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| Pentecost Sunday |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-23-2021, 07:00 AM - Forum: Pentecost
- Replies (7)
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INSTRUCTION ON THE GREAT FESTIVAL OF PENTECOST
From Fr. Leonard Goffine's Explanations of the Epistles and Gospels for the Sundays, Holydays, and Festivals throughout the Ecclesiastical Year 36th edition, 1880
What festival is this?
IT is the day on which the Holy Ghost descended in the form of fiery tongues, upon the apostles and disciples, who with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, were assembled in prayer in a house at Jerusalem. (Acts ii.)
Why is this day called Pentecost?
The word "Pentecost" is taken from the Greek, and signifies fifty. As St. Jerome explains it, this was the last of the fifty days, commencing with Easter, which the early Christians celebrated as days of rejoicing at the resurrection of the Lord.
Why is this day observed so solemnly?
Because on this day the Holy Ghost, having descended upon the apostles, the law of grace, of purification from sin, and the sanctification of mankind, was for the first time announced to the world; because on this day the apostles, being filled with the Holy Ghost, commenced the work of purifying and sanctifying mankind, by baptizing three thousand persons who were converted by the sermon of St. Peter; and because on this day the Church of Jesus became visible as a community to the world, and publicly professed her faith in her crucified Saviour.
Why did the Holy Ghost descend on the Jewish Pentecost?
Because on their Pentecost the Jews celebrated the anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, and God would show by sending the Holy Ghost on this day, that the Old Law had ceased and the New Law commenced. God also chose this time, that the Jews who on this day came together from all countries to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pentecost, might be witnesses of the miracle, and hear the New Law announced by the Apostles.
Why is the baptismal font blessed on the vigil of Pentecost, as on Holy Saturday?
Because the Holy Ghost is the Author of all sanctity and the Fountain of baptismal grace, and because in the Acts (i. 5.) the descent of the Holy Ghost itself is called a baptism.
✠ ✠ ✠
In the Introit of the Mass the Church rejoices at the descent of the Holy Ghost and sings: The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole earth, allel.; and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice, Allel., allel., allel. (Wisd. i. 7.) Let God arise, and his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him, fly before his face. (Ps. 67.) Glory, &c.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who on this day didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit: grant us in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Thro. — in the unity of the same, &c.
LESSON. (Acts n. 1 — 11.) When the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place; and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, andit sat upon every one of them: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, of every nation under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue: and they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? And how have we heard every man our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphilia, Egypt, and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews also and Proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.
Quote:Why did the Holy Ghost come upon the Apostles in the form of fiery tongues?
The appearance of fiery tongues indicated the gift of language imparted to the apostles by the Holy Ghost, and inflamed their hearts and the hearts of the faithful with the love of God and their neighbor.
Why did a mighty wind accompany the descent?
To direct the attention of the people to the descent of the Holy Ghost, and to assemble them to hear the sermon of the Apostle Peter.
What special effects did the Holy Ghost produce in the apostles?
He freed them from all doubt and fear; gave them His light for the perfect knowledge of truth; inflamed their hearts with the most ardent love, and incited in them the fiery zeal for the propagation of the kingdom of God, strengthened them to bear all sufferings and persecutions, (Acts v. 41.) and gave them the gift of speaking in various languages, and of discerning spirits.
GOSPEL. (John xiv. 23 — 31.) At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words: and the word which you have heard is not mine, but the Father's, who sent me. These things have I spoken to you, abiding with you: but the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it came to pass, that when it shall come to pass you may believe. I will not now speak many things with you;for the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not anything. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father hath given me commandment, so do I.
Why is the Holy Ghost expressly called “Holy" since this attribute is due to each of the divine persons?
Because He is the Author of inward sanctity and of all supernatural gifts and graces; and therefore to Him is especially ascribed the work of man's sanctification.
What does the Holy Ghost effect in man?
He enlightens him that he may know the truths of religion and salvation, and the beauty of virtue; He moves him to desire, to aim after and to love these things; He renews his heart by cleansing it from sin, and imparts to him the supernatural gifts and graces by which he can become sanctified, and He brings forth in him wonderful fruits of holiness.
What are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?
According to the Prophet Isaias they are seven:
1. The gift of wisdom, which enables us to know God, to esteem spiritual more than temporal advantages, and to delight only in divine things.
2. The gift of understanding, by which we know and understand that which our faith proposes to our belief; children and adults should pray fervently for this gift, especially before sermons, and instructions in the catechism.
3. The gift of counsel, which gives us the knowledge necessary to direct ourselves and others when in doubt, a gift particularly necessary for superiors, for those about choosing their state of life, and for married people who live unhappily , and do not know how to help themselves.
4. The gift of fortitude, which strengthens us to endure and courageously overcome all adversities and persecutions for virtue's sake.
5. The gift of knowledge, by which we know ourselves, our duties, and how to discharge them in a manner pleasing to God.
6. The gift of piety, which induces us to have God in view in all our actions, and infuses love in our hearts for His service.
7. The gift of the fear of the Lord, by which we not only fear the just punishment, but even His displeasure at every sin, more than all other things in the world.
Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost?
As St. Paul (Gal. v. 22 — 21) enumerates them, they are twelve:
1. Charity.
2. Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6. Goodness.
7. Longanimity.
8. Mildness.
9. Faith.
10. Modesty.
11. Continency.
12. Chastity.
To obtain these fruits as well as the gifts of the Holy Ghost, we should daily say the prayer: "Come, O Holy Ghost, &c."
Why does Christ say: The Father is greater than I?
Christ as God is in all things equal to His Father, but as Christ was at the same time Man, the Father was certainly greater than the Man-Christ.
Why does Christ say: I will not now speak many things with you?
Christ spoke these words a short time before His passion; and by them He wished to say that the time was near at hand when Satan, by his instruments, the wicked Jews, would put Him to death, not because Satan had this power over Him, but because He Himself wished to die in obedience to the will of His Father.
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| Caught Red-Handed: CDC Changes Test Thresholds To Virtually Eliminate New COVID Cases Among Vaxx'd |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-23-2021, 06:50 AM - Forum: Pandemic 2020 [Secular]
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Caught Red-Handed: CDC Changes Test Thresholds To Virtually Eliminate New COVID Cases Among Vaxx'd
Authored by Kit Knightly via Off-Guardian.org
New policies will artificially deflate “breakthrough infections” in the vaccinated, while the old rules continue to inflate case numbers in the unvaccinated.
The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) is altering its practices of data logging and testing for “Covid19” in order to make it seem the experimental gene-therapy “vaccines” are effective at preventing the alleged disease.
They made no secret of this, announcing the policy changes on their website in late April/early May, (though naturally without admitting the fairly obvious motivation behind the change).
The trick is in their reporting of what they call “breakthrough infections” – that is people who are fully “vaccinated” against Sars-Cov-2 infection, but get infected anyway.
Essentially, Covid19 has long been shown – to those willing to pay attention – to be an entirely created pandemic narrative built on two key factors:
1. False-positive tests. The unreliable PCR test can be manipulated into reporting a high number of false-positives by altering the cycle threshold (CT value)
2. Inflated Case-count. The incredibly broad definition of “Covid case”, used all over the world, lists anyone who receives a positive test as a “Covid19 case”, even if they never experienced any symptoms.
Without these two policies, there would never have been an appreciable pandemic at all, and now the CDC has enacted two policy changes which means they no longer apply to vaccinated people.
Firstly, they are lowering their CT value when testing samples from suspected “breakthrough infections”.
From the CDC’s instructions for state health authorities on handling “possible breakthrough infections” (uploaded to their website in late April):
Quote:For cases with a known RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) value, submit only specimens with Ct value ≤28 to CDC for sequencing. (Sequencing is not feasible with higher Ct values.)
Throughout the pandemic, CT values in excess of 35 have been the norm, with labs around the world going into the 40s.
Essentially labs were running as many cycles as necessary to achieve a positive result, despite experts warning that this was pointless (even Fauci himself said anything over 35 cycles is meaningless).
But NOW, and only for fully vaccinated people, the CDC will only accept samples achieved from 28 cycles or fewer. That can only be a deliberate decision in order to decrease the number of “breakthrough infections” being officially recorded.
Secondly, asymptomatic or mild infections will no longer be recorded as “covid cases”.
That’s right. Even if a sample collected at the low CT value of 28 can be sequenced into the virus alleged to cause Covid19, the CDC will no longer be keeping records of breakthrough infections that don’t result in hospitalisation or death.
From their website:
Quote:As of May 1, 2021, CDC transitioned from monitoring all reported vaccine breakthrough cases to focus on identifying and investigating only hospitalized or fatal cases due to any cause. This shift will help maximize the quality of the data collected on cases of greatest clinical and public health importance. Previous case counts, which were last updated on April 26, 2021, are available for reference only and will not be updated moving forward.
Just like that, being asymptomatic – or having only minor symptoms – will no longer count as a “Covid case” but only if you’ve been vaccinated.
The CDC has put new policies in place which effectively created a tiered system of diagnosis. Meaning, from now on, unvaccinated people will find it much easier to be diagnosed with Covid19 than vaccinated people.
Consider…
Person A has not been vaccinated. They test positive for Covid using a PCR test at 40 cycles and, despite having no symptoms, they are officially a “covid case”.
Person B has been vaccinated. They test positive at 28 cycles, and spend six weeks bedridden with a high fever. Because they never went into a hospital and didn’t die they are NOT a Covid case.
Person C, who was also vaccinated, did die. After weeks in hospital with a high fever and respiratory problems. Only their positive PCR test was 29 cycles, so they’re not officially a Covid case either.
The CDC is demonstrating the beauty of having a “disease” that can appear or disappear depending on how you measure it.
To be clear: If these new policies had been the global approach to “Covid” since December 2019, there would never have been a pandemic at all.
If you apply them only to the vaccinated, but keep the old rules for the unvaccinated, the only possible result can be that the official records show “Covid” is much more prevalent among the latter than the former.
This is a policy designed to continuously inflate one number, and systematically minimise the other.
What is that if not an obvious and deliberate act of deception?
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| Dom Prosper Guéranger: The Practice for the Time after Pentecost |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-22-2021, 07:21 AM - Forum: Pentecost
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PRACTICE FOR THE TIME AFTER PENTECOST
The object which holy Church has in view by her Liturgical Year, is the leading her Christian soul to union with Christ, and this by the Holy Ghost. This object is the one which God himself has in giving us his own Son, to be our Mediator, our Teacher, and Redeemer, and in sending us the Holy Ghost to abide among us. It is to this end that is directed all that aggregate of Rites and Prayers, which we have hitherto explained: they are not a mere commemoration of the mysteries achieved for our salvation by the divine goodness, but they bring with them the graces corresponding to each of those mysteries; that thus we may come, as the Apostle expresses it, to the age of the fulness of Christ.
As we have elsewhere explained, our sharing in the mysteries of Christ, which are celebrated in the Liturgical Year, produces in the Christian what is called, in Mystic Theology, the Illuminative Life, in which the soul gains continually more and more of the light of the Incarnate Word, who, by his examples and teachings, renovates each one of her faculties, and imparts to her the habit of seeing all things from God’s point of view. This is a preparation which disposes her for union with God, not merely in an imperfect manner, and one that is more or less inconstant, but in an intimate and permanent way, which is called the Unitive Life. The production of this Life is the special work of the Holy Ghost, who has been sent into this world that he may maintain each one of our souls in the possession of Christ, and may bring to perfection the love whereby the creature is united with its God.
In this state, in this Unitive Life, the soul is made to relish, and assimilate into herself, all that substantial and nourishing food which is presented to her so abundantly during The Time after Pentecost. The mysteries of the Trinity and of the Blessed Sacrament, the mercy and power of the Heart of Jesus, the glories of Mary and her influence upon the Church and souls,—all these are manifested to the soul with more clearness than ever, and produce within her effects not previously experienced. In the Feasts of the Saints, which are so varied and so grand during this portion of the year, she feels more and more intimately the bond which unites her to them in Christ, through the Holy Spirit. The eternal happiness of Heaven, which is to follow the trials of this mortal life, is revealed to her by the Feast of all Saints; she gains clearer notions of that mysterious bliss, which consists in light and love. Having become more closely united to Holy Church, which is the Bride of her dear Lord, she follows her in all the stages of her earthly existence, she takes a share in her sufferings, she exults in her triumphs; she sees, and yet is not daunted at seeing, this world tending to its decline, for she knows that the Lord is nigh at hand. As to what regards herself, she is not dismayed at feeling that her exterior life is slowly giving way, and that the wall which stands between her and the changeless sight and possession of the sovereign Good is gradually falling to decay; for, it is not in this world that she lives, and her heart has long been where her treasure is.
Thus enlightened, thus attracted, thus established by the incorporation into herself of the mysteries, wherewith the sacred Liturgy has nourished her, as also by the gifts poured into her by the Holy Ghost, the soul yields herself up, and without any effort, to the impulse of the divine Mover. Virtue has become all the more easy to her, as she aspires, it would almost seem, naturally, to what is most perfect; sacrifices, which used, formerly, to terrify, not delight her; she makes use of this world, as though she used it not, for all true realities, as far as she is concerned, exist beyond this world; in a word, she longs all the more ardently after the eternal possession of the object she loves, as she has been realizing even in this life, what the Apostle describes, where he speaks of a creature’s being one spirit with the Lord, by being united to him in heart.
Such is the result ordinarily produced in the soul, by the sweet and healthy influence of the sacred Liturgy. But if it seem to us, that, although we have followed it in its several seasons, we have not, as yet, reached the state of detachment and expectation just described, and that the life of Christ has not, so far, absorbed our own individual life into itself,—let us be on our guard against discouragement on that account. The Cycle of the Liturgy, with its rays of light and grace for the soul, is not a phenomenon that occurs only once in the heaven of holy Church; it returns each Year. Such is the merciful design of that God, who hath so loved the world, as to give it his Only Begotten Son; of that God, who came not to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. Such, we say, is the Design of God; and holy Church is but carrying out that design, by putting within our reach the most powerful of all means for leading man to his God, and uniting him to his sovereign Good; she thus testifies the earnestness of her maternal solicitude. The Christian who has not been led to the term we have been describing by the first half of the Cycle, we still meet, in this second, with important aids for the expansion of his faith and the growth of his love. The Holy Ghost, who reigns, in a special manner, over this portion of the Year, will not fail to influence his mind and heart; and, when a fresh Cycle commences, the work, thus begun by grace, has a new chance for receiving that completeness, which had been retarded by the weakness of human nature.
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| Dom Prosper Guéranger: The Mystery of the Time after Pentecost |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-22-2021, 07:15 AM - Forum: Pentecost
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THE MYSTERY OF THE TIME AFTER PENTECOST.
That we may thoroughly understand the meaning and influence of the Season of the Liturgical Year upon which we have now entered, it is requisite for us to grasp the entire sequel of mysteries, which holy Church has celebrated in our presence and company; we have witnessed her Services, and we have shared in them. The celebration of those mysteries was not an empty pageant, acted for the sake of being looked at. Each one of them brought with it a special grace, which produced in our souls the reality signified by the Rites of the Liturgy. At Christmas, Christ was born within us; at Passiontide, He passed on and into us his sufferings and atonements; at Easter, he communicated to us his glorious, his untrammelled life; in his Ascension, he drew us after him, and this even to heaven’s summit; in a word, as the Apostle expresses all this working, Christ was formed in us.
But, in order to give solidity and permanence to the image of Christ formed within us, it was necessary that the Holy Ghost should come, that so he might increase our light, and enkindle a fire within us that should never be quenched. This divine Paraclete came down from heaven; he gave himself to us; he wishes to take up his abode within us, and take our life of regeneration entirely into his own hands. Now, it is during the period called, by the Liturgy, The Time after Pentecost, that there is signified and expressed this regenerated life, which is to be spent on the model of Christ’s, and under the direction of his Spirit.
Two objects here offer themselves to our consideration: the Church and the Christian soul. As to holy Church, the Bride of Christ, filled as she is with the Paraclete Spirit, who has poured himself forth upon her, and, from that time forward, is her animating principle,—she is advancing onwards in her militant career, and will do so till the second Coming of her heavenly Spouse. She has within her the gifts of Truth and Holiness. Endowed with Infallibility of Faith, and Authority to govern, she feeds Christ’s flock, sometimes enjoying liberty and peace, sometimes going through persecutions and trials. Her divine Spouse abides with her, by his grace and the efficacy of his promises, even to the end of time; she is in possession of all the favors he has bestowed upon her; and the Holy Ghost dwells with her, and in her, forever. All this is expressed by this present portion of the Liturgical Year. It is one wherein we shall not meet with any of those great events which prepared and consummated the divine work; but, on the other hand, it is a season when holy Church reaps the fruits of that holiness and doctrine, which those ineffable mysteries have already produced, and will continue to produce, during the course of ages. It is during this same season, that we shall meet with the preparation for, and, in due time, the fulfillment of, those final events which will transform our Mother’s militant life on earth into the triumphant one in heaven. As far, then, as regards holy Church, this is the meaning of the portion of the Cycle we are commencing.
As to the faithful soul, whose life is but a compendium of that of the Church, her progress, during the period which is opened to her after the Pentecostal Feasts, should be in keeping with that of our common Mother. The soul should live and act according to that Jesus, who has united himself with her by the mysteries she has gone through; she should be governed by the Holy Spirit, whom she has received. The sublime episodes, peculiar to this second portion of the year, will give her an increase of light and life. She will put unity into these rays, which, though scattered in various directions, emanate from one common center: and, advancing from brightness to brightness, she will aspire to being consummated in him whom she now knows so well, and whom death will enable her to possess as her own. Should it not be the will of God, however, to take her as yet to himself, she will begin a fresh year, and live, over again, those mysteries which she has already enjoyed in the foregoing first half of the Liturgical Cycle, after which, she will find herself, once more, in the season that is under the direction of the Holy Ghost; till at last, her God will summon her from this world, on the day and at the hour which he has appointed from all eternity.
Between the Church, then, and the Soul, during the time intervening from the descent of the divine Paraclete to the consummation, there is this difference,—that the Church goes through it but once, whereas the Christian soul repeats it each year. With this exception, the analogy is perfect. It is our duty, therefore, to thank God for his providing thus for our weakness, by means of the sacred Liturgy, whereby he successively renews within us those helps, which enable us to attain the glorious end of our creation.
Holy Church has so arranged the order for reading the Books of Scripture during the present period, as to express the work then accomplished, both in the Church herself, and in the Christian soul. For the interval between Pentecost and the commencement of August, she gives us the Four Books of Kings. They are a prophetic epitome of the Church’s history. They describe how the kingdom of Israel was founded by David, who is the type of Christ victorious over his enemies, and by Solomon, the king of peace, who builds a temple in honor of Jehovah. During the centuries comprised in the history given in those Books, there is a perpetual struggle between good and evil. There are great and saintly kings, such as Asa, Ezechias, and Josias; there are wicked ones, like Manasses. A schism breaks out in Samaria; infidel nations league together against the City of God. The holy people, continually turning a deaf ear to the Prophets, give themselves up to the worship of false gods, and to the vices of the heathen; till, at length, the justice of God destroys both Temple and City of the faithless Jerusalem: it is an image of the destruction of this world, when Faith shall be so rare, as that the Son of Man, at his second Coming, shall scarce find a vestige of it remaining.
During the month of August, we read the Sapiential Books,—so called, because they contain the teachings of Divine Wisdom. This Wisdom is the Word of God, who is manifested unto men through the teachings of the Church, which, because of the assistance of the Holy Ghost permanently abiding within her, is infallible in the truth.
Supernatural truth produces holiness, which cannot exist, nor produce fruit, where truth is not. In order to express the union there is between these two, the Church reads to us, during the month of September, the Books called Hagiographic; these are, Tobias, Judith, Esther, and Job, and they show Wisdom in action.
At the end of the world, the Church will have to go through combats of unusual fierceness. To keep us on the watch, she reads to us, during the month of October, the Book of Machabees; for there we have described to us the noble-heartedness of those defenders of the Law of God, and for which they gloriously die; it will be the same at the last days, when power will be given to the Beast, to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them.
The month of November gives us the reading of the Prophets: the judgments of God impending upon a world which he is compelled to punish by destruction, are there announced to us. First of all, we have the terrible Ezechiel; then Daniel, who sees empire succeeding empire, till the end of all time; and, finally, the Minor Prophets,,/em> who, for the most part, foretell the divine chastisements, though the latest among them proclaim, at the same time, the near approach of the Son of God.
Such is the Mystery of this portion of the Liturgical Cycle, which is called The Time after Pentecost. It includes also the use of green Vestments; for that color expresses the hope of the Bride, who knows that she has been intrusted, by her Spouse, to the Holy Ghost, and that he will lead her safe to the end of her pilgrimage. St. John says all this in those few words of his Apocalypse: The Spirit and the Bride say: Come!
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| Dom Prosper Guéranger: The History of the Time after Pentecost |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-22-2021, 07:11 AM - Forum: Pentecost
- Replies (1)
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THE HISTORY OF THE TIME AFTER PENTECOST
The Solemnity of Pentecost and its Octave are over, and the progress of the Liturgical Year introduces us into a new period, which is altogether different from those we have hitherto spent. From the very beginning of Advent, which is the prelude to the Christmas festival, right up to the anniversary of the descent of the Holy Ghost, we have witnessed the entire series of the Mysteries of our Redemption; all have been unfolded to us. The sequel of Seasons and Feasts made up a sublime drama, which absorbed our very existence; we have but just come from the final celebration, which was the consummation of the whole. And yet, we have got through but one half of the year. This does not imply that the period we have still to live is devoid of its own special mysteries; but, instead of keeping up our attention by the ceaseless interest of one plan hurrying on its completion, the sacred Liturgy is about to put before us an almost unbroken succession of varied episodes, of which some are brilliant with glory, and others exquisite in loveliness, but each one of them bringing its special tribute towards either the development of the dogmas of faith, or the furtherance of the Christian life. That year’s Cycle will thus be filled up; it will disappear; a new one will take its place, bringing before us the same divine facts, and pouring forth the same graces on Christ’s mystical body.
This section of the Liturgical Year, which comprises a little more or a little less than six months, according as Easter is early or late, has always had the character it holds at present. But, although it only admits detached solemnities and Feasts, the influence of the moveable portion of the Cycle is still observable. It may have as many as twenty-eight, or as few as twenty-three weeks. This variation depends not only upon the Easter Feast, which may occur on any of the days between the 22nd of March and 25th of April, inclusively; but, also, on the date of the first Sunday of Advent, the opening of a new Ecclesiastical Year, and which is always the Sunday nearest the Kalends of December.
In the Roman Liturgy, the Sundays of this series go under the name of Sundays after Pentecost. As we shall show in the next Chapter, that title is the most suitable that could have been given, and is found in the oldest Sacramentaries and Antiphonaries; but it was not universally adopted by even all those Churches which followed the Roman Rite; in progress of time, however, that title was the general one. To mention some of the previous early names:—in the Comes of Alcuin, which takes us back to the 8th Century, we find the first section of these Sundays called Sundays after Pentecost; the second is named Weeks after the Feast of the Apostles (post Natale Apostolorum); the third goes under the title of Weeks after Saint Laurence (post Sancti Laurentii); the fourth has the appellation of Weeks of the Seventh Month (September); and, lastly, the fifth is termed Weeks after Saint Michael (post Sancti Angeli), and lasts till Advent. As late as the 16th Century, many Missals of the Western Churches gave us these several sections of the Time after Pentecost, but some of the titles varied according to the special Saints honored in the respective dioceses, and which were taken as the date-marks of this period of the Year. The Roman Missal, published by order of Saint Pius the Fifth, has gradually been adopted in all our Latin Churches, and has restored the ancient denomination to the Ecclesiastical Season we have just entered upon; so that the only name under which it is now known amongst us is, The Time after Pentecost (post Pentecosten).
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| May 22nd - St. Rita of Cascia |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-22-2021, 06:58 AM - Forum: May
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St. Rita of Cascia
Born at Rocca Porena in the Diocese of Spoleto, 1386; died at the Augustinian convent of Cascia, 1456. Feast, 22 May. Represented as holding roses, or roses and figs, and sometimes with a wound in her forehead.
According to the "Life" (Acta SS., May, V, 224) written at the time of her beatification by the Augustinian, Jacob Carelicci, from two older biographies, she was the daughter of parents advanced in years and distinguished for charity which merited them the surname of "Peacemakers of Jesus Christ". Rita's great desire was to become a nun, but, in obedience to the will of her parents, she, at the age of twelve, married a man extremely cruel and ill-tempered. For eighteen years she was a model wife and mother. When her husband was murdered she tried in vain to dissuade her twin sons from attempting to take revenge; she appealed to Heaven to prevent such a crime on their part, and they were taken away by death, reconciled to God. She applied for admission to the Augustinian convent at Cascia, but, being a widow, was refused. By continued entreaties, and, as is related, by Divine intervention, she gained admission, received the habit of the order and in due time her profession. As a religious she was an example for all, excelled in mortifications, and was widely known for the efficacy of her prayers.
Urban VIII, in 1637, permitted her Mass and Office. On account of the many miracles reported to have been wrought at her intercession she received in Spain the title of La Santa de los impossibiles. She was solemnly canonized 24 May, 1900.
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| Another above average hurricane season? |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-22-2021, 06:42 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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For what these 'predictions' are worth ...
NOAA predicts 13 to 20 named storms this hurricane season
Orlando Sentinel | May 20, 2021
Hurricane season doesn’t start until June 1, but experts think it’s going to be another busy year with as many as 13 to 20 named storms.
That’s according to the 2021 Atlantic hurricane preseason forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which was released Thursday afternoon.
NOAA meteorologists are predicting a 60% chance of an above-average season. In April, the NOAA updated just what exactly it considers an average season, using 30 years of data including the record-breaking 30 named storms of 2020. The new benchmark for an average year is now 12 to 14 named storms.
So while NOAA is expecting a busy year, it’s not predicting another 2020.
“Although NOAA scientists don’t expect this season to be as busy as last year, it only takes one storm to devastate a community,” said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA administrator. “The forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are well-prepared with significant upgrades to our computer models, emerging observation techniques, and the expertise to deliver the life-saving forecasts that we all depend on during this, and every, hurricane season.”
Of the 13 to 20 named storms, the NOAA expects six to 10 hurricanes, or storms producing maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher. It also called for three to five major hurricanes; Category 3 or stronger producing maximum sustained winds greater than 110 mph. An average season contains seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
The preseason forecast pointed toward warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures and weaker wind shear contributing to the active season. Additionally, meteorologists identified El Niño is in a neutral phase; which is contributing to the lower wind shear. Also, an enhanced west African monsoon is believed to be contributing to moisture, favoring increased activity.
“Now is the time for communities along the coastline as well as inland to get prepared for the dangers that hurricanes can bring,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in the NOAA report. “The experts at NOAA are poised to deliver life-saving early warnings and forecasts to communities, which will also help minimize the economic impacts of storms.”
Prior to the start of the season, the National Hurricane Center is already eyeing a non-tropical low pressure of area with a 90% chance of becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm. The storm will don the name Ana should it take shape as a tropical storm with maximum winds sustained at 39 mph or greater. Early storms have appeared in the last six years, and are not necessarily indicative of an above average season.
The 2020 season, however, is the exception. It had two early storms before June 1 and later went on to have the most ever on record.
Other weather intuitions have predicted busier-than-normal seasons as well. Colorado State University estimates 17 named storms, and AccuWeather predicts as many as 20 named storms.
AccuWeather also predicted the U.S. to experience three to five landfalling storms this season. One reason why that might be possible is due to a weaker Bermuda High, which is a high-pressure zone that is responsible for steering several storms into the Gulf of Mexico and away from Florida. CSU also found the odds of a hurricane making landfall to be above average.
A normal year has seen a 52% chance of a hurricane making landfall on the U.S. based on 50 years worth of data. For 2021, CSU estimates odds at 69%.
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| Doubtful Ordinations from a Doubtful 'Bishop' Pfeiffer |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-21-2021, 07:39 AM - Forum: "Bishop" Joseph Pfeiffer
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Dear friends,
Once again, please keep the poor, misguided seminarians at the OLMC seminary in your prayers. Two of them are to receive 'ordinations' from Father Pfeiffer after his extremely doubtful 'consecration' last year by the sedevacantist, Feeneyite "Bishop" Neal Webster [see here].
![[Image: Ordinations-Our-Lady-Of-Mount-Carmel-Bos...6-2021.jpg]](https://ourladyofmountcarmelusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ordinations-Our-Lady-Of-Mount-Carmel-Boston-Ky-June-26-2021.jpg)
These young men, who are trying to give their lives to God and His Church, have been nonetheless woefully misled (and dare we say, betrayed!) into accepting this terribly doubtful 'consecration' of Fr. Pfeiffer's. Only a precious few syncophants from OLMC will accept these 'ordinations.' No other traditional group of priests or laity will accept them without a reordination by a valid bishop.
Some will recall that 'Bishop' Neal Webster is of the highly controversial Thuc line. Both his ordination and consecration are in doubt - see an excellent, well-researched breakdown of Webster's line here from The Recusant in Autumn 2020.
Archbishop Lefebvre repeatedly condemned the Thuc line - see here - as did the old/traditional SSPX.
The sedevacantists condemn this particular so-called 'consecration' of Fr. Pfeiffer as invalid for all the bungling and mumbling that occurred in the recorded 'consecration' ceremony - and, again, Webster is himself a sedevacantist (and a Feeneyite).
And last but not least, the 'old' Fr. Pfeiffer himself spoke of the Thuc line as highly doubtful - see here.
Again, please keep these well-intentioned young men in your prayers and let us beg Our Lady that this 'ordination' does not take place, which will only generate more scandal and danger to souls! Think of all the potential invalid Baptisms, invalid Marriages, invalid Confessions, invalid Extreme Unctions, etc. that occur in such situations.
Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, pray for them!
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| Nobel Prize winner: Mass COVID vaccination an ‘unacceptable mistake’ that is ‘creating the variants’ |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-21-2021, 07:05 AM - Forum: COVID Vaccines
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Nobel Prize winner: Mass COVID vaccination an ‘unacceptable mistake’ that is ‘creating the variants’
In every country, ‘the curve of vaccination is followed by the curve of deaths,’ the famous virologist said.
May 19, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) – French virologist and Nobel Prize winner Luc Montagnier called mass vaccination against the coronavirus during the pandemic “unthinkable” and a historical blunder that is “creating the variants” and leading to deaths from the disease.
“It’s an enormous mistake, isn’t it? A scientific error as well as a medical error. It is an unacceptable mistake,” Montagnier said in an interview translated and published by the RAIR Foundation USA yesterday. “The history books will show that, because it is the vaccination that is creating the variants.”
Many epidemiologists know it and are “silent” about the problem known as “antibody-dependent enhancement,” Montagnier said.
“It is the antibodies produced by the virus that enable an infection to become stronger,” he said in an interview with Pierre Barnérias of Hold-Up Media earlier this month.
Vaccination leading to variants
While variants of viruses can occur naturally, Montagnier said that vaccination is driving the process. “What does the virus do? Does it die or find another solution?”
“It is clear that the new variants are created by antibody-mediated selection due to the vaccination.”
Vaccinating during a pandemic is “unthinkable” and is causing deaths, the winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovery
‘Deaths follow vaccination’
“The new variants are a production and result from the vaccination. You see it in each country, it’s the same: in every country deaths follow vaccination,” he said.
A video published last week on YouTube uses data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington to illustrate the spikes in deaths in numerous countries across the globe after the introduction of COVID vaccination, confirming Montagnier’s observation.
The French interviewer pointed to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) showing that since the vaccines were introduced in January, new infections contamination have “exploded,” along with deaths, “notably among young people.”
“Yes,” agreed Montagnier who is a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. “With thrombosis, etc.”
Thrombosis – or blood clots — have been an unexpected problem linked to the new coronavirus vaccines and the cause of AstraZeneca’s vaccine being pulled in several countries. The head of Canada’s public health agency, Theresa Tam, told a press conference Tuesday that there are now 21 confirmed cases of vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, or VITT, including among three women who died from the blood-clotting disorder potentially linked to AstraZeneca’s vaccine and another 13 cases are under investigation.
Breakthrough cases
Montagnier said that he is currently conducting research with those who have become infected with the coronavirus after getting the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April that it had received 5,800 reports of people who had “breakthrough” COVID after being vaccinated, including 396 people who required hospitalization and 74 patients who died.
“I will show you that they are creating the variants that are resistant to the vaccine,” Montagnier said.
Coronavirus made in a lab
The famous French virologist created waves in April 2020 when he told a French television station that he believed SARS-CoV2, the new pandemic coronavirus, was man-made in a laboratory. The “presence of elements of HIV and germ of malaria in the genome of coronavirus is highly suspect and the characteristics of the virus could not have arisen naturally,” he said.
Though he was ridiculed by French experts for having “a conspiracy vision that does not relate to the real science,” Montagnier published a paper in July 2020 supporting his claims that the novel coronavirus must have originated from human experimentation in a lab – a theory that has recently resurfaced and is currently considered the most likely origin of the virus.
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| New Mexico archbishop: Only vaccinated can sing in church choirs |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-21-2021, 06:54 AM - Forum: Pandemic 2020 [Spiritual]
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New Mexico archbishop: Only vaccinated can sing in church choirs
The archbishop's guidelines also state that only priests or laity who have been vaccinated can distribute Holy Communion on the tongue.
Archbishop John Wester
SANTA FE, New Mexico, May 20, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) – New Mexico’s Archbishop ordered in new “liturgical restriction” guidelines released yesterday that only vaccinated people can sing in church choirs and only priests or laity who have been vaccinated can distribute Holy Communion on the tongue.
“Singing is allowed by choirs only, whose members are to all have been fully vaccinated,” state the Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s May 19 guidelines that were promulgated by Archbishop John C. Wester.
Regarding Communion on the tongue, the guidelines state that Catholics may receive Communion in this way as long as the “distributing minister is fully vaccinated.” Another stipulation for Communion on the tongue is that the “distributing minister sanitizes his/her hands prior to and immediately after distribution.”
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s “COVID-19 Response Team” states that the guidelines come “in response” to the state’s May 14 Public Health Order. The Department of Health’s health order deals with the topic of face masks for those who are fully vaccinated and outlines reopening protocols. At no point does the order mention choirs or ministers of Holy Communion.
The bishop’s order also states that “Masks are to continue to be worn by all except celebrants, deacons, lectors, cantors, and choir members while performing their respective vocal liturgical functions.”
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) stated in a December 2020 guideline that receiving a COVID vaccination "is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary.”
Many Catholics object to the vaccines on account of their connection to the abortion industry in the use of cell lines derived from aborted babies that are used in the manufacture and/or testing of the vaccines. Others object to the experimental nature of the vaccines, pointing out that the vaccines have not been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but have been granted Emergency Use Authorization only.
LifeSite reached out to the Archdiocese’s Vicar General Father Glennon Jones to ask if the guidelines follow the CDF’s directives about the vaccine being voluntary, pointing out that some may see these guidelines as a coercive measure pressuring priests and laity to receive the jab. LifeSite also asked if there are any exceptions to the rules, for instance, allowing pregnant women to sing in the choir who choose not to be vaccinated on account of the experimental nature of the vaccines. LifeSiteNews also asked how the Archdiocese plans to verify people’s vaccine status and what will it do for people who don’t feel comfortable sharing their medical records. No response to these questions was provided by press time.
While the state’s May 14 reopening protocols do allow churches to reopen at 100 percent capacity under certain conditions, the Archdiocese has ordered that “limitations of capacity should remain per the more restrictive guidance.”
“For example, if your county is classified as ‘turquoise,’ church capacity should be restricted to health-recommended 75% rather than the strictly legally allowed 100%,” the guidelines state.
Archbishop Wester, who supports transgenderism and has endorsed Father James Martin’s pro-LGBT book “Building a Bridge,” has previously curbed religious practice in the name of keeping people “safe.” Last month he ordered Catholic churches to continue to restrict capacity even after New Mexico’s governor allowed churches to fully open.
“It is of paramount importance to remember that the Church values everyone's safety and well-being. Life is sacred and we are taking every precaution to protect our people from the coronavirus,” the Archdiocese stated at that time.
Last year, Wester suspended indoor public Mass and regular Confession while keeping his cathedral’s gift shop open for business. He was one of the bishops who last year mandated that Holy Communion be received only in the hand in response to the virus. Also last year, he threatened priests with suspension if their homilies went over five minutes, a time limit that he established so that the faithful inside the churches would not be exposed to others for too long a period.
Contact information for respectful communication:
Archbishop John C. Wester
Archdiocese of Santa Fe
4000 Saint Joseph’s Place NW
Albuquerque, NM 87120
(505) 831-8100
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| May 21st - Sts. Felix of Cantalicio, Godrick, & Hospitius |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-21-2021, 06:33 AM - Forum: May
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ST. FELIX was born of poor but virtuous parents, at Cantalicio, near Citta Ducale, in the Ecclesiastical State, in 1513. For his extraordinary piety, he was from his infancy surnamed the Saint. At the time when in his childhood he kept cattle, and when afterwards he followed tillage and husbandry work, he was careful to sanctify his labor by a perfect spirit of penance. And he accompanied all his actions with devout prayer, so as even then to lead the life rather of a hermit than of a country laborer. He watched during part of the night in holy meditation, and to his painful life he added the austerity of rigorous abstinence and fasting. He contrived, without prejudice to his work, every day to hear mass, and he declined the ordinary amusements of those of his age. Oft in the fields, when he had driven his cattle into some solitary pasture, he would pray for several hours together, at the foot of some tree, before a cross which with his knife he had cut in the bark. At twelve years of age his father put him out to service, in quality first of shepherd, and afterwards of husbandman, in the family of Mark Tully Pichi, a virtuous gentleman who lived at Citta Ducale. In his tender years, before the faculties of his mind were sufficiently opened to qualify him for deep reflection and long meditation, his prayer chiefly consisted of the Our Father, Hail Mary, Creed, and Glory be to the Father, &c., especially of certain petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, which he seemed almost never to cease repeating in the fields with wonderful devotion. He was yet young, when he learned to habituate himself to the practice of holy meditation during his labor, and he soon attained to the perfection of heavenly contemplation, whereby the fire of divine affections is readily kindled in the heart by the least thought on God, as touchwood catches the flame; whereas holy meditation calls in the succor of reasoning drawn from the truths of faith, to excite ardent affections of virtue in the soul. It is a mistake to imagine that this exercise requires learning or sublime thoughts. Pious meditation is not a dry philosophical speculation. It chiefly consists in the affections of the will, and in profound sentiments of adoration, praise, compunction, humility, and other virtues. To be capable of this exercise, it is enough that a person has an understanding to know God, and a heart capable of feeling the power of his love. The most ignorant man can repeat often to God that he desires earnestly to love him, and always to glorify his holy name; he can bewail his ingratitude and sins, confess his weakness, and implore the divine pity and succor. To do this well, the most essential dispositions are humility and simplicity of heart; and to this holy art there is no greater enemy than that worldly science which swells the mind with secret self-sufficiency and pride. Even in a religious house this gift may be often denied to many who are distinguished by their learning or dignities,1 while an illiterate, fervent lay-brother, who by perfect humility, obedience, and self-denial, has crucified in his heart all self-love and inordinate attachments to creatures, finds wings continually to soar to God by high contemplation. Even in the world, our saint, while he followed the plough, attained this gift. The tractableness and instinct of the beasts, the painfulness of his labor, the barrenness of the earth accursed by sin, the vanity of the world, the blindness of sinners, the sight of the heavens, the obedience of all nature, the beauty of the verdant fields, the watered lawns, and hanging forests—every object served to raise his heart to the praise of his Creator, or excite him to deplore in his sight his own spiritual miseries, and his distance from Him. In God, in himself, and in all creatures round about him, he found a perpetual fund of pious thoughts and affections; but the sufferings of our divine Redeemer were the most tender object of his devotions; and he was never weary in contemplating that great mystery, nor in paying to his loving Saviour the homages of adoration, love, and thanksgiving, renewing always the most perfect dedication of himself to his service. He was most humble, charitable, meek, and always cheerful. He spoke little, shunned the company of those whose conduct appeared irregular, abhorred all murmurs, complaints, and impatience. No injury or insult could provoke him to anger; and if any one reviled him, he was wont to say, with an engaging sweetness: “I pray God you may become a saint.” The servant of God found all the means of perfect sanctification in his condition in the world; but God was pleased, for his greater advancement, to call him to a penitential religious state; to which grace two accidents contributed to dispose him. As he was one day driving the plough, at the sight of his master, who came up dressed in black, the young oxen started, and dragged the plough over his body; yet he received no hurt. Gratitude for this merciful deliverance inspired him with an ardent desire of consecrating himself to the divine service. And by hearing soon after the lives of some of the ancient fathers of the desert read at his master’s house, he became extremely desirous to imitate them.
The state of a lay-brother among the Capuchin friars seemed to him best to suit his design. He therefore petitioned for the habit, and was admitted to it at Citta Ducale. The guardian, when he gave him the habit, showed him a crucifix, explaining to him what our Saviour had suffered for us, and in what manner we ought to imitate him, by a life of humiliation and self-denial. At that moving sight, Felix burst into a flood of tears, and felt in his breast a vehement desire of bearing in himself, by the mortification of the flesh, the image of the sufferings of that Man-God, by which he might resemble his crucified master, and subdue in himself the old man. He performed his novitiate at Anticoli, and appeared already filled with the perfect spirit of his order, especially with a sincere love of poverty, humiliations, and the cross. He often cast himself at the feet of his master of novices, earnestly begging him to double his penances and mortifications, and to treat him with greater harshness and severity than the rest, who, he said, were more docile, and naturally more inclined to virtue. By this holy hatred and contempt of himself, he laid the foundation of so eminent a degree of sanctity that his fellow-religious usually called him the Saint. He was thirty years of age when he made his solemn vows, in 1545; four years after which he was settled in the convent of his order in Rome, and appointed questor, whose office it is to collect the daily alms for the subsistence of the community. This office requires a person of eminent virtue and prudence, and already perfect in the spirit of his order, who may be able to resist that of the world, which is that of covetousness and dissipation, capitally contrary to his strictest obligations.* But the frequent occasions of humiliation, contempt, and suffering which attended this action, afford occasions for the exercise of penance, humility, patience, meekness, and other virtues. In this circumstance Felix thought himself most happy for no ambitious man is more greedy of honors than Felix appeared to be of contempt, which, out of sincere humility, he looked upon as his due. His recollection suffered no interruption. He never spoke unless obliged by necessity, and then in very few words, and with an edifying prudence and humility. He walked with his eyes east down, but his heart was always raised to God by prayer. No objects seemed to turn his mind from heavenly things, because he restrained his eyes from curiosity or vanity, and considered God and his will in every thing. He was much delighted with acts of praise, adoration, and thanksgiving; and he often repeated to others the words Deo gratias, inviting them to join with him in thanking God for all things. With the leave of his superiors, who placed an entire confidence in his piety and discretion, he assisted the poor abundantly out of the alms which he gathered. He visited the sick with the most tender charity, and sucked himself their most loathsome ulcers. He admonished sinners, and exhorted all to piety, especially dying persons, with a most moving unction and prudence. St. Philip Neri often conversed with him, being wonderfully delighted with that excellent spirit of humility and piety which he discovered in his soul, and in his whole deportment. When St. Charles Borromeo had sent the rules which he had drawn up for his Oblates at Milan, to St. Philip Neri, begging him to revise them, St. Philip excused himself and referred the book to our poor lay-brother. St. Felix declined the commission, alleging that he was an illiterate person. But being commanded in obedience to hear the rules read to him, to speak to every part, and direct what he thought best to be altered, he obeyed; and some things of great moment he advised to be expunged as too difficult, with which St. Charles complied, expressing his admiration at our humble saint’s heavenly discretion.*
He always preserved his purity unspotted both in mind and body, guarding it by the strictest watchfulness over his senses, especially his eyes; and he never looked any woman in the face. He walked always barefoot, even without sandals, and chastised his body with incredible austerities; he wore a shirt of iron links and plates studded with rough spikes: and when he could do it without too remarkable a singularity, he fasted on bread and water: on the last three days in Lent he ate nothing at all. He privately used to pick out of the baskets the crusts left by the other religious for his own dinner. He watched a great part of the nights in prayer, allowing himself only two or three hours for sleep, which he usually took on his knees, leaning his head against a fagot, or lying down on the boards, or on twigs. At the least sign given him by any superior, he was always ready to do whatever was ordered him. He always called himself the ass or beast of burden, to serve the community, and regarded himself as one who was not to be ranked among the religious brethren. He thought himself unworthy even to converse with them; and on that account, when with them, he spoke very little. If any one contradicted him in indifferent things, he readily acquiesced in what they said, and was silent. When he ate alone, and thought no one saw him, he practised excessive austerities; but when he dined in company with others, he endeavored ordinarily to shun any singularity that could be taken notice of. It was his study to conceal from others, as much as possible, all heavenly favors which he received, and to avoid whatever might give them a good opinion of him. He disguised his mortifications under various pretences, and excused his going without sandals saying he walked more easily without them, but suppressed the inconveniences he felt in that mortification. In serving at mass, he was sometimes so overpowered by the abundance of his tears, and transported in ecstasies of divine love, that he was not able to answer the priest. The fire of divine love which burned in his breast, made him often sing short spiritual canticles, which it also inspired him to compose in a plain, simple style, but full of heavenly sentiments. In singing them he was often seen quite ravished and absorbed in God. He had the most ardent devotion to the passion of Christ, and in meditating on it usually watered the ground with abundant tears. The habitual union of his heart with God, made him often not perceive others near him, and sometimes he did not know who had been his companion abroad. When a certain brother in religion asked him how he could preserve so perfect a recollection amidst the variety of objects which he met in his office abroad, he answered: “Why, brother, every creature in the world will raise our hearts to God, if we look upon it with a good eye.” The extraordinary raptures with which he was often favored in prayer, are not to be expressed by words. He performed the office of the brother questor for his community in Rome forty years. When he was grown old, the cardinal protector, who loved him exceedingly for his extraordinary virtue, told his superiors that they ought now to ease him of that burden. But Felix begged that he might be shown no indulgence, lest by receiving earthly favors, he should be deprived of those which are heavenly; for the soul grows more sluggish if the body be too much cherished. Being seventy-two years old, he foretold his death to several companions, and to certain persons that lay dying. He soon after fell sick of a fever, and was comforted by a vision of the Blessed Virgin, accompanied with many holy angels. Shortly after this favor, he, in great spiritual joy, expired on the 18th of May, 1587. Many miracles were juridically approved, and St. Felix was beatified by Urban VIII., in 1625, and canonized by Clement XI., in 1721, though the bull of his canonization was only published by Benedict XIII., in 1724.2 His body remains in the church of his order in Rome.
St. Felix, though little in the eyes of the world and in his own, was great before God. The poverty of a Lazarus, abandoned by all, but suffering with patience, resignation, and humility, is something far more glorious and more desirable than the most glittering sceptres. God will condemn the renowned exploits of those false divinities of the earth who have filled the world with the sound of their name; but he crowns the least desire of a humble heart employed in loving him. A person who lives in the world is bound to make all his actions perfect sacrifices to God, and purity of intention converts the works of any secular calling into the works of God. But this can only be formed and maintained in a life in which a constant spirit of piety animates the soul, and a considerable time is reserved for exercises of interior devotion. Let no man take sanctuary in purity of intention who suffers the works of his secular profession, much less company or pleasures, to engross his soul, and entirely to usurp his time. A life of business, and still more a life of pleasure, entangle and ensnare the mind, and leave in it a peculiar relish which is incompatible with pure heavenly desires, and a value for those maxims of the gospel wherein true heavenly wisdom consists, or with a serious constant application to the mortification of self-love and the passions.
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| Fully Vaccinated People in Oregon Must Show Proof of Vaccination Status in Order to Enter Businesses |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-21-2021, 06:10 AM - Forum: COVID Passports
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IT BEGINS: Fully Vaccinated People in Oregon Must Show Proof of Vaccination Status in Order to Enter Businesses Without a Mask
GP | May 20, 2021
Oregon has gone from a liberal hell hole to 1930s Germany overnight.
The Oregon Health Authority is now requiring businesses and religious institutions to enforce mask mandates by forcing people to show proof of vaccination.
The CDC last week updated its mask guidance and said fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoors.
In order to prevent the unvaccinated from walking around unmasked, Oregon health officials are now creating a caste system by marking the unvaxxed lepers.
“Businesses, employers and faith institutions now have the option to adjust their masking guidance to allow fully vaccinated individuals to no longer wear a mask in their establishments,” OHA’s website said. “Businesses, employers and faith institutions doing so must have a policy in place to check the vaccination status of all individuals before they enter their establishment. Businesses, employers and faith institutions who do not create such policies will maintain the same masking guidance listed below, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status.”
[Emphasis mine.]
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| Tens of thousands march in Lithuania to defend marriage, traditional family values |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-21-2021, 05:56 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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Tens of thousands march in Lithuania to defend marriage, traditional family values
Recently, the parliament drafted legislation allowing civil unions for same-sex couples.
Pro-family protest in Vilnius
VILNIUS, Lithuania, May 19, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — In order to protest anti-family legislation, tens of thousands took to the streets of Lithuania to defend traditional family values on May 15.
While Lithuania is a traditionally Catholic country, the current parliament has been pushing the LGBT agenda. Recently, the parliament drafted legislation allowing civil unions for same-sex couples.
According to a 2019 Eurobarometer survey, 70 percent of Lithuanians oppose the legal recognition of same-sex unions. In response to the draft legislation, Lithuanian citizens organized “The Great Family Defense March,” the first largescale protest in many years.
On the morning of May 15, thousands of citizens traveled to the capital city, Vilnius. The car line-up of people driving from country homes to the city was several miles long. They gathered in Vingis Park, many carrying the Lithuanian flag and coat of arms.
A Lithuanian source told LifeSite that the march aimed to stop the legislation process of the Istanbul Convention, “which is advertised as a means of protecting women from violence when in reality it validates the concept of gender [ideology].” They also hoped to stop parliament from legalizing same-sex “marriage.”
“We hope that this march will not be forgotten and that its goals will continue to motivate people to take action,” the source continued. “This could be a great chance for smaller existing conservative parties to grow their influence and fight for the truth.”
The Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda spoke to the protesters via video recording.
He promised to do his best to uphold traditional marriage between one man and one woman. “Marriage is constituted by the free consent of a man and a woman,” he stated. “As president, I will use my powers for this to be realized.”
At the march, protesters were blessed by the chaplain of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Father Robertas Grigas, who was part of an anti-Soviet resistance group before the fall of the Iron Curtain, told the people, “We are waiting for and demanding that our elected government would represent not the interests of small exotic groups, but the problems that are important to the whole nation.”
The main organizer of the event, Raimondas Grinevičius, asked, “[What] has Lithuania come to that on The International Day of Families, when we should be celebrating, dancing and singing, we must all come here to defend our families from a total, without using strong language, misunderstanding?”
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| May 20th – St Bernardine of Siena, Confessor |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-20-2021, 10:07 AM - Forum: May
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May 20 – St Bernardine of Siena, Confessor
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In that Season of the Liturgical Year when we were loving and praying around the Crib of the Infant Jesus, one of its days was devoted to our celebrating the glory and sweetness of his Name. Holy Church was full of joy in pronouncing the dear Name chosen, from all eternity, by her heavenly Spouse; and mankind found consolation in the thought that the great God, who might so justly have bid us call him the Just and the Avenger, willed us henceforth to call him the Savior. The devout Bernardin of Sienna, whose feast we keep today, stood then before us, holding in his hands this ever blessed Name, surrounded with rays. He urged the whole earth to venerate, with love and confidence, the sacred Name which expresses the whole economy of our salvation. The Church, ever attentive to what is for the good of her Children, adopted the beautiful device. She encouraged them to receive it from the Saint, as a shield that would protect them against the darts of the evil spirit, and as an additional means for reminding us of the exceeding charity wherewith God has loved this world of ours. And finally, when the loveliness of the Holy Name of Jesus had won all Christian hearts, she instituted, in its honor, one of the most beautiful solemnities of Christmastide.
Bernardin, the worthy son of St. Francis of Assisi, returns to us on this twentieth day of May, and the sweet flower of the Holy Name is, of course, in his hand. But it is not now the prophetic appellation of the newborn Babe; it is not the endearing Name, respectfully and lovingly whispered by the Virgin-Mother over the Crib;—it is the Name, whose sound has gone through the whole creation, it is the trophy of the grandest of victories, it is the fulfillment of all that was prophesied. The Name of Jesus was a promise to mankind of a Savior; Jesus has saved mankind by dying and rising again; he is now Jesus in the full sense of the word. Go where you will, and you hear his Name—the Name that has united men into the one great family of the Church.
The chief priests of the Synagogue strove to stifle the Name of Jesus, for it was even then winning men’s hearts. They forbade the Apostles to teach in this Name; and it was on this occasion that Peter uttered the words which embody the whole energy of the Church: We ought to obey God, rather than men. The Synagogue might as well have tried to stay the course of the sun. So too, when the mighty power of the Roman Empire set itself against the triumphant progress of this Name, and would annul the decree that every knee should bow at its sound—there was not merely a failure, but at the end of three centuries, the Name of Jesus was heard and loved in every city and hamlet of the Empire.
Armed with this sacred motto, Bernardin traversed the towns of Italy, which, at that period (the 15th century) were at enmity with each other and, not unfrequently, were torn with domestic strifes. The Name of Jesus, which he carried in his hand, became as a rainbow of reconciliation; and wheresoever he set it up, there every knee bowed down, every vindictive heart was appeased, and sinners hastened to the sacrament of pardon. The three letters (I H S), which represent this Name, became familiar to the Faithful; they were everywhere to be seen, carved or engraven or painted; and the Catholic world thus gained a new form whereby to express its adoration and love of its Savior.
Bernardin was a preacher whose eloquence was of heaven’s inspiring. He was also a distinguished master in the science of sacred things, as is proved by the Writings he has left us. We regret not being able, from want of space, to give our readers his words on the greatness of the Paschal mystery; but we cannot withhold from them what he says regarding Jesus’ appearing to his Blessed Mother, after the Resurrection. They will be rejoiced at finding unity of doctrine on this interesting subject, existing between the Franciscan School, represented by St. Bernardin, and the School of St. Dominic, whose testimony we have already given, on the Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer.
Quote:“From the fact of there being no mention made in the Gospel of the visit wherewith Christ consoled his Mother, after his Resurrection, we are not to conclude that this most merciful Jesus—the source of all grace and consolation, who was so anxious to gladden his Disciples by his presence—forgot his Mother, who he knew had drunk so deeply of the bitterness of his Passion. But it has pleased divine Providence that the Gospel should be silent on this subject; and this for three reasons.
“In the first place, because of the firmness of Mary’s Faith. The confidence which the Virgin-Mother had of her Son’s rising again, had never faltered, not even by the slightest doubt. this we can readily believe, if we reflect on the special grace wherewith she was filled, she the Mother of the Man-God, the Queen of Angels, and the Mistress of the world. To a truly enlightened mind, the silence of the Scripture, on this subjects, says more than any affirmation could have done. We have learned to know something of Mary by the visit she received from the Angel, when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her. We met her again at the foot of the Cross, where she, the Mother of Sorrows, stood nigh her dying Son. If then the Apostle could say: As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation:—what share must not the Virgin Mother have had in the joys of the Resurrection? We should hold it as a certain truth, that her most sweet Jesus, after his Resurrection, consoled her first of all. The holy Roman Church would seem to express this, by celebrating at Saint Mary Major’s the Station of Easter Sunday. Moreover, if, from the silence of the Evangelist, you would conclude that our Risen Lord did not appear to her first—you must go further, and say that he did not appear to her at all, inasmuch as these same Evangelists, when relating the several apparitions, did not mention a single one as made to her. Now, such a conclusion as this would savor of impiety.
“In the second place, the silence of the Gospel is explained by the incredulity of men. The object of the Holy Spirit, when dictating the Gospels, was to describe such Apparitions as would remove all doubt, from carnal-minded men, with regard to the Resurrection of Christ. The fact of Mary’s being his Mother would have weakened her testimony, at least in their eyes. For this reason, she was not brought forward as a witness, though, most assuredly, there never was or will be any creature (the humanity of her Son alone excepted) whose assertion better deserved the confidence of every truly pious soul. But the text of the Gospel was not to adduce any testimonies, save such as might be offered to the whole world. As to Jesus’ Apparition to his Mother, the Holy Ghost has left it to be believed by those that are enlightened by his light.
“In the third place, this silence is explained by the sublime nature of the Apparition itself. The Gospel says nothing regarding the Mother of Christ, after the Resurrection; and the reason is that her interviews with her Son were so sublime and ineffable, that no words could have described them. There are two sorts of visions: one is merely corporal, and feeble in proportion; the other is mainly in the soul, and is granted only to such as have been transformed. Say, if you will, that Magdalene was the first to have the merely corporal vision, provided that you admit that the Blessed Virgin saw, previously to Magdalene, and in a far sublimer way, her Risen Jesus, that she recognized him, and enjoyed his sweet embraces in her soul, more even than in her body.”
Let us now read the Life of our Saint, as given, though too briefly, in the Lessons of today’s Office.
Quote:Bernardin Albizeschi, whose parents were of a noble family of Sienna, gave evident marks of sanctity from his earliest years. He was well brought up by his pious parents. When studying the first rudiments of grammar, he despised the favorite past-times of children, and applied himself to works of piety, especially fasting, prayer, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin. His charity to the poor was extraordinary. In order the better to practice these virtues, he, later on, entered the Confraternity, which gave to the Church so many saintly men, and was attached to the hospital of our Lady of Scala, in Sienna. It was there that, while leading a most mortified life himself, he, with incredible charity, took care of the sick, during the time when a terrible pestilence was raging in the city. Amongst his other virtues, he was preeminent for chastity, although he had many dangers to encounter, owing to the beauty of his person. Such was the respect he inspired, that no one, however lost to shame, ever dared to say an improper word in his presence.
After a serious illness of four months, which he bore with the greatest patience, he began to think of entering the religious life. As a preparation for such a step, he hired, in the farthest outskirts of the city, a little hut, in which he hid himself, leading a most austere life, and assiduously beseeching God to make known to him the path he was to follow. A divine inspiration led him to prefer to all other Orders, that of St. Francis. Accordingly, he entered, and soon began to excel in humility, patience, and the other virtues of a Religious man. The Guardian of the Convent perceiving this, and having previously known that Bernardin was well versed in the sacred sciences, he imposed the duty of preaching upon him. The Saint most humbly accepted the office, though he was aware that the weakness and hoarseness of his voice unfitted him for it: but he sought God’s help, and was miraculously freed from these impediments.
Italy was, at that time, overrun with vice and crime; and, in consequence of deadly factions, all laws, both divine and human, were disregarded. It was then that Bernardin went through the towns and villages, preaching the Name of Jesus, which was ever on his lips and heart. Such was the effect of his words and example, that piety and morals were, in great measure, restored. Several important cities, that had witnessed his zeal, petitioned the Pope to allow them to have Bernardin for their Bishop; but the Saint’s humility was not to be overcome, and he rejected every offer. At length, after going through countless labors in God’s service, after many and great miracles, after writing several pious and learned books, he died a happy death, at the age of sixty-six, in a town of the Abruzzi, called Aquila. New miracles were daily being wrought through his intercession; and, at length, in the sixth year after his death, he was canonized by Pope Nicholas V.
How beautiful, O Bernardin, are the rays that form the aureola round the Name of Jesus! How soft their light on that eighth day after his birth, when he received this Name! But how dazzling, now that this Jesus achieves our salvation, not only by humiliation and suffering, but by the triumph of his Resurrection! Thou comest to us, O Bernardin, in the midst of the Paschal glory of the Name of Jesus. This Name, for which thou didst so lovingly and zealously labor, gives thee to share in its immortal victory. Now, therefore, pour forth upon us, even more abundantly than when thou wast here on earth, the treasures of love, admiration and hope, of which this divine Name is the source, and cleanse the eyes of our soul, that we may, one day, be enabled to join thee in contemplating its beauty and magnificence.
Apostle of peace! Italy, whose factions were so often quelled by thee, may well number thee among her protectors. Behold her now a prey to the enemies of Jesus, rebellious against the Church of God, and abandoned to her fate. Oh! forget not that she is thy native land, that she was obedient to thy preaching, and that thy memory was long most dear to her. Intercede in her favor; deliver her from her oppressors; and show that when earthly armies fail, the hosts of heaven can always save both cities and countries.
Illustrious son of the great Patriarch of Assisi! the seraphic Order venerates thee as one of its main supports. Thou didst reanimate it to its primitive observance; continue, now from heaven, to protect the work thou commencedst here on earth. The Order of St. Francis is one of the grandest consolations of holy Mother Church; make this Order forever flourish, protect it in its trials, give it increase in proportion to the necessities of the Faithful; for thou art the second Father of this venerable family, and thy prayers are powerful with the Redeemer, whose glorious Name thou confessedst upon earth.
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