Pope Benedicts homily at Cardinal Laghi's Funeral

POPE RECALLS THE PASTORAL ACTIVITIES OF CARDINAL PIO LAGHI VATICAN CITY, 13 JAN 2009 (VIS) -
In a homily pronounced at the end a funeral Mass for Cardinal Pio Laghi, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Holy Father recalled the career of the late prelate, who died on Sunday 11 January at the age of 86, following a long illness.

The Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals. Benedict XVI mentioned the cardinal's spiritual testament, dated 14 November 2008, in which the late prelate writes: "'Once again I offer my life to God for the Church, for the Holy Father and for the sanctification of my confreres in the priesthood'. ... We can say", the Pope commented, "that the entire priestly mission of Cardinal Pio Laghi was passed in the direct service of the Holy See. "Always", added the Pope, "he drew inspiration from the words Peter addressed to Jesus on the occasion of the miraculous catch of fish: 'Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so I will let down the nets'. ... He chose these words as the motto of his episcopal ministry ... because when he was consecrated a bishop on 22 June 1969, that Sunday's liturgy included the evangelical episode of the miraculous catch of fish".

The Holy Father then reviewed the various stages of the late cardinal's life, highlighting how he was born into a family "where he received a sound human and Christian formation, and which he described in his spiritual testament as 'Christian, Catholic, hardworking and honest'". The Pope also dwelt on the cardinal's studies in Faenza, Italy, and at the Major Pontifical Seminary of Rome, and his ordination as priest on 20 April 1946. Having graduated in theology and canon law from Rome's Lateran University, "he began his long itinerary of diplomatic and pastoral work" in the apostolic nunciatures to Nicaragua, U.S.A. and India, after which he returned to the Secretariat of State for five years.

In 1969, Paul VI appointed him as delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, pro-nuncio to Cyprus and apostolic visitor to Greece; and in 1974 he was appointed as apostolic nuncio to Argentina. There he remained until 1980 when he took the office of apostolic delegate to the United States. "It was during those years", the Pope recalled, "that official relations were established between the Holy See and the U.S. government". John Paul II, aware of Cardinal Laghi's "long experience and knowledge of the Church", appointed him as prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, making him a cardinal in 1991.

In 1993, he also appointed him as patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. "We must remember", the Pope went on, "the special missions" entrusted to Cardinal Laghi, such as consigning a pontifical Message to Israeli and Palestinian authorities in May 2001 "to encourage them to implement an immediate cease-fire and resume dialogue". Also that of March 2003 when, as special envoy to Washington, he delivered a pontifical Message to U.S. President George W. Bush "explaining the Holy See's position and initiatives to contribute to disarmament and peace in the Middle East. Delicate missions", said Pope Benedict, "which he, as always, sought to fulfil with faithful dedication to Christ and His Church".

Finally, the Holy Father mentioned the cardinal's "zeal in the promotion of vocations and formation for the priesthood", and he concluded: "At the moment in which we bid him farewell, our hearts are moved by the firm hope which ... 'is full of immortality', the same hope that illuminated the priestly and apostolic life of Cardinal Pio Laghi".

Assassins of the Family - Birth Contol

Chesterton wrote an essay of Social Reform versus Birth Control which in light of news that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (who some try to pass as "pro-life" because he is a Mormon) filed a bill on the opening day of the new Congress that will provide more government money for birth control seems truly prescient. Ironically we were constantly told all last election cycle that we needed to vote for the Democrats because they were the politicians concerned about welfare, job creation and the other socio-economic issues. But when new jobless figures are released, with the highest levels in years, and many cities and states facing economic deficits placing more jobs at risk, Sen. Reid has as a priority increased spending for birth control. Perhaps we can understand this better after reading the following excerpt from Chesterton.

If anybody doubts that this is the very simple motive, let him test it by the very simple statements made by the various Birth-Controllers like the Dean of St. Paul's. They never do say that we suffer from a too bountiful supply of bankers or that cosmopolitan financiers must not have such large families. They do not say that the fashionable throng at Ascot wants thinning, or that it is desirable to decimate the people dining at the Ritz or the Savoy. Though, Lord knows, if ever a thing human could look like a sub-human jungle, with tropical flowers and very poisonous weeds, it is the rich crowd that assembles in a modern Americanized hotel.

But the Birth-Controllers have not the smallest desire to control that jungle. It is much too dangerous a jungle to touch. It contains tigers. They never do talk about a danger from the comfortable classes, even from a more respectable section of the comfortable classes. The Gloomy Dean is not gloomy about there being too many Dukes; and naturally not about there being too many Deans. He is not primarily annoyed with a politician for having a whole population of poor relations, though places and public salaries have to be found for all the relations. Political Economy means that everybody except politicians must be economical.

The Birth-Controller does not bother about all these things, for the perfectly simple reason that it is not such people that he wants to control. What he wants to control is the populace, and he practically says so. He aways insists that a workman has no right to have so many children, or that a slum is perilous because it is producing so many children. The question he dreads is "Why has not the workman a better wage? Why has not the slum family a better house?" His way of escaping from it is to suggest, not a larger house but a smaller family. The landlord or the employer says in his hearty and handsome fashion: "You really cannot expect me to deprive myself of my money. But I will make a sacrifice, I will deprive myself of your children."

The Heresy of Immorality

From the "The Next Heresy" in G.K.'s Weekly, June 19, 1926. As usual truly prophetic.

For the next great heresy is simply going to be an attack on morality; and especially on sexual morality. And it is coming, not from a few Socialists surviving from the Fabian Society, but from the living exultant energy of the rich, resolved to enjoy themselves at last, with neither Popery, nor Puritanism, nor Socialism to hold them back. . . . The madness of tomorrow is not in Moscow, but much more in Manhattan.

Remember this and pray for the intercession of the Holy Family whose feast day is today in the traditional, 1962, calendar.

Cardinal Pio Laghi - Cardinal Patronus SMOM R.I.P.

Cardinal Pio Laghi Bailiff Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion, the Cardinal Patronus of the Order of Malta since 1993 has died today.

The Order of Malta lost one of its most prominent members, as well as a moral and spiritual guide, declared the Grand Master, Matthew Festing, who visited Cardinal Laghi in hospital for the last time on Thursday evening.
The Cardinal Patronus has the task of promoting the spiritual interests of the Order and its members as well as the relationships between the Holy See and the Order.


President Bush and his wife sent condolences to Pope Benedict XVI and all Catholics.

"Cardinal Laghi was a friend who, in his more than 60 years of service to the Catholic Church, worked tirelessly for peace and justice in our world. As the Papal Nuncio to the United States during the final years of the Cold War, and in his many other assignments, Cardinal Laghi always strove to unite people of all religions and promote reconciliation, religious freedom, and tolerance,"

The funeral for Cardinal Laghi will be Tuesday at St. Peter's. Pope Benedict is expected to participate in the funeral along with the Grand Master Fra. Festing and members of the Sovereign Council.

V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.

Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

SF Church Vandalized by Opponents of Prop 8

The Catholic League released a statement today regarding the vandalization done to Most Holy Redeemer parish in San Francisco by gay activists upset with the Church's support of Proposition 8.

Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, in the heart of San Francisco’s gay Castro community, was vandalized over the weekend by opponents of Proposition 8, the California resolution passed by voters in November that rejected gay marriage. Swastikas were painted on the church and the names Ratzinger (referring to Pope Benedict XVI) and Niederauer (the San Francisco Archbishop) were scrawled besides the Nazi symbol.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue is asking Catholics nationwide to respond to this incident: “In the wake of Proposition 8, innocent persons have been assaulted, churches have been vandalized, a white substance resembling anthrax was sent to the Knights of Columbus and to Mormon temples, supporters of traditional marriage have been branded Nazis, African Americans have been called the ‘N-word,’ houses and cars have been trashed, etc. Unfortunately, most of those in the gay community have been silent about these acts.

“Part of the blame for the latest attack goes to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Both Newsom and the Board have shown nothing but contempt for the First Amendment rights of Catholics. When crucifixes are sold as sex toys and Catholic sensibilities are assaulted by naked men in the street at the annual Folsom Street Fair, they say nothing. When gay men dressed as nuns show up at Mass—at the same church—they say nothing. But the Board was quite vocal about condemning the Catholic Church in 2006, something which led to a lawsuit triggered by the Catholic League and the Thomas More Law Center.

“For those who love to write about ‘root causes,’ let them ponder the guilt of these public officials. Moreover, leaders in the gay community show no leadership when it comes to denouncing incivility committed in the name of gay rights. This has got to
end.”

Ave Maria Mutual Funds and the NY Times Bias

A few weeks ago the Editorial Board of The New York Times took umbrage with Ave Maria Funds and their advertising on the Laura Ingram radio show. Because these funds pledge "smart investing and Catholic values" the Times felt inspired to find fault with this claim and sought to point out what they perceive as an inconsistency in this statement. They write,

"Ave Maria hews to a far narrower, unmistakably conservative Catholic outlook. A prime objective, explicitly promised, is not to subsidize sexual indecency. Scan its investor materials and you will not find companies like Playboy Enterprises or firms that donate to Planned Parenthood or bestow health benefits on same-sex couples."

Then they trot out the usual misrepresentation of issues that are supposedly the domain of the "Catholic Left" i.e., the Iraq War, the excesses of capitalism and the death penalty. Since the Ave Maria Funds invest in certain companies that build military related items they are "discredited" by the Times as simply being "conservative Catholics" rather than true Catholics. Obviously since John Paul II called the Iraq War unjust and Ave Maria invests in a company that builds Blackhawk helicopters they are hypocrites, well at least according to the Times. I wonder whether the Times would be as outraged if they realized that Blackhawks are also used in Afghanistan or will be used to fly cover for President Obama while he is aboard Marine 1?

This is nothing but more of the same from the biased NY Times but Bill Donohue at The Catholic League makes another terrific rebuttal,

“It should not matter to anyone if a private company has a cross, or a Star of David, or a crescent and star, as its logo. But to those who harbor an animus against religion, it does. It also matters to liberal Catholics who hate those ‘narrow’ conservative Catholics. Indeed, the editorial is not so much a Catholic-bashing piece as it is a conservative Catholic-bashing screed. This would be a disgraceful editorial in any newspaper—it is doubly disturbing that it should occur in the New York Times, blog or no.”

For anyone interested in supporting Catholic values investing they should contact the Ave Maria Funds.

January Argument of the Month Club Talk/Dinner

The next meeting of the Argument of the Month Club at St. Augustine's is Tuesday, January 13th. This month's debate will feature Dr. Hippler from Providence Academy versus Geroge Kane from the Minnesota Atheists. They will be discussing issues relating to morality and God and the importance of one for the other. For more information, and a look at the menu, visit their website aotmclub.com.

Latin Mass in Minneapolis

Good news and bad news regarding the Tridentine Mass in the Twin Cities. Bad news first. The Mass being held at St. Walburga's in Rogers has been cancelled for a couple different reasons. The good news. In addition to the Mass at St. Augustines's in South Saint Paul, there is now a TLM Mass being said on the 1st and 3rd Sundays at 10:00 at St. Agnes in St. Paul and beginning March 1st (the First Sunday of Lent) the TLM Mass will be in the Minneapolis area at Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale. Fr. Brian Pederson, previously the Associate at St. Augustine's, and now the Pastor at Sacred Heart will add the TLM at 11:30 every Sunday. We are still working to get a Mass further west to replace the Mass previously held in Rogers so please keep that in prayers.

An Examination of Conscience

The following examination of conscience was found in the "Missal" of Sir Laurence Shipley after his death and reprinted in The Path of Prayer by Fr. Vincent McNabb.

Let me ask my heart how it stands with God!

Is God my God?

Or is He only one amongst many gods, vulgar or sinful, whom I strive to serve?

Is God the Sovereign of my mind?

Is the thought of God my sovereign thought?

Do I believe in God's Word more than any other word--- more than the beloved word of my friend, the imperative word of my country, the persuasive word of Art and Science?

Do I worship God, in body and spirit, at morn and night, by kneeling down to pray?

Do I pray?

Or do I merely say prayers when with but slight effort of mind and will I might pray?

Is it my lips only, or also my heart, that says: Hallowed be Thy Name?

Do I understand this mystic prayer when I say it---or am I glad not to understand?

Do I dwell with ease---or even joy----on the words Thy Will be done?

Do I hurry over these words lest God overhear them and take me at my word?

Do I trust God?

Do I dread lest He hurt me unawares if I give myself wholly to His keeping?

Do I expect and ask Him to do for me what He has already given me power to do for myself?

Do I thus ask God to serve me, if not in my sins, at least in my life?

Do I love God?

Do I love His way with me more than my own way with myself?

Is God at home in my heart?

Am I at home with God---always at home to God?

Does God dwell in my heart as in His own house, which He may enter and quit at will?

Have I cast Him forth from my soul by any wilful sin?

Have I been as much at ease after my sin as before?

Or have I been restless until, my sin confessed and forgiven, I have found rest in God?

Are the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist to me the outpourings of Jesus Christ's most precious Blood, to the cleansing and nourishing of my soul?

Do I often thank God, through Jesus Christ, for these and countless other gifts which have made the Church the King's Wedding Feast to me?

Do I still cling to this earth with its pleasant sights and sounds, or are my eyes straining to catch sight of the City of God?

If at this moment Death should knock at the door of my soul, should I treat its summons as an interruption, or an impertinence, or even a cruelty; or should I welcome it as a glad invitation to God's Wedding Feast?

Tu Solus Deus, Tu Solus Dominus.