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| Archbishop Viganò: Message to the People of Valencia |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-05-2024, 05:41 AM - Forum: Archbishop Viganò
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![[Image: miniatura-241104-2-eng.jpg]](https://exsurgedomine.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/miniatura-241104-2-eng.jpg)
Mons. Carlo Maria Viganò
Message to the People of Valencia
and all Spaniards among the devastating cataclysm that struck the Valencian Community
Parce, Domine:
parce populo tuo!
Joel 2, 17
In the past few days, after the tremendous cataclysm that struck the Valencia region of Spain, we have witnessed with dismay and horror the Spanish government’s deliberate prevention of any relief action, not only by the bodies in charge, but also by volunteers and citizens. The absence of timely action was accompanied by the prohibition of relief and sending first aid, offered even by foreign states. Affected populations were left for three days without food, water and electricity. And while survivors remained isolated along with the corpses of their loved ones, with shameless cynicism Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez refused to declare a state of emergency and retorted to the media: “If the Valencians need help, just ask for it.” Members of law enforcement and firefighters denounced their hierarchical superiors for expressly instructing them not to intervene. And on Sunday, the Royals of Spain and the Prime Minister went to the scene of the disaster and were harshly challenged for their scandalous absconding. Sanchez vanished before the reaction of the outraged population, which was justifiably furious.
This, as even the mainstream now admits, is yet another disastrous event scientifically planned by countries subservient to the Word Economic Forum, whose emissaries in the governments are the main proponents of the 2030 Agenda. Last August, there were reports in the international press that the impact of the extensive geoengineering projects officially adopted by Morocco could have a destructive impact on Spain’s climate conditions, and that the scientific community had expressed strong concerns and called for close monitoring of weather phenomena on the Iberian Peninsula. We know that these projects are largely funded by the European Union and other private entities aligned on the fraudulent climate change narrative. We also know, from patents filed and projects disseminated globally, that cloud seeding results in the release of highly toxic substances, such as aluminum, barium, strontium, into the air – and thus on people, water and crops. In addition to this, the HAARP – High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program – is widely used as an unconventional weapon because of the devastating impact of high frequencies on climate, seismic phenomena and volcanic activity. Monitoring in the days leading up to the flood and during the hours when the rainfall was occurring show anomalies that experts recognize as unequivocally the effect of human, not natural, interventions.
Spain is, unfortunately, not the first nation affected by these deliberately provoked phenomena. The criminal will to do as much damage as possible to populations is all too evident. Think of the insane green management of reservoirs and dams, almost all of which have been torn down in recent years; or that of canals and waterways, which European regulations prohibit dredging and clearing of logs and brushwood. And again: the reckless policies of destroying agriculture, livestock and fisheries for the benefit of the intensive production of multinational corporations; the planning of famines and droughts through geoengineering, so as to convert fields taken away from cultivation into photovoltaic installations to power data centers with which to control our every movement. Multinational corporations are appropriating water management, under the pretext of climate change, for the sole purpose of using it for the cooling systems of the same data centers.
All this is happening everywhere, in the complicit silence of a press owned by the same big investment funds: BlackRock, Vanguard, StateStreet. Everything is in their hands: the banks, the debts of states, information, food, health, weapons, the very air we breathe, the very light of the sun, which we increasingly see obscured by a blanket of clouds.
But despite the fact that this conspiracy against humanity is evident and even admitted by its perpetrators – first and foremost, Klaus Schwab – any critical voice, any form of dissent, is disqualified as conspiracy. The pandemic farce should have incontrovertibly shown the criminal intentions of those who imposed an experimental serum, knowing that it would result in permanent genetic mutation, as well as infertility, serious adverse effects including the revival of cancers and death. What did that experiment in social engineering teach us? And what image came out of it of our rulers, now that we know they were acting deliberately against their fellow citizens? Criminals in the pay of an increasingly powerful and invasive, increasingly arrogant and violent subversive elite.
Dear Valencians! And you, people of all Spain! In the face of this immense disaster that has struck you so brutally and mercilessly; in the face of the betrayal of those who should serve you and instead manifestly want your evil, I ask you to rediscover your Catholic soul to which your Nation is heir, giving proof of that bond of Christian brotherhood that unites us with Our Lord Jesus Christ to the one Eternal Father. Be proud witnesses of your Faith, with Hope, in Charity. Find again, even and especially among the mud and debris, the strength to help your neighbor, who is precisely the person who is close to you, who is in need. And pray: pray together, together pray the Rosary as you dig, as you recompose your deceased loved ones.
May the Blessed Virgin de los Desamparados console you, protect you and give you strength. May the Archangel Saint Michael accompany to Heaven the souls of those who have found death in this tremendous cataclysm caused by criminals in the service of Satan.
Know that I am spiritually close to you in prayer. I invoke upon you all, dear Valencians, and upon all of you Spaniards, the Blessing of God and the Grace of the Consoling Spirit. Viva Cristo Rey!
+ Carlo Maria Viganò, Archbishop
November 3, MMXXIV a. D.ñi
Tertia die infra Octavam Omnium Sanctorum
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| Prominent COVID jab critic examines the amazing evidence for the Shroud of Turin |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-04-2024, 07:58 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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Prominent COVID jab critic examines the amazing evidence for the Shroud of Turin
Dr. John Campbell’s analysis of the Turin Shroud highlights profound links to Gospel descriptions of Christ's suffering while showcasing pollen and soil samples that align with the place and time of the crucifixion.
![[Image: Untitled-25.png]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Untitled-25.png)
Shroud of Turin
Screenshot
Nov 2, 2024
(LifeSiteNews) — Our world is full of sensational claims, the glittering promises of which produce disappointment – or even death and despair. This was the case with the “100 percent safe and effective” so-called “vaccines,” the terrible impact of which was documented in the U.K. by Dr. John Campbell.
Campbell has now turned his analytical skills to the Turin Shroud. In a remarkable video published on October 28, “Shroud Studies” shows that the application of the latest scientific techniques prove its authenticity – but cannot explain how the image itself was formed.
Even with modern technology, no one has managed to reproduce it.
READ: Shroud of Turin experts reveal its stunning connection to the Gospels
Campbell begins his summary of many studies of the shroud with a striking observation:
Quote:There’ve been thousands of millions of shrouds through history, but this is the only one with an image on it.
He explains that the image of Our Lord on the shroud is only “nanometers thick.” Attempts to recreate the effect with modern technology have failed. “Even now in 2024 there are no chemical or physical methods known which can account for the image,” says Campbell, showing how claims the shroud is painted have been disproven. Pollen, soil, and mineral samples all agree with the place and time of Our Lord’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection, yet no known process can explain the image itself.
“Nor can any combination of physical, chemical, biological, or medical circumstances explain the image adequately,” says Campbell, “And that remains true today.”
He adds that “this image is a total enigma,” as he summarizes the explanation for how it came to be:
Quote:[The image of Our Lord] appears to be produced by a very short flash of high-intensity light radiation.
Though Campbell says this resembles a photographic negative, the method of making such an image is unknown. “If there were another way it was produced, it still hasn’t been elucidated and can’t be replicated today.”
The miraculous image of Our Lord is only one aspect of the shroud which Campbell examines. His account covers the attempt to carbon-date the shroud, showing evidence that the sample taken for examination contained fibers added to repair the shroud in the Middle Ages.
How can we know the shroud is genuine? Campbell cites an abundance of evidence.
Pollen samples taken from the shroud correspond not only to the region in which Our Lord was crucified, but also to the season of His Passion. “The shroud contains pollen from Jerusalem, north and south Turkey, France and Italy. This is consistent with the known history of the shroud,” Campbell says.
READ: 2-year-old study traces Shroud of Turin to time of Jesus in first-century Middle East
Campbell offers “just one example” of the pollen “fingerprint” which places the shroud at the correct location and time of the crucifixion of Christ. He notes that “there’s a lot of pollen from Gundelia tournefort. It flowers in the Jerusalem area February to May – which of course is the time of the Jewish Passover.”
“The death of Jesus was at the time of the Jewish Passover,” he clarifies.
Samples of dirt from the shroud also support the Gospel’s account of Christ’s path along the Via Dolorosa to Calvary:
Quote:The shroud contains Jerusalem dirt found on the soles of the feet, [and] the left knee from where He fell.
Campbell relates that the 1978 team tasked with analyzing the shroud also found the same soil on the area of Christ’s nose, which “so alarmingly” revives how Christ fell with such violence, as remembered in the Stations of the Cross.
“To think that as Jesus was carrying the cross – He fell over and His nose would hit the ground,” said Campbell, who applied his medical training to an examination of the evidence of Christ’s wounds.
The evidence of scourging confirms the accounts given in the Gospels, says Campbell.
Quote:We see that the man of the shroud has a broken nose, a swollen face. Part of the beard has been plucked out – tearing wounds produced by the scourging.
Wounds from the crown of thorns, bruises on the shoulder which, if we believe if this is indeed Jesus of Nazareth, from carrying the weight of a cross again is consistent.
Campbell lists further correspondences to the Gospel accounts of the death of Christ – evidenced by the shroud: “Knee injuries from repeated falls. Nail wounds from Roman crucifixion – and an oval wound between the fifth and the sixth rib on the right-hand side.”
He concludes: “Again, these are the wounds that have been known about from the sufferings of Christ Himself.”
Yet Campbell is far from alone in this discovery. In his book, A Doctor at Calvary, French military surgeon and Catholic Pierre Barbet said correspondence to the Gospel accounts is unarguable:
Quote:The markings on this image are so clear and medically accurate that the pathological facts which they reflect concerning the suffering and death of the man depicted here are in my opinion beyond dispute.
Campbell states that “many hundreds have agreed with this,” as he noted a 2024 Italian study which used novel X-Ray technology – proving the shroud came from the time of Christ.
A visibly moved Campbell said that all the evidence supports the claim that this is the cloth witnessed by Saint Peter as he entered the tomb of the risen Christ.
Again, consistent with the New Testament – Simon Peter went straight into the tomb … he saw the cloth was still lying in its place – so that could well be this cloth.
In his striking summary of the evidence for the authenticity of the shroud, Campbell has noted the miraculous production of the image and that the blood, dirt, cloth, and pollen all corroborate the accounts given of the death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
As science has progressed, it appears to reveal the mystery of Christ as well as the material reality of his incarnation – and His profound suffering in the cause of our salvation.
“While the shroud could be appreciated in earlier centuries – no one knew it was a photographic negative until photography was invented,” he said, describing the image of Christ produced by an inexplicable burst of light.
Curiously, the technology which has revealed the complexities of the shroud was first used to investigate the heavens.
“No one knew it had three-dimensional information until people started wanting to interpret the topography of distant planets,” Campbell explained, noting, “There are so many things that science is revealing about this quite extraordinary artefact.”
At the end of this sober yet awe inspiring analysis, Campbell indicates the significance of the mystery of Jesus Christ the Saviour, as transmitted through the shroud of Turin:
Quote:A lot of things aren’t looking very hopeful at the moment. It’s almost like that this is a message for later times.
This is a message which the world urgently needs to hear today. It is the message of Christ, and in Campbell’s analysis viewers will find the medical, the material, and the miraculous all in agreement with the story of His presence among us.
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| Purgatory Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-03-2024, 07:48 AM - Forum: Resources Online
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Purgatory Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints
by Fr. F. X. Shouppe, S.J.
Published 1893
Taken from here.
Author's Preface
Object of the Work - To what Class of Readers it is Addressed
- What we are Obliged to Believe, what we may Piously Believe, and what we are at Liberty not to Admit - Visions and Apparitions - Blind Credulity and Exaggerated Incredulity
The Dogma of Purgatory is too much forgotten by the majority of the faithful; the Church Suffering, where theyhave so many brethren to succor, whither they foresee that they themselves must one day go, seems a strange land to them.
This truly deplorable forgetfulness was a great sorrow to Saint Francis de Sales. "Alas!" said this pious doctor of the Church, "we do not sufficiently remember our dear departed; their memory seems to perish with the sound of the funeral bells."
The principal causes of this are ignorance and lack of faith; our notions on the subject of Purgatory are too vague, our faith is too feeble.
In order, then, that our ideas may become more distinct and our faith enlivened, we must take a closer view of this life beyond the tomb, this intermediate state of the just souls, not yet worthy to enter the Heavenly Jerusalem.
This is the object of the present work: we propose not to prove the existence of Purgatory to skeptical minds, but to make it better known to the pious faithful who believe with a divine faith this dogma revealed of God. It is to them, properly speaking, that this book is addressed, to give them a less confused idea of Purgatory. I say purposely a clearer idea than people generally have, by placing this great truth in the strongest possible light.
To produce this effect we possess three very distinct sources of light: first, the dogmatic doctrine of the Church; then the doctrine as explained by the doctors of the Church; in the third place, the revelations and apparitions of the saints, which serve to confirm the teachings of the doctors.
1. The dogmatic doctrine of the Church on the subject of Purgatory comprises two articles, of which we shall speak later on. These two articles are of faith, and must be believed by every Catholic.
2. The teaching of the doctors and theologians, or rather their opinions on several questions relative to Purgatory, and their explanations of them, are not imposed as articles of faith; we are free to reject them without ceasing to be Catholic. Nevertheless, it would be imprudent, and even rash, to reject them, and it is the spirit of the Church to follow the opinions commonly held by the doctors.
3. The revelations of the saints, called also particular revelations, do not belong to the deposit of faith confided by Jesus Christ to His Church; they are historical facts, based upon human testimony. It is permitted to believe them, and piety finds wholesome food in them. We may, however, disbelieve them without sinning against faith; but they are authenticated, and we cannot reject them without offending against reason; because sound reason demands that all men should give assent to truth when it is sufficiently demonstrated.
To illustrate this subject more clearly, let us, in the first place, explain the nature of the revelations of which we speak.
Particular revelations are of two kinds: the one consists in visions, the other in apparitions. They are called particular, because they differ from those found in Holy Scripture, not forming part of the doctrine revealed for mankind, and not being proposed by the Church to our belief as dogmas of faith.
Visions, properly so called, are subjective lights, infused by God into the understanding of His creatures, in order to discover to them His mysteries. Such are the visions of the prophets, those of Saint Paul, of Saint Bridget, and many other saints. These visions usually take place when the subject is in a state of ecstasy; they consist in certain mysterious representations, which appear to the eyes of the soul, and which must not always be taken literally.
Frequently they are figures, symbolic images, which represent in a manner proportionate to the capacity of our understanding, things purely spiritual, of which ordinary language is incapable of conveying an idea.
Apparitions, at least frequently, are objective phenomena which have a real exterior object. Such was the apparition of Moses and Elias on Mount Thabor; that of Samuel evoked by the Witch of Endor; that of the Angel Raphael to Tobias; those of many other angels; in fine, such are the apparitions of the souls in Purgatory.
That the spirits of the dead sometimes appear to the living is a fact that cannot be denied. Does not the Gospel clearly suppose it? When the risen Jesus appeared for the first time to His assembled apostles, they supposed they saw a spirit. Our Saviour, far from saying that spirits appear not, spoke to them thus: Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see Me to have. {Luke 24:37, etc.).
Apparitions of the souls that are in Purgatory are of frequent occurrence. We find them in great numbers in the "Lives of the Saints"; they happen sometimes to the ordinary faithful. We have collected those which appear best qualified to instruct or to edify, and we now present them to the reader. But, it may be asked, are all these facts historically certain? We have selected the best authenticated. If, among the number, the reader finds any which he thinks could not stand the rigor of criticism, he need not admit them In order to avoid an excessive severity, one which is akin to incredulity, it is good to remark that, generally speaking,
apparitions of souls occur, and that they frequently occur cannot be doubted. "Apparitions of this kind," says the Abbe Ribet, "are not uncommon. God permits them for the relief of souls in order to excite our compassion, and also to make us sensible of how terrible are the rigors of His Justice against those faults which we consider trivial." (La Mystique Divine, distinguee des Contrefaqons Diaboliques et des Analogies Humaines. Paris, Poussielgue). Saint Gregory in his Dialogues cites several examples, of which, it is true, we may dispute the full authenticity; but which, in the mouth of this holy doctor, prove at least that he believed in the possibility of the existence of these phenomena. A great number of other authors, not less reliable than Saint Gregory, both on account of sanctity and learning, relate similar instances. Moreover, incidents of this sort abound in the lives of the saints. To be convinced of this, it suffices to peruse the Acta Sanctorum.
The Church Suffering has ever implored the suffrages of the Church Militant; and this intercourse, bearing the impress of sadness, yet also full of instruction, is for the one a source of inexhaustible relief, and for the other a powerful incitement to sanctity.
The vision of Purgatory has been granted to many holy souls. Saint Catherine de Ricci descended in spirit into Purgatory every Sunday night; Saint Lidwina, during her raptures, penetrated into this place of expiation, and, conducted by her angel guardian, visited the souls in their torments. In like manner, an angel led Blessed Osanne of Mantua through this dismal abyss.
Blessed Veronica of Binasco, Saint Frances of Rome, and many others had visions exactly similar, with impressions of terror.
More frequently it is the souls themselves that appear to the living and implore their intercession. Many appeared in this manner to Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque, and to a great number of other holy persons. The souls departed frequently besought the intercession of Denis the Carthusian. This great servant of God was one day asked how many times the holy souls appeared to him "Oh! hundreds of times," he replied.
Saint Catherine of Siena, in order to spare her father the pains of Purgatory, offered herself to the Divine Justice to suffer in his stead during her whole life. God accepted her offer, inflicted the most excruciating torments upon her, which lasted until her death, and admitted the soul of her father into eternal glory. In return this blessed soul frequently appeared to his daughter to thank her, and to make to her many useful revelations.
When the souls in Purgatory appear to the living, they always present themselves in an attitude which excites compassion; now with the features which they had during life or at their death, with a sad countenance and imploring looks, in garments of mourning, with an expression of extreme suffering; then like a mist, a light, a shadow, or some kind of fantastic figure, accompanied by a sign or word by which they may be recognized. At other times they betray their presence by moans, sobs, sighs, or hurried respiration and plaintive accents. They often appear enveloped in flames. When they speak, it is to manifest their sufferings, to deplore their past faults, to ask suffrages, or even to address reproaches to those who ought to succor them Another kind of revelation, adds the same author, is made by invisible blows which the living receive, by the violent shutting of doors, the rattling of chains, and the sounds of voices.
These facts are too multiplied to admit of doubt; the only difficulty is to establish their connection with the world of expiation. But when these manifestations coincide with the death of persons dear to us, when they cease after prayers and reparations have been made to God in their behalf, is it not reasonable to see therein signs by which the souls make known their distress?
In the various phenomena to which we have just drawn attention we recognize the souls in Purgatory. But there is a case when the apparition should be held in suspicion; it is when a notorious sinner, unexpectedly carried away by a sudden death, comes to implore the prayers of the living that he may be delivered from Purgatory. The devil is interested in making us believe that we can live in the greatest disorders until the moment of our death and yet escape Hell. However, even in such instances, it is not forbidden to think that the soul which appears has repented, and that it is in the temporary flames of expiation; nor, consequently, is it forbidden to pray for it, but it is proper to observe the greatest caution in regard to visions of this kind, and the credit which we give to them.
The details into which we have entered suffice to justify in the eyes of the reader the quotation of facts which he will find in the course of this work.
Let us add that the Christian must guard against too great incredulity in supernatural facts connected with dogmas of faith. Saint Paul tells us that Charity believes all things (1 Corinthians 13:7), that is to say, as interpreters explain it, all that which we may prudently believe, and of which the belief will not be prejudicial. If it is true that prudence rejects a blind and superstitious credulity, it is also true that we must avoid another extreme, that with which our Saviour reproached the Apostle Saint Thomas. You believe. He said to him, because you have seen and touched; it were better to have believed the testimony of your brethren. In exacting more, you have been guilty of incredulity; this is a fault that all My disciples should avoid. Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. Be not faithless, but believing. (John 20:27,29).
The theologian who expounds dogmas of faith must be severe in the choice of his proofs; the historian must proceed with rigorous circumspection in the narration of facts, but the ascetic writer, who cites examples to illustrate truths and edify the faithful, is not held to this strict rigor. The best authorized persons in the Church, such as Saint Gregory, Saint Bernard, Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bellarmine, and many others, as much distinguished for their learning as for their piety, when writing their excellent works knew nothing of the fastidious requirements of the present day - requirements which in nowise constitute progress.
In fact, if the spirit of our fathers in the faith was more simple, what is the cause of the disappearance of that ancient simplicity in the present time? Is it not the Protestant Rationalism with which, in our day, so many of our Catholics are infected? Is it not the spirit of reasoning and criticism that emanated from the Lutheran Reformation, propagated by French Philosophism, which, leading them to consider the things of God from a purely human point of view, makes them cold, and alienates them from the Spirit of God? The Venerable Louis of Blois, speaking of the Revelations of Saint Gertrude, says: "This book contains treasures. Proud and carnal men," he adds, "who understand nothing of the Spirit of God, treat as reveries the writings of the holy virgin Gertrude, of Saint Mechtilde, Saint Hildegarde, and others; it is because they are ignorant of the familiarity with which God communicates Himself to humble, simple, and loving souls, and how in these intimate communications He is pleased to illumine these souls with the pure light of truth, without any shadow of error." (Louis of Blois, Epist. ad Florentium).
These words of Louis of Blois are serious. We did not wish to incur the reproach of this great master in the spiritual life, and, whilst avoiding a blameworthy credulity, we have collected with a certain kind of liberty those which seem to us at once the best authenticated and the most instructive. May they increase in those who read them devotion towards the faithful departed. May they profoundly inspire all who read them with a holy and salutary fear of Purgatory.
Note: It is from the lives of the saints, honored as such by the Church, and other illustrious servants of God, that we have taken the greater part of the examples herein cited. The reader who wishes to investigate these facts, in order to give them their just value, may without difficulty have recourse to the originals by the aid of our references. If the incident is drawn from the life of a saint, we indicate the day on which his name is entered in the martyrology, which is sufficient for consulting the Acta Sanctorum. If we mention any venerable personage, such as Father Joseph Anchieta, Apostle and Thaumaturgus of Brazil, whose life is not inserted in the volumes of the Bollandists, they must then have recourse to biographies and particular histories. For the examples borrowed from Father Rossignoli, Merveilles Divine dans les Ames du Purgatoire (trans. Postel; Toumai, Castennan), we content ourselves by marking the number of the Merveille. because the author has there indicated one or more sources whence he himself has drawn.
Translator's Preface
The author of this work is the well-known writer, Father Francis Xavier Schouppe, of the Society of Jesus. The reverend author scarcely needs any introduction to English readers, as several of his valuable works have been already translated from French into English. To the reverend clergy the author is best known through his works on Dogmatic Theology and Sacred Scripture, which, in the judgment of competent critics, possess the very highest order of merit. In this work on Purgatory they will find the same fullness and solidity of thought and judgment, joined with wonderful clearness and simplicity of diction, which distinguish the above works. We are confident that the reverend clergy will hail with delight the appearance of this work in an English garb, and will give it their esteemed encouragement.
A profound theologian and Scriptural scholar, acquainted as only very few are with the writings of the Fathers, the author was specially equipped for writing a work of this kind. A faithful and devoted son of the Church, his works are ever guided by a Catholic instinct, which keeps them in harmony with Catholic faith and Catholic practice.
The subject of this book is at once dear and interesting to every Catholic heart. About the existence of this intermediate state Catholics have no more doubt than of the existence of Heaven or Hell. The Church, by her authoritative teaching, has decided the matter for all time. "The Catholic Church," says the Council of Trent, "instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, from the sacred writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught in sacred councils, and very recently in the Ecumenical Synod, that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar." (Sess. 25).
The pious reader cannot fail to have his faith nourished and strengthened after reading a chapter of this book; and realizing how much help and comfort he can bring to the poor souls, his charity will prompt him to come to their assistance and rescue. Their cries, wafted hither on the wings of faith from the shore of eternity, will not appeal to him in vain. A new interest will spring up within him for that realm of pain yet also of hope, where those not wholly pure are cleansed and prepared for everlasting joys.
This work has been translated into English at the earnest request of the author. Wishing that devotion for the holy souls might grow and flourish in many hearts, he considered that his purpose would be best attained by having this work translated into English, for the benefit of English-speaking readers. It may also interest the readers of this book to know that the learned author is at present laboring for the salvation of souls among the pagan people of India.
The translator has specially aimed at giving the exact sense of the author, without any attempt at style or literary finish. Such an attempt, she believes, would detract from the value of the work as a whole.
For the rest, should this work contribute even in a small measure to the greater glory of God and of Holy Church; should it make the doctrine of Purgatory better understood; should it convince its readers of the excellence of devotion for the holy souls, and inspire at least some of them with a holy zeal to practice it, then indeed would the ambition of the author and translator be realized.
-J.J. 5.
Protestation of the Author
In conformity to the decree of Urban VIII, Sanctissimum, of March 13, 1525, we declare that if in this work we have cited facts represented to be supernatural, nothing but a personal and private authority is to be attached to our opinion; the discernment of facts of this kind belongs to the supreme authority of the Church.
CANON XXX. SESSION VI. THE COUNCIL OF TRENT. 13 JANUARY 1547
If anyone says that after the reception of the grace of justification the guilt is so remitted and the debt of eternal punishment so blotted out to every repentant sinner, that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be discharged, either in this world or in Purgatory, before the gates of Heaven can be opened, let him be anathema.
DECREE CONCERNING PURGATORY. THE COUNCIL OF TRENT. SESSION XXV. 4 DECEMBER 1563
Since the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, following the sacred writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught in sacred councils and very recently in this ecumenical council, that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls there detained are aided by the suffrages of the faithful and chiefly by the Acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar, the Holy Council commands the bishops that they strive diligently to the end that the sound doctrine of Purgatory, transmitted by the Fathers and sacred councils, be believed and maintained by the faithful of Christ, and be everywhere taught and preached.
CANONS CONCERNING THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. THE COUNCIL OF TRENT. SESSION XIV, 25 NOVEMBER 1551
Canon 12. If anyone says that God always pardons the whole penalty together with the guilt and that the satisfaction of penitents is nothing else than the faith by which they perceive that Christ has satisfied for them, let him be anathema.
Canon 13. If anyone says that satisfaction for sins, as to their temporal punishment, is in no way made to God through the merits of Christ by the punishments inflicted by Him and patiently borne, or by those imposed by the priest, or even those voluntarily undertaken, as by fasts, prayers, almsgiving or other works of piety, and that therefore the best penance is merely a new life, let him be anathema.
Canon 14. If anyone says that the satisfactions by which penitents atone for their sins through Christ are not a worship of God but traditions of men, which obscure the doctrine of grace and the true worship of God and the beneficence itself of the death of Christ, let him be anathema.
Canon 15. If anyone says that the keys have been given to the Church only to loose and not also to bind, and that therefore priests, when imposing penalties on those who confess, act contrary to the purpose of the keys and to the institution of Christ, and that it is a fiction that there remains often a temporal punishment to be discharged after the eternal punishment has by virtue of the keys been removed, let him be anathema.
CHAPTER IX - ON THE WORKS OF SATISFACTION. SESSION XIV. THE COUNCIL OF TRENT. 25 NOVEMBER 1551
It [the Council] teaches furthermore that the liberality of the divine munificence is so great that we are able through Jesus Christ to make satisfaction to God the Father, not only by punishments voluntarily undertaken by ourselves to atone for sins, or by those imposed by the judgment of the priest according to the measure of our offense, but also, and this is the greatest proof of love, by the temporal afflictions imposed by God and borne patiently by us.
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| From Fr. Shouppe's 'Purgatory': Emperor Maurice Asks to Atone for His Sin on Earth |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-03-2024, 06:16 AM - Forum: Resources Online
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Emperor Maurice Asks to Atone for His Sin on Earth
Adapted from Purgatory by Fr. F.X. Shouppe, S.J.,
London, 1920, pp 52-53
![[Image: H270_Mau.jpg]](https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/images_F-J/H270_Mau.jpg)
Emperor Maurice, as represented in the Rulers of the Byzantine Empire by Kibea
TIA | November 2, 2024
To prefer the fire of Purgatory to making penance and prayer in this life is the greatest of follies. The Byzantine Emperor Maurice (582-602) understood this and acted wisely. History relates that this Prince, notwithstanding his good qualities which had endeared him to St. Gregory the Great, towards the close of his reign committed a grave fault, and atoned for it by an exemplary repentance.
His was a reign marked by constant warfare against the Avars and Slavs in the Balkans, Lombards in Italy and the Persians from the East. This outstanding General helped transform the shattered late Roman Empire into a new and well-organized medieval Byzantine Empire.
Having lost a battle against the Khan or King of the Avars in 599, Maurice refused to pay the ransom of the prisoners, although he was asked but the sixth part of a gold coin, which is a mere pittance.
This mean refusal put the barbarous conqueror into such a violent rage that he ordered the immediate massacre of all of the 12,000 Roman soldiers.
Then the Emperor acknowledged his fault, and felt it so keenly, that he sent money and candles to the principal churches and monasteries, to beg that God would be pleased to punish him in this life rather than in the next.
These prayers were heard. In the year 602, after ordering his troops to pass the winter beyond the Danube because of shortage of funds to return them home, a mutiny arose among them. They drove away their general, and proclaimed their leader Phocas as Emperor and marched on Constantinople, which ceded to them, deserting the Emperor Maurice.
![[Image: H270_son.jpg]](https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/images_F-J/H270_son.jpg)
His five sons were killed before Maurice's eyes
Maurice was obliged to fly in the night, after having divested himself of all marks of royalty. Nevertheless, he was recognized. He was taken, together with his wife, five of his sons, and his three daughters – that is to say, his whole family with the exception of his eldest son.
Maurice and his five sons were unmercifully slaughtered near Chalcedon. The carnage began with the youngest of the Princes, who was put to death before the eyes of the unfortunate father, without uttering a word of complaint. The rest were then beheaded, and finally the Emperor himself.
Remembering the pains of the other world, Maurice esteemed himself happy to suffer in the present life, and throughout the massacre of all of his five sons, he spoke no other words than those of the Psalmist, Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right (Ps. 118:137).
![[Image: H270_Coi.jpg]](https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/images_F-J/H270_Coi.jpg)
Maurice, portrait on a solidus |
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| Archbishop Viganò: Homily for the Feast of All Saints |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-03-2024, 06:11 AM - Forum: Archbishop Viganò
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Placare, Christe
Homily on the Feast of All Saints
![[Image: miniatura-241101-eng.jpg]](https://exsurgedomine.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/miniatura-241101-eng.jpg)
Auferte gentem perfidam
credentium de finibus,
ut unus omnes unicum
ovile nos Pastor regat.
The race perfidious expel
from regions where the faithful dwell
let one sole shepherd be our guide
all Christians in one fold abide.
- Hymn. Placare Christe servulis
Only a few days ago the Divine Liturgy intoned the praises of the King of kings, proclaiming the Divine and Universal Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Today the Holy Church celebrates His Heavenly Court: Most Holy Mary, Queen; the nine angelic Hierarchies: Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim; the Prophets of the Old Testament; the Apostles, the Martyrs, the Confessors of the Faith, the Doctors, the Holy Virgins, the Monks and Hermits, and all that infinite host of blessed souls who populate the Heavenly Jerusalem, beata pacis visio.
The hymn of Vespers of this feast, Placare Christe Servulis, is a song to our comrades in arms, to the knights of the Incarnate Word and of the most august Virgin, to the cœlicoli, the inhabitants of Heaven who enjoy the beatific vision in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity. Saint John, in his vision on Patmos, contemplates turbam magnam, quam dinumerare nemo poterat (Rev 7:9), and it is significant how he notes that these are people ex omni tribu, et lingua, et populo, et natione – of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation. An immense multiracial and multiethnic army, but united by the profession of the same Faith: They all stood before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and had palm branches in their hands (Rev 7:9). The angels, the elders, and the four living creatures prostrated themselves before the throne of the Divine Majesty, saying: Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen (Rev 7:12).
These words recall those that the Holy Church intones during the Canon of the Mass, a few moments before the Consecration: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of armies arrayed for battle! The heavens and the earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. And with the eyes of the spirit we see all creatures bowing to the Holy of Holies, from angelic pure spirits to human beings, from animals to plants, whose perfections are a ray of the supreme perfections of God. That wonderful Canticle of the Three Children (Dan 3:52-90) which we priests recite at Lauds comes to mind: Benedicite, cæli, Domino… Benedicite aquæ omnes, sol et luna, stellæ cæli, omnis imber et ros, ignis et æstus, rores et pruina, gelu et frigus, glacies et nives, noctes et dies, lux et tenebræ, fulgura et nubes, montes et colles, universa germinantia in terra, fontes, maria et flumina, cete, omnes volucres cæli, omnes bestiæ et pecora… laudate et superexaltate eum in sæcula.
Joining in the praise that rises up from Creation, there are the sons of men, the priests of the Lord, His servants, the spirits and souls of the just, the saints and the humble of heart, and the three youths who face the flames of the furnace unharmed: Benedicite, Anania, Azaria, Misaël, Domino: laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula: quia eruit nos de inferno, et salvos fecit de manu mortis: et liberavit nos de medio ardentis flammae, et de medio ignis eruit nos: for He has freed us from hell and saved us from the grip of death; He has freed us from the burning flames and saved us from the fire.
This wonderful vision, in which we almost perceive the beatitude enjoyed by our companions the Saints, is certainly consoling for us who have daily before our eyes not the Civitas Dei, but the Civitas diaboli. Down here everything is falsehood, vice, fornication, murder, sin, ugliness, death, and chaos. But what could we expect from the world – of which Satan is prince – when the Lordship of Our Lord Jesus Christ is denied and blasphemed, and the societas christiana is betrayed and despised? When the Nations prefer the abject tyranny of Satan to the gentle yoke of Christ the King and High Priest?
The Feasts of Christ the King and All Saints – together with tomorrow’s Commemoration of the Faithful Departed – remind us that we are exsules, citizens of a homeland from which we are still far away from and to which we must return; exsules filii Evæ, wounded by original sin and restored to Grace in Mary Most Holy, the new Eve; in hac lacrimarum valle, which is a dark and cold valley, full of pain and trials; a valley that we pass through gementes et flentes, considering what we have lost with sin and looking with hope to what awaits us, if only we listen to the voice of Him who loved us so much that He became Incarnate, suffered and died for our Redemption and so that we might merit, while we are in this life, the enjoyment of His eternal triumph in the next.
I recalled this in my homily for the Feast of Christ the King, quoting the words of Our Lord: You say, I am King. I was born for this, and for this I came into the world: to bear witness to the Truth; Whoever comes from the truth listens to My voice (Jn 18:37). Whoever comes from the truth listens to the voice of Christ, because in Him he recognizes his God, Lord, and King, and to Whom he recognizes sovereign divine rights, both of lineage and of conquest. You are my friends, if you do what I command you (Jn 15:14).
The Saints that the Church celebrates and honors are her true children and our true friends. Their heroic example is not a remote and unachievable model, but the proof that in our nothingness we can make ourselves docile to the action of Grace and be inflamed with Charity to the point of giving our very lives, facing the burning furnace, undergoing exile and prison. Even today there are Catholics who die or suffer for Christ; and in the once-Christian West many souls testify to their fidelity to the point of being arrested because they pray in silence in front of an abortion clinic, because they oppose gender ideology, because they denounce the crimes of their governments.
Each of us, in these times of tribulation, may possibly be called to the privilege of a sanctity conquered by Martyrdom. We must not think that it is always other Catholics, in distant lands, who have placed before them the choice between apostasy and death, because the time is over in which society was well-ordered and recognized the Lordship of Christ and His Law. This is the time of preparation and combat; it is the time of trial and persecution before the return in the glory of Our Lord. And when sin abounds, Grace abounds all the more.
The Mystery of the Communion of Saints unites in Charity the souls of the elect to their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, restoring the Divine Order that Satan once shattered. We invoke our heavenly Patrons, and first of all our Advocate and Lady, Regina Crucis: Placare, Christe, servulis, quibus Patris clementiam tuae ad tribunal gratiae Patrona Virgo postulat – O Christ, look favorably upon your servants, for whom the Virgin Patroness invokes your clemency, at the tribunal of the Father’s grace. And so may it be.
+ Carlo Maria Viganò, Archbishop
1 November MMXXIV
Omnium Sanctorum
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| The Dominican 'Libera me, Domine' |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-02-2024, 07:31 AM - Forum: Catholic Hymns
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The Dominican Libera me, Domine
Gregory DiPippo, NLM | November 2, 2024
One of the most beautiful and beloved pieces of the Gregorian chant repertoire is the last responsory of Matins of the Dead, Libera me, Domine, which is also sung during the Absolution at the catafalque. The Roman version, certainly the best known, is one of the rare examples of a responsory with more than one verse; another very prominent example is the very first responsory of the liturgical year, Aspiciens a longe on the First Sunday of Advent. Many medieval Uses expanded Libera me by adding more verses, and dozens of variants are attested. Here is the text of the Dominican version as sung on All Souls’ Day, which has three additional verses; the last and longest of these is particularly beautiful. Note that the verses Tremens factus sum and Dies illa are in the opposite order from the Roman version, and the Dominicans do not sing the words Requiem aeternam ... luceat eis with any of the responsories in their Office of the Dead. The verses Quid ego miserrimus and Nunc Christe are sung only on November 2.
R. Líbera me, Dómine, de morte aeterna in die illa tremenda, * Quando caeli movendi sunt et terra, * Dum véneris judicáre sáeculum per ignem.
V. j Dies illa, dies irae, calamitátis et miseriæ, dies magna et amára valde. Quando.
V. ij Tremens factus sum ego et tímeo, dum discussio vénerit atque ventúra ira. Dum.
V. iij Quid ego misérrimus, quid dicam, vel quid faciam, cum nil boni pérferam ante tantum júdicem? Quando.
V. iv Nunc, Christe, te pétimus, miserére, quæsumus; qui venisti redímere pérditos, noli damnáre redemptos. Dum.
V. v Creátor omnium rerum Deus, qui me de limo terrae formasti, et mirabíliter proprio sánguine redemisti, corpusque meum, licet modo putrescat, de sepulchro facies in die judicii resuscitári: exaudi, exaudi me, ut ánimam meam in sinu Abrahae, Patriarchae tui, júbeas collocári.
Repetitur R. Líbera me.
R. Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death on that awful day * when the heavens and the earth shall be shaken, * when Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire.
V. j That day shall be a day of wrath, of calamity and misery, a great day, and exceeding bitter. When the heavens...
V. ij Trembling do I become, and fearful, when the trial and wrath shall come. When Thou shalt come...
V. iij What shall I say or do, most wretched man that I am, since I have no good to bring before so great a judge? When the heavens...
V. iv Now, o Christ, we ask Thee, have mercy, we beseech Thee; Thou who came to redeem the lost, condemn not the redeemed. When Thou shalt come....
V. v Creator of all things, o God, Who formed me from the slime of the earth, and wondrously redeemed me with Thy own Blood, and, although it now rot, will cause my body to be raised up from the grave on the day of judgment: hear, o hear me, that Thou may command my soul to be placed in the bosom of Abraham, Thy Patriarch.
Deliver me, o Lord...
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| Abp. Viganò uses AI to show how Communion in the hand destroys belief in the Real Presence |
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Posted by: Stone - 11-02-2024, 05:27 AM - Forum: Archbishop Viganò
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EXCLUSIVE: Abp. Viganò uses AI to show how Communion in the hand destroys belief in the Real Presence
In an exclusive piece for LifeSiteNews, Archbishop Viganò said that when he asked ChatGPT how a pope could undermine belief in the Real Presence of the Eucharist, the AI gave answers nearly identical to the Modernist reforms implemented after Vatican II.
![[Image: Vigano_foto.jpg]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Vigano_foto.jpg)
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò
Oct 31, 2024
(LifeSiteNews) — The following is a brief reflection given by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò after he was asked if he could comment on the findings of the largest survey of Catholics in the United States which found that the #1 reason for loss of faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is communion in the hand.
The poll conducted by the Real Presence Coalition confirms what was already evident when Paul VI authorized the modification of the discipline in this matter. First of all, it was clear that the so-called “reforms” imposed by a group of subversives Modernists did not respond to any request “from the grass roots.” Neither the Novus Ordo nor the new ways of administering Communion were the fruit of a real need of the ecclesial body. The opposite is true, however, that the so-called liturgical reform was intended to help spread the doctrine it contained among the clergy and the faithful, causing the πρᾶξις (praxis) to influence the δόξα (belief). The concept summarized by the adage Lex orandi, lex credendi has been widely adopted by the proponents of the conciliar reform, but in reverse and maliciously: in this case it is not in fact the oρθοδοξία (orthodoxy) that determines the ὀρθοπραξία (orthopraxy), but the ἑτεροπραξία (heteropraxy) that shapes the ἑτεροδοξία (heterodoxy).
The faithful who are asked to kneel to receive Holy Communion in the mouth are led by the gestures they make to recognize the Real Presence in the Sacred Species and to adhere to the corresponding Catholic doctrine. Similarly, the faithful who are asked not to kneel and to touch the Host with their hands end up believing the heterodox doctrine insinuated by the Reformed rites. This doctrinal change is further favored when the ritual change replaces an entirely opposite practice.
This shows unequivocally that those who meddled with the Liturgy after the Council knew very well what would be the disruptive scope of the Novus Ordo in corrupting the Faith of the people of God. They did not explicitly modify the lex credendi, but wanted to express their deviations in the lex orandi, knowing full well that it would have been much easier to make people lose faith in the Real Presence by making them receive Communion standing and in their hands, rather than preaching these errors from the pulpits while continuing to administer Communion on their knees and in the mouth. The fact that the Hierarchy has imposed standing and holding Communion on the faithful has been perceived as a repudiation of the past and a rejection of previous doctrine.
The evidence for this reasoning is confirmed by an unusual source: ChatGPT, a conversational “artificial intelligence” app. I tried to interrogate ChatGTP not because I consider it a true form of intelligence but because its data processing system identifies causal relationships on the mathematical model and it is therefore interesting to see how an algorithm is able to detect what the mainstream narrative pretends not to see.
This is the question I asked:
If a Pope wanted to weaken the faith of Catholics in the Real Presence, how should he modify the rite of Communion?
This is the answer I got:
If a Pope wanted to weaken the Catholic faith in the Real Presence, he might consider some changes to the rite of Communion, such as:
- Simplified rituals: Reduce the number of ritual elements that emphasize the sacredness of Communion, such as worship or genuflection.
- Symbolic elements: Promote an emphasis on the symbolism of the bread and wine, rather than on their transformation into the Body and Blood of Christ.
- Verbal communication: Use language that highlights Communion as a commemorative act rather than an actual encounter with Christ.
- Modification of prayers: Change prayers and liturgical texts to reflect a more symbolic vision of Communion, minimizing references to the Real Presence.
- Flexibility in administration: Allow alternative forms of receiving Communion that may seem less sacramental, such as receiving it in a more informal form or without liturgical celebration.
These changes could contribute to a more muted view of the Real Presence among the faithful.
We know very well that so-called “artificial intelligence” is nothing more than a very fast computer system for the collection and analysis of a huge amount of data; but precisely for this reason we can understand how a machine without conscience knows how to answer a question clearly, revealing the premeditation and malice of those who have tampered with the Liturgy of the Church in order to tamper with the Church’s Faith.
In the face of the evidence of the subversive intentions of the conciliar revolution and the even more evident disaster that it has caused in the faithful and in the entire ecclesial body, it is indispensable to oppose a contrary action, which must necessarily consist, on the one hand, in the sine glossa rejection of the Novus Ordo and of the doctrinal and ecclesiological structure that underlies it; and on the other hand, in a full return to the traditional Apostolic Rite, which by the very admission of the proponents of Vatican II is incompatible with their “church.” This liturgical restoration cannot and must not be motivated by mere aesthetic or taste preferences, but by the awareness that the only lex orandi of the Catholic Church is the one sanctioned by two thousand years of uninterrupted and integral profession of the same Faith, and not the fruit of a heretical bricolage cobbled together by Freemasons and Protestants.
+ Carlo Maria Viganò, Archbishop
October 30, 2024
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| Why Beauty Matters |
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Posted by: Stone - 10-31-2024, 10:45 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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Why Beauty Matters
And “Art for Art’s Sake” Is Anti-Human
David Clayton/NLM | October
The purpose of art and the role of beauty in the culture have been subjects of ongoing debate. While some view art as existing purely for its own sake - ‘art for art’s sake’ - divorced from any broader utility or message, others argue that art must serve a didactic or ideological function. The traditional Christian perspective, however, offers a distinct understanding that avoids these extremes, and the result is art for God’s sake, which, if done well, will always be art for our sake too.
![[Image: ?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3...ipo=images]](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.7dmrvpWoREErcl3BzI1zpAHaE8%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=273565f7061b01c0f7a882081db2f1b61b6280f5b7b5fb8bbe43502a13b45b4c&ipo=images)
The interior of St Mark’s Cathedral Venice: Is this art for art’s sake, or art for God’s sake? (Image from Wikimedia Commons by Rob Hurson)
Central to the Christian view is the recognition of the profound unity of the material and spiritual dimensions in the human person. As beings composed of both body and soul, humans possess material and spiritual needs. Consequently, the purpose of art cannot be reduced solely to aesthetic considerations or purely practical or ideological aims. Rather, true art must harmonise these aspects, reflecting and serving the totality of human nature, material and spiritual.
This understanding is rooted in Christian anthropology, which sees beauty not as a superfluous addition to an object’s utility, but as an integral part of its purpose. When an object is truly beautiful, its beauty is seen as a sign that its purpose is in accord with God’s governance of the world—a reflection of divine inspiration or the beauty of Creation itself.
Take, for example, something as mundane as a toothbrush. While its primary purpose is the practical one of cleaning teeth and promoting bodily health, a well-designed toothbrush incorporates elements of beauty that speak to a broader understanding of human well-being. Its harmonious design serves its practical function and invites the user to consider the more profound implications of oral hygiene for overall health and spiritual vitality. While few will consciously contemplate such things when brushing their teeth (least of all first thing in the morning or last thing at night!), most of us, even with something as simple as a toothbrush, would not choose an ugly one in preference to a beautiful one. This means that we are accepting the invitation of beauty at some level.
This principle is even more evident and more important in works of art with a direct spiritual or liturgical purpose, such as sacred art or architecture. In these cases, beauty plays a crucial role in elevating the human spirit and facilitating the contemplation of the divine. For instance, the beauty of a cathedral is not merely an aesthetic embellishment, but a vital component of its purpose as a house of worship, drawing the hearts and minds of the faithful towards heaven.
The Christian perspective recognises that individuals possess free will and can respond positively or negatively to the call of beauty. While beauty can inspire a deepening desire for virtue and a closer relationship with God, it can also be rejected or dismissed as mere sentimentality.
Ultimately, the traditional Christian view sees art and beauty not as ends in themselves, but as means of elevating the human person and facilitating a deeper engagement with the spiritual realm. Beauty is not a superficial adornment but a reflection of the divine order – a sign that an object or work of art fulfils its intended purpose in harmony with God’s design.
In this understanding, the apprehension of beauty is not merely an emotional response but a profound experience that can engage the intellect, will, and emotions in a multifaceted way. It is a call to contemplate the divine, to pursue virtue, and to recognise the unity of the material and spiritual dimensions of human existence.
By integrating these perspectives, the traditional Christian view offers a nuanced and holistic approach to the purpose of art and the role of beauty – one that recognises their intrinsic value while situating them within a broader framework of human flourishing and spiritual growth.
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| Introducing the Newest Jubilee Mascot: Tenebro |
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Posted by: Stone - 10-31-2024, 08:03 AM - Forum: Vatican II and the Fruits of Modernism
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Introducing the Newest Jubilee Mascot: Tenebro
NLM [adapted] | October 30, 2024
I am sure that by now, all of our readers have met Luce, the official mascot of the upcoming Jubilee, who was introduced to the world on Monday as an expression of the Church’s desire “to live even within the pop culture so beloved by our youth.” However, as many have noted, the style of the new mascot seems geared to appeal to those who are so young that they are just as likely to fall asleep under a pew as to sit in one, leaving the unfortunate impression that the Faith is something to be grown out of. Rightly might one suspect that she holds little interest for groups within the Church whose numbers are growing, such as young men, and those who love traditional forms of worship.
To meet this problem, the wise men of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith have decided that the Jubilee of 2025 will have a whole range of mascots, designed to appeal to a variety of demographics. New Liturgical Movement is very proud to have been chosen as the outlet for introducing the world to the first new character in the Luce expanded universe, her putative (n.b.!) nemesis Tenebro.
The official backstory of Tenebro is that he is one of the Rigidicons, a group who are reputed to have the dark power to gradually extinguish all the lights of progress that have been lit within the Church over the last 60 years. (This power is suggested by the fact that they dress primarily in black.) In early episodes of the upcoming animated series, it will appear to many that Tenebro is trying to hinder Luce from completing her pilgrimage to Rome.
But, as is so often the case, the real story is a lot more complicated. (Spoiler alert!) It will be gradually revealed that another character, the Pontiff Supreme Benedicto, transformed the power of the Rigidicons, such that the lights which they extinguish come blazing back to life and illuminate the whole Church. Tenebro is one of a growing faction among the Rigidicons who have embraced this transformation of their power for good, which is conveyed through the diadem on his chest. (It will also be Tenebro who teaches the young Luce that a rosary is not a necklace...)
New Liturgical Movement will be the first to let you know as each of a whole spate of new Jubilee mascot characters is brought out to an eagerly waiting Church and world.
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| House committee finds Biden-Harris admin spent $900 million on COVID propaganda |
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Posted by: Stone - 10-30-2024, 05:58 AM - Forum: Pandemic 2020 [Secular]
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House committee finds Biden-Harris admin spent $900 million on COVID propaganda
Despite (or perhaps partially because of) the Biden administration's 'We Can Do This' promotional campaign for COVID vaccines and masks, public trust in the medical establishment continued to decline.
![[Image: biden-holding-mask-810x500.jpg]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/biden-holding-mask-810x500.jpg)
Drew Angerer / Getty Images
Oct 29, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews [slightly adapted - not all hyperlinks included below]) – The Biden administration spent $900 million in taxpayer dollars to unsuccessfully sell COVID-19 vaccines and masking to the general public, according to a recently completed investigation by the Republican-led U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee.
The report, begun in April 2023 and released on October 23, sought to explore the failure of the administration’s “We Can Do This” messaging campaign to prevent public trust in the medical establishment from continuing to decline, as highlighted by a July 2023 study in the Annals of Medicine that found just 13.2% of children under five and 43.9% of youth ages 12-17 were vaccinated for COVID, and that even among those who were just under 40% of the younger group and 55.3% of those 12-17 were boosted.
The “(m)ain reasons for non-vaccination among reluctant parents were concerns about side effects (53.3%), lack of trust in COVID-19 vaccines (48.7%), the belief that children do not need a COVID-19 vaccine (38.8%), lack of trust in the government (35.6%), and that children in the household were not members of a high-risk group (32.8%),” that paper said.
The House GOP report found that “much of the scientific content” used by the campaign was based on data and advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and as such was “deeply flawed” on numerous critical points that exacerbated mistrust rather than allaying it. Among the medical misinformation it promoted were claims that the COVID vaccines effectively stopped COVID transmission, exaggerations of the effectiveness of masking, and exaggerations of the risk the virus posed to children, which in reality was almost nonexistent.
The campaign also relied on celebrities to cut advertisements promoting vaccination as well as full-time social media influencers to do the same directly to their audiences, with little success. It also worked to “regularly synthesize findings from Google search trends and monitor social listening tools (weekly reports, trackers) to recommend, develop, shepherd through clearance, and traffic a range of timely static and video ads (…) on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, YouTube, Google, and Bing.” The report says it is “unclear whether personally identifiable information was in any way used by Google in the development of the Campaign for the custom search dashboard, and to what extent children’s viewing habits were involved in the Campaign.”
“While the Biden-Harris administration’s public health guidance led to prolonged closures of schools and businesses, the NIH was spending nearly a billion dollars of taxpayer money trying to manipulate Americans with advertisements — sometimes containing erroneous or unproven information. By overpromising what the COVID-19 vaccines could do — in direct contradiction of the FDA’s authorizations — and over emphasizing the virus’ risk to children and young adults, the Biden-Harris administration caused Americans to lose trust in the public health system,” said the chair of the committee, Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington said. “Our investigation also uncovered the extent to which public funding went to Big Tech companies to track and monitor Americans, underscoring the need for stronger online data privacy protections.”
Reviewing the report on X, Stanford University infectious disease expert Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, one of the nation’s most prominent critics of the COVID establishment, called it “devastating” to the CDC’s credibility.
He noted that the chief strategy adopted by Fors Marsh Group (FMG), the public relations firm hired for the campaign, was to exaggerate the risk of dying from COVID while downplaying the lack of evidence that the vaccines stopped transmission of the virus. To that end, the campaign continued to promote vaccine mandates even after the administration knew the shots available at the time were not effective against COVID’s Delta variant.
At the same time, the campaign sent mixed messaging that not only undermined its own message about the vaccines but also the government’s own guidance when it came to promoting other preferred measures. In March 2021, advertisements insisted on even vaccinated Americans continuing to wear masks at a time when the CDC itself was claiming vaccination rendered masking unnecessary.
Bhattacharya also noted that Dr. Ashish Jha, Biden’s own COVID adviser, “waited until December 2022 (right after leaving government service) to tell the country that ‘(t)here is no study in the world that shows that masks work that well.’ What took him so long?”
A large body of evidence has linked significant risks to the COVID vaccines, which were developed and reviewed in a fraction of the time vaccines usually take under the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed initiative.
The federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports 37,966 deaths, 218,241 hospitalizations, 21,952 heart attacks, and 28,641 myocarditis and pericarditis cases as of October 4, among other ailments. U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) researchers have recognized a “high verification rate of reports of myocarditis to VAERS after mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination,” leading to the conclusion that “under-reporting is more likely” than over-reporting.
An analysis of 99 million people across eight countries published February in the journal Vaccine “observed significantly higher risks of myocarditis following the first, second and third doses” of mRNA-based COVID vaccines, as well as signs of increased risk of “pericarditis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis,” and other “potential safety signals that require further investigation.” In April, the CDC was forced to release by court order 780,000 previously undisclosed reports of serious adverse reactions, and a study out of Japan found “statistically significant increases” in cancer deaths after third doses of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines and offered several theories for a causal link.
In Florida, an ongoing grand jury investigation into the vaccines’ manufacturers is slated to release a highly anticipated report on the shots, and a lawsuit by the state of Kansas has been filed accusing Pfizer of misrepresentation for calling the shots “safe and effective.”
Forced masking in public was similarly found to be ineffective at best in limiting the spread of the virus. More than 170 studies have found that masks fail to stop COVID while instead being harmful, especially to children, who evidence finds face little-to-no-danger from COVID itself. By contrast, evidence suggests that the ability to see faces is critical for early development.
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