Halloween Special: Tell Tale Heart

Considering that we are not Puritans and are not afraid of the macobe (thanks Terry), I thought it timely to make known a fantastic recording of the Edger Allan Poe Poem the Tell Tale Heart which is done in an gripping manner by radio host Glenn Beck.  He plays it once a year on Halloween.  Heres the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32rwI3eM5h8

Happy Halloween!

(Oh and just in case you were going to plead ignorance tomorrow is a Holy day of obligation...)

Talking about the liturgy at Marquette

When I was at an early mass the other day I noticed this flyer on the confessional doors:

Some might be thinking, "But its a Jesuit speaking on the liturgy and it is about Vatican II."

I know, I know, I had a similar feeling initially just looking at it, but reading closer there seems to be some good things.

First, the decreed on the liturgy from the council is quite beautiful and only contains a few confusing things, but overall its a wonderful document!

Second the talk is being given by a member of the revising commitee that worked to bring the translation in line with the Latin 1970 missal.  He also defended the new translation among his critical peers.

Now I dont have any real plans of going, but it looks like a positive experience as compared to the one at my former parish as per Terrance.

+JMJ+

Cardinal Pell on Fellay and the Council

I've seen Cardinal Pell's third party response to Bp. Fellay of the SSPX and I think he is just doing his job as one of the leaders of the Church in supporting the Holy Father.

The interesting aspect of the interview was the following to me:

Q.  So people like Fellay have completely misread Pope Francis?

A.  Yes, it is a gigantic misreading!  In actual fact, the Lefebvrists – many of them – have misread the situation for decades.   It was to Benedict’s great credit that he tried to reconcile with them, but they didn’t respond. Now the Church today accepts the Second Vatican Council. You don’t have to accept every jot and tittle of it, but it is part of Church’s life now, there’s no way around that. 

A couple notes,

He states that many of them (in the SSPX, using the term Lefebvrists is going overboard when they never accepted it to begin with) have misread the situation.  Well like Fr. Z said this is being vague... might we say ambiguous so as to not really touch on the issues that are contended.  Like I have said before there is a great resistance by many in the heirarchy to see to it that the SSPX is never accredited with providing direction for the church moving forward.  They may say dumb things but I know of bishops in good standing that have said worse and led the many into greater scandal then even Williamson.

The bolded part of the statement is also important because it states the obvious that novelties are still contested legitamatly by many in good standing with the Church, but there is such a reluctance to really look at the fruits of the council and address the problems not just of interpretation but of what was written in and of itself.  It should be noted its not a liberal problem but also a conservative one with the likes of George Weigle pandering to the "Evangelical Catholic" crowd determined to promote the ecumanism of indifference at nearly any cost (my observation...restrictions apply).

He might have well ended with something like:

"Must protect the legacy of the concilliar church and her pontiffs, must...Must...MUST!!!!  Will anyone take him up on the offer to really address the tittles of contension...we'll see.

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What to Read?

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Four years ago this would have been the last thing I would have ever written on because quite frankly books are boring…its like reading a pamphlet on pulling tonsils.  I think I can remember a handful of books that I enjoyed reading from the K-12 grades, some important like To Kill a Mocking Bird to something plain foolish as Goosebumps.  It’s the same thing with magazines, too few of them interested me.  I loved ESPN the Magazine because it was drowning in amazing pictures.  Other kids in middle school or high school would talk about having a stash of playboys or other pornographic mags.  To this day I thank the Lord that when I inquired to have my friends give me one they always declined.  Someone was watching over me…Thank you Guardian Angel!

I wanted to take a moment and provide a list of the books I am currently reading and recommend them to you for your own learning and enjoyment.

1.       I Am with You Always by Michael Davies, Neumann Press 1997
This book is primarily concerned with providing an apologetic against the scourge that is Sedevananctism.  Since I delve into areas where many criticize the post conciliar church I have been confronted constantly by sedevacantists (who deny that the Popes since either Pius XII or John XXIII are valid) calling me a heretic for holding that the seat was not vacant since the council.  If you enjoy apologetics and are interested in the topic of the indefectibility of the Church this short, 100 page book is for you!  Price: $12 on Amazon

2.       Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
This Book takes an in depth look at the Salve Regina touching on issues like Mary as Mediatrix of all graces and even the assumption before it was solemnly proclaimed by Pius XII. This is a phenomenal work and I try to read a chapter every Sunday and focus on it for the week.  You will not be disappointed if you pick this title up. 

3.       Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre by Michael Davies
This 3 volume work is a defense of Monsignor Marcel Lefebvre, the controversial Archbishop who established and sustained the Priestly Society of Saint Pope Pius X (SSPX).  I myself am not an advocate for the society itself, especially in the way it is presently constituted, but it is interesting to get an impartial look at this controversial figure in the Churches history and examine his group and their purpose moving forward.  You can find this online for free at the SSPX Asia website.  Be critical in what is said as Mr. Davies is, Stay with Peter but be honest with actions as well.

Prof. Von Hildebrand (source)

4.       The Nature of Love by Dietrich von Hildebrand, St. Augustine’s Press 2009
This was considered Professor Hildebrand’s greatest work on what True Love really is.  Prof. Von Hildebrand was proclaimed by Ven. Pope Pius XII as the, count it, The Doctor of the Church for the 20^th Century (JPII the “great” advocates will disagree but being stuck in the muds of Assisi don’t help their cause…im just kidding).  This is a really deep and scholarly book and I am only attacking this a few pages at a time and most often I have to go back and reread because its so dense. Yet this is a fantastic work and foundational in a world that calls things that are disordered love.

5.       Aquinas (Beginners Guides) by Edward Feser
A fantastic beginners book for Thomas Aquinas.  The book covers the life of St. Thomas his metaphysics, natural theology, psychology and ethics.  Other than Dr. Taylor Marshalls book which is free at his website I would recommend this work to people that really want a deep but not too scholarly look at the Doctor of Doctors for Holy Mother Church.  A fantastic read!

I will finish by recommending The Outline of Sanity magazine put out by the American Chesterton Society.  I think you can tell whats its about.  I think a years subscription is around $50, but its worth it especially if you’re a self proclaimed Chestertonian…like me…self proclaimed.

Alight that’s enough….time for cookies… or not

C is for Cookie!

North American Martyrs

Teaching Modesty

Most of us only think about modesty in terms of clothing, to few understand that it effects the whole of our lives.  Especially the Holy Mass

they only want us for our Pimp Juice

Blessed Raphael the Holy Archangel

From my ’62 missal reads the following:

Benedict XV (1914-1922) extended to the Universal Church the Feast of the Holy Archangel St. Raphael, who is known to us from the inspired words of the Book of Tobias as the angelical physician of the soul and body.

Catholic Online gives us the following information on St. Raphael:

St. Raphael is one of seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord. He was sent by God to help Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah. At the time, Tobit was blind and Tobiah's betrothed, Sarah, had had seven bridegrooms perish on the night of their weddings. Raphael accompanied Tobiah into Media disguised as a man named Azariah. Raphael helped him through his difficulties and taught him how to safely enter marriage with Sarah. Tobiah said that Raphael caused him to have his wife and that he gave joy to Sarah's parents for driving out the evil spirit in her. He also gave Raphael credit for his father's seeing the light of heaven and for receiving all good things through his intercession. Besides Raphael, Michael and Gabriel are the only Archangels mentioned by name in the bible. Raphael's name means "God heals." This identity came about because of the biblical story which claims that he "healed" the earth when it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels in the apocryphal book of Enoch.  Raphael is also identified as the angel who moved the waters of the healing sheep pool. He is also the patron of the blind, of happy meetings, of nurses, of physicians and of travelers. His feast day is celebrated on September 29th.

Even before I started taking the faith seriously I loved reading scripture.  Unfortunately I was given an NIV version Bible at my Catholic parish so I was missing the seven deuterocanonical books from the Old testament.  You can imagine the joy I felt when I learned there were seven more books to read!  Yippie I was excited.

Also Anne Catherine Emmerick brings up the Book of Tobias as related below:

[On the feast of the Archangel Michael in September 1821, Catherine Emmerich recounted, amongst other fragments of a vision of the holy angels, the following fragment of the story of Tobias, whom she had seen with the Archangel Raphael as his guide.]

I saw many things from the life of Tobias, which is an allegory of the history of the coming of salvation in Israel; not an imaginative allegory, but one which actually happened and was lived. It was shown to me that Sarah, the wife of the young Tobias, was a prototype of St. Anne. I will relate as much as I can remember of the many things that happened, but shall not be able to reproduce them in their right order. The elder Tobias was an emblem of the God-fearing branch of the Jewish race, those who were hoping for the Messiah. The swallow, the messenger of spring, indicated the near approach of salvation. The blindness of old Tobias signified that he was to beget no more children, and was to devote himself entirely to prayer and meditation; it signified also the faithful, though dim, longing and waiting for the light of salvation and the uncertainty as to whence it was to come. Tobias' quarrelsome wife represented the empty and harassing forms into which the Pharisees had converted the Law. The kid which she had brought home in lieu of wages had, as Tobias warned her, really been stolen, and had for that reason been handed on to her in return for very little. Tobias knew the people concerned and all about it, but his wife only mocked him. This mockery also indicated the contempt of the Pharisees and formalists for the devout Jews and Essenes and the relationship between the two groups, but I cannot now remember how this was.

The Archangel Raphael was not telling an untruth when he said that he was Azarias, the son of Ananias, for the general meaning of these words is: The help of the Lord out of the cloud of the Lord'. [40] This angel, the companion of young Tobias, represented God's watchfulness over the Blessed Virgin's descent through her ancestors and His preservation and guidance of the Blessing through the generations which preceded her conception. In the prayer of the Elder Tobias, and of Sarah, the daughter of Raguel (I saw both these prayers being brought by the angels at one and the same time before the Throne of God and there granted), I recognized the supplications of the God-fearing Israelites and of the Daughters of Sion for the coming of salvation, as well as the simultaneous prayers of Joachim and Anna, separated from each other, for the promised offspring. The blindness of the elder Tobias and his wife's mockery of him also symbolized Joachim's childlessness and the rejection of his sacrifice at the Temple. The seven husbands of Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, who were destroyed by Satan, came to their end through sensuality; for Sarah had made a vow to give herself only to a chaste and God-fearing man. These seven men symbolized those whose entry into Jesus' ancestry according to the flesh would have hindered the coming of the Blessed Virgin, and thus the advent of salvation. There was also a reference to certain unblessed periods in the history of salvation and to the suitors whom Anna had to reject that she might be united to Joachim, the father of Mary. The maidservant's reviling of Sarah ( Tob. 3.7) symbolized the reviling by the heathen and by the godless and unbelieving among the Jews against the expectation of the Messiah, for whose coming all God-fearing Jews were, like Sarah, inspired to pray with ever-increasing fervor. It was also an image of the reviling of Anna by her maidservant, whereafter that holy mother prayed with such fervor that her prayer was granted. The fish which was about to swallow young Tobias symbolized the powers of darkness, heathendom, and sin striving against the coming of salvation, and also Anna's long barrenness. The killing of the fish, the removal of its heart, liver, and gall, and the burning of this by Tobias and Sarah to make smoke--all these symbolized the victory over the demon of fleshly lusts who had strangled Sarah's seven husbands, as well as the good works and continence of Joachim and Anna, by which they had obtained the blessing of holy fruitfulness. I also saw therein a deep significance relating to the Blessed Sacrament, but can no longer explain this. The gall of the fish, which restored the sight of Tobias' father, symbolized the bitterness of the suffering through which the chosen ones among the Jews came to know and share in salvation; it indicated also the entry of the light into the darkness brought about by Jesus' bitter sufferings from His birth onwards.

I received many explanations of this kind, and saw many details of the history of Tobias. I think the descendants of young Tobias were among the ancestors of Joachim and Anna. The elder Tobias had other children who were not godly. Sarah had three daughters and four sons. Her first child was a daughter. The elder Tobias lived to see his grandchildren.

Hope you have a great feast day!

+JMJ+

Athiests Heaven Bound?

...
http://www.audiosancto.org/sermon/20131020-Can-Atheists-Be-Pleasing-to-God.html

A great Sermon

+Pray for Peter+

+Pray for Clarity+

Accompanying Fear

A believe it was the socialist Franklin Delano Roosevelt who said we have nothing to fear but fear itself.  This is fantastic rhetoric.  You even see commercials for google using the speech for its own ends.  But as something to live by its nothing but rat poison.

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While I don’t live in fear of what is to come tomorrow I can understand how some are fearful especially if they have families.  St. Paul draws a similar thought when speaking of celibacy.  He notes that celibacy frees up a man to pursue God while the married man is conflicted with pleasing his wife and maintaining his household.   I am not saying that marriage is foolish, this is a false notion.  Rather it is the responsibility, to a greater degree, for the unwed are less bound to the fears that plague many of us. 

We are called to run the race, to climb the grand mountains and scale the cliffs in life with a healthy fear of the Lord. Christ calls us to take up the cross and follow him.  I don’t know about you but the idea of taking up a cross doesn’t seem like a survivable endeavor to me.  It’s a matter of risking it all in pursuit of the truth.  We are sheep and we can only serve one master, are we willing to risk it all or pursue the wide comfortable paths merely to survive?

I have many fears that too often hold me back from pursuing truth:

I don’t want to offend anyone

I don’t want to be a burden for anyone

Afraid to step on others shoes

Fear of creating unnecessary rupture

Afraid of stepping out of my lazy comfort zone

Want to be liked by others

All of these have one thing in common.  They are selfish pursuits or non-pursuits for that matter.  I like to fancy myself as orginal in many things because I don’t try to be original but just do things (like the Joker I guess).  Right now I have an incredible problem on my mind which I don’t know what to do with.  The problem is that I work two part time jobs and don’t get insurance through either of them unless I want to work another ten hours.  Now I know this sounds like whining but I am already working 60 hours a week and my mind is dry by the end of it and my body is sore.  The problem rests in how Barrycare has created the necessity for all insurers to provide plans that mandatorily provide contraceptive and abortive aspects.  This is direct material support of evil, but the insurers have no say in the matter.  And I being the end user have zero say as well.  Im told by my parents I need the health insurance just in case, well that’s great but what does it profit a man to live 20 more days yet lose his soul? I know that the Bishops think that pursuing this problem in a constitutional way but in all honesty if its just a matter of “religious freedom” as recognized by the bill of rights who’s to say that the government doesn’t just say well its inconvenient to provide the right to religious convictions?  Will the Bishops hold to their stance or crumble under the foot of Big Brother government and business?

I cant be the only one in this predicament.  I’m frustrated but I recognize that there might come a time to act in a risky manner not only forgoing coverage and risking bankruptcy but perhaps jail time in refusing to pay an unjust fine for a system based on deception and cruelty. 

I want to be like Peter initially when he gets out of the boat and walks on the water towards our Lord but the worries of the world suck me down drowning my mind in selfish concerns.  The fear of losing it all scares me.  I will say that a week ago I wouldn’t even allow myself to contemplate the matter, so I have moved on and challenged myself, but scaling this and any cliff that Christ grants us is terrifying.

Are we really willing to risk it all?

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As the world strips us of our worldly dignity are willing to be fools for Christ?  Am I a Slave to the world or a Slave for Christ in his grand procession?  I need prayers for discernment. But enough about me, pray for the Syrian Church and the Coptics!

A Big Thank You!

I just wanted to send a quick shout out to the bloggers that have added me to their rolls:

Badger Catholic

Abby-Roads

The Provincial Emails

I really appreciate the link to my page, but I don’t promise quality work only Pharisaical meanderings

Just kidding, thanks again!

The Future is Unknown Baby

A simple response to the charge of clericalism

Is it possible that someone can go overboard and fashion themselves as important and therefore above others because they have clerical status?

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Sure it is.  Our Lord made clear in Matthew 20: 24-28

And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25But Jesus called them to him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them. 26It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister: 27And he that will be first among you, shall be your servant. 28Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.

 Now the question is why is there a perception within the flock that clericalism has recently taken over?

There seems to be this incessant need to identify anything bespeaking of traditional doctrines or practice as being clericalism.  Wearing cassocks is seen as snooty, as being elitist.  Withholding communion from public unrepentant sinners is seen as being uncharitable and judgmental.  Kissing the ring of a Bishop or even the Pope is now frowned upon as being midevel or lording their beings over the others.

Terry talked about the latter issue in two posts you can find here and here. I cannot even begin to say how it bothers me how Bishops and even the Holy Father today are unsettled by kissing their ring or feet.  People in modernity are so concerned with the perceptions of others that they forget the faith is not about them as a person but about God and that which he gives to his Church, specifically offices.  I myself would have no problem kissing the feet of the Holy Father (as long as they are somewhat clean of course :-P) but modernity cannot fathom a reason for recognizing authority.  We see authority through the eyes of the egalitarian, that no one is more important than the other, and to take advantage of such a situation is lording it over the brethren.

Either Christ established the Church or he didn't.  Either Francis is "My sweet Jesus on Earth"  or he isn't.  But if he established the church and granted to certain people within it authority then why are we so afraid to recognize this authority with mental consent and with physical acts of piety.  I love the pictures of the Pre-concilliar popes riding on the papal throne flanked by fans on either side.  Do we look at the Pope on the personal level and proclaim him important above else because of his humanity?  Of course not, its because of his office that we give doubly the honor to him which St. Paul himself calls on all Christians to give, and this can take different forms, but dont discard something because your comprehension of the action is lack-luster.

I wont take up the issue of granting public sinners communion because it has been talked about so much over the years.  Suffice it to say scandal seems to be more welcome than the charity of correction in today's church.

I was also thinking of writing something about cassocks but I came across a fantastic, let me repeat FANTASTIC sermon that just came out on the importance of religious garb to the faith.  You can find it here.

Are there clerics that think themselves important and above the rest of the fold?  Most definitely and they need to be reminded that authority is for service.  But it is also important to recognize that clericalism is not limited to those with collars to to laymen who in their ignorance or active dissent want to drive every part of the faith down to their own desires, often stripping the faith down, even past its foundations, to create a comfortable faith that doesn't offend our modern sensibilities because after all we are so enlightened unlike the knuckle draggers of years gone by.

Calvin & Hobbes, Documentary

What can be better?

Friday Funnies

I like many need a moment to laugh...this videos an olde but a goodie!

Have a great weekend!

On Monday I will take this blogging thing more seriously, but not at this time thats for sure!

+JMJ+

John Wayne on liberals

St. Callixtus, Pope and Martyr

As you might have guessed today is the feast day of St. Callixtus.

 

Me wonders where he got the tiara from
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My missal reads the following about him:

“ St. Callixtus I, successor of St. Zephyrinus, instituted the Ember-Day fasts, and provided for the honourable interment of the martyrs. He himself suffered martyrdom under Alexander Severus.  A.D. 223

I for one confess that I have not partaken in “ember-days” as of yet, but I do plan on starting to take these things a lot more seriously considering the crisis that abounds in Holy Mother Church today.

Rorate had a great article on Ember days and you can find it here.

+JMJ+

Fr. John Hardon takes your Questions

In a soundbite culture its hard to get people to listen to or read information that will be helpful to them in knowing and defending something as complex as the Catholic Faith.

I have seen some attempts to simplify the issues for such a culture from a Youtuber going under the alias Dragamedood.  His site deals with a couple things Catholic, but his approach lately seems to be focused on challenging atheism.

I hope to provide short Catholic answers coming from the one and only Fr. John Hardon S.J. whose cause for canonization is in its beginnings.

Here are a couple videos to begin with:

On protestant communion, and potential graces therefrom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEJZDiRRqzw

On the Real Environmental Crisis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asc4l6a7hfY

On Priestly Celibacy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y44ac-3Nuuo

On the heresies present in "Amazing Grace"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqkjEZXF9Y0

Im sorry the videos wouldnt embed...I dont know why they wont

+JMJ+

Remember Syria and Egypt!

With the shutdown and the Holy Fathers visit to Assisi in the news its easy to become overwhelmed.

So I am calling to you to not forget Syria and Egypt.  You can remember that the Holy Father called for a day of penance a few weeks back and the appeal remains an on going effort, so please keep our brothers and sisters in your prayers!

I also wanted to make you aware of a video from the recent Fatima event where His Beatitude Ignatius Youssif Younun spoke.  He is the Patriarch of Antioch (the Catholic one).  In the video his Beatitude addresses the situation in the Middle East (or if you go to a Jesuit parish from time to time "near east") and provides some insight.

+Our Lady of Peace Pray for Us!+
+Pray for the Pope that he makes the right decisions here+

Shatter me O' Lord!

Make me small

Let me be like a child, given over completly to You

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-abstract-character-shattered-image28761435

+Pray for Peter+

+Pray the Rosary like a knight weilds his sword in battle!+

+JMJ+

From the Producers...

From the producers that brought you “Green week” comes ….wait for it

“HEALTHCARE WEEK”

YIPPIE! I’m enthused

So is there any outrage that a TV network is doing the bidding of the Govt?  Just remember your tax dollars don’t just go to kill babies directly, but it also goes to fund propaganda that will kill them in the future.  But you say the government cant put out propaganda like they did during the 20^th century?  Well looks like they fixed that problem!

Say it with me now…

Four more years!

Eight more years!

"What difference does it make?"

King for life!

Oh and just for fun: