Wednesday, 10 December 2014
Getting Back to Raissa Perfection Series VIII Part XVIII Simplicity and Unity
A key truth about why we must cooperate with grace to become perfect could not be more easy to understand. Three stages demand simplicity of soul. One is the Dark Night of the spirit, which is the time of humility. The second stage which needs simplicity is the Illuminative Stage. The gifts and graces of energy, zeal and virtues need a basis of simplicity. The third stage, that of unity, must be based on simplicity.
Why? Because God is Simple, we must meet Him in simplicity. The same is true for the virtue of unity, which is integrity. One must have unity is self, soul, mind, heart, intellect in order to become one with Unity, Who is God.
Why is it that the Maritain's get simplicity? Why is it that Garrigou-Lagrange gets simplicity?
Because of the intellect being purified, these geniuses have pierced the mind of God to a certain extent.
But, Raissa had to suffer, she had to pray in contemplative prayer in order to get to this point of simplicity.
Holiness is the only way to simplicity. Humility is the only way to simplicity. Conversion of heart, mind, and soul are the only ways to simplicity.
Here is the rub. Most of the leaders of the Church are NOT seeking simplicity and unity. That is why some cardinals are pushing gradualism, which is a heresy, period.
Here is an old article which may shock you. Gradualism cannot keep the integrity of a person, which means that a person moves completely away from sin-unity must be sought if one wants to meet God.
http://jimmyakin.com/2010/05/fr-fessios-update-on-cardinal-schonborn.html
Today, Schonborn again pushed gradualism. Do not be confused. DO NOT BE CONFUSED.
Those who support this position do not understand Christ's call to metanoia, about which I have written in the past month.
Gradualism denies grace, denies the call to holiness.
Gradualism denies that God wants us to be one with Him.
This is Raissa's great insight--that we must be simple and unified in ourselves in order to meet God in simplicity and unity.
to be continued...
Why? Because God is Simple, we must meet Him in simplicity. The same is true for the virtue of unity, which is integrity. One must have unity is self, soul, mind, heart, intellect in order to become one with Unity, Who is God.
Why is it that the Maritain's get simplicity? Why is it that Garrigou-Lagrange gets simplicity?
Because of the intellect being purified, these geniuses have pierced the mind of God to a certain extent.
But, Raissa had to suffer, she had to pray in contemplative prayer in order to get to this point of simplicity.
Holiness is the only way to simplicity. Humility is the only way to simplicity. Conversion of heart, mind, and soul are the only ways to simplicity.
Here is the rub. Most of the leaders of the Church are NOT seeking simplicity and unity. That is why some cardinals are pushing gradualism, which is a heresy, period.
Here is an old article which may shock you. Gradualism cannot keep the integrity of a person, which means that a person moves completely away from sin-unity must be sought if one wants to meet God.
http://jimmyakin.com/2010/05/fr-fessios-update-on-cardinal-schonborn.html
Today, Schonborn again pushed gradualism. Do not be confused. DO NOT BE CONFUSED.
Those who support this position do not understand Christ's call to metanoia, about which I have written in the past month.
Gradualism denies grace, denies the call to holiness.
Gradualism denies that God wants us to be one with Him.
This is Raissa's great insight--that we must be simple and unified in ourselves in order to meet God in simplicity and unity.
to be continued...
Endangered Species
 |
| http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grizzlymumcubs-c01.jpg |
Several friends and I were discussing "normal families". By our agreed definition, we meant a mom and a dad married in the Church with the number of children God desired to give the parents.
Now, because I home schooled my son, I knew and still know many "normal families", but one of the shocking things which came out of the discussion were the number of people under 47, who had not been raised in a community of normal families. The vast majority of young people either had known mostly divorced parents, single parents, one sibling, or maybe two siblings.
I came away from the discussion realizing that normal families, as intended by God, are an endangered species. Society and its pressures have contributed to the break-down of the family, but the biggest reason, which came out of the discussion, was one reason-money.
That many parents felt they had to give their children everything meant that they decided to only have two. That some parents no longer valued a Christian wedding of any denomination resulted in civil unions only. They felt they could not afford to get married. Standards for comfort came before the reality of marriage and children.
One can decry the death of the family, which, of course, means the death of a civilization, but one must be realistic as to how far this endangered species has gone into disappearing. Like the grizzly bear, which now has max a population of 1,700 in the States, the family as created by God has been the prey of those who no longer care whether such a species exists. To redefine the idea of family does not hide the fact that such families have been cornered into small groups.
Sadly, I hear a priest recently encourage the redefinition of family. He was wrong to speak so from the pulpit, pandering to both the ideals of non-Christian religions, and sin, by going as far in his sermon to say that we must acknowledge polygamy.
Imagine hearing this from the pulpit sixty years ago. The reason this priest wants to redefine the family is that he cannot bring himself to preach God's vision of normalcy. To include in God's definition the idea that a culture can exists allowing multiple wives shows a mindset which does not think like the Church.
 |
| http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Grizzly_Denali_Crop.jpg/1024px-Grizzly_Denali_Crop.jpg |
One person said to me, that the Church talks to much about the family. My response is the same I would answer to someone who complains that environmentalists talk about the grizzly bear. When grizzlies dotted the western landscape of America, no one needed to talk about these magnificent creatures. It is only when they are about to disappear from the face of the earth, that these bears are now being discussed. We only talk about things when we begin to notice that something is wrong, changing, disappearing.
The Church cannot talk too much about the family. Without families, there would be, obviously, no parishes, no schools, no churches.
That is what is happening in some areas. The shrinkage of Catholicism in some places of Europe and America is not merely due to members leaving the Church, but the lack of families bringing babies into the world or raising children as Catholics.
Just as we may witness an America without grizzly bears, we may witness a western culture without
Christian families. To have a priest fall into the politically correct trap of wanting to solve the emergency by changing the definition of family actually causes more confusion.
God's ways are always best. 50,000 grizzlies lived in North America when Lewis and Clark made their journey. Now, there are as few as, perhaps, 1,400. Who will be around to write about the disappearance of the family?
Voris Today Mark Two
There was a technical error in the other video, so here is a new one. I wanted to post this for awhile, anyway. At one time, I was close the E. Michael Jones' family when I was in grad school. Great expert on this subject.
Time to thank Michael Voris and crew, and all laity, especially tweeters and bloggers for their hard work. I have said, over and over, that this is the Age of the Laity. And, this lay person agrees that Medjugorje will never be approved. It will be ignored, perhaps, but not approved.
Prayers Needed
For all graduate students taking exams, who read this blog.
For all seminarians in retreat, who read this blog.
For all young men and women considering vocations ,who read this blog.
For all those who have cancer, or have loved ones with cancer, who read this blog.
For all married couples who always need prayers in order to be superb parents, who read this blog.
For all those good people who have sent me books, who read this blog.
For all good priests, who read this blog, who are daily under attack from the evil one.
For STM, who is mighty cold today...that I do not become ill. I have had hypothermia several times in my life...
Thanks.
For all seminarians in retreat, who read this blog.
For all young men and women considering vocations ,who read this blog.
For all those who have cancer, or have loved ones with cancer, who read this blog.
For all married couples who always need prayers in order to be superb parents, who read this blog.
For all those good people who have sent me books, who read this blog.
For all good priests, who read this blog, who are daily under attack from the evil one.
For STM, who is mighty cold today...that I do not become ill. I have had hypothermia several times in my life...
Thanks.
Umm, what do you think, Readers?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/12/09/iowas-going-to-have-smartphone-drivers-licenses/
I have weaned myself from my cell phone for over two months and do not miss it a bit.
What if a person does not want a cell phone?
Are we all going to have to have one?
BB...
I have weaned myself from my cell phone for over two months and do not miss it a bit.
What if a person does not want a cell phone?
Are we all going to have to have one?
BB...
Storms
I assume much of the island had the same weather, but the weather patterns in this small place vary.
Even now, at this hour of the morning, the winds are so high one can hardly stand up.
The storms here could be seen in light of the storms between good and evil which surround us here.
More and more Maltese are discussing the influx of non-Christians. A man discussed this with me on Saturday. He is a good man and noted that if this immigration continues, churches will close and society will change. He said to me, as he travels back and forth to England for business, that England is "lost". He explained to me that the Faith is gone there and London seems no longer "British". Those in denial are those who are benefiting financially from these new relationships. As he said, it is all about money.
Why Christian countries lose their Christian identities is a simple question to answer. When individuals lose personal faith in Christ and His Church, choose selfishness, money, greed, contraception, pleasure and so on over natural law and the laws of God revealed through the Church, Catholicism is set aside.
As we all know, until Europe rediscovers the Catholic Faith, which created Europe, it will continue to die. I wrote about this since the beginning of my blog in 2007.
We need more missionaries here, but, of course, the EU is keeping some out.
In 2003, in my religion classes, I predicted, because of common sense, that Europe would fall to the Muslims, and that America would fall to the Chinese and Russians. Ironically, Russia is likewise nervous about Islam, and has been. America is asleep.
Greed is the name of the game, and the relativism and subjectivism of too many Catholic clergy, who have left their flocks to the wolves, has created soft brains and mushy souls.
Get ready, become holy, pray for courage...
Fascinating
However, what I do not understand is why they feel they must leave nasty anonymous comments.
Read away...but, at least try to be rational and not merely make knee-jerk emotional comments. If you are rational, commentators, we can discuss issues, like God, natural law and religion.
I pray for my readers and even light candles, which is Malta, as in Rome, are mostly electric. One puts money in a side slot, pushes a lever, and up comes the electric bulb candle.
So, those disgruntled ones who leave uncharitable comments get prayers.
If I had enough money, I would have Masses said for them.
Perhaps, some of my readers who know the Truth and have been set free from anger, hatred, and violence could have some Masses said for those above who have written to me. Of course, they never leave names, except one rabid Protestant.
I do not publish those comments. Prayers on the way......................
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
I may change loyalties
I have been a cat person . I have had four lovely cats, all of which I miss.
But, I saw this dog walking with its owner and immediately "fell in love" with this breed.
Shiba Inu. I had never seen this Japanese breed until now, and it is a stunning dog. This one was extremely well-behaved, too.
Photos are from the wiki article. Now, are not these great looking dogs?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiba_Inu
And being rather busy with my blog and teaching in 2008, I missed this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiba_Inu_Puppy_Cam
But, I saw this dog walking with its owner and immediately "fell in love" with this breed.
Shiba Inu. I had never seen this Japanese breed until now, and it is a stunning dog. This one was extremely well-behaved, too.
Photos are from the wiki article. Now, are not these great looking dogs?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiba_Inu
And being rather busy with my blog and teaching in 2008, I missed this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiba_Inu_Puppy_Cam
Anxiety or ?
Prayers needed for them and for us....
This is the 36th Dead Banker of the year (via Beforeitsnews):
1) David Bird, 55, long-time reporter for the Wall Street Journal working at the Dow Jones news room
2) Tim Dickenson, a U.K.-based communications director at Swiss Re AG
3) William Broeksmit, 58, former senior manager for Deutsche Bank
4) Ryan Henry Crane, age 37, JP Morgan
5) Li Junjie, 33, Hong Kong JP Morgan
6) Gabriel Magee, 39, age JP Morgan employee
7) Mike Dueker, 50, who had worked for Russell Investments
8) Richard Talley, 57, was the founder and CEO of American Title (real estate titles)
9) James Stuart Jr. 70, Former National Bank of Commerce CEO was found dead in Scottsdale, Ariz
10) Jason Alan Salais, 34 year old IT Specialist at JPMorgan since 2008
11) Autumn Radtke, 28, CEO of First Meta, a Singapore-based virtual currency trading platform
12) Eddie Reilly, 47, investment banker, Vertical Group, New York
13) Kenneth Ballando, 28, investment banker, Levy Capital, New york
14) Joseph A. Giampapa, 55, corporate bankruptcy lawyer, JP Morgan Chase
15) Jan Peter Schmittmann, 57, voormalig topbestuurder ANB/AMRO, Laren, Nederland
16) Juergen Frick, 48, CEO Bank Frick & Co AG, Liechtenstein
17) Benoît Philippens, 37, directeur BNP Parisbas Fortis Bank, Ans, België.
18) Lydia…, 52, bankier Bred-Banque-Populaire, Parijs
19) Andrew Jarzyk, 27, bankier, PNC Bank, New York
20) Carlos Six, 61, Hoofd Belastingdienst en lid CREDAF, België
21) Jan Winkelhuijzen, 75, Commissaris en Fiscalist (voormalig Deloitte), Nederland.
22) Richard Rockefeller, 66, achterkleinzoon elitebankier John D. Rockefeller, Amerika
23) Mahafarid Amir Khosravi (Amir Mansour Aria), 45, bankeigenaar, zakenman en derivatenhandelaar, Iran
24) Lewis Katz, 76, zakenman, advocaat en insider in de bancaire wereld, Amerika
25) Julian Knott, Directeur Global Operations Center JP Morgan, 45, Amerika
26) Richard Gravino, IT Specialist JP Morgan, 49, Amerika
27) Thomas James Schenkman, Managing Director Global Infrastructure JP Morgan, 42, Amerika
28) Nicholas Valtz, 39, Managing Director Goldman Sachs, New York, Amerika
29) Therese Brouwer, 50, Managing Director ING, Nederland
30) Tod Robert Edward, 51, Vice President M & T Bank, Amerika
31) Thierry Leyne, 48, investeringsbankier en eigenaar Anatevka S.A., Israël
32) Calogero Gambino, 41, Managing Director Deutsche Bank, Amerika
33) Shawn D. Miller, 42, Managing Director Citigroup, New York, Amerika
34) Melissa Millian, 54, Senior Vice President Mass Mutual, Amerika
35) Thieu Leenen, 64, Relatiemanager ABN/AMRO, Eindhoven, Nederland
36) Geert Tack, 52, Private Banker ING, Haaltert, België
2) Tim Dickenson, a U.K.-based communications director at Swiss Re AG
3) William Broeksmit, 58, former senior manager for Deutsche Bank
4) Ryan Henry Crane, age 37, JP Morgan
5) Li Junjie, 33, Hong Kong JP Morgan
6) Gabriel Magee, 39, age JP Morgan employee
7) Mike Dueker, 50, who had worked for Russell Investments
8) Richard Talley, 57, was the founder and CEO of American Title (real estate titles)
9) James Stuart Jr. 70, Former National Bank of Commerce CEO was found dead in Scottsdale, Ariz
10) Jason Alan Salais, 34 year old IT Specialist at JPMorgan since 2008
11) Autumn Radtke, 28, CEO of First Meta, a Singapore-based virtual currency trading platform
12) Eddie Reilly, 47, investment banker, Vertical Group, New York
13) Kenneth Ballando, 28, investment banker, Levy Capital, New york
14) Joseph A. Giampapa, 55, corporate bankruptcy lawyer, JP Morgan Chase
15) Jan Peter Schmittmann, 57, voormalig topbestuurder ANB/AMRO, Laren, Nederland
16) Juergen Frick, 48, CEO Bank Frick & Co AG, Liechtenstein
17) Benoît Philippens, 37, directeur BNP Parisbas Fortis Bank, Ans, België.
18) Lydia…, 52, bankier Bred-Banque-Populaire, Parijs
19) Andrew Jarzyk, 27, bankier, PNC Bank, New York
20) Carlos Six, 61, Hoofd Belastingdienst en lid CREDAF, België
21) Jan Winkelhuijzen, 75, Commissaris en Fiscalist (voormalig Deloitte), Nederland.
22) Richard Rockefeller, 66, achterkleinzoon elitebankier John D. Rockefeller, Amerika
23) Mahafarid Amir Khosravi (Amir Mansour Aria), 45, bankeigenaar, zakenman en derivatenhandelaar, Iran
24) Lewis Katz, 76, zakenman, advocaat en insider in de bancaire wereld, Amerika
25) Julian Knott, Directeur Global Operations Center JP Morgan, 45, Amerika
26) Richard Gravino, IT Specialist JP Morgan, 49, Amerika
27) Thomas James Schenkman, Managing Director Global Infrastructure JP Morgan, 42, Amerika
28) Nicholas Valtz, 39, Managing Director Goldman Sachs, New York, Amerika
29) Therese Brouwer, 50, Managing Director ING, Nederland
30) Tod Robert Edward, 51, Vice President M & T Bank, Amerika
31) Thierry Leyne, 48, investeringsbankier en eigenaar Anatevka S.A., Israël
32) Calogero Gambino, 41, Managing Director Deutsche Bank, Amerika
33) Shawn D. Miller, 42, Managing Director Citigroup, New York, Amerika
34) Melissa Millian, 54, Senior Vice President Mass Mutual, Amerika
35) Thieu Leenen, 64, Relatiemanager ABN/AMRO, Eindhoven, Nederland
36) Geert Tack, 52, Private Banker ING, Haaltert, België
If I had land to put this on, this would be perfect!
http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house-concept/traditional-english-shepherd-huts-usa/
I would just need a few bookcases! And someplace to take a shower and wash clothes...some include those amenities.
I would just need a few bookcases! And someplace to take a shower and wash clothes...some include those amenities.
Love this mag..on Chrislam....
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2014/chestertons-islamic-england
Superb article...
three snippets:
Chesterton was original not only in seeing a then apparently down-and-out Islam was still a threat to Europe, but also in seeing that the Islamic conquest would not be possible without a preceding culture war to destroy the social agents of resistance, that Islam had a certain seductiveness for a type of jaded Western mind, and that the betrayers would not be the lower classes but the wealthy elite.
Superb article...
three snippets:
Chesterton was original not only in seeing a then apparently down-and-out Islam was still a threat to Europe, but also in seeing that the Islamic conquest would not be possible without a preceding culture war to destroy the social agents of resistance, that Islam had a certain seductiveness for a type of jaded Western mind, and that the betrayers would not be the lower classes but the wealthy elite.
The United States, the largest NATO member, has been drastically reducing the size and strength of its military. The U.S. plans to shrink its Army to pre-World War II levels, the number of ships in the Navy is lower than in 1917, and, according to several reports, the Obama administration has been quietly conducting a massive purge of top military officers.
Just at the point when Islam is advancing by stealth jihad and armed jihad all over the world, the West is letting down its guard, both literally and metaphorically. And all the while, the Lord Ivywoods of the world assure us that we have nothing to fear from Islam. What at one time seemed merely a fanciful fiction is fast becoming fact. Chesterton would not have been surprised.
Homesick Day
Miss my favorite places in the world today. This is "home" to me. Missing it in my exile.
.JPG)
.JPG)
Maybe it is the weather... or the fact that I heard an English robin early this morning....
.JPG)
Maybe it is the weather... or the fact that I heard an English robin early this morning....
A Plea from LifeSiteNews
Note: While the outrageous lawsuit against LifeSiteNews is finally over, we are still $95,000 short of being able to covering the outstanding legal costs. We just do not have the funds for this extraordinary expense. Please help us move beyond this painful chapter in our history, and make a donation to our Christmas fundraiser today by clicking here.
A Catholic priest announces on the radio that he is “pro-choice” and “not even the Pope” can prevent him from receiving communion. He gets elected as a federal politician, and goes on to earn a 100% “pro-abortion” voting record, openly supports same-sex “marriage,” attacks Church leaders who defend Catholic teaching, and agitates in favor of legalizing euthanasia.
A Catholic priest announces on the radio that he is “pro-choice” and “not even the Pope” can prevent him from receiving communion. He gets elected as a federal politician, and goes on to earn a 100% “pro-abortion” voting record, openly supports same-sex “marriage,” attacks Church leaders who defend Catholic teaching, and agitates in favor of legalizing euthanasia.
And through all of this, he not only continues to function as a priest in good standing, but is placed by his local bishop in positions of honour in his diocese.
And then, when the Vatican does finally step in and forces him to choose between politics and the priesthood, he files a $500,000 lawsuit against the pro-life news outlet whose articles the Vatican cited, accusing them of libel and of hurting his political career.
As outrageous as it sounds, this is a true story. And, sadly, it does not have a happy ending.
All told we were forced to spend over $260,000 in legal expenses fighting this SLAPP suit after Fr. Raymond Gravel filed the lawsuit almost exactly four years ago. To date, we have only been able to fundraise to cover $170,000 of that, leaving us with a heavy financial burden of some $95,000, not including the many staff hours put in by LifeSite staff into the defence effort.
Click here to donate today and help us reach our Christmas fundraising goal.
We need your help to close the book on this painful chapter of our history. We cannot do so as long as we have this financial burden hanging over us, which is hurting our ability to focus on our core mission – to promote the Culture of Life through professional news reporting.
It in December of 2010 that Fr. Raymond Gravel sued LifeSiteNews for $500,000. In those intervening years, we have been forced to dedicate countless man-hours and our already-stretched financial resources to fighting this legal harassment and abuse of the courts that threatened to cripple, and possibly even completely shut down our organization.
Now, however, we can finally announce that the lawsuit is over.
And yet, though I am relieved that this looming threat has been removed, I make the announcement with a heavy heart, since the main reason that the lawsuit has ended is the untimely death of Fr. Gravel himself earlier this fall, after a nearly year-long battle with lung cancer.
Even though Fr. Gravel aggressively pursued his lawsuit against LifeSite almost literally until his dying breath, I do not, and never have had any personal animosity towards him. Indeed I, and the rest of our staff, prayed frequently for Fr. Gravel in these past four years, and especially during his final days. We ardently pray that he found his peace with God before he died.
If anything, I am more outraged by those, especially Fr. Gravel’s bishop, who had the authority to correct Fr. Gravel and to stop his scandalous public dissent from Church teaching, but who instead allowed him to continue, and even seemed to support and praise him.
Because this lawsuit was so unjustly hostile and endangered freedom of the press and freedom of speech, we knew that we had no choice but to fight it as long as Fr. Gravel persisted. We are certain Fr. Gravel was shocked that we fought the lawsuit so effectively and for so long despite the deck being stacked against us, with the hearings taking place in Gravel’s home diocese where he was a very popular and highly influential politician, priest and media star.
Earlier this year Fr. Gravel lost his major preliminary motion to have the court strike from our defence document all the proof (including all correspondence between the Vatican and his bishop) that he was indeed a dissenting Catholic priest opposed to Catholic moral teachings. One reason he gave for his lawsuit was that we “lied” in reporting that he was not a faithful Catholic priest.
But though I dearly wish that this lawsuit never happened, I do feel that it has had some positive effects; in particular, I believe it has helped prove beyond any shadow of a doubt the critical importance of LifeSite’s work.
While Fr. Gravel was repeatedly slamming faithful Church leaders in the media, and causing widespread scandal and confusion by publicly opposing Church teaching, NO ONE, not even his own bishop, held him to account.
No one, that is...except LifeSiteNews.
And even then, all LifeSiteNews ever did was objectively and professionally report what he said and did. Yet, this straightforward reporting had a powerful effect. As we know, when the Vatican contacted Fr. Gravel’s bishop, ordering him to do something about his renegade priest, the Vatican dossier was full of LifeSite’s articles!
Ultimately Fr. Gravel chose to leave politics and to remain a priest. But though he continued to promote un-Catholic views – including, in his final days, pushing for the legalization of euthanasia – he no longer had the national platform of being a federal politician!
With your help, we can continue to do the hard work of defending the Culture of Life against the many hostile forces arrayed against it.
With this one-time, final appeal we are praying that through the generosity of LifeSite readers, our financial burdens related to the case can finally end.
Please, help us put this lawsuit behind us once and for all, and make a donation to LifeSiteNews’ Christmas Campaign today.
You can also make a donation by phone or mail. Our helpful staff would love to hear from you!
Now, however, we can finally announce that the lawsuit is over.
And yet, though I am relieved that this looming threat has been removed, I make the announcement with a heavy heart, since the main reason that the lawsuit has ended is the untimely death of Fr. Gravel himself earlier this fall, after a nearly year-long battle with lung cancer.
Even though Fr. Gravel aggressively pursued his lawsuit against LifeSite almost literally until his dying breath, I do not, and never have had any personal animosity towards him. Indeed I, and the rest of our staff, prayed frequently for Fr. Gravel in these past four years, and especially during his final days. We ardently pray that he found his peace with God before he died.
If anything, I am more outraged by those, especially Fr. Gravel’s bishop, who had the authority to correct Fr. Gravel and to stop his scandalous public dissent from Church teaching, but who instead allowed him to continue, and even seemed to support and praise him.
Because this lawsuit was so unjustly hostile and endangered freedom of the press and freedom of speech, we knew that we had no choice but to fight it as long as Fr. Gravel persisted. We are certain Fr. Gravel was shocked that we fought the lawsuit so effectively and for so long despite the deck being stacked against us, with the hearings taking place in Gravel’s home diocese where he was a very popular and highly influential politician, priest and media star.
Earlier this year Fr. Gravel lost his major preliminary motion to have the court strike from our defence document all the proof (including all correspondence between the Vatican and his bishop) that he was indeed a dissenting Catholic priest opposed to Catholic moral teachings. One reason he gave for his lawsuit was that we “lied” in reporting that he was not a faithful Catholic priest.
But though I dearly wish that this lawsuit never happened, I do feel that it has had some positive effects; in particular, I believe it has helped prove beyond any shadow of a doubt the critical importance of LifeSite’s work.
While Fr. Gravel was repeatedly slamming faithful Church leaders in the media, and causing widespread scandal and confusion by publicly opposing Church teaching, NO ONE, not even his own bishop, held him to account.
No one, that is...except LifeSiteNews.
And even then, all LifeSiteNews ever did was objectively and professionally report what he said and did. Yet, this straightforward reporting had a powerful effect. As we know, when the Vatican contacted Fr. Gravel’s bishop, ordering him to do something about his renegade priest, the Vatican dossier was full of LifeSite’s articles!
Ultimately Fr. Gravel chose to leave politics and to remain a priest. But though he continued to promote un-Catholic views – including, in his final days, pushing for the legalization of euthanasia – he no longer had the national platform of being a federal politician!
With your help, we can continue to do the hard work of defending the Culture of Life against the many hostile forces arrayed against it.
With this one-time, final appeal we are praying that through the generosity of LifeSite readers, our financial burdens related to the case can finally end.
Please, help us put this lawsuit behind us once and for all, and make a donation to LifeSiteNews’ Christmas Campaign today.
You can also make a donation by phone or mail. Our helpful staff would love to hear from you!
Monday, 8 December 2014
Perfection Series VIII Part XVII Raissa on A Roll
I could call this post, "Even the desert is a place".
Several significant lines from Raissa's Journal seem to fit into the ongoing discussion on perfection.
The first entry relates to the post earlier on philosophy and the training of the intellect. Raissa makes it clear that now is the time (1919) for the Faith to be defended by the Intellect.
And, it is now.
Like the Benedictines, she makes the connection between the pursuit of the love of Truth, the love of God, and study.
Obedience to God in the Faith must be rational. Raissa quotes Pascal, "Submission and use of reason, in which true Christianity consists."
Who among Catholics know this, believe this? I hope my readers have come to this, if they did not know it already.
What we witnessed recently in the Synod were anti-intellectualism, the lack of reason, and the lack of obedience to Church teaching.
Here is Raissa in her own words: Truth is the rule of the intellect and of the will, it has an absolute and legitimate power over the whole man. Not to follow the truth which the intellect shows us is to disobey God; for the intellect is, in us, a certain similitude of the uncreated light. (St. Thomas).
Then, she writes something which I could have written if I were more intelligent, for this is my experience. God meets me in my intellect and always has.
I remember a day in Bristol, when I was studying and teaching at the University, when I was working on the poetry of David Jones. I can remember the moment as if it happened yesterday.
Sitting at my desk in Wills Hall, facing west, out the large latticed window, I was struck with Beauty and taken up into the Presence of God. The study of the beauty of the words of poetry brought me directly into contact with Beauty Himself. That the intellectual pursuit for Truth and Beauty leads to God has been known by many. Here is Raissa again....
I give thanks to God who put in my heart such an ardent love of truth when, ignorant of the divine Truth, I lived among skeptics and atheists. That desire which the physical sciences could not satisfy because they are partial, and which modern philosophies completely frustrated by their relativism, was fulfilled by the revelation of Catholic doctrine and of Thomistic philosophy.
Her way was through theology and philosophy. But, she had to endure great suffering as well.
As I sit in bed trying to get warm, because I cannot afford heat, suffering from aches and pains, tendinitis, caused by the cold and pain in old frostbite areas, which hurt in the cold, and having chilblains flare up from the cold, I am struck that Raissa had to suffer while being purified in her intellect and heart. I get headaches from the cold, and pains in my fingers. She experienced many severe illnesses. She was almost constantly ill some years.
Why? Look at the saints who have had to suffer both physical and existential pain. The list is long.
The connection cannot be denied. When I first read her so long ago, I was attracted to her because she suffered, like I do, from very painful sciatica and other illnesses. Today, I had an asthma attack from the cold as well. I was so disappointed, as my prayers for healing have not been answered. Raissa's illnesses were chronic and many days she had to spend in bed from weakness. Thankfully, I only need a "down day" here and there.
Her suffering was a part of her Dark Night. She admitted that she was in Purgatory for one year, 1918-1919, without consolation, with dryness in prayer, not being moved by sermons, with a shattered soul.
Why suffering must accompany this deep desire for Truth is explained by Raissa in one line.
"It is the sublime but everyday truth of Christianity that suffering united to love works salvation."
This is it....pure and simple. All metaphysical or existential suffering, physical or spiritual suffering, heart or head suffering, when coupled with love, becomes redemptive, not only for us, but for others.
In the past two weeks, when my active contemplation was a chore, dry and hard because I could not concentrate on God or His Attributes, it dawned on me, through a small moment of grace in the Adoration Chapel in Sliema, that this was exactly what God wanted--me to be in the driest of deserts before Him, trusting and loving without images, or any response from that Vulnerable God, who was before me under the Species of The Host.
This is my mortification-active contemplation without results. Raissa explains this as well, "Total abnegation is my path (so badly followed by me). All possible mortification, interior. In fact, it depends entirely on myself to create the 'desert'".
Several days ago, before I read this line as if I were reading it for the first time this morning, I came to the same realization in prayer at Adoration. I had to be content with the desert.
I had to create the desert interiorly, the nothingness of my own self, joined with the via negativa which has been my life. No permanent home, no companionship, no security, no family near me, very few things...which fit into two suitcases.
I knew this in 1985, so long ago, but I fought it over and over and over. To embrace the via negativa is to choose to be in the desert constantly, with aridity of soul and body. I wanted the via affimativa. but one does not choose the way God makes one holy. But, as a poet, a writer, I am plunged into the affirmation of life, of beauty, of symbols and images. That is another suffering, to be torn in one's gifts and ministry in the pursuit of contemplation. To go against one's natural instincts to find the nothing which is all.
But, now I know to rest in the desert. If there are no words, nothing but rocks and sands, I am content.
This is God's Will and once I really accepted it, the peace came like waves in the sea.
This is the peace which passes all understanding, not a peace because one is experiencing goodness, kindness or comfort, but a peace when one is suffering intensely on many fronts, including pain in the heart, including grief.
Create your own desert, in a way similar, to which you have been called by me through St. Catherine of Siena to create the cell in your soul. where you can go.
Now, I understand what was told to me at the beginning of this stay in Malta, that the Garden of Eden is the Garden of Gethsemane-only in pain and suffering can some of us find Love and perfection.
Raissa spoke to me so long ago, but I had to travel many paths to get to the place she found in 1921-the interior desert. She was 38.
Pray that God gives me stability in order to be able to rest in this desert, for even a desert is a place.
Let me close this post with Raissa's words from July 13th, 1921,
To love. To abandon oneself. Nothing else is necessary to sanctification. No, nothing, not even silence with God if that is rendered impossible by real obstacles, interior or exterior...Love God, love, love. That is the one thing necessary.
to be continued....
Several significant lines from Raissa's Journal seem to fit into the ongoing discussion on perfection.
The first entry relates to the post earlier on philosophy and the training of the intellect. Raissa makes it clear that now is the time (1919) for the Faith to be defended by the Intellect.
And, it is now.
Like the Benedictines, she makes the connection between the pursuit of the love of Truth, the love of God, and study.
Obedience to God in the Faith must be rational. Raissa quotes Pascal, "Submission and use of reason, in which true Christianity consists."
Who among Catholics know this, believe this? I hope my readers have come to this, if they did not know it already.
What we witnessed recently in the Synod were anti-intellectualism, the lack of reason, and the lack of obedience to Church teaching.
Here is Raissa in her own words: Truth is the rule of the intellect and of the will, it has an absolute and legitimate power over the whole man. Not to follow the truth which the intellect shows us is to disobey God; for the intellect is, in us, a certain similitude of the uncreated light. (St. Thomas).
Then, she writes something which I could have written if I were more intelligent, for this is my experience. God meets me in my intellect and always has.
I remember a day in Bristol, when I was studying and teaching at the University, when I was working on the poetry of David Jones. I can remember the moment as if it happened yesterday.
Sitting at my desk in Wills Hall, facing west, out the large latticed window, I was struck with Beauty and taken up into the Presence of God. The study of the beauty of the words of poetry brought me directly into contact with Beauty Himself. That the intellectual pursuit for Truth and Beauty leads to God has been known by many. Here is Raissa again....
I give thanks to God who put in my heart such an ardent love of truth when, ignorant of the divine Truth, I lived among skeptics and atheists. That desire which the physical sciences could not satisfy because they are partial, and which modern philosophies completely frustrated by their relativism, was fulfilled by the revelation of Catholic doctrine and of Thomistic philosophy.
Her way was through theology and philosophy. But, she had to endure great suffering as well.
As I sit in bed trying to get warm, because I cannot afford heat, suffering from aches and pains, tendinitis, caused by the cold and pain in old frostbite areas, which hurt in the cold, and having chilblains flare up from the cold, I am struck that Raissa had to suffer while being purified in her intellect and heart. I get headaches from the cold, and pains in my fingers. She experienced many severe illnesses. She was almost constantly ill some years.
Why? Look at the saints who have had to suffer both physical and existential pain. The list is long.
The connection cannot be denied. When I first read her so long ago, I was attracted to her because she suffered, like I do, from very painful sciatica and other illnesses. Today, I had an asthma attack from the cold as well. I was so disappointed, as my prayers for healing have not been answered. Raissa's illnesses were chronic and many days she had to spend in bed from weakness. Thankfully, I only need a "down day" here and there.
Her suffering was a part of her Dark Night. She admitted that she was in Purgatory for one year, 1918-1919, without consolation, with dryness in prayer, not being moved by sermons, with a shattered soul.
Why suffering must accompany this deep desire for Truth is explained by Raissa in one line.
"It is the sublime but everyday truth of Christianity that suffering united to love works salvation."
This is it....pure and simple. All metaphysical or existential suffering, physical or spiritual suffering, heart or head suffering, when coupled with love, becomes redemptive, not only for us, but for others.
In the past two weeks, when my active contemplation was a chore, dry and hard because I could not concentrate on God or His Attributes, it dawned on me, through a small moment of grace in the Adoration Chapel in Sliema, that this was exactly what God wanted--me to be in the driest of deserts before Him, trusting and loving without images, or any response from that Vulnerable God, who was before me under the Species of The Host.
This is my mortification-active contemplation without results. Raissa explains this as well, "Total abnegation is my path (so badly followed by me). All possible mortification, interior. In fact, it depends entirely on myself to create the 'desert'".
Several days ago, before I read this line as if I were reading it for the first time this morning, I came to the same realization in prayer at Adoration. I had to be content with the desert.
I had to create the desert interiorly, the nothingness of my own self, joined with the via negativa which has been my life. No permanent home, no companionship, no security, no family near me, very few things...which fit into two suitcases.
I knew this in 1985, so long ago, but I fought it over and over and over. To embrace the via negativa is to choose to be in the desert constantly, with aridity of soul and body. I wanted the via affimativa. but one does not choose the way God makes one holy. But, as a poet, a writer, I am plunged into the affirmation of life, of beauty, of symbols and images. That is another suffering, to be torn in one's gifts and ministry in the pursuit of contemplation. To go against one's natural instincts to find the nothing which is all.
But, now I know to rest in the desert. If there are no words, nothing but rocks and sands, I am content.
This is God's Will and once I really accepted it, the peace came like waves in the sea.
This is the peace which passes all understanding, not a peace because one is experiencing goodness, kindness or comfort, but a peace when one is suffering intensely on many fronts, including pain in the heart, including grief.
Create your own desert, in a way similar, to which you have been called by me through St. Catherine of Siena to create the cell in your soul. where you can go.
Now, I understand what was told to me at the beginning of this stay in Malta, that the Garden of Eden is the Garden of Gethsemane-only in pain and suffering can some of us find Love and perfection.
Raissa spoke to me so long ago, but I had to travel many paths to get to the place she found in 1921-the interior desert. She was 38.
Pray that God gives me stability in order to be able to rest in this desert, for even a desert is a place.
Let me close this post with Raissa's words from July 13th, 1921,
To love. To abandon oneself. Nothing else is necessary to sanctification. No, nothing, not even silence with God if that is rendered impossible by real obstacles, interior or exterior...Love God, love, love. That is the one thing necessary.
to be continued....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)