30 November 2009

December Work of Mercy - Shelter the Homeless

The corporal work of mercy for December is dedicated to sheltering the homeless in honor of Our Lord who by choosing to be born in a stable, gave witness of this particular work.

In each of his paintings in this series on the works of mercy the painter placed Jesus, sans halo, somewhere in the picture. Only in the first one does Jesus look directly at the viewer.

Pope's Prayer Intention for December

Pope Benedict's prayer intention for December is "That children may be respected and loved and never be the victims of exploitation in its various forms."

23 November 2009

Fr. Thomas' Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Martin's in Rogers, MN

Here are a few pictures from the Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated in the Extraordinary Form by Fr. Thomas Bolin, OSB. He is from the Priory in Norcia that I wrote about a few days ago.




This is a picture of Fr. Cassian, the Prior of Norcia, giving the sermon as is their custom for a newly ordained priest.

I was surprised at what a beautiful Church that St. Martin's is and what a perfect setting for this Mass.

19 November 2009

Feast of All Saints of the Order of Malta

Today the Order of Malta remembers all the Saints and Blesseds of the Order. When we remember “all the saints” of our Order, it is well to reflect that we refer not only to those who have been formally recognized by the Church through beatification or canonization.

On this day we remember the thousands of our predecessors in the Order of St John,including knights, nuns, dames, chaplains, auxiliary troops, supporters who have already entered the presence of God in heaven, for all such are recognized as ‘saints’.

The Collect for today's Mass

O God, the source of all holiness
and of varying forms of it that endow your
Church and build up the Body of Christ,
give us the grace to follow the
saints of our Order
in living for you alone,
by meditating on your law
and by perfect self-denial
so that we may come with them to the bliss of
eternal life.
Amen.

18 November 2009

Pope Benedict Speaks Of The Beauty of European Cathedrals

A few days ago I posted a comment by a priest who said that he was first introduced to the Faith by visiting the great Cathedrals of Europe which he said were, "the Catechism in stone and glass." And today at his weekly audience, Pope Benedict had this to say about the Catedrals of Europe,

"The Christian faith, profoundly rooted in the men and women of the Middle Ages", said the Pope in his catechesis during this morning's general audience, "not only gave rise to masterpieces of theological literature, it also inspired some of the most exalted artistic creations of all civilisation: the cathedrals".

Apart from the more favourable historical conditions, such as greater political stability, the artistic fervour Europe witnessed over three centuries from the year 1000 was due also to "the ardour and spiritual zeal of monasticism", thanks to which the abbeys were built. There "the faithful could remain in prayer, drawn by the idea of venerating the relics of saints, which led to incessant pilgrimages", said Holy Father to the 8,000 faithful gathered in the Paul VI Hall.

Thus the Romanesque churches and cathedrals came into being, one of the novelties of which was the introduction of sculptures which, more than seeking technical perfection, "had an educational aim. ... Their recurring theme was the representation of Christ as Judge, surrounded by the figures of the Apocalypse. In general it is the portals of Romanesque churches that present this image, underlining the fact that Christ is the Door that leads to heaven".

Benedict XVI then turned his attention to the Gothic cathedrals of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries characterised, he said, by "their vertical thrust and luminosity". They "reveal a synthesis of faith and art, harmoniously expressed through the universal and captivating language of beauty. ... The Gothic cathedrals thus sought to translate - in their architectural lines - the longing of the soul for God", while their stained glass windows caused "a cascade of light to fall upon the faithful, recounting the story of salvation".

"Gothic sculpture made cathedrals 'Bibles of stone', depicting the episodes of the Gospel and illustrating the passages of the liturgical year, from the Nativity to the Glorification of the Lord. ... Nor were the figures of the Old Testament overlooked, whose story thus became familiar to the faithful".

Yet "the artistic masterpieces created in Europe over previous centuries are incomprehensible is we do not take account of the religious spirit that inspired them", said Pope Benedict. "When faith, especially as celebrated in the liturgy, encounters art, a profound harmony is created because both wish to speak of God, to make the Invisible visible". He also indicated that during his forthcoming meeting with artists, scheduled for 21 November, he will renew his "proposal of friendship between Christian spirituality and art, as expressed by my predecessors, especially ... Paul VI and John Paul II".

"The force of the Romanesque and the splendour of Gothic cathedrals remind us that the 'via pulchritudinis', the way of beauty, is a privileged and fascinating way to approach the Mystery of God", said the Holy Father.

"May the Lord help us", he concluded, "to rediscover this way of beauty as one of the paths, perhaps the most attractive and captivating, to encounter and to love God".

I always wondered who those Vatican visitors to my blog were.

16 November 2009

Feast of St. Joseph Moscati

Today is the feast of the St. Joseph Moscati, the first modern medical doctor to be canonized. Along with St. Gianna Beretta Molla he would be a great intercessor in Heaven for those of us involved in care for the sick and the poor.

The following bio was take from the book by Joan Carroll Cruz, "Secular Saints: 250 Canonized and Beatified Lay Men, Women, and Children by Joan Cruz, and adapted from the savior.org website

Joseph Moscati was born in Benevento, Italy, on July 25, 1880. He was born to virtuous Catholic parents being the seventh of nine children. His father was a lawyer and President of the Court of Assize in Naples. He was a very friendly and well-liked person. He was extremely intelligent, pious and prayerful.

He went to medical school at the University of Naples. He studied rigorously and frequented daily Mass. He suffered much grief when his beloved father died during his first year in medical school. He pressed on and graduated with a degree in Medicine and Surgery, summa cum laude, when he was only 23 years old in 1903. In 1906,he heroically saved many patients who could have died in the hospital when the roof was collapsing during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. He also was known to save many during a cholera epidemic in 1911. Later that same year, he became holder of the Naples University Chair in Chemical Physiology. Around 1912 or 1913, he made a vow of chastity, consecrating himself to a life of celibacy. He then aspired to be a Jesuit but was discourage by the Jesuit priests who discerned that God's will was for Dr. Moscati to remain in the world as a physician. In 1914, the start of World War I, his mother died. He volunteered in the Italian Army and became a major. He cared for the wounded soldiers and helped them become good Catholics.

Dr. Moscati's philosophy for medical practice was to save souls by caring for the body. He believed that the health of the body depended upon the soul remaining in the state of grace. He is quoted in saying that "one must attend first to the salvation of the soul and only then to that of the body." Through his practice, he helped many lapsed Catholics to return to the Sacraments. His favorite patients were the poor, the homeless, the religious and the priests-all from whom he would never accept payment. He actually went as far as secretly leaving his money within a patient's prescription or under a patient's pillow.One day he even refused payment from all his patients saying "These are working folk. What have we that has not been given us by Our Lord? Woe to us if we do not make good use of God's gifts!"

He was always good to his patients. When one of his patients complained about the strict diet the good doctor prescribed, Dr. Moscati replied "God make us suffer here in order to reward us in the heavenly Kingdom; by resigning ourselves to dietary restrictions, and suffering, we shall have greater merit in the eyes of the Almighty."

Professionally, he commanded the highest admiration and respect from his peers and his students. Some of his pupils would accompany him to Mass. He received communion everyday and had a great devotion to Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception.

Though he saved many, he knew that he himself would not live long. After doing his normal hospital rounds and visiting the poor and examining patients in his home, he felt ill, stopped work, went to his room, sat in his chair and expired. He died at the age of 46. Pope John Paul II canonized Joseph Moscati during the Marian Year of 1987-1988 on October 25, 1987.

13 November 2009

The Monks of Norcia Italy

I learned about a new community of Benedictine monks in Norica, Italy. One of their newly ordained priests is from the Twin Cities and he will be coming to the area to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving in the Extraordinary Form and my sons will be serving for him.

They are a relatively new community located at the birthplaces of Sts Benedict and Scholastica. Earlier this year they were given the apostolic mission of celebrating the Holy Eucharist, "in utroque usus." here is the text of the letter sent by Cardinal Hoyos,


Very Reverend Father Prior:

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, from the very beginning of his pontificate, has made known his desire to foster the unity of the Church. As in the past so also today, the careful celebration of the Sacred Mysteries is a most efficacious instrument for achieving this goal.

For this reason, fatihful to the intentions of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, this Pontifical Commission, responding to your request, entrusts to the Monastery of San Benedetto in Norcia the special apostolate of the celebration of the HolyEucharist “in utroque usu”, that is, both in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, in collaboration with the Holy See and in communion with the diocesan bishop.

I am confident that your young Benedictine community will always support the pastoral activity of the Supreme Pontiff with faithful prayer,

With my best Easter wishes,

Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos,
President Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”


They have daily recordings of their Conventual Mass in the EF which you can listen to on their website, The Monks of Norcia.


12 November 2009

Cathedrals Present the Catechism in Stone and Glass

I was listening to a priest's incredible vocation story at our Serra Club tonight. He came from an entirely unreligious family of a Jewish father and Quaker mother. He credits his first exposure to the Faith when he was living in Europe as a child while his father worked on his Phd. He was able to visit many of the beautiful cathedrals and churches which he felt presented the catechism in stone and stained glass. He talked about the beauty of these Churches and told us if anyone was ever able to build a Church that we should be sure to make it beautiful.

What a contrast to all the Church wreck-o-vators of the past 40 years that have sought to destroy these beautiful buildings and replace them with non descript meeting halls and gathering spaces. It was an apt testament of what we can learn from the visual elements of the Faith.


The top picture is St. Stephen's in Vienna and the lower is a stained glass window from the Cathedral in Cologne.

11 November 2009

Novena Prayers for Memorial of All Saints of the Order of Malta

November 19th is the memorial of All Saints of the Order of Malta. In preparation for this I have two novenas that can be prayed beginning today.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids, the remission of all their sins; that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Or this alternate prayer

O God, the bestower of forgiveness and the lover of human salvation, we beseech Thee, of Thy tender love, to grant that the brethren of our order, with their relatives and benefactors, who have passed out of this life, may, by the intercession of Our Lady of Philermo, and all thy saints, come to the fellowship of eteranal bliss. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

07 November 2009

Tribute Song to the Hippy Dissidents

I thought this would be a great tribute song for all those leftover 60's dissenters in the Church whose idea of "reform" is to reject the teachings of the Church and remake it according to their own image.

06 November 2009

Go On Your Own Way

The Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis is currently in the midst of a strategic planning process which includes holding open discussions to receive feedback from parishoners and/or other organizations. One such group calls themselves the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform. Visit their website if you dare but don't say you weren't warned. Members of this group wrote to the Archdiocesan Director of Parish Services and Planning with the following suggestions,

We request an Archdiocesan-wide discussion of all the relevant questions people want to ask. The meaning questions we would like to address are the following:

• Why do young adults abandon faith formation classes immediately after Confirmation? Why are such a large percentage of children offered no faith formation at all or, if the offer is made, why are they not accepting it?

• Why don’t two-thirds of registered Catholics go to Mass?

• Why are good and capable men not stepping up for ordination as priests?

• Why is celibacy required for the role of priest?

• Why aren’t women’s vocations to the ordained priesthood recognized and accepted?

• Why are third and fourth generation American Catholics leaving the church in great numbers?

• How is the money collected by the Archdiocese spent?

We want the Archbishop to be accountable for his expenditures as the parishes are accountable for theirs.The Task Force’s response when these questions are raised is that they are outside the scope of its mandate. Of course, they are, and that is the problem. We do not think that response will suffice.

If the Task Force requests the power from the Archbishop to facilitate such a discussion with the people of the Archdiocese and is denied that power, we suggest that as a matter of conscience you consider resigning en masse unless and until a full communication process is approved.

Though we are not experts, we have many ideas about how this process could be organized and will be happy to discuss them with you. There are many professional discussion facilitators in the Archdiocese who would, we are sure, be available to help. Some of the crucial elements are that all subjects be allowed to be discussed, no threats of job loss or excommunication will follow open discussion, and that representatives from all the people, not just those chosen by leadership, be involved in planning the discussion.

We think this is the only way to legitimate the process.

And the response from James Lundholm-Eades is, to quote a MasterCard commercial, "Priceless."
I read with particular interest your list of questions. Some of them are clearly outside the scope of this planning process. Some others call into question the framework of the Catholic faith that are simply part of our Catholic belief and tradition as delineated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You and your membership will know from your attendance at the meetings where you added your voice to the consultative process that the outcomes of the planning process will be consistent with the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church.

Finally, if your questions are a reflection of ongoing and serious concerns you have about the beliefs and traditions of our Catholic Church to the degree I sense they are, then it may be that your journey to God may well be served by exploring protestant denominations where your views will find broader acceptance. I prayerfully wish you well in your journey wherever it leads you.

Thanks again for your input to the planning process.

03 November 2009

Book Suggestion for Advent


As we are only a few weeks away from the beginning of Advent I wanted to recommend an excellent book to read and study in preparation for Christmas. De Incarnatione Verbi Dei by St. Anthanasius, or in English, On The Incarnation, is perhaps the best treatise on this important doctrine of the Church. One of the best translations is the 1996 edition available from St. Vladimir's Seminary Press which includes an introduction from C.S. Lewis. It is available at Amazon and I have linked to it in my recommended books below. If you purchase it by following the link to Amazon I am donating all earnings I get from them to supports works of the SMOM

Book Suggestion for Advent


As we are only a few weeks away from the beginning of Advent I wanted to recommend an excellent book to read and study in preparation for Christmas. De Incarnatione Verbi Dei by St. Anthanasius, or in English, On The Incarnation, is perhaps the best treatise on this important doctrine of the Church. One of the best translations is the 1996 edition available from St. Vladimir's Seminary Press which includes an introduction from C.S. Lewis. It is available at Amazon and I have linked to it in my recommended books below. If you purchase it by following the link to Amazon I am donating all earnings I get from them to supports works of the SMOM

02 November 2009

Feast of All Souls

I have previously posted on the excellent book The End of The World by Fr. Arminjon and thought what he had to say regarding the holy souls was worth posting.

There is another thing the dead say to us: you are mistaken about our desires, and the kind of relief our pains demand; you thought you were showing us your sorrow and love by arranging a magnificent funeral. On the spot of our last abode you have erected monuments, which are not so much tributes to our memory as a gratification of your pride. What is the purpose of all this ostentation and splendor? If need be, pull down those mausoleums, smash those monuments and stones, and purchase with their rubble the prayers and suffrage's of the Church.

This is what the dead ask of us; and, if we listen to them, truly, I tell you, our charity will be blessed. The dead will not be thankless. One day, freed from their torments by our solicitude, they will help us by their powerful intercession, and, when we fly up toward the heavenly fatherland, they will accompany us in procession; they will sing around us the hymn of thanksgiving, and increase the joy of everlasting bliss that will be our reward and our glory.

Fidelium animae per misericordium Deum,
Requiescat in pace

There is also this account of the origin of the Feast of All Souls.
In the annals of Citeaux, it is related that a pilgrim from the district of Rodez, returning from Jerusalem, was forced by a storm to pull into port at an island close to Sicily. There he visited a holy hermit, who inquired about matters pertaining to religion in his country of France, and also asked whether knew the monastery of Cluny and Abbot Odilon. The pilgrim replied that he did, and added that he would be grateful if he would tell him what purpose he had in asking him that question. The hermit answered, "Very near this place, there is a crater, whose summit we can see; at certain times, it belches up clouds of smoke and flame. I have seen demons carrying off the souls of sinners and hurling them into that frightful abyss, in order to torment them for a while. Now, on certain days, I hear the evil spirits conversing among themselves, and complaining that some of these souls have escaped from the; they blame pious persons who, by their prayers and sacrifices, hasten the deliverance of these souls. Odilon and his monks are the ones who seem to terrify them the most. That is why, when you return to your country, I ask you in the name of God to exhort the abbot and monks of Cluny to redouble their prayers and alms for the relief of these poor souls." The pilgrim, on his return, did as he was bidden. the holy Abbot Odilon pondered and weighed everything carefully. He sought enlightenment from God, and ordained that, in all the monasteries of his order, the second day of November each year should be established in commemoration of all the faithful departed.

Feast of All Souls

I have previously posted on the excellent book The End of The World by Fr. Arminjon and thought what he had to say regarding the holy souls was worth posting.

There is another thing the dead say to us: you are mistaken about our desires, and the kind of relief our pains demand; you thought you were showing us your sorrow and love by arranging a magnificent funeral. On the spot of our last abode you have erected monuments, which are not so much tributes to our memory as a gratification of your pride. What is the purpose of all this ostentation and splendor? If need be, pull down those mausoleums, smash those monuments and stones, and purchase with their rubble the prayers and suffrage's of the Church.

This is what the dead ask of us; and, if we listen to them, truly, I tell you, our charity will be blessed. The dead will not be thankless. One day, freed from their torments by our solicitude, they will help us by their powerful intercession, and, when we fly up toward the heavenly fatherland, they will accompany us in procession; they will sing around us the hymn of thanksgiving, and increase the joy of everlasting bliss that will be our reward and our glory.

Fidelium animae per misericordium Deum,
Requiescat in pace

There is also this account of the origin of the Feast of All Souls.
In the annals of Citeaux, it is related that a pilgrim from the district of Rodez, returning from Jerusalem, was forced by a storm to pull into port at an island close to Sicily. There he visited a holy hermit, who inquired about matters pertaining to religion in his country of France, and also asked whether knew the monastery of Cluny and Abbot Odilon. The pilgrim replied that he did, and added that he would be grateful if he would tell him what purpose he had in asking him that question. The hermit answered, "Very near this place, there is a crater, whose summit we can see; at certain times, it belches up clouds of smoke and flame. I have seen demons carrying off the souls of sinners and hurling them into that frightful abyss, in order to torment them for a while. Now, on certain days, I hear the evil spirits conversing among themselves, and complaining that some of these souls have escaped from the; they blame pious persons who, by their prayers and sacrifices, hasten the deliverance of these souls. Odilon and his monks are the ones who seem to terrify them the most. That is why, when you return to your country, I ask you in the name of God to exhort the abbot and monks of Cluny to redouble their prayers and alms for the relief of these poor souls." The pilgrim, on his return, did as he was bidden. the holy Abbot Odilon pondered and weighed everything carefully. He sought enlightenment from God, and ordained that, in all the monasteries of his order, the second day of November each year should be established in commemoration of all the faithful departed.

01 November 2009

November Work of Mercy - To Bury The Dead

The Corporal Work of Mercy - To Bury the Dead, is a perfect act that we can practice throughout the month of November by remembering the holy souls in purgatory, particularly those souls who have no one else to remember them. An appropriate prayer for the faithful departed is Psalm 129, De Profundis. I will be including a nine day novena as well as prayers for each day of the week so please check back.

De profúndis clamávi ad te, Dómine: Dómine, exáudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuae intendéntes: in vocem deprecationes meae.
Si iniquitátes observaveris, Dómine: Dómine, quis sustinébit.
Quia apud te propitiátio est: et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Dómine.
Sustinuit ánima mea in verbo ejus: sperávit ánima mea in Dómino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem: specret Israel in Dómino.
Quia apud Dóminum misericordia: et copiósa apud eum redémptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel, ex ómnibus iniquitátibus ejus.

November Work of Mercy - To Bury The Dead

The Corporal Work of Mercy - To Bury the Dead, is a perfect act that we can practice throughout the month of November by remembering the holy souls in purgatory, particularly those souls who have no one else to remember them. An appropriate prayer for the faithful departed is Psalm 129, De Profundis. I will be including a nine day novena as well as prayers for each day of the week so please check back.

De profúndis clamávi ad te, Dómine: Dómine, exáudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuae intendéntes: in vocem deprecationes meae.
Si iniquitátes observaveris, Dómine: Dómine, quis sustinébit.
Quia apud te propitiátio est: et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Dómine.
Sustinuit ánima mea in verbo ejus: sperávit ánima mea in Dómino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem: specret Israel in Dómino.
Quia apud Dóminum misericordia: et copiósa apud eum redémptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel, ex ómnibus iniquitátibus ejus.

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