Keep
your eyes open!...Keep
your eyes open!...
June 30, 2009
(Mat
9:36-38) And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them: because
they were distressed, and lying like sheep that have no shepherd. Then
he saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is great, but the
labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he
send forth labourers into his harvest.
POPE BENEDICT XVI: A
priest is called not simply to function as the minister of Christ's
grace, but to truly embody Christ's grace, which "requires that the
priest progressively lose himself in Christ, participating in the
mystery of his death and resurrection with his entire being --
intelligence, liberty, will and the offering of his own body."
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 20- "On bodily vigil"
4. A vigilant monk is a foe to fornication, but a sleepy one is its mate.
June 29, 2009
(2Ti 4:6-8) For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 20- "On bodily vigil"
3. A vigilent eye makes the mind pure; but much sleep hardens the soul.June 19, 2009
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN AFTER A BRIEF SUMMER RECESS, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(1Jn 5:5-7) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which testifieth that Christ is the truth. And there are Three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.The
Friday after Corpus Christi is celebrated as the feast of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus. This image of Jesus pointing toward his visible heart
that is surrounded by thorns, and from which flames arise, reveal to us
the incredible love that Christ has for us. There is a special focus on
the human love of Christ, as it honors his human heart. There is a
passion and a warmth (hence the fire) to this love, and it is a love
that suffers with and for us (hence the crown of thorns). It is by no
means a distant and dispassionate love. If we ever really grasp the
height and width and depth of the love that Jesus has for us it will
completely and unalterably change our lives.
THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
The
Saturday after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated as
the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These must be seen in their
relationship to one another. The Sacred Heart reveals to us the depth
of love that Christ has for us. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is not
about her love for us, but her total and absolute love for her son
Jesus Christ. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is intended to
lead us into the same depth of love for Christ that she has.
By
honoring Mary's heart we honor the tenderness and faithfulness with
which she loved Jesus. We recall and honor the joys and sorrows that
were hers. We also honor the interior life of Mary—her prayerfulness,
her contemplative response to all of reality, and her great love for
God. In particular we honor her by seeing in Mary the model for our own
life of prayer and devotion to Christ.
LINK: History & Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sacred Heart Act of Consecration Prayer by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
I,
( your name. . .), give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of
our Lord Jesus Christ my person and my life, my actions, pains, and
sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my
being save to honor, love, and glorify the Sacred Heart.
This is
my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for
the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever
is displeasing to Him.
I therefore take Thee, O Sacred Heart, to
be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of
salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for
all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.
Be
then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God Thy Father, and
turn away from me the strokes of His righteous anger. O Heart of love,
I put all my confidence in Thee, for I fear everything from my own
wickedness and frailty; but I hope for all things from Thy goodness and
bounty.
Do Thou consume in me all that can displease Thee or
resist Thy holy will. Let Thy pure love imprint Thee so deeply upon my
heart that I shall nevermore be able to forget Thee or to be separated
from Thee. May I obtain from all Thy loving kindness the grace of
having my name written in Thee, for in Thee I desire to place all my
happiness and all my glory, living and dying in true bondage to Thee.
HOMILY EXCERPT:
In 1302, St. Gertrude had a vision on the feast of St. John the
Evangelist. Allowing her to rest her head near the wound of the
Saviour, she heard the beating of the Divine Heart and asked John if,
on the night of the Last Supper, he too had felt these delightful
pulsations and why he had never spoken of the fact. John replied that
this revelation had been reserved for subsequent ages when the world,
having grown cold, would have need of it to rekindle its love.
("Legatus divinae pietatis", IV, 305; "Revelationes Gertrudianae", ed.
Poitiers and Paris, 1877.)
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 20- "On bodily vigil"
1. Some stand before earthly kings without weapons and without armour; but others hold staffs of office, or have shields, or swords. The former are vastly superior to the latter, for they are usually personal relations of the king and members of the royal household. So it is with earthly kings.June 18, 2009
(Psa 40:8) That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart.
FROM THE MAIBAG
VIA Cabio.org: Reaching holiness by abandoning one's Soul to God by Jean Pierre de Caussade
"In reality, holiness consists of one thing only: complete loyalty to God's will."
"Perfection is neither more nor less than the soul's faithful cooperation with God."
"Our only satisfaction must he to live in the present moment as if there were nothing to expect beyond it."
"You are seeking for secret ways of belonging to God, but there is only one: making use of whatever he offers you."
"If we only have sense enough to leave everything to the guidance of God's hand we should reach the highest peak of holiness."
"The
great and firm foundation of the spiritual life is the offering of
ourselves to God and being subject to his will in all things."
"The
truly faithful soul accepts all things as a manifestation of God's
grace, ignores itself and thinks only of what God is doing."
"Let us love, for love will give us everything."
"If we are truly docile, we will ask no questions about the road along which God is taking us."
"God truly helps us however much we may feel we have lost his support."
The
more God takes from the abandoned soul, the more is he really giving it
. . . the more he strips us of natural things, the more he showers us
with supernatural gifts."
To all his faithful souls, God promises a glorious victory over the powers of the world and of hell."
----------------------------------------------------------
Abandonment
to Divine Providence, by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Doubleday, 1966.
Caussade was born in France in 3/6/1675. In 1693 he became a Jesuit but
his spirituality was influenced by St. Francis de Sales. The material
that became the book came as a result of his work with the Visitation
nuns that began in 1729.
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
6. In chanting with many, it is impossible to pray with the wordless prayer of the spirit. But your mind should be engaged in contemplation of the words being chanted or read, or you should say some definite prayer while you are waiting for the alternate verse to be chanted.June 17, 2009
(1Ti 6:3-5) If
any man teach otherwise and consent not to the sound words of our Lord
Jesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according to godliness, He
is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strifes of
words; from which arise envies, contentions, blasphemies, evil
suspicions, Conflicts of men corrupted in mind and who are destitute of
the truth, supposing gain to be godliness.
EDITORIAL EXCERPT: The Magisterium is a real teaching authority
The role of the Magisterium is to
authoritatively teach on all matters concerning the doctrines and
truths of the Christian Faith. These teachings fall into two
categories, non-infallible and infallible. The infallible authority of
the Magisterium, especially of the Pope, is a major source of
disagreement between Protestants and the Catholic Church.
The Magisterium teachings are
considered infallible only in areas of faith and morals. In all matters
that fall into this category, the Holy Spirit protects and guides the
Magisterium in their decision because of the promise that Christ made
that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church, .
Therefore, these decision cannot not be changed by man.
Without the authoritative teachings
of the Magisterium, the Church would be torn apart by schism and doubt.
Everyone would do or follow what was "right in their own eyes."
In highly charged and often
debated issues, the Church stands clear and firm in her teachings.
Those who follow these teachings find great comfort and security. The
teaching authority of the Magisterium is there to protect and guide the
faithful. It is meant to protect us from sin and guide us into virtuous
living.
RELATED HEADLINES
Catholic Media Mutiny
Catholic internships at pro-abortion organizations
Notre Dame 'Betrayed' Catholic Identity with Obama Speech, Says Vatican Leader
MUST READ COMMENTARY: Early Christians and Abortion
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
5. It is possible for all to pray with a congregation; for many it is more suitable to pray with a single kindred spirit; solitary prayer is for the very few.June 16, 2009
(John 6:51) I
am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of
this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for
the life of the world is my flesh."
CORPUS CHRISTI REFLECTIONS
Living in Christ: A Thought on Corpus Christi
Renew your commitment to your faith
INSIDE THE VATICAN:
This (past) Sunday was the Feast of “Corpus Christi”, the
Body and Blood of the Lord, in much of the Western Catholic Church.
After having received Jesus Christ in Holy Communion, Catholic
Christians proceed from the Sanctuary into the streets of the world,
pausing along the way for solemn worship, songs of adoration, and
holding the Lord aloft, enthroned. The procession symbolizes the
ongoing redemptive mission of Jesus Christ to the world as it is now
lived out through his Church.
In this act of public procession, Catholics proclaim that God still
loves the world so much that He still sends His Son, through His
Church. This procession is a reminder of the baptismal vocation of
every Christian to carry forward in time the redemptive mission of
Jesus Christ until He returns. At an interior level, it also symbolizes
the universal call to holiness, to continuing conversion in Christ.
IN THE NEWS: Feast of Corpus Christi walk is for unity and peace
BENEDICT XVI ON CORPUS CHRISTI
In
his Sunday Angelus, "Benedict XVI is affirming that we can be sure
things can change for the better and we can have hope -- all because
love exists.
"The Holy Father said that the feast of Corpus Christi brings to mind
more than its liturgical aspect. It is "a day that involves the cosmic
dimension, heaven and earth. It evokes, first of all -- at least in our
hemisphere -- this beautiful and fragrant season in which spring
finally begins the turn toward summer, the sun shines brilliantly in
the heavens and the wheat matures in the fields," he said. "The seasons
of the Church -- like the Jewish ones -- have to do with the rhythm of
the solar year, of planting and harvesting.
"This dimension comes to the foreground especially in today's
solemnity, in which the sign of bread, fruit of earth and of heaven, is
at the center. This is why the Eucharistic bread is the sign of him in
whom heaven and earth, God and man, become one."
The Pontiff went on to illustrate how the feast of Corpus Domini is
"intimately linked" to Easter, Pentecost, and the feast of the Trinity.
He explained: "The death and resurrection of Jesus and the pouring out
of the Holy Spirit are its presuppositions. It is, furthermore, linked
to the feast of the Trinity, which we celebrated last Sunday. Only
because God himself is relation can there be relation with him; and
only because he is love can he love and be loved.
"In this way 'Corpus Domini' is a manifestation of God, an attestation
that God is love. In a unique and peculiar way, this feast speaks to us
of divine love, of what it is and what it does. It tells us, for
example, that it regenerates itself in giving itself, it receives
itself in giving itself, it does not run out and is not used up."
"Love transforms every thing," the Holy Father affirmed, "and so we
understand that the mystery of transubstantiation, the sign of
Jesus-Charity, which transforms the world, is at the center of today's
feast."
"Looking upon him and worshiping him, we say: Yes, love exists, and
since it exists, things can change for the better and we can hope,"
Benedict XVI continued. "It is the hope that comes from Christ's love
that gives us the strength to live and to face every difficulty. [...]
We all have need of this bread, because the road to freedom, justice
and peace is long and wearisome."
The Pope concluded by considering how Jesus' mother would have received and worshiped the Eucharist.
"We can imagine with what faith and love," he said. "Each time it was
for her like receiving the whole mystery of her Son Jesus: from the
conception to the resurrection. My venerable and beloved predecessor,
John Paul II, called her the 'Eucharistic Woman.' Let us learn from her
to continually renew our communion with the Body of Christ, to love
each other as he loved us."
MORE FROM POPE BENEDICT: "Insidious secularization, even inside the Church"
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
4. The really obedient man often suddenly becomes radiant and exultant during prayer; for this wrestler was prepared and fired beforehand by his sincere service.June 12, 2009
(John
12:40) "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they
should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for
me to heal them."
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
2. Just as over-drinking is a matter of habit, so too from habit comes over-sleeping. Therefore we must struggle with the question of sleep, especially in the early days of obedience, because a long-standing habit is difficult to cure.June 11, 2009
(John 10:27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;
CATHOLIC SENTINEL: Coastal Catholic convert becomes a priestSANCTITY IN THE HEADLINES
Father Damien's life a timely teaching tool
Family says prayer cured son's cancer
Vatican declares Kerala priest as 'Servant of God'
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
6. In chanting with many, it is impossible to pray with the wordless prayer of the spirit. But your mind should be engaged in contemplation of the words being chanted or read, or you should say some definite prayer while you are waiting for the alternate verse to be chanted.June 10, 2009
(Luke
10:2-3) And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs
in the midst of wolves.
PRIESTS AND HEROES
Answering the call: Priests carry out mission in midst of shortage
With death hovering near, a new life for Father Field- Melrose priest's terminal cancer brings new life to his calling
Priest gives kidney to ailing parishioner
Priest revives faith on horseback in remote region
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Father Alex,OMI: I just want to thank you for posting the story of Padre Lorenzo, OMI...
he was a saintly man. I came across him when he was living in our
Novitiate in Godfrey, IL when was caring for his mother and writing his
memoirs as requested by the OMI's (since most of his ministerial life
he lived in the Favelas of Brazil among the poorest of the poor and
later on in Central America). Even then, he lived a simple life... and
was a man of prayer! At first, when you saw him, you wondered -- "Who
is this Hippie?"... a blast from the 60's! Yet, when you spoke to him,
you would see the light of holiness in his eyes and the fullness of
compassion that dwelt in his heart for all people, especially the poor.
They
OMI's working in Guatemala that survived the attack told our Provincial
that when they were held-up (they were in a Mini Van, getting ready to
attend an OMI meeting), the thugs armed with guns, began to threaten
them, asking for money and the van. They were all scared, except for
Padre Lorenzo who smiled and was trying to talk to them, when they shot
him twice without mercy, wounding our other OMI missionary from Africa
who was sitting next to Padre Lorenzo, then they ran away!
COMMENTARY: Year for Priests by Fr. Cimagala
Pope
Benedict XVI has just declared a Year for Priests last March 16. It
will start on June 19, both the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.
It
is meant to celebrate also the 150th anniversary of the death of the
patron for priests, the saintly Cure of Ars, St. John Mary Vianney.
In
that announcement, the Pope said the year-long event is meant "to
encourage priests in this striving for spiritual perfection on which,
above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends."
I think
it's good for everyone to get involved in this Church happening.
Everyone should have an abiding concern for us, priests, since we need
to be nothing less than true ministers of Christ, and the only way to
do that is for us to be really holy and competent.
Already the
head of Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy suggested that the year
be spent in "prayer by priests, with priests, and for priests." Let's
pray also for more priestly vocations and for the sanctity of priests
all over the world.
We have to rediscover the great power of
prayer. This simple conversation with God, that should spring from
faith and love embedded in one's heart, cannot fail to move God's heart
too.
Prayer is the language proper and indispensable in one's
relationship with God. With it one gets united with God. With it one
not only enjoys God's presence but also takes part in his potencies and
activity.
Especially if coursed through the intercession of Our
Lady and other saints, our prayers acquire such power that God could
hardly refuse what we would ask from him. Prayer should be like the
beating of our heart. It should be like the breath that we make.
It
cannot be denied that in spite of our priestly limitations and
shortcomings, our mistakes and failures, not to mention the occasional
scandals that we cause, we priests do an irreplaceable work in the
Church and society.
Conformed to Christ as head of the Church,
we bring to the present the very redeeming sacrifice of our Lord on the
Cross every time we celebrate Mass. The celebration of the Holy
Eucharist is the summit of our priesthood. Every other priestly
ministry flows from it and leads to it.
It is for everyone's
benefit that the priestly conformation to Christ, while objectively
effected through the sacrament of order, be corresponded to with a
progressive subjective conformation by the priests themselves,
supported by all others.
We priests need to be experts in
prayer, to be truly men of God, so identified with him we could easily
discern his will for us, for the Church, for the world.
This
will require nothing less than continuing formation that should always
be provided and equipped with adequate plans and programs, personal and
collective. Every priest, like every Christian faithful, is expected to
have a personal plan of life that nourishes his spiritual life everyday.
For
this purpose, the head of the Vatican's clergy congregation precisely
suggested that the event be an occasion for "intense appreciation of
the priestly identity, of the theology of the Catholic priesthood, and
of the extraordinary meaning of the vocation and mission of priests
within the Church and in society."
"This will require," he said,
"opportunities for study, days of recollection, spiritual exercises
reflecting on the priesthood, conferences and theological seminars in
our ecclesiastical faculties, scientific research and respective
publications."
I wish that the Year for Priests be an occasion
also to review every aspect of priestly life and ministry, as contained
in the Directory for the Life and Ministry of Priests, published by the
Vatican years ago.
The sad fact is that there's still a big gap
between the factual and the juridical, the real and the ideal, in spite
of the rich experience through the centuries within the Church with
regard to priestly life and ministry.
We are already in the 21st
century, enjoying so many technological advances, of course with some
accompanying problems that are more complicated and subtle. It would be
an anomaly if these achievements are not taken advantage of for the
good of the priesthood.
While its essence has to be kept and
strengthened, the priesthood too has to get updated, making use of the
good things progress has achieved and quick to identify and tackle the
subtler problems and more complicated challenges of the times.
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
5. It is possible for all to pray with a congregation; for many it is more suitable to pray with a single kindred spirit; solitary prayer is for the very few.June 9, 2009
(John 20:22-23) When
he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye
the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them:
and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
VIDEO: Confession 101 (part one)- What is it & how to do it (even if it's been a long time)
VATICAN: Catholic confession is not therapy, Vatican warns
CATHOLIC SPIRIT: Good confession requires contrition, intention to change by Father Michael Van Sloun
• Contrition is sincere and heartfelt sorrow for one's sins.
That is different from a child who gets caught with a hand in the
cookie jar who is sorry, not for offending Mom or Dad, but for getting
caught; or from a motorist who gets pulled over for speeding who is
sorry, not for endangering others and self, but for receiving a ticket
and a fine.
In both cases, given the chance, the child would reach for a cookie
again and the motorist would speed again, and in both cases the
contrition is insincere.
Sincere contrition is a key element in the conversion process and
required for a good confession. It is a true and honest
admission of personal responsibility for wrongdoing. It blames no one
but one's self. It is abhorrence of the sin. It sees the sin as truly
bad, and considers it revolting. It is genuine disgust with the evil
deed and personal mortification and embarrassment over what has been
done.
Furthermore, it is the realization that the sin is offensive to God,
who is all-good, and deep dismay over having let God down. It humbly
admits that the sin is a profound act of ingratitude toward God who is
so generous, and an act of disloyalty and betrayal to God, who is ever
faithful.
Finally, it acknowledges that regardless of whether the sin
is known or concealed, in addition to the bad impact the sin may have
had directly on others, it diminishes personal holiness and integrity,
thereby harming one's neighbor and the community.
Contrition is sincere when the person has genuine regret and remorse
for the sin that has been committed, and a deep inner desire to do the
right thing, please God, and be in a good and decent relationship with
others.
• A firm purpose of amendment is the solid intention to "amend" or
change one's ways, the resolve to bring an end to sin, and to live an
upright and holy life according to God's ways.
The quality of a confession is jeopardized if the person admits a sin but has no real desire or plan to quit the sin.
The faulty reasoning goes like this: "I've done it before. I'll
probably do it again. It's not worth trying too hard. It's no big deal
if I slip again. Confession is always available. I can always
be forgiven."
That mindset ignores the deeper call to conversion and does not respect God's gift of mercy.
A firm purpose of amendment is a good faith intention and attempt to do
everything in one's power to avoid the commission of the sin again.
Nevertheless, it is not a promise to be perfect. Our human nature has
deeply ingrained evil inclinations and tendencies. A person may
struggle with habitual failings.
A firm purpose of amendment is simply the desire, despite previous failings and old patterns, to do better.
MORE: http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1880&Itemid=39
NCREGISTER.COM: A Priest, a Confession, a Court -Sacrament on Trial After Secret Taping
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
4. The really obedient man often suddenly becomes radiant and exultant during prayer; for this wrestler was prepared and fired beforehand by his sincere service.
June 5, 2009
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Tit
2:11-13) For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men:
Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we
should live soberly and justly and godly in this world, Looking for the
blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
One Nation Under God?
Fr. Gordon MacRae Writes to Priest in Crisis Readers on Pentecost
County puts kibosh on home Bible study
New Hampshire ties gay-marriage knot
WHITEHOUSE.GOV:
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
2. Just as over-drinking is a matter of habit, so too from habit comes over-sleeping. Therefore we must struggle with the question of sleep, especially in the early days of obedience, because a long-standing habit is difficult to cure.
June 4, 2009
(1Jn 4:12-13) No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit.POPE BENEDICT XVI:
"Where the Spirit of God enters, he chases out fear; he makes us know
and feel that we are in the hands of an Omnipotence of love: whatever
happens, his infinite love will not abandon us.
"The witness of the martyrs, the courage of the confessors, the
intrepid élan of missionaries, the frankness of preachers, the example
of all the saints -- some who were even adolescents and children --
demonstrate this.
HEADLINE: Thousands gather for Martyrs' Day
Thousands of pilgrims from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi
had by yesterday assembled at the Catholic shrine in Namugongo ahead of
today's celebrations to honour the Uganda martyrs killed in 1886.
The pilgrim registration desk had by mid-day recorded 641 Kenyans, 363 people from the DR Congo and 243 from Rwanda.
A total of 170 Tanzanians had also arrived. Groups from Burundi, Nigeria and Zambia were on their way.
In Mityana, over 70 Nigerians on Monday paid homage to the three
martyrs, Noah Mawagli, Luka Baanabakintu and Matia Mulumba, for whom a
shrine was erected at Kiyinda Cathedral.
The Nigerians were led by Msgr. Daniel Obbo Abba, the Vicar General of Abuja Archdiocese.
This year's Martyrs' Day celebrations are organised by Kabale Diocese under the theme: 'Witness to Jesus with Courage.'
Angelo Wachira, a pilgrim from Kenya, said his mission was to
strengthen his faith and learn about the history of the Martyrs' shrine
in Namugongo.
"I only read about this place in books. I could have prayed from my
church in Nairobi but I wanted to learn how the Ugandan martyrs grew in
their faith," Wachira said.
Sylvano Nyaga, the choir leader of Our Lady of Visitation Catholic
Church in Nairobi, said: "I want to learn to stand firm in the Lord and
profess Christ as my saviour, even if it means dying."
Beatrice Musanabera, a pilgrim registration official, said most of the registered pilgrims had travelled on foot.
Hundreds of pilgrims were seen arriving in trucks, buses, taxis and private cars.
Ugandan pilgrims arrived from the various Catholic dioceses across the
country, with 500 pilgrims coming from Kabale, which is the organising
diocese this year.
"Ugandan pilgrims are arriving in thousands. We are not able to register most of them," Musanabera said.
Fausta Nambi, 49, who walked for two days from Ggolo in Mpigi district,
said: "I want to pray for peace in Uganda. I will pray to the Martyrs
to intercede for our country especially in the northern region."
CATHOLIC.ORG: St. Charles Lwanga and Companions Martyrs of Uganda Feastday: June 3
MODERN MARTYR: Radical Catholic priest murdered in Guatemala had St. Louis roots
MATINS: The Divine Office : Justin Martyr
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 19- "On sleep, prayer and psalmody"
1. Sleep is a particular state of nature, an image of death, inactivity of the senses. Sleep is one, but, like desire, its sources and occasions are many; that is to say, it comes from nature, from food, from demons, or perhaps, sometimes, from extreme and prolonged fasting, through which the flesh is weakened and at last longs for the consolation of sleep.
June 3, 2009
(Col
2:6-8) As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in
him: Rooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as also you
have learned: abounding in him in thanksgiving. Beware lest any man
cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of
men according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.
OPINION: THE TRAGEDY OF MR. ALBERTO CUTIE
By Fr. Miguel Grave de Peralta
Many
predicted that once the former Catholic priest, Alberto Cutie, was
caught (whether planned or unplanned is irrelevant) cavorting with a
young divorced mother in his congregation, he would leave the
priesthood and join another Christian Church. In fact he claims to have
done that so he may, according to the press, marry his girlfriend. But
I wonder if Mr. Cutie is aware of what he is getting into now that he
is seeking to serve as an ordained minister in the Protestant Episcopal
Church.
I was an Episcopalian minister for 8 years. Having been
raised a Southern Baptist, I was drawn to all things historical and
religious in college after asking the usually dangerous question, "What
happened after the Bible?" Joining what was then called the Protestant
Episcopal Church (now just the Episcopal Church), I finished my
theological studies in the Episcopalian seminary in New York City and
went to work as an ordained Episcopal minister with my wife and a baby
on the way.
My time in seminary (mid to late 80s) was, to say
the least, volatile. Most of the seminarians were active homosexuals,
our neighbors in student housing was a lesbian couple with their young
son. Most of the religious courses offered assumed that what the Bible
taught and Christians believed for most of its two-thousand year
history was either wrong or at best warped. The few of us who believed
what the Bible taught and wanted to live our lives as Christians have
been trying to live it for 20 centuries kept insisting to each other
that this was "New York" or that it was an "artificial" academic
environment not reflective of the "pastoral trenches" we would find in
the diocesan parish. We were wrong.
I've been there, done that
and have the scars to prove it. What Mr. Cutie has signed up for is a
religious organization that does not require its members or its clergy
to believe in anything except "Thou shall not require anyone to believe
in anything." As an example, when Mr. Cutie was Fr. Alberto, he
probably believed (he certainly taught) that in the Catholic Mass,
ordinary bread and wine becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. He can
still believe that as a Protestant Episcopalian but the belief is
optional. He can continue to believe that his new bishop is a successor
to the original Apostles but it is optional. He can continue to believe
that Jesus Christ, after being dead for three days, rose from the dead
and by His death defeated death, but it is optional. In essence what he
has done is left a Church with one Teaching Authority and joined an
organization with as many authorities as there are members. He has
embraced the trinity of I-Me-Mine.
Perhaps Mr. Cutie has
accepted the error that his bishop expressed on Spanish television
(Univision) when he said the Episcopal Church is a Catholic Church. The
bishop may say whatever he pleases just like I can say I am the
president of the United States of America. However, when the Catholic
Church, with over a billion members and the Orthodox Churches with
almost half a billion members, being the oldest Christian families in
the world, neither recognize the bishop as a bishop nor any sacraments
of that bishop's denomination as being valid or licit, well now there
may be other things to say besides (as one television hostess said)
that the bishop is "simpatico". If anything, this is another example of
the exception proving the norm and that norm is found in the Orthodox
and Catholic Churches.
The tragedy of this is that in desiring
to marry his girlfriend, Mr. Cutie has also married 1) clergy,
including "bishops", who are practicing homosexuals; 2) rejection of
the example of Christ who chose an all-male priesthood 3) the dogmas of
Christians since the beginning, including but not limited to the
Eucharist; 4) the entire sacramental system upon which Christian living
is based; 5) last but not least he has married the philosophy of the
age. It is an old philosophy whispered in the garden to Eve by the
Serpent, "You will be like God."
Much if any of this will be
discussed by the mainstream media. It is the prophet of this old
philosophy. But for all of us priests, celibate or married, who strive
and struggle every day to be obedient to our vows and to the Church
established by Christ, the truth remains and He has set us free.
BLOG: When a Priest Goes Astray
STATEMENT: John C. Favalora, Archbishop of Miami, about Father Alberto Cutié's separation from the Roman Catholic Church
EDITORIAL: Why Do Catholics Go to Mass?
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 18- "On insensibility"
4. I have seen many people hear about death and the terrible judgment and shed tears, and with the tears still in their eyes they eagerly go to a meal. And I was amazed how this tyrant, this stinkpot of gluttony, by complete insensibility, can grow so strong as to turn the tables even on mourning.
June 2, 2009
(Eph 4:30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
MORE REACTION TO TILLER SHOOTING
Christian Anti-Defamation Commission: No Defaming Pro-Lifers to be Tolerated in the Wake of Tiller's Death
"The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission will not allow
pro-abortionists or their accomplices in the media to exploit the
cowardly act of one misguided individual in order to defame millions of
peaceful pro-lifers," said Dr. Gary Cass of the Christian
Anti-Defamation Commission. "Day and night millions of peaceful
pro-lifers sacrificially serve women and their unborn babies. We will
not tolerate any attempt to exploit this terrible event in order to
further restrict pro-life activities or silence pro-life speech or
reverse the gains pro-lifers have achieved in the law."
"Tiller's death at the hands of a lawless vigilante must be
unequivocally condemned," said Cass. "But we cannot allow pro-abortion
activists and politicians to use this tragedy to manipulate public
opinion or our laws."
LA TIMES NEWSLINK: Suspect in Kansas abortion doctor's slaying reportedly belonged to anti-government militia
Authorities arrested Scott Roeder in a Kansas City suburb Sunday, hours
after Dr. Tiller, 67, was gunned down in the foyer of a church in
Wichita. Tiller had survived a previous shooting and the bombing of his
clinic, and someone with the name of Scott Roeder had posted to
antiabortion websites, urging people to target the physician's church.
Tiller, who was born and raised in Wichita, was gunned down as he
served as an usher at Reformation Lutheran Church. It was the first
slaying of an abortion provider since 1998.
Rev. Lowell Michelson, Reformation Lutheran Church: "As
with any church community, there are folks on all different ends of the
spectrum," Michelson said, "but there was a sense here that our lives
of faith are bigger and deeper than those issues."
EDITOR'S NOTE: "Lives of faith are bigger and deeper than those issues"???? How does a renowned abortionist merit recognition at a Christian Church to serve as usher?
FIRST THINGS:
Most people, whatever their views on abortion's legality, view late
term abortion as an odious wrong. Murdering its most notable
practitioner can be seen as even more odious in that it not only took
human life, but if it was motivated by the abortion issue, it was
vigilantism of the worst kind, a stab at the heart of the rule of law
without which there can be no freedom. Let no one justify this terrible
crime. MORE
STATEMENT: Catholic Bishops of Kansas on Murder of Dr. George Tiller
UCCB: U.S. Bishops Express 'Profound Regret' About Shooting Death of Abortion Doctor
COMMENTARY: Gravely Wicked
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 18- "On insensibility"
2. Insensibility is negligence that has become
habit, benumbed thought, the child of predispositions, a snare for zeal,
the noose of courage, ignorance of compunction, a door to despair, the
mother of forgetfulness which gives birth to loss of the fear of God. And
then she becomes the daughter of her own daughter.
June 1, 2009
(Exo 20:13) Thou shalt not kill.
HEADLINE: Abortion provider Tiller shot dead at Kansas church
A suspect is reported in custody in the shooting death of Dr. George
Tiller, one of the nation's few providers of late-term abortions.
Tiller was shot and killed this morning in a Wichita, Kan., church
where he was serving as an usher and his wife was in the choir.
The gunman fled, but Johnson County Sheriff's Deputy Tom Erickson says
a suspect is now in custody. Erickson says the suspect is being held in
New Century, about 170 miles northeast of Wichita, until Wichita police
can question him.
Tiller was long a focus of national anti-abortion groups, including a
summer-long protest in 1991. He was shot during morning services at
Reformation Lutheran Church. His attorney calls Tiller's killing "an
unspeakable tragedy."
Tiller's Women's Health Care Services clinic is one of just three in
the nation where abortions are performed after the 21st week of
pregnancy.
Fr. Pavone on Tiller Killing: "But
whatever the motives, we at Priests for Life continue to insist on a
culture in which violence is never seen as the solution to any problem.
Every life has to be protected, without regard to their age or views or
actions."
AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE STATEMENT:
"Leaders within the pro-life movement often discuss justice in
connection with our mission to end the tragedy of abortion. Today, Dr.
George Tiller's life ended in an act defying those principles.
Kansans for Life: With genuine sorrow,
we reflect on today's events in prayer. Justice for all human beings
includes the lives of those with whom we fundamentally disagree as well
as the victims of abortion. We firmly hope the perpetrators of this act
are apprehended, that the facts be made known, and that justice
according to the law is preserved and dispensed.
Today's actions were tragic, and serve as another reminder that all
human life is sacred. Pro-lifers by our nature and commitment to human
rights reject violence as a means of resistance. Our thoughts and
prayers indeed extend to the Tiller family and the community at
Reformation Lutheran Church."
"Kansans for Life deplores the murder of Dr. George Tiller, and we wish
to express our deep and sincere sympathy to his family and friends. Our
organization has a board of directors, and a 35 year history of
bringing citizens together to achieve thoughtful education and
legislation on the life issues here in Kansas. We value life,
completely deplore violence, and are shocked and very upset by what
happened in Wichita today."
Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 18- "On insensibility"
1. Insensibility both in the body and in the spirit is deadened feeling, which, from long sickness and negligence, lapses into loss of feeling.
Links 
E-mail
Dr. Zambrano 
Home
Jubilee
2000: Bringing the World to Jesus
The
Tribulation Times Archives: