Abbey-Roads2

Just thinkin’ about nothin’.

#1)  Not all devout Catholics were always devout - some were great big sinners - even anti-Catholic - before they became devout.

#2)  Not all cradle Catholics practiced their faith their entire lives.

#3)  The rule that women should cover their heads  for Mass was never changed.

#4)  Many Catholics do not like the Stewardship Campaigns conducted by their parishes because it seems too much like the Protestant ethic of tithing - and even Protestants don’t like that idea.

#5)  The Pope looked very papal  at the consistory this weekend.

#6)  Oprah is going to teach  “A Course In Miracles”  based upon the book with the same title by Marianne Williamson which is based on a nonsensical New Age cult/belief system.  As the Irish might say - it’s a bunch of malarkey.

#7)  Nuns who wear traditional habits do not, as a rule, shave their heads, they simply cut their hair short.

#8)  The 6:30am Sunday Mass at St. Agnes in St. Paul is not as crowded as it was when Fr. Altier had the Mass, which concerns me because they could cancel that Mass at anytime.  (It also suggests to me that Fr. Altier did have groupies.)

#9)  I think I quit smoking, it has been 4 weeks since I had a cigarette.  I was happier as a smoker.

#10)  This is odd and useless:  It’s the story about the woman who had an abortion and sterilization  to save the planet from over-population.  It’s that old “Was man made for the sabbath or the sabbath made for man?” debate, only this question seems more transparent, “Was the planet made for man, or man made for the planet?”  With this woman’s logic, we should begin to exterminate children when the schools begin to get over-crowded.

#11)  Secularists do not believe in Divine Providence.

#12)  When the vernacular began to be introduced into the Mass, and the Novus Ordo came along, most average Catholics in the pew thought the only changes to the Mass had been the language and the novelty of the priest facing the people.  Few of the laity understood the rite was no longer extraordinary.

#13)  Marilyn Manson seems dangerous.  I don’t like him.

Their meaning and purpose…

21. That these blessings may be abundant and lasting in Christian society, it is necessary that the kingship of our Savior should be as widely as possible recognized and understood, and to the end nothing would serve better than the institution of a special feast in honor of the Kingship of Christ. For people are instructed in the truths of faith, and brought to appreciate the inner joys of religion far more effectually by the annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any official pronouncement of the teaching of the Church. Such pronouncements usually reach only a few and the more learned among the faithful; feasts reach them all; the former speak but once, the latter speak every year - in fact, forever. The church’s teaching affects the mind primarily; her feasts affect both mind and heart, and have a salutary effect upon the whole of man’s nature. Man is composed of body and soul, and he needs these external festivities so that the sacred rites, in all their beauty and variety, may stimulate him to drink more deeply of the fountain of God’s teaching, that he may make it a part of himself, and use it with profit for his spiritual life.

22. History, in fact, tells us that in the course of ages these festivals have been instituted one after another according as the needs or the advantage of the people of Christ seemed to demand: as when they needed strength to face a common danger, when they were attacked by insidious heresies, when they needed to be urged to the pious consideration of some mystery of faith or of some divine blessing. Thus in the earliest days of the Christian era, when the people of Christ were suffering cruel persecution, the cult of the martyrs was begun in order, says St. Augustine, “that the feasts of the martyrs might incite men to martyrdom.”[34] The liturgical honors paid to confessors, virgins and widows produced wonderful results in an increased zest for virtue, necessary even in times of peace. But more fruitful still were the feasts instituted in honor of the Blessed Virgin. As a result of these men grew not only in their devotion to the Mother of God as an ever-present advocate, but also in their love of her as a mother bequeathed to them by their Redeemer. Not least among the blessings which have resulted from the public and legitimate honor paid to the Blessed Virgin and the saints is the perfect and perpetual immunity of the Church from error and heresy. We may well admire in this the admirable wisdom of the Providence of God, who, ever bringing good out of evil, has from time to time suffered the faith and piety of men to grow weak, and allowed Catholic truth to be attacked by false doctrines, but always with the result that truth has afterwards shone out with greater splendor, and that men’s faith, aroused from its lethargy, has shown itself more vigorous than before.

23. The festivals that have been introduced into the liturgy in more recent years have had a similar origin, and have been attended with similar results. When reverence and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament had grown cold, the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted, so that by means of solemn processions and prayer of eight days’ duration, men might be brought once more to render public homage to Christ. So, too, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was instituted at a time when men were oppressed by the sad and gloomy severity of Jansenism, which had made their hearts grow cold, and shut them out from the love of God and the hope of salvation.

24. If We ordain that the whole Catholic world shall revere Christ as King, We shall minister to the need of the present day, and at the same time provide an excellent remedy for the plague which now infects society. We refer to the plague of anti-clericalism, its errors and impious activities. This evil spirit, as you are well aware, Venerable Brethren, has not come into being in one day; it has long lurked beneath the surface. The empire of Christ over all nations was rejected. The right which the Church has from Christ himself, to teach mankind, to make laws, to govern peoples in all that pertains to their eternal salvation, that right was denied. Then gradually the religion of Christ came to be likened to false religions and to be placed ignominiously on the same level with them. It was then put under the power of the state and tolerated more or less at the whim of princes and rulers. Some men went even further, and wished to set up in the place of God’s religion a natural religion consisting in some instinctive affection of the heart. There were even some nations who thought they could dispense with God, and that their religion should consist in impiety and the neglect of God. The rebellion of individuals and states against the authority of Christ has produced deplorable consequences. - QUAS PRIMAS -
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI - ON THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

And relics.

My friend David sent me a link reporting the results of recent carbon dating upon the relics of St. Francis of Assisi. The Franciscans of Cortona and Florence had the robes, believed to have been worn by the saint, tested to determine their age. One tunic has proved to be authentic, while doubts surround the other habit in Florence. All in all, there are four habits believed to be from St. Francis in existence. I only knew of one before this, which is the habit kept in the custody of the Poor Clares in Assisi. It seems Holy Father St. Francis may have had quite a closet full of rags.

ROME (Reuters) - Carbon dating has cast doubt on the authenticity of one of four robes kept by Italian churches as relics of the medieval Saint Francis of Assisi, though another tunic, a belt and a cushion were found to be the right vintage. - Reuters

Photo credit: The habit worn by St Francis when he received the stigmata (1224) is preserved in the church of Ognisanti. The habit has been in this church for centuries in an urn under the main altar but it has now been put on permanent diplay in a side chapel.

And hate crimes.

Reading the blogs again, I came across some new bishop-bashing comments (and posts) concerning our own Archbishop Nienstedt  and St. Louis’ Archbishop Burke.  (Archbishop Burke happens to be a doctor of canon law, hence the title of the post.)   A few weeks ago a Catholic men’s group wrote a letter to San Francisco’s Archbishop Niederauer  telling  him what to do to correct a mistake he made in giving communion to transvestite nuns in early October. 

I find it strange that many Catholics have so little respect for the apostolic office of bishop that some will publicly attack and dictate to the bishops what they feel the bishops should be doing.  (I’ve been guilty of this in the past as well.)  To be sure, there have been abuses by bishops in office in the past, nevertheless, bishops deserve a modicum of respect due to the dignity of the office.  After all, as laity, we are not on the level of the apostle Paul of whom it is often said, “rebuked Peter to his face.”  (Galatians 2:11)

Catholic protestants.

Although the most worrisome of the bishop-bashing really seems to come from the progressive Catholic side; from those who insist that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is guilty of teaching doctrinal matters - which in their view  - rise to the level  of hate crimes.  We know who these people are; the women who seek ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood, active homosexuals who seek the church to reverse its teaching on same-sex relations and allow gay marriage, and those who attack the Church for teaching against artificial contraception, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia.

These opponents of the Catholic hierarchy not only write audacious letters of rebuke, they stage open protests at cathedrals and rallies, attack the Church in media, and soon will attempt to make a federal case out of these matters.  It is happening in other countries and most likely will be coming to a U.S. court near you.

Yet who is persecuting who? 

Nevertheless, what fascinates me about the secularists who protest the authentic Magisterium of the Church when they teach on faith and morals (which indeed is the bishop’s duty), is that these “progressivists” are often hostile, venomous opponents of not only the Catholic bishops,  but Catholic Church doctrine itself.  Which begs the question, who is really being hateful in these situations - who is persecuting who?

[Photo credit: From the television series, "Burke's Law"] 

Today is the memorial of Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro, the Jesuit priest who died a martyr’s death in 1927, during the Masonic persecution of the Mexican Church.  Falsely accused of a political crime, Fr. Pro was executed by firing squad.  Go here for details on his life and photos of the saint in life and death.

It is interesting that leftists in Mexico once again seem to be threatening the Catholic Church, as well as the lives of Bishops and priests.  Today the persecution seems to be rooted in leftist opposition to Church teaching against abortion, contraception, and same-sex marriage.  Recently the Cathedral of Mexico City was closed because leftists had stormed the Cathedral  during Sunday Mass, threatening the priests and the faithful.

The above photo is a studio shot, and the only image I have of a retablo/icon style painting I did of Blessed Miquel several years ago.  Ann Ball had requested the photo for the website  dedicated to Blessed Miguel.  The painting had sold through a gallery in Santa Fe before I thought to have it professionally photographed.  I represented the saint with five bullet wounds, holding a prayer card of the Virgin of Guadalupe, his jacket over his shoulders - to emulate the Jesuit cape.  The background graffiti is inscribed with some of Fr. Pro’s last words and graffiti found in his prison cell.  The painting is more Mexican retablo than iconographic. 

A National Holiday. 

Today in the United States, its protectorates and military bases throughout the world, Thanksgiving Day is commemorated.  It is essentially a day of thanksgiving for an abundant harvest, although tradition has it that the first colonists celebrated the day in thanksgiving for a safe voyage from Europe, the harvest, and those nice native Americans who welcomed them and ended up giving them their land.

It’s really a harvest festival.

This week Catholics are claiming the first Thanksgiving actually took place in Florida with a Mass of Thanksgiving by the Spanish.  Truth be told, the native Americans celebrated a harvest festival of thanksgiving long before the Europeans got here.  (I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mormons trace the origins of the feast to that lost tribe of Israel they claim made it here first.)

And the start of the shopping season. 

Whatever, each year we celebrate a Thanksgiving feast in gratitude for all of God’s blessings to us throughout the year, the President proclaims the holiday, a turkey is officially pardoned and allowed to live, Macy’s has a parade, and Santa opens the shopping season - which promises to be bleak this year because of the high cost of oil and the devalued dollar, not to mention that record numbers may have their home mortgages foreclosed.

It is also an American Catholic holiday.

Nevertheless, we Americans always look on the bright side of things - at least we have our family and lots of food.  In addition, the devout Catholic family especially has so much to be grateful for (seriously!); Pope Benedict XVI, the return of the Latin Mass, a return to traditional Catholic teaching and morality, and now of course, the discovery that the first Thanksgiving was actually Catholic.

The  ”New”  Norman Rockwell Catholic Family.

I was imagining what a Thanksgiving dinner might be like in an average Catholic family today - in fact I know just such a family.  They are a large, close knit clan, the mom and dad are pretty much Sunday Catholics, but they have always abided by the rules of the Church - no contraception, no meat on Fridays, so on and so forth.

All our children.

The kids were all baptized and confirmed, but that was the extent of their religious formation.  Nevertheless, Mom insists they are all spiritual and good people.  Seated around the table are the three daughters and their families - one girl was married outside of the Church, the other two just live with their significant other.  One of the sons who is married is there with his wife and one child - they are Episcopalians.  Another son is present with his same-sex lover, while three other single brothers are there alone, two of them drinking heavily.  (The boys are not religious.)  The four grandkids are either watching TV or playing on the computer.

Don’t mention the war or morality.

Religion is not brought up in any way, shape, or form in the conversation.  The discussion starts out about the food, then touches a little bit on politics, but is mostly centered upon entertainment news and celebrity gossip, shopping, sports, and economic woes - which leads back to shopping and what sales the ladies are going to attend the next day at 5am.  Finally, dinner is over when everyone talks about how much they ate and how sleepy they feel from being so full.

That’s pretty much it.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Saint Rafka

Blessed Rafka, A Lebanese Maronite Nun, Canonized on June 10, 2001

“Born about the year 1832, Blessed Rafka was first known by her baptismal name Boutrossieh (Pierrette or Petronila in French). Before dying, Blessed Rafka told of her life to Sister Ursula, superior of the monastery in which she died, “There is nothing important in my life that is worthy of being recorded … my mother died when I was seven years old. After her death, my father married a second time.

When Blessed Rafka was 14 years old her stepmother wanted her to marry her brother, and her maternal aunt wanted her to marry her son. Rafka did not want to marry either of the men and this caused a great deal of discord in her family. After overhearing her stepmother and aunt exchange insults, Rafka asked God to help her deal with the problem. She then decided to become a nun and went straight to the convent of Our Lady of Liberation at Bikfaya.  This decision was not just to escape the problem of her marriage but a response to a true calling.

As Rafka recounts, “When I entered the Church I felt immense joy, inner relief and, looking at the image of the Blessed Virgin, I felt as if a voice had come from it and penetrated the most intimate part of my conscience. It said to me: You will be a nun.”  - The Eparchy of St. Maron website.

[Art:  An icon I did for the Maronite Church of the Holy Family in South St. Paul, Minnesota.  Unfortunately, it isn't a very good photo and it definitely did not scan well.]

Carthusians making their thanksgiving after Communion.

The Carthusians have an unique rite which differs slightly from the traditional Roman Rite. Their Office is awesome, in Latin - and of course Gregorian chant - however the cadence is very solemn and much slower than other monastic offices.

The position of the Carthusian post-communion thanksgiving emulates that of John the Evangelist when he rested his head against the chest of Our Lord. It may look cozy and comfortable, nevertheless it is not.

A prayer for those of us who are sinners and fall every day, perhaps at every step:

O my God, I am so intimately convinced that you watch over all those who hope in you, and that we can want for nothing while we expect all from you, that I am resolved to live without anxiety in the future, casting all my care on you. “In peace I will sleep and I will rest for you have wonderfully established me in hope.” Men may turn against me: sickness may take away my strength and the means of serving you; I may even lose your grace by sin, but I will never lose my hope. I will keep it even to the last moment of my life, and all the demons in hell shall try in vain to tear it from me. “In peace I will sleep and I will rest.”

Jesus, I trust in you!

Others may look for happiness from their wealth, or their talents and education; they may rely upon the innocence of their lives, the rigor of their of their penance, the number of their good works, the fervor of their prayers, the splendor of their liturgical celebrations, the beauty of their devotions: but for me. O Lord, my confidence shall be my confidence itself. For you have wonderfully established me in hope.

Jesus I trust in you!

This confidence has never deceived anyone. “No one has hoped in the Lord and been put to shame. I am sure that I shall be eternally happy, because I hope firmly to be so, and it is from you, O Lord, that I hope it. In you O Lord, have I hoped; I shall not be confounded for ever.

Jesus I trust in you!

I know that I am weak and changeable; I know the power of temptation against the most firmly based virtues: I have seen the stars of heaven and the pillars of the firmanent shaken and fall; yet not even this can make me fear. As long as I hope, I am safe from every evil, and I am always sure of hoping because I hope for this unchanging hope. For you, O Lord, have wonderfully established me in hope.

Jesus, I trust in you!

In fine, I am certain that I cannot hope too much in you; and that I cannot obtain less than I hope for from you. Thus I hope that you will uphold me in the greatest dangers, protect me in the most violent assaults, and make my weakness triumph over my most formidable enemies. I hope that you will love me always and that I also shall love you with unfailing love; and to carry my hope at once as far as it can go, I hope for you from yourself, my Creator, both in time and in eternity. Amen

Jesus, I trust in you!

(From a Sermon of St. Claude de la Columbiere)