Keep
your eyes open!...
October 24, 2009
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN IN TWO
WEEKS, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Luk 14:33-35) So
likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth
cannot be my disciple. Salt is good. But if the salt shall lose its
savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither profitable for
the land nor for the dunghill: but shall be cast out. He that hath ears
to hear, let him hear. ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: "God Will Demand an Accounting" for Our Moral Indifference
VIA LIFESITENEWS.COM: Sioux City Bishop Calls for "Exorcism" of "Spirit of Vatican II"
In
a pastoral letter issued recently to the lay and religious of his
diocese, Nickless wrote that he has "no other desire" than to see the
reforms of Vatican II implemented properly. However, he said, "It is
crucial that we all grasp that the hermeneutic or interpretation of
discontinuity or rupture, which many think is the settled and even
official position, is not the true meaning of the Council."
The
"hermeneutic of discontinuity," under the guise of the "spirit of
Vatican II," sees "the Second Vatican Council as a radical break with
the past," explained the bishop. However, "There can be no split ...
between the Church and her faith before and after the Council."
"We
must stop speaking of the 'Pre-Vatican II' and 'Post Vatican II'
Church," continued Nickless, who agreed with Pope Benedict XVI that the
Council's meaning "must be found only in the letter of the documents
themselves." "The so-called 'spirit' of the Council has no
authoritative interpretation," Nickless said. "It is a ghost or demon
that must be exorcised if we are to proceed with the Lord's work."
The
bishop said the cultural upheaval of the 1960s and 70s precipitated a
shift in perspective about the Church, and it began to seem that
"nothing was certain or solid" in its teaching or liturgy. "Sometimes,"
he said, "we set out to convert the world, but were instead converted
by it. We have sometimes lost sight of who we are and what we believe,
and therefore have little to offer the world that so desperately needs
the Gospel."
This "hermeneutic of discontinuity," said Nickless,
"emphasizes the 'engagement with the world' to the exclusion of the
deposit of faith." "This has wreaked havoc on the Church,
systematically dismantling the Catholic Faith to please the world,
watering down what is distinctively Catholic, and ironically becoming
completely irrelevant and impotent for the mission of the Church in the
world," he said. "The Church that seeks simply what works or is
'useful' in the end becomes useless."
Bishop Nickless goes on to state
that, "we have sometimes lost sight of who we are and what we believe,
and therefore have little to offer the world that so desperately needs
the Gospel."
"Our urgent need at this time is to reclaim and
strengthen our understanding of the deposit of faith," writes Nickless.
He adds that our mission is twofold — both within the Church (ad intra)
and to the world (ad extra). He then sets forth a plan for "reclaiming
and strengthening our faith, identity and culture as Catholics."
That plan includes the following:
1.
A renewal of reverence, love, adoration and devotion to the Most
Blessed Sacrament within and outside of Mass, regular reception of the
Sacrament of Reconciliation, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
2.
Strengthening catechesis on every level, beginning with and focusing on
adults, with Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church
as the primary sources of formation.
3. The protection and building up of holy families.
4.
Fostering a culture where young people can more readily respond to the
radical calls of ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life.
5.
Acknowledging and embracing the missionary character of the Catholic
Faith and the vocation of all Catholics to be, not only disciples, but
also apostles.
Above all, Bishop Nickless calls the faithful to "great acts of renunciation."
LINK TO PASTORAL LETTER: http://www.scdiocese.org/files/Pastoral_Letter_updated100809.pdf
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Christian-Witness: Our Lord Jesus on the topic of spiritual warfare
1.
My daughter, I want to teach you about spiritual warfare. Never trust
in yourself, but abandon yourself totally to My will. In desolation,
darkness and various doubts, have recourse to Me
2. Do not bargain with any temptation; lock yourself immediately in My Heart
3. Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds.
4. Bear with yourself with great patience.
5. Do not neglect interior mortifications.
6. Shun murmurers like a plague.
7. Let all act as they like; you are to act as I want you to.
8.
If someone causes you trouble, think what good you can do for the
person who caused you to suffer. Do not pour out your feelings.
9. Be silent when you are rebuked.
10. Do not ask everyone's opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him.
11. Do not become discouraged by ingratitude.
12. Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you.
13. When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My heart.
14. Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us.
15. Always fight with the deep conviction that I am with you.
16. Do not be guided by feeling, because it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will.
17. I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles.
18. Know that you are now on a great stage where all heaven and earth are watching you.
19. Fight like a knight, so that I can reward you.
20. Do not be unduly fearful, because you are not alone.
—The Lord Jesus to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul, n. 1760
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
30. The proud man is a pomegranate, rotten inside,
while outwardly radiant with beauty.
October 23, 2009
(1Th 5:19-21) Extinguish not the spirit. Despise not prophecies. But prove all things: hold fast that which is good.
EDITOR'S
NOTE: The information below is presented as yet another sign of the
times. It is neither a an endorsement nor a rejection of the
purported apparition. Even if I had myself physically witnessed
the apparition, I would not be in a position to offer an opinion
as to whether or not it was worthy of belief. Only the Church can
do so, and so we watch, wait, and pray.
HEADLINE: Many claim to see 'sun dance' at Knock
RELATED EDITORIAL OPINION: Questioning the Knock 'apparition'
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Brenda Walsh
: Many people want to know about the recent Apparition at Knock.
There have been many reports and descriptons in the media including the
Internet - so let me try to tell you about what my family, neighbours
and friends who were there have described to me. I am telling this
account as it was described me to me by the aforementioned people to
the best of my knowledge and in all honesty.
Knock
is in County Mayo in the West of Ireland. You can learn more about the
1879 Apparition at ...................... www.knock-shrine.com On
Sunday 11th October around 30,000 people turned up for the prophetic
apparition at Knock. A Dublin man named Joe Coleman who has had regular
visits from Our Lady had told the people of Ireland through the media
(newspapers, radio) that Our Lady had told him that She was going to
appear at Knock on Sunday (11th Oct). 30,000 turned out for the event.
Around
3.10pm, thousands saw the sun dance, spin and change into a multitude
of various colours and it grew everescently bright, very very bright.
The colours were azures green, blue, pink, yellow, red, purple, orange
and so forth. Then many saw it begin to spin out of the sky and plummet
towards the people - people began praying loudly and many were also
sobbing from their hearts. My sister Marian witnessed this at the back
of the Apparition Chapel where she sat near the Glass Window there.
Joe Coleman announced to the people that this was similar to the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima.
My
neighbour Patrick who is Pony Dealer, told me that he was at the front
of the chapel beside the 3 Apparition Statues of St Joseph, Our Lady
and St John. He noticed the woman beside him had basically gone into
ecstacy. She told him that Our Lord had manifested himself beside Our
Lady's Statue. She said that Jesus stood there with His Hands
outstretche and asked this woman 'Where are my priests?' None of the
Knock priests were present.
At
least six people saw Our Lady at the Gable Wall and one woman went on
Mid-West Radio and told her story of Our Lady's vision to her. The
Blessed Mother told her that She came to ask people for prayer to stop
the Third World War and that She, Our Lady would come two more times to
Knock before Christmas.
I
have spoken to people whom I consider to be of sound mind and they are
all saying the same thing - that something magnificent had occurred at
Knock. I also spoke to some of the B&B Owners as I know them from
taking pilgrimages there and they too agreed that something
supernatural happened on that Beautiful Sunday at Knock. I believe all
of these witnesses 100%! Good timing too by Our Lady after the dreadful
Yes vote on the Lisbon Treaty. She also knows that the One World
Plotters are about to impose their One World Dictatorship on us all
with the significent signing of the Copenhagan Treaty in December which
will move this Sinister Plot closer to our back doorstep. God help us!!!
Now
Our Lady said She will come two more times to Knock before Christmas.
Well the Good News is that She will be in Knock again on the Eve of All
Saints, 31st October and on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 8th
December 2009!
My friends and I have already booked our flights.
If
you intend going, you better book now before all the flights are gone
and indeed, before all the accommodation, beds in Knock are gone. There
is only so much accommodation in Knock so book NOW! Irish people are
taking the 31st Oct, a Saturday off work so that they can be in Knock
for this great event. There were 30,000 there on the 11th Oct so you
can expect ten times as many to be there for the 31st Oct.
If
you need any accommodation or other details, please contact me. Ave
Maria Brenda email: [email protected] Tel: 0044-208-840-9770
Mobile: 004-7946-205644
BRENDA'S REPLY TO REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION:
Praise be Jesus & Mary. Greetings from London!
Yes,
if you wish, you can circulate it. I sent this out to my large network
of contacts around the world because I think it is the most wonderful
and joyous news that we have had in many many years. Indeed, we need
such Good News to be circulated as far as possible. I have given the
whole account as described by my own family, neighbours and friends who
witnessed these events - all of them are of sound mind and judgement.
I
forgot to say in my email that I received a phone call yesterday
morning Tuesday 20th October from the Pony Dealer, my neighbour in
Ireland who witnessed the Heavenly Phenomena, that SIX cures have been
reported but I have held off on this till I receive more information.
Huge crowds are expected for the 31st October. I am getting enquiries
from America and England. I will be getting more from other parts
because I just went public with this Good News today.
I wish you well in your good work for the Kingdom. May God Bless you always. Ave Maria BrendaLadder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
28. Forgetfulness of our falls is the result of
conceit, for the remembrance of them leads to humility.
October 22, 2009
MORE ON CHRISTIAN UNITY
REUTERS: Vatican talks with traditionalists set to open
The
Vatican Thursday announced the imminent start of talks with a
traditionalist splinter group that includes a bishop prosecutors in
Germany want fined for denying the Holocaust.
The talks with the
Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), whose four bishops were readmitted into
the Roman Catholic Church in January after two decades of
excommunication, aim to rehabilitate fully these staunch critics of
modernizing reforms undertaken since the 1962-1965 Second Vatican
Council.
The first meeting will be on October 26 in the
Vatican's Palace of the Holy Office, the former headquarters of the
Inquisition that now houses the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, the Church's main doctrinal watchdog.
"The contents of
the conversations concerning open doctrinal questions will remain
strictly confidential," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a
statement.
MORE: "Return to past" is SSPX motto for doctrinal talks with Vatican
VATICAN - ORTHODOX- Metropolitan Zizoulas: Defend ecumenical dialogue against those who oppose it
The
2nd round of dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox is being held in
Paphos (Cyprus) from October 16 to 23. Progress, however, appears a
distant goal. Two days ago, groups of traditionalist Orthodox monks and
Orthodox priests from Larnaca interrupted the meeting of the
Joint Commission, asking Archbishop Chrisostomos to stop it. They
believe that dialogue between the two Churches is designed to
"subjugate the Orthodox to the pope in Rome". Yet it is to this very
island, a martyred land of ancient Christian traditions, divided by the
last wall in Europe, the one between Greece and Turkey, that Benedict
XVI will come on a papal visit in June 2010.
The dialogue
of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between
the Catholic and Orthodox Churches began in Ravenna in 2007 where a
road map for process towards full unity was signed. The Ravenna
document, of great importance, is based on the ecclesiology of the
first millennium, when the two churches were in full communion,
although even then differences arose from time to time.
The
Ravenna document was not signed by the Russian Orthodox Church, which
withdrew over differences with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople on the question of the Church in Estonia. But
these days it was involved in the work. Patriarch Bartholomew I of
Constantinople confirmed two days ago that "engaging in dialogue is our
duty and obligation. Dialogue is a road of no return".
MORE: Orthodox leader signals hope for unity as churches deliberate
MUST READ! VIA INSIDE THE VATICAN
High Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica
Healer of Souls
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
25. A monk is one who is conditioned by virtues
as others are by pleasures.
October 21, 2009
(Joh
17:20-22) And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who
through their word shall believe in me. That they all may be one, as
thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which
thou hast given me, I have given to them: that, they may be one, as we
also are one.
VATICAN RADIO: Pope Benedict Approves a Special Canonical Structure for Anglican Converts
The
Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced today
that Pope Benedict has approved a special canonical structure called a
personal ordinariate for groups of Anglicans who wish to convert to the
Catholic Church. The new structure will allow converts, including their
often married clergy, to enter into full communion with Rome, while
preserving elements of their distinctive Anglican spiritual and
liturgical patrimony. The announcement was made at a press conference
here in the Vatican by the prefect of the CDF, Cardinal William Levada
and simultaneously at a joint conference in London by the Archbishop of
Westminster Vincent Nichols and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan
Williams.
DETAILS: Rome's new home for Anglicans
REACTION Fr. Rutler reacts: "It is a dramatic put down of liberal Anglicanism"
Cardinal says US church ready to collaborate on receiving Anglicans
RORATE CÆLI Editorial note: The time is up
EDITORIAL: ANGLICANISM: City of Confusion
STATEMENT: Joint Statement by The Archbishop of Westminster and The Archbishop of Canterbury
Today's
announcement of the Apostolic Constitution is a response by Pope
Benedict XVI to a number of requests over the past few years to the
Holy See from groups of Anglicans who wish to enter into full visible
communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and are willing to declare
that they share a common Catholic faith and accept the Petrine ministry
as willed by Christ for his Church.
Pope Benedict XVI has
approved, within the Apostolic Constitution, a canonical structure that
provides for Personal Ordinariates, which will allow former Anglicans
to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving
elements of distinctive Anglican spiritual patrimony.
The
announcement of this Apostolic Constitution brings to an end a period
of uncertainty for such groups who have nurtured hopes of new ways of
embracing unity with the Catholic Church. It will now be up to those
who have made requests to the Holy See to respond to the Apostolic
Constitution.
The Apostolic Constitution is further recognition
of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between
the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition. Without the dialogues
of the past forty years, this recognition would not have been possible,
nor would hopes for full visible unity have been nurtured. In this
sense, this Apostolic Constitution is one consequence of ecumenical
dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.
The
on-going official dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican
Communion provides the basis for our continuing cooperation. The
Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and
International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission
(IARCCUM) agreements make clear the path we will follow together.
With
God's grace and prayer we are determined that our on-going mutual
commitment and consultation on these and other matters should continue
to be strengthened. Locally, in the spirit of IARCCUM, we look forward
to building on the pattern of shared meetings between the Catholic
Bishops Conference of England and Wales and the Church of England's
House of Bishops with a focus on our common mission. Joint days of
reflection and prayer were begun in Leeds in 2006 and continued in
Lambeth in 2008, and further meetings are in preparation. This close
cooperation will continue as we grow together in unity and mission, in
witness to the Gospel in our country, and in the Church at large.
+ Vincent + Rowan
INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC NEWS: Forward in Faith bishops welcome Apostolic Constitution
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
24. A monk experiences unceasing rapture of mind
and sorrow of life.
October 20, 2009
(Rev
6:9-11) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar
the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the
testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying:
How long, O Lord (Holy and True), dost thou not judge and revenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given to
every one of them one; And it was said to them that they should rest
for a little time till their fellow servants and their brethren, who
are to be slain even as they, should be filled up.
NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER REVIEW: The 13th Day Is the Finest Retelling of the Fatima Miracle
EXCERPT FAITH & FAMILY:
The new Fatima movie, The 13th Day, lives up to the hype we heard all
summer. It leaves older film versions in the dust in terms of cinematic
artistry and special effects. Directors Ian and Dominic Higgins were
illustrators before they were film makers, and it shows. Each shot
looks like something one could frame and hang on a wall.
Most of the movie is done in black and white—color only blooms
across the screen during each apparition. The absence of color makes
the more primal light and darkness jump out at the viewer. The
directors make almost constant use of close up shots — expecting
us to read in the faces of the characters what the startling and
disconcerting events at the Cova da Iria were doing to them.
The miracle of the sun is depicted perfectly: it matches eyewitness
descriptions more accurately than any other movie version. And
here's a first: the vision of the "third secret" (that involved Pope
John Paul II) is depicted on film for the first time.
After limited theatrical release on October 13th, the film will
be available for smaller group screenings at parishes and schools.
(Check out The 13th Day if you want to find a showing or host one yourself). After that, the DVD will be available for purchase from Ignatius Press.
I have a feeling that this film will be a "Catholic classic" for many years to come.
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Dave:
Tonight, October 13th, I was fortunate to see a screening of the new
movie on Fatima, "The 13th Day" in Arlington, Texas. The movie ran
about 90 minutes.
It is well done; the producers did well with the cinematography in
mixing the regular scenes in black and white with Our Lady appearances
in color.
I would recommend that people would first acquaint themselves a little
bit with the state of the world at the time of the apparitions before
seeing the movie.
World War I had been ongoing with no end in sight for three years. To
some, it looked like it would go on forever without resolution. America
had just declared war on Germany on Good Friday, 1917 (April 6th) but
American troops would not see real action until October 20th, a week
after the miracle of the sun.
Russia was in turmoil but the Communists had not yet come to power.
Amidst all of this, Pope Benedict the 15th implored Our Lady to
intercede with God and on May 5th, 1917, he inserted the invocation
"Queen of Peace" in the Litany of Loreto.
Heaven answered the Pope's call 8 days later on Sunday, May 13th in a backwater village we now know as Fatima.
The movie pulls you in to the events of Fatima and the struggles and
sacrifices that the three shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco and
Jacinta and their families make during this time.
Of course, in our time, the "Fatima clock" is still running. Perhaps,
the vision of Hell and the Miracle of the Sun are intertwined. For if
the Miracle of the Sun represents nuclear war, then how many souls
would be lost to Hell in an instant of nuclear holocaust with no time
to express remorse to their God?
The sun came to earth in 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Will it come
to earth again? And if it does, have we prepared our souls?
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
23. A monk is he who calls his enemies to combat
like wild beasts, and provokes them as they flee from him.
October 15, 2009
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Luk 11:9-13) And
I say to you: Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find:
knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh
receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth: and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened: And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he
give him a stone? Or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or
if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion? If you then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?
WESTERN CATHOLIC REPORTER: The Holy Spirit leads truth seekers to God
FROM THE MAILBAG
REFLECTION by Father Ted – October 08, 2009
My
dearest Lord Jesus, when I was very young, You taught me that You
created me to know You, to love You, and to serve You in this world so
that I could be with You forever in Your heavenly home.
Every day now You want me to reflect on these truths because You want me to have a very close relationship with You.
You always have wanted me to have a close and intimate relationship with You as well as with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit.
That
is why You have encouraged me to make time for You each day. For how
can I get to know You if I do not spend time with You, if I do not talk
with You, if I do not listen to You, if I do not share my life with You?
Only when I make time for You can I get to know You.
Only when I get to know You, will I be able to love You.
And to love You as You want me to, I need the help of Your Holy Spirit.
Isn’t that why You asked me in today’s Gospel account to ask for Him whom Your Father, who is my Father, wants to give to me?
The
night before You offered Your life on the Cross, You told us to love
one another as You love us. And only with Your Holy Spirit can we do so.
You help me to know You a little more when You encourage me to read from Your book of love which is the Bible.
So that I will know You better, You have asked me to read from the Bible daily.
When I get to know You better, I cannot help but want to love You more and therefore better.
To love You as You love me, I definitely need Your Holy Spirit – who is love.
What You have also taught me is that when I love, I need to express it. And I can do so by serving You and Your loved ones.
You help me to serve others – in love, by using the gifts, skills, talents that You have given to me.
Help me, Jesus, to serve others as You want. Help me to love them as You want.
Thank
You, Jesus, for teaching me how to know You. Thank You, Jesus, for
enabling me to love You. Thank You, Jesus, for allowing me to serve You
by serving Your beloved disciples.
Thank You, Jesus, for loving me each day.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
22. A monk, properly speaking, is he whose soul's
eye does not look haughtily, and whose bodily feeling is unmoved.
October 14, 2009
(Luk 10:41-42) And
the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and
art troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary. Mary hath
chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.
CATHOLIC ONLINE: Embrace every moment as sacred time
CATHOLIC FIRE: St. Teresa of Avila: Favorite Quotes and Prayers
"Remember
that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that
you have only one life, which is short and has to be lived by you
alone; and there is only one Glory, which is eternal. If you do this,
there will be many things about which you care nothing. "
"Christ has no body now, but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which
Christ looks compassion into the world.
Yours are the feet
with which Christ walks to do good.
Yours are the hands
with which Christ blesses the world."
"Let nothing trouble you,
let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing:
God alone suffices."
OPINION: Teresa's interior castle
Tomorrow,
October 15, is the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the
Church, Spanish mystic, founder of the Discalced Carmelites, and writer
of the Counter Reformation. Each year, as her feast comes around, I am
moved to think about her life, her works, and the need to return to my
roots as a Theresian.
Although St. Teresa had no training as a
writer, her writings stand among the most remarkable in the mystical
literature of the Catholic Church. Some of her major works include the
Life, the Autobiography, The Way to Perfection (El Camino de
Perfeccion), and The Interior Castle (El Castillo Interior).
Throughout
all her writings, and especially in her Autobiography, Teresa's
mystical thought focused on the ascent of the soul in four stages. The
first, or "mental prayer" is that of devout contemplation or
concentration, especially of the passion of Christ and penitence. The
second is the "prayer of quiet," in which at least the human will is
lost in that of God by virtue of a supernatural state of grace given by
God, although all faculties such as memory, reason, and imagination are
still not immune to worldly distractions — the prevailing state,
however, is one of quietude. The third stage, "devotion of union," is
one that is not only supernatural, but is essentially an ecstatic
state. Reason is totally absorbed in God, but the memory and
imagination continue to ramble. Finally, the fourth is the "devotion of
ecstasy or rapture," which is described as a passive state, in which
the consciousness of being in the body disappears. Sense activity
ceases, memory and imagination are also absorbed in God. "Body and
spirit are in the throes of a sweet, happy pain, and a spell of
strangulation, intermitted sometimes by such an ecstatic flight that
the body is literally lifted into space."
She wrote that during
her illness (she was subject to so many illnesses even from childhood)
she rose from the lowest stage ("recollection") to the "devotions of
silence" and even to the "devotions of ecstasy," the stage at which she
was in perfect union with God. She had visions of Jesus Christ which
lasted for more than two years. In one vision, a seraph drove a fiery
point of a golden lance repeatedly through her heart, causing an
ineffable spiritual-bodily pain. This vision became the inspiration for
one of the most famous works of the Italian baroque artist Bernini: the
Ecstasy of St. Theresa, which is found in the basilica of Santa Maria
della Vittoria in Rome.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
21. We should constantly be examining and comparing
ourselves with the holy Fathers and the lights who lived before us, and
we should then find that we have not yet entered upon the path of the ascetic
life, and have not kept our vow in holy fashion, and in disposition are
still living in this world.
October 13, 2009
(Psa
19:1-2) The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament
declareth the work of his hands. Day to day uttereth speech, and
night to night sheweth knowledge.
FATHER HARDON: How Does the Solar Phenomenon Confirm the Message of Fatima?
It
was no coincidence that the solar phenomenon at Fatima came only
several months after the basic message of Fatima had been communicated
to the children. The phenomenon had to have a purpose for its
occurrence, and the message had to have a divine confirmation of its
authenticity.
When the phenomenon occurred in October, it was
witnessed by thousands of people, friendly and unfriendly, simple
believers and professed skeptics, those disposed to believe Our Lady's
message and others who were openly hostile to what the Blessed Virgin
was reported to have said.
In God's providence the hostility of
the skeptics was necessary to give rational grounds for believing what
the children said the beautiful Lady was telling them. All the reports
of those who witnessed the spectacle of the sun testify to their
stupefaction at what they saw. No one, not even the most hardened
agnostic, doubted that what he saw was a prodigy. This was necessary to
provide the rational foundation for accepting, on faith, the Marian
message of Fatima because of the solar event which everybody had to
accept, as a fact, perceived by the senses.
Why, then, was the
solar prodigy of Fatima necessary? It was necessary in order to satisfy
our spontaneous need for giving rational credence to what Mary was
telling Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta. The children did not need the
solar phenomenon to believe what Our Lady was telling them. But we do.
It
is not coincidental that Mary asked her Divine Son to work the miracle
at Cana as the first of the signs performed by her Son. Immediately, we
are told, his disciples believed in Him. She has been doing the same
ever since. As God, He is master of the sun, moon and stars which He
created. Her message at Fatima was to tell a sinful world to stop
offending the Divine Majesty and to repent of their sins. As at Cana,
she asked Jesus to work a miracle. At Cana, as the poet said, the water
looked at its Maker and blushed. At Fatima the sun looked at its Maker
and whirled in dazzling splendor to acknowledge its Creator.
RELATED YOUTUBE VIDEOS
The Miracle of the Sun
Bishop Fulton Sheen on Fatima Part I
Bishop Fulton Sheen on Fatima Part II
Bishop Fulton Sheen on Fatima Part III
RELATED: The Miracle of the Sun- An Eyewitness Account
HEADLINE: The 13th Day proves lucky for film-makers
A
film partly made in Birmingham is clocking up a worldwide audience and
attracting thousands of website hits a day. The 13th Day, which was
edited in the city and tells the story of an alleged miracle at the end
of the First World War, is drawing 9,000 hits a day to its website,
after it was widely promoted in the US.
The film is based on the
story of three children who claim to have experienced apparitions of a
woman in 1917, resulting in what has become known as the Miracle of the
Sun, where the sun was said to have been seen spinning towards the
earth in Fatima, Portugal.
The film's producer, Natasha Howes,
said: "We are overwhelmed at its success. Our most critical audience
was the Christian one. We had a private viewing at the Sanctuary at
Fatima, in Portugal, which has given its endorsement."
The 13th
Day took three years to make with sound experts at the Audio Suite
studios, in Digbeth, editing and mixing the soundtrack. The musical
score was also created by Leamington composer Andy Guthrie.
The
film was launched at a screening on Sunday, at Warwick Arts Centre, and
is to be released on October 13 to the American market, followed up by
a worldwide release around May 2010.
The Archbishop of
Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, a former Archbishop of
Birmingham, welcomed the film. He said: "It is a moving presentation
which vividly portrays the courage of the children."
Watch the trailer: http://www.the13thday.com/the-film/trailers/
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
20. Even if we endure ten thousand deaths for Christ,
even so we shall not repay all that is due. For the blood of God, and the
blood of His servants are quite different, and here I mean the dignity
and not the actual physical substance.
October 12, 2009
(Mat 25:21) His
lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many
things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
HEADLINE: Pope elevates 5 new saints, 1 for work in Hawaii
Pope
Benedict XVI canonized five new saints Sunday, including a 19th-century
priest whose work with leprosy patients on a Hawaiian island has been
hailed by U.S. President Barack Obama as inspiring those helping AIDS
sufferers in today's world.
Among the pilgrims packing St.
Peter's Basilica was Hawaii resident Audrey Toguchi, an 80-year-old
retired teacher whose recovery from lung cancer a decade ago was called
miraculous by the Vatican.
She had prayed to Belgium-born Jozef
De Veuster, more commonly known as Father Damien, who himself died from
leprosy in 1889 after contracting the disease while working with
leprosy patients who were living in isolation on Molokai island.
Toguchi
and her doctor, Walter Chang, joined a procession of faithful bringing
relics of the new saints to Benedict at the central altar of the
basilica.
The pontiff said the newly canonized had given of themselves totally without "calculation or personal gain."
"Their
perfection, in the logic of a faith that is humanly incomprehensible at
times, consists in no longer placing themselves at the center, but
choosing to go against the flow and live according to the Gospel,"
Benedict said in his homily.
Official delegations for St. Damien
included King Albert II and Queen Paolo of Belgium and, for the United
States, Obama's new envoy to the Vatican, Miguel H. Diaz, and Hawaii
Sen. Daniel Kahikina Akaka.
Benedict praised the missionary,
saying that "not without fear and repugnance, he chose to go to Molokai
to serve the lepers who were there, abandoned by all," exposed himself
to leprosy, and "felt at home with them."
A Honolulu pilgrim,
Gloria Rodrigues, said she saw a connection between Damien and the AIDS
problem today. "He was a servant of the outcast and should be an
inspiration for us today to do as he did," said Rodrigues, who added
she had relatives with leprosy who had been cared for on Molokai,
although years after Damien's work there.
After the ceremony,
the pope came out on the basilica's central balcony to greet some
40,000 faithful in the square. Speaking in French, he urged people to
pray and help those involved in the battle against leprosy and "other
forms of leprosy caused by lack of love or cowardliness."
RELATED VIDEO
Video of Canonization: http://hawaiicatholicherald.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/canonization-day/
Video of the life of Saint Damian: http://salesianity.blogspot.com/2009/10/life-of-st-damien-of-molokai.html
RELATED LINKS
Life has changed for woman whose cancer cure led to canonization
Belgium, Honolulu bishop celebrate 'leper priest'
A life devoted to helping lepers
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
18. Do not lift up your neck, creature of earth!
For many, though holy and spiritual, were cast from Heaven.
October 9, 2009
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Psa 128:1-4) Blessed
are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways. For thou shalt
eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well
with thee. Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house. Thy
children as olive plants, round about thy table. Behold, thus shall the
man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
IN THE NEWS: Pill inventor gave women protection but lost his religion
WEBLINK: One More Soul (OMS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the truth about the blessings of children and the harms of contraception.
ST. LOUIS REVIEW: Bishop says mentality of sterility is harmful
The
call to know, love and serve God is a call to fruitfulness, "the
essence and expression of every vocation," Bishop James V. Johnston
said at a workshop Jan. 26 of the annual assembly of the Missouri
Catholic Conference.
The bishop of the Diocese of
Springfield-Cape Girardeau said "all love tends toward an incarnation
that requires the daily cultivation of the soul of our souls in
holiness. It is a call that we must respond to anew each day to God's
question, 'Where are you?'"
Family life today is in crisis
because it is formed in a mentality of sterility, he said. "And we
might even say the sacrament of this attitude is contraception within
marriage."
Family life, and by extension the culture and the
Church, "will only be renewed when the 'domestic church' rediscovers
its call to fruitfulness at every level," he noted.
After his
talk, Bishop Johnston answered questions from several people. He said
marriage is a hard life because things happen that are unexpected. A
vision of marriage helps overcome these challenges, he said.
"This
is at the heart of the meaning of life. This is the key to saving
marriage. It is how the Church can save the world — we start with
the family."
True love, the bishop said, is freely given, total
and without conditions, faithful to the end and fruitful. "Jesus
reveals that and reveals it on the cross."
In many dioceses, he said, the number of sacramental marriages is decreasing even as the number of Catholics increase.
To
embrace a Christian vocation, he said, means that one must first be a
disciple. Marriage and family is "where one learns the discipleship of
Christ and learns to say yes to God."
CARDINAL JUSTIN F. RIGALI:
Since the advent of widespread contraception and abortion, a cultural
hostility to children has grown. They are often depicted as costly
encumbrances who interfere with a carefree adult life. No fewer than
six recent books are dedicated to defending the childless-by-choice
lifestyle – for selfish reasons, or to counter "overpopulation," a
thoroughly discredited myth. In fact, if married couples were to have
more children, Medicare and Social Security would not be hurtling
toward bankruptcy. Since 1955, because of fewer children and longer
life spans, the number of workers has declined relative to the number
of beneficiaries, from 8.6 to only 3.1 workers paying benefits to
support each beneficiary. Without substantially more young people to
enter the work force as young adults, in 25 years, there will be only
2.1 workers supporting each beneficiary. Eliminating our young does not
solve problems even on pragmatic grounds. It adds to them.
Children,
and those who are dependent on us due to disability or age, offer us
the opportunity to grow in patience, kindness, and love. They teach us
that life is a shared gift, not an encumbrance. At the end of life, we
will be judged on love alone. Meanwhile, in the midst of so many
challenges to life, we look to "Christ Jesus our hope" (1 Timothy 1:1),
who offers to all the world a share in his victory over death.
CATHOLIC ONLINE: Contraception: At Odds with Truth
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
17. Do not be self-confident until you hear the
final sentence passed upon yourself, bearing in mind the guest who got
as far as joining the marriage feast, and then was bound hand and foot
and cast out into the outer darkness (Matt 22:13).
October 8, 2009
(Joh 13:34-35) A
new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have
loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know
that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.
NEWS FROM IRELAND
British premier Brown confronts Belfast deadlock
A papal visit would have more impact this time
Ulster Papal visit deemed 'insensitive'
A LOOK BACK: Pope John Paul II joked Irish were 'trying to kill him' on first day of trip
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Dave:
This past June, I was fortunate to join a group of other Americans as
we travelled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to help with the home
building and the healing that this province so desperately needs. We
worked with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity in the staunchly
Protestant part of West Belfast called the mid-Shankill. The locals
there were very kind to us, despite the racket we made with our
jackhammer!
During our time there, we met the minister of
Whitehouse Presbyterian Church, the Reverend Liz Hughes. She told us of
the struggle that her church and congregation had during the time of
the troubles in Northern Ireland. In August, 2002, the church was
attacked for the third time and destroyed by arson. It was a time of
high sectarian tensions in the area.
What occurred next was a
miracle. The people in the area, Catholics and Protestants alike,
rallied around her and her congregation. Five Catholic churches in the
area, one of which had been burned down in the past, collected over ten
thousand pounds to help rebuild the church.
The church was rebuilt, through the hard work and faith of the congregation and of the people of the area. Another
thing happened as well. People who had not been to church in a long
time started coming back. As a result, the size of the congregation
doubled.
Then, a stranger thing happened. Old pensioners, both
Catholics and Protestants, who had worked together years before in the
linen industry, met again in the church hall. Old friendships, that had
fallen victim to the troubles, were now renewed.
All of this was
the last thing that the arsonists had in mind. They had started a fire,
but not the kind of fire that they had intended.
MORE VIA Dave:
It's a pretty complicated situation in N.Ireland. I thought I was
fairly knowledgeable about it UNTIL I went over there in person and
worked in a Protestant stronghold called the Shankill. The people there
were great to me as I was an American and working for Habitat, but the
society there is deeply divided, there are 40 shades of "orange Irish"
just as there are 40 shades of green.
Old Line Presbyterianism
which exploded onto the scene during the Reformation was fed in large
part by the extreme corruption of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
Presbyterianism is still very strong in N.Ireland.
All the scandals have only increased their sense that the Catholic Church as an organization has too much power and influence.
Again,
the Protestants in N.Ireland treated me very well and I cannot say
anything but good things about them. However, there are very deep
fissures in a society that has just come out of 30 years of a very
uncivil war.
Let's pray for peace!
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
14. A most learned elder spiritually admonished
a proud brother, but he in his blindness said: 'Forgive me, father, I am
not proud.' The wise elder said to him: 'What clearer proof of this
passion could you have given us, son, than to say, "I am not proud"?'.
October 7, 2009
(Luk 1:28) And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
QUOTE Dom
Gueranger OSB: " Mary's rosary- a new and fruitful vine, which began to
blossom at Gabriel's salutation, and whose fragrant garland form a link
between earth and heaven.
LINK: Pray the Rosary Online
RENEWAMERICA: The Battle of Lepanto
TIMELY: Christopher Columbus' Marian Mission
VIA THE PHILLIPINES: Celebrating the Month of the Rosary in the Year of the Two Hearts and Year for Priests
The
month of October is especially dedicated to the Holy Rosary of the
Blessed Virgin Mary. During this month, Catholics are encouraged to
have an intensified devotion of praying the Rosary privately and
communally – at home, in school, and in places of work.
The
history of Catholicism tells us that many prayers were granted and
favors received by many through the powerful intercession of the
Blessed Mother.
Filipinos are widely known as Pueblo Amante de
Maria – a people deeply in love with Mary. It is perhaps because of our
cultural trait of being close or attached to our own mothers. The
countless individuals who flock to Baclaran and other churches every
Wednesday to honor her under the title of Mother of Perpetual Help and
the many other devotions in various pilgrim sites in the country attest
to this fact. We see in Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, a
loving concern not only for her Son but for all of us, followers of
Jesus.
More than being queen, Mary is first and foremost a
mother to us all. She treats us as her own children. She is the Mother
and Help of all Christians. She will never forsake her children. The
popular prayer Memorare puts it beautifully: "Never was it known that
anyone who implores your help or sought your intercession was left
unaided."
As we celebrate this year, the Year of the Hearts of
Jesus and Mary for Lay Participation in Social Change, as declared by
the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, as well as the
Year for Priests, as proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI, let us pray to
Our Mother to inspire more lay people to have the courage to stand up
for justice, truth, and peace. We need men and women of goodwill who
will advocate the Gospel values in our social life.
We also pray
to Mary for the sanctification of our priests. The holiness of our
priests will benefit the entire Church. May our priests have her as
their mother and model. As we pray the rosary, may the Blessed Mother
keep us in her heart and lead us closer to her Son, Jesus our Lord.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
12. An angel fell from Heaven without any other
passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend
to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.
October 5, 2009
(1Co 12:28-31) And
God indeed hath set some in the church; first apostles, secondly
prophets, thirdly doctors: after that miracles: then the graces of
healings, helps, governments, kinds of tongues, interpretations of
speeches. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all doctors? Are all
workers of miracles? Have all the grace of healing? Do all speak with
tongues? Do all interpret? But be zealous for the better gifts.
LINK: ST. FAUSTINA AS A DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
At
the dawn of the 21st century, Sr. Mary Faustina Kowalska, the "divine
mercy nun," was canonized as the first saint of our era - a remarkable
commentary on a young woman who had died a little over 60 years
earlier, in 1938. Her cause was methodically advanced by the
intervention of Karol Wojtyla who, as Pope John Paul II, authored an
encyclical, Dives in Misericordia (1980), in which he identified the
theme of divine mercy as the major preoccupation of his papacy.
Her
canonization is a clear reaffirmation of her personal sanctity,
influenced by her dedicated prayer life and her frequent conversations
with Jesus and Mary. Her confessor instructed her to place her thoughts
and experiences in a diary, which eventually ran to over 600 pages. Her
admonitions have led to the universal establishment of DivineMercy
Sunday, a chaplet areligious evocation of powerful intensity ("Jesus, I
trust in you"), and also a graphic picture of Jesus Christ Taken
together, they constitute a remarkable body of pious work.
It is
now time to consider granting St Faustina the rare title of "Doctor of
the Church," which would be the first such designation in the 21st
century. The Catholic Church has granted that distinction to only 33
men and women in her long history. Generally, there are three criteria
used in naming a Doctor of the Church:
1. holiness that is truly outstanding, even among saints;
2. depth of doctrinal insight; and
3. an extensive body of writings which the Church can recommend as part of the authentic and life-giving Catholic tradition.
The
33 Doctors of the Church include such wellknown figures as St
Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas, St Teresa of Avila, St. John of the
Cross, and St. Therese of Lisieux, who was proclaimed a Doctor by John
Paul II on October 19, 1997. St. Catherine of Siena is the only other
woman on the list. Some of the other Doctors are actually little known
even to many educated Catholics: St. Ephraem, St. Bede ("the Venerable
Bede"), and St. Lawrence of Brindisi.
MORE: Saint Faustina, a Doctor of the Church?- Many believe St. Faustina will eventually join the ranks of the great post-apostolic teachers
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Roy: This proposal for St. Faustina to be proclaimed a Doctor of the Church should be of interest to readers.
The
more Doctors of the Church we have praying for our intentions to bring
back God into all places from which He was removed, the more blessings
He will continue to shower on us.
We need all their
intercessions on our behalf, and on our countries behalf as He always
listen to His Saints who are much closer to Him in Heaven, especially
so that He is our merciful Savior.
So let us rally the support of all faithful Christians to pray for this important intention.
Jesus
told his Disciples that faith can move mountains and our people have
already begun to rally to His cause with nearly a million souls
demonstrating peacefully in Washington recently.
We just can't
afford to be complacement about this important issue in order to
preserve our God given freedom and the freedom of others who are being
oppressed by dictators.
May God bless all those who have put their trust and confidence in His in these perilous times.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
11. He who refuses reproof shows his passion [pride],
but he who accepts it is free of this fetter.
October 1, 2009
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Mat 18:10) See
that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that
their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in
heaven.
REVIEW: Angels and the Good News by Catholic Evangelist, Eddie Russell FMI
CATHOLICCULTURE.ORG: The Role of Guardian Angels in Our Lives by Georges Huber
ARTICLE: Touched by Padre Pio's guardian angels
It
was 1965. My brother and sister-in-law ("sis" for short) had wanted to
have a baby in the first five years of their married life but all
attempts failed. Anxious and getting desperate, my sis agreed to travel
to a then-sleepy town called San Giovanni Rotondo — about a four-hour
drive from Rome, Italy — to meet Padre Pio, the Capuchin friar who bore
the nail wounds of Jesus on the cross.
She said, "I waited for
three hours at the confessional room. Finally, I saw Padre Pio
motioning to me to speak. I was holding my knees to keep them from
shaking. My confession was brief but I felt that he knew that I was
there for something more important. After giving me the Absolution, he
looked up and whispered, 'Next year, you will have a baby boy.'"
"Wow!"
my sis exclaimed. "He closed his eyes and made the sign of the cross on
my forehead. Immediately, I felt a warm glow, both calming and
comforting." The following year — as promised by Padre Pio — my sis
gave birth to a healthy boy and she named him (you guessed it) Pio. My
nephew, Pio, is now 43 years old, happily married and a loving father
to two kids.
All the time, one teeny question kept popping into
my head: "How did my sister-in-law and Padre Pio communicate? She
didn't speak a word of Italian, nor did Padre Pio speak English.
Simple.
Padre Pio's guardian angel had acted as his translator and spokesman.
"You don't say!" I yelped. "Yes," said my sis. "I heard Padre Pio speak
to me in English!" Still, I was not completely convinced. Maybe there
was a hidden booth somewhere with UN-trained translators. That is,
until I read a similar incident written by Father Alessio Parente,
author of the book on Padre Pio entitled Send Me Your Guardian Angel:
"A
little American girl was brought to Padre Pio so that he could hear her
first confession. Since she didn't speak a word of Italian, an American
religious sister by the name of Mary Pyle, who was close to Father Pio,
brought the little girl to him. 'Father, I'm here to help you as this
little girl doesn't understand any Italian at all.' "'Mary,' said Padre
Pio, 'you can go, as the little one and I will take care of this.' Mary
Pyle waited outside and when the little girl emerged from confession,
she asked her, 'Did Padre Pio understand you?' 'Yes,' came the reply.
Mary, a little surprised, asked one more question: 'Did he speak in
English?' 'Yes, in English,' said the little girl." If you enter the
area called Ricordi di Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, you will walk
into a room containing some of Padre Pio's memorabilia. You will see
thousands of letters from devotees all over the world encased in glass
cabinets. It was a known fact that Padre Pio could only read, write and
speak in Italian yet he was able to reply to these letters. How? He
counted on his multi-lingual guardian angel and kept him busy and on
his toes, in his "translation booth," so to speak, all the time. Padre
Pio kept an active and vivacious relationship with all guardian angels
— including his own — fulfilling a promise he made long ago to all his
spiritual children that "If you are too busy to see me, send your
guardian angel!" (Note: A special liaison that Padre Pio promised to
continue even after his death.)
For example, there was a woman
who never failed to attend the daily Mass celebrated by Padre Pio. One
day, she was running late so she sent her guardian angel to Padre Pio
to "delay" the Mass so she wouldn't miss it. As a sign that her
guardian angel would do this task for her, she told him to hide the
skullcap of Padre Pio. When she reached the church, there was Padre
Pio, indeed a little late, but ready to say Holy Mass. The woman
confessed to Padre Pio what she did. Nonchalantly, Padre Pio replied,
"I know that. Your guardian angel hid my skullcap and I could not find
it in the usual place and only pointed me to where he kept it after a
few minutes." This guardian angel had played "hide and seek" with Padre
Pio in complete obedience to his ward.
A Capuchin brother used
to hear Padre Pio talking to himself in his private cubicle. This got
him very curious so he asked Padre Pio, "Who were you talking to?"
Padre Pio replied, "Guardian angels. They came with petitions and
requests and they kept me up late again last night."
Mind you,
Padre Pio was physically beaten up and tormented by the devil, but he
remained unyielding, thanks to the encouragement and protection of his
personal guardian angel. There are many more amusing stories of Padre
Pio's interaction with guardian angels and when I finished reading
these inspiring stories, I was struck by Padre Pio's consistent
reminder not to forget the Virgin Mother. In the thick of all these
amazing "save and rescue" operations, we must remember that our beloved
Mary is the Queen of all Angels. They would not have made any move
without her stamp of blessed approval (or is it "blessed conspiracy"?).
Incidentally,
Padre Pio also had something to say about our tears. "Your tears are
collected by the angels and are placed in a gold chalice and you will
find them when you present yourself before God." Now, who wouldn't want
to cry me a river or gather a bucket of tears or let the floodgates (of
tears) open?
After a full day of touring San Giovanni Rotondo
which included a private Mass in the same church where Padre Pio said
Mass, watching videos on Padre Pio's ministry, shopping for some
religious souvenirs and posing for a group photo, Father Dave
Concepcion, our tour chaplain, gave us something to think about. "You
will notice that all the saints manifest three deep loves in their
lives: the love for God, the love for the Holy Eucharist, and the love
for Mama Mary."
I turned to my co-pilgrims and said, "Hey,
doesn't that apply to us as well? Could it be possible that we can also
become saints, someday?"
They all laughed — nervously, but maybe hopefully, too.
MORE ON PADRE PIO AND HIS GUARDIAN ANGEL: http://www.padrepio.catholicwebservices.com/ENGLISH/Guard.htm
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous
thought"
10. Chastisement for the proud is a fall, a thorn
(2Cor. 12:7) is a devil; and abandonment by God is madness. In the first
two cases, people have often been healed by men; but the last is humanly
incurable.
Links 
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Dr. Zambrano 
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