Apr-23-2013 (
Catholic members of royal couples won't have to raise kids Catholics
By Catholic News Service
LONDON (CNS) -- Church leaders have told the British government that members of the royal family who marry Catholics under recently passed legislation will not be obliged to bring up their children in the Catholic faith.
Lord Wallace of Tankerness, speaking on behalf of the government, said he had been assured personally by Msgr. Marcus Stock, general secretary of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, that the canonical requirement of Catholics to raise their children in the faith was not always binding.
"I have the specific consent of Msgr. Stock to say that he was speaking on behalf of Archbishop (Vincent) Nichols (of Westminster) as president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and can inform the House that the view taken by the Catholic Church in England and Wales is that, in the instance of mixed marriages, the approach of the Catholic Church is pastoral," he said.
"It will always look to provide guidance that supports and strengthens the unity and indissolubility of the marriage," Lord Wallace said.
"In this context the Catholic Church expects Catholic spouses to sincerely undertake to do all that they can to raise children in the Catholic Church," he continued. "Where it has not been possible for the child of a mixed marriage to be brought up as a Catholic, the Catholic parent does not fall subject to the censure of canon law."
The remarks were made during the third reading debate of the Succession to the Crown Bill in the House of Lords April 22.
For the first time in more than 300 years, legislation would allow British monarchs to marry Catholics. The sections of the 1701 Act of Settlement that insist on the sovereign being a member of the Church of England will, however, remain in place.
The bill will also end the rule of male primogeniture and permit female first-borns to have the right of succession over any young brothers.
The bill means that if the child of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, due in July, is a girl, she will have the right to rule ahead of any younger brothers -- and will also be free to marry a Catholic.
Some members of the House of Lords were deeply concerned that the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church compelled a Catholic spouse to raise his or her offspring as children.
Canon 1125 requires that in a mixed marriage the Catholic "is to make a sincere promise to do all in his or her power in order that all the children be baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church."
Lord Cormack attempted to introduce an amendment April 22 to put beyond doubt the requirement that the sovereign be a Protestant and in communion with the Church of England. This was withdrawn after Lord Wallace revealed the assurances of the Catholic hierarchy.
The bill passed third reading, meaning it has passed through both Houses of Parliament and requires only Royal Assent before it becomes law later this year.
END
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
This is so evil...but change-UPDATE: Obama cancels talk
Amid new concerns about the brutality of illegal forms of abortions, President Obama plans to deliver the keynote address at Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s annual fundraising dinner Thursday.
The theme of the dinner, to be held in Washington, is a “Time for Care,” organizers announced. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said Mr. Obama has done more than any president in history for women’s health and rights so she is delighted to have him help promote the gala dinner with his presence.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/23/obama-keynote-planned-parenthood-fundraiser/#ixzz2RJaz0OeK
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
President Obama has canceled plans to deliver a keynote address at Planned Parenthood’s annual fundraising dinner Thursday night after critics decried his high-profile role at the abortion rights group amid new concerns about the brutality of illegal forms of abortion.
White House spokesman Jay Carney announced the decision to cancel the keynote speech at the gala during his daily press briefing with reporters Wednesday. He attributed the schedule change to Mr. Obama’s desire to spend more time at a memorial service in Waco, Texas, for family members of the victims of the fertilizer plant explosion.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/24/obama-backs-out-planned-parenthood-address/#ixzz2RPAcD2Yc
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
UPDATE TWO
NO, TALK GOING AHEAD.http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/25/why-obama-decided-to-be-the-first-sitting-president-to-address-planned-parenthood/
Earlier this week, Dannenfeiser’s group touted the news that Obama would not be speaking at Planned Parenthood’s gala Thursday night, as he was originally scheduled to do. But its celebration was short-lived. The president had postponed his remarks because he was traveling to Texas for the George W. Bush Library dedication and a memorial service for victims of the explosion in West, Tex. He would still address Planned Parenthood’s conference on Friday, once he returned.
News from Supertradmum
In nine days, I am going into the enclosure at Tyburn. This is the second trial, but the first "in", as I was in the guest house before. That is how the Benedictines do it. First, one is in the guest house for several months, and then one is asked into the enclosure, or one asks and is accepted or not. I left last time thinking it was too hard, but Mother and I want me to try again.
I am in this second stage. I enter with fear and trembling, knowing that if this is God's Will, He will have to make it happen in my life. He will have to give me the physical strength.
For those who read this blog, you know how much I love the Benedictine Rule and especially, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, my favourite saint. Tyburn is more Cistercian in its simplicity and strictness. Again, I am going for the "marines" of the religious life. I am called to contemplation and prayer. This is too hard in my world at this time.
I ask your prayers. In the past week and in this week, I am buying whites and blacks to wear and all the stuff on the list Mother General sent me. I still need a heavy warm wooly plain black jumper (sweater) as I have not been able to find one under a hundred pounds, and there are zero in the charity shops (second hand shops) here. Pray I can find one. Also, the nice wooly tights I found in Ireland I cannot find in England, so pray about those as well.
I thank Marsha for helping me buy what I need, as the list is very specific.
Pray to Mother Adele Garnier, the Foundress for me.
I humbly ask for your prayers. The blog will continue until I go in and when I go in, you shall seen my "dolphins" singing to you. I go in on May 1st.
Pray for this archbishop-his soul is in danger:
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news/5228
Please feel free to comment on Archbishop Piero Marini's pro civil union stand and his anti-Benedict stance.
Ugh. I am SO glad I am not a bishop or archbishop or cardinal....just a teacher and mum.
Please feel free to comment on Archbishop Piero Marini's pro civil union stand and his anti-Benedict stance.
Ugh. I am SO glad I am not a bishop or archbishop or cardinal....just a teacher and mum.
God Bless the French-Protests Against SSM Increasing
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/world/europe/in-france-opposition-to-same-sex-marriage-bill-grows.html?partner=MYWAY&ei=5065&_r=1&
snippet
The final vote in the legislature is expected to be quick, since the Socialist government of PresidentFrançois Hollande has a safe voting majority. But there has been an intensification of opposition to the billin the past few weeks, as Mr. Hollande’s critics have used demonstrations against it as a way of attacking the president himself.
snippet
The final vote in the legislature is expected to be quick, since the Socialist government of PresidentFrançois Hollande has a safe voting majority. But there has been an intensification of opposition to the billin the past few weeks, as Mr. Hollande’s critics have used demonstrations against it as a way of attacking the president himself.
The Solemnity of St. George
Today, in the sermon for the Solemnity of St. George, the Patronal Feast of England, the visiting priest made these points. I have links for more information on some of the points. By the way, the priest wore a gorgeous chasuble of red with the Rose of England embroidered throughout.
St. George was a centurion in the 3rd century who was murdered for his faith. He is venerated also in the Orthodox Church as one of the earliest martyrs. St. Bede wrote his life, which made him popular in England and in the Golden Legend, printed by Caxton, the honor given to St. George grew.
As earlier at the Third Crusade, King Richard the Lionhearted claimed St. George as the patron of the military, an honor which grew into the Knights of the Garter. Several kings, such as Edward III and others had great love for St. George.
 |
| Chapel of St. George in Windsor Castle, thanks to Wiki |
That George is usually seen killing a dragon is a long-standing iconography of this saint. He may have killed a real dragon (as the priest mentioned, there still are Komodos, and I for one believe that there were dragons on the earth during the reign of mankind) or it may be a symbol of George overcoming evil through his life and martyrdom.
God bless England and all English people today. May there be a renewal of the True Faith here. (updated)
Pope Francis' Sermon This Morning on His (Baptismal) Name Day
(Vatican Radio) “It is not possible to find Jesus outside the Church”: this was Pope Francis’ message as he marked his name day, the Feast of St. George, this Tuesday celebrating Mass in the Pauline Chapel with the Cardinals present in Rome. Emer McCarth reports:
In his homily, the Pope thanked the cardinals for coming to concelebrate with him: "Thank you - he said - because I really feel welcomed by you". Commenting on the readings of the day, the Holy Father highlighted three aspects of the Church: Its missionary activity, born of persecution; the fact that it is a Mother Church which gifts us the faith that is our identity and that you cannot find Jesus outside of the Church; the joy of belonging to the Church bringing Jesus to others. In short the joy of being an evangelizer:
Below we publish a Vatican Radio transcript and translation of the Holy Father’s Homily for Mass with the Cardinals in the Pauline Chapel.
I thank His Eminence, the Cardinal Dean, for his words: thank you very much, Your Eminence, thank you.
I also thank all of you who wanted to come today: Thank you. Because I feel welcomed by you. Thank you. I feel good with you, and I like that.
The [first] reading today makes me think that the missionary expansion of the Church began precisely at a time of persecution, and these Christians went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, and proclaimed the Word. They had this apostolic fervor within them, and that is how the faith spread! Some, people of Cyprus and Cyrene - not these, but others who had become Christians - went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too. It was a further step. And this is how the Church moved forward. Whose was this initiative to speak to the Greeks? This was not clear to anyone but the Jews. But ... it was the Holy Spirit, the One who prompted them ever forward ... But some in Jerusalem, when they heard this, became 'nervous and sent Barnabas on an "apostolic visitation": perhaps, with a little sense of humor we could say that this was the theological beginning of the Doctrine of the Faith: this apostolic visit by Barnabas. He saw, and he saw that things were going well.
And so the Church was a Mother, the Mother of more children, of many children. It became more and more of a Mother. A Mother who gives us the faith, a Mother who gives us an identity. But the Christian identity is not an identity card: Christian identity is belonging to the Church, because all of these belonged to the Church, the Mother Church. Because it is not possible to find Jesus outside the Church. The great Paul VI said: "Wanting to live with Jesus without the Church, following Jesus outside of the Church, loving Jesus without the Church is an absurd dichotomy." And the Mother Church that gives us Jesus gives us our identity that is not only a seal, it is a belonging. Identity means belonging. This belonging to the Church is beautiful.
And the third idea comes to my mind - the first was the explosion of missionary activity; the second, the Mother Church - and the third, that when Barnabas saw that crowd - the text says: " And a large number of people was added to the Lord" - when he saw those crowds, he experienced joy. " When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced ": his is the joy of the evangelizer. It was, as Paul VI said, "the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing." And this joy begins with a persecution, with great sadness, and ends with joy. And so the Church goes forward, as one Saint says - I do not remember which one, here - "amid the persecutions of the world and the consolations of the Lord." And thus is the life of the Church. If we want to travel a little along the road of worldliness, negotiating with the world - as did the Maccabees, who were tempted, at that time - we will never have the consolation of the Lord. And if we seek only consolation, it will be a superficial consolation, not that of the Lord: a human consolation. The Church's journey always takes place between the Cross and the Resurrection, amid the persecutions and the consolations of the Lord. And this is the path: those who go down this road are not mistaken.
Let us think today about the missionary activity of the Church: these [people] came out of themselves to go forth. Even those who had the courage to proclaim Jesus to the Greeks, an almost scandalous thing at that time. Think of this Mother Church that grows, grows with new children to whom She gives the identity of the faith, because you cannot believe in Jesus without the Church. Jesus Himself says in the Gospel: " But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep." If we are not "sheep of Jesus," faith does not some to us. It is a rosewater faith, a faith without substance. And let us think of the consolation that Barnabas felt, which is "the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing." And let us ask the Lord for this "parresia", this apostolic fervor that impels us to move forward, as brothers, all of us forward! Forward, bringing the name of Jesus in the bosom of Holy Mother Church, and, as St. Ignatius said, "hierarchical and Catholic." So be it.
Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/04/23/pope:_mass_on_feast_of_st._george_[full_text]/en1-685615
of the Vatican Radio website
In his homily, the Pope thanked the cardinals for coming to concelebrate with him: "Thank you - he said - because I really feel welcomed by you". Commenting on the readings of the day, the Holy Father highlighted three aspects of the Church: Its missionary activity, born of persecution; the fact that it is a Mother Church which gifts us the faith that is our identity and that you cannot find Jesus outside of the Church; the joy of belonging to the Church bringing Jesus to others. In short the joy of being an evangelizer:
Below we publish a Vatican Radio transcript and translation of the Holy Father’s Homily for Mass with the Cardinals in the Pauline Chapel.
I thank His Eminence, the Cardinal Dean, for his words: thank you very much, Your Eminence, thank you.
I also thank all of you who wanted to come today: Thank you. Because I feel welcomed by you. Thank you. I feel good with you, and I like that.
The [first] reading today makes me think that the missionary expansion of the Church began precisely at a time of persecution, and these Christians went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, and proclaimed the Word. They had this apostolic fervor within them, and that is how the faith spread! Some, people of Cyprus and Cyrene - not these, but others who had become Christians - went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too. It was a further step. And this is how the Church moved forward. Whose was this initiative to speak to the Greeks? This was not clear to anyone but the Jews. But ... it was the Holy Spirit, the One who prompted them ever forward ... But some in Jerusalem, when they heard this, became 'nervous and sent Barnabas on an "apostolic visitation": perhaps, with a little sense of humor we could say that this was the theological beginning of the Doctrine of the Faith: this apostolic visit by Barnabas. He saw, and he saw that things were going well.
And so the Church was a Mother, the Mother of more children, of many children. It became more and more of a Mother. A Mother who gives us the faith, a Mother who gives us an identity. But the Christian identity is not an identity card: Christian identity is belonging to the Church, because all of these belonged to the Church, the Mother Church. Because it is not possible to find Jesus outside the Church. The great Paul VI said: "Wanting to live with Jesus without the Church, following Jesus outside of the Church, loving Jesus without the Church is an absurd dichotomy." And the Mother Church that gives us Jesus gives us our identity that is not only a seal, it is a belonging. Identity means belonging. This belonging to the Church is beautiful.
And the third idea comes to my mind - the first was the explosion of missionary activity; the second, the Mother Church - and the third, that when Barnabas saw that crowd - the text says: " And a large number of people was added to the Lord" - when he saw those crowds, he experienced joy. " When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced ": his is the joy of the evangelizer. It was, as Paul VI said, "the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing." And this joy begins with a persecution, with great sadness, and ends with joy. And so the Church goes forward, as one Saint says - I do not remember which one, here - "amid the persecutions of the world and the consolations of the Lord." And thus is the life of the Church. If we want to travel a little along the road of worldliness, negotiating with the world - as did the Maccabees, who were tempted, at that time - we will never have the consolation of the Lord. And if we seek only consolation, it will be a superficial consolation, not that of the Lord: a human consolation. The Church's journey always takes place between the Cross and the Resurrection, amid the persecutions and the consolations of the Lord. And this is the path: those who go down this road are not mistaken.
Let us think today about the missionary activity of the Church: these [people] came out of themselves to go forth. Even those who had the courage to proclaim Jesus to the Greeks, an almost scandalous thing at that time. Think of this Mother Church that grows, grows with new children to whom She gives the identity of the faith, because you cannot believe in Jesus without the Church. Jesus Himself says in the Gospel: " But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep." If we are not "sheep of Jesus," faith does not some to us. It is a rosewater faith, a faith without substance. And let us think of the consolation that Barnabas felt, which is "the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing." And let us ask the Lord for this "parresia", this apostolic fervor that impels us to move forward, as brothers, all of us forward! Forward, bringing the name of Jesus in the bosom of Holy Mother Church, and, as St. Ignatius said, "hierarchical and Catholic." So be it.
Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/04/23/pope:_mass_on_feast_of_st._george_[full_text]/en1-685615
of the Vatican Radio website
On the sad state of American mental health
I read this the other day and several people sent it to me. Here is an article worth reading.
Of course, Catholics know the answer to most of these problems.
http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/americans-snapping-by-the-millions/
Sigh, I love London, but....
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-home-set-to-smash-property-price-record-by-going-on-sale-for-a-staggering-250m-8583395.html
And, houses in Hackney, which were 25,000 not THAT long ago are 500,000 pounds sterling. Crazy. A two-tiered economy is taking over London-only the very rich and very poor, who are given housing. The middle-class is disappearing there. Sad days.
And, houses in Hackney, which were 25,000 not THAT long ago are 500,000 pounds sterling. Crazy. A two-tiered economy is taking over London-only the very rich and very poor, who are given housing. The middle-class is disappearing there. Sad days.
Review of Garabandal
Garabandal has not been approved and it is still in the status in the Church of being "rejected". This means that no proof of supernatural involvement from God or Christ or the Holy Spirit or Mary can be ascertained.
The apparitions labelled "not approved" are not to be sought after, and in some cases, the CDF has made clear statements as to the danger of writings or groupings, as seen in other post on private revelations on this blog.
I, personally, do not understand Catholics, who do not read the encyclicals, the Catechism of the Catholic Faith, or any other doctrinal texts, chasing after apparitions which may be dubious.
In all cases, wait for Rome to decide. Your immortal soul may be at stake. Only a bishop or cardinal or congregation in Rome can make decisions on visions, NOT canon lawyers and not individual priests. If you are following direction from a priest who is in conflict with Rome, do not follow him. If a priest is wrong in one way, he may be wrong in other teachings of the Church as well.
Garabandal Letters http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/garabandal_letters.html
Letter from Cardinal Seper, Prefect of the Congregation For the Sacred Doctrine of the Faith, to Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans, Louisiana.April 21, 1970 "This office has received you letter of April 1970 in which you expressed justifiable apprehension about the diffusion of the Garabandal movement in your Archdiocese and in which you asked for clear and reliable guidelines from the Holy See for dealing with this phenomenon. "The Holy See share your perception about the manifest and increasing confusion due to the diffusion of this movement among the faithful and desires with this letter to clarify its position on the matter. "This Sacred Congregation despite requests form various Bishops and faithful has always refused to define the supernatural character of the events of Garabandal. After the definitive negative judgment issued by the Curia of Santander this Sacred Congregation, after attentive examination of the proceedings forwarded to this office has often praised the prudence that characterized the method followed in the examination but has still decided to leave direct responsibility for the matter to the local Ordinary. "The Holy see has always held that the conclusions and dispositions of the Bishop of Santander were sufficiently secure guidelines for the Christian people and indications for the Bishops to order to dissuade people from participating in pilgrimages and other acts of devotion that are based on claims connected with or founded on the presumed apparitions and messages of Garabandal. (On March 10, 1996, this Sacred Congregation wrote a letter to this effect to the Bishop of Santander who had also asked for a more explicit declaration of the Holy See to the matter.) "However promoters of the Garabandal movement have tried to minimize the decisions and the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Santander. THIS SACRED CONGREGATION WANTS IT TO BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BISHOP OF SANTANDER HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE THE ONLY ONE WITH COMPLETE JURISDICTION IN THIS MATTER AND THE HOLY SEE HAS NO INTENTION OF EXAMINING THIS QUESTION ANY FURTHER, since it holds that the examinations already carried out are sufficient as well as are the official declarations of the Bishop of Santander. There is no truth to the statement that the Holy See has named an Official Papal Private Investigator of Garabandal and affirmations attributed to the anonymous personage to the extent that the verification of the Garabandal apparitions lies completely in the hands of the Holy Father Pope Paul VI and other such expressions that aim at undermining the authority of the decisions of the Bishop of Santander are completely unfounded. "In order to reply to certain doubts that you expressed in your letter this Sacred Congregation wishes to assert: that the Holy See has never approved even indirectly the Garabandal movement, that it has never encouraged or blessed Garabandal promoters or centers. Rather the Holy See deplores that fact that certain persons and Institutions persist in formatting the movement in obvious contradiction with the dispositions of ecclesiastical authority and thus disseminate confusion among the people especially among the simple and defenseless. "From what has been said so far you will easily realize that though this Sacred Congregation certainly agrees with the contents of the note of May 10, 1969 (as published in various countries and especially in the French magazine LA DOCUMENTATION CATHOLIQUE September 21, 1966, n:1547 p. 821) It must say that it is inexact to attribute the part of the text that deals with the lack of supernatural character of the events of Garabandal of the Sacred Congregation which has always striven to abstain from any direct declaration on the question precisely because it did not consider it necessary to do so after the clear and express decisions of the Bishop of Santander. This is the genuine meaning of the letter written on January 21, 1970 by the Most Reverend Paul Phillippe, Secretary of this Sacred Congregation to the editor in chief of LA DOCUMENTATION CATHOLIQUE "In order to contribute further to your pastoral action in this matter, this office is enclosing other essential documents already published in other countries such as Spain: The two official notices of the Bishop of Santander, two letters of the Sacred Congregation to the same Bishop and a letter to the Apostolic Delegate to Mexico. This office hopes in this letter to have clarified a question that concerns not just your Archdiocese but also other dioceses. "With sentiments of deepest esteem and cordial respect I am devotedly yours, Francis Cardinal Seper Prefect Paul Philippe , Secretary" Statement by Bishop Msgr. Jose Vilaplaua of Santander on alleged apparitions at Garabandal Diocese of Santander Santander, 11 October 1996 Some people have been coming directly to the Diocese of Santander (Spain) asking about the "alleged apparitions" of Garabandal, and above all for the position of the hierarchy of the Church concerning these apparitions. I must communicate that: 1. All the bishops of the diocese from 1961 through 1970 asserted that the supernatural character of the said apparitions, that took place around that time, could not be confirmed. [no constaba].* 2. In the month of December of 1977 Msgr. del Val, Bishop of Santander, in union with his predecessors, affirmed that in the six years of being Bishop of Santander there were no new phenomena. 3. Not withstanding, the same Msgr. del Val, the first years having passed in which there was confusion to enthusiasm, initiated an interdisciplinary study in order to examine with greater profundity these phenomenon. The conclusion of this study coincided with the previous findings by the bishops, which is to say, that it does not prove [no consta] the supernaturality of said apparitions. 4. This study concluded during the days in which I took possession of the diocese in 1991. Taking advantage, in that same year, of a trip to Rome for the motive of making the ad limina visit, I presented said study to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and asked for guidance for pastoral activity concerning the case. 5. On Nov. 28, 1992, the Congregation sent me its response, consisting in, that after having examined attentively the mentioned documentation, it did not consider it opportune to intervene directly, removing the ordinary jurisdiction of the Bishop of Santander, this subject that belongs to him by right. Previous declarations of the Holy See agree in this finding. In the same letter it was suggested, if I find it opportune, to publish a declaration in which it is re-affirmed that the supernaturality of the referenced apparitions was not proven, making my own the unanimous position of my predecessors. 6. Given that the declarations of my predecessors, who studied the case, have been clear and unanimous, I do not find it necessary to have a new public declaration that would give notoriety to something which happened so long ago. However, I find it opportune to redact this information as a direct response to the persons who ask for direction concerning this question, which I give finally, accepting the decisions of my predecessors and the direction of the Holy See. 7. In reference to the celebration of the Eucharist in Garabandal, following the dispositions of my predecessors, I only allow that it be celebrated in the parish church without reference to the alleged apparitions and with the permission of the current pastor, who has my confidence. With the wish that this information is helpful to you, receive my cordial greeting in Christ, Jose Vilaplana Bishop of Santander 1) constat de supernaturalitate (it is established supernatural) 2) constat de non supernaturalitate (it is established not supernatural) 3) non constat de supernaturalitate (it is not established supernatural) Provided courtesy of EWTN: ewtn.com/library/ |
....the Bishop of Santander determined a non constat—that is, the events could not be confirmed to be of supernatural origin. Regarding the alleged Marian apparitions at Garabandal, Bishop Jose Vilaplana stated that: "All the bishops of the diocese from 1961 through 1970 asserted that the supernatural character of the said apparitions, that took place around that time, could not be confirmed. [no constaba].[8] He expressed his opinion that it would be prudent to wait until the promised miracle happens to determine the veracity of Garabandal.
In a letter to Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans, Louisiana, dated April 21, 1970, Cardinal Seper, Prefect of the congregation For the Sacred Doctrine of the Faith, stated:
"The Holy see has always held that the conclusions and dispositions of the Bishop of Santander were sufficiently secure guidelines for the Christian people and indications for the Bishops to order to dissuade people from participating in pilgrimages and other acts of devotion that are based on claims connected with or founded on the presumed apparitions and messages of Garabandal. On March 10, 1996, this Sacred Congregation wrote a letter to this effect to the Bishop of Santander who had also asked for a more explicit declaration of the Holy See to the matter.
"However promoters of the Garabandal movement have tried to minimize the decisions and the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Santander. This Sacred Congregation wants it to be clearly understood that the Bishop of Santander has been and continues to be the only one with complete jurisdiction in this matter and the Holy See has no intention of examining this question any further, since it holds that the examinations already carried out are sufficient as well as are the official declarations of the Bishop of Santander. There is no truth to the statement that the Holy See has named an Official Papal Private Investigator of Garabandal and affirmations attributed to the anonymous personage to the extent that the verification of the Garabandal apparitions lies completely in the hands of Pope Paul VI and other such expressions that aim at undermining the authority of the decisions of the Bishop of Santander are completely unfounded.
"In order to reply to certain doubts that you expressed in your letter this Sacred Congregation wishes to assert: that the Holy See has never approved even indirectly the Garabandal movement, that it has never encouraged or blessed Garabandal promoters or centers. Rather the Holy See deplores that fact that certain persons and Institutions persist in formatting the movement in obvious contradiction with the dispositions of ecclesiastical authority and thus disseminate confusion among the people especially among the simple and defenseless." [9]
In April 2007, Joey Lomangino, founder of a large organization for U.S. Garabandal devotees, received from Conchita a copy of a letter dated February 12, 2007 from Archbishop Carlos Sierra of Oviedo. Sierra is the acting Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Santander in Spain, and the letter was addressed to a prominent Garabandal supporter in that country.
"I want you to know that I am open to receiving and considering all information about Garabandal, and would like to continue—as long as our Holy Father wishes me to serve as Apostolic Administrator—the work that my brothers at the Bishopric have already done in reference to this subject. What I have just done is authorize the priests to go to Garabandal and hold Holy Mass at the Parish, at any desired time, and to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to anyone that wishes to receive it. I am sure the next Bishop will promote further studies to examine in depth the Garabandal events and will send the findings to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. I respect apparitions and have known of authentic conversions. How can we not always feel the need to open our heart to our Mother Mary to tell her that we need her protection, her help, her courage, her hope, her faith and her love when faced with these events! I encourage you to keep maintaining such devotion toward our Mother." - Carlos, Archbishop of Oviedo[11]
sources on Wiki in this section:
- 8^ Donovan, Colin B., STL, Garabandal
- 9^ Vilaplana at EWTN
- 10^ University of Dayton, Garabandal Letters^ Sanchez-Ventura, p. 187 et seq.
- 11 ^ New York Center Update for May 2007, Workers of Our Lady of Carmel website. Webpage found 2009-01-08.
Tears for two bishops
UPDATE: These two bishops have been released, Praise God.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22259631#TWEET732393
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22259631#TWEET732393
Sources in Syria report that the Greek Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo, Paul Yazigi, and the Syriac Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo, Yohanna Ibrahim, were seized by “a terrorist group” as they were “carrying out humanitarian work.”
Reuters reports that “a Syriac member of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Abdulahad Steifo, said the two men had been captured when Ibrahim went to collect Yazigi after he crossed into rebel-held northern Syria from Turkey.”
Living in the Ignorance of History: Catholics Must Be the People of History
I shall blog more later, but this morning, I am thinking of how two generations of Americans and English have completely forgotten or never learned the history of their own people and civilizations.
Those who do not know history (my first degree is in history with an emphasis on ancient) CANNOT judge current events properly.
They have no historical or philosophical framework to apply to peoples or events.
Prudence, a gift of the Holy Spirit and one of the Cardinal Virtues, builds on knowledge. As Catholics, we know that Christ entered history as a Man at a particular point in time and taught us. In the Old Testament, God entered history again and again to form His People, to make a covenant with them, and to renew that covenant.
Catholics should be a People of History. At the Fullness of Time, our God came into the world and became physically part of history as a Man. We are part of His History.
It does not take much effort to be educated.
One of my best friends does not have an elementary education. She never went past THIRD grade or so because of many childhood illnesses. She grew up in Ireland after WWII. No one made her go to school, as she was ill and her parents took good care of her.
She knows Latin, some Greek, Italian, some French, history, geography, art, drama, opera, music history, religion, grammar, writing, biology, zoology and many other subjects at the level of BA.
She is self-taught.
She knows more than most college graduates in the US.
Why? Her natural thirst for knowledge, given to all of us by God, was never destroyed by an ideological school system.
If she can learn enough to have more than one BA degrees, so can anyone.
If one is ignorant and wants to remain so, one is not being the person God created.
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| The Baptism of Clovis |
This proclivity towards ignorance is anti-intellectualism, laziness, but worse, it has been encouraged by governments.
An uneducated populace most easily falls into slavery. Without knowledge, one believes ideologies.
As we stand at the edge of the destruction of our basic freedoms, we have only ourselves to blame for not wanting or taking the time to learn who we are.
Relativism and individualism lead, ironically, to tyranny.
Think, reflect, act.