The sermon this morning give at the TLM at St. Kevin's encouraged all of us. Father William Richardson used both the Old and New Testament readings in his movement from sorrow to encouragement.
Father noted that we are living in dark times, and that things will get worse. He expects ssm to be passed in Ireland as well (see my blog on the EU meeting on this two years ago). Reminding us that it is easy to be a Christian when the entire society is Christian, that God is calling all of us Catholics to be lights in the darkness, and hold fast to our faith despite the culture. The priest said loud and clear that things will get worse now that Ireland is an arm of the EU. Nice to hear truth...
Father pointed out that Christ wept over Jerusalem because the leaders of the Jews and the people would not listen, would not recognize Him. But, Christ did not stay weeping over Jerusalem, and despite His real sorrow, He moved on, preaching the Gospel and doing the works of God.
This is what we must do. With our eyes open, and without, as Father said, the support of the establishment, we continue in faith.
After Mass, I have coffee with four lively ladies my age, who told me horrific stories of the Church here-liturgical abuses, bad catechesis, bad priests, bad bishops, the same old stories as in England and America.
What I did not know was that the government penalizes home schoolers by not giving those families the child credit given to every family in Ireland.
This is persecution of orthodox Catholics. Also, I did not know that women who worked were openly praised by this government, while women who stayed at home are ignored. Shades of Marxist Russia...
The ladies, however, represent the dying breed of Catholics who were raised in an orthodox manner. However, two said that in the 1970s, the bishops instructed, and the nuns complied, that parents were to be discouraged in teaching religion in the home. WOW! Out and out undermining of the family...communism in the Church.
The enemies are within the gates...
Hold fast, be perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is perfect. We encouraged each other to pray and hold fast.