Friday, July 15, 2016

Pope Paul VI encyclical: Christi Matri Rosarii (Rosaries to the Mother of Christ) for Peace



Pope Paul VI issued the encyclical Christi Matri Rosarri pleading for worldwide praying of the holy rosary, to be offered especially for peace.  The emphasis is mine.

The following is from his holiness' salutation:

To His Venerable Brothers the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops and other Local Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See. 
Venerable Brothers, Health and Apostolic Benediction.
It is a solemn custom of the faithful during the month of October to weave the prayers of the Rosary into mystical garlands for the Mother of Christ. Following in the footsteps of Our predecessors, We heartily approve this, and We call upon all the sons of the church to offer special devotions to the Most Blessed Virgin this year. For the danger of a more serious and extensive calamity hangs over the human family and has increased, especially in parts of eastern Asia where a bloody and hard-fought war is raging. So We feel most urgently that We must once again do what We can to safeguard peace. We are also disturbed by what We know to be going on in other areas, such as the growing nuclear armaments race, the senseless nationalism, the racism, the obsession for revolution, the separations imposed upon citizens, the nefarious plots, the slaughter of innocent people. All of these can furnish material for the greatest calamity.

Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel



Too often these days two of Mary's great and powerful gifts - the Rosary and the Scapular - are being ignored and, sad to say, even totally neglected...

...At Fatima Our Blessed Mother emphasized the importance of these sacramentals.  In fact, she said:  "I am the lady of the Rosary", and she asked over and over again, that the Rosary be prayed daily and often for the conversion of sinners and world peace.  As to the Brown Scapular, in her final appearance at Fatima, Mary appeared as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, holding the Brown Scapular.

As to the Brown Scapular, during the past seven hundred years the Church as encouraged this devotion, and our pontiffs have placed many indulgences upon its devout use.  Numerous authenticated miracles and favors, both spiritual and temporal, have proved the devotion's validity and emphasized Our Blessed Mother's promise that whoever dies wearing the Brown Scapular will be saved.

Fatima or Moscow?  by Clentine Lenta

Fine Art Friday - The Chalice of Christ

July is the month we honor the Precious Blood.  So, this week's Fine Arts Friday honors the Chalice of the Precious Blood in art.

"Christ with the Chalice by Juan de Juanes
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"Christ with the Chalice" after Sebastiano Conca
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"St. John the Evangelist Drinking from the Poisoned Chalice" by Bernat Martorell


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"The Eucharist: a Gold Chalice,  a Host, Two Silver Candelabras in a Stone Niche" by Jan van Kessel


"Ezekiel and the Angel Holding the Chalice of the Passion from the Sacristy of St. Mark" by Melozzo da Forli