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Sunday 15 July 2012

Poll


Maybe because it is summer, although the silly season really does not start until August in London, I have another poll on the side-bar. More basic than desert-island questions....

Beating the old drum of rebellion


The Catholic Herald is the best in English Catholic newspapers, but far from perfect. A headline in this week's is "English priest who says Humanae Vitae is infallible is named bishop."

Of course, I hate to tell the person who wrote the headline, but many of us have known that HV is infallible ever since the encyclical was published from the Chair of Peter.


I marvel at the ignorance and rebellion of so many Catholics here. And, remember, the Tablet led the rebellious troops with its instant rejection of HV when it was published.

Now, the article seems positive, but why the toddler-tantrum headline?

The CH needs to get rid of Fr. Ronald Rolheiser's column for another thing.

One of my smart sem friends states that the Church only needs to ask three things of a young man who wants to be a priest. He is in a seminary in the States. His List: 1) Do you believe in the Church's stand on lgtbs? 2) Do you love the Blessed Virgin? 3) Do you agree with and uphold Humanae Vitae? Asking those questions would sort things out a bit...

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Pray for Us


The Carmelites in  Medina, Malta reminded me today of this hymn. It is attributed to St. Simon Stock. We celebrate Our Lady of Mt Carmel on July 16th. This version in from wiki, as well as the translation. I have been in the Basilica of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Valletta several times. It is an amazing Church.


Flos Carmeli, vitis florigera, splendor caeli, virgo puerpera singularis.
Mater mitis sed viri nescia Carmelitis esto propitia stella maris.
Radix Iesse germinans flosculum nos ad esse tecum in saeculum patiaris.
Inter spinas quae crescis lilium serva puras mentes fragilium tutelaris.
Armatura fortis pugnantium furunt bella tende praesidium scapularis.
Per incerta prudens consilium per adversa iuge solatium largiaris.
Mater dulcis Carmeli domina, plebem tuam reple laetitia qua bearis.
Paradisi clavis et ianua, fac nos duci quo, Mater, gloria coronaris. Amen. (Alleluia.)

FLOWER of Carmel, Tall vine blossom laden; Splendor of heaven, Childbearing yet maiden. None equals thee.
Mother so tender, Who no man didst know, On Carmel's children Thy favors bestow. Star of the Sea.
Strong stem of Jesse, Who bore one bright flower, Be ever near us And guard us each hour, who serve thee here.
Purest of lilies, That flowers among thorns, Bring help to the true heart That in weakness turns and trusts in thee.
Strongest of armor, We trust in thy might: Under thy mantle, Hard press'd in the fight, we call to thee.
Our way uncertain, Surrounded by foes, Unfailing counsel You give to those who turn to thee.
O gentle Mother Who in Carmel reigns, Share with your servants That gladness you gained and now enjoy.
Hail, Gate of Heaven, With glory now crowned, Bring us to safety Where thy Son is found, true joy to see. Amen. (Alleluia.)

Pray for the people of Japan, please

http://www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com/2011/03/pray-for-japan.html




Please pray for Japan. Another tragedy of rain and mud have stricken the people. Here is a link.

A Rose for All the Little Ones

For all of my friends who love St. Therese, here is a rose for you today.


God bless all my brothers and sisters who are the Little Ones, unknown to the public, living quiet, holy lives. For A, S, E, Z, R, T, J, G, P, M and M, J, M, M, Z, T, D, B, C, A, I, D, M, D, J, H, ( no repeats here, just friends with names beginning with the same letters), et al.

Flying Novena to the Infant of Prague

A reader was writing to me about "express" novenas yesterday, and I remembered this "flying" novena which I say at least once a year, and one which is very old (pre-Vatican II). It is the Flying Novena to the Infant of Prague, and one says it for nine hours in a row, same time each hour, in one day, or the usual nine days. The nine hour novena is very hard and I think harder than the daily one..


Here it is:

NOVENA TO THE
INFANT OF PRAGUE

(This Novena is to be said at the same time every hour for Nine consecutive hours in just one day).
O Jesus, Who hast said,
ask and you shall receive,
seek and you shall find,
knock and it shall be opened to you,
through the intercession of Mary,
Thy Most Holy Mother,
I knock, I seek,
I ask that my prayer be granted.

(Make your request)

O Jesus, Who hast said,
all that you ask of the Father in My Name,
He will grant you. 
Through the intercession of Mary,
Thy most Holy Mother, 
I humbly and urgently ask Thy Father
in Thy Name that my prayer be granted.

(Make your request)

O Jesus, Who hast said,
"Heaven and earth shall pass away
but My word shall not pass",
through the intercession of Mary,
Thy Most Holy Mother,
I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.

(Make your request)

Syria Build-Up



Are any of you all paying attention to the build up of the military in the Middle East? Both Russia and the USA are and have been sending ships, helicopters, men, etc. into the area. I suggest you read, and pray.

Here is a report:


Russia has sent a naval flotilla of six warships led by an anti-submarine destroyer to its naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.
The Admiral Chabanenko and three landing craft have left their home port of Severomorsk in the Arctic Circle on their way to the Mediterranean where they will be joined by the Russian patrol ship Yaroslav Mudry as well as an assistance vessel, a military source told the agency.
"The program of the voyage includes a call in the Syrian port of Tartus," the unnamed source told the news agency.
The source said the trip was taking place in line with the plans of military readiness of the Russian fleet. According to Interfax, the source insisted that the deployment "was not linked to the escalation of the situation in Syria."


And another report from the same site and their point of view on this:


Russia Today  July 14, 2012
With sanctions against Iran gradually showing their ineffectiveness, Washington is escalating the situation in the Persian Gulf, as if encouraging Tehran to attack first, a US politics professor told RT.
Amid pressure mounting on Tehran, a major Indian company, United India Insurance Co., has agreed to provide insurance for tankers carrying oil from Iran. Insurances are vital for sea transportation. Without insurance, tankers are unable to deliver oil from one destination to another.
The decision of an Indian company means a serious blow to the effectiveness of the US sanctions against Iran in a bid to crank up the pressure over the country's nuclear activities. The sanctions target companies accused of breaching a European ban on buying oil from Tehran.

The sending out of the twelve...



Mark 6: 7 - 13  A call for all of us and notice, they are in twos, not alone...

And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.10 And he said to them, "Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.11 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them."12 So they went out and preached that men should repent.13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.



What is interesting to me about this passage are these points, today: that Christ sent them out in twos to learn to share, for discernment, for companionship, for prayer; that Christ told them to take nothing, as He wanted them to trust in His Father and to trust in simplicity; that Christ told them when to leave a place, when the two found people closed and unwilling to listen to the Gospel; that Christ told them to teach repentance, not being nice; and that power came from all of this. Notice also, that Christ sent out His disciples before His Passion and Resurrection. Think on that... we go out in imperfection but are led to the Cross and Resurrection at some time.

Novena to St. Ann Coming Up Soon


These prayers are from the EWTN site. The novena prayers, which start on July 17th, may be found on the blue links. For my friends who are devoted to St. Ann.

She is one of the many patrons of this blog and one of my names. Her feast day is July 26th.

DAILY PRAYER TO SAINT ANN
O glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present intention which I recommend to you in your special care.

Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our Father, . . . Hail Mary . . .
O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann, help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.