Pius X: What is the thing we most need, today, to save society?"

"With is deep understanding of the needs of the Church, Pius X often saw things with a most remarkable clarity. An interesting conversation of the Holy Pontiff with a group of Cardinals was reported in the French clerical publication, L' Ami du Clerge.  The Pope asked them: 

Pius X

Jean-Baptiste Chautard

"What is the thing we most need, today, to save society?" 

"Build Catholic schools," said one 

"No." 

"More Churches," said another.  

"Still no." 

"Speed up the recruiting of priests," said a third 

"No, no," said the Pope, "the MOST necessary thing of all, at this time, is for every parish to possess a group of laymen who will be at the same time virtuous, enlightened, resolute, and truly apostolic." 

Further details enable us to assert that this holy Pope at the end of his life saw no hope for the salvation of the world, unless the clergy could use their zeal to form faithful Christians full of apostolic ardor, preaching by word and example, but especially by example. In the diocese where he served before being elevated to the Papacy, he attached less importance to the census of parishioners than to the list of Christians capable of radiating an apostolate. It was his opinion that shock troops could be formed in any environment. Furthermore, he graded his priests according to the results which their zeal and ability had produced in this regard."

Taken from the book: The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard


Have a joyous weekend!

+Pray for Christians in the Middle East!!+

So why is Thomas a Kempis not a saint?

Thomas

This might be well known, but since I found it an oddity considering his influence I will make this quick.

Thomas died in 1471, but when his remains were exhumed they found splinters under his finger nails and the coffin scratched up.  In other-words, Thomas was most likely buried alive.  The church seeing this as a situation where Thomas may have despaired decided to not proceed with his canonization cause citing this incident twice when the cause is again and again brought up.

Pray for his soul.

+JMJ+

OTL: Gandhi carried with him two books, a new testament and the Imitation of Christ wherever he went.  Pray for him, he was not ignorant of the faith according to Fr. Hardon

New Father Hardon S.J. videos on Thomas Merton, Usury and more!

+JMJ+

When law violates morality: Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

“At the present time it is widely accepted among lawyers that law is higher than morality … The opposite is true: morality is higher than law! ... This view must never be abandoned. We must acknowledge it with our hearts and souls… we, from the whole of our life experience there (in the prison camps), have concluded that there is only one way to withstand violence: with firmness... I would like to call upon America to be more careful with its trust to prevent those pundits who are attempting to establish fine degrees of justice and even finer legal shades of equality … to prevent them from using the struggle for peace and social justice to lead you down a false road. They are trying to weaken you; they are trying to disarm your strong and magnificent country. Your leaders will need profound intuition, spiritual foresight, high qualities of mind and soul. May God grant that in those times you will have at the helm personalities as great as those who created your country. … the men who created your country never lost sight of their moral bearings.”

 - Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Warning to the West (1975)




I cant recommend his work enough...

+JMJ+

Thank You Lord for ALL Priests!!

Re-post from April, because its important to remember this daily!!

St. Teresa of Avila receiving Holy Communion (Source)

Prayer for Priests by St. Teresa of Avila
O my Most Sweet Jesus, O Jesus, Eternal High Priest, keep Thy priests in the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart, where no one can hurt them. Keep their anointed hands unsullied, which daily handle Thy Sacred Body. Keep pure the lips which are reddened with Thy Precious Blood. Keep pure and unworldly their hearts which are sealed with the sublime token of Thy glorious priesthood. Cause them to grow in love and loyalty to Thee and protect them from the contamination of the world. With their power of transforming bread and wine, give them the power of transforming hearts. Bless their work with rich fruit and grant them one day the crown of eternal life. Amen.


+JMJ+

St Thomas the Apostle, literally a world traveler!

Did you know St. Thomas went literally around the world to preach the Gospel?



Enjoy the following sermon that goes into St. Thomas' travels!

+JMJ+

Jihad Watch: Islamic State fighter: “Spain is the land of our forefathers, and, Allah willing, we are going to liberate it, with the might of Allah”

“And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you,” says the Qur’an (2:191), and so Islamic holds that any land that was once governed under Islamic law belongs by right to Muslims forever. The imperative to reconquer and re-Islamize Spain springs from the same Islamic wellsprings as the jihad against Israel.
“Spanish-Speaking ISIS Fighter in Syria Warns: We Shall Liberate Spain,” MEMRI, July 1, 2014

Read the rest and watch the video here HERE


That reminds me....

+JMJ+