Keep
your eyes open!...Keep
your eyes open!...
February 6, 2008
(Ecc
3:1-7) All things have their season, and in their times all things pass
under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and
a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to
heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a
time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter
stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far
from embraces. A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a
time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep
silence, and a time to speak.
VATICAN RADIO: Pope Benedict's 2008 Message for Lent
MEDITATION: A season of hope - Lent - awaits us, offering full life by Bishop Robert Vasa
LENTEN SABBATICAL
The TRIB TIMES will not be updated again this year during the Lenten season, extending to the first week after Easter. My computer time will be limited to 30 minutes each morning and evening during Lent. I will read all emails I receive, and will answer all that I can, time permitting. I may also occasionally email non-reformatted news articles to Trib Times subscribers that I find to be of particular interest. But barring a major event, the Trib Times web page itself will not be updated.
I apologize to all who have recently subscribed but will keep your email information for use after my return. God willing, the next issue of the Trib Times should be shortly after Divine Mercy Sunday, March 30, 2008. Please keep me in your prayers, and be assured that I will do the same.I recommend the following links to keep up with unfolding events:
Catholic NewsNewer subscribers may also be interested in a meditation that first appeared in the Trib Times in 2004, The Pain of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/headlines.asp
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/
http://cathnews.com/
http://zenit.org/english/Signs of the Times
http://www.spiritdaily.com/
http://www.lifesite.net/
http://www.thefactis.org/Readings & Meditations for Lent & Holy Week
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/index.html
http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/lent.htm
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 4- "On blessed and ever-memorable obedience"
4. The beginning of the mortification both of the
soul's desire and of the bodily members is much hard work. The middle is
sometimes laborious and sometimes not laborious. But the end is insensibility
and insusceptibility to toil and pain. Only when he sees himself doing
his own will does this blessed living corpse feel sorry and sick at heart;
and he fears the responsibility of using his own judgment.
February 1, 2008
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Eph
6:12-13) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against
principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this
darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
Therefore, take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to
resist in the evil day and to stand in all things perfect.
LINK: Revelations of Saint Bridget (Birgitta) of Sweden Book 1 - Chapter 16
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Ron Smith:
Q: Hi
Ron. I have been working for this Nun at my parish in the Religious
Education Office for several years now. Last week, the subject of the
devil came up and she said she does not believe the devil exists or
that he is a creature or a person or whatever you want to call him. She
said she believes there is evil in the world but only because of original
sin. I immediately told her that the devil exists and she just shrugged
it off like she does with everything else. She leads the RCIA team every
week and she told me that she never speaks of the devil to them. She
said they never heard about the devil and she only teaches them about
how God loves them. My question is: "Should I write to the Bishop
and tell him this?" This nun is doing a great deal of damage to
the Church. She is ultra-liberal and I feel like I am guilty by association.
Patricia
A: There are two types of teachings that we are required to accept and
believe as Catholics – doctrine and dogma.
Doctrine is the ordinary teaching of the Church on a given subject matter,
such as who the angels are. Dogma is a specifically defined teaching,
such as the Immaculate Conception. The 1994 Catechism of the Catholic
Church contains all of the doctrines
and dogmas that
we are required to believe! No Catholic, including
this Nun, specifically may pick and choose what doctrines or dogmas
that they want to accept; we must totally
accept them all!
Although you did not ask for
it in your question, I will include some doctrine on satan or the devil
in case you want to provide this information to the Nun that you are
inquiring about. Doctrine: “He (the devil) tempts Adam and
Eve and speaks through the serpent, disguising himself as an angel of
God. The reason for his hatred is that he was expelled from heaven by
Michael (the archangel) because he refused to adore man, the image of
God. Satan is the strong one (Mt. 13:29), the evil one (Mt. 13:19 and
the prince of the world. He (satan)
can inflict evils on human beings, for virtue is not genuine unless
tested. He (satan) seduces some of the
faithful (I Tim. 5:15). (Could satan have
seduced this Nun?). The Devil is not just a personification
of evil, and the existence of the Devil must not be denied.
The doctrine of the Devil affirms that there is an evil domain into
which humanity has been plunged and is redeemed from that
only by God. Evil spirits are fallen
angels, among whom one
- called the devil or satan
- is traditionally held to exercise
leadership.1 Doctrine:
Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls
‘a murderer from the beginning’, who would even try to divert Jesus
from the mission received from His Father. It is
a great mystery that providence should
permit diabolical activity
(on earth).”2 Doctrine:
“Jesus’ exorcisms free some individuals
from the domination of demons.”3
We might ask: If there is no satan or demons then why does Holy Church
continue to do exorcisms even today?
Based on the limited information
that you provided to me about this Nun in your e-mail, it suggests that
she learned her catechism from Holy Church from the old Baltimore
Catechism, which I will quote from. Doctrine:
“One of these angels (that God created) was most beautiful, and was
named Lucifer, which means light-bearer. He was so perfect that he seems
to have forgotten that he received all his beauty and intelligence from
God, and not content with what he had, became sinfully proud and wished
to be equal to God Himself. For his sin he and all of his followers
were driven out of Heaven, and God created Hell, in which they were
to suffer for all eternity. The same Lucifer is now called satan, and
more commonly the devil.”4
I do not know the Church hierarchy
in your area for reporting purposes or what your experience with them
has been. In a letter, quote precisely what this Nun has said about
satan. In the same letter counter these errors with quotes such as those
that I have used showing Church doctrine on satan and demons. First,
report this matter to your pastor, in charity. Tell him kindly that
you would like a response within 30 or 45 days, etc. “In accord with
the knowledge, competence and preeminence which they possess, they have
the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred
pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the
good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known
to the other Christian faithful, with due regard for the integrity of
faith and morals and reverence towards their pastors, and with consideration
for the common good and the dignity of persons.”5
After this time has passed or if you get a non-committal response, write
to the Mother Superior of the Nun’s religious order. She has a duty
to correct errant Nuns within the order. I would also give her a reasonable
time frame in which to respond. In charity you might suggest to her
that if these serious teaching errors are not corrected that you will
need to report the matter to the bishop. With each step that you go
up the ladder, advise the recipient of whom you have already reported
the matter and what their response (or lack thereof) has been. In the
end, if nothing changes, you have a right and even duty to report to
the Vatican. I can give you the proper Vatican Dicastery to contact
at that time.
RELATED HEADLINES
'Factor' Investigation: Vatican Orders More Exorcists Into Field to Fight Evil
Planned Polish Exorcism Center Sparks Interest in Germany
Devil still at work, exorcist reminds German magazine
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 4- "On blessed and ever-memorable obedience"
3 (cont.). Obedience is the tomb of the will and the resurrection of humility. A corpse does not argue or reason as to what is good or what seems to be bad. For he who has devoutly put the soul of the novice to death will answer for everything. Obedience is an abandonment of discernment in a wealth of discernment.
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