop Williamson believes in the Novus Ordo miracles? Then “we” must believe in them too. And woe betide anyone who dares say that they aren’t real! Bishop Williamson promotes the apostolate of a priest suspended for serious immorality? Very well, so must “we,” or at the very least, “we” must keep quiet about it. And so on. Lest anyone should be tempted to think that this is a case of Fr. Zendejas getting carried away and saying things on behalf of his confreres and co-workers which he has no right to say, things with which they would not agree, let us note two very interesting facts. First, that no one has
come forward to contradict him. 

Second, that when Dom Tomas Aquinas in effect excommunicated (in all but name) Fr. Cardozo last year, it was for withstanding Bishop Williamson’s hierarchy (his expression, not ours!). Notice the carrot and stick method. Come with us, and all will be well: you’ll find support, money, a relatively quiet life. But if you turn me down, watch out! Trouble is heading your way! “We will crush you!” A sentiment worthy of every Hollywood mafia mob boss, but hardly the way one Catholic addresses another. What do we stand for, what are we against? We seek to crush modernism, but we pray for the modernist. We wish to crush the abortion industry, but we pray for the abortionist. Of course, it could be said that we wish to “crush”
the power of our enemies, but that isn’t quite the same, is it? Perhaps Fr. Zendejas meant to say that… let us be generous and say that his command of the English language let him down.

While we are on the subject, a little thought on Fr. Zendejas’s specific choice of the verb “to crush”. Originally the episcopal motto of Bishop de Castro Mayer and latterly adopted by Bishop Faure in 2015 as his own episcopal motto, “Ipsa Conteret” was also the choice of name for a very short-lived (one issue only) Fake Resistance newsletter. It is a quote from Genesis, specifically God’s words to the serpent following the Fall. “She will crush [your head]” As we said at the time, the unfortunately short-lived Fake Resistance newsletter ought perhaps better to have been called “Ipsi Conteremus” in view of Fr. Zendejas’s threats... 

Finally, ask yourself this. This exchange happened in private. The threats and the promises were made in secret. We only know about them because the man who was their object was brave enough to reject them, and braver still to come forward and make them publicly known. Had he not done so, had he given-in to those threats and promises, what would it have looked like? To us on the outside, not privy to what had been said in secret, it would have looked like just one more disappointment, one more priest who had originally joined the Resistance, who had stood strong for a while, and who had ended up going quiet on certain controversial issues (is the New Mass really such a controversial issue now, can that really be?), and who appeared somehow to have managed to keep himself in the good books of Bishop Williamson and the Fake Resistance. We would have wondered, we might even
have suspected or surmised. But we would not have known. That being so, ask yourself this. How many other times might this have taken in place already and we do not know about it? How many times will it happen in future without ever coming to light? The curtain, albeit momentarily, has been lifted; we have been allowed a glimpse of what is going on behind the scene.

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  Fr. Ruiz [2017]: Necessary Precisions to Those who Resist the Conciliar Fury and It's Errors
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 08:43 AM - Forum: Rev. Father Hugo Ruiz Vallejo - No Replies

Taken from The Recusant - Issue 41 [May/June 2017]: Some minor adjustments to he English were necessary, but as far as possible we have tried to keep the original ‘flavor’. God bless Fr. Ruiz…


NECESSARY PRECISIONS TO THOSE WHO RESIST THE CONCILIAR FURY AND ITS ERRORS
By Rev. Fr. HUGO RUIZ VALLEJO
February 4th 2017


Catholic Priests - who do their best in order to preserve the authentic inheritance of the Roman Apostolic Catholic Church, that is, the bi-millennial Catholic Tradition - try to remain faithful to the teachings and directives that Mons. Lefebvre gave us with this precise objective. That is why every day we need to make new alerts and precisions, where required.

We are living times of demonic disorientation, of deep crisis in the Catholic Church, as well as in her members. It is not enough just knowing about this. We should not forget that evil is also seductive and is capable of adopting new appearances to better achieve its goals.

That is the reason why true Catholics need to be cautious. (“Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation”. St. Mc., XIV, 38). Through the increasing disorientation, due to the crisis of authority in the Church, (“I will hurt the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered”. St. Mc. XIV, 27) It happens that even in those who have the sincere intention to save the Holy Tradition in the Catholic Church, there are gaps towards the attitude to be taken on certain matters and particularly in regard to certain situations.

The modern world of liberal nature has no qualms about mixing; furthermore, it loves mixtures. On the contrary, our Holy Religion asks us to flee away from evil, as well as the occasions of sin, which may be more than varied. As far as I am concerned, as I said before, I try to conform myself to the directives that our Catholic and Saintly Bishop Mgr. Marcel Lefebvre gave us, also the directives of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (F.S.S.P.X.), which he founded, as well as his Teachings and authentic Catholic attitude of the F.S.S.P.X. until the new-fraternity gradually started to separate himself from the spirit of its founder.

Amongst some so-called “resistance”, they begin to give advice to the parishioners, which no longer corresponds to those of our Bishop Mgr. Lefebvre, our faithful Bishop. This is the main reason, why I want to point out various matters, which are of main importance, although nowadays, they seem to be less clear to some. At the end, I have added a commentary in relation to the recent announcement given by Mgr. Fellay about the imminence of an official agreement of the (new)-FSSPX with the conciliar Rome:


1st Point: About the morality of the new mass and attendance at it.

As we know, Pope Paul VI ordered the elaboration of the new mass (novus ordo) with such an ecumenical criteria, thus worst of all, to six protestant pastors(1), who participated in creating it. For this and other reasons, Paul VI artificially produced a new mass, copied from the protestant mass. However, it was ambiguous enough so as to be neither formally heretical, nor formally Catholic. An ambiguous rite was created, but one which was no less unavoidably poisoned by a protestant spirit.

The conclusion is that the new mass, due to its ambiguity, is not formally heretical; nevertheless because of his errors, it is indeed favourable to heresy. This is the reason why it can not
be called either a Catholic Rite, nor good in itself, because those are intrinsic characteristics.

From all this we can deduce that:

►Assistance at the new mass is not permissible. It is not licit. (Those who are aware of what the new mass is, morally we can no longer attend it).

►No one can ever be advised directly to go to the new mass. Although for serious reasons of prudence, one can simply leave someone in his ignorance or good will.

►Holy Communion is the most perfect Way to participate in the Holy Mass. This is the reason why one must not receive communion from consecrated hosts in the new mass.

This is in short the thought and the attitude that Mons. Lefebvre taught us to have towards the new mass.



2nd Point: On attendance at the masses of the “indult”.

Conciliar Rome has always tried to recuperate those Catholics who, defending their Faith, have set themselves apart (without intention of schism) from the ecclesiastical environments,
which are infected by modernism and by the mistakes of Vatican II. Nevertheless, conciliar Rome in her eagerness to put them under their control has proposed to them new “solutions” and “pardons”, which would give an apparent opportunity to continue preserving their convictions, but within the official structure of the conciliar church. Those who have fallen into these nests have been cruelly disillusioned by the pressures and even because of the drastic measures, which are always focused on limiting Catholic Tradition and its practice more and more. It is indeed a terrible contradiction the fact of putting the Sacred Tradition under the guardianship and “protection” of those, who are exactly the same enemies of the Sacred Tradition…

Mgr. Lefebvre, in his time, has made us understand that the Traditional Mass is not the whole Tradition, but there also exists the Teaching of Faith and its practice. It is not enough to have the Traditional Holy Mass, when next to it, the preaching and the practice of the Faith are not consistent. Particularly, when next to the Holy Mass, the whole Faith is not taught anymore, whether directly nor indirectly. It is about forcing the parishioners to accept Vatican II. (For instance, by omitting the clear and firm denunciation of the mistakes of Vatican II in order to weaken and exterminate our defense and fight for the true Catholic Faith and Sacred Tradition). In such a case, the souls of those parishioners are already in greatest danger. Therefore, it is better to renounce those masses because of the danger of infection, which is more or less camouflaged around them. The Holy Priest of Ars in his youth, preferred to stay without the Holy Mass, rather than to assist to those masses said by priests who were sworn to the liberal government of his time.

The attitude, which was before requested of parishioners of the F.S.S.P.X. towards the “indult” masses was:

►Never to assist to those masses of “indult”. (It is better to pray the Holy Rosary at home, and when it is possible, to go to the Holy Mass celebrated by priests who are not committed to the conciliar church.)

►Do not attend any pastoral service of the mass of “indult” (whether conferences, nor pilgrims, etc.) It is indeed better to stay without Mass than be exposed to that danger of being gradually influenced by that committed mentality of the conciliar church.



3rd point: On attendance nowadays at the Masses of the new F.S.S.P.X.

The present day superiors of the new F.S.S.P.X. in their eagerness to come closer to conciliar Rome, have already placed the new-F.S.S.P.X. in a similar situation or even the same one, which we previously reproached to the agreement-groups as the Fraternity Saint Peter, haven’t they? And in this case, do not the old instructions that were given to us regarding the agreement-people already apply to the (new) F.S.S.P.X, as well?

The spirit that nowadays rules within the new-F.S.S.P.X. is that of coming closer and having an agreement with the conciliar Rome, which is undeniable. Mgr. Fellay already affirms it openly and publicly. Besides, it is not always necessary for an agreement to be written and official in order to be a true one; because tacit agreements may also exist based on “friendly chats” and significant “facts”.

Pope Francis had recently given the jurisdiction to confess to the priests of the new F.S.S.P.X., isn’t this a real fact? In fact, in the Catholic Church one can not have jurisdiction, if one is not first incardinated (even if it were directly by the Pope). It is true, as Mgr. Fellay shamelessly said in an agreed interview on the 29th of January 2017, “...only the seal is missing”.

All the pressures and persecutions which have been being made for a long time, not only on the priests but also the parishioners, in order to fold them into this surrendered policy. Are they not arguments to confirm that the new-F.S.S.P.X. is in a frankly agreement attitude? And each time the increasingly notorious false shyness in not being willing to denounce openly the mistakes of Vatican II and specifically the noisy scandals from Pope Francis, are they not a worrying sign?

It is obvious that all this dangerous environment, which we denounced in the “Ecclesia Dei” societies. (Before, our same superiors we were constantly putting us on guard against this danger.) Nowadays this dangerous environment is already present inside the new-F.S.S.P.X. It is a fact for all these reasons that the present day environments of the new-F.S.S.P.X. have become dangerous. This constant insistence on blind obedience, even when there are more than legitimate reasons to be worried about. So, Faith has passed to a second level in respect to blind obedience; when it should be the opposite.

According to my personal experience, all the priests as well as the parishioners who have not wanted to disconnect themselves from the new-F.S.S.P.X., as a result, they have been folding hands one after another. Not only have they abandoned the fight against modernism, but due to those intolerable moral pressures they are suffering from, they have been changing and watering-down their thoughts.

►For all these reasons, I advise the Priests as well as the parishioners, DEFINITELY, to walk away from all the environments of the new-F.S.S.P.X. This is in accordance with the spirit of prudential attitude that Mgr. Marcel Lefebvre had previously advised us in relation to the “Ecclesia Dei” societies, which nowadays all already applies perfectly to the new-F.S.S.P.X.



4th point: On attendance to the “Vacancy of Peter’s Seat” Masses (‘Sedevacantist’ Masses).

As for those who affirm today the “vacancy of the Apostolic Seat,” I do not doubt that many of them have a sincere attachment and great veneration for the person of Mgr. Lefebvre. However, they are not always willing to accept all the recommendations and directives that he gave us.

In fact, Mgr. Lefebvre himself spoke very clearly about the possibility of this question. Nevertheless, what he always and emphatically refused to do, was definitively to define this issue. You can not make a doctrine, out of a historical fact, a strictly doctrinal point. The Truths of the Faith are necessary for our Salvation, whereas a historical fact may be controversial. The danger is that if one day God wants to raise a true Catholic Pope, then one no longer wants to recognize the legitimacy of the Apostolic Succession.

Mons. Lefebvre wrote an article in the traditional magazine “Roma” (number 67, from the year 1981):

Quote:“Our Fraternity absolutely rejects sharing these reasonings. We want to remain attached to Rome, to Saint Peter’s Successor; even though we reject his liberalism because of the Fidelity to their Predecessors. We are not afraid today to say it respectfully but firmly, as Saint Paul did in front of Saint Peter.

That is why, far from rejecting the prayers for the Pope, the more we increase our prayers and we plead the Holy Spirit to illuminate him and strengthen him in the support and defense of the Faith.

In consequence, it cannot be tolerated that the members, priests, brothers, sisters, oblates of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (F.S.S.P.X.) reject praying for the Pope and assert that all the masses of the Novus Ordo are invalid”.

On another occasion, commenting on this article, he added:
Quote: “I wanted to write this article so that everybody knows, including the parishioners, what is the position of the Fraternity. So the parishioners know that if one of our priests preaches that there is no Pope, he does not preach in accordance to what the Fraternity thinks”.

Mons. Lefebvre said in the “Fideliter” magazine (number 79, January-February 1991):
Quote:“I have always put on guard the parishioners about the vacancy of the Seat of Peter, for instance. Then they say, if the Mass is good, then we can go to Mass. Of course there is the Mass. This is a good thing; although one has to consider that there is also the preaching, there is also the environment, the conversations, before and after, the contacts. All of which makes one gently and gradually changes ones thought. All this is then a real danger and that is why in a general way, I estimate that all this forms one whole. One does not only go to Mass, in fact, one attends the whole environment”.

A well known blog of the [Fake] Resistance (“Non Possumus”), on the 12th of January 2017, published an article which says:
Quote:“It is licit to the parishioners to go to all traditional Masses (also celebrated “non una cum”) because it is the Minister who answers to God about his decisions, meanwhile the parishioners must only answer if they have observed the Third Commandment: “Sanctify the Feasts”.”

(The expression “Non una cum” means that in that Mass the legitimacy of the actual Pope is not recognized.) According to this principle it would then be justified to attend not only the Sedevacantist Masses, but also those of the Indult and with no doubt those of the new-F.S.S.P.X. !



5th point: The “suicide operation” or the “agreements” of the new F.S.S.P.X.

Plenty of times Mgr. Fellay vehemently declared even not long ago, that he did not want to make any agreements. And now this past 29th January 2017 in a TV interview, Mgr. Fellay commented in such an “unworried” way, that: “only the seal is missing” in order to have consummated the agreement with Rome. Mgr. Fellay then recognizes the existence of all this work of preparation and flirtation with Rome (for which he is responsible), which was in fact a practical agreement already, to which only this one “small” formality was missing: “the seal.”

Mgr. Fellay, with such an ambiguous language full of unverified and unverifiable suggestions has been weaving his web around the unsuspecting. Has been preparing for years the spirits of the priests and parishioners towards this agreement. Mgr. Fellay has always suggested in his “conferences” and preaches about “beautiful horizons” and the “serious probability” that Rome is “already” converting. In fact, Mgr. Fellay is dragging the flock that had been entrusted to him by Mgr. Marcel Lefebvre. (Priests, parishioners, seminaries, priories, schools, etc.) into the conciliar pot! Yes, all of Monsignor Lefebvre's great work of rescue of Tradition is now falling down into the conciliar (Vatican II) pot!

All of Pope Francis’ indecent statements and gestures are not a statement of his intention, are they? Mgr. Fellay putting himself under his jurisdiction, does not imply obeying him, does it? “Francis,” as he nowadays likes to be called, does he not try to govern the church according to the intention which he himself has previously expressed, does he? And if that is his intention, those who now direct the F.S.S.P.X are not falling down into a colossal trap, that they themselves have sought, are they? The far-fetched, falsely educated and above all ambiguous language of Mons. Fellay matters little, in fact he is trying to justify not only a great imposture, but also an error of historical dimensions.

His Excellence Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre stated in his sermon of Episcopal Consecrations in 1988, that if he had continued the agreements with Rome it would have been a “suicide operation.” Even worse, the facts ended up convincing the faithful Archbishop Lefebvre that these agreements were a great chimera, due to the lack of honesty of the conciliars (from Vatican II). It is for this reason that Archbishop Lefebvre himself, after the failed approach with Rome, made clear the new profile of what would be in the future the position of the Fraternity (F.S.S.P.X.) in regard to Rome occupied by modernists:
Quote:“If I went to discuss to Rome, it was because I wanted to prove, if we could make an agreement with the ecclesiastical authorities, while at the same time, looking forward to sheltering ourselves from its liberalism and protecting Holy Tradition. But the strength of the facts has forced me to confirm that no agreement could be made at all, which could give us both, all the guarantee, and at the same time the conviction that Rome would sincerely attend to the preservation of the Holy Tradition.” Monsignor Lefebvre “Fideliter” magazine No. 68, 1988.

Quote:“Our true parishioners, those who have truly understood the problem and who have helped us to continue the straight and steady line of Holy Tradition and the Faith, feared beforehand the meetings for possible agreement that I had in Rome. They told me it was indeed dangerous and that I wasted my time on it. Of course, I had waited until the last moment to see if Rome could show a little honesty. I can not be blamed for not having done everything I could. But now, however, to those who come to tell me: ‘You come to an understanding with Rome,’ I think I can tell them with certainty that I went farther than what I should have gone.” ‘Fideliter’ magazine No. 79, 1991.

And referring to the Romans, Mgr. Lefebvre told them on another occasion:
Quote:“If you do not accept the Doctrine of your Predecessors, it is useless to talk. As long as you do not accept to reform the Council taking into account the Doctrine of the Popes, who have preceded you, there is no possible dialogue, it is useless.” (‘Fideliter’ No. 66 Nov. 1988).

And on the same occasion, talking about the “traditionalists” who had already made agreements with Rome, Mgr. Lefebvre said:
Quote:“When they affirm that they have not given up anything, it is false. They have given up the possibility of contradicting Rome. They cannot say anything now. They must remain silent because of the favors they have received, and it is now impossible for them to denounce the errors of the conciliar church. Very slowly they accept, even if it were only the profession of faith that Cardinal Ratzinger has imposed on them ... From the point of view of ideas. They turn very gently and end up admitting the false ideas of the Council Vatican II. This is because Rome has granted them some favors for Tradition. This is a very dangerous situation.”

In his Book “Spiritual Journey,” which he considered as being his spiritual Testament addressed to his own priests, Mgr. Lefebvre says:
Quote:“It is then a strict duty for every Priest who wishes to remain a Catholic one, to separate himself from this conciliar church, as long as it has not returned to the Holy Tradition of the Magisterium of the Church and of the Catholic Faith.”

There is a supine “forgotten” in the new F.S.S.P.X. of the last teachings of Monsignor Lefebvre on the issue of the agreements ...

The “apostolate of penetration,” which means the tactic of trying to convert the wrong environments “from the inside,” is an activist mistake that has always led to many disasters (It is a bad tactic to enter the communist party to convert the communist party, as well as to enter the cave of Alibabá and the 40 thieves to convert Alibabá and the 40 thieves, etc.).

What the conciliar catholics really need is, above all, the example that Holy Tradition gives them. All mixtures violate the nature of things. The process of silencing (any criticism of Rome, the Council and its errors, the attitudes and scandalous words of Pope Francis, etc.) began long ago inside the F.S.S.P.X. Since it began to please conciliar Rome, it was an inevitable consequence. Can the destroyers of the Catholic Church be pleased in any other better way? 

In questions of Faith for those who have a public function as pastors, a public profession is necessary. It is not enough to over-understand (in fact, not all understand them ...) in a public society such as the Catholic Church, what is not publicly said, generally it does not have practical validity. After silence follows pusillanimity, fear, commitment. But commitment in things of Faith is a sin.


Conclusion:

This year, 2017, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady in Fatima. The crisis of the Faith, which was spoken of in the Third Secret given by Our Lady, has not been taken into account by the men of Church. 

Furthermore, considering this corruption of Faith each time deeper, we can only entrust ourselves to and implore the faithful protection of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to preserve us and to remain always faithful in the Faith of the True Holy Church of Christ our Lord and God.

A.M.D.G.


Footnote
1. The new mass was written as a protestant and not sacred at all:, it means a desacralized one. It was elaborated by one mason and 6 protestants. The mason was: card. Annibale
Bugnini; as well as by 6 protestants, such as Rev. Ronald CD Jasper (anglican), Rev. Dr. H. Massey Pastor Jr. (methodist), A. Raymond George (methodist), Pastor Friedrich-Wilhelm
Künneth, (calvinist), Rev. Eugene L. Brand, (methodist) and Pastor Max Thurian, (Thaizé Comunity).

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  Fr. Cardozo Sermon [2016]: On the Errors of Bishop Williamson
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 07:42 AM - Forum: True vs. False Resistance - Replies (1)

Taken from The Recusant - Issue 33 [January 2016]

He Who Gathers not with Me…
A Sermon by Fr. Ernesto Cardozo
Ipatinga, Brazil, February 28, 2016


The words of today's gospel are really very wonderful. They are quite relevant to the topic we will talk about today. The gospel says, “He who is not with Me is against Me.” “He who gathers not with Me, scatters.” I repeat, “He who is not with Me is against Me.”

How do we know? How do we know whether we are with Christ and not against Christ? For it is possible that we are deceiving ourselves. Luther, I suppose, would say that he was with Christ. The heretics, I suppose, claimed that they were with Christ. “He who is not with me is against Me!” What do we do to know this? How do we know whether we are with Christ? Let us analyse some words. Christ says, “He who loves Me keeps My word.” He who loves Me, will keep My word. He also says, “He who loves father or son more than Me, is not worthy of Me.” Is that not so? Am I lying? Is this in the Gospel?

But do you know what the problem is, dear faithful? Deus veritas est. God is truth. That magnificent dialogue with Pilate, when Christ tells Pilate, “He who is of the truth hears My voice.” - Qui est ex veritate audit vocem meam. “He hears Me.” He hears Him [pointing to the crucifix]!

But, there's a problem that deep inside we would not like to see. We get used to it. We like to make mistakes. We accommodate ourselves to error. This magnificent last gospel that I never get tired of praising and asking you to meditate on it! The liturgy does not offer us these little pictures just for us to look at them. They are to be read and meditated. Just listen to what it says. It says  that the Word came unto His own, and His own received Him not. His own did not receive Him! He was the light of the world, but the world preferred darkness. And Truth Itself ended there [on the cross]!

Defending the truth, dear faithful, is not easy. For it means defending God, defending God in a hostile place. Jesus Christ Himself tells us, “I send you amongst wolves, like lambs amidst wolves.” True or false? We like lies. We get used to lies, because the truth is uncomfortable. The truth leads to a reaction, don’t you see? There is the case of Saint John the Baptist. What happened to St. John the Baptist? He enunciated truth! He denounced an adultery! And what happened to him? He ended up with his head cut off! Watch out! Humanly speaking, we would say, how stupid! Since it was only about adultery, why didn’t he keep quiet? But, St. John the Baptist told Herod, “No, Herod, this is not good! She does not belong to you!”

Let's look at another example, an example that we have analysed in a sermon before, here in Ipatinga. The example of Thomas More! Thomas More is a great saint! He and Bishop John Fisher were opposed to the adultery of the King, Henry VIII. Do you recall this story? I don't want to tire you by repeating the same sermon on Thomas More, but was Thomas More wrong? Was Bishop Fisher wrong? Bishop Fisher went against at least 80 bishops in his country. Thomas More was practically the only layman against a whole nation that wanted to apostatise. And which did apostatise. Do you remember the story, or do you want me to tell it to you again? The case of Thomas More will never tire us, my dear faithful, because it is a case of a man going against the flow. And going against the flow is very hard. Here in this world it is hard. But up there, God rewards it.

But let us take a step back. A conflict has arisen in the Resistance, a very serious conflict. It's not just a small problem where one person says this and another writes that. Here we have a problem about the Faith, a problem of the Faith through which we run the risk of damning ourselves eternally! Watch out! I lament the superficiality with which sometimes I have seen it treated. No, this is not a problem about someone writing this and another person saying that and still another saying something else. No! And we never go back to the cause.

Let’s take another example. Let's suppose I turn the lights off and I shout, “Fire, fire!” People will start running away, running into each other and falling over. And, of course, they’ll start quarrelling. “Why did you step on me?” “Why did you push me?” And they go on with such things without realising that I am the guilty one because I turned off the lights. In the same way, suppose that there is a fire outside, and they enter here yelling, “Fire, fire!” And someone says, “What a way to enter the room, running like that! Can you speak a little bit quieter?” That is, they criticise the effects, but not the cause. So if someone yells “Fire,” before we criticise the person running who yelled “Fire,” let's go out and see if there really is a fire.

Let’s go to the cause. This is the problem. This is what hasn't been studied. This is the sad reality. They look at it sideways. What is the cause? I ask you, my dear faithful, let's see. Until September at least, if I remember correctly, did we have any serious problem here? I do not believe so. Maybe there could have been some human dislike, foolishness that exists in every society. But did we have a problem about the Faith here? Tell me if there was a problem about the Faith. And when did the problem start? Please do not be scandalized when - please!- when I start talking, wait for me. The problem started when Bishop Williamson started writing three Eleison Comments in favour of the miracles in the new mass. Yes, do you remember? Three Eleison Comments

When Bishop Williamson wrote these three Eleison Comments, we, the priests that are in the firing line, come to a certain place, and they asked us: “Father Cardozo, what is this?” And I confess to you that it had been some time since I had read the Eleison Comments. Why? Because, among other things, they’d cause spiritual disquiet in me. And I had to sit down and read the Eleison Comments.

And when I did this, the first thing I did was to get in contact with a priest in Mexico who publishes Bishop Williamson’s Eleison Comments. You know who he is. And I told this priest, “Please Father, do not publish this. There are errors.” This priest told me, “Father, you are completely right, but we will publish it so that our enemies do not believe we are divided.” Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Have you read the gospel, when Our Lord tells us: “Let thy speech be yes yes, no no, whatever is over and above this comes from the devil.”? Be careful! “It comes from the devil!” This dear Father, recognizing that this paper contained errors, said, “You're completely right, but…” And this is when the problem began. This is when it started.

I am a priest. People ask me, “Father, is this true or false?” I have to follow Our Lord’s word, I have to say yes or no. Anything beyond this is done by the devil. It is my duty, and I told him, “No, this is not right.” Meanwhile, I started seeing atrocities. Please do not be scandalised. The monks who read it, said, “I don't see any error in these things.” Great Thomistic people, who say they don't see any error! Do you remember? Do you want me to mention names? It is not necessary. Specifically, Bishop Williamson says and maintains, and insists that there are miracles outside the Catholic Church.

I finally dared to write an article on December 9th saying that there is a fuss concerning this. And I started by simply stating a fact of common sense. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Do you remember? That's the gospel. I'm not making it up. These are Christ’s words, the Infinite Wisdom. This would have been enough to put an end to this problem. But, I don’t know if you know what a sophist is. A sophist is a person who tries, through deceit, to make a lie pass for the truth. It's as if I would say this ceiling is black, and I would use words and mix them up to make you believe that the ceiling is black. But the ceiling is white. And the priest from Mexico, we have to recognise it, is an excellent sophist, an excellent sophist. I do not know what good it will do him, but he is an excellent sophist.

And starting with this article in which I intended to defend the fact that there can be no miracles and so on and so forth, I was called everything, not in a very nice way. It's ugly to open your email, to click here and click there, and see that they are telling you that you are an imbecile, that you are so proud, you are going against St. Thomas, who do you think you are...? It’s not nice. I have a back, and I don't like to be talked about behind my back.

But let us continue. I'm up to here with these lies. Bishop Williamson said there are miracles outside the Catholic Church and he insisted on this. And it occurred to me to explain it to them, at the end of the year, to go back to the same matter, this time jokingly—joking so as not to cry. I started talking about the cherry on the cake and all of those things. I explained that God is omnipotent and He can do whatever He pleases and wherever He pleases. BUT GOD IS ORDERLY. God cannot make a round triangle. God cannot make the sun rise in the north tomorrow, or in the south, but not in the east. God is orderly. But after this it seems like there was no argument that they liked.

Do you know what this is? [He holds up a book.] The title says, “Catechism of St Pius X.” Question: “Is this catechism trustworthy?” Modernists would say, “Throw it in the garbage.” But I think I am among Catholics. Is this trustworthy? [The people say yes.] Are you sure? Be careful, watch out what you say, look to what you have said. I read this Catechism of St. Pius X soon after I met Archbishop Lefebvre. I felt the need to reinforce the catechism I had learned as a child so I bought the catechism and read it. Of course, there are things, little details that we don't remember. 

When this problem about the little miracles in the modern mass arose, one of you called me and asked me, “Father Cardozo, what do you think?” I told him, it’s very easy to deal with this. These little miracles go against the sanctity of the Church. But of course, there are so many things—we read so many things—that it is impossible to know precisely where we read certain things. And one is also busy trying to make arrangements for trips, missions, etc., thinking that the people read the catechism, thinking that the clergy read their catechism. Please repeat to me whether this is a Catholic catechism. A catechism is, in principle, a compendium of all Catholic dogma. True or false? Have you all said true? Then take the consequences! Read it! Maybe some of you have the same edition. Look at the last two pages. It's easy—turn the first and the second last two pages. Be careful, I did not write this, this is not an edition for dear Fr. Cardozo. Sit tight! Bear with what you are going to read. And remember, the truth hurts, and it hurts a lot. And sometimes it is hard to say “I was wrong.” And I know there are many who are waiting to say, “But Fr. Cardozo, how can you say these things against Bishop Williamson?” Just listen to what St Pius X has to say. The saint talks about the marks of the Catholic Church. And I repeat: he talks about the marks of the Catholic Church, not of the marks of Cardozo’s Church, not of Williamson’s church, but the marks of the Catholic Church.

Referring to the mark of Holiness, it says:
Quote: “The faithful that reads the history of the church with a sincere heart, will see the holiness of the Church shine, not only in the essential sanctity of its invisible head, Jesus Christ, the sanctity of the sacraments, of the doctrine, of religious institutions, of a great number of its members, but also of an abundance of celestial gifts, of sacred charisms, of prophesies, and”–pay attention here—“and miracles that Our Lord, denying them to other religions, makes shine on the face of the earth, this gift of holiness endowed exclusively on His one and only Church.”

I repeat, “…and miracles that Our Lord, denying them to other religions, makes shine on the face of the earth, this gift of holiness endowed exclusively on His one and only Church.” So, did I teach anything in opposition to this? I ask, did I teach this? Did I attack the sanctity of the Church? Did I attack it by saying that there are little miracles in the new church?

The great sophist of Mexico tells me, because he begins to receive - because, of course, I'm not the only fool that realizes the problem. There are a lot of fools! - he has started receiving letters saying, “Watch out, we are defending error!” A dear Father from Colombia wrote to all the priests and both bishops and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, if we are going to defend error, if we are going to fight error with error, we are doing wrong!” Then the great sophist from Mexico answered me and said, “Father Cardozo, what you said about there being no miracles outside the Catholic Church is beside the point.” What? It’s beside the point? How is it beside the point?

I ask, is the new mass part of the Catholic Church? And how do we know that it is not of the Catholic Church? Because of its errors, because the goal of the new mass is ecumenism, because our BIG LIONS for the Faith, Archbishop Lefebvre and Bishop de Castro Mayer, did not cease saying that this new mass is the mass of a new church, which is not the Catholic Church. Of course, when one listens to this, coming from a fellow priest, supposedly a traditional priest, supposedly from the Resistance, who tells you besides that the new mass is good, and that the new mass is of the Catholic Church, I'm sorry, but I thought there was going to be a short circuit.

Why? Because we are in contradiction! We enter into contradiction. Then I told him: “Father, I thought that the new mass was a mass from another church!” But Father insists, “No, no, no! It’s of the Catholic Church.” Of course, what’s going on here? What are we doing here? For, if the new mass is good, if the new mass is of the Catholic Church, please tell me what we are doing here. Why don't we go to our parishes? Maybe there we will have air conditioning. Tell me, what are we resisting? Please, because I repeat, if the new mass is good, if the new mass is of the Catholic Church, I don't really see any sense in our being here. And I think many of us would not have to be here.

But, let's finally put the movie on pause here. In mathematics, and in everything, not only in mathematics, when you start something, for instance to say 1+1=3, that is to say, you start with an error, if you do not correct the error, this error will influence the course of the analysis, and will increase exponentially [St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that: Parvus error in principio est magnus in fine - A small error in principle becomes great in its end results. The Catacombs]. Something that began as a small error will become a very big error. When I told you here on December 30th to be careful because we are looking at the tip of the iceberg, I think you did not assess the harm that this 1+1=3 has done. Why? Because to justify that 1+1=3, they start saying that the mass, the new mass is good, that it is of the Catholic Church.

Even Bishop Faure, trying to justify and support Bishop Williamson, gave a sermon, I believe on December 12th. Yes, on December 12th in Mexico. For those who understand a little bit of Spanish, I suggest that you read it. When I listened to Bishop Faure’s sermon, favouring the little miracles in the new mass, I started feeling afraid, because I was hoping that Bishop Faure would have said, “Williamson, forget about this subject; talk about Beethoven instead.” When you listen to it - you can hear it on the ‘Non Possumus’ website - it's so obvious, if you are honest, and want to do a little penance for Lent, listen to this sermon, and you will see that it is even WORSE than the three Eleison Comments by Bishop Williamson. I was so terrified! Be careful! This does not amuse me, ladies and gentlemen! It doesn't amuse me! I told Bishop Faure, “Please, Monsignor, I beg you to study your sermon, and count the number of times that you contradict yourself!”

Remember, yes, yes, or no, no; when you go beyond that, the devil comes. Then I received an email from Bishop Faure. This email says: “Cardozo, there are miracles outside of the Church!” just like that, as if to say, “Oh, stop being a bother!” And it was put in bold letters. Furthermore, “Where did you see Archbishop Lefebvre say that the new mass is not a mass of the Catholic Church?” I'm sorry! I almost had a heart attack. That is to say, Bishop Faure defends the fact that the new mass is a mass of the Catholic Church.

I went to Argentina to look for two little books. There's a book by Archbishop Lefebvre titled “The New Church.” It’s not that the Archbishop wrote a quote about the new church. No! “The New Church”! There's another book that Archbishop Lefebvre wrote called “The New Mass.” I know that I had it, but I see that somebody borrowed it, and it was never returned. Well that's the way it goes. How can Bishop Faure ask me where I saw that Archbishop Lefebvre says that the new mass is a mass that’s outside the Catholic Church? But it doesn't stop here. The error is exponential.

Let's see, what do we have here? Do you know the Dominican monks of Avrillé? You do? You know who they are. In all truth, I had a very high opinion of them. When one says “Dominican monk” you know that you’re referring to someone whose life is secluded in the cloister and who spends his time, his life, studying theology. That is to say, they are persons who know a little bit more than just the catechism, supposedly. Then, the Dominicans entered the discussion. They got involved in the fuss. Ok, and I read this [He holds up a paper.], which is titled “The Neo-modernist Sect that Occupies the Catholic Church, by the Dominicans of Avrillé.” I did not count all the contradictions, but if you have this document, count them! There is more than one.

This document was repeated by the future bishop, Dom Tomas Aquinas. In the first part, this document tries to explain the relationship between the conciliar church and the Catholic Church. Read it, pay attention please, because I notice that nobody reads, that many people say they read, but in reality they don't. It says, “The conciliar, neo-modernist church is therefore neither substantially different from the Catholic Church (beep, beep, beep), nor absolutely identical to it.” Wow! That is, it is neither equal nor different. Excuse me! What do you call this? CONTRADICTION!

Sorry, in Spanish this is a contradiction. But wait; there are still prettier things to come. “She, the conciliar church, mysteriously has something from one, and something from the other.” That is to say, the Lutheran church mysteriously has something Catholic, you see, like baptism. They make the comparison. Here they say something that is very true, and I share it with you. It is a foreign body that occupies the Catholic Church. That is, the conciliar church is a foreign body that occupies the Catholic Church, but… (I'm glad you are sitting down. Will the ones who are standing, please hold on to the wall?) “…but, it is necessary for us to differentiate between them, without separating them.”

Let's see whether I can explain it myself. The conciliar church is a foreign body, the Dominicans say. Let's imagine a tick on my hand. It is necessary to differentiate between them, the tick and my hand, but not separate them. Pardon me! Do you realize that you have separated yourselves from your parish? Why did you separate yourselves from your parish? Because you didn't want to become infected with modernism? If I have this filth of a bug that's biting me here [on Father's hand], it’s modernism. And this [Father's hand] is the Catholic Church, I differentiate between them. I can separate them.

Ladies and gentlemen, didn't Archbishop Lefebvre tell us there shouldn't be any agreements with these people [the modernists], that when they convert to the faith, they will find us Catholics? Archbishop Lefebvre said that, didn’t he? Did Archbishop Lefebvre tell us, “You have to differentiate between the bug of modernism, but do not separate it from the Church?” Did Archbishop Lefebvre say that? No, ladies and gentlemen! I cannot coexist with error. What's more, the defence of the truth, love for the truth, implies a fight against error. I cannot permit the tick to continue sucking my blood, because that's going to kill me. It’s that simple. So, if I see Our Holy Mother, the Catholic Church, infected with modernism, what do I have to say? “Oh yes, I can differentiate between them: this priest is a showman, and that priest is good. But I cannot separate them.” I don't know if you realise where this [idea] is taking us? I don't know whether I am too discerning. Don't you realize that it is leading to an identification of the Catholic Church with the conciliar church, just as Bishop Fellay is doing? Because Bishop Fellay says, “This visible church [the church of Vatican II], is the Catholic Church.” That means we are going in the same direction. We have left the neo-fraternity to remain Catholic, and now we find that we are steering the ship's bow toward the neo-fraternity, toward the neo-fraternity's position. Please open your eyes; don’t be imbeciles! Forgive me, but use a little bit of sense. No one works without having a purpose. Why are they saying these things; why are they saying 1+1=3? And why are they saying, “The new mass is good”? And why are they saying: “The new mass is a mass of the Catholic Church”? BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING US TO THE SAME PLACE [as Bishop Fellay]!

OK. But let us now go on to another detail. In January, I left to go to another mission. I thought that the people were at peace, that they understood, but I think I was mistaken. And when I arrived, I got the news that the future bishop, Dom Tomas Aquinas, is blocking me from the apostolate in São Paulo. The sacristan is here; he is my witness. I wasn't in agreement with Dom Tomas Aquinas, because he was defending Bishop Williamson with all his strength. Dom Tomas Aquinas was saying in letters that I had to correct myself—that I had to submit to the hierarchy [of Bp. Williamson - The Catacombs]. 

But how embarrassing it is to have to say words that the bishop is not going to support! And when I left, I told the sacristan, and he is a witness, that our dear Cecilia’s baptism was to take place. And I told him, look out! If Cecilia wants the baptism done, there’s no problem. No problem! It is a valid, licit baptism. Well, I did not receive the same courtesy. I was received as if I were a heretic. It is funny, because they asked him, “Dom Tomas, why can't Fr. Cardozo say Mass in São Paolo?” “It's because he is against the hierarchy. Can you imagine? If he goes to the monastery and gives a sermon that he doesn't believe in the miracles, it would create a conflict between the hierarchy and Fr. Cardozo.”

Specifically, who is in agreement with St Pius X about this infamous point of the miracles? Am I or is Bishop Williamson? Did I deny the magisterium of the church? Did I deny the sanctity of the church? I'm asking! I didn't; he did! And he insisted and insisted stubbornly. I even went as far as to write: “Monsignor, please stop this fuss. To save myself I don't need miracles outside the church. Stop the division that you are about to cause in the Resistance.” And his answer, which my friend reproduced [in an article answering Bishop Williamson’s errors], was: “Dear Fr. Cardozo, have patience. This chaos is just starting. Patience! I give you my blessing. Good bye.”

A chaos that he started [Bishop Williamson]! Which he is causing! I'm sorry. “And the chaos is barely starting.” So you’d better hold on. Hold tight! But I tell you again, don't come and tell me that I'm causing a division in the Resistance, that I'm causing scandal, that I'm against the hierarchy and so many other things. Do you know who ordained me? Someone who went against the hierarchy! Because the hierarchy, as long as it remains Catholic, is great. But when it opposes Catholic doctrine… Excuse me! 

Didn’t Archbishop Lefebvre go against the Pope, the hierarchy? Watch out! I have the honour of having been ordained by him. I cannot betray this man, and much less, betray Him [Our Lord]. Just because I like Bishop Williamson, I cannot swallow this tale, and tell all of you, “Ladies and gentlemen, there are little miracles.” What foolishness! I’d be attacking the sanctity of the Church, and this error is leading us to attack the unity of the church.” Why? Because of what I just told you about the Dominicans, the Dominicans who say the conciliar church is mysteriously united to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is the immaculate spouse of Jesus Christ, and the immaculate spouse of Christ has as her head, Christ Himself. And the same Christ, that is, the head, and His body, the immaculate spouse of Christ, cannot mysteriously embrace a prostitute. Let’s see if you understand it. Or is the catechism that hard? We are talking about the catechism. We are not talking about the Summa Theologica

We are talking about the catechism, ladies and gentlemen; and I've noticed that we need to learn much more of our catechism. Remember that Jesus Christ also said, “He that loves his father, his mother, his son, more than Me, is not worthy of Me.” It seems that we have to love Williamson above all things. I’m sorry; I continue to try to follow the first commandment. Is that a sin? Is that heresy? Is that a scandal? Just as I have read in an email: “What a scandal!” Who's creating the scandal? The one who denies doctrine, the one who attacks Catholic doctrine, or the one who is simply asking, “Please defend the Catholic catechism.”? Souls are at stake! And they are scandalised and say that Fr. Cardozo has a group of people who put things into his head, implying that I am subnormal, that I cannot think!

What are we to do? People ask me, “Father, what are you going to do? Are you going to the consecration of Bishop Tomas Aquinas? What do you think about the consecration? Is it okay to have a consecration?” Yes, for me, it would be excellent for a consecration to take place, and for there to be a bishop in each state of Brazil, or at least one bishop in each country. That would be excellent. But let that bishop be Catholic. Otherwise he would be useless. If the future bishop Tomas Aquinas is going to continue in this attitude of attacking the sanctity of the Church, the unity of the Church, pardon me, I will not walk down that road.

“But Father, you will be left without a bishop, what are you going to do?” What? How's that? You do not understand anything. How am I going to be left without a bishop? When I hear these things, when they tell me these things, I think we are on a different planet. To whom have I been talking and preaching? How am I going to be left without a bishop? Is it perhaps that I'm going to be left without St. Augustine, without St. Ambrose, without St. Anthony Mary Claret, without St. John Fisher? Because all of those thousands and thousands of bishops, and many of them saints, have supported and defended the sanctity of the Church and the unity of the Church. They have not attacked it, and have not cast doubts on it. Because, trying to save the situation, some people say, “They are only saying that it might be possible.”

Ladies and gentlemen, if I deny a dogma of the faith or put it into doubt, I sin gravely against the faith. Read your catechism. If I tell you I think it’s possible that there's no hell, I am committing a grave sin against the Faith, as grave as if I had told you that there is no hell. Why? Because I cannot cast doubt on something that has already been defined by the Church. Let's see if we understand. Let's see if we are realistic and if we really love the Truth. Because it’s beautiful to say that we love God, and "Long live Christ the King" and I don't know what else! But when the situation arises, in which we have to take a risk for the Truth, “Oh dear! Oh no! We will be left without a bishop!” I was listening to an audio in which someone said, “I need a bishop.” Do you know what? I NEED THE FAITH. If there’s a Catholic bishop, blessed be God! If there's no Catholic bishop, I regret it. God, The Divine Providence, will see how to fix this problem. But in order to have a bishop, I will not give up a single ounce of my Faith. I don't know whether I have made myself clear. Don't come and tell me, “You are a rebel; you are here to divide.” 

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe I have never taught any error against the faith here. And let whoever says the opposite come to me and prove it. I'm not denying the hierarchy of Bishop Williamson, of Faure or any other bishop. I am saying that those gentlemen are in a grave error against the faith, and they are persevering in their error.

Let us continue with the catechism. And this really scares me, because we are talking about clergymen. Do you know what one of the sins against the Holy Ghost is? I'm going to refresh your memory. “How many sins are there against the Holy Ghost?” says the catechism. There are six sins against the Holy Ghost: to despair of our own salvation, to presume of being saved without any merits, to fight against the known truth… I repeat: to fight against the known truth. Are you going to tell me that these three bishops—we will include Dom Tomas as a bishop—haven't read the Credo? Don't they pray it every Sunday? It says, “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” What is this? Didn’t they know this truth? And now they are crushing those who defend it? They have no sense of shame!

Let them do whatever they want to me, but I will not go along with this. I want to die a Catholic. Why don't I use the title of The Resistance anymore? Because, when they say resistance, they immediately associate it with Williamson. Excuse me, as long as Williamson doesn't retract, refer to me personally as Catholic. Nothing else! Do not come to me with adjectives that get subverted. I'm Catholic, period! Prove to me that I am not! Be careful! Prove to me that I am not! Whoever comes to try to prove that I am not Catholic, before doing so, must partake of this catechism. Completely! All of it!

Ladies and gentlemen, a few years ago you asked me to come and take care of Ipatinga, and I did so gladly. You know it! I haven't lied to you; I haven't taught bad doctrine. But attention, please. There's a sign outside that reads: “CATHOLIC MISSIONS” and I hope that that sign continues to say, “CATHOLIC MISSIONS”. I don't want the sign to change to “Williamson’s Mission” or whatever name you want to use. No, I am not here for that. If it’s going to be like that, excuse me; I have a lot of work, too much work. If because of this I am now told, “Go away, because we want to be one of Williamson's sect” or whomever else's, okay, good luck, my friends! I will continue on my way. I’m not afraid to leave. St. Paul has a beautiful verse: “I know in Whom I have believed.” And just this past Saturday we read a verse in the Epistle that I would suggest many of you read and re-read, and meditate on it. It is the verse, “Cursed be the man who puts his trust in another man.” I ask: is Williamson God? Is Bishop Faure God? Is the future Bishop Dom Tomas Aquinas God? Are all of the Dominican monks—even though there are two, whom I know of, who are firm, trying to fight error—are they God? Do I have to yield my intelligence and say, okay gentlemen, “So be it,” as Dom Tomas Aquinas is asking me to do?

I would like Dom Tomas Aquinas to be like the other Dom Tomas Aquinas when Bishop Williamson came. [See: https://youtu.be/hk1jj4KnZnM]. When Bishop Williamson started to praise Benedict XVI, Dom Tomas interrupted him saying, “Be careful; watch out! Don't continue!” A perfect intervention! Perfect! How sad he hasn't repeated this act of faith now. How very sad! I'm so sorry! I am so sorry because Dom Tomas Aquinas, as you know, I have told you—I will be grateful to Dom Tomas until the day of my death because he received me when I left São Paulo [and the SSPX]. My eternal gratitude! But not because of that gratitude am I going to accept the errors that they are now upholding.

But going back, I repeat, if there's any question and you think that I'm a heretic, that I'm here to divide the Resistance, that is, that I'm a stupid person who doesn't know how to think, that all my friends are filling my head with ideas, making me go astray, I think you are underestimating me a little bit.

If you want to continue being Catholic, I will come here. If you do not want to continue being Catholic, excuse me, I'll pack my bags and leave. No problem. Thank God, my dear friend Eric will receive me in his home. We can move the chapel to a different place, no problem. But please tell me. BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO WORK WITH HERETICS! I DO NOT WANT TO WORK WITH SECTARIANS! I WANT TO WORK WITH CATHOLICS! OTHERWISE, I’M WASTING MY TIME, WHICH I CAN USE FOR MUCH MORE PRACTICAL THINGS THAN WASTING MY TIME WITH SECTARIANS. IS THAT CLEAR? Is it clear that I intend to follow the commandment to love God above all things? And how do I prove that I love God above all things? Because I keep His word! “He who loves me will keep my word.” Okay. This is what I will ask you, whether you are Catholics, do you keep His word without trying to distort it by saying “more or less,” or “it may be.” No, no, ladies and gentlemen.

There's a letter going around now, a little letter from dear Fr. Trincado, the great sophist, with a lot of issues about this and that. I read it some time ago. He sent it to me a long time ago. I'm sorry; I'm not going to discuss even one period or one comma with a sophist. Not a period, not a comma. And I'm going to ask a favour of whoever wants to come and discuss this problem, a favour of intellectual honesty. Bring me a little note that says, “I adhere totally and absolutely to the Catholic doctrine which among other things is contained in this catechism. [He holds up the catechism of St Pius X.] For, if you come to me with sophisms, I don't want to waste my time.

How is it possible, that after 40 years in the fight, there are traditionalist priests who come and tell me that the new mass is good? My God! And that the conciliar church cannot be separated from the Catholic Church? My God! My time is gold. And I do not want to waste it on stupidities.

Today is a very important day for this mission, because, depending on what you decide, either we save ourselves, or we condemn ourselves. Either we continue being Catholic, or we enter into a sect. You choose! And I ask you to tell me at least by Saturday because I have to get my things in order. I have to see where I'm going to go, what I'm going to do—just a simple thing. But I repeat, before answering me, read this. For, maybe this catechism is prepared by dear Cardozo, to lie to you. No! No, there are a lot of them [catechisms]. Read it! Because a lot has been said, and a lot of stupidities have been said because we do not know the catechism.

And let us end with that phrase from the gospel: “He who is not with me is against me.” And as far as I know, I have not denied any dogma or article of the creed. The others have!

VIVA CRISTO REY! [LONG LIVE CHRIST THE KING!]


[Emphasis - The Catacombs.]

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  St. John Eudes: The Priest, His Dignity and Obligations
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 06:14 AM - Forum: Resources Online - Replies (1)

Downloadable PDF version: St. John Eudes - The Priest: His Dignity and Obligations

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  Irish priest fined for offering Mass during lockdown, not turning people away
Posted by: Stone - 03-24-2021, 06:08 AM - Forum: Pandemic 2020 [Spiritual] - No Replies

Irish priest fined for offering Mass during lockdown, not turning people away
‘We are committing a grave mistake by rejecting our Lord and God Jesus Christ by staying away because government officials say we must,’ the priest said.

[Image: shutterstock_1699079287_810_500_75_s_c1.jpg]


CAVAN, Ireland, March 23, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — Irish Catholic priest Father P.J. Hughes has once again been confronted by police. Hughes was fined €500 fine for not turning people away from Mass during the current COVID-19 lockdown.

Fr. Hughes, of Mullahoran parish in Co. Cavan, was reportedly approached by Gardai (Irish police) and presented with a €500 fine. His perceived offense was refusing to turn away members of his congregation who turned up in the church for Mass, since he refuses to lock the church doors.

Under the current lockdown, the Irish government has taken measures to prohibit public worship under the pretense of preventing the spread of COVID-19 infections. As a result, there have been no public Masses since December 26, 2020, communal worship is forbidden, and places of worship are only allowed to open for private prayer. Funerals are currently allowed to occur, but with just “10 mourners.” Weddings are similarly limited to 6 people. Worship will only be permitted once the country goes back down to “level 2” in its restrictions, which could be months away.

The Irish Catholic stated that sources close to Hughes had confirmed that he would refuse to pay the fine, and was ready to face jail if necessary.

LifeSiteNews contacted the Gardai for confirmation and comment, but was told that it was not their policy to comment on named persons in particular cases.

In his parish newsletter this weekend, Fr. Hughes addressed the issue, re-iterating his commitment to administering the sacraments. “I do not accept the negative message of our leaders who are telling us to stay away from Jesus,” he wrote.

“Despite the size of the church and the holy place that it is because of the presence of Jesus in the Holy Tabernacle, the church has been deemed a hot spot for the spread of the virus by the gardai,” said Hughes. “The majority of people are healthy and able to go shopping, bring their children to school and many of them are working in enclosed environments. We are committing a grave mistake by rejecting our Lord and God Jesus Christ by staying away because government officials say we must.”

“I do not accept and will not accept this demand by people who do not realize the wrong they are doing. It is our constitutional right to protest so long as it is peaceful; it is our constitutional right to practice our faith and assemble to pray together.”

He explained his stance against the restrictions on worship: “For those who are afraid of catching the virus in the church then they can have the free choice to stay at home and live their lives as they think it best to do. I have been reported again and the gardai have issued a fine because I celebrated Mass with people present.”

The Irish Constitution itself actually protects the right to worship in Article 44: “The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion. Freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion are, subject to public order and morality, guaranteed to every citizen.”

It further states: “The State shall not impose any disabilities or make any discrimination on the ground of religious profession, belief or status.”

This recent fine comes as the latest in a series of increasingly heavy-handed measures taken by the Gardai against Fr. Hughes. Back in November 2020, he was threatened with prosecution by the police for his refusal to turn people away when they arrived into church for Mass. Four officers approached Hughes after Sunday Mass, warning that he might be “prosecuted for breaching the Covid rules introduced during the last lockdown period.” Following that, he was warned that he had “one more chance” to adhere to the restrictions.

Hughes revealed that “somebody reported me,” which led to his discovery by the civil authorities. He was then rebuked by his ordinary, Bishop Francis Duffy of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, who reportedly told Fr. Hughes that he was in “dangerous territory.” Despite this, Hughes remains committed to offering the sacraments to people, as he demonstrated in his recent newsletter: “I will exercise my constitutional right even though people are complaining, even though I am not obeying the bishop when I go against his advice. We can’t just reject Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.”

Notwithstanding the state and the Church enforcing closure of churches, one law professor has stated that under the current restrictions, religious worship is not in fact prohibited. Professor Oran Doyle of Trinity College Dublin explained that while “relevant events” are forbidden, “[i]t is beyond argument that ‘relevant event’ does not include events held for religious reasons; religious events are therefore not prohibited by Regulation 8.”

“Rather than clearly distinguish between what citizens are required to do and what they are requested or advised to do, Government statements frequently encourage people to believe that their legal obligations are more restrictive than is in fact the case,” Doyle wrote.

In fact, referring to Hughes’s encounter with the police in November, and media reports that Hughes was warned about future prosecution, should he be found saying Mass again, Doyle said that “this statement of the legal position was categorically incorrect.


[Emphasis mine.]

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