From Rorate

It is with deep sadness and consternation we learn that in the circular letter of the 8th December, addressed to all the Friars of the Immaculate, the most Reverend Father Volpi, accuses some of the most prominent exponents of the Sisters of the Immaculate, “of having contributed to the creation of a ‘distorted mentality’ in the Friars, strongly influencing their lifestyle.”

We retain that such accusations are totally unfounded, and because of the generalizations, they offend our entire Institute, and consequently, we refute them completely, at the same time recalling the words of our Pope Francis “Whoever speaks badly about his brother, kills him. (2.9.2013) while “mercy changes the world.” (17.3.1013).

On our part, we endeavor to follow the invitation from the Vicar of Christ “to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Cross of the Lord; to edify the Church with the blood of the Lord, shed upon the Cross; and to confess the only glory: Christ crucified. And like this the Church goes forth.” (14.3.2013).

Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate

Go to Rorate Caeli for more important information-this is from that site.

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/12/important-franciscan-sisters-of.html

The Sins of Christmas Time-Greed

The post has been a drum beating the problems of the consumerism and materialism of this time.

There are many posts on these subjects. But, today, I want to highlight the worship of Mammon.

Thanks to Wiki for painting 1909 painting The Worship of Mammon by Evelyn De Morgan.

Many years ago, I had a poem published in one of the Notre Dame poetry journals, which connected the worship of Mammon with abortion. That the poem was published astounded me. It is floating around somewhere, but I do not have a copy.

However, today, I do not want to connect the worship of Mammon, who is a false god of the ancient world, but still active in our society as either an ideal or as a demon, with abortion.

I want to connect this horrible worship, the idolatry of things, money, position and status with the capital sin of Greed.

The trouble is that the capital sins reward those who commit them. That is part of the fatal attraction of these sins. In Advent, instead of praying and meditating on the coming humble Birth of the Incarnate Son, people are obsessed with things, parties, more things, concerts, more things, and so on.

That the capital sin of greed could be connected to a demon is seen in the Scriptures. Here is a line from CE, which saved me some time in finding the references....

The Catholic Encyclopedia notes this: In the New Testament only Matthew 6:24, and Luke 16:9-13, the latter verse repeating Matthew 6:24. In Luke 16:9 and 11 Mammon is personified

This source also notes. 

Thus Peter Lombard (II, dist. 6) says, "Riches are called by the name of a devil, namely Mammon, for Mammon is the name of a devil, by which name riches are called according to the Syrian tongue." Piers Plowman also regards Mammon as a deity.

That many Catholics voted for their wallets by following the socialist doctrines of a certain party, and did not vote pro-life, is an indication of demonic influences.

The Avaricious in Dante

That many Catholics are not praying, or going to confession or spending time in mediation during Advent, but running around buying things, is an indication of excess.

Any excessive love is lust and so, too, lust is connected to Mammon. Another name for Greed is Avarice or covetousness. Detachment is the answer, by the way

Here is Thomas Aquinas from the Summa:

On the contrary, The Apostle says (1 Timothy 6:10): "The desire of money is the root of all evil."
I answer that, According to some, covetousness may be understood in different ways. First, as denoting inordinate desire forriches: and thus it is a special sin. Secondly, as denoting inordinate desire for any temporal good: and thus it is a genus comprising all sins, because every sin includes an inordinate turning to a mutable good, as stated above (Question 72, Article 2). Thirdly, as denoting an inclination of a corrupt nature to desire corruptible goods inordinately: and they say that in this sensecovetousness is the root of all sins, comparing it to the root of a tree, which draws its sustenance from earth, just as every singrows out of the love of temporal things.
Now, though all this is true, it does not seem to explain the mind of the Apostle when he states that covetousness is the root of all sins. For in that passage he clearly speaks against those who, because they "will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil . . . for covetousness is the root of all evils." Hence it is evident that he is speaking of covetousness as denoting the inordinate desire for riches. Accordingly, we must say that covetousness, as denoting a special sin, is called the root of all sins, in likeness to the root of a tree, in furnishing sustenance to the whole tree. For we see that by riches manacquires the means of committing any sin whatever, and of sating his desire for any sin whatever, since money helps man to obtain all manner of temporal goods, according to Ecclesiastes 10:19: "All things obey money": so that in this desire for riches is the root of all sins.
Reply to Objection 1. Virtue and sin do not arise from the same source. For sin arises from the desire of mutable good; and consequently the desire of that good which helps one to obtain all temporal goods, is called the root of all sins. But virtue arises from the desire for the immutable God; and consequently charity, which is the love of God, is called the root of the virtues, according to Ephesians 3:17: "Rooted and founded in charity."
Reply to Objection 2. The desire of money is said to be the root of sins, not as though riches were sought for their own sake, as being the last end; but because they are much sought after as useful for any temporal end. And since a universal good is more desirable than a particular good, they move the appetite more than any individual goods, which along with many others can be procured by means of money.
Reply to Objection 3. Just as in natural things we do not ask what always happens, but what happens most frequently, for the reason that the nature of corruptible things can be hindered, so as not always to act in the same way; so also in moral matters, we consider what happens in the majority of cases, not what happens invariably, for the reason that the will does not act of necessity. So when we say that covetousness is the root of all evils, we do not assert that no other evil can be its root, but that other evils more frequently arise therefrom, for the reason given.

Summa Theologica: First Part of th e Second Part: Question 84  link

Avarice is "the root of all evils" 1 Timothy 6:10.

to be continued...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/rejecting-gospel-of-christ-part-two.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/consumerism-and-materialism-part-two.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/11/past-posts-on-cardinal-virtues.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/downsizing-two-advent-thoughts-on-death.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/downsizing-again-advent-thoughts-of.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/why-jesus-came-as-baby.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/think-about-this.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-last-mini-series-post-on-death-and.html

and more......follow the tags Advent, etc.

Read And Wonder...Why

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2526806/If-son-did-Michael-Adebolajo-did-I-happy-Hate-preacher-Omar-Bakri-Muhammad-says-proud-Lee-Rigby-killer.html

New Catholic Document on Education

I am reading the bits from the Italian news agencies, and have yet to find the entire document on line.

Will get back to you all on this one.

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows-Second Part

Mary's soul was pierced by the humble surroundings of the road to her Son's Birth. Her heart ached because the Lord of Love was so unloved by His own people-and the world of the Romans. She was full of love, and was dreaming of her Baby to come. 

But, she felt the cold and held her Baby in the womb tight. She gave her pure love to her Pure Son.

Hallowed Mother, do this favour: Those Wounds that gored my Saviour, deeply on my heart engraved. Mine it be, Christ's throes in sharing. Mine it be, his anguish bearing. These, his wounds, to keep in mind. From the flame of hell unending, be thou, Virgin, me defending, in that dreadful reckoning day! When in death my eyes are closing, open them, Lord, to see reposing, Victory's crown in Mary's hand. When my frame by death is broken, and my doom by thee is spoken, be it, Lord, the better land. 
Amen. 
I beseech you, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose most holy soul was pierced in the hour of your Passion by the sword of sorrow, may intercede for us with Your mercy now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

What it takes to unite the Christians of America....

We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support.  The family has spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E's decision.  We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word.  While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Phil would never incite or encourage hate.We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm.  We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty.   Again, thank you for your continued support of our family


http://duckcommander.com/news/robertson-family-offical-statement

America astounds me! This family has chosen God over money. Would that all the Catholics who voted for Obama would have this priority.

Four Days of Precipitation Starting Today

We have a forecast of four days of rain turning to snow, then very cold temperatures on Monday and Tuesday-2 above Fahrenheit on Monday at some point.

I keep wondering how my ancestors managed this weather in the 1880s.

For those of you who read The Long Winter, I can only say this feels like one just beginning. Very interesting. We already have about six to seven inches on the ground here and more is piling up even now.

God bless the prairie lands.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/story/2011/08/Little-House-author-right-on-1880s-winter/50065682/1

One of the sins which cries out for vengeance to God....

from the Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/same-sex-marriage/?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost

From a twitterati... a letter to the "Little White Bird", St. Therese

http://www.archives-carmel-lisieux.fr/english/carmel/index.php/mr-guerin-isidor/10193-de-m-guerin-a-therese-24-25-juillet-1897

Thanks to Tigga for this letter link and for this site.....enjoy, All. This is a great description of the purgation of the senses and spirit.

Doctors of The Church Series, et al

I shall continue the re-posting and the updates, as I did not. I am about half-way through, but life is overtaking my ability to concentrate. All one has to do is follow the label and the tags-see the side of the blog.

And, as to the Perfection Series, more is coming as well. In the meantime, there are 400+ posts which may be accessed, again, from the list of labels at the side.


Ta,

STM

God will not be mocked

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/2014-rose-bowl-parade-will-end-with-a-gay-marriage

Boycott the Rose Bowl and the parade. And, read why on this link.

God will not be mocked.