30 May 2010

Joseph Pearce - Unlocks "The Lord of the Rings"

There is a fantasic talk available on CD by Joseph Pearce on Unlocking The Lord of the Rings, available from the Envoy Institute at Belmont Abbey College.
 
Here's the cover description of the talk,
The "Lord of the Rings" is the most popular literary work of the last century. It was also one of the most successful movies ever made. What is the secret of its success? You'll discover that secret and more by ordering your free copy of our exciting new CD, "Joseph Pearce Unlocks The Lord of the Rings." This is a special limited time offer, so order your free CD (plus $4.95 shipping & handling) today!
Mr. Pearce gives wonderful insight to the Catholic theology running throughout the books.
Here's the link to order.

Joseph Pearce - Unlocks "The Lord of the Rings"

There is a fantasic talk available on CD by Joseph Pearce on Unlocking The Lord of the Rings, available from the Envoy Institute at Belmont Abbey College.
 
Here's the cover description of the talk,
The "Lord of the Rings" is the most popular literary work of the last century. It was also one of the most successful movies ever made. What is the secret of its success? You'll discover that secret and more by ordering your free copy of our exciting new CD, "Joseph Pearce Unlocks The Lord of the Rings." This is a special limited time offer, so order your free CD (plus $4.95 shipping & handling) today!
Mr. Pearce gives wonderful insight to the Catholic theology running throughout the books.
Here's the link to order.

18 May 2010

Feast Day of Blessed Gerard Mecatti


H/T to Fr. Gerard of the South African Association of the Order for this information.

Born at Villamagna near Florence about 1174, he followed his feudal lord to Palestine and there became a 'serving brother' of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. After returning home he lived as a hermit in penance and prayer. He died about 1245: the date is uncertain. His body is still at Villamagna, where his Memorial is kept every year on 18 May.
Prayer:

O God, who called blessed Gerard, like your own Son, to intense striving in the wilderness, strengthen us by penance and prayer and make us fitter for our Christian duties. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.(From: The Missal with readings of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes, & of Malta, London 1997)
Next to St. Hugh and St. Ubaldesca, Blessed Gerard Mecatti is the most famous of the saints venerated in our Order of Chivalry. He was born in 1174, at Villamagna not far from Florence. As soon as he reached his adolescence, he led an existence worthy of admiration for his humility, piety and compassion for the poor. At an early age, he requested and obtained admission as a "servant d'armes" in the Order of Saint John, in which he set an example of disinterested charity, giving all he owned to the unfortunate.

As his virtue increased through his perfect correspondence with grace, he felt the need of banishing from his life every thing which might distract him from communion with God alone or prevent his total solitude. Having met St. Francis of Assisi, he received from his stigmatized hands the habit of the Friars Minor. But, in spite of this, he did not leave the Order of Saint John; all his life he wore on his garments the white cross of the Religion. He was content with putting the habits of both religions one over the other, and he added the observances of vows and promises of one order to those of the other.

From then on, he withdrew into a wretched hovel not far from the place of his birth. There he led the most strict life as an hermit, entirely occupied with contemplation and penance. He wore a hair shirt, scourged himself, fasted, and humiliated himself incessantly. These practices caused his reputation for sanctity to spread; he was called by no other name than the Antony or Hilarion of his age! Each night, so as not to be seen, he was accustomed to cover on his knees a distance of three miles.

In the 17th century, the Confraternity of Saint Donino of Villamagna still covered in procession that same distance in memory of the holy penitent, but not on their knees. Finally, the saint fell ill, and nuns were sent to take care of him. one night in January, as the sister asked him whether he wanted anything, he answered with a smile: "Yes, I should like to eat some cherries". She thought he was delirious. He insisted, however, and she went out partly convinced that she would find cherries. There, in a small enclosure, she saw a cherry tree full of very red and very ripe fruit "as fine and fresh as in June".

It was for that reason that in the picture that Frà Francis dell'Antella, Commander of Saint James in Campo Corbellini, in Florence, Majordomo of H. S. H. the Grand Duke of Tuscany, sent to Frà James Bosio, historian of the Order, one can see the Blessed Gerard Mecatti dressed in grey but wearing the cross of Saint John on his breast and carrying a branch loaded with red cherries.

On May 13, 1254, he died in his hermitage, full of meritorious years and virtues. His body was placed not far from there in the branches of an oak tree, so that he might be out of reach of the fanatic piety of the villagers who would not have hesitated to dig him up in order to divide his relics. But the precaution did not suffice; the Republic of Florence had to send soldiers to protect the saint in that elevated position. Then, it was decided to build a church in his honour in Villamagna. He now rests there, under the main altar, in a reliquary of stone. As late as the 17th century, his body was still well preserved and intact; it emitted a pleasing fragrance, as could be corroborated every year on the day of his feast - the second day of Pentecost - when it was shown to the people.

This was a new aspect of sanctity in an Order strong enough to adapt itself to all the needs of the souls entrusted to it. A solitary Knight, the Blessed Mecatti was able to overcome the greatest enemy of God he had met: himself; and that, through silence and humiliation.
Let us ask him, we who are so invaded by the tumult of the world, to help us know, for a few moments each day, how to be hermits of God, the contemplative and praying individuals who make possible on earth the supernatural fruit of good works: the reign of grace and the triumph of the Cross.
(From: Ducaud-Bourget, Msgr. François: The Spiritual Heritage of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Vatican 1958)

Feast Day of Blessed Gerard Mecatti


H/T to Fr. Gerard of the South African Association of the Order for this information.

Born at Villamagna near Florence about 1174, he followed his feudal lord to Palestine and there became a 'serving brother' of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. After returning home he lived as a hermit in penance and prayer. He died about 1245: the date is uncertain. His body is still at Villamagna, where his Memorial is kept every year on 18 May.
Prayer:

O God, who called blessed Gerard, like your own Son, to intense striving in the wilderness, strengthen us by penance and prayer and make us fitter for our Christian duties. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.(From: The Missal with readings of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes, & of Malta, London 1997)
Next to St. Hugh and St. Ubaldesca, Blessed Gerard Mecatti is the most famous of the saints venerated in our Order of Chivalry. He was born in 1174, at Villamagna not far from Florence. As soon as he reached his adolescence, he led an existence worthy of admiration for his humility, piety and compassion for the poor. At an early age, he requested and obtained admission as a "servant d'armes" in the Order of Saint John, in which he set an example of disinterested charity, giving all he owned to the unfortunate.

As his virtue increased through his perfect correspondence with grace, he felt the need of banishing from his life every thing which might distract him from communion with God alone or prevent his total solitude. Having met St. Francis of Assisi, he received from his stigmatized hands the habit of the Friars Minor. But, in spite of this, he did not leave the Order of Saint John; all his life he wore on his garments the white cross of the Religion. He was content with putting the habits of both religions one over the other, and he added the observances of vows and promises of one order to those of the other.

From then on, he withdrew into a wretched hovel not far from the place of his birth. There he led the most strict life as an hermit, entirely occupied with contemplation and penance. He wore a hair shirt, scourged himself, fasted, and humiliated himself incessantly. These practices caused his reputation for sanctity to spread; he was called by no other name than the Antony or Hilarion of his age! Each night, so as not to be seen, he was accustomed to cover on his knees a distance of three miles.

In the 17th century, the Confraternity of Saint Donino of Villamagna still covered in procession that same distance in memory of the holy penitent, but not on their knees. Finally, the saint fell ill, and nuns were sent to take care of him. one night in January, as the sister asked him whether he wanted anything, he answered with a smile: "Yes, I should like to eat some cherries". She thought he was delirious. He insisted, however, and she went out partly convinced that she would find cherries. There, in a small enclosure, she saw a cherry tree full of very red and very ripe fruit "as fine and fresh as in June".

It was for that reason that in the picture that Frà Francis dell'Antella, Commander of Saint James in Campo Corbellini, in Florence, Majordomo of H. S. H. the Grand Duke of Tuscany, sent to Frà James Bosio, historian of the Order, one can see the Blessed Gerard Mecatti dressed in grey but wearing the cross of Saint John on his breast and carrying a branch loaded with red cherries.

On May 13, 1254, he died in his hermitage, full of meritorious years and virtues. His body was placed not far from there in the branches of an oak tree, so that he might be out of reach of the fanatic piety of the villagers who would not have hesitated to dig him up in order to divide his relics. But the precaution did not suffice; the Republic of Florence had to send soldiers to protect the saint in that elevated position. Then, it was decided to build a church in his honour in Villamagna. He now rests there, under the main altar, in a reliquary of stone. As late as the 17th century, his body was still well preserved and intact; it emitted a pleasing fragrance, as could be corroborated every year on the day of his feast - the second day of Pentecost - when it was shown to the people.

This was a new aspect of sanctity in an Order strong enough to adapt itself to all the needs of the souls entrusted to it. A solitary Knight, the Blessed Mecatti was able to overcome the greatest enemy of God he had met: himself; and that, through silence and humiliation.
Let us ask him, we who are so invaded by the tumult of the world, to help us know, for a few moments each day, how to be hermits of God, the contemplative and praying individuals who make possible on earth the supernatural fruit of good works: the reign of grace and the triumph of the Cross.
(From: Ducaud-Bourget, Msgr. François: The Spiritual Heritage of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Vatican 1958)

16 May 2010

Abortion Performed at Catholic Hospital in Phoenix

A Catholic hospital in Phoenix recently performed an abortion on an eleven week pregnant mother citing it was necessary to save the life of the mother according to Sister Margaret McBride,

"In this tragic case, the treatment necessary to save the mother's life required the termination of an 11-week pregnancy," hospital vice president Susan Pfister said in an e-mail to the newspaper.  She said the facility owned by Catholic Healthcare West adheres to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services but that the directives do not answer all questions.
In simpler times it would have assumed that a person sitting on the ethics committee of a Catholic institution would have had sufficient knowledge of Catholic teaching to make recommendations consistent with such teaching. Obviously the Church's position on abortion is well known to all but a few politicians. Less commonly understood is it's position where the danger to a mothers life is at stake. But just to prove that the abortion issue is not new, the Church has addressed this particular question in the 1800's. The answer is that you may not directly kill the baby even to save the life of the mother so it is disingenuous at best to suggest that their directives do not answer all questions.  A person in Sister McBride's position would have known that and thus warranting the automatic excommunication she and the other administrator received.  The full story can be read here.

And a quote from St. Gianna Beretta Molla who made the choice to save her daughter's life over her own.
"The doctor should not meddle. The right of the child is equal to the right of the mother’s life. The doctor can’t decide; it is a sin to kill in the womb."

Abortion Performed at Catholic Hospital in Phoenix

A Catholic hospital in Phoenix recently performed an abortion on an eleven week pregnant mother citing it was necessary to save the life of the mother according to Sister Margaret McBride,

"In this tragic case, the treatment necessary to save the mother's life required the termination of an 11-week pregnancy," hospital vice president Susan Pfister said in an e-mail to the newspaper.  She said the facility owned by Catholic Healthcare West adheres to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services but that the directives do not answer all questions.
In simpler times it would have assumed that a person sitting on the ethics committee of a Catholic institution would have had sufficient knowledge of Catholic teaching to make recommendations consistent with such teaching. Obviously the Church's position on abortion is well known to all but a few politicians. Less commonly understood is it's position where the danger to a mothers life is at stake. But just to prove that the abortion issue is not new, the Church has addressed this particular question in the 1800's. The answer is that you may not directly kill the baby even to save the life of the mother so it is disingenuous at best to suggest that their directives do not answer all questions.  A person in Sister McBride's position would have known that and thus warranting the automatic excommunication she and the other administrator received.  The full story can be read here.

And a quote from St. Gianna Beretta Molla who made the choice to save her daughter's life over her own.
"The doctor should not meddle. The right of the child is equal to the right of the mother’s life. The doctor can’t decide; it is a sin to kill in the womb."

14 May 2010

Reply To Commentary of Bishop Pat Power

UPDATE!
It seems that Bishop Power didn't like hearing from some of the Faithful, only those in accord with his own position.  My response message was rejected by his server as being SPAM.  No way it was so I must conclude I have been blacklisted.

Aux. Bishop Pat Power of Australia recently commented on the Church's need to rethink its positions, on sexuality, celibacy and marriage and called for the voices of the Faithful to heed this call.  I sent him an email to which he responded
Thanks, John. I respect your right to enunciate your views but I am sure that you are aware of many people who see things as being far more complex than you seem to believe.
 and here is my response back,
While assuredly there are many people who see the situation in the Church today as complex if you are looking for a comparison in numbers there are two thousand years of Church history, Fathers, Doctors and Saints who support my beliefs. It may be that I see things simply and that is because the message of Jesus was simple to those who would listen. It is we humans who in our pride make things complex. When Jesus told the people to “eat My body” many went away because they found that message difficult and complex to understand. Today many people find the Church’s teaching on artificial contraception, divorce, marriage between men and women only also difficult. And so they too “go away” because they find the message too hard to accept. But the command is simple even though our fallen nature makes it difficult to comply. We rarely hear our Bishops and priests speak about the virtue of chastity, why is that? Instead of making allowances and defending immoral behavior why don’t we instruct on the beauty of the virtue and encourage people to aspire to a higher level of virtue?

Our Faith has been so diluted in delivery that is not difficult to understand why few people bother with it anymore. The Protestant reformers of the 16th Century instead of seeking to correct the abuses of the Church’s true teachings denied them entirely. So today too we have reformers in the Church who remain not to reform but to destroy. Our response must not be to deny the Church’s teaching but proclaim them ever anew. To paraphrase Chesterton, most Catholics don’t understand the basis for the teachings of the Church so they reject the things they do hear. To those who actually read it Humanae Vitae is brilliant in its defense of the historical teaching of the Church. So too for the Church discipline on celibacy which when understood in its supernatural context is beautiful. Unfortunately those opposed to this discipline, and we should not forget that not only priests but also religious and unmarried laity are called to be chaste and celibate, can offer no argument in its defense other than purely natural, frequently selfish reasons. I fully understand the difficulties involved but also the graces given by God in support.

How frequently did Jesus chastise his followers who always tried to make things more difficult than they were? Philip and Thomas are two we have heard about recently at Mass but there was also Judas who betrayed Jesus because he thought he knew better than Jesus what his mission ought to be. You accuse me of seeming to believe things less complex than others. That is not true. I think it is a great paradox of Jesus’s teaching that it is at the same time simple while complex in its mystery which we will never fully understand, even in Heaven. But there is also a reason He so frequently first chose the weak and the simple to deliver His message. From the poverty of His birth amidst the animals and shepherds, His humble childhood in Nazareth, His choice of simple fisherman to be His first Apostles, etc., Jesus chose them to make His message known rather than the learned scholars. He also told us we must be “as children.” Yet simple does not mean naïve and Jesus also told us to be “wise as serpents” so that we might be alert to those false teachers that would come preaching a new Gospel. I don’t accuse you of being one of these as I don’t know your thoughts fully on the issues you said needed rethinking. But if you fall into the camp and support the recent letter of the dissident Hans Kung then one indeed must be wary. A faith built on the pillars of Be Nice and Don’t Judge is no faith at all and it certainly wasn't the Gospel of Jesus.

I hope that you will accept my letter with the spirit of respect and humility with which it was written and I wholeheartedly enjoin your request that we pray for one another and the Church and our Religion which we both love. In this time after the Ascension I pray that Jesus send His Spirit to guide and support you,
Here is a link to the article Bishop Powers wrote. http://www.catholica.com.au/gc1/pp/005_pp_270410.php

Reply To Commentary of Bishop Pat Power

UPDATE!
It seems that Bishop Power didn't like hearing from some of the Faithful, only those in accord with his own position.  My response message was rejected by his server as being SPAM.  No way it was so I must conclude I have been blacklisted.

Aux. Bishop Pat Power of Australia recently commented on the Church's need to rethink its positions, on sexuality, celibacy and marriage and called for the voices of the Faithful to heed this call.  I sent him an email to which he responded
Thanks, John. I respect your right to enunciate your views but I am sure that you are aware of many people who see things as being far more complex than you seem to believe.
 and here is my response back,
While assuredly there are many people who see the situation in the Church today as complex if you are looking for a comparison in numbers there are two thousand years of Church history, Fathers, Doctors and Saints who support my beliefs. It may be that I see things simply and that is because the message of Jesus was simple to those who would listen. It is we humans who in our pride make things complex. When Jesus told the people to “eat My body” many went away because they found that message difficult and complex to understand. Today many people find the Church’s teaching on artificial contraception, divorce, marriage between men and women only also difficult. And so they too “go away” because they find the message too hard to accept. But the command is simple even though our fallen nature makes it difficult to comply. We rarely hear our Bishops and priests speak about the virtue of chastity, why is that? Instead of making allowances and defending immoral behavior why don’t we instruct on the beauty of the virtue and encourage people to aspire to a higher level of virtue?

Our Faith has been so diluted in delivery that is not difficult to understand why few people bother with it anymore. The Protestant reformers of the 16th Century instead of seeking to correct the abuses of the Church’s true teachings denied them entirely. So today too we have reformers in the Church who remain not to reform but to destroy. Our response must not be to deny the Church’s teaching but proclaim them ever anew. To paraphrase Chesterton, most Catholics don’t understand the basis for the teachings of the Church so they reject the things they do hear. To those who actually read it Humanae Vitae is brilliant in its defense of the historical teaching of the Church. So too for the Church discipline on celibacy which when understood in its supernatural context is beautiful. Unfortunately those opposed to this discipline, and we should not forget that not only priests but also religious and unmarried laity are called to be chaste and celibate, can offer no argument in its defense other than purely natural, frequently selfish reasons. I fully understand the difficulties involved but also the graces given by God in support.

How frequently did Jesus chastise his followers who always tried to make things more difficult than they were? Philip and Thomas are two we have heard about recently at Mass but there was also Judas who betrayed Jesus because he thought he knew better than Jesus what his mission ought to be. You accuse me of seeming to believe things less complex than others. That is not true. I think it is a great paradox of Jesus’s teaching that it is at the same time simple while complex in its mystery which we will never fully understand, even in Heaven. But there is also a reason He so frequently first chose the weak and the simple to deliver His message. From the poverty of His birth amidst the animals and shepherds, His humble childhood in Nazareth, His choice of simple fisherman to be His first Apostles, etc., Jesus chose them to make His message known rather than the learned scholars. He also told us we must be “as children.” Yet simple does not mean naïve and Jesus also told us to be “wise as serpents” so that we might be alert to those false teachers that would come preaching a new Gospel. I don’t accuse you of being one of these as I don’t know your thoughts fully on the issues you said needed rethinking. But if you fall into the camp and support the recent letter of the dissident Hans Kung then one indeed must be wary. A faith built on the pillars of Be Nice and Don’t Judge is no faith at all and it certainly wasn't the Gospel of Jesus.

I hope that you will accept my letter with the spirit of respect and humility with which it was written and I wholeheartedly enjoin your request that we pray for one another and the Church and our Religion which we both love. In this time after the Ascension I pray that Jesus send His Spirit to guide and support you,
Here is a link to the article Bishop Powers wrote. http://www.catholica.com.au/gc1/pp/005_pp_270410.php

11 May 2010

Lourdes Pilgrimage 2010

I was blessed to go on Pilgrimage to Lourdes again this year with the Order of Malta and attend Vespers and Mass in Latin thanks to my confreres from the Grand Priory of England and the British Association.  I didn't get take as many pictures this year but here are a couple I can share. 

Lourdes Pilgrimage 2010

I was blessed to go on Pilgrimage to Lourdes again this year with the Order of Malta and attend Vespers and Mass in Latin thanks to my confreres from the Grand Priory of England and the British Association.  I didn't get take as many pictures this year but here are a couple I can share. 

10 May 2010

Rogation Days

The three days prior to Ascension Thursday are known as the "minor" Rogation Days, April 25th being the "major" Rogation Day.  Their purpose was as days of prayer, and formerly also of fasting, instituted by the Church to appease God's anger at man's transgressions, to ask protection in calamities, and to obtain a good and bountiful harvest.  One would think that with the circumstances in the world both as relating to man's sinfulness and the number of natural disasters occuring it might be a wise idea to restore these days to the liturgical calendar.  Unfortunately as more and more Dioceses move the feast of the Ascension to the Sunday following to assuage the guilt of those unable to make a second Mass during the week we are unlikely to see the Church reintroducing any additional penitential practices. [In my Archdiocese the excuse given was that this Mass be celebrated  Sunday "to better allow parishoners to celebrate this special day together." Blech!] Oh well perhaps if we just close our eyes and hope that it all passes over maybe it will.

Rogation Days

The three days prior to Ascension Thursday are known as the "minor" Rogation Days, April 25th being the "major" Rogation Day.  Their purpose was as days of prayer, and formerly also of fasting, instituted by the Church to appease God's anger at man's transgressions, to ask protection in calamities, and to obtain a good and bountiful harvest.  One would think that with the circumstances in the world both as relating to man's sinfulness and the number of natural disasters occuring it might be a wise idea to restore these days to the liturgical calendar.  Unfortunately as more and more Dioceses move the feast of the Ascension to the Sunday following to assuage the guilt of those unable to make a second Mass during the week we are unlikely to see the Church reintroducing any additional penitential practices. [In my Archdiocese the excuse given was that this Mass be celebrated  Sunday "to better allow parishoners to celebrate this special day together." Blech!] Oh well perhaps if we just close our eyes and hope that it all passes over maybe it will.

Disclaimer

This blog and the opinions are all my own and in no way imply the endorsement from any organization. Nor does a recommendation of another blog or web site imply my agreement or endorsement of everything found on their site.