Friday, July 25, 2008

40th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae - Vatican Aide Asks, Where's the Love?


It's been 40 years, and the critics of "Humanae Vitae" still don't get that it's about love, says a Vatican spokesman.

Jesuit Father Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said this today in response to a half-page ad appearing in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, which voices disagreement with the Church's stance on artificial contraception.

The ad is in the form of an open letter, signed by more than 50 groups, that asks Benedict XVI to lift the Church's ban on artificial contraception, which they say has had "catastrophic effects," particularly in the fight against AIDS...

Zenit Article

picture source

Fine Art Friday - Famous Cathedrals and Different Architectural Styles

St. Peter's Rose Window
St. Peter's Basilica Rose Window

St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican, Italian Renaissance

Toledo Rose Window
Toledo Cathedral Rose Window

Toledo Cathedral
Toledo Cathedral - Spain, Gothic

Reims Cathedral Rose Window
Rheims Cathedral Rose Window

Reims Cathedral
Rheims Cathedral - France, Gothic

Orvieto Rose Window
Orvieto Cathedral Rose Window

Orvieto Cathedral
Orvieto Cathedral - Italy, Gothic

Notre Dame Rose Window
Notre Dame Rose Window

Notre Dame
Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris, Gothic

Chartres Rose Window
Chartres Cathedral Rose Window

Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral - Paris, Gothic Style

San Marco Rose Window
Basilica de San Marco Rose Window

San Marco
Basilica de San Marco - Venice, Byzantine Style


Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The name “rose window” was not used before the 17th century and in all likelihood stems from the Old French word roué, meaning wheel, not from the English flower name, rose.
source

Gothic architecture is a style of architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture.
source

Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire.
source

Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, in which there was a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture.
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Sources of some pictures Flickr

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Especially at Holy Mass

Holy Eucharist


"Let there be nothing in your carriage, your deportment, or your dress," says St. Augustine, "capable of scandalizing your neighbor, but let everything about you be conformable to the purity and sanctity of your profession."

Hence a servant of God should bear himself with gravity, humility, and sweetness, that all who approach him may profit by his example and be edified by his virtues. The great Apostle would have us, like fragrant plants, giving forth the sweet perfume of piety and filling all about us with the odor of Jesus Christ.

Isn't it time we see more application of this virtue, especially at Holy Mass? Let us pray for this intention.

A fruit which we derive from this exterior modesty is a greater facility in preserving the recollection, devotion, and purity of the soul. The interior and the exterior man are so closely united that good or evil in one is quickly communicated to the other. If order reigns in the soul, its effect is experienced in the body; and the body, if disturbed, renders the soul likewise restless. Each may in all respects be considered a mirror of the other, for the actions of one are faithfully represented in the other.

For this reason, a composed and modest bearing must contribute to interior recollection and modesty, while a restless exterior must be incompatible with peace of soul. Hence the Wise Man tells us:"He that is hasty with his feet shall stumble." (Prov. 19:2).
Thus would he teach us that he whose exterior is wanting in that calm gravity which is the distinctive mark of God's servants must inevitably stumble and frequently fall.

from The Sinners Guide
Shared by Sue

A Thought to Ponder

Memories
Shared by Norine.

Be patient with the faults of others; They have to be patient with yours.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Penance and Reparation

Jesus
Penance

This means that all people must amend their lives, give up their easy lives of sin, ask pardon for their sins, receive the Sacrament of Penance, say some extra prayers for the conversion of sinners, and make reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, so grievously offended by the sins of mankind.

Reparation

This means:
1) offering up your daily tasks as a sacrifice in reparation to atone for our sins;
2) fulfilling our daily duties and responsibilities to the best of our abilities;
3) accepting the responsibilities of our state in life;
4) obeying the Ten Commandments of God.
3. Daily Recitation of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Rosary is like a sword or weapon the Holy Theotokos, Mother of God, can use to cut down heresy and the forces of evil. It is most powerful and many times it has saved the world from situations as bad as, if not worse than, the ones facing us today.

Shared by Sue.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

A PRAYER THAT THE WILL OF GOD BE DONE

Holy Trinity

Grant me Your grace, O most merciful Jesus, that it may be with me, and work with me, and remain with me to the very end. Grant that I may always desire and will that which is most acceptable and pleasing to You. Let Your will be mine. Let my will always follow Yours and agree perfectly with it. Let my will be one with Yours in willing and in not willing, and let me be unable to will or not will anything but what You will or do not will.

Grant that I may die to all things in this world, and for Your sake love to be despised and unknown in this life. Give me, above all desires, the desire to rest in You, and in You let my heart have peace. You are true peace of heart. You alone are its rest. Without You all things are difficult and troubled. In this peace, the selfsame that is in You, the Most High, the everlasting Good, I will sleep and take my rest. Amen.

The Imitation of Christ, Book III
~ Thomas à Kempis

Shared by Sue via email.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Book Review of Catholic Saints Prayer Book

Catholic Saints Prayer Book
Our family's home is filled with Catholic books, especially books on the saints. Would there be new book on the saints that would stand out? Could there really be a Catholic saints book that would be different than the ones already sitting on our book shelves?

Well, when fellow Catholic blogger and online friend Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle gave me an opportunity to read and review her book, I was briefly hesitant to accept because I believed that it would just be another ordinary saints book.

However, after reading Donna's little book recently published by Our Sunday Visitor I can honestly say that this book truly stands out.

First of all, you can see it was a work of love on Donna's part. Here is a woman who is very spiritual and who has been blessed in her life to personally know a Catholic saint, Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Then there is the fact that the book in itself is beautiful to behold. It reminded me of the old fashioned books with the lovely designs and elegant fonts. It was not a cheap paperback but a quality hardcover book.

The book itself is tiny in size yet packed full of interesting tidbits of favorite Catholic saints. Some of my favorite saints which I found covered in the book include:

- St. Augustine
- St. Faustina
- St. Francis
- St. John Chrysostom
- St. Maximilian Kolbe
- St. Padre Pio
- St. Rita of Cascia
- St. Thomas More

Actually, it was very enjoyable reading about all the saints that were selected by Donna. I believe I learned something new on just about all the saints that I had not known before. For example, I did not know that St. Augustine started living with a woman at the age of fifteen! I also did not know that the sisters of St. Bernadette's convent treated her so harshly!!

Each saint's page contains the feast day of that particular saint, a quote from either the saint, the Catechism of the Catholic Church or from scripture, a short list of all their patronages, (what they were patron saints of)a compact yet precise outline of the saint's biography and to make each entry special, Donna included a prayer for each particular saint. The little book also contains graphics that are not usually seen. For instance, St. Ignatius of Loyola's death mask.

The first time I opened the book to read it was when my family and I were at the airport waiting for my niece and nephew to arrive. I took out the little book to read and was soon absorbed in it. Before I knew it, my husband was looking over my shoulder to read along with me and then soon our son was doing the same thing. In order to be fair we took turns reading the lovely little saints book. My husband commented that that I should always carry the book in my purse. He said it was a treasure. I thought that was an excellent suggestion and so that is what I have been doing since receiving the book.

I really hope that if you are looking for a book on the saints that will captivate your family's interest and also be a prayer book for yourself, that you will consider buying this beautiful little book.

Mahalo Donna for the opportunity to read your new book.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Preciousness of Silence

Nun Praying Before Crucifix
PRECIOUSNESS OF SILENCE

"Lord, set a guard over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips." Ps 141:3 "But Jesus was silent." Mt 26:63

The Silence is Meekness. When you do not defend yourself against offenses; When you do not claim your rights; When you let God defend you; The Silence is Meekness.

The Silence is Mercy. When you do not reveal the faults of your brothers to others; When you readily forgive without inquiring into the past; When you do not judge, but pray in your heart; The Silence is Mercy.

The Silence is Patience. When you accept suffering not with grumbling but joyfully; When you do not look for human consolations; When you do not become too anxious, but wait in patience for the seed to germinate; The Silence is Patience.

The Silence is Humility. When there is no competition; When you consider the other person to be better than yourself; When you let your brothers emerge, grow and mature; When you joyfully abandon all to the Lord; When your actions may be misinterpreted; When you leave to others the glory of the enterprise; The Silence is Humility.

The Silence is Faith. When you keep quiet because you know that the Lord will act; When you renounce the voice of the world to remain in the presence of the Lord; When you do not labour yourself to be understood; because it is enough for you to know that the Lord understands you; The Silence is Faith.

The Silence is Adoration. When you embrace the cross without asking "Why?"; The Silence is Adoration.

"But Jesus was silent."

From the Missionaries of Charity Prayer Book

Shared by Sue via email.