Who is your saint?

This post is awfully late, no thanks to my service that keeps me "in touch with the globe".

But this is a nice article from Zenit and better late than never.


***

Benedict XVI Encourages Choosing a Special Saint

Recommends Namesake as a Model [I don't have a namesake but I look up to a few saints for their courage and holiness. namely St. Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Thomas More for being a true Catholics at the time when it is needed the most.  And for St. Benedict, St. John Marie Vianney and St. Therese of the Child Jesus for keeping me on the ground, rooted in the Christ and the Faith amid the hustle and bustle of this mad capitalist society.]

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 25, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is recommending that everyone have devotion to a particular saint -- he suggested, for example, a namesake -- so that the saint can offer closeness through intercession but also be a model to imitate. [You'll be surprised here in the Philippines to find parents naming their kids after famous Hollywood or local entertainment industry celebrities.  I do know this for a fact since I am part of the weekly baptisms at our Church.]

The Pope said this today when he reflected during the general audience on the saints. He gave the audience address from Castel Gandolfo, where he is staying at the papal summer residence through next month.

The Holy Father said that it is important "to have 'travel companions' on the journey of our Christian life: I am thinking of a spiritual director, a confessor, persons with whom we can share the experience of faith, but I am also thinking of the Virgin Mary and of the saints." [The world has become so fast paced and so into the "modern", we always look for alternatives and anything new and unconventional.  So I am wondering why some, this I know some priests and nuns, who delve into the Occult and Paganism, for "meditation" and "discovering the self".

"Each one," he said, "should have a saint that is familiar to him, to whom he feels close with prayer and intercession, but also to imitate him or her. Hence, I would like to invite you to know the saints better, beginning with the one whose name you bear, by reading his life, his writings. You can be certain that they will become good guides to love the Lord ever more and valid aids for your human and Christian growth."

The Pontiff noted his own closeness to St. Joseph and St. Benedict, as his namesakes, but also reflected on a saint who has "become a good 'travel companion' in my life and my ministry": St. Augustine.

Benedict XVI said that St. Augustine's teaching is particularly relevant today, since "relativism is, paradoxically, the 'truth' that must guide thought, decisions and behavior."

Augustine was a great seeker of truth, the Pope noted -- not '"pseudo-truths' incapable of giving lasting peace of heart, but that Truth that gives meaning to existence and that is the 'dwelling' in which the heart finds serenity and joy."

"St. Augustine understood that it was not he who had found Truth, but that Truth itself, which is God, pursued and found him," the Pontiff reflected.

Referring to a passage from Augustine's "Confessions," in which the saint is with his mother and both "for a moment touch the heart of God in the silence of creatures," the Holy Father said: "[C]reatures must be silent so that there will be a silence in which God can speak. This is also true in our time: Sometimes there is a sort of fear of silence, of recollection, of reflecting on one's acts, on the profound meaning of one's life. [...] [T]here is fear of seeking the Truth, or perhaps there is fear that the Truth will find us, will grip us and change our life, as happened to St. Augustine." [Like what I mentioned above.  It is indeed true.]

"Dear brothers and sisters," the Pope concluded, "I would like to say to all, also to those in a difficult moment in their faith journey, those who do not participate much in the life of the Church, or those who live 'as if God did not exist' that they not be afraid of the Truth, that they never interrupt their journey toward it, that they never cease to seek the profound truth about themselves and about things with the internal eyes of the heart."

"God will not fail to give Light so that one can see," he said, "and Warmth to feel the heart that loves us and that wants to be loved."

***

Benedict the Teacher!  Great!

Ad multos annos!!!

Request for prayers: For an ailing father

I am a son and a father too.  I can feel for my friend, Jay Balza, as he and his family aid their father, Mr. Wilfredo Balza Sr who is suffering from cancer.

Keep him and the entire Balza family in your prayers as I always keep you in mine too.

Click here to read the post of Jay about his father's condition, his request for prayers and the journey home to the Catholic Faith of his dad.  He was raised a Protestant and wanted to become a Catholic before his marriage but the priest officiating his wedding said it is not necessary. 

Miracles do happen.  Pray for it!

Below is a photo of Mr. Balza, Sr. receiving the Lord for the first time from the hands of Canon Jean Marie Moreau of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

You know why...

2 days of no blog post.

You know why...

Not because I don't want to.

But because my super fast internet connection cannot even open the simple Google home page.

I don't want to get smart to get out of this globe of a mess!

Experienced both and both are hellish!

They'll rip you off of your money for down connections.

Makes you want to bask under the sun!

Holy Family...pray for us?!

I was listening to Radio Veritas 846 Manila on my way home last night because I had too much commentary on that fateful hostage drama.

I am not a big fan of the radio station but I had no choice.

At the end of the program entitled "Gospel of Love", they offered a prayer.

I was taken aback by what the prayer leader said afterwards...

"Holy Family, pray for us!"

What?!  Yeah, asking Joseph and Mary to pray for us but asking Jesus to pray for you?

Did these Catholic broadcasters know that Christ "sits at the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead"?

We ask mercy from Him not ask us to pray for us!

And these are our Catholic broadcasters!

Traditional Latin Mass Schedule for the week

From Societas Liturgiae Sacrae Sancti Gregorii

The Pope is here! Attack!!!

No not me!  The wolves!

***


LONDON (Reuters) – Pope Benedict will be confronted by posters on London's famous red buses during his trip to the British capital next month which will call for the ordination of women priests. [Hey that is too sexist.  It should have read womyn priests!  Don't you even think of putting the 'e' next to the 'm', ok!]

Protests are planned throughout his four-day trip to England and Scotland, the first papal visit since John Paul II's pastoral visit in 1982 and the first-ever official papal visit to Britain.

One group of women, Catholic Women's Ordination (CWO), will have its message plastered on the side of the buses as they travel along key routes, including past Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster, where the pope is set to deliver a speech to Britain's civic society on September 17.

The group has paid 15,000 pounds ($23,130) for 15 buses to carry the message "Pope Benedict - Ordain Women Now!" for a month.

"We do not want to be disruptive, but I think the church has got to change or it will not survive," CWO spokeswoman Pat Brown told Reuters. [Wow!  2,000 years of existence...A promise from Her Divine Founder that "the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."  Now this is great Dan Brown stuff!]

"I am quite hopeful at the moment because I think the church is in disarray." [Any organization is!]

It also hopes to protest outside Lambeth Palace during a meeting between the pope and Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual head of the Church of England, the Anglican mother church.

Set up in 1993, the CWO describes itself as loyal to the Roman Catholic Church, campaigning from within for inclusivity and the ordination of women. [Women are always part of the Church!  Honestly, I thought I suffered a brain hemorrhage just reading this.  The debate about ordaining women is...O-V-E-R!]

It was angered by a Vatican document last month [Do they ever read "Ordinatio sacerdotalis"?] which mentioned the ordination of women amid sweeping revisions of its laws against child sex abuse. The Vatican later denied accusations it viewed the two issues as equally criminal.

The CWO has also launched a group "Catholic Voices for Reform" [We have a different kind of reform moving in the Church and it's not what these womyn have in mind.] to coincide with the pope's visit to counter "Catholic Voices," a media-friendly group which has the backing of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.

They will go head-to-head on controversial matters such as child abuse, women's ordination, married priests, homosexuality and the way the church is run. [What the?!?!  Is the Church a publicly traded company?  They can talk about financial matters but doctrinal such as women's ordination?  Give me a break!]

CWO will not be taking part in the main demonstration against the pope's visit, which is being organized under the umbrella banner "Protest the Pope," which includes humanists, secularists and gay rights campaigners. [What a bunch!]

Tens of thousands of Catholics are expected to attend the three major public events in Glasgow, London and Birmingham, with many lining the streets to greet the pope in his Popemobile.

***

It is always in fashion to be anti-Catholic.

Cardinal Rosales getting too politically opinionated?

MANILA, August 26, 2010—The Philippines is in the dock again over the hostage crisis that killed several Hong Kong tourists, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said.

The prelate said that Monday’s bloody incident which was fueled by the way the authorities handled the situation was a big blow to the image of the country.

“It’s really a black eye. That’s the worst thing that happened to us,” Rosales told reporters on Thursday. [Nobody can dispute that!]

According to him, it’s hapless that it took only one man to destroy the image of the Filipinos and the country as well. [Like what Marcos did, and Arroyo, and...]

“It's a pity for a country like the Philippines when one does something wrong, it ruins the country's image. That's the sad reality when one creates trouble and gets publicized or reported to the whole world. That's not good,” added Rosales.

The head of Manila Roman Catholic Church then called on Filipinos, especially those working in Hong Kong, to help the country in restoring its image to the world.

“Let us uplift the image of our country by proving to them that not all (Filipinos) are like Rolando Mendoza,” he also said.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Bishop Nereo Odchimar earlier appealed to the international community not to take the tragedy against all Filipinos.

***

Is it just me or is it just that the cardinal suddenly became too opinionated in Philippine politics?

When everybody was looking for a "Cardinal Jaime Sin" to speak up during the 2004 Presidential election cheating scandal and the multi-million dollar broadband scam, Cardinal Rosales decided to keep mum on the issue.

He started speaking up only during the recent National Elections when then-candidate Benigno Aquino III said that the people would rise up in revolt if elections were rigged.

Is it just me or there is something up with the cardinal?

Change of heart?  Maybe.

Preferential option for a sitting president?  Hmm...

I can still see Caritas Manila in the background.

Obama's government deports an Egyptian convert because he is Catholic?!

From EWTN.com

***

A human rights law group reported on Tuesday that a Muslim convert to Catholicism and his family in the U.S. could face deportation back to Egypt despite documented attacks from the man's family members in his home country as well as death threats. [There goes Obama's rally for equality and tolerance, eh?]

The Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty issued a press release on Aug. 24 announcing their intervention in the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied asylum to Walid Salama, an Egyptian convert to Catholicism and his wife and child, who are also Christian.

“The Department of Homeland Security says it can't tell the difference between a convert who deserves asylum and just another religious minority,” [Conveniently dumb!] said Becket Fund National Litigation Director Eric Rassbach. “But Mr. Salama's relatives sure can – they repeatedly beat Mr. Salama, tried to kidnap Mr. Salama's wife, vandalized their car, and tried to kill their baby daughter.” [And the government of the "land of the free and the home of the brave" is sending the poor man and his family to a ravening pack of hungry and wild wolves.]

“They consider converts to be traitors to Islam and therefore deserving of death, and the police have been complicit in Mr. Salama's torment. If Mr. Salama is forced to return to Egypt he will not survive,” Rassbach added. [And the US remains silent...]

The Becket Fund argued in their brief that the decision to deny asylum and send Salama and his family back to Egypt disregards evidence detailing the persecution of both Christians and Christian converts from Islam in Egypt. The brief also cites Salama’s testimony of having faced violence and death threats and additionally argues that asylum is required under American law if one is forced to conceal one’s faith. [Politically correct?  But not for Catholics!  See how Muslims view people of other religion?  You can't blame them.  They are just following what is taught to them by their holy book!]

“In this country, if the local sheriff sits on his hands while a lynch mob attacks a minority, we'd call it an outrage and a crime,” Rassbach added. “But DHS doesn't seem to care that Mr. Salama, as a convert to Christianity, faces the same fate should he be forced to return to Egypt.”

***

The religion of peace can't wait to make its point clear...

Death to infidels and traitors.

Peaceful, eh?

From a TPC Reader: Anglican Use in the Philippines blogsite

Thanks to Dr. Ben Vallejo for the update.

Visit the blog to find out more about our future Anglicanorum coetibus brethren!

Still can't wait for the Anglican use Evening Prayer.  Any updates from Bishop Nes' office?

Priest says Church may share blame for hostage drama

"The Catholic Church may have to share the blame for the violent outcome of Monday's hostage crisis in Manila where eight tourists from Hong Kong were killed , a Catholic priest admitted Tuesday.

Fr. Samuel Canilang, director of Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia, said the Church failed to instill basic human and Christian values.

"The Church has failed, although it is trying its best, to cope with the situation of poverty and helplessness that led to desperation," Canilang said in an article posted on the Union of Catholic Asian News website.

Such failure to inculcate “basic human and Christian values" extended even among Church members, he said."

For more of this article, click here.

***

The Church has the moral obligation to instill moral and Christian values on each and every soul she shepherds.  The priest has a good intention but his statement is leaning towards generalization.

So if that were the case...

For everything wrong that happens to the country...
For everything bad that a Catholic does in this predominantly Catholic country...

The Church is part to blame?

What do you think?

What not to bring to a Papal visit

(Reuters) - Pilgrims attending the large public events during Pope Benedict's visit to England and Scotland next month have been issued a long list of do's and don'ts including a ban on musical instruments and steel cutlery.

The list, on the official papal visit website, encouraged worshippers to bring sunblock, flags and folding chairs for the events in Glasgow, London and Birmingham, but said alcohol, gazebos and lit candles should be left at home because they "could pose a threat."

It did not specifically mention the vuvuzela, so popular among fans at this summer's South African soccer World Cup, but the noisy monotone trumpet could be considered out of bounds under the category of banned instruments and whistles. [that annoying instrument!]

The four-day trip, from September 16 to 19, will be the first papal visit since Pope John Paul II's pastoral visit in 1982 and is the first-ever official papal visit to Britain.

Various protests are expected, including by secularists critical of the trip's cost, gay rights groups and those angry at the child-abuse scandal which has spread throughout the Roman Catholic church globally. [Any modern day pope has had his fair share of protests save only John Paul I who never got the chance to get out of Italy.]

Nevertheless, tens of thousands of the Church's estimated five million followers in Britain are expected to attend the public events. [And Anglicans willing to come home to Rome!  Say it with me Anglicanorum coetibus!  Anglicanorum coetibus!]

About 85,000 are due to attend a prayer vigil in London's Hyde Park, while 65,000-70,000 are expected at the beatification of the Victorian theologian and Anglican convert Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham. [Anglicanorum coetibus!]

Up to 100,000 are due to attend a Mass at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Scotland.

Worshippers will be able to take blankets, torches and cameras as well as picnics, but only plastic cutlery and non-breakable cups and plates will be allowed. Hampers and cool boxes should not exceed a certain size.

Last week the full itinerary was published, including details of when people would be able to catch a glimpse of the pope in his popemobile.

***

I do not know how they will be able to check the items of the pilgrims.  That would be a monumental security work for the organizers.

Anywho, putting up a website and listing what to bring is a great thing to do.  In Events Management which I do, being meticulous in the most minute detail is very crucial.

I hope to see that attention to detail in the papal liturgies.

Our Lady of Peñafrancia Stamps

 
The Queen of Bicolandia will have Her own stamp!

***

MANILA, August 24, 2010—The Archdiocese of Caceres is set to launch a commemorative stamp series as part Bicol Catholics’ 300 years of devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia. [The devotion is even older than Bible-thumping born-against Catholics!]

The commemorative stamps feature two different images of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Naga City’s Metropolitan Cathedral as well as the Penafrancia Basilica Minore. [which I had the opportunity to visit and its...ghastly.]

The stamp is a joint project between Caceres archdiocese and the Philippine Postal Corporation which allowed the printing of stamps in four different designs.

The unveiling of the commemorative stamps will be led by Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi and Postmaster General Hector Villanueva at the Holy Rosary Seminary in Naga City on September 11.

The activity is one of the major highlights in observance of the tercentenary of the devotion in Naga City, introduced in Bicol by Spanish priest Miguel Robles de Covarrubias.

A short lecture on the history of the devotion will also be delivered by local historian, Professor Danilo Gerona, during the launch.

“Stamps are miniature works of art. These commemorative stamps will serve as ‘evangelizers’ to promote the devotion all throughout the world,” said Fr. Wilmer Tria, chair of the Committee on commemorative stamps. (CBCPNews)

Request for prayers: From yours truly

I have been feeling so low the past days...

Please say a Rosary for me...

Or just one Ave Maria for me and my family.

It will take a few minutes of your time.

Please.

May the Lord bless you.

Sad sad day for the country

Mayhem in Manila: 9 killed on hijacked tourist bus

***

Prayers for the victims...

Prayers...please.

Interesting updates from Rome Reports

About the upcoming visit of the Pope to the UK...

Catholics pray thousands of rosaries ahead of the Pope's visit to the UK

Susan Boyle and Michelle McManus will sing for the pope during his visit to the United Kingdom

And on a more interesting point...

A book investigates the long battle of Benedict XVI against sexual abuse

Don't be surprised

Don't be surprised if I don't get to update my blog every weekend.

There is only once reason for that.

I am not connected to the rest of the GLOBE!

Get it?  Excellent service.

The difference between a terrorist and a liturgist

Question: What's the difference between a terrorist and a liturgist?


Answer: You can negotiate with a terrorist.


***

Kudos to Michael Tober!

The Holy Eucharist: Have you heard about the multiplication of loaves?

Its about the gospel narrative where Christ fed thousands of men, women and children by multiplying loaves and fishes.

But...

Have you ever heard priests saying that Christ did not multiply the loaves but that He taught the people who were attending how to share because, according to modern Biblical "exegetes", the people came with their own provision of bread and fish. And when they saw Christ, "bless, break and share" the bread and fish...hold on to your seats...a "greater miracle" happened! Yup. It was the sharing. Not that Christ can actually multiply bread and fishes to feed thousands but that He can move people to share.

Sounds good, right? WRONG!!!

That is the evil of MODERNISM, long ago condemned by St. Pius X in his encyclical "LAMENTABILI SANE".

Listen to these YouTube uploads how Steve Ray, who was recently here in Manila, trounces the Modernist interpretation of that Gospel passage and how he brilliantly defends the Holy Eucharist. The series is composed of 7 videos entitled "Defending the Eucharist with Steve Ray". I embedded only two of these. You may head to YouTube to watch the other videos.

If ever you hear your priest or deacon or nun say these things again, you know how to answer back...in a more respectful way of course.

Choose godparents well!

Now this is very timely!  I heard this news last night over at Radio Veritas.

***

Manila, August 20, 2010—A CBCP official said parents should choose well people who will stand as godparents for their child’s baptism and confirmation as they have responsibility to teach the child the tenets of the Catholic faith. [Can I hear an Amen for this?]

Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Family and Life said the Catholic Church encourages [why not impose it?] parents to look for baptismal and confirmation sponsors among practicing Catholics.

It is so because baptismal and confirmation sponsors must see to it the child grows according to Catholic teachings. [See the reason why it must be imposed and not encouraged?]

Castro explained that non-Catholics are discouraged to act as godparents for baptism and confirmation because of the sponsors’ duty to teach and guide the young spiritually. [See the reason why it must...Ok I know I write like a broken record but you see the point.]

He said that while the Catholic Church encourages two baptismal and confirmation sponsors, the current practice in the country is the opposite as parents tend to get more sponsors for various reasons.

“This phenomenon in the country seems difficult to correct because politicians and other influential persons get to be part of the parents’ network,” Castro explained. [Actually it has been a practice since even during the Spanish colonial era, a way for the powerful, rich and elite to stick to their own kind and strengthen their bonds of "friendship".  Ahh... the sound of it!]

He said the Code of Canon Law mentions only two individuals, a male and female should be baptismal sponsors and whenever a confirmation would take place, the same sponsors are even encouraged to stand witnesses.

“The downside of having too many baptismal sponsors is the possibility that friendship is being taken into consideration rather than the actual roles baptismal and confirmation sponsors play,” the priest said. (Melo M. Acuna)

***

I agree.  But as a skeptic...

Like so many things written and published about laws and norms, when do we see the light of day that these gets actually enforced?

2 priests barred from celebrating Mass

MANILA, August 19, 2010—Two Catholic priests based in Manila have been denied the faculty to celebrate the sacraments.

The Archdiocese of Manila, in a circular, warned the faithful Fr. Romeo Tena of the Society of African Missions [Photo at left] who has been asking donations without permission.

Fr. Rufino Sescon, Manila archdiocese’s chancellor, said Tena has reportedly been celebrating Mass and collecting money at Manila’s Port Area.

“We wish to inform you that Father Tena has no permission from his society to celebrate the Sacraments,” [?] Sescon said in the circular.

The chancellor said the public warning was issued after Tena’s superiors have requested that the priest not be permitted to say Mass in the archdiocese but gave no reason for the refusal. [Now this is interesting!]

In Diocese of Parañaque, Church officials also barred Fr. Renato Frias from celebrating the Sacraments.


Fr. Benjamin Molina, Jr., chancellor of Parañaque diocese, said Frias defied “numerous warnings” of Bishop Jesse Mercado prohibiting him from practicing exorcism.

The chancellor said the priest also asked for donations and celebrated Mass in private venues without the knowledge or permission of the parish priest. [The letter on the right is a scan of the original.  This is available in the Archdiocese of Manila's website.] (CBCPNews)

***

I am not sure if the SMA is a society of pontifical right, but if they are not, then Fr. Tena's superior have every right to censure him from celebrating the Sacraments if they find credible ground to impose these censure against him.


I have heard a lot of priests asking for donations for various bogus projects here and left.    I know one of a parish priest in the Diocese of Caloocan, his parishioners petitioned Bishop Deogracias Yniguez that he be removed from his post, but he still remains in his post.  Most of the time, this priest will tear down a part of the church or rectory and have the "renovated" or "improved" for no reasons at all!  And the best part...

...the projects do not pass through the Parish Pastoral Council and he always has only one contractor for his projects.

We hope Bishop Yniguez hears the cry of his flock and investigate this priest.  I heard from a friend how this priest lives his life.  Only one can imagine.  He has been in my prayers for so long that he reform...but he is obstinate.

I guess with these censures being issued by the Archdiocese of Manila, I think the hierarchy is closing in on priests who make the ministry a milking cow of sorts.

I was trying to blog yesterday!

I really was but because of my Jurassic web provider, I cannot get connected in any place in the GLOBE!!!

Sucks...

My comment of another great Fr. Z post.

To read, the entire post of Fr. Z, click here.

***
 And here is what I posted in the combox...

“Why are groups of liberal Catholics splitting from their bishops?”

“...they are just doing what they have been formed to do.”

I have experienced this...

in the parish...
in the Catholic school
even in the seminary...

...where I had and have been to.




Dissent and eventual apostasy are being taught to us, shoved down our throats by people masking as faithfully Catholic...

Lex orandi, lex credendi.  It all makes sense.  We have lost almost everything Catholic when we started reshaping the way we pray. 

"Destroy the Mass", said Luther, "and you will destroy the whole of Catholicism."

See how a cassock can attract people

Thanks to the American Papist for this.

You think priests who wear ordinary street clothes doing this would attract this much attention?

Guess not.

Encourage your priests and nuns to wear the garb of their office. Tell them how nice they look. :)

Request for Prayers for an ailing dad

From my good friend and fellow Pinoy Catholic Jay Balza of Veritatem Facientes in Caritate blog

***

Dear Friends,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks for all your prayers and masses for my previous intentions.

 

I am writing once again to request your prayers -- this time for my dad (Wilfredo Balza Sr). A few years ago, he was was diagnosed with cirrhosis in the liver. While his health has somewhat improved since then, this past few weeks has been more difficult for him. A recent visit to his doctor confirmed that his liver has further deteriorated and the doctor thinks he would probably last up to only 6 months. We are planning to bring him to the Philippines where he wants to spend his remaining days, but with his current condition (he no longer can walk, has difficulty breathing and always need to accompanied by my mother), we are not sure he can make it.

 

He has couple more medical tests this week that will help further determine his liver condition. In the meantime,

 

Please remember him in your prayers and masses. 

God bless,

Jay

 ***

Dear Mother, sorry to bother you again...Please hear our prayers for Mr. Wilfredo Balza Sr.  We believe that your Son hears and answers your prayers, just like how He performed His first miracle at Cana, all through your intercession.  Inspired by this confidence, I beg of your love and mercy.  Deign to hear our supplications if it be in the Will of the Father.  Fiat voluntas tua!  Amen.

MEMORARE, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum.

Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi.

Amen.

 

Ave Maria, gratia plena. Dominus tecum.  Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.  Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro eo et nobis peccatoribus.  Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.  Amen.

 

 

***

To my dear TPC readers, please comment so that Jay and his family and all those requesting prayers from us, like Miguel Madarang for his mom, Mama Belle, may know that we are praying for them.

God bless you all! Thank you very much.

Papa Benny celebrates the Feast of the Assumption

Where MUST a Parish Choir be located?

The great Fr. Z of What Does the Prayer Really Say?  has an interesting post about where exactly must a choir in a church be located?

Click here to read this very informative post.  You will be surprised what the Church documents really say about this.

Through the years, we have been tricked into believing that Vatican II is the Mother of all Councils and that anything before Vatican II is scrapped.  And so goes the chaos.

You hear nuns, priests and bishops and lay people who went to seminars of liturgical dissenters and became liturgical-know-it-all telling you "what Vatican II says."

I too had a similar experience in our parish where the choir was placed right in the front pews of the church.  Imagine the number of people who were not able to sit because of this arrangement.

Our "Deal or No Deal" parish priest had no choice when the people complained of the arrangement and moved the choir to another place, not the choir loft though.

Sad how some people go for change for the sake of changing, along.

Read the post of Fr. Z.  Knowing what is right is only half the battle.

'Greatest Scholar to Rule the Church Since [13th Century Pope] Innocent III

Here is an excerpt of the excellent article from ABC News International.

***

 

In the past 30 years, the Vatican has moved strongly to reassert the authority of a traditional, even orthodox Roman Catholicism -- to bring the notion of a "one true church" to Europe and then the larger world. The intent was to reverse the "open" or liberalizing trend of the church represented by Vatican II.


In the past three decades, the Vatican has cracked down on liberation theology, affirmed traditional sexual morality, and is now quietly supporting ultradevout Catholic groups such as Opus Dei and the Legions of Christ -- while curbing ecumenical outreach and describing Protestant churches as not authentic.

The most constant, diligent, and serious champion of these moves is a shy but brilliant German theologian, Josef Ratzinger -- now Pope Benedict XVI.

***
You know who said that line in the title?  I did not make it up.

It was said by Princeton University Renaissance scholar Anthony Grafton, not a Catholic!

Though there are some lines that can strike a nerve like "the Vatican is not looking to adapt, modernize or open itself to new interpretations. Recent Vatican statements against women's ordination, and reaffirming priestly celibacy, are small examples."

You can read the rest of this article by clicking here.

JOIN THIS GROUP...NOW!!!

Muslims who conquer foreign lands or what they call "land of the infidels" built mosques as a symbol of their victory, or more like a war trophy.

If we are soooo into tolerance and equality right now that we do not even care that Muslims hijacked two ariplanes, smack into World Trade Center killing thousands and even give them the privilege to build a mosque right at the spot where throusands died...

THEN WHY NOT HAVE CHURCHES BE BUILT IN SAUDI ARABIA, MORE PARTICULARLY IN MECCA?  OR LET PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION FREELY IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES?

One thing Islam is not...It is the religion of peace.

Get it from someone who experienced it.

Audio Bible for the blind launched by the CBCP

MANILA, August 14, 2010—Blindness is not an impediment for anyone who wants to learn the Bible.

An audio Bible called “The Proclaimer” [Hmm...rather chessy name.  But what the heck.] has made it possible for blind people to listen and share on the word of God.

The audio Bible is a special supplement of the May They Be One (MTBO) project; a joint undertaking of the Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate (ECBA) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Philippine Bible Society (PBS).

It contains 27 New Testament books from Matthew to Revelation where a group of listeners gather to hear the Word of God.

Fr. Oscar Alunday, Executive Secretary of ECBA, said this program aimed to help people listen to the Word of God through the radio and CD formats and to bring God’s church together and make disciples.

“The Faith-Comes-By-Hearing program audio player contains the New Testament in the heart language on an embedded microchip. It can play by solar panel, rechargeable batteries, hand crank or AC adapter,” he added.

The system allows about more than 300 groups of listeners called Bible Listening Group to listen to God’s Word.

The listening session is being held once-a-week by the group together with their Church Leader.

The priest also explained that the session, which begins with the Book of Matthew, is limited only from 1 to1 ½ hours.

“The “Chapter – Play, Pause & Share” method is very effective. This program is a ‘Leader-Facilitator/Member discussion,” he said.

Alunday said that the” Audio Bible is translated in the heart language of the people, dramatized by over 27 talents, w/ music background and sound effects, and cues the listeners on what book or chapter they will hear.”

ECBA and PBS presented the Audio Bible to the Northern Luzon Association for the Blind Campus Ministry last August 8, 2010 in Bokawan Road, Baguio City.

The Northern Luzon Association for the Blind is a ministry of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Montessori headed by Donna Rosario. (Kate Laceda)

***

The Faith Comes by Hearing uses a Protestant Bible.  And we know how Protestant Bibles play up verses like "born again", right?

I hope we get more of these in our dioceses and even get free ones available for download via the Web.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are not entitled to position!

From EWTN News.com

***

The rights of girls and Catholic lay faithful to carry out certain roles on the altar are not prescribed as "rights" within the Church, according to the Church's top legal authority, Archbishop Raymond Burke. The statement came in a clarification he wrote about the consequences of the reintroduction of the Latin Rite Mass by Pope Benedict.

The Catholic Church of Germany recently printed a commentary on the application of Benedict XVI's 2007 motu proprio, "Summorum Pontificum," which made Pope St. Pius V's Latin Rite Mass more widely available. In the preface of the volume, printed for the third anniversary of the motu proprio, Archbishop Raymond Burke clarified some confusion about the legislation's practical use.

Archbishop Burke is the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, which is often described as the supreme court of the Catholic Church.

According to Vatican Radio, the archbishop explained in the preface that due to the motu proprio's papal origins, it is not just an act of legislation brought about as a "favor" to a specific group for the celebration of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, the Mass in Latin, but one that applies to the entire Church. [Does someone from the Office of the Archbishop of Manila or of the CBCP Commission on the Liturgy hearing this?  I think they do.  It's hard to for people playing dumb and mute to hear and speak, eh?]

Archbishop Burke wrote, "it is about a law whose finality is the protection and promotion of the life of all the mystical body of Christ and the maximum expression of this life, that is to say, the Sacred Liturgy." [Excellently put!  See how the cardinal-to-be plays it out with the promotion of life and the Sacred Liturgy?  In the US, sometimes those who are of the kumbaya church are the ones who are so pro-altar girls, pro-liturgical inculturation, pro-women's ordination, pro-married clergy, pro-contraceptive, pro-abortion...]

It implies an obligation of the Church "to preserve liturgical tradition and maintain the legitimate celebration of both forms of the Roman Rite, that preceding the Second Vatican Council and that which followed it," he said. [Both forms are valid!  Get it?]

Archbishop Burke pointed out that the Holy Father himself explained that for the communion of the Church in the past and the future, "universally accepted uses of uninterrupted apostolic tradition" must be observed.

This, he he pointed out should be done "not only to avoid errors, but also to transmit the integrity of the faith, so that the law of the prayer of the Church might correspond to her law of faith." [Lex orandi, lex credendi.  You see the how some people express their faith with how they pray.  I am not implying anything.  Just an advice on how to do a "quick diagnosis".]

The American archbishop went on to point out that certain elements may need to be clarified in this regard. For example, he wrote, among the "rights" of the baptized, assistance by "persons of the feminine sex" at the altar is not included. [This has already been clarified yet the abuse continues!  And Communion in the Hand is one such thing!  Sign the petition to Stop it!] Additionally, serving as a lector or as an extraordinary distribution of communion is not a right of the laity, he noted. [The laity does not have the right!  No one does except the ordained!  That is the purpose of clerical ordination.  Liturgists often confuse this in the name of active participation which obviously the Council Fathers of Vatican II had something very different in mind!]

As such, out of respect for the integrity of the liturgical discipline within the Roman Missal of 1962, these more modern modifications are not observed in the extraordinary form. [I remember an event where a priest threw a nutty after people refuse to receive Holy Communion in the hand (ugh!) during a TLM (ugh! ugh! ugh!).  I mean...come on!]

This clarification comes just a week after L'Osservatore Romano writer Lucetta Scaraffia published an article on the altar server pilgrimage to the Vatican which drew thousands of boys and girls alike. She drew some attention as she proposed that the introduction of girls into the position of serving at the altar "meant the end of every attribution of impurity to their sex ... it meant a different attention to the liturgy and an approach to the faith in bringing it near to their very hearts." [See how feminists see a shimmer of light and they call it a supernova.  Ugh!]

Archbishop Burke clarified, however, that the reality of the matter is that neither the presence of girls at the altar, nor the participation of lay faithful "belong to the fundamental rights of the baptized." [Amen to that!]


***

You might wonder what are the rights of the baptized?  Let us quote the Catholic Encyclopedia:

This sacrament is the door of the Church of Christ [Hey Mormons and Manalo followers!  It's not you we are talking about!  So stop hijacking our Mother Church's name!] and the entrance into a new life. We are reborn from the state of slaves of sin into the freedom of the Sons of God. Baptism incorporates us with Christ's mystical body and makes us partakers of all the privileges flowing from the redemptive act of the Church's Divine Founder. We shall now outline the principal effects of baptism. [I summarized them into bullet points.]

1. 
   

   The remission of all sin, original and actual

2. 
   

   Remission of temporal punishment

3. 
   

   Infusion of supernatural grace, gifts, and virtues

4. 
   

   Conferral of the right to special graces

5. 
   

   Impression of a character on the soul

 See that?  Nothing in there says: "After you get baptized, you can be the priest's alter ego at the altar or you can play "I-am-almost-a-priest" game."

Oops!  Before I go any further, I am sure the creative liturgists who soooo love active participation would quote this:

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:


1273 Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship.⁸³ The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity.⁸⁴

And how about that active participation thing that they always trumpet?  Let us then consult Sacrosanctum Concilium of Vatican II, the Bible of liturgical creativities and inculturation:

28. In liturgical celebrations each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy. [Minister or layman...Hmmm.  Isn't that obvious?  If you are not a layman, then you are a minister and vice versa!  Don't have to be a rocket scientist there, eh?  So that means, each has his own duty to perform according to the nature of his office!  So does that mean that laymen can be minsters at Mass, or did Vatican II encourage it?  Let us continue.]

30. To promote active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes. And at the proper times all should observe a reverent silence.  [Sooooo!!!! Active participation of the people (meaning the laity) is limited to " means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes".  Nothing there says about altar girls, a battalion of EMHCs...  See how we were duped.  You always get the answer of "Vatican 2 says it so!"  Oh really?  Where?]

Soon...he will be holding a red tuft-less biretta!

Updates from Traditional Latin Mass Commnuties

I am sorry for forgetting to upload this... My sincerest apologies.

Request for prayers: Update on the health status of Mama Belle

A letter from Miguel Madarang

***

Reverend Fathers, friends, and love ones:

According to the exam result from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute {N.K.T.I.}, the tumors found in Mama Belle are “clear cell carcinomas metastatic from the ovary.”

As per the extension and metastasis {tumors were found in the ovary, fallopian tube, retroperitoneal mass, cervical lymph node and bladder}, it's stage IV.

Since only less than 50% of the tumors were removed due to the high risk of an internal hemorrhage, and the removal of the tumors is not an assurance of the “removal” of cancer, Mama was advised to undergo chemotherapy.

However, since Mama has {vehemently} declined to undergo chemotherapy, the family has decided, upon the recommendation of our closest friends, to seek medical assistance from:

* Dr. Frederick Francisco {Certified Family Physician, homeopathic medical doctor, a specialist on infectious and tropical diseases, and the president of the Philippine College of Integrative Medicine and Homotoxicology}, and
* Dr. Maria Salud Sison {Nutritional Oncologist and Cancer Research Scientist and Clinician}

For both doctors, no conventional chemotherapy is given. They provide us with work ups that “eradicate the disease by combining conventional mode of management with compatible alternative treatments which includes non-toxic alternatives to chemotherapy”

As we enter the 2nd month of our battle with cancer, allow me to express my gratitude to everyone who offered the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for Mama Belle. Thank you for your prayers, specially to those who joined the family making the novena to Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso and St. Philomena. Thank you for all those who visited her in the hospital and the house and prayed over her. Thank you for all the financial assistance you extended to her. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Please do not tire praying for her. This is Mama's request. She always - without fail - asks me whether they {family and friends} are still prayng for her.

To those who are able, I beg for you financial assistance. The Homeopathic {Dr. Francisco} and Integrative-Complementary {Dr. Sison} are equally costly as chemotherapy. Aside from her weakly work up with Dr. Francisco, we are saving up for a CT/PET Scan to determine how far has the cancer metastisized.

If you have contacts at P.C.S.O and/or PAGCOR or any other charitable institution, please help me reach them.

Entrusting Mama Belle and myself to the the Lord of Divine Mercy, and to His most sweet Mother, Mary most Holy, and appealing to your Christian charity, I remain.


In Christ through Mary,

Miguel Ramirez y Madarang

***

Bank details:

Ryan Miguel M. Ramirez
B.D.O - V.A. Rufino Branch
Account Number: 6910017373

***

Aside from your prayers, please send in donations to Miguel and his family. The hospital bills are piling up. Please, please, help.

He also attached these holy cards of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso and St. Philomena. Pray to our dear Mother and our dear saint for the miraculous healing of Mama Belle. I hope to visit her this weekend.

Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso

St. Philomena

Case of Identity Crisis in the Church

First you have priests celebrating Mass as if it were a Pentecostal Revival Movement...

Then you have nuns championing "women's rights" like contraception and abortion...

...bishops who are too "chicken" to do their job to stand up against Catholic politicians who push for abortion policies...

...and my beloved Order, the Knights of Columbus, refusing to sanction, discipline or expel members who promote abortion...

Now comes this...

Thanks to the American Papist...

Catholic hospitals should not keep abortionists on staff, but that’s what Mercy Regional Medical Center is doing.  PersonhoodUSA organized a protest and posted video from it to YouTube (there is a graphic photo of an aborted baby):

“Dr. Grossman is an abortionist who kills children every Wednesday at Planned Parenthood and then works at the Mercy Catholic Hospital the rest of the week… Nearly 100 protesters (including Fr. Joseph Fessio) gathered outside the doors of Mercy Catholic Hospital on July 29, 2010 to let the hospital know that the community will not tolerate Dr. Grossman’s child killing any longer.”

“Dr. Grossman also publicly pushes contraception and a population control ideology in his “Population Matters” blog, which is also published in the Durango Herald.”

There is a thing called Silent Apostasy, you know?

Why Catholics should not vote for the women's group, Gabriela

MANILA, Philippines - Party-list group Gabriela has revived the Divorce Bill in Congress. [Yup.  That's right.]

Gabriela Representative Emmi de Jesus said divorce is a more affordable option than annulment, for which the ground of psychological incapacity is often difficult to prove. [So it is because of affordability and nothing else that pushes them to have divorce in the country.  Like that worked in soooo many countries.  And what is these psychological incapacity with annulment cases?  If one of the parties is proven to be psychologically incapable to be in a relationship, then why do we see some public personalities getting married or in a relationship all over again?]


Family law expert [aka "I get my salary from breaking up families"] Atty. Evelyn Ursua said there are many problems that come with having a marriage annulled.

"Conceptually it's problematic. We do creative interpretation. It encourages corruption. It's a tedious and expensive process. Almost all the cases that reach the Supreme Court were denied petition for declaration of nullity, except in very few cases. Kung sufficient ang remedy na 'yan, we would not propose a divorce bill," she said.

Ursua estimated the cost of divorce proceedings to run up to P300,000 or below minus the cost of clinical psychologists. [But attorney's fees do not go down, right?  Right...]

She admitted that given the tediousness of annulment proceedings, they have been riddled with the practice of paying off people involved in the process, including psychology experts, to get a decree of annulment on the ground of psychological incapacity. [So she has admitted in the interview that she bribed a psychology expert to fake an exam report.  Isn't that ground for disbarment?]

Ursua noted that adultery is not a ground for annulment, and concerned parties have to show that it is a manifestation of a psychological disorder that constitutes psychological incapacity to perform the essential marital obligations.

Given the range of problems and difficulties that come with having a marriage annulled, Ursua believes divorce may be a more practical remedy for Filipinos who need to get out of a bad marriage.

Ursua said there are also more specific and quantifiable grounds for divorce.

These include:
1) separation in fact: parties separated for 5 years wherein reconciliation is highly improbable;
2) legal separation for at least 2 years wherein reconciliation is highly improbable;
3) when the grounds for legal separation cause the irreparable breakdown of the marriage;
4) psychological incapacity; and
5) when parties suffer from irreconcilable differences [Another used up term.] that cause the irreparable breakdown of the marriage.
[But if any of these is proven, why allow them to get married again?]
Ursua noted divorce also provides a period of support.

"For a period of one year, pwede humingi ng support ang isang party, depending on their financial capacity, to give the spouse time to look for work and regain lost ground," Ursua said, adding divorce will not affect the children's right to parental support.


Despite such perceived advantages, the measure is expected to meet opposition from the Catholic church. [You think?  The bishops are so highly opinionated you think they would sit down on an issue that even caused the creation of a new church?]

[sic.  This should have been Retired Archbishop] Bishop Oscar Cruz has said, in the absence of divorce, the church can declare a marriage void if domestic violence is proven.[Archbishop Cruz is a canon lawyer.  This is his forte.  He knows what he is talking about.]

Currently, divorce is allowed in Italy, home of the Vatican, [Dumb!  The Vatican is a separate sovereign state. Vatican City is located within Rome which is the capital of Italy.  But Italy is not the home of the Vatican.  See how the play on words paints a picture that Italy is soooo anti-Catholic then why the Philippines is so stubbornly faithfully Catholic?] where the law of the state is separate from the Church law. [Belch!  That Church vs State thing again.]

Despite such opposition to the measure, Ursua believes there is strong public clamor for a divorce bill. [Ahhh.  The prophet of the people!]She called on the public to voice its support to the measure for it to gain ground, and not to leave the measure to the country's legislators alone.

Ursua also hopes the Church and the State see the need to provide couples with a solution to a problematic marriage. [So divorce is her solution.  If she is indeed looking for a solution, I was hoping divorce would be last on the list.]

"There's no prohibition in the Constitution against the legalization of divorce. The state law should not discriminate and prefer one religious belief against another," she explained. [But she forgets that you cannot enact a law that would discriminate the sentiments of the majority of the people, which happens to be all Catholic!]

Conservatives have called for the need to strengthen families, saying making divorce available may only encourage couples to separate. [BINGO!]

Ursua disagreed. [In the earlier paragraph she wants the Church and the State to provide couples with a solution to a problematic marriage.  Then  lo and behold she does not want solution such as "strengthening families".  All she wants is an over-the-counter solution.  You want to get married?  Go pick your choice.  You don't want it?  Give it back, just don't forget the receipt.  No...the receipt is a sarcastic jibe.]  "We should trust the cultural restraints in Philippine society, the value given to marriage and family, but we need to give remedies to people who need to terminate a failed marriage."  [We have one.  It's called annulment.  Just go a fall in line.  There is no express lane here.  So before getting married, think very hard.]


Historically, Ursua noted, divorce was practiced in the Philippines under the 1935 Constitution before it was removed in the New Civil Code. [Because that Constitution was shoved down our throats by...Americans!]

"We used to have a divorce law in the Philippines before August 30, 1950," Ursua said, adding former Vice President Arturo Tolentino was among the Filipinos who availed of it and remarried before the law was changed. [So?]

To this day, Ursua added, the remedy is available for those under the Muslim law. [So.]

"The Muslim Filipinos have divorce under the Muslim code so it's only non-Muslim Filipinos who can't avail of divorce at this time." [And a Muslim man can marry as much as five times!  But why ask Catholics to do this when it is an abomination that Christ Himself condemned!]

The Philippines and Malta are the only two countries in the world that don't allow divorce.

As debates are expected to heat up on the Divorce Bill, in the same way as the Reproductive Health Bill, time will tell whether the measure gains ground in a country where family unity is held as sacred, if not more so than the very rite of marriage. [You can say that again.]

***
The problem with most Filipinos is that they love imitating what they see on TV.  Fashion, culture...name it!  Filipinos would never be the last to have it.


But divorce?  This is no cellphone or new pair of jeans.  This one is both cultural and religious.


Lines are clearly drawn.

Pro-abortion zealots in Philippine soil!

These Obamaniacs are here!!! Sound the alarm.

***

MANILA, August 9, 2010— A lay advocacy group has come down heavily on calls to legalize abortions in the country, calling it “unacceptable” because it is a complete abomination to safeguarding human life.

“Induced abortion is the deliberate termination of the life of an innocent human being and therefore, it is a crime,” the Pro-Life Philippines Foundation, Inc. said in a statement. [Just say that is is MURDER.]

Along with the Catholic hierarchy, the organization has openly lobbied lawmakers to drop any proposed legislation to legalize contraception.

Pro-Life also vowed to oppose any move to legalize even elective abortion for rape cases or when the fetus is deformed. [Don't call it fetus.  Call him or her an UNBORN CHILD!]

New-York-based Center for Reproductive Rights [aka Neo-Nazis, aka Agents of Death] earlier pushed for legalized abortion in the Philippines to stop the thousands of women who undergo “unsafe” and potentially fatal abortions each year. [And murdering of an unborn child is the solution?  And I thought that the first world is highly intellectual...]

The so-called women’s rights advocates thought that there will be certain liberal standards on the delicate issues of abortions and naturally [Duh!  You think?] the Church and other organizations are upset about this.

But the Pro-Life claimed that the legalization of abortion is not necessary to accomplish the government’s concern for poor women in crisis pregnancies.

“If the government is serious in its efforts to remedy this dilemma, help should come in providing counseling services especially with abortion-minded women, post-abortion mothers and fathers, education programs, maternal and child care services, economic and social development programs that would put a stop to rape, incest, sex outside of marriage and other causes of unwanted pregnancies,” it said. [In other words, get to the source!  Why vent your energies on a poor defenseless unborn human being?]

“All men and women need to be educated on fetal development, the consequences of sex outside of marriage, on human sexuality, fertility and love, respect and relationships. Pregnant women need support and help, not abortion. We should be saving lives, not taking them,” the group added. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)

***

If anyone starts talking about women's rights and the right to choose what's good for you, better hold two things, a bottle of Holy Water or a rope.  Chances are you'll need those if you cannot convince them to change their minds.  One things leads to another and rights advocates usually go down the abortion road.

Of course, the rope thing is a joke.  But the Holy Water...

Lucifer is not resting.  So should we.

The example of St. Thomas More

Excerpts from an article by Deacon Keith Fournier from Catholic.org

***

Thomas More showed heroic courage in the face of a State which had lost its soul. He never wavered in his fidelity to the Truth. He would not betray the truth or compromise it on the altar of public opinion for political opportunism. He knew that to do so would not only have dishonored God and led his family and so many others astray, but that it would have given tacit assent to the emerging despotism of his age. Thomas More was brought to trial for his fidelity to the Truth. As is often the case with persecution against Christians, it was framed as a charge against the "positive law". This outstanding lawyer defended the Truth - for which he would later give his life.

Thomas used the occasion of the Courtroom, where he had practiced his trade, to defend the Truth and its obligations in the temporal order. In the eloquent words of the Servant of God, John Paul II, who proclaimed him not only the Patron of all lawyers but the Patron of all politicians, "he made an impassioned defense of his own convictions on the indissolubility of marriage, the respect due to the juridical patrimony of Christian civilization, and the freedom of the Church in her relations with the State."

He was found "guilty", this man of truth and the patently unjust verdict still brings shame upon every unjust tribunal and misuse of governmental power as it increases on an almost daily basis. Thomas faced his executioners with the very same dignity he had shown in life, speaking with humor and affection to them even before they beheaded him. After his death it was found that he had left these words in the margin of his Book of Hours: "Give me your grace, good Lord, to set the world at naught...to have my mind well united to you; to not depend on the changing opinions of others...so that I may think joyfully of the things of God and tenderly implore his help. So that I may lean on God's strength and make an effort to love him... So as to thank Him ceaselessly for his benefits; so as to redeem the time I have wasted..."

***

Can we say the same for Knights of Columbus officials who refuse to discipline members who are politicians who support abortion policies?  Can we say the same for bishops who do the same by continuing to play politics of accommodation by continuing to give Communion to Catholic politicians who continue to cause scandal to the Church by supporting abortion and same sex marriage?

***

To read the full article, click the link above.

Getting closer: Anglican Use Evening Prayer

From TPC reader, Dr. Ben Vallejo...

An update...

Some updates on the Anglican Use in the Philippines. Our request is now with the Bishop of Cubao. Also we have found a friendly, sympathetic Roman Catholic parish priest who is of the "High Church" kind. He celebrates the Mass of Paul VI with dignity and formality and conducts the Roman Rite vespers in his church in a way that will make Anglo-Catholics ecstatic! (I can't find the right adjective!) The Psalms are reverently said and the Latin hymns sung properly. We hope that he becomes our chaplain someday.

I told the Pinoy Anglo-Catholics [Like the term!] and they plan to attend his Masses!

Our Lady of the Visitation of Walsingham, Pray for us to God!

And thank you Mr Pinoy Catholic for your prayers. [As always...] All is now with Bp Ongtioco.

***

To paraphrase the late Cardinal Sin, "Time to storm heaven with our prayers."

This time... for Bishop Honesto Ongtioco...

Pope to Knights: Best defense is "greater fidelity to Christ"

August 8, 2010. Pope Benedict has told members of the Knights of Columbus - the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization - that "the best response to attacks against the Church" is "greater fidelity to Christ."

His words came in a letter written by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone on behalf of Benedict XVI sent for the Knights’ annual convention. The Pope said members of the Order should strive to be holy and engage more with the needy.

He also thanked the Knights of Columbus for its efforts to support "the moral teachings of the Church in defense of a more just and enduring social order." He also thanked them for their witness to life and their support of traditional marriage.

***
Does the Pope even know that the Supreme Council will not suspend or expel pro-abortion politician knights but that Knights who fail to pay their annual dues will be readily expelled?

Silly? Tell me about it.

Black is black. White is white.

Let us all be chivalrous when it is needed the most!

The Pope wanted to become a librarian

An Opinion of a disgusted Knight of Columbus

Phil Lawler, a columnist for Catholic Culture.org (and its director), took this stand. You can make this my own quote also:

The Knights do not have the authority to deprive their members of the sacraments, nor is anyone suggesting that they should do so. What some K of C members do suggest is that pro-abortion politicians should be deprived of the privileges of membership in a private fraternal organization.

The Knights should look to their bishops for leadership on questions of faith and morals. But on questions of practical politics--the realm of the laity--the Knights should set their own course. Let the bishops decide whether an individual Catholic has separated himself from the Church. But the Knights can decide for themselves whether a man has separated himself from their fraternity.


The Knights set their own standards for membership. Some members have been removed from the rolls for failure to pay their dues; some have been ejected because they engaged in public attacks on the order. Are these more serious offenses than support for abortion?[Passing this responsibility to the local bishop is simply playing the chicken card!  The bishop's role is to kick out someone out of the Church for not keeping the Faith!  The Grand Knight and Supreme Council's role is to kick someone out not keeping with the ideals of the Order and one of those is the defense of life!  BE MAN ENOUGH SUPREME COUNCIL!!! THIS IS THE TIME TO BE THE KNIGHTS OF LIFE IN SHINING ARMOR!!! THIS IS WHERE CATHOLIC CHIVALRY COUNTS!!!]

***

Makes me want to:

a. Leave the Order I love so dearly

or...

b. Petition the Holy See to act decisively on this issue.

Did the Supreme Council betray the Faith?

Honestly, these "Don't judge" and being politically correct attitude of the Supreme Council is do darn right sickenig...while thousands of defenseless babies are being killed for not disciplining pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage "Knights".

Makes me want to petition the Supreme Council to the Holy Father.

Hope this is not another case of the "Legionnaires disease". See no evil, hear no evil say no evil...just as long as you are well taken cared of...financially.

Opinion: The Knight's Problem with Pro-Choice Politicians

From Catholic.org

By Randy Sly

***

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Upon visiting the website pewsitter.com today I was confronted with a large rendering of the Knights of Columbus logo and the headline, "Knights Say They Cannot Expel Pro-Abort, Pro-Gay Marriage Members But Have Expelled Pro-Lifers." [Hmm... That would really catch you attention, eh?]

As a Catholic and Fourth Degree Knight [Like me!] I was saddened that a fraternal order of men who have contributed so much to the pro-life movement would end up in the cross hairs of such an assault. [Like me!!!]

The link on Pew Sitter takes the reader to a press release from Ken Fisher, of Concerned Roman Catholics of America, calling upon pro-life Catholics to picket the Supreme Convention in Washington next week. [Which I just featured...]

"Pro-life Catholics should make sure that every Knight at the convention knows that the leaders of the Order have refused, in writing, to stop harboring pro-abortion politicians in the Knights," Fisher stated.

Life, as a platform, is not up for discussion in the Order. The Knights of Columbus are among the most active organizations when it comes to the pro-life cause.

The Supreme website underscores this, stating, "Every life is sacred, from the moment of conception till natural death. As Knights of Columbus, we are called to defend the dignity of each human being at every stage and work together in building a culture of life and a civilization of love.

"In the continual battle for the rights of unborn children and the elderly, Knights of Columbus members, their families and all pro-life supporters need to change hearts as they strive to change laws.

"They must witness to the injustice of abortion, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide, as they assist pregnant women in need, tend to vulnerable handicapped persons and care for the elderly."

In addition to their own pro-life initiatives, the Knights strongly support activities of other organizations such as the March for Life and Birthright USA.

The issue behind the inflated headline involves a resolution introduced at the Massachusetts State Convention calling for the suspension of membership for any Knight in public office who gives public support to abortion or same-sex marriage. [Remember pro-abortion Knight, the late senator Ted Kennedy? He was under the KofC Massachusetts State.]

The resolution was declared to be procedurally improper [huh?!] by the Supreme Advocate of the Knight, John Marrella. In a letter to the Massachusetts leadership, he declared that "a subordinate council may not impose fraternal discipline with respect to a public figure's official actions on matters pertaining to faith and morals. Rather, any such discipline must be made by or at the direction of the Supreme Board of Directors." [I will dwell on this further in a future post where I will quote the process of expelling erring Knights.]

Marrella went on to say, "If the public figure's bishop has not excommunicated him for his public positions on issues relating to matters of faith and morals, it would be highly inappropriate for the Knights of Columbus to do so."

The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts had publically supported the proposed resolution at the state convention. When Supreme stepped in, they condemned the action as an "abdication of responsibility."

I personally agree that those who hold contrary positions to that of the Knights regarding abortion and same-sex marriage ought not to be members, since they are technically not "practical" Catholics, which is the measure of orthodoxy for membership. [Which I do too!]

The Knights define a practical Catholic as one who is "in union with the Holy See and, in general, regulates his life according to the teachings of Christ and the Church, and endeavors to observe the commandments of God and of the Church."

As a convert, I would also love to see the same stricture for anyone in union with the Holy See and member of the Catholic Church.

So, ought a man who is pro-choice become a Knight? No, I don't think so. Can a man who is pro-choice become a Knight? Actually, he can - by just answering "yes" to the question of being a practical Catholic. I would think, however, that afterward he should have to deal with issues of conscience.

However, an unbridled initiative toward expulsion of members could lead the fraternal order to expend large amounts of time and energy in a "witch-hunt" that could be likened to the McCarthy hearings of the 1950's. [Huh?! How about expelling members who cause scandal in the Church? Those who continue to exhibit public sins like supporting abortion?]

Last fall Bishop Tobin prohibited Representative Patrick Kennedy from receiving communion due to his pro-abortion position. This was not done to influence the way he was voting but awaken him to the fact he had abandoned his Catholic faith.

Such disciplinary actions on the part of the Church are not just punitive but protective, keeping the communicant from accepting the sacraments without being in a proper state of grace.

I would hope any actions by the Knights issue from a desire for restoration. We need to call erring politicians - in fact, all brother Knights - to not only accept but embrace the wisdom and teaching of the Church of the matters of life and sexuality. [Which then leads me to ask this question? Should we then have these erring Knights suspended or expelled? If we are to "awaken him" then let us put this erring Knight under suspension so as to give him time to correct his ways. If he insists on his wrong ways by supporting the murder of unborn human babies, then expel him!]

The Catholic Church is currently facing the most intense onslaught of public attacks in decades, perhaps centuries. In the midst of this, we have those who choose to propagate in-fighting rather than trying the longer and more laborious route toward improvement.

It may have been Paul Harvey who first said that "the Christian army is the only army in the world that finishes off its own wounded."

Rather than picket or point fingers, I would hope that pro-life Catholics would pray for the Knights who will be at the Supreme Convention. We need to pray that they take an honest look at the issues and its implications concerning membership in the order.

By his own description, Fisher is neither a theologian nor canon lawyer. I would hope that among the faithful Knights there are those who are either or both and are willing to address the subject in a manner that will bring resolution not revolution. [Will there be a resolution? Was there an attempt to meet this head on? Or was someone too chicken to face this and be man or knight enough to do say what is right and what is wrong? While we languish at debating, more babies are being murdered all in the name of respecting others opinion and being open to discussion!]

In his statement, Fisher brought up the words of the late John Cardinal O'Connor once said, "the Knights do not have to wait for the bishops to discipline erring Knights." My supreme hope (pun intended) is that we will rise to the occasion in a way that is honoring to Christ and His Church as well as edifying to our erring members. [AMEN TO THAT!!!]