Saturday, November 06, 2010
Life on the Rock - The Seraphic Wanderer - Fr Mark and Doug w Fr Stan Fo...
Wow, one can never get tired of listening to Father Stan Fortuna's energetic love of Christ. Listen to him talk about Venerable John Paul II and our Holy Father, Benedict XVI.
Prayer for all the Deceased
By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom.
- Byzantine Liturgy
The Prayer Book, Catholic Press
Reparation to the Immaculate Heart
Immaculate Mother, I come to you to offer my love, my very life, and my Confession and Holy Communion in reparation for the sins committed against your all holy and Immaculate Heart. I desire too to offer the holy Rosary and meditation on its mysteries in reparation to your Immaculate Heart.- Prayerbook for Catholics, Father Robert J. Fox
I offer these acts in reparation to you, O Mary Immaculate, especially for the following reasons:
- In reparation for the blasphemies that are uttered against your Immaculate Conception;
- In reparation for those who deny your perpetual Virginity and speak in any way against your holiness;
- In reparation for those who deny your Divine Maternity, refusing at the same time to accept you as the Mother of all mankind;
- In reparation for hose who try publicly to implant in the hearts of children indifference, contempt, and even hatred toward your Immaculate Heart;
- In reparation for those who insult you directly in your holy statues and images.
O Mother of God and Mother of men, Mother mine, take me as your child, grant comfort to my poor sinful heart, even as I desire to grant comfort and offer reparation to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Amen.
*Recommended for First Saturday devotions along with confession, communion, and five decades of the Rosary with at least fifteen minutes of meditation.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Old St. Peters Catholic Church and Blessed Seelos
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| Sign in front of Old St. Peter's Church in NYC |
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| Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at Old St. Peter's Church |
My family visited Old St. Peter's Church in 2009. I feel blessed being in a Church where a priest who will one day be canonized, actually gave a mission. As you can see from the above plaque, it appears that Father Seelos gave the mission in the present Church and not the original one that stood at that site until 1836.
"Perhaps Seelos' greatest moment as superior of the band came in May, 1865, when he led six missionaries in giving a mission at Saint Peter's, the mother church of New York. It was a crucial mission, because since 1858, when the five convert Fathers had left them, the Redemptorists had not given the exercises in the metropolis."
Prayer For the Souls of Our Family and Friends in Purgatory
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord
Lord Jesus,
lovingly welcome into Your
presence my deceased family,
relatives and friends who have
completed their journey on this
earth, and have gone to their rest
in the hope of rejoicing
with You forever in heaven.
Source of all life and love,
in Your infinite mercy,
look favorably upon their goodness,
and forgive any sins they may have
committed, so they may enjoy
for all eternity the great rewards
You have promises to those who
believe in You. Amen.
- Oblate Missions
Sainthood cause for Blessed Seelos moves one step forward
From the National Shrine of Blessed Seelos:
On September 25, 2010, the official Diocesan Inquiry into an alleged extraordinary healing through the intercession of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos was finalized. Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien convoked the Diocesan Inquiry Phase in May 2009.
The fact-finding Inquiry Panel investigated the case and heard the testimony of Mary Ellen Heibel, her primary physician and nurse, and other key witnesses, concerning Heibel’s cure of metastasized esophageal cancer. Heibel, a devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Annapolis, MD, had been cancer-free since January 2005, even though the disease had spread to her liver, lungs, back, and sternum, and medical treatment had failed. The cancer disappeared one week after she helped begin a weekly Seelos novena in her parish.
On October 11, 2010, the Redemptorist Postulator General, Rev. Antonio Marrazzo, submitted the results of this investigation to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints at the Vatican. With the Diocesan Phase of the canonization process now complete, Marrazzo’s formal petition for the Decree of Unsealing the Acts effectively begins the Roman Phase.
At some point in the near future, the case will undergo proper scrutiny by Vatican authorities who will determine if the cure meets the criteria for the one miracle needed in Seelos’ canonization.
You are kindly urged to pray for his canonization.
The Redemptorists
H/T to Padre Steve
Thursday, November 04, 2010
ACN News - Archbishop speaks of fear among Iraq’s Christians
ACN-USA News
11/04/10
Archbishop speaks of fear among Iraq’s Christians
An Iraqi archbishop has spoken out about the fear that has gripped the Christian community following last Sunday’s attack on a church in the capital Baghdad.
Latin-Rite Archbishop Jean Sleiman of Baghdad told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians, that he feared Iraq’s Christians would lose hope after at least 52 people were killed during a terrorist attack on Our Lady of Salvation Syrian Catholic Cathedral.
Archbishop Sleiman said, “This latest terrorist operation will increase fear and help to destroy hope.”
He added, “[The Christians] are deeply afraid. But they are trying to overcome this latest horrible experience.”
“It needs faith and hope – they must abandon themselves to the hand of God.”
“This is not possible for all of them, but it’s the only way to find inner peace and so to resist in a very hostile context.”
When asked by ACN what his prayer was at this time, he replied simply, “I pray for hope.”
According to Archbishop Sleiman, the Christian community is concerned there may be further attacks.
He said, “Many officials said – and are still saying – that there may be further attacks, that we are in a very dangerous situation.”
The archbishop stressed the important role Christians can play in the future of the country.
He said, “It is important for Christians in Iraq to be sure that their presence here is not casual but necessary for the country. They are building peace just by their presence.”
“Their solidarity is well known. They can bridge the gaps between communities. So they must be sure that hard times cannot continue forever.”
Archbishop Sleiman told ACN that the day-to-day experience of most Christians prior to the attacks differed according to the part of the country they lived in, but for many it had not been easy.
“Christians in Iraq are still experiencing contrasts: persecution and solidarity, pressure and freedom,” he explained.
“It depends on the area where they live – while Dora and Mosul were, and are still, dangerous for them, the northern areas are freely open to them.”
He said that in Baghdad prior to the bombing “fear of the future, and of violence, was real, deep and common [to all Christians].”
Speaking on Monday, November 1st, Iraq’s deputy interior minister, Major General Hussein Ali Kamal, said that 52 people were killed and 67 wounded in the attack on the cathedral on October 31st.
Fr. Wasim Sabieh and Fr. Thaier Saad Abdal were killed during the incident. A third priest, Fr. Raphael Qatin, was wounded and died later in hospital.
The church was attacked by nine armed men who claimed to belong to the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant group closely allied with Al-Qaeda.
There was further unrest in Baghdad on Tuesday, November 2nd, when bombings and mortar strikes killed at least 64 people and wounded more than 200.
With image of Archbishop Jean Sleiman of Baghdad
Editor’s Notes:
Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org
ACN News - Cathedral consecration celebrated in Russia
ACN-USA News
11/3/2010
Cathedral consecration celebrated in Russia
Catholics in the Diocese of St. Clement in Saratov, Russia, recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the consecration of their cathedral, St. Peter and St. Paul. Bishop Clemens Pickel talked to ACN about the festivities.
During a visit to the headquarters of the international Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Königstein, near Frankfurt, Germany, Bishop Clemens Pickel of Saratov reported on the celebrations held on the 14th and 15th of October to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the consecration of the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
This was the first occasion on which not only priests but also the ordinary faithful from the entire Diocese of St. Clement had gathered to celebrate together, the bishop said. The principal festivities, on October 15, were attended by the apostolic nuncio in the Russian Federation, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, all the Catholic bishops in Russia, the Orthodox bishop of Saratov and likewise local civic leaders and representatives from Lutheran and Muslim communities.
Among the invited guests was ACN's representative and head of its Russia desk, Peter Humeniuk. The event was also attended by ordinary Catholic faithful from many of the parishes scattered across this vast diocese in southern Russia which, with an area of some 550,000 square miles is roughly twice the size of Texas. Many had traveled long distances to attend the celebrations in Saratov.
Bishop Pickel, who is originally from Germany, recalled that one of the high points of the celebrations had been the visit to the Catholic cathedral by Orthodox Bishop Longin of Saratov, and his "fraternal and spontaneous" address.
"It was the third visit by the Orthodox Bishop of Saratov to our cathedral," said Bishop Pickel. "The first two occasions were sad ones. The first time he visited us was to express his sympathy at the death of Pope John Paul II, and the second time was to express his condolences following the tragic plane crash near Smolensk. But this time he had come to congratulate us."
Asked about the reactions of the Catholic faithful, Bishop Clemens reported that people had been really delighted and had seen it as a sign of friendship. He added, "Bishop Longin found truly brotherly words to say to us."
The bishop noted that it might well have been sheer coincidence that at this very same time the "Chapel Boat," funded originally by ACN, had arrived in Saratov, carrying relics of some of the great saints from the era before the split between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. This boat has been traveling up the Volga since September 13th, stopping on the way in order to give not only Orthodox but also Catholic Christians the opportunity to venerate the relics.
It had "seemingly simply happened that way," Bishop Clemens said, that this floating chapel, named after Fr. Werenfried van Straaten, the founder of ACN, had reached Saratov on the very day of the celebrations, but nonetheless he regarded it as "a gift from heaven."
Many such things that had happened 'by chance' had nonetheless been significant, he added. "We prepared well for the celebrations, and I always say that, if man does everything he can, then God will add whatever is lacking," he concluded.
The relics had been carried in procession into the Catholic cathedral. "For the Catholic faithful it was a great event, for just like the Orthodox Christians, most Catholics here in Russia have a great veneration for relics,” said the bishop.
“There were eight separate relics within the casket, and yet many people were afterwards able to remember quite precisely which relics of which saints had been in which places," he added. Moreover, many of the people had not simply briefly venerated the relics but had remained behind for a long time in the church to pray.
For the Catholics of the Diocese of St. Clement, the anniversary celebrations had been deeply impressive, Bishop Pickel told ACN. On returning to their parishes they had told the other Catholics all about them.
Many of them, leaving after the end of the celebrations on Friday, had arrived home only early on Sunday, shortly before Holy Mass, since the journeys they had traveled had been extremely long. Nonetheless they had gone directly to their local parish churches and, after Holy Mass, had related everything they had experienced. Some of them had spoken for a very long time, because they were so enthusiastic, but the other Catholic faithful "had not grown impatient," because they too wanted to know all the details.
Bishop Pickel also explained to ACN that one of the priorities for his diocese in the future is the advancement of the laity. In the past it has been the case that the faithful have tended to depend heavily on the priest as their "Father," he said, and while he is not seeking to relativize the importance of the priest, he does want to help the laity to be able to pass on the Faith themselves as well.
At present the Diocese of St. Clement in Saratov has 52 parishes. Yet the Catholic faithful, who live widely scattered, have only 47 priests to minister to them.
ACN continues to regularly support the pastoral work of the Diocese of St. Clement.
Photos: Blagovest Info
Editor’s Notes:
Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org
ACN News - Three priests killed in attack on Baghdad Church
11/02/10
Three priests killed in attack on Baghdad Church
Three priests are among over 50 Catholics who were killed during an attack on a Church in central Baghdad.
According to Church sources in Iraq, three young priests were killed as a result of the attack on Our Lady of Salvation Syrian Catholic Church by terrorists during Mass Sunday evening, October 31, 2010.
The three priests, who were leading the service, were taken hostage along with many of the parishioners.
Fr. Wasim Sabieh and Fr. Thaier Saad Abdal were killed during the attack. The third priest, Father Qatin, was wounded and died later in hospital.
Vatican Radio reported that over 50 people were killed and 70 to 80 wounded in the attack, including seven members of the Iraqi security forces.
The church was attacked by nine armed men who had suicide bombs attached to their belts. They took hostages, who were eventually freed after Iraqi security forces stormed the church.
The security forces killed eight of the terrorists during the operation to free the church, and a ninth died when he activated a suicide bomb.
The terrorists claimed to belong to Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant group closely allied with Al-Qaeda. They were demanding the release of Al-Qaeda members being held in Iraq and Egypt.
A statement on the group’s website also demanded the release of Muslim girls from Christian backgrounds who they claimed are being held prisoner in Egyptian Coptic monasteries.
The statement gave 48 hours to release the girls before they blew up the church.
Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has prioritized help for the Middle East since Pope Benedict XVI asked the charity to do more to sustain Christianity in the region – saying “Churches in the Middle East are threatened in their very existence.”
As well as helping Christian refugees in the north of Iraq and Syria, ACN is providing aid for those fleeing to Turkey and Jordan.
Last year ACN provided more than $730,000 in aid for persecuted Christians in Iraq.
Editor’s Notes:
Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org
Photos from the Recent Pro-Life Talk by Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula
The following photos were taken at St. Ann's in Kaneohe. This was Monsignor's first talk. He gave a powerful speech about protecting the unborn and traditional marriage. I wish that everyone in Hawaii had heard him speak. Sorry for the poor quality of the lighting. We had some trouble with the flash setting.
I want to thank my friend Lois for the loan of her camera to take the photos. My son had my camera that day as he was attending the HIFF functions.
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| Father Gomes, the pastor of St. Ann's, introducing the Monsignor |
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| Executive Director of HRTL |
Church Suffering: Purgatory
O Lady of heaven, sweet Mother of God, with Your Divine Son and the Angels of which you are Queen, descend into purgatory and release souls from the fires of mercy and Divine justice. While the souls suffer in justice, it is by the mercy of God that, even though they are imperfect upon leaving this world, they are permitted a time of purgation after the death of their bodies so that they may become undefiled and enter into everlasting glory.
It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, as Your Divine Word has revealed, Almighty God (2Mc. 12:43:46). I offer the precious Blood of Jesus present at this moment in all the chalices of the world where the Sacrifice of the Mass is being offered in reparation for the temporal punishment still due to the suffering souls in purgatory. Accept the infinite Sacrifice of Your Son being perpetuated on our altars throughout the world.
O Saints of heaven, pray for the souls in purgatory that they may soon enter into glory with you. Unite your prayers to mine as I offer my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for I live yet in the time of merit, now deprived the souls in purgatory.
O Queen of the Angels, grant to the souls who are not yet ready and worthy of heavenly glory, relief from some of their miseries, and speed the day of their deliverance.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
- Prayerbook for Catholics by Father Robert J. Fox
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Obama Administration Threatens Independence of Catholic Colleges
The regulations issued Friday effectively force many states to increase oversight of postsecondary education through state chartering or licensing, which is a necessary condition for colleges to participate in federal student aid programs.
Most Catholic colleges accept low-cost federal student loans and grants. If forced to forego federal aid, these colleges would be at a disadvantage in recruiting students.
"The door is opened for state politicians and bureaucrats who would impose their social agendas on private and religious colleges," warned Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society.
"Already the Obama administration has seized direct ownership of student loans, and now a college's eligibility for student loans is subject to the political whims of its state legislators and regulators. Many states have demonstrated callous disregard for the religious identity of Catholic colleges, from mandating contraceptive coverage in student and employee health plans to requiring employee benefits for same-sex couples."
Although the Higher Education Act has long required state authorization for a college to participate in federal aid programs, many states do not aggressively monitor colleges and their consent was assumed unless otherwise reported to the U.S. Education Department. The new regulations require state approval of colleges "by name" and a state process "to review and appropriately act on" complaints about any approved institution.
When issuing the regulations Friday, the Education Department acknowledged that it had received complaints from college leaders that "a State's role may extend into defining, for example, curriculum, teaching methods, subject matter content, faculty qualifications, and learning outcomes." Others feared that states might "impose homogeneity upon institutions that would compromise their unique missions."
In response, federal officials agreed that the new regulations do "not limit a State's oversight of institutions."
Last year, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that Belmont Abbey College, a Catholic institution in North Carolina, must cover birth control in its employee health insurance plan despite the college's religious objections. An appeal to the EEOC is under review.
Catholic colleges and students may also not be protected from similar mandates for abortion and contraceptive insurance coverage under the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—i.e., President Obama's health care overhaul.
After the EEOC ruling against Belmont Abbey College, The Cardinal Newman Society launched its project to defend the religious liberty of Catholic colleges through its division, The Center for the Advancement of Catholic Higher Education. The Center published three papers—from experts in law, health insurance and ethics—to help Catholic colleges defend against government mandates for employee health benefits that violate Catholic morality.
Later this month, the Center will release a new legal analysis prepared by a prominent legal interest organization on steps Catholic colleges must take to defend themselves against increasing threats to their Catholic identity.
For the Souls in Purgatory
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowing with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal Rest, etc. for partial indulgence.
The Prayer Book, Catholic Press
Feast of San Martin de Porres
Litany of St. Martin de Porres
Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us,
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Pray for us.
St. Martin, ever in the presence of God, Pray for us.
St. Martin, faithful servant of Christ, Pray for us.
St. Martin, lover of the Holy Eucharist, Pray for us.
St. Martin, devoted to our Blessed Mother, Pray for us.
St. Martin, spiritual patron of Americans, Pray for us.
St. Martin, raised from the depths to a heavenly mansion, Pray for us.
St. Martin, honored son of Saint Dominic, Pray for us.
St. Martin, lover of the Most Holy Rosary, Pray for us.
St. Martin, apostle of mercy, Pray for us.
St. Martin, winged minister of charity, Pray for us.
St. Martin, miraculously conveyed to far-distant lands, Pray for us.
St. Martin, freed from the barriers of time and space, Pray for us.
St. Martin, seeking the conversion of sinners, Pray for us.
St. Martin, protector of the tempted and repentant, Pray for us.
St. Martin, helper of souls in doubt and darkness, Pray for us.
St. Martin, compassionate to the sorrowful and afflicted, Pray for us.
St. Martin, consoler of the discouraged and unfortunate, Pray for us.
St. Martin, peacemaker in all discords, Pray for us.
St. Martin, touched by all suffering, Pray for us.
St. Martin, comforter of the sick and dying, Pray for us.
St. Martin, angel to hospitals and prisons, Pray for us.
St. Martin, worker of miraculous cures, Pray for us.
St. Martin, guardian of the homeless child, Pray for us.
St. Martin, humbly hiding God-given powers, Pray for us.
St. Martin, devoted to holy poverty, Pray for us.
St. Martin, model of obedience, Pray for us.
St. Martin, lover of heroic penance, Pray for us.
St. Martin, strong in self-denial, Pray for us.
St. Martin, performing menial tasks with holy ardor, Pray for us.
St. Martin, gifted with prophecy, Pray for us.
St. Martin, symbol of interracial brotherhood, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, Saint Martin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray: O God, the exalter of the humble, Who didst make Saint Martin, Thy confessor, to enter the heavenly Kingdom, grant through his merits and intercession that we may so follow the example of his humility on earth as to deserve to be exalted with him in Heaven, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Prayer source
Picture source
Hymn to San Martin de Porres
Picture source
I thought I would share a video of typical Peruvian music. María Dolores Pradera - El rosario de mi madre. It is not the happiest of songs but the music brings back good memories for me.
Picture source
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| House Where San Martin de Porres was born. |
Picture source
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| St. Martin de Porres' Cranium |
Picture source
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| First Class Relic - St. Martin de Porres |
To celebrate the Feast of San Martincito de Porres (as my mom calls him), a Peruvian family's dinner menu that my mom would prepare for us, would be as follows, for example:
Appetizer: Papa a la Huancaína
Main Course: Lomo Saltado
-or-
Aji de Gallina
Dessert: Arroz con Leche
Beverage:
Alcoholic: Pisco Sour
Non-Alcholic: Chicha Morada Made from purple corn.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Iraq Cathedral Attack - Rosary
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord
and make Your perpetual light shine
upon them.
May the souls of the faithfully departed,
rest in peace.
Amen
Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:
Click here for the litany
I found the above prayer card at Church.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Important Message from Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula
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| Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula in Hawaii |
I have spent the last ten days spreading the Gospel of Life in Hawaii. Yes, sometimes our ministry demands that we take up even the most difficult of missions!
All joking aside, it has been a wonderful and fruitful tour, and I've had the pleasure of speaking to hundreds of Hawaiians in Churches and other venues. While it is difficult to imagine climate and ethnic traditions more distinct from Rome, it is always a blessing to find fellow faithful Catholics whose hospitality and faithfulness help one to feel at home.
What a zeal for life I have experienced here among the Catholics and Protestants (indeed, it sometimes seems as if Protestants outshine Catholics in their outspokenness in defense of life)! The other day I was especially moved by the stirring testament of a Jewish convert who spoke eloquently of his commitment to defending life and family.
The high point of the trip, however, was being able to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in St. Philomena Church, a small chapel built by St. Damien of Molokai. His was such a powerful witness to life and holiness and his influence still permeates the people and the island where he sacrificed so much to serve and evangelize those cast aside by society.
St. Damien's holy courage is so needed today. As one of the newer saints of the Church, his example of sacrifice and bold proclamation of the truth is especially timely for us. Talk about a man who lived his faith in a coherent manner: he famously risked his own health, and ultimately gave his life, to care for many who suffered the ravages of leprosy and were shunned by society. But he never saw his service as being limited to mere physical comfort and healing: he knew that to comfort the body while doing nothing to save the souls of those given to him would be unjust. The Church sees the human person as being a unity of body and soul, not merely a physical being or just a soul with a body attached to it. To truly serve the human person, we must not only address his physical needs, but must address his spiritual needs as well, by living and preaching our faith.
Again, what a consistent example of our faith we see in St. Damien. And this example applies to how we live our faith in so many ways. Next Tuesday, Americans have the opportunity to rally against truly unprecedented the assaults on life and freedom that we have seen since the most recent change in political leadership. We have been discussing how our faith applies to the relevant issues (see here, here and here) and insisting that Catholics and all Christians strive to live their faith coherently, including in how they vote.
To be sure, our vote is only one facet of how we must live our faith in public, but when our moment comes we owe it to ourselves and to the One who gave us this great gift of freedom to make the most of it. If we do not take this key opportunity to select representatives who will defend all human life and dignity, who will defend natural marriage and traditional family, and who will take a stand against ruinous and immoral economic policy, we abuse our freedom. Neglect is a form of abuse. Imagine if all Christians who truly believed in their faith would do everything they could to vote in a manner consistent with their faith, and help others who had difficulty in voting to do so as well. Now that would be change that we could believe in.
St. Damien's example of lived, consistent, courageous faith shows what happens when one gives himself entirely to Christ. This kind of extreme courage is a gift to be sure, but in every moral choice we make, we are either preparing ourselves to shoulder more courage, or we are turning away. Our Lord wants to give us all the kind of courage he gave to Damien, and it is up to us to ask for it in prayer, and live in a way that shows that we can handle it and the other virtues we need to be more like Him.
Your vote next Tuesday is one small way to step up to your responsibilities. See also if there is anyone in your community who may have difficulty voting, and see what you can do to help them get educated about the choices and cast their vote. Finally, pray that the will of God be done in this very important election: that truth, life, family and marriage be honored in the choices made by our fellow Christians and all people of good will.
Saint Damien, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, pray for us.
Saint Thomas More, pray for us.
All holy men and women, pray for us.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula
Interim President, Human Life International
HLI - Spirit and Life
Archbishop Raymond Burke: Catholic Orthodoxy: Antidote Against the Culture of Death
You can find both the text of Archbishop Burke's address and the video over at Human Life International.
EWTN To Air Pope's Visit to Spain Live
EWTN To Air Pope’s Visit to Spain Live
Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network will provide live coverage of every public event during Pope Benedict XVI’s historic visit to Spain Nov. 6-7.
Coverage will be aired on all nine EWTN Television Networks worldwide, and can be heard in English, Spanish, French and German; on EWTN Radio Network, and at www.ewtn.com through live streaming video. (Find EWTN Television at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder and EWTN Radio at http://www.ewtn.com/radio/amfm.htm or on Sirius Satellite Channel 160.)
EWTN’s television coverage of these events will begin at 6:30 a.m. ET, Wed., Nov. 6 with the Pope’s arrival in Santiago de Compostela for a welcoming ceremony with the Prince and Princess of Asturias, followed by his visit to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at 8 a.m. ET, and the celebration of Mass at 11:30 a.m. ET, after which the Pope will pronounce a Compostela Holy Year in the city’s outdoor plaza.
On Thurs., Nov. 7, coverage begins with Mass at the Church of the “Sagrada Familia” (Holy Family) at 4 a.m. ET, followed by the Angelus in the outdoor square. At 11:15 a.m. ET, EWTN will televise the Pope’s visit to a church-run education, social and medical center in Barcelona. Finally, at 12:30 p.m. ET, viewers may enjoy the farewell ceremony and speech by the Pope at the Barcelona Airport.
EWTN Radio Network will air the Mass at Santiago de Compostela at 5 p.m. ET, Wed., Nov. 6, and the Mass at Sagrada Familia at noon ET, Thurs., Nov. 7.
We invite viewers to tell their friends about this event on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more – and to tweet about this event using the hashtag #EWTN.
EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 29th year, is available in over 160 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.
Life on the Rock - Ladies of St. Cecilia
Be sure to listen to the powerful pro-life song, Priceless, approximately 18:41 minutes into the video.
The Holy Souls in Purgatory
The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when o man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from god by our prayers, good works and especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowing with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc.
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The Prayer Book, Catholic Press
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Picture source
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O Saints of God, you who live before the heavenly Throne of the Most Blessed Trinity, take our acts of petition, thanksgiving, adoration and reparation to Almighty God. Lay our poor humble lives before the Divine Majesty.
Approach the Most Blessed Trinity through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in union with Mary the Mother of God, St. Joseph and my Guardian Angel, and pray for us your weak and sinful brothers and sisters still upon earth. Remind Almighty God, that, just as His Divine Son once died for our sins and weaknesses upon earth, so now He may permit our sins and faults to be purified in the most precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Ask the heavenly Father to gave upon the glorified and sacred wounds in the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and look into the glorified pierced side of our loving Savior, and send forth from those five most precious wounds abundant graces to save us from our sins and bring us to the glory of heaven. Amen.
- Prayerbook for Catholics by Father Robert J. Fox Christendom Publications.
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