Friday, July 31, 2015

Significance of the Sign of the Cross

Get your Cross on Today!
“The venerable custom of making the Sign of the Cross over persons and things has, without doubt, its origin from Apostolic times; some even trace it to Christ our Lord Himself who, according to a devout opinion, blessed at His Ascension into heaven the disciples with His hands in the form of a cross.  The very ancient use of the Sign of the Cross is proved from the universal testimony of the Fathers and ecclesiastical writers…
 The sign of the Cross is a symbolical expression of the principal mysteries of Christianity, a confession of the Catholic faith. It reminds us of the Crucified, of the price of our redemption and of the value of our soul; it enkindles love of God, strengthens hope, animates us to follow Christ on the way of the Cross; it indicates that in the Cross we are to find our honor, our salvation and our life; that we should prefer "the folly and weakness of the Cross" to all the wisdom and power of the world, that, as disciples of the Crucified, we should combat under the banner of the Cross and by this sign triumph over all our enemies…
St. Francis de Sales writes on this subject:  "We raise the hand first to the forehead, saying: in the name of the Father', to signify that the Father is the first person of the Most Holy Trinity, of whom the Son is begotten and from whom the Holy Ghost proceeds. Then saying: 'and the Son,' the hand is lowered to the breast, to express that the Son proceeds from the Father, who sent Him down to the womb of the Virgin. Then the hand is moved from the left shoulder or side to the right, while saying: 'and of the Holy Ghost,' thereby signifying that the Holy Ghost, as the third person of the Holy Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, that He is the love that unites both, and that we, through His grace, partake of the fruits of the Passion… Accordingly, the sign of the Cross is a brief declaration of our faith in the three great mysteries: namely, of our faith in the Blessed Trinity, in the Passion of Christ and in the forgiveness of sin, by which we pass from the left side of curse to the right of blessing.

The concluding word Amen has here a two-fold meaning: one side, it expresses his desire that the petitions included and mentioned in signing himself with the sign of the cross may be fulfilled; on the otherhand, it confirms and seals the good intention excited within him by the accompanying words in honor of the Most Holy Trinity.”

Excerpts taken from "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by Fr. Gihr
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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Who can doubt it was Blessed Peter who gave us the Roman Liturgy?



The following passage is taken from Fr. Gihr's work: The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

"While the liturgies of the East are very numerous, there are but few in the West. The principal are the Mozarabic, the ancient Gallic, the Ambrosian and Roman liturgies. The last named has at all times had the precedence, and is now found in all parts of the world. Already Pope Innocent I (4002 – 417 AD), in writing to Decentius, Bishop of Gubbio, about ritual matters, traces the origin of the Roman liturgy to the Prince of the Apostles:  “Who does not know that what has been handed down by Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, to the Roman Church is still observed unto this day, and must be observed by all?” St. Peter, consequently, must be regarded as the founder of the Roman liturgy, for the method of celebration followed and introduced by him was the essential and permanent foundation for its later development and form. “This liturgy, as yet a tender plant, was brought by St. Peter, the Prince of the Church, into the garden of the Roman Church, where by his nursing care and that of his successors, assisted by the Holy Ghost, it has grown to a large tree, and although the trunk has long ago attained its full growth, it nevertheless shoots forth in every century new branches and new blossoms (Kössing). "

From Peter to Peter, the liturgy is recieved in humility


Thursday, July 16, 2015

Fr. Hardon was almost a martyr? And saved Sisters in the process? You bet!

So, i had never heard this story before and I am guessing you have not either.

Father Hardon prevented a gang of Russians from pillaging a Missionaries of Charity building.

Its worth the listen:




+JMJ+

Monday, July 13, 2015

7/13: New Father Hardon Videos

Below are a few new videos i put together last week.  More will be coming soon including a story of a meeting between Fr. Hardon and Cardinal Ratzinger.  Enjoy!




















Friday, July 10, 2015

America Then and Now - Patrick Buchanan, Charles Coulombe

I saw that Pat Buchanan was on Catholic answers the other day and wanted to make it know to others so the link to the show is below:

America Then and Now


Also Ryan Grant of the Athanasius Contra Mundum blog interviewed Charles Coulombe (Catholic Historian) about the American revolution from a Catholic perspective.  It was an interesting take.  Listen below:



Finally, next week I should be able to put up some new Father Harden videos I have been working on.  Maybe two posts on that to look forward to.

+JMJ+