Friday, October 31, 2014

From Mark Mallett: The Thin Line Between Mercy & Heresy – Part I

The Thin Line Between Mercy & Heresy – Part I


IN all the controversies that unfolded in the wake of the recent Synod in Rome, the reason for the gathering seemed to have been lost altogether. It was convened under the theme: “Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization.” How do we evangelize families given the pastoral challenges we face due to high divorce rates, single mothers, secularization, and so forth?
What we learned very quickly (as proposals of some Cardinals were made known to the public) is that there is a a thin line between mercy and heresy.
The following three part series is intended to not only get back to the heart of the matter—evangelizing families in our times—but to do so by bringing to the forefront the man who is really at the center of the controversies: Jesus Christ. Because no one walked that thin line more than Him—and Pope Francis seems to be pointing that path to us once again.
We need to blow away the “smoke of satan” so we can clearly identify this narrow red line, drawn in Christ’s blood… because we are called to walk it ourselves.
Published in: | on October 31st, 2014 |

Halloween: Another secularization of a Catholic tradition


Tribulation Times
October 31, 2014  
(1Co 12:24-27) But our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, giving to that which wanted the more abundant honour. That there might be no schism in the body: but the members might be mutually careful one for another. And if one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it: or if one member glory, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members of member.
FR. BROOM'S BLOG SERIES
Communion of saints
Since the dawn of Christianity with Christ's death and resurrection around 33 A.D., the Church has commemorated its martyrs, and the feasts of All Saints Day and All Souls Day have grown out of that.

"It seems that it comes from the Eastern part of the Roman Empire a little before 400 A.D., and then spread to the West," Msgr. Witt said. "By this time, we had gone through three centuries of martyrdom, but in the fourth century, Emperor Constantine ended that with a needing of tolerance and then a little later Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire so there were no more persecutions for the most part."

But there had been many before, and hence the need to recognize them en masse. Martyrs had been commemorated on the anniversary of their martyrdom but with so many of them in so many areas, that became unwieldy.

"This was a time to begin commemorating all of them," Msgr. Witt said. "Beside the ones we know about, there were thousands of others who had given their lives for Christ, so this put them all in together."

The commemoration initially was called the Feast of All Martyrs and celebrated in May. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III renamed it All Saints and moved the date to Nov. 1, according to the Original Catholic Encyclopedia. It was a regional celebration until Pope Gregory IV in the ninth century made it a universal feast day for the universal Church.

The vigil -- All Hallows Eve, Hallowe'en, then Halloween -- was celebrated as early as the Feast of All Saints, according to the encyclopedia.

Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are such a big deal because they represent the hat trick of souls in heaven, purgatory and earth as well as the links between them -- aka the communion of saints.

"They talk in terms of the Church having three categories," Msgr. Witt said. "The saints are the Church Triumphant. They're victorious; they've arrived (in heaven). Those in purgatory are the Church Suffering; they haven't gotten there yet. For those of us who are living, they used to use the term 'Church Militant.'"

In other words, we have a ways to go.

"We don't use that terminology anymore, but it's still all there," Msgr. Witt said. "It's wrapped up in the feasts on November first and second."

The Church Triumphant and the Church Militant offer prayers for the Church Suffering, that they may be cleansed and join the saints in heaven. The Church Militant also venerates the Church Triumphant, asking the saints to intercede with God on their behalf so that they may join them one day in heaven.
During November Holy Church promotes prayers for the souls in purgatory. The souls in Purgatory are members of the Church just like we are but of the Church “Suffering”. We are members of the Church “Militant”, and we are like soldiers on the march through the world on the way with our Great Captain towards our heavenly home to join the members of the Church “Triumphant”. We can help the souls in Purgatory through our good works as assigned by the Church, who has the authority from Christ to apply to them the merits of His Passion and death, and the merits of the saints.

A plenary (“full”) indulgence, which is applicable only to the souls in Purgatory is granted to the Christian faithful who devoutly visit a church or an oratory on (November 2nd) All Souls Day.


 
Requirements for Obtaining a Plenary Indulgence on All Souls Day (Nov. 2nd)
  • Visit a church and pray for souls in Purgatory
  • Say one “Our Father” and the “Creed” in the visit to the church
  • Say one “Our Father” and one “Hail Mary” for the Holy Father’s intentions
  • Worthily receive Holy Communion (ideally on the same day if you can get to Mass)
  • Make a sacramental confession within a week of All Souls Day
  • For a plenary indulgence one must be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin (otherwise, the indulgence is partial, not plenary, “full”).
To obtain a Plenary Indulgence for a soul in Purgatory on each of the days from 1-8 November
  • make a good Confession within a week of before or after All Souls Day
  • be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin, for a plenary indulgence
  • visit a cemetery and pray for the dead
  • say one “Our Father” and one “Hail Mary” for the monthly intentions set by the Pope
  • receive Holy Communion worthily on the same day or soon after
Several indulgences may be gained on the basis of a single confession but only one may be gained after a single good reception Communion and prayer for the Pope’s intentions.

If you are not correctly disposed or if you don’t fulfill the prescribed works and/or the three conditions the indulgence will be partial and not plenary.
The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Discretion

103. A hermit said,"If some distracting dispute arises between you and another, and the other denies it and says, "I said no such thing," do not argue with him or say, "You did say it." For he will be exaperated, and will say, "Very well, and I meant it."'


Prayer request?  Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com
This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

Mary TV Daily October 31, 2014 Reflection - Totus Tuus


Immaculate Heart of Mary     
(c)Mary TV 2014   
     

J.M.J
October 31, 2014

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Pray in this time of grace and seek the intercession of all the saints who are already in the light. From day to day may they be an example and encouragement to you on the way of your conversion. Little children, be aware that your life is short and passing. Therefore, yearn for eternity and keep preparing your hearts in prayer. I am with you and intercede before my Son for each of you, especially for those who have consecrated themselves to me and to my Son.   Thank you for having responded to my call." (October 25, 2014)

The last interior practice in St. Louis de Montfort's list is really his total consecration to Jesus through Mary:

§ 8. To begin, to continue, and to finish all our actions by her, in her, and with her, in order that we may do them by Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ, with Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ our Last End. We will presently explain this last practice.

St. Louis de Montfort discovered that the way to live for, with and in Christ was by way of living by, with and in Mary. His way of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary was a gift to the Church in these later days. Truly it was prophetic, for it provided the theological understanding we need to respond to Our Lady's call.

And another true prophet and teacher of our time, St. John Paul II, learned from St. Louis de Montfort this way of consecration and taught it to us eloquently. Here is an excerpt from St. John Paul II's Apostolic Letter "On the Most Holy Rosary" which captures the power of living Totus Tuus, especially through prayer of the Rosary:

In this process of being conformed to Christ in the Rosary, we entrust ourselves in a special way to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin...
The Rosary mystically transports us to Mary's side as she is busy watching over the human growth of Christ in the home of Nazareth. This enables her to train us and to mold us with the same care, until Christ is "fully formed" in us (cf. Gal 4:19). This role of Mary, totally grounded in that of Christ and radically subordinated to it, "in no way obscures or diminishes the unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power". This is the luminous principle expressed by the Second Vatican Council which I have so powerfully experienced in my own life and have made the basis of my episcopal motto: Totus Tuus. The motto is of course inspired by the teaching of Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, who explained in the following words Mary's role in the process of our configuration to Christ: "Our entire perfection consists in being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus Christ. Hence the most perfect of all devotions is undoubtedly that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most perfectly to Jesus Christ. Now, since Mary is of all creatures the one most conformed to Jesus Christ, it follows that among all devotions that which most consecrates and conforms a soul to our Lord is devotion to Mary, his Holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to her the more will it be consecrated to Jesus Christ".(22) Never as in the Rosary do the life of Jesus and that of Mary appear so deeply joined. Mary lives only in Christ and for Christ!

This entire Apostolic Letter is well worth reading. Pope John Paul II truly understood the school of Mary, and desired to pass on his understanding to the Church, much like St. Louis de Montfort and St. Maximilian Kolbe before him. It seems that understanding Our Lady's role is a mystery, and it is grasped only after much prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit. And once it is understood, it lights a fire in one's heart that can't be quenched. These three saints in particular show that fire in a powerful way. It is the fire of love!

Let's pray St. Louis de Montfort's consecration prayer today, as we prepare for All Saints Day and All Souls Day. We want to take the saints as an example, and we want to be prepared for eternal life. There is no better way than by taking Mary as our Mother and guide. She will lead us to live our lives here on earth as a preparation for heaven.

O Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most adorable Jesus! True God and True Man, only Son of the Eternal Father, and of Mary ever Virgin! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and glory of Thy Father during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine Incarnation.

I give Thee thanks, that Thou hast annihilated Thyself taking the form of a slave, in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil. I praise and glorify Thee, that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things, in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. But alas! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been, I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my baptism; I have not fulfilled my obligations; I do not deserve to be called Thy child nor yet Thy slave; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse, I dare no more come by myself before Thy Most Holy and August Majesty. It is on this account that I have recourse to the Intercession of Thy most holy Mother, whom Thou hast given me for a Mediatrix with Thee. It is by her means that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition, and the pardon of my sins, the acquisition and the preservation of wisdom. I salute Thee, then, O Immaculate Mary living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by Angels and by men. I hail thee, O Queen of heaven and earth to whose empire everything is subject which is under God.

I salute Thee, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which my lowness presents to thee.
I. N. [Name], a faithless sinner-I renew and ratify to-day in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce for ever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.
In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee as Thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past present and future; leaving to you the entire and full right of disposing of me, and of all that belongs to me, without exception, according to Thy good pleasure to the greatest glory of God, in time and in eternity.

Receive O gracious Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in honour of, and in union with, that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have thy Maternity, in homage to the power which both of you have over this little worm and miserable sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity hath favoured thee. I protest, that I wish, henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honour, and to obey thee in all things.

O admirable Mother, present me to thy Dear Son, as His eternal slave, so that as He hath redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me.

O Mother of mercy, get me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God, and for that end place me in the number of those whom thou lovest, whom thou teachest, whom thou leadest, and whom thou nourishest and protectest, as thy children and thy slaves. O Faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thy intercession and by thy example, to the fullness of His age on earth, and of His glory in heaven. Amen.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2014


PS. Mary TV will stream the November 2, 2014 Apparition to Mirjana, live from Medjugorje! Here are the details:

Sunday November 2, 2014 
(Saturday night and early Sunday morning in USA) 
Our Lady's apparition to Mirjana in Medjugorje  
will be streamed LIVE at   www.marytv.tv

8:00 am Medjugorje time (2:00 am EST) - Live streaming begins 
8:45 am Medjugorje time (2:45 am EST) - Apparition to Mirjana (approx) 
9:30 am Medjugorje time (3:30 am EST) - Live streaming ends

Remember that the time will change in the USA on November 2 starting at 2:00 am. We move to Standard time in most of the USA. Europe changed last weekend. Don't forget to change your clocks!!

  Mirjana sees Our Lady
 Mirjana encounters Our Lady 






"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world."
Saint John Paul II
Be connected!
www.marytv.tv

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Chaplain to the English speaking pilgrims died in Medjugorje on Oct. 23rd


 (Medjugorje Today) - Fr. John Chisholm, an Irish priest who served as chaplain to the English speaking pilgrims for six years from 2000 onwards, died in Medjugorje on October 23.
Fr. Chisholm was held in high esteem by numerous pilgrims who confessed to him, and many were convinced that he had the gift of reading souls. He had connections at the top of the Vatican, along with a CV including three PhDs.
Fr. John Chisholm was also one of the two participants in an October 9th 1998 meeting with Medjugorje's local Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar during which the Bishop stated that he did not believe in any apparition, be it Fatima, Lourdes, or Medjugorje, and that he wanted Medjugorje "abolished".

Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar

Mary TV Daily October 30, 2014 Reflection - Do all with a view to pleasing Mary


      
(c)Mary TV 2014
To offer ourselves to the Gospa 
     

J.M.J
October 30, 2014

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Pray in this time of grace and seek the intercession of all the saints who are already in the light. From day to day may they be an example and encouragement to you on the way of your conversion. Little children, be aware that your life is short and passing. Therefore, yearn for eternity and keep preparing your hearts in prayer. I am with you and intercede before my Son for each of you, especially for those who have consecrated themselves to me and to my Son.   Thank you for having responded to my call." (October 25, 2014)

Today we consider two more interior practices of our consecration to Mary:

§ 6. To offer ourselves to her, and unite ourselves with her;
§ 7. To do all our actions with the view of pleasing her;

When it comes to offering ourselves to Our Lady we can find no better example than St. Maximilian Koble. He founded the Militia of the Immaculata and spread consecration to Our Lady all over the world by using the most modern publishing techniques of his day as well as radio. He had plans to make movies as well. He labored to explain why it was so important to do everything for and with Our Lady. He knew it was her time, the time of her triumph and he wanted as many people as possible to join in her plan to save souls.

Here is his prayer of consecration to the Immaculata:

Official Act of Consecration to Mary

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you.  I, (name)
, a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property.  Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.

If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: "She will crush your head," and, "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world."  Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against your enemies.

He also wrote a prayer asking for the grace to do all for Mary:

For the Grace to be an Instrument
 

Almighty and Eternal God, you gave us in the person of St. Maximilian an example of true devotion to the Immaculate Mother of our Savior and of unselfish love for our neighbor.  Grant we beseech you through his intercession, that we may grow in our understanding of love of the Immaculata; that we may recognize her presence, her voice, her love and her power with us and be filled with an ardent desire and will to fulfill her will in every detail, and thus become sharers and true instruments of her most perfect response to you, in the Holy Spirit through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2014

PS. Mary TV will stream the November 2, 2014 Apparition to Mirjana, live from Medjugorje! Here are the details:

Sunday November 2, 2014 
(Saturday night and early Sunday morning in USA) 
Our Lady's apparition to Mirjana in Medjugorje  
will be streamed LIVE at   www.marytv.tv

8:00 am Medjugorje time (2:00 am EST) - Live streaming begins 
8:45 am Medjugorje time (2:45 am EST) - Apparition to Mirjana (approx) 
9:30 am Medjugorje time (3:30 am EST) - Live streaming ends

Remember that the time will change in the USA on November 2 starting at 12:00 am. We move to Standard time in most of the USA. Europe changed last weekend. Don't forget to change your clocks!!

  Mirjana sees Our Lady
 Mirjana encounters Our Lady 






"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world."
Saint John Paul II
Be connected!
www.marytv.tv


 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Love Through the Tempest October By Fr. Gordon J. MacRae




These Stone Walls



Love Through the Tempest s
Editor’s Note: The following is an original guest post for These Stone Walls by Carlos Caso-Rosendi. Carlos was the subject of the TSW post, “From the Pope’s End of the World, a Voice Not Lost in Translation” by Father Gordon MacRae. Writing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Carlos recently launched the Catholic website, DELUMEN.org.
The title above is taken from Shakespeare’s Sonnet CXVI written by the Bard to muse about the steadfastness of true love.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Oh no! It is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken.
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Earlier in the day I learned about a new book by Antonio Socci that attacks the legality of the papal conclave that elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio on March 13, 2013, after the historic abdication of our beloved Benedict XVI on February 11 of the same year.
Most curiously Shakespeare’s sonnet compares true love to a vessel that has to endure the storms of life. In the days of the Bard boats were built for different purposes. Most of them, if not all, were made of wood. The good ones were carefully crafted to stay afloat even if they sustained heavy damage. One could go romantically punting down the River Cam on a nice breezeless sunny day, but to go fishing on the Northern Sea definitely demanded a well-built ship. The same is true of steadfast love that simply sticks to the beloved through thick and thin. That kind of love is steady and sturdy like a rock.
This reminds me of the time when the resurrected Lord appeared to the disciples by the shore of Gennesaret, as related by the Beloved Disciple in John 21: 4-19.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.
That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”
The scene can be used as a representation of the history and mission of the Church and the ministry of Peter, and how God’s love for mankind ties both together. The seven disciples have been working all night but caught nothing. Then at daybreak someone appears on the shore: it is Jesus, penetrating the darkness of the world.
He tells them to try one more time and that is, to persevere in their mission. Perhaps Jesus had done that before in one of their many trips across the lake and that led John to recognize the Lord. He had been the first to reach the empty tomb just a few days earlier and was the only disciple to remain with Mary and Jesus at Calvary. This time John was again the first to recognize the Lord with the certainty of one who heard the Sacred Heart beating when his head was resting on the Lord’s chest. Here heart spoke to heart and John was moved to shout, “It is the Lord!”
Peter girds himself “for he was naked” before jumping into the water and swimming the short distance to shore. His reaction is the exact opposite of Adam’s: “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Peter did not hide in spite of having denied the Lord three times and (unlike John) being absent at Calvary. Peter’s love was stronger than his shame. The charcoal fire waiting for him on the shore surely reminded Peter of a similar fire he had approached looking for warmth just a few weeks before. It was before that fire that he denied the Lord three times.
The Lord had breakfast ready for them, fish and bread, your flesh and My Flesh. He invites the disciples to bring more fish. They all know that man is the Lord, they don’t need to ask. If any confirmation is needed that is provided when Jesus parts the bread in his own peculiar manner, the same manner that allowed them to recognize Him at the inn of Emmaus three weeks before. They eat in silence.
When Jesus has finished feeding them He asks Peter the first question, then the second, then the third as a painful reminder to Peter who must affirm his love for Jesus three times, just as he had denied his Master three times in the darkness of the night before the Cross. But now he declares his love three times in the morning light, and he is confirmed on his mission: be a shepherd to Christ’s sheep.
Then the ominous prophecy comes: Peter will have to give his life for Jesus just as Jesus has given His life for Peter. He will have to follow the Lord to another Calvary where he will glorify Him with steadfastness so foreign to Peter’s character that only the Lord Himself could have planted it there. Peter the reluctant will be transformed to Peter the steadfast. Peter’s barc will go through tempests but it will not be shaken; the Lord will make of him a steadfast sign.
St John Bosco's DreamSaint John Bosco’s Dream
St. Malachi predicted that the last Pope before the dreadful judgment “will pasture his sheep in many tribulations.” This Peter is Romanus, Roman as opposed to the first Peter, Simon the son of Jonah, the Jew. Is Pope Francis this second Peter? That I cannot answer with any certainty. Yet I know that this Pope’s mission is already to shepherd the Church through new and terrible tribulations.
We must remember that the first Peter professed the doctrine of Christ not taught by flesh and blood but by God the Father (Matthew 16:13-20), and yet by his actions Peter many times failed to reflect the perfect light of Christ. The Lord may have selected imperfect, cowardly, thickheaded Peter to show us our own imperfections and assure us that He was determined to save us in spite of them.
The fact that He can work to save the world with such blunt tools as Peter and ourselves is also a measure of His awesome power and glory. For anyone can win the Super Bowl with a great team but the glory will go to the Coach if he wins with a team of crippled, slow, untalented players. So it must be: all the glory goes to Him. All we have to do is what His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).
TSW 2014 10 29 pic for Carlos Caso Rosendi postAntonio Socci believes Francis was elected unduly and therefore he is not a lawful Pope. In my opinion the Lord anticipated those claims and gave us some assurance so we don’t end up being confused.
It was by no external or human design that our beloved Benedict XVI abdicated on the 11th of February, on the anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes through whom many miraculous cures have been effected. The Lord is thus telling us He is working to heal the Church.
Then Francis was elected on March 13, the first day of Lent. That seems to indicate that the Church will experience a purifying penance during the reign of Francis.
Finally, Pope Francis ascended to the throne of Peter on the Feast of St. Joseph, guardian of the Church. That gives us the assurance that the Lord will restore the Church to purity and holiness. The Lord will see that Pope Francis fulfills his mission without failing. There is simply no other way.
Going back to Shakespeare’s sonnet, let us remember that we have a promise from the Lord that His Church will not teach error or confuse the obedient. If one thinks about it the promise of our Lord to sustain the faith of Peter protects the Church and the Magisterium from teaching error. Additionally the Lord has given us His word that the Church will not disappear and her enemies will not prevail against her. We must count on persevering until the end. Shakespeare also wrote in the same sonnet:
Love… bears it out even to the edge of doom.
We may see defections under pressure, we may have to face suffering and persecutions that will test our endurance. Yet when we meet the Lord at the other side of this dreadful time we must be holding on to our faith in Him. “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). In our hearts there must be no other answer than “yes” to that question.
Pope Francis


CARLOS CASO ROSENDICarlos Caso-Rosendi was born 1954 in Esquel, a small town in the western Patagonia region of Argentina. His parents, fallen away Catholics, involved the family with the Jehovah’s Witnesses when Carlos was 13 years old. That very year he entered a prestigious technical school in Buenos Aires. There he studied English, Math, Physics, and various other technical disciplines. Later on his parents discontinued his schooling on the advise of the sectarian leaders who shunned superior education for their youths. On reaching the age of majority Carlos left the sect and eventually immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts where he completed his technical studies. He worked in the U.S. as a systems analyst until 2006.
Having lost interest in religious matters, he continued steadily to read Classics on his own, seeking to somehow enrich his interrupted education. In 1996 he had a completely unexpected personal experience that convinced him of the existence of God. A friend recommended him to read C. S. Lewis and later, guided by Lewis and other contemporary Christian writers he set to read all the classic works of Christianity. In doing so he further convinced himself that the Catholic Church was the original Church founded by Jesus Christ having Christ’s authority to teach the truth about God’s purpose and man’s destiny.
He was received in the Church on Assumption Day 2001, at the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Christ, London under the auspices of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, receiving Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion on that day.
In October 2004 he launched the website PRIMERALUZ.ORG (originally called VoxFidei.org) where he published his own translations of articles by well-known British and American Catholic writers. The site was blessed with many readers and conversions including the striking conversion of a family of 33 former Jehovah’s Witnesses that returned to the Catholic Church after decades in that cult.
While living in Charlottesville, Virginia, on September 8, 2005, he received an invitation to appear at EWTN’s The Journey Home and later on he appeared at several other EWTN programs. In 2006, he presented The Native World. Religion in the Americas Before Columbus that was very well received by his American Catholic readership both as an essay and a public talk.
In 2008, he returned to Virginia where he completed two books: Ark of Grace. Our Blessed Mother in Holy Scripture  also published in Spanish and Portuguese.
Carlos continues to be actively involved in the defense of the faith as a writer and apologist. He is currently developing DELUMEN.ORG, which was launched in October 2014.

thermometerTo the readers of These Stone Walls from Ryan A. MacDonald: Readers have been especially generous and kind in responding to our appeal for assistance with legal costs at the Federal level. It has come to my attention that State officials have filed objections to Father MacRae’s appeal in the Federal courts, and these objections required lengthy and highly detailed responses from the attorney’s representing Father MacRae. One such exchange cost $15,000 that seriously depleted available funds as the appeal continues. So, to compensate, we have raised the bar in our fundraising effort. I know that Father MacRae is most appreciative to all who have aided this effort, and that he would much prefer that many people do a little instead of just a few doing a lot. Let us hope that this could be an undertaking of the whole church. For information on how to assist, please see my post “News Alert: New Federal Appeal Filed in Father Gordon MacRae Case.”
The post Love Through the Tempest appeared first on These Stone Walls.



“Renunciation of the Truth is Lethal to Faith" by Benedict XVI

Tribulation Times
October 29, 2014  
(Mat 16:18-19) And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

CHIESA: “Renunciation of the Truth is Lethal to Faith" by Benedict XVI

Ratzinger has broken his silence once again. To caution that a dialogue that renounces the truth “is lethal” to the propagation of the Christian faith. And therefore also to the spread of that “joy of the Gospel” which is in the program of Pope Francis

by Sandro Magister


TEXT OF FULL HOMILY:Traditional Mass Ss. Trinità Church, Rome 10th Anniversary Iuventutem and Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage 24 October 2014
We Catholics have strange beliefs; our planet earth is like a grain of sand in an unbelievably vast universe and we believe God’s Son came to live on this tiny speck to teach us and redeem us.
We believe in angels, spiritual beings outside our physical universe; in Raphael one of the seven who stands before God, who brought Tobias healing and taught him the truth.
We want to know and love the truth and we hope to spread these truths, which are costly, but life-giving. We too want to be cured by Raphael as we come out of the troubled waters.
Tonight on your pilgrimage to the Urbs Aeterna we should remember St. Peter and St. Paul, founders of the Church in the city of Rome.
Peter of course was the first head of the Christian community in this capital of the Roman Empire which lasted for over over 600 years in the West and for another 1000 years in the East. Peter was the first Pope.
Peter of course was the first head of the Christian community in the capital of the Roman Empire, the first bishop of Rome.
And on this occasion a few words on the Papacy would not be inappropriate because the Pope is the successor of St. Peter as head of the Church and bishop of Rome, and because the papacy is one of the most amazing institutions in history; the oldest surviving office or ruler.
China did have an emperor a couple of hundred years before Rome had a bishop, but China has emperors no more! Hundreds of years before there was a King of England there was a Pope in Rome. Even in secular terms the papacy is extraordinary, but for us the Catholic religious significance is infinitely more important.2 Peter’s office or role is well attested in the New Testament writings.
In chapter 16 from Matthew’s gospel, after Peter had affirmed that Our Lord was the Son of God, he was declared to be the rock man on whom the Church is built. Jesus is of course the only central figure in the Catholic dispensation, but Peter is the main foundation stone in the apostolic foundations of the universal church communion.
The Church is not built on the rock of Peter’s faith, as a popular hymn claims, but on Peter himself despite his faults and failings. It was Jesus who gave Simon the additional name of Peter, the rock man. In English the words “Peter” and “rock” have different derivations, but in Greek, Latin and Italian they are almost the same word. In this passage Peter was given the Keys of the Kingdom and the power to bind and loose. The sense of this passage is not unique in the New Testament as in chapter 21 of John Peter is exhorted to feed the sheep and in chapter 22 of Luke he is commissioned to strengthen his brothers. He always heads the list of the apostles.
Over 2,000 years these theological foundations have been developed and changed. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) set out to complete the work of the First Vatican Council (1870), by recognizing that as Peter was one of the twelve apostles, so the Pope is assisted by the other bishops throughout the world, forming the College of Bishops.
This college and all synods work by consensus and teachings and pastoral practice can only be changed by consensus.
Pope Francis is the 266th Pope and history has seen 37 false or anti-Popes. From the eighth to the nineteenth century the Popes ruled most of central Italy, an area known as the Papal States. For the last 150 years, plus or minus, the Church has been led by Popes, who were better, wiser, holier and more learned, than the historical papal average for the two millennia.
There were three particularly difficult periods; first of all in the tenth century when a succession of Popes were dominated by a local noble woman called Marozia; secondly in the 14th century when the Popes were based in Avignon, Southern France and were followed by 3 multiple claimants to the papacy when they came back to Rome; and in the 16th century, the time of the Protestant Reformation and the Renaissance, when many of the Popes were formidable rulers and patrons of the arts, but none of them were over-interested in religion.
Earlier on the role of the Popes was a significant factor in the final break in 1054 between the Eastern and Western churches, between Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
The role of the successor of St. Peter has always been vital to Christian and Catholic life, especially as a touchstone of doctrinal fidelity and as a resolver of disputes, pastoral as well as doctrinal.
Today we are inclined to judge communities, institutions and individuals according to the criterion of modernity. No one wants to be accused of being old fashioned and nearly everyone likes to be thought “up to date”. In the ancient world they didn’t quite think like that, and much public opinion tended to look back to golden ages, real or imagined.
The early Christians’ questions were somewhat different, because they wanted to know whether the teachings of their bishops and priests were in conformity with what Christ taught.
In an age before books and radio, long before you could look up information on Google, Christians used to ask what the churches founded by the apostles regarded as apostolic, genuinely early Christian teaching. Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome were such churches and Constantinople was added in the fourth century, although certainly not founded by an apostle.
Among those churches however, Rome had pride of place as the principal guarantor of orthodoxy, because both Peter and Paul had been martyred there and of course because Peter had been appointed the rock man by Christ himself. The apostolic tradition, announced first by Christ and founded in the scriptures is the touch stone for truth and genuine pastoral practice. Doctrine does develop – we understand truth more deeply – but there are no doctrinal back-flips in Catholic history.4 Often our enemies recognize better than us the importance of the papacy. In every country where the Communists gained power, they tried to separate the local Catholics from the Pope into national, so called “patriotic” Churches. We know from Hitler’s table talk that if he had won the Second World War he would have set up a Pope in every Catholic country. Napoleon imprisoned two Popes, one of whom died in captivity.
The story of the Popes is stranger than fiction, but the contribution of the many good Popes far outweighs the sins and mistakes of the minority.
Today we have on of the more unusual popes in history, enjoying almost unprecedented popularity. He is doing a marvelous job backing the financial reforms.
We all have an important task during the next twelve months i.e. to explain and build a consensus out of the present divisions. We will be counter productive if we have anger or hate in our hearts, if we lapse into sterile polemics against a surprisingly small number of catholic opponents. Our task is to explain the necessity of conversion, the nature of the Mass, the purity of heart Scriptures requires to receive Holy Communion. We, and especially you young people, must live this in love, giving reason for your hope. This is a unique opportunity which we must seize in God’s name.
So I conclude with the prayer I was taught as a child. “May the Lord preserve the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and give him life, keep him safe on earth and deliver him not into the hands of his enemies”.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

George Cardinal Pell
Cardinal Prefect Secretariat for the Economy
The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Discretion

93. A hermit said, 'Anyone who wants to live in the desert ought to be a teacher and not a learner. If he still needs teaching, he will come to harm.'


Prayer request?  Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com
This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

Mary TV Daily October 29, 2014 Reflection - Acts of love, praise and gratitude

Our Lady of Medj painting      
(c)Mary TV 2014 
     

J.M.J
October 29, 2014

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Pray in this time of grace and seek the intercession of all the saints who are already in the light. From day to day may they be an example and encouragement to you on the way of your conversion. Little children, be aware that your life is short and passing. Therefore, yearn for eternity and keep preparing your hearts in prayer. I am with you and intercede before my Son for each of you, especially for those who have consecrated themselves to me and to my Son.   Thank you for having responded to my call." (October 25, 2014)

Today we will meditate on two more interior practices of true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

§ 3. To contemplate her grandeurs;
§ 4. To make to her acts of love, of praise, of gratitude;
§ 5. To invoke her cordially;

These three practices flow from one to the other! As we contemplate Our Lady's special place in salvation history, we naturally make acts of love and praise and gratitude and we invoke her with great joy!

Here is an ancient prayer that for many centuries was passed down orally in Ireland. It is attributed to St. Lomman, Abbot in the 7th Century. It is long, but so beautiful, we won't want to stop!

Chorus: Mary, Loving Mary,
Our joy and our delight.

1.  Joy of the Father,
Love of the Son,
Delight of the Holy Spirit,
Delight of the Most High God.
Thou who knew not man,
Mother of the Holy One,
Mother of Him Who was never made.
He drank life from thy breasts.
Before Adam He knew thee,
To Adam He told of thee.

2. Eve's weakness is thy strength.
Angels are enraptured before thee.
The Blessed bow down before thee.
Michael is thy Captain.
Gabriel thy Messenger.
Raphael thy Healer.
Angels and Saints feast on thy beauty.
Delight of God,
Peerless Mary,
Thy face is heavenly beauty.

3. Straight Way without spot,
Beautiful flower of every perfume,
Heavenly rose, whose beauty draws all.
Choicest and rarest flower of the Father's Garden;
Tended by His angels.
Gentle Mary, Loving Mary.
Heavenly wind,
Spring rain,
Blinding Light that overcasts the sun.
Mightier than the mountains.

4. Greater than the seas.
The sun is thy chariot,
The moon and stars thy playthings
The clouds skip like lambs around thy feet.
The works of His hands are subject to thee;
For thou art His Beloved
Who rulest from the Trinity.
Beauty that captivates all hearts.
Light that dispels all darkness,
Mary, whiter than the snows.

5. Envy of the fallen prince.
Satan fears thee and awaits for thy heel;
He alone fears thee, for he never knew thee.
Thy name is a scourge that scars him more than fire.
The lost one in the pit groans;
His throne rocked at thy coming.
The beauty of thy countenance fills him with terror.
He flies before thee; he fears the Light.
Mary, thou art terrible in battle.
Hell trembles at thy name.

6. Thunder and Lightning to the bottomless pit.
Destroyer of the Evil One's kingdom.
Angels waited on thy word.
The heavens were hushed.
At thy consent angels sang hymns of great joy.
The Father Eternal smiled on thee.
The Son became thine own.
The Divine Spirit took thee unto Himself
Silent Mary, the Holy Spirit spoke through thee.
Elisabeth proclaimed thee.

7. All men claim thee.
All peoples bless thy name.
Broken-hearted Mary at the Cross.
You saw the rabble mock thy Son.
You saw the lance open His side.
You saw them cast dice for His garments.
You who care for all, could not give him to drink, when He cried, I thirst.
He gave thee to us as our Mother. You saw Him die.
You knew He was God.

8. Crimson rose of heavenly fragrance.
Our birthright, lost through Eve's disobedience, was restored through thee.
From thy pure blood a stream has arisen that pours over the earth,
Cleansing and healing our sin stained souls and paying our ransom.
From thy pure flesh was made Food for us who know thy Son.
Beautiful Mary, you raised women to a new dignity.
Adam's Fall did not stain thee.
Thy body did not know corruption.
Peaceful sleep fell upon thee.
Thy feet rested on the wings of angels.

9. In their hands they carried thee.
The heavens opened to thee.
You reign with thy Son.
He placed the Scepter in thy hand.
The world He made thy footstool, Who rulest with love.
The thrones of the great shall fall before thee.
Woe to them that shall raise themselves against thee, to mock thee.
He Who made thee, and came from thee, shall meet them as the bear robbed of her young.
Woe to them in that day, when he comes: For He guards thee as the apple of His eye.

10. Thou, His creature; in thee He saw Perfection.
He glories in thee; the work of His hands.
As the Faithful Bridegroom, He is jealous if they hurt thee.
Spotless Maid of Nazareth, humble unknown;
The humble and the little ones know thee and bless thee.
The Angels in choir sing thy praises at God's Throne.
We thy children, poor, weak and sinful, sing thy praises.
all men shall call thee blessed.
Peoples of many colors shall sing thy praises.
In strange tongues they shall call
thee: Light of Dawn.

11. For thy Son is at hand.
Strange men, who live not as men, shall know thee;
And find shelter beneath thy mantle.
Fierce warriors shall become as little children,
and grasp thy girdle,
Their daughters shall cover their heads with thy veil,
and live by thy example.
From the high mountains and from the valley they shall follow thee, from the plains and from the deserts.
You come, not as the triumphant warrior in terrible array ,
But as the gentle Mother calling, calling thy children to thee.
He has filled thee with wisdom.

12. You speak in divers tongues.
All thy children know thy voice.
Dove of God: Thy voice is sweeter than the thrush and the lark.
Angels stay their journey to hear thee.
Your words are sweeter than honey.
Your eyes are beautiful and gentle.
We have no fear of thee.
We love thee, Mary, we love thee, we love thee.
O Mary, beautiful, life-giving Mary.
Our joy, our Hope in our sorrows.

I3. Our eyes and hearts are lifted to thee.
Hear us, thy children who cry to thee.
You hear the cry of your children;
You, their Mother, will hasten to help.
You gladden the hearts that mourn.
You dry the eyes that weep.
Mother of the widow and orphan.
Safe home to the outcast.
The mighty and lowly find peace before thee.
Thy smile is peace.

14. Medicine and healing herbs to the sick.
Sweetness in the bitterness of life.
Light to those who travel by land and sea.
Virtue to the innocent.
Flame to kindle the clean of heart.
Faithful Shepherdess, who guards the sheep and lambs.
The Promised Land, overflowing with milk and honey.
Sweet spices and heavenly perfumes that purify,
sweeter than the honeycomb.
Glory of women.

15. Healer of men.
Sight to the blind.
Hearing to the deaf.
Speech to the dumb.
Cool, life-giving waters to the thirsty.
Food and drink to the weary.
Whose breasts feed all men.
Thy children call to thee.
Heavenly Guide to the traveler,
O Mary, our Mother, lead us home.

O Mary, when our eyes close in our last sleep, and open to behold thy Son, the just judge, and the Angel opens the Book, and the Enemy accuses us; in that terrible hour, come to our aid. Be with us. When death came to Joseph, you and your Son were with him: Thy Son to judge; thou to console. O Happy Joseph! When death comes for us, be near us.

O Mary, when we are held captive in the place of atonement; plead for us, and visit us, that ewe may find consolation in thy presence. Stretch forth thy hand to help us; deliver us from our bondage. We are thy children: Thou art our Mother. As little children we come to thee; we know no fear.

O Mary, He changed water into wine for thee, even as He said: My hour has not yet come. Now He would not refuse thee, when you plead for us thy children.

O Mary, come quickly to our aid.
Do not let us stray from the Fold,
The wolf is waiting to destroy us.

There shall be neither night nor day to thy praises.
Adoration to the Father who created thee!
Adoration to the Son Who took flesh from thee!
Adoration to the Holy Spirit, thy Divine Spouse!
Three in One,
One in Three.
Equal in all things.
To Him be glory for ever.
For ever.
For ever. Amen.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2014







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