Rorate Caeli News on SSPX

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/05/rome-sspx-fellay-speaks-in-vienna-words.html

Rome-SSPX - Fellay speaks in Vienna: the words of Pope Benedict XVI
Following his visit to Salzburg, the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX), Bishop Bernard Fellay, was in Vienna yesterday, for confirmations of local faithful. He had additional words on the current relationship with Rome, including some words of Pope Benedict XVI:
"You have surely heard that, in the last few months, Rome has offered us a solution - we could rather say, a recognition.
"This structure that is being offered to the Society is in fact entirely appropriate. That is, if it actually takes place, you will feel absolutely no difference between now and afterwards. We will remain as we are, so to speak. The problem is the [existence of] safeguards: will it actually happen this way? The fear is great that we will be transformed. ...
"It is quite clear that this offer is also very, very controversial in the Church at large. I can assure you: It is the will of the Pope. This must not be doubted. But it is certainly not the will of everyone in the Church.
"Whether this will come to fruition depends on terms that are not yet clear terms. There are still points that remain unclear. It could happen that, in the upcoming days, weeks - it is very hard to ascertain this - the Pope will decide directly. It could be that he takes the case back to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. There is a lot of pressure in Rome. Which is why I couldn't say more than this. That is the current status.
"One must not think that things will be easy afterwards. To use the words of the Pope that describe the situation quite well: 'I know,' he said, 'that it would be easier both for the Society and for myself to leave the situation as it currently is.' This describes very well the situation, and also that the Pope himself knows that he, when he does it, will be attacked. And also that the situation will not be easy for us. That which will arise out of this situation will be with Rome or against it. Both of which will be difficult.
"Yet we have trust in the good God. He has guided us very well so far. We must not think that, praying so much, He would abandon us in the moment of greatest danger. That would be [a thought] against hope. We are counting on God's assistance. His will be done.

Confirmation Series One

I had decided to continue looking at the Sacraments of Initiation on this blog. As readers know, I have been looking carefully at Baptism, the greatly misunderstood sacrament. Today, I am starting a mini-series on Confirmation, another misunderstood sacrament.


Part of the misunderstanding is simply the lack of good catechesis. In addition, many lay persons are stuck in magical thinking, about which I have written many times here. To receive a sacrament is not  "to be saved", as in the Protestant idea of the fundamental option, either. See Veritatis Splendor for an update on that theological error. We have all the information we need online and in print to be educated Catholic adults.


Here follow a few points from the Church's teaching on Confirmation. And, I am reminded of St. Rita today, whose Secret in the 1962 Missal I have reads. "We pray thee, Lord, through the merits of Saint Rita, to pierce our hearts with the thorns of divine suffering; by the grace deliver us from all sin, and enable us to offer thee with pure hearts the sacrifice of praise through our Lord."


As in any of the sacraments, our hearts and minds are lifted up to God.


The CCC is a good place to start with some of the points relating to Confirmation. I cannot cover much today, but will write three or so posts this week. This is merely the first.


I am going to start a bit backwards, but as I was an RCIA coordinator and teacher in the past, this is where one starts. Not everyone can receive the sacrament of Confirmation. And, before all my Byzantine brothers and sisters chime in, let me say I agree one-hundred percent with the Sacraments of Initiation all being given together, in infancy, as done in the Eastern Rite. I wish we had not separated the Sacraments of Initiation.


Having said that and as this post in on the custom in the Latin Rite, let me continue by quoting the CCC.

IV. WHO CAN RECEIVE THIS SACRAMENT?

1306 Every baptized person not yet confirmed can and should receive the sacrament of Confirmation.¹²³ Since Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist form a unity, it follows that "the faithful are obliged to receive this sacrament at the appropriate time,"¹²⁴ for without Confirmation and Eucharist, Baptism is certainly valid and efficacious, but Christian initiation remains incomplete.

So the CCC admits initiation in incomplete without Confirmation. One, however, must be baptized with a Trinitarian baptism and not one made "in the Name of Jesus", which is happening more and more in non-denominational Christian communities. One must check this out, as sometimes I have discovered in the past, that my candidate needs to back-track to baptismal preparation.

1307 For centuries, Latin custom has indicated "the age of discretion" as the reference point for receiving Confirmation. But in danger of death children should be confirmed even if they have not yet attained the age of discretion.¹²⁵

Very few Catholic parents realize that even before the traditional age of discretion, which is still seven in the Church, a child in the Latin Rite, under a threat of death, may be baptized. 

1308 Although Confirmation is sometimes called the "sacrament of Christian maturity," we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need "ratification" to become effective. St. Thomas reminds us of this:

Age of body does not determine age of soul. Even in childhood man can attain spiritual maturity: as the book of Wisdom says: "For old age is not honored for length of time, or measured by number of years. "Many children, through the strength of the Holy Spirit they have received, have bravely fought for Christ even to the shedding of their blood.¹²⁶

This point must be emphasized, as the laity is confused here. Confirmation is not bar mitzvah or an adult appropriation of the Faith, as we must do that our entire lives. It is NOT a rite of passage. Confirmation is, again, a beginning sacrament for those who are being initiated into the Catholic Faith. We also underestimate the need for the virtuous life and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In this time, children more than ever need sanctifying grace.

1309 Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit - his actions, his gifts, and his biddings - in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. To this end catechesis for Confirmation should strive to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church as well as the parish community. The latter bears special responsibility for the preparation of confirmands.¹²⁷

In diocese where I worked, Confirmation was at least a nine month, academic year process of teaching and initiation. Preparation cannot happen in a few weeks, as this is physically and mentally impossible, as well as spiritually dubious. Notice the last line, the community, that is the entire parish, but especially the family of the confirmand, takes responsibility for training. This cannot be left merely to the priest or religious education leader. The confirmand is part of a group which is practicing its Faith and is going out into that community to continue to feed that life of Faith in the community. I hear in England the phrase, "Oh, we lose the youth after Confirmation." If this is the case, either there was not enough preparation, or poor catechesis, or the youth were not in sanctifying grace to begin with and therefore, did not receive the graces of the sacrament. See below.

1310 To receive Confirmation one must be in a state of grace. One should receive the sacrament of Penance in order to be cleansed for the gift of the Holy Spirit. More intense prayer should prepare one to receive the strengthand graces of the Holy Spirit with docility and readiness to act.¹²⁸

Perhaps this is my most important emphasis today. One must be in sanctifying grace to receive the sacrament. One must be a practicing Catholic. If one is not prepared to be a practicing Catholic and continue to be so after Confirmation, then the person is simply NOT ready to receive the sacrament. Again, there is no magic here. The sacraments are given without the framework of the life of the Church. One cannot receive grace in mortal sin and it is a mortal sin for a baptized Catholic not to be going to yearly Confession and weekly Mass on Sunday. 

This point is simply ignored in many areas, and it is, frankly, an abuse of the sacramental preparation and an misunderstanding of the theology of the sacraments.

1311 Candidates for Confirmation, as for Baptism, fittingly seek the spiritual help of a sponsor. To emphasize the unity of the two sacraments, it is appropriate that this be one of the baptismal godparents.¹²⁹

I know situations in parishes where a sponsor is literally grabbed by the priest or religious education coordinator before the Mass to stand as a sponsor. This is horrible. In some dioceses, there are sponsoring classes. and I when I was an RCIA coordinator, the sponsors came to the first few sessions with the candidates and came on one of the two retreats we had-one with those coming into the Church and the catechumens, and one which included the sponsors.

I understand the pressure from parents and in some parishes regarding Confirmation. But, I am reminded of Bonhoeffer on Cheap and Costly Grace. Either we do it right, or it is a travesty of our Faith. Confirmation is not a numbers game for a diocese to claim how many people have been confirmed in a year, nor is it a salve on the consciences of parents who just drop the kids off or sit in the car while classes are going on. I applaud the dioceses which have now included the parents in the Confirmation preparation. It is the only way, unless a young person, and I have known some as young as nine and eleven, come forward themselves for Confirmation and take the responsibility of living out the Catholic life after this sacrament.

Here is one parish with which I am familiar in name, as some of my family lived in this diocese and the process is similar in several parishes. The Confimation prep is a year. http://www.sfx-kc.org/index.php/sacraments/

St.Francis Xavier Parish offers preparation classes for the Sacrament of Confirmation for high school freshmen and sophomores (and older students), following the guidelines established by the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph, every other year. The next Confirmation Prep class will be offered during the 2011-2012 school year. Contact Mariann McCormally for more information

.Confirmation Documents for CONFIRMATION 2012

We offer an INTENSE preparation process for those young men and women

seeking to complete their initiation into the Catholic Christian church by the

Sacrament of Confirmation. This process includes: instruction, retreats and

prayer, and experiences of service and advocacy. Liturgical celebrations

and rituals at Sunday mass punctuate the transitions through the process.

What’s next?

+ a personal interview with one of the Confirmation team leaders

+ the choosing of a sponsor

+ participation in experiences of service and advocacy

+ Palm Sunday Reading of The Passion

Sunday, April 17, 2011

10:30 Mass

+ our first candidate session

Sunday, May 15, 2011

12:00 noon – 2:00 pm

+ a “Walking Retreat” and Sponsor-Candidate Event

Sunday, June 12, 2011

12:00 noon – 6:00 pm

…candidates will participate in a “walking retreat” on Pentecost Sunday

afternoon…we will return to the parish and be joined by the sponsors at 4:00

pm…our retreat afternoon will conclude with a shared meal…

+ Ignatius Day Celebration

Sunday, July 31, 2011

10:30 am Mass + PicnicCONFIRMATION 2012

…all classes will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church…

…12:00 noon- 2:00 pm…

Sunday, September 11, 2011 CLASS

Sunday, September 25, 2011 CLASS

Sunday, October 9, 2011 CLASS

Sunday, October 23, 2009 CLASS

Sunday, November 6, 2011 RITE OF ENROLLMENT and CLASS with SPONSORS

Sunday, November 20, 2011 CLASS (NCYC Pilgrims No-Penalty Absence)

Sunday, December 11, 2011 SFX CHRISTMAS COOKIE PROJECT

Sunday, January 8, 2012 CLASS

Sunday, January 22, 2012 CLASS

Sunday, February 12, 2012 CLASS

Sunday, February 26, 2012 RETREAT DAY

Sunday, March 4, 2012 RITE OF COVENANT and CLASS with SPONSORS

Sunday, March 25, 2012 CLASS and LETTER TO PASTOR DUE

Sunday, April 1, 2012 PALM SUNDAY PASSION READING at 10:30 Liturgy

Sunday, April 15, 2012 CLASS

Sunday, April 29, 2012 LAST CLASS

Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 7:15 pm REHEARSAL for CONFIRMATION CEREMONY

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm CELEBRATION OF CONFIRMATION

St. Francis Xavier Parish and Visitation Parish will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

at St. Francis Xavier.

Goodbye to Kent

This is the last day of my vacation in Kent. Out of the thirty-five days I have been here, the sun has shone five days, the fog has taken over the area about ten days, and the rain has pelted down thirty days or so. But, the worst natural phenomenon has been the wind. Gale-like winds are blowing even as I write this post. One cannot walk on the cliff paths in the wind. The wind howls off the sea and sweeps into the fields, pushing the seagulls into safe havens, as they move away from the shore. I must admit that wind bothers me as I grew up in a tornado alley. Wind is not friendly. It has a mind of its own. I feel like the seagulls, which have moved inland to get away from the blasts. One landed on the roof here and cried as if to say, I do not want to be here. I wonder what this large, handsome bird thought of the hail three days ago? Do birds think about the weather, or do these animals just react?

Now, I am the type of animal to think and to make the most out of any situation. And, I was here to visit with friends, old and new, which I did. I have had a great time.

However, as a walker, I have been disappointed. Last year when I was here in May, the sun shone almost every day and the weather was mild. Some of the locals called it "boiling", but boiling to me would be Iowa heat of around 95 hot degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, not a nice 75. It has been cold here this year, on the coast. I can see France at the edge of the drive, and it must have been cold there are well. In fact, as I write, it is 51 and it will get down to 45 tonight. But, the warm weather is on the way, so I am told.

Therefore, I did what I usually do when vacations meet bad weather. I read. As I am working my way through all the novels of Dickens, I managed one (out of the four since November 3rd). I am also re-reading E. M. Forster, some novels of which I taught years ago. I read two books on St. John of the Cross, and several others mentioned on this blog, and some not mentioned dealing with political theory, St. Benedict. the CCC, the Bible, of course, yet another short life of St. Therese, several encyclicals, and more.

I did not walk as much on the cliffs as I wanted to do, but perhaps, next year.

Goodbye, Kent.

Roads go ever ever on,

Over rock and under tree,

By caves where never sun has shone,

By streams that never find the sea;

Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June,

Over grass and over stone,

And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on

Under cloud and under star,

Yet feet that wandering have gone

Turn at last to home afar.

Eyes that fire and sword have seen

And horror in the halls of stone

Look at last on meadows green

And trees and hills they long have known.

J.R.R. Tolkien 

.

As an alum, I am glad of this...ND redeems itself

Notre Dame redeems itself

http://newsinfo.nd.edu/news/30962-notre-dame-files-religious-liberty-lawsuit-related-to-hhs-mandate/

The University of Notre Dame filed a lawsuit Monday (May 21) challenging the constitutionality of a federal regulation that requires religious organizations to provide, pay for, and/or facilitate insurance coverage for services that violate the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, the lawsuit names as defendants Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and their respective departments.

The federal mandate requires Notre Dame and similar religious organizations to provide in their insurance plans abortion-inducing drugs, contraceptives and sterilization procedures, which are contrary to Catholic teaching. It also authorizes the government to determine which organizations are sufficiently “religious” to warrant an exemption from the requirement.

Notre Dame’s lawsuit charges that these components of the regulation are a violation of the religious liberties guaranteed by the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other federal laws.

“This filing is about the freedom of a religious organization to live its mission, and its significance goes well beyond any debate about contraceptives,” Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president, wrote in a message to members of the campus community. “For if we concede that the government can decide which religious organizations are sufficiently religious to be awarded the freedom to follow the principles that define their mission, then we have begun to walk down a path that ultimately leads to the undermining of those institutions."

Notre Dame’s lawsuit was one of 12 filed Monday against the federal government by 43 plaintiffs challenging the constitutionality of the regulation.

Father Jenkins’ message and the lawsuit are available online.

Update on Religious Liberty Fight in USA

from the New York Times

Catholics File Suits on Contraceptive Coverage

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN

Published: May 21, 2012

This is part of the above article. Check out link for news. And, Father Z is keeping track of the updates on the list of those joining the suit. Praise God for this awakening. As an ND alum, I am glad for whatever reason the university is on the list.

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, whose archdiocese in New York is among the plaintiffs, said in a statement: “We have tried negotiations with the administration and legislation with the Congress — and we’ll keep at it — but there’s still no fix. Time is running out and our valuable ministries and fundamental rights hang in the balance, so we have to resort to the courts now.”

The bishops rejected a compromise brokered by Mr. Obama in February in an effort to defuse the conflict by having the insurance companies — not the Catholic employers — pay for and administer the coverage for birth control. When some Catholic organizations broke with the bishops and greeted the accommodation positively, the bishops resolved that Catholic institutions must present a united front.

Among those filing suit are the Archdioceses of New York, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis; the Dioceses of Dallas, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Rockville Centre on Long Island and Springfield, Ill.; the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic University of America; and Our Sunday Visitor, a Catholic publication. All the plaintiffs are being represented by the law firm Jones Day.

Dancing with fairies and the fiction of language in politics

Thanks to Wiki; William Blake's Oberon, Titiania and Puck

To me, fairy tales, (excluding Tolkien, but not Shakespeare) reveal a world of madness and irrationality. Fairy tales represent the unknown mysteries of nature, where the human rational view of the world no longer exists. Living in Europe right now is like living in land where the most important thing is dancing with fairies.

I can't believe I am writing a post which could have been written in the 1930s in Nazi Germany. The purposeful twisting of language in Great Britain and Europe with regard to political terms has become an explosion in a spaghetti factory. I have been listening to television from several nations, reading articles online and conversing with people. From these sources I have gleaned several serious problems which I want to share, as a heads up.

First, there is a purposeful disassociation of the term Socialist. Normal usage of the word is construed by the media and private persons to mean either Centralist positions, or worse, Communism. The original meaning of the word Socialist has been obfuscated to cover so many meaning as to make the word meaningless. Not only is this sloppy journalism, it is done with agendas including the softening of hard-line communists principles now found in most Socialist parties.

Second, the reports which refer to "far-left" and "far-right" groupings present various meanings to these terms, which have confused the man and woman in the street. What those of us who are students of history or politics deem as "far-right" would be the KKK, other openly racist groups, fascism and neo-Nazi parties.

However, the far-right now includes mainstream, even right to centralist parties which have or want stronger immigration policies. Of course, the term is being misused on purpose. The term is used to cover anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage advocates, as if these people were terrorists. Far-right means in some places opposition to sharia law. That is a completely ironic use of the term.

Third, the news gurus also use the term "far-left" in confusing arrays of definitions. In my book of definitions, the far-left would include communists, anarchists, syndicalists, and some socialists. The problem is this. The term "Communist" is taboo in the Euro-zone. However, many politicians, or would be government officials, or even diplomats in the Brussels, Strasbourg, even Frankfurt actually hold communist ideals but are not labelled as such. They are called "reformers", mostly. The term "far-left" is used in an undisciplined manner to include terrorists, as well as political candidates in Greece, who the media refuses to label communists, although that is what the platforms of such persons looks like, when one can actually find substance beneath the rhetoric.

The terms "government", "sovereignty", "austerity" and "growth" have been bandied about so much lately that one loses track of the misuses of these terms. At this point in any real political discussion, the terms are meaningless. The left twists austerity into unfair punishment and uses the term growth as if spending will get anyone out of debt. Families know this is ludicrous and if the jobs are not there, if the industries or worse, if the population is gone which would create a strong infrastructure (population problems caused by brain-drains, contraception and abortion, among other things), there can be no growth--that is simply a fairy tale and the media in Europe loves this fairy tale.

I am concerned, as in the old days, at least in the English-speaking world, journalists and other writers had a common parlance. It was only the propaganda machines which used language to suit political agendas. Now, we have a state where one has to listen and look closely to find the Truth.

I hope the Vatican can avoid slipping into sloppy language, or vague language, which is another post, as this happened last Autumn with the horrible socialist economic leaked paper, and with other documents in the 1960s.

If language is corrupted either by propaganda or agendas, or deceit , or narcissism, we no longer can communicate. This is happening very quickly in Europe.


If Catholics can save the Truth through the Teaching Magisterium, we need to be very careful about definitions and language. The relativistic onslaught is weakening not only language, but how we think. Thinking needs definitions and clarity. We are slipping into the dance of the fairies.


When we cannot trust a common language, we cannot trust each other. We have lost our civilisation's ability to communitcate.

Georgetown vs. Steubenville

I am thinking of two universities which have responded to the Obamacare mandate. The first is Steubenville, which courageously has decided to drop the insurance coverage of the university for students in order not to offer abortion counseling, abortifacients, and contraceptives.

The president of the university is on this video from ewtn. online. It worth looking at this and comparing it with the statement of Georgetown's press department regarding Sibelius at the Graduation this weekend.

Where to find Catholics in the States

From the Religious Census, 2010 USA. I am sure no one is surprised by the findings. Where are you, dear readers from the States?  http://rcms2010.org/maps2010.php?sel_denom=81&sel_map%5B%5D=2&confirm=confirm

Where to find Christians in America

Here is an interesting map, one of several, taken from information from the 2010 American Religious Census. Taken from http://www.theblaze.com/stories/this-chart-shows-the-most-and-least-religious-counties-in-america/

I suggest before the really hard times come, that you think of moving into an area where there are lots of Christians who are living like Christians. I do not think anyone is surprised by this map. For those having trouble reading the map, yellow is the highest concentration and blue, the lowest.

Good Leadership in Catholic Scotland is Attacked

In the May 19th issue of The Irish Post, a British-Irish paper, the front page is obviously against Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien's brave and Catholic stand against so-called "gay marriage". I would hope that Catholics in Ireland and abroad would support this good and great leader for being so courageous at this time. the Cardinal is the senior prelate in the Catholic Church in Scotland.

There is a fight in the Government over gay marriage, and there is a split in the parties concerning the possible legal acceptance of such.

Tory ministers attacked the Government's plan to push for this legalization of sin.

Now, I know from discussions this past winter that even some trad Irish  and British Catholics vote in the bozos who support gay marriage, as, like Catholic Dems in the States, they either vote with their pocket book, or are liberalized to the point where they disagree with the Church's teaching. The Tory's have a split with David Cameron on this stand.

The article quoted the Cardinal at length, "An aberration is a state of condition markedly different from the norm....Gay marriage is a grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right," that is marriage.

He praised the inter-faith coalition against this liberalization of the idea of marriage.

He is also quoted as coming out against the British Government's  insistence on forcing Catholic schools to present pro-homosexual literature in the classroom.

You can look at the article yourself.....

Prayer Requests Please

I have need for my dear readers to pray for four special intentions for me. All are serious petitions, two which need immediate answers to prayer, and Divine Intervention, God Willing.

Thank you.

Pray for Egypt.

Egypt is getting scarier and scarier. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in that country today, please. Photo from ACN.

Six post day--scroll down-- and here--for my Maltese friends-pay attention please

Petizzjoni 2012. Le għall-iffriżar tal-embrijuni umani fil-liġi l-ġdida dwar l-IVF f’Malta.

If you are in Malta, please go here, ask for, and sign the petition. Thank you. 

citizens.for.lifemalta@gmail.com

Welcome home, Chen Guangcheng

Chen Guangcheng is on his way to the United States today.  Let us continue to pray for him and his family. 

Do Catholics Know Who They Are?

One of my favorite movies is Lawrence of Arabia. It is an epic film, worthy of all the praise it has received over the years. The saddest scene for me is at the end, when Lawrence is leaving Egypt to return to England. He is in an army vehicle with a driver. The soldier says to him something to the effect that Lawrence must be glad to be going home. Lawrence has no home. He stands up in the jeep and looks at a small group of Bedouins, his only family in the past few years of the tale.  This scene echoes an earlier one, on purpose, when Lawrence had crossed the Sinai after the Battle of Aqaba, and ended up at the Suez Canal. A British soldier yells across the water, "Who are you? Who are you?" Identity, not having one, finding one, losing one, is one of the themes of the movie.

I am struck with the identity crisis of many Catholics, those in the media and those in my parish. At one time, Catholics could and would identify themselves as "Catholic", that is, as members of the One, True, Holy and Catholic Church. Identity was based on the sacrament of Baptism, making one a son or daughter of God, a member of a larger community which is the universal Church, as well as a member of the local parish.

Being Catholic meant that one was living a life of grace, by receiving the sacraments on a daily or weekly basis, reading Catholic literature and news, studying the Faith, and raising one's family to be Catholic. Being Catholic meant following the Ten Commandments, the Laws of the Church regarding Holy Days of Obligation, fasting, abstinence, tithing and so on. Being Catholic meant having friends and a social network of Catholics, from whom one's children would meet and marry other Catholics and carry on the heritage and identity of Catholicism.

Being a Catholic was being proud of belonging to the Church instituted by Christ--the Church created by Christ Himself to save and impart grace. Being a Catholic was the first identity, followed by being an American, or British, or Irish or whatever.

There were no such things as "liberal Catholics", "gay Catholics", "charismatic Catholics", "Latino Catholics" or "Catholic feminists". We were all just Catholics. We were proud to be Catholic.

What happened? How did Catholics lose their identity and choose other identities, such as those based on gender, sexual inclinations, liturgy,  politics, or nationality? Why were other identities taking the place of the most important identity? Why does one of my friends identify himself with being a gay Catholic? I do not primarily identify myself as being a heterosexual Catholic. I am much, much more than my sexuality, and so is he, but he limits himself.

We are in a dangerous position of fragmentation, both personally and corporately, owing to a misunderstanding of who we are as individuals and as the Church. I do not say "Church" without "the", as there is only one.

Fragmentation of an identity, either in a community or, worse, in a person, leads to a bi-polar existence, as we all must have some definition about who we are. We live according to how we define ourselves. That has been a large part of my previous discussion here on socialism, and how it re-defines humans outside of the definition of human taught by the Catholic Church.

In the old Baltimore Catechism, the question of identity was foremost in the presentation of Truth.

Who made you? God made me. Why did God make you? God made me to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this world and  to praise Him in the next.

There are variations, but the answer is one of identity.

Does it matter, that we know that we are children of God, heirs of heaven, sharers in the life of God, which is grace? Does it matter that we have an end which is eternal and that all of our actions lead and bear upon the choices leading to that end?

I see that the trend of the last several decades to re-define ourselves into sub-groupings is actually an existential thrashing about to find a lost identity. We have complicated definition by setting aside priorities. The origin and goal of anything determine its existence. We are spiritual being by creation, body and soul,  and have a spiritual goal-heaven, eternity, love, glorified body and soul. Where we are going determines how we get there and who we are, returning to our intended place of destiny. We were thrown out of the Garden of Eden and the Church brings us into the Kingdom of God. Our place determines who we are--nurture and nature.

We are not merely material, although that is part of who we are. We are not defined by our sexual tendencies, although we are identified by our gender. I am a daughter of the King, and you, dear reader, may be a son of God. We have the same Father, and we are family.

Whether the lost Catholic identity may be found I do not know. It is a tragedy of culture and of personal salvation. The lack of personal identity was the tragedy of a real man, T. E. Lawrence. The lack of our identity as Catholics weakens the Church as a whole and our own characters.

The saints are those who most fully discovered who they were and where they were going, and how to get there. We have them as guides. We have the Church giving us our identities in Christ. The sacraments mark times of identity-baptism, confirmation, marriage, holy orders, last rites....and those in-between for our nourishment-Eucharist and confession.

I pray for all those who have not found out who they are and for those who are confused. We need that center of being, our identity in God, as Catholics.

Mary knew who she was when she prayed the Magnificat. She is complete, body and soul in heaven.

My soul doth magnify the Lord.

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;

for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Because he that is mighty,

hath done great things to me;

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is from generation unto generations,

to them that fear him.

He hath shewed might in his arm:

he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat,

and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel his servant,

being mindful of his mercy:

As he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

Worth repeating from LifeSiteNews-blogging is important, folks

UK Christian blogger under investigation by gov’t ad authority for running pro-marriage ad

Hilary White

Fri May 18 10:33 EST

Faith

LONDON, May 18, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A prominent British Christian conservative ‘blogger is under attack from a government agency, at the behest of a homosexualist activist group, for supporting the defence of traditional marriage. Going by the pseudonym “Archbishop Cranmer” the ‘blogger has become an influential, tongue-in-cheek voice for social and moral conservatism critiquing liberal Britain, and is particularly popular with social conservatives within the Conservative Party.

Cranmer came under investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) when he posted an ad for the petition being run by the Coalition for Marriage that recently tipped over half a million signatures, including those of several members of the House of Lords. He has been given until May 21 to answer the accusations against him from an alleged 24 anonymous complainants. He wrote that he was “instructed by the ‘Investigations Executive’ of this inquisition to keep all this confidential”.

Cranmer revealed that among the complainants was the campaign group the Jewish Gay & Lesbian Group, who described the advert as “offensive” and “homophobic”.

Reproducing the advert several more times on his blog, Cranmer has asked the ASA to clarify some points including why he alone among all the conservative ‘blogs and websites carrying the ad his was the object of a formal investigation:

“One presumes it has nothing to do with the fact that ConservativeHome is generously underpinned by Lord Ashcroft’s £millions, or that Guido Fawkes isn’t without the means to call in the lawyers or lacking the rottweiler tendency to tell you where to go. Why have you chosen to victimise and harass the weakest, lowliest, and most utterly insignificant of the blogs which carried this advertisement?”

“Since it appears that only a few hundred complaints out of some 26,000 per annum are selected by the ASA for such treatment, could you also please explain why this complaint was considered to be of such gravity that you saw fit to escalate directly to the status of ‘formal investigation’?”

The ASA said in its correspondence, “We require you to explain your rationale for the ad and comment specifically on the points raised in the attached complaint notification.”

The specific points include accusations that the ad was deemed by 10 of the complainants to be “offensive” and “homophobic” and to violate the advertising standards code rules on “misleading advertising,” “substantiation,” and harm and offence”.

The ASA demanded, “robust documentary evidence to back the claims and a clear explanation from you of its relevance.”

The legal defence organisation, Christian Concern for Our Nation, a member of the Coalition for Marriage, is working with Cranmer to craft a legal response. Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said, “There is increasing hostility against those who hold that marriage is between a man and a woman. Holding to the current legal definition of marriage now appears to be classified as offensive and homophobic.

“How much worse will it get if same-sex marriage is actually introduced? Freedom of speech and freedom of belief are hanging by a thread.”

The Coalition for Marriage has also responded, saying that the attack by the ASA is “bullying” and “over the top”. “a troubling sign of what may happen if marriage is redefined. Will the authorities pounce on every utterance in support of traditional marriage?

“Will activists demand punitive action every time someone thoughtlessly uses the deeply offensive, heterosexist phrase ‘husband and wife’? Yes, the ASA has lost all sense [of] perspective. But a loss of perspective is what happens when ordinary people are ignored.”

Cranmer himself has responded by going on the attack, blogger-style, revealing that the Chairman of the ASA and former Labour MP Chris Smith, now appointed to the House of Lords as Baron Smith of Finsbury, moonlights as Vice President of The Campaign for Homosexual Equality.  Smith has been described by the homosexual news service Pink News as among the 30 most powerful homosexual people in British politics.

Cranmer wrote, “Naturally, His Grace apologises in advance to all those who find this educative illustration offensive and homophobic, for it is never his intention to be either offensive or homophobic. But those of you who do find it offensive and homophobic are free not to visit His Grace’s blog whenever you wish.”

Neil Addison, a barrister and expert in religious discrimination law, wrote that the only response to such attacks are outright defiance. Addison also posted the ad to his ‘blog and encouraged others to do the same.

“I get so fed up with the small minded little Hitlers who seem to infest organisations such as the ASA and the Equality and Human Rights Commission that I have added it to my Blog simply as an expression of solidarity with my fellow Blogger.”

“We in this country fought a war to defend our right to speak freely and express our opinions but clearly the ASA are not aware of that fact.”

Even the anti-Christian pressure group, the National Secular Society, has called the ASA’s action “authoritarian” and announced its support for Cranmer’s ‘blog. In a media release, the NSS said the “eccentric Christian blogger” is being martyred “all over again,” referring to the ‘blogger’s 16th century namesake, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the protestant author of the Book of Common Prayer who was executed by Queen Mary I.

Cranmer’s “wit and style is more than a match” for the ASA, the NSS said. Although they disagree with his goals, and called the Coalition a group of “the most extreme and unpleasant religious bigots in Britain” the NSS said the ASA is “overstepping the mark and posing a rather sinister threat to freedom of expression”.

“In a democracy we believe that they have the right to express their opinion so long as it doesn’t incite violence. The fact that some people find those opinions “offensive” is not reason enough to silence them.”

Rose of the World, Mystical Rose

I am in a meditative mood. I have been thinking of Mary Our Mother and her name, popular in Medieval Times, as the Mystical Rose. The title above is from the first of the two carols posted today. 

I meditate on the lovely words of two ancient carols--- pondering her innocence and beauty on this cold, wet Saturday-- the day of Mary. Earlier this week, I wrote that the Medievals in the East knew of the blue rose. Here are some roses for Mary. One poem, (and both are sung at Christmas), refers to the red rose, but I am sure Mary likes the color blue. Some of you will know the music. She, the Theotokos, brings beauty into our lives.




Of a Rose Synge We

1450

Of a rose synge we:     Misterium mirabile.

This rose is railed on a rys;
He hath bought the prince of prys,
And in this tyme soth hit ys,
Viri sine semine.


This rose is reed of colour bryght,
Throw whom oure joye gan alyght,
Uppon a Cristys masse nyght,
Claro David germine.

Of this rose was Cryst y-bore,
To save mankynde that was forlore;
And us alle from synnes sore,
Prophetarum carmine.

This rose, of flourys she is flour,
She ne wole fade for no shour,
To synful men she sent socour,
Mira plenitudine.

This rose is so faire of hywe,
In maide Mary that is so trywe,
Y-borne was lorde of virtue,
Salvator sine crimine.

There is No Rose of Such Virtue  1420

There is no rose of such virtue

As is the rose that bare Jesu;
    Alleluia.

 For in this rose contained was
Heaven and earth in little space;
    Res miranda.

 By that rose we may well see
That he is God in persons three,
    Pari forma.

 The angels sungen the shepherds to:
Gloria in excelsis deo:
    Gaudeamus.

 Leave we all this worldly mirth,
And follow we this joyful birth;
    Transeamus.

 Alleluia, res miranda,
Pares forma, gaudeamus,
    Transeamus.

Prayer for the Pope and for Priests

I have not published a prayer for priests for a long time, so I thought I would do two. 


First is Pope Leo XIII's prayer for The Pope. 


Lord, we are the millions of believers, humbly kneeling at Thy feet and begging Thee to preserve, defend and save the Sovereign Pontiff for many years. He is the Father of the great fellowship of souls and our Father as well. On this day, as on every other day, he is praying for us also, and is offering unto Thee with holy fervor the sacred Victim of love and peace.

Wherefore, O Lord, turn Thyself toward us with eyes of pity; for we are now, as it were, forgetful of ourselves, and are praying above all for him. Do Thou unite our prayers with his and receive them into the bosom of Thine infinite mercy, as a sweet savor of active and fruitful charity, whereby the children are united in the Church to their Father. All that he asks of Thee this day, we too ask it of Thee in unison with him.

Whether he weeps or rejoices, whether he hopes or offers himself as a victim of charity for his people, we desire to be united with him; nay more, we desire that the cry of our hearts should be made one with his. Of Thy great mercy grant, O Lord, that not one of us may be far from his mind and his heart in the hour that he prays and offers unto Thee the Sacrifice of Thy blessed Son. At the moment when our venerable High Priest, holding in His hands the very Body of Jesus Christ, shall say to the people over the Chalice of benediction these words: "The peace of the Lord be with you always," grant, O Lord, that Thy sweet peace may come down upon our hearts and upon all the nations with new and manifest power. Amen.

The Second is a prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. It is actually his prayer for Christmas, but I think it can apply to priests. 

Let your goodness Lord appear to us, that we, made in your image, may conform ourselves to it.In our own strength we cannot imitate your majesty, power, and wonder nor is it fitting for us to try. But your mercy reaches from the heavens through the clouds to the earth below.You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love.