USC: Balthasar's denial of the Beatific Vision in Christ

The ex-Jesuit and known promoter of neo-Origenism

"I do believe that Catholics who value our tradition need to start coming together and challenging the prevalence of Balthasarian theology in much of Catholic academia. His presence is truly all-encompassing. Well-respected popular teachers like Fr. Barron state that Balthasar is "probably right" about Hell being empty; disciples of Balthasar are being promoted to the cardinalate (Scola and Oullet); major, otherwise orthodox Catholic publishing companies are promoting von Balthasar; and Cardinal Ratzinger himself, at Balthasar's funeral, said that"he is right in what he teaches of the faith." Truly, there is no escaping the influence of von Balthasar.

Despite his eminence, many have raised concerns about his teaching, notably his thesis that Catholics may reasonably and with sincere hopefulness postulate that hell may be empty. This is the most often criticized doctrine of Balthasar's, if for no other reason than it is the most easy to understand. Yet it is not the most troubling of his teachings. Among other things, Balthasar attributes to Christ ignorance and positive error, denies the Traditional understanding of the "Harrowing of Hell", suggests that Christ suffered the pains of the damned, says the blessed in heaven have faith, states that the Incarnation can be "suspended", suggests the theoretical possibility of the blessed in heaven still turning their back on God and losing their salvation, posits more than one Divine Will in the Godhead, calls God the "Super-Feminine" and "Super-Death", and denies that Jesus Christ experienced the Beatific Vision..."

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The rest of the article is excellent and detailed for those interested in shedding light on folks like Balthasar and de Lubac who promoted modernistic teachings, and seem to be let off the hook as if they are untouchables

READ THE REST HERE!!!!!!

And of course Fr. Hardon on the matter below:

St. Francis de Sales: Living the Devout Life

The following excerpt is taken from St. Francis' book: Introduction to the Devout Life

“There is an old proverb to the effect that the sweetest music is unwelcome at a time of mourning; and certain persons have made a great mistake when, seeking to cultivate some special virtue, they attempt to obtrude it on all occasions, like the ancient philosophers we read of, who were always laughing or weeping. Worse still if they take upon themselves to censure those who do not make a continual study of this their pet virtue. S. Paul tells us to “rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep;” 51 and Charity is patient, kind, liberal, prudent, indulgent…

And the Apostles, whose mission it was to preach the Gospel, and feed souls with the Bread of Life, judged well that it was not right for them to hinder this holy work in order to minister to the material wants of the poor, weighty as that work was also.  Every calling stands in special need of some special virtue; those required of a prelate, a prince, or a soldier, are quite different; so are those beseeming a wife or a widow, and although all should possess every virtue, yet all are not called upon to exercise them equally, but each should cultivate chiefly those which are important to the manner of life to which he is called…

Saint Louis counted it a privilege to visit the hospitals, where he used to tend the sick with his own royal hands. Saint Francis loved poverty above all things, and called her his lady-love. Saint Dominic gave himself up to preaching, whence his Order takes its name.  Saint Gregory the Great specially delighted to receive pilgrims after the manner of faithful Abraham, and like him entertained the King of Glory under a pilgrim’s garb. Tobit devoted himself to the charitable work of burying the dead. Saint Elizabeth, albeit a mighty princess, loved above all things to humble herself. When Saint Catherine of Genoa became a widow, she gave herself up to work in a hospital. Cassian relates how a certain devout maiden once besought Saint Athanasius to help her in cultivating the grace of patience; and he gave her a poor widow as companion, who was cross, irritable, and altogether intolerable, and whose perpetual fretfulness gave the pious lady abundant opportunity of practicing gentleness and patience. And so some of God’s servants devote themselves to nursing the sick, helping the poor, teaching little children in the faith, reclaiming the fallen, building churches, and adorning the altar, making peace among men. Therein they resemble embroidresses who work all manner of silks, gold and silver on various grounds, so producing beautiful flowers. Just so the pious souls who undertake some special devout practice use it as the ground of their spiritual embroidery, and frame all manner of other graces upon it, ordering their actions and affections better by means of this their chief thread which runs through all.”

Holy Chrysostom!

Its John Chrysostom's Feast Day!

Yay!

And since i just finished a piece in regards to him I share it below:

+JMJ+

St. Stan's Featured on "Roamin' Catholic Churches"

On the site Roamin' Catholic Churches comes the following account of St. Stan's Oratory:

Abbe George and his descriptions of the renovation are so involved...

An important trait about the Institute: They seem quite intent on restoring the oftentimes historic church structures that they occupy.  The major theme for the discussion about the church at Doors Open was the planned restoration project aimed at bringing the church near it's original look from the late 1800s.  I say this here as one of the priest's particular speaking notes was directed to the Polish White Eagle at the top of this photo.  The White Eagle has been a significant Polish icon for generations and the crest shown here is original to the church (Milwaukee's Polish "mother" church).  Just out of view of the picture is a big speaker that keeps the White Eagle practically hidden from most of the church.  Among many other changes, the speaker system is supposed to be altered to reveal this Polish iconography once again.

Read the rest HERE

If Pope Francis is a communist then what of St. Basil the Great?

The more I hear people call the Holy Father a commie the more I was wondering if such people know anything about the church.  When +Francis P.P. says he is not a communist and that people would be surprised if they read the early fathers he is not joking:

+JMJ+

Von Hildebrand: The antithesis of conscience is unscrupulousness

The following excerpt was taken from Dietrich von Hildebrand's book:

Love Marriage and the Catholic Conscience: Understanding the Church’s Teachings on Birth Control

“The antithesis of conscience is unscrupulousness. The man who is indifferent to the question of whether something is good or bad, sinful or licit, is unscrupulous. The man who is blind to the ultimate gravity of the moral order, to the offense against God constituted by sin, is unscrupulous. He also is unscrupulous who deliberately silenced the voice of his conscience and frivolously, without bothering about whether something is good or bad, abandons himself to his impulses. Also, he who is not conscious of man’s capacity for self-deception and the possibility of being value-blind is unscrupulous and acts irresponsibly.”

 

- Dietrich von Hildebrand -

A Few Thoughts on the Coming Climate Change Encyclical

Look, I agree I'm not exactly giddy to see the day this thing is promulgated.  When the news patrols began their freakout coverage a week or so back I was looking for cover (Which reminds me of this:)

But with some time to breath, I am beginning to wonder if we are overreaching slightly.

For instance, I don't have an issue with the prospect of climate change whether it is natural or even man made.  There is plenty of precedence for climate change in the Earths history, most recently there was what some call a "little ice-age" from the 1700's to the 1800's (an era lacking the influence of industrial interference). Yet could there be a real effect of spewing chemicals in the air in large amounts over a short time?  I think its possible, though considering that the atmosphere is so immensely large I am not as concerned as others, plus God created the atmosphere knowing our craziness so... But even having said that I think we can because quite protestant in thinking that God will save us regardless of our actions (including pollution). 

I do hope that the encyclical will touch on the above, but primarily I hope the Holy Father will take the time to address how our actions (as in sin) effect our world.  Terry over at Abby-Roads reminded me of La Sallette and how Our Lady made it clear to the children that the famine was a result of sin.  So too it wouldn't surprise me if crazy whether is a result mostly of our sins.  Consider how St. John Vianny, during his time at Ars, experienced no great weather events outside of basic, needed weather required for any land.  Yet when he died the weather went back to violent, but relatively normal events.

Our sin effects all things, a quick read of Genesis tells us this.

Having said this, I would also ask people to be calm.  We often hear the idea that such and such a person cant remember such a bad weather time in their life, yet all they had to do was step a few years back and BOOM! They were saying the same thing.  Our memory is bad, and everything is a a moment of disaster.  So too our recording of temperatures and events is very limited.

BUT MORE TO THE POINT!!!

I am seeing a real issue developing whereby people are pitting Cardinal Burke against the Holy Father.  Stop this!! Cardinal Burke is his own man, and he can speak for himself and he is.  Let us not turn this situation into one likened unto Pope Alexander VI and Pope Julius II.  It is of great sadness to me that in order to hoist himself up as important, Julius had to slander Alexander so much that today ignorant Catholic apologists speak ill of Alexander without any knowledge of his life and reign.

Cardinal Burke does seem to enjoy having the freedom outside the curia at this point to speak his mind when called upon. He is making waves with his interviews and making people in the irreligious sphere awkward and afraid so they feel like they need to shield themselves and so they distort the Holy Father as needed.

RELAX, as Aaron Rodgers would say.

Two stories of the saints (St. Anselm and St. Anthony)

The following excerpts are taken from the magnificent work of St. Francis De Sales "The Devout Life":

St. Francis

"We are told that S. Anselm of Canterbury… [observed that] a hunted hare took refuge from imminent death beneath the Bishop’s horse, the hounds clamoring round, but not daring to drag it from its asylum, whereat his attendants began to laugh; but the great Anselm wept, saying, “You may laugh forsooth, but to the poor hunted beast it is no laughing matter; even so the soul which has been led astray in all manner of sin finds a host of enemies waiting at its last hour to devour it, and terrified, knows not where to seek a refuge, and if it can find none, its enemies laugh and rejoice.” And so he went on his way, sighing.

Constantine the Great wrote with great respect to S. Anthony, at which his religious expressed their surprise. “Do you marvel,” he said, “that a king should write to an ordinary man? Marvel rather that God should have written His Law for men, and yet more that He should have spoken with them Face to face through His Son.” When S. Francis saw a solitary sheep amid a flock of goats; “See,” said he to his companion, “how gentle the poor sheep is among the goats, even as was Our Lord among the Pharisees;” and seeing a boar devour a little lamb, “Poor little one,” he exclaimed, weeping, “how vividly is my Savior’s Death set forth in thee!”

Take the time to meditate upon these stories St. Francis relates.

+JMJ+

Extraordinary Questions #2: Symbolism in the movement of the Missal

The following was posted on St. Stan's Facebook page.  Please share and like if you may from the Facebook account which you can see below:

What is the symbolism of the missal being moved from the left side of the altar to the right side?

Again I would like to thank you all for the questions, and if you have more please feel free to message us or leave a comment below.

During the mass of the catechumen’s you will notice that  after the gradual or the tract is read the altar server will approach the altar, take the missal from the right side and reverently make his way over to the left side of the altar to place it down.

There is much to be said about this discipline, but I wish to focus on just one aspect of it for now. So let us begin with the symbolism that is present in the action.  In his work, The Holy Eucharist, St. Alphonsus de Liguori relates the following:

“The priest leaving the right side of the altar, which represents the Jewish people, passes to the left side, which represents the Gentiles, who accepted the Gospel that was rejected by the Jews.”

Hence, it is often said that the right end of the altar is the Epistle Side (ie: readings from the scriptures outside of the four Gospel writers).  

Fr. Michael Müller CSSR also gives a more detailed treatment of this action saying:

“The server next carries the Missal to the other side of the altar for the reading of the Gospel, at the left, to signify how Our Lord was led about from one iniquitous judge to another. The carrying of the book from the right to the left signifies that when the Jews had rejected the Gospel it passed over to the Gentiles, who received it with joy.” (The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)

After the communion rite has concluded the altar server will again remove the Missal and place it back on the right end of the altar.  This too has wonderful symbolism in that just as the Jews had rejected their messiah and thus the Gospel was taken to the Gentiles, in the end days St. Paul tells us that there will be a great apostasy (particularly among the gentiles) and the Jews would at this time be converted to the true faith once again.

For those accustomed to the ordinary form, this action rarely accompanies the lectionary, but there is nothing stopping its continuance in the ordinary form.  For instance it should be noted that on October 16^th, 2012 the mass celebrated by then Pope Benedict included the lectionary being offered in this manner. (a link to this can be supplied upon request)

+JMJ+

Post by St. Stanislaus Catholic Church (Milwaukee, Wisconsin).