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Sunday 4 January 2015

Posting Attention


There will be twenty postings altogether by tomorrow early morning on the problems affecting some of the cardinals at the Synod.

I am writing these to clear away the cobwebs. I shall write more. Sadly, I am not over the virus I caught Tuesday night, and am very worn out. Prayers would be appreciated. I may have to rest more tomorrow.

The problem is getting to daily Mass and Adoration when my flat is so far away from those chapels. If I ever come back to Malta, I shall absolutely rent where I did before, when I did not have to walk, take a bus, and walk some more.

However, I am very grateful for the opportunity to do this. Very.

Take time and read these twenty or so posts on the faulty thinking of some of the synodal fathers.

We are headed for some really bad times, I am afraid. These posts are for you to use as resources.

Slavery of the Will; Freedom of the Will Part Ten

We are reminded in Father Ripperger's talk on Spiritual Theology that mortal sin removes one's ability to grow in grace.

If one is in mortal sin, such as living in an irregular marriage or living in a homosexual relationship, one can merit nothing.

Why? Because justice demands that we give God His due worship. Due worship is actually loving God, and God sees this love and love of Himself. God wants to see Him in us.

No one can give due worship, that is love God in justice, if one is in mortal sin.

Therefore, going to Holy Communion when one is in mortal sin not only denies God justice, but also due worship.

God does not see His love in the person who is living in disobedience to Him. Justice, therefore, is denied to God.

Disorder in the will because of sin must be dealt with in Confession. Mortal sin means that God sees that one has turned away from God, one breaks the union with God. The soul is unsuited for God, says Thomas Aquinas.

God deserves due worship. He deserves our love. If He looks at us and does not see a soul facing Him, He is not worshipped correctly.

Why admit people in mortal sin to Communion when these people get NO merit and they are not giving due worship to God?

That creates the sin of sacrilege. God retracts the causation of grace in the soul when one is in mortal sin. Prayers for friends and family members are useless for the person in mortal sin. The person in mortal sin cannot intercede for anyone. We need grace to intercede, to do holy things, to actuate the virtues, to do good works.

In mortal sin, we lose the love of God, which Thomas Aquinas states.

Why is it that so many of the synodal fathers do not know these basic teachings of the Church?

In mortal sin, first to go is love of God, second is hope, then faith. So teaches Fr. Ripperger using Thomas Aquinas.

The only way to get out of mortal sin is to return to God in the sacrament of Confession and repent of the sinful lifestyle. Period. Father Ripperger gives us a simple set of points,which I have shared here, which help us understand the effect of serious sin.



I have a friend in Tunisia

http://news.yahoo.com/media-watchdog-concern-tunisian-army-jails-blogger-004005963.html

"Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem"

Earlier last year,
I had another version of this
on the blog....

New Cardinals from around the world




“As was already announced, on February 14 next I will have the joy of holding a Concistory, during which I will name 15 new Cardinals who, coming from 13 countries from every continent, manifest the indissoluble links between the Church of Rome and the particular Churches present in the world.
“On Sunday February 15 I will preside at a solemn concelebration with the new Cardinals, while on February 12 and 13 I will hold a Consistory with all the Cardinals to reflect on the orientations and proposals for the reform of the Roman Curia.
“The new Cardinals are:
Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Archbishiop Manuel José Macario do Nascimento Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon (Portugal)
Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, C.M., of Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)
Archbishop John Atcherley Dew of Wellington (New Zealand)
Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli of Ancona-Osimo (Italy)
Archbishop Pierre Nguyên Văn Nhon of Hà Nôi (Viêt Nam)
Archbishop Alberto Suàrez Inda of Morelia (Mexico)
Archbishop Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B., of Yangon (Myanmar)
Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij of Bangkok (Thailand)
Archbishop Francesco Montenegro of Agrigento (Italy)
Archbishop Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, S.D.B., of Montevideo (Uruguay)
Archbishop Ricardo Blázquez Pérez of Vallodolid (Spain)
Bishop José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R., of David (Panamá)
Bishop Arlindo Gomes Furtado, of Santiago de Cabo Verde (Archipelago of Cape Verde)
Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi of Tonga (Island of Tonga)
“Additionally, I will join to the Members of the College of Cardinals five Archbishops and Bishops Emeriti who are distinguished for their pastoral charity in the service of the Holy See and of the Church. They represent so many Bishops who, with the same pastoral solicitude, have given witness of love for Christ and for the people of God in particular Churches, in the Rome Curia, and in the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See.
“They are:
José de Jesús Pimiento Rodriguez, Archbishop Emeritus of Manizales
Archbishop Luigi De Magistris, Major Pro-Penitentiary Emeritus
Archbishop Karl-Joseph Rauber, Apostolic Nuncio
Luis Héctor Villaba, Archbishop Emeritus of Tucumán
Júlio Duarte Langa, Bishop Emeritus of Xai-Xai

Curious, What Liturgy Did You Have Today?

Second Sunday after Christmas

or

Epiphany

or something else?

We Are Not Equal Part Seven


There is no such thing a coincidence, only God-incidences.

Returning to the theme of predilection, today's reading of the Te Deum praises God for choosing and watching over His People.


O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge Thee to be the supreme Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.
All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers,
All the Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory.
The glorious choir of the Apostles,
The wonderful company of Prophets,
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee:

The Father of infinite Majesty;
Thy adorable, true and only Son;
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory!
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When Thou tookest it upon Thyself to deliver man,
Thou didst not disdain the Virgin's womb.
Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all
believers.

Thou sitest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou willst come to be our Judge.
We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy
Precious Blood.
Let them be numbered with Thy Saints in everlasting glory.


V.  Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance!
R.  Govern them, and raise them up forever.


V.  Every day we thank Thee.
R.  And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.

V.  O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

V.  Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee.
R.  O Lord, in Thee I have put my trust; let me never be put to shame.

Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur.
Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi caeli et universae Potestates;
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia,
Patrem immensae maiestatis:
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.

V.  Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
R.  Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.

V.  Per singulos dies benedicimus te.
R.  Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.

V.  Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
R.  Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.

V.  Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
R.  In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.


(note...whenever I play Gregorian Chant, no matter what time of day or night, 
the birds in the courtyard and 
neighborhood here in Malta begin to sing. 
This has happened over and over in the months I have been here.)


We Are Not Equal Part Six


One of the readings in today's Divine Office is from Maximus the Confessor. One small paragraph contains the kernel of truth reiterated in the readings of the Mass.

 For surely the word of the Law and the Prophets when it is understood with faith is like a star which leads those who are called by the power of grace in accordance with his decree to recognise the Word incarnate.

The great teacher, Maximus, shows us that "those who are called by the power of grace" are given power in grace to respond to God's Will. These who are called and given power "in accordance with is decree", that is, according to God's Will, recognize Christ as the Savior, as the Incarnated Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Those in the Synod who want to change Church teaching need to read Maximus today, as they must as priests, and ponder their own position.

The heresies I pointed out three days ago are here anticipated by Maximus--sin is not natural, which is against the Semi-Pelagians, as is the last statement, referring to man's pre-Original Sin nature.

Do the synodal fathers hear what they read today? Do they reflect on sin, grace, human nature and the call to holiness, which is possible in Christ, but not outside of Christ?

Here is the reason why God became a perfect man, changing nothing of human nature, except to take away sin (which was never natural anyway). His flesh was set before that voracious, gaping dragon as bait to provoke him: flesh that would be deadly for the dragon, for it would utterly destroy him by the power of the Godhead hidden within it. For human nature, however, his flesh was to be a remedy since the power of the Godhead in it would restore human nature to its original grace.



We Are Not Equal Part Five

Today's Gospel, well-known especially to those who attend the TLM, brings home the point that not all people are equal.

Note verse 5-not all to whom Christ is revealed "comprehend" or accept Him.

The pertains not only to the Jews at the time of Christ, but to all those who hear the Word of God and reject Him.

Verses ten through twelve could not be more specific in relating the rejection of the Jews and the acceptance of the Gospel who hear the Word of God, who hear Christ and accept His Truth. Those who accept Christ become "sons of God" and those who do not are not "sons of God".

Those who are enlightened, the same term used by St. Paul in the second reading, are given power to become sons of God.  And, those people, the new chosen, are born of the Will of God, God's Will not man's will.

Again, we are faced with the mystery of predestination, of predilection.

Christ alone reveals the Father to us, no one else does this. Therefore, those who accept Christ, those who become Christians, either through their parents at baptism or older, become the chosen ones of God, preordained from all time.

Let me here quote, again, Garrigou-Lagrange. What he explains is the Teaching of the Catholic Church, and, again, you may go back to the two long selections I placed on the blog in order for you to understand that not all are equal according to God's Will.

The Supreme Principles
Nothing comes to pass, either in heaven or on earth, unless God either brings it to pass in mercy, or then in justice permits it. This principle, taught in the universal Church, shows that there is in God a conditional and antecedent will, relative to a good which does not come to pass, the privation of which He permits in view of some higher good.
To this principle we must add another: [1457] God does not command the impossible. From these two revealed principles derives the distinction between God's efficacious consequent will and His antecedent will, which is the source of sufficient grace.
All that God wills, He does. This principle has no exception. All that God wills (purely, simply, unconditionally) comes to pass without our freedom being thereby in any way forced, because God moves that freedom sweetly and strongly, actualizing it, not destroying. He wills efficaciously that we freely consent and we do freely consent. The supreme efficacy of divine causality, says St. Thomas, [1458] extends to the free mode of our acts.
Many repeat these principles, but do not see that they contain the foundation of the distinction between the two kinds of grace, one that is self-efficacious, the other simply sufficient which man may resist, but not without divine permission.
Hence we find that in the ninth century, to terminate the long controversy with Gottschalk, the Council of Thuzey (860): at the instance of the Augustinian bishops, harmonized God's will of universal salvation with the sinner's responsibility. That Council's synodal letter [1459] contains this sentence: Whatever He has willed in heaven or on earth, God has done. For nothing comes to pass in heaven or on earth that He does not in mercy bring to pass or permits to come to pass in justice.
Since God's love is the cause of created goodness, says St. Thomas, [1460] no created thing would be better than another, if God did not give one a great good than He gives to another. This is equivalent to St. Paul's word: [1461] What hast thou that thou hast not received?

Have the synodal cardinals who are fighting the long teaching of the Church regarding marriage understand or even know the teaching of the Church on these matters? Are they rebellious? Have they lost their faith in grace and God's Will? Do they understand that all have sufficient grace, and that some say "no" to this grace? See my long series on January 1st and follow through with reading the two long selections from Garrigou-Lagrange, who merely recapitulates the Church's teaching on grace and predilection, seen in today's Gospel.


John 1:1-18Douay-Rheims 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.
He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.
That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.
13 Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me.
16 And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

We Are Not Equal, Part Four

Ephesians 1:15-18 Douay-Rheims 

15 Wherefore I also, hearing of your faith that is in the Lord Jesus, and of your love towards all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making commemoration of you in my prayers,

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation, in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what the hope is of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

Today's reading from the New Testament continues with the mystery of the proclamation of the Gospel being appropriated by the Ephesians, resulting in love for the community.
  
What follows is St. Paul's happy note that he is grateful for what he hears of the faith of this Church in Ephesus.

Note that this Jewish scholar understands that wisdom, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the revelation of Christ, as well as knowledge, another gift, lead each member to holiness, through "enlightenment", which is illumination of the self., giving hope.

Now, the word "inheritance" reminds us that the Church is the New People of God, the chosen. Those who are chosen, who listen to the Word of God, inherit the Kingdom of God, which is heaven.
In order to be chosen, one must admit that there are some who are not chosen.
We are not all equal. Do those bishops and cardinals who listen and ponder these words today apply these pastorally? I am coming to the conclusion that some have lost their own faith, and departed from the Word of God, the Word Made Flesh, in Whose feast we celebrate today.

With these passages in mind from the last few posts, go back and read the long selections from Garrigou-Lagrange and apply his clear commentary on Church teaching to these passages, with the Synod in mind.

(apologies for the spacing...blogspot problem)

We Are Not Equal, Part Three

Today's second reading, from Ephesians, reveals the mystery of God's Church as the New Chosen People.

Looking at the beginning of the reading, one sees again the idea of selection, of God's Will for a People. In verse 3, St. Paul immediately refers to God the Father giving us a special blessing through and in Christ. Verse 4 indicates that those in the Church are chosen from all time, referring to God's Will for those in the Church to become holy, and perfect--"unspotted".  Verse 5 is even more specific, when the great Apostle of the Gentiles uses the word, "predestinated" or predestined. This is not a poetic word-choice, but the reality of God's predilection.

"According to the purpose of his will" cannot be a clearer statement that God, in Christ, calls the members of the Church on purpose, from all time, to holiness.

Ephesians 1:3-6Douay-Rheims

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:
As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.
Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will:
Unto the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath graced us in his beloved son.

to be continued....

We Are Not Equal, Part Two

The Old Testament reading for today's Mass is from the 24th Chapter of Ecclesiasticus. The entire chapter is here below repeated in order to understand the meaning of this selection.

Here, one sees that God called a "privileged people"  or "honorable people" as some translations read. Israel was not equal to the other nations surrounding her. God had created His Own People through Abraham.

Look at verse 3. The Douay-Rheims translations makes the connection between the People of God and the Church. In verse 4, the word "elect" indicates that there is predilection, a choice of God, a chosen group, set apart to become holy.

Wisdom personified here as a female, has been seen as Christ Himself, the "firstborn before all creatures" , the Incarnate One, which is one reason this passage is read today.

Sion and Jerusalem represent not only the Jews, but the Church, the New Jerusalem.

Again, the DR refers to the Chosen People as the "saints", those called by God to become holy, and given the grace to do so.

Verse 25 employs the word "grace".  But, notice, Wisdom calls all to Himself, that is Christ calls all, but only those who desire Him receive the Spirit. Again, the mystery of grace indicates that "many are called, but few are chosen".

Over and over again in the Scriptures, we are reminded of God's choice, His Will regarding the elect. the Jews, the Chosen People, turned against the Messiah, Christ, Wisdom, and He created His Church from those who did follow Him, and the Gentiles.

But, not all are equal. Those who do not follow Christ, who do not embrace Wisdom, do not become part of the honorable people. Here is Chapter 24.

Wisdom praiseth herself: her origin, her dwelling, her dignity, and her fruits.
[1] Wisdom shall praise her own self, and shall be honoured in God, and shall glory in the midst of her people, [2] And shall open her mouth in the churches of the most High, and shall glorify herself in the sight of his power, [3] And in the midst of her own people she shall be exalted, and shall be admired in the holy assembly. [4] And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed, saying: [5] I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures:
[6] I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth, and as a cloud I covered all the earth: [7] I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a pillar of a cloud. [8] I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated into the bottom of the deep, and have walked in the waves of the sea, [9] And have stood in all the earth: and in every people, [10]And in every nation I have had the chief rule:
[11] And by my power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of all the high and low: and in all these I sought rest, and I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord. [12] Then the creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and he that made me, rested in my tabernacle, [13] And he said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect.[14] From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him. [15] And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem.
[16] And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints. [17] I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree on mount Sion. [18] I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades, and as a rose plant in Jericho: [19] As a fair olive tree in the plains, and as a plane tree by the water in the streets, was I exalted. [20] I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon. and aromatical balm: I yielded a sweet odour like the best myrrh:
[21] And I perfumed my dwelling as storax, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odour is as the purest balm. [22] I have stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honour and grace. [23] As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. [24] I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. [25] In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.
[26] Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. [27] For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. [28] My memory is unto everlasting generations. [29] They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. [30] He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.

We Are Not Equal (What Some Synodal Fathers Forget)

One of the great lies coming from the pulpits and in the institutions of the modern Church seems to be this idea that we are all equal in grace or holiness. We most certainly are not. The Parable of the Talents teaches us this, as well as the pericope in Scripture where Christ corrects the other apostles for wanting to know the future of John.  Even the apostles wanted all the same graces and position in Christ's Kingdom. They questioned Christ as to the role of John, as they could see that he was "the beloved disciple".



John 21:23New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition 

23 So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"

I do not have the same graces as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, for example, and if I desired to be him, I would be committing two serious sins--pride and presumption. St. Peter and St. James were not equal in grace, nor Our Blessed Lady and other saints.

Some of the cardinals want everyone to be the same, with the same grace and life.

This is part of the faulty thinking behind wanting those living in sin to be able to receive Communion. Those who are not in communion with Christ in their lifestyles either have refused grace, recevingin grace sufficient to salvation, but not converting.

Really, it is none of our business to apply these thoughts to certain couples, but to state that a person who has gone through the annulment process is the same as one who has not denies grace. To ignore the discipline of the Church regarding the sanctify of marriage is to deny grace working in people's lives. Are some of the cardinals so cynical or without faith? Perhaps so....

This is my point over and over again in the synod series posted last week. We cannot deny grace or individual responses to grace. To do so denies several teachings of the Catholic Church concerning God's Will, predestination and predilection. To deny the mystery of grace in a person's life actually insults God, Who is not bound by human ideas of equality.

I think of all the women in Jerusalem watching Christ in His horrible suffering on the way to Golgotha. Yet, only one woman responded in compassion, wiping His Face with her veil.

For this bravery and kindness, Christ left the imprint of His Face on her piece of cloth. One woman, one veil, one miracle of grace....

to be continued..




Happy Gozo

There are three islands which make up the Nation of Malta: Malta, Gozo and Comino.

I have discovered that Gozo life is delightfully different than that of the island of Malta.

This island has more farmland and is a vacation destination for the Maltese. The pace seems much slower and the people much less sophisticated than in Valletta and Sliema. Except for the pockets of British ex-pats who live on Gozo, the population is not so "multicultural" or cosmopolitan. Someone told me recently it would be a great place to have a flat and just pray and write.

The churches there reflect the great generosity of the fisherfolk who built these gorgeous places of worship, all neo-Baroque and splendid. I have never seen, outside of the Co-Cathedral in Valletta and the Cathedral in Mdina such beautiful churches. In fact, the Gozitan churches are more beautiful than most on Malta.

The Maltese use the island of Gozo as a get-away-for-the-weekend sort of place, so one can find great restaurants with very reasonable prices. Gozo is different. The problem with Gozo, which is a completely different diocese than Malta, is that there is no Tridentine or even Latin NO on the entire island. I find this disturbing, that the Summorum Pontificum can so easily be disobeyed for years and years and years. I am told by some priests that the people do not want the Latin Mass. I do not believe this for one minute.

If there was a TLM, I would to and live on Gozo, somehow, pray and write. I do not know if there is an all-day Adoration Chapel, as in Sliema and Valletta, a great resource for semi-contemplatives. Odd that there are not more Adoration chapels here.

One of the huge problems with Adoration in some parishes is that it is spotty schedule-wise and the priests and people insist on saying the rosary, singing hymns and generally making noise instead of having quiet, as in the two chapels which I attend.

Yesterday, in Sliema, the Adoration chapel gave a delightful break for me, as I was just getting over a virus and was missing Jesus terribly. To sit in His Presence gives me great peace and washes away anxieties, putting problems into perspective.

Sadly, several weeks ago, the Millenium Chapel was severely vandalized by criminals who also broke a beautiful Spanish Bambino.

Very sad and in Malta...

Even Christ cannot escape being persecuted again and again and again by thugs, who only think of their own needs and cannot see that the Infant in the manger reaches out to them as well.

On Gozo, I went to an exhibition of Bambinos, collected mostly from private houses, some over 200 years old.

Today, I thought that if Malta keeps any semblance of a Catholic culture, this will be temporary. I give it one generation before Malta acts and looks like Lost Vegas. Already, there are several casinos on this small island. Unless Catholicism again becomes the soul of these islands, the entire culture will change and is changing drastically.


Malta already under the normal temperatures...

http://www.holiday-weather.com/malta/averages/

Star Wars Time

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-battle-robots-near-testing-for-military-use/514038.html

Wow! Did you see this?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2894840/Mystery-sun-s-south-pole-Nasa-reveals-huge-coronal-hole-solar-surface-winds-jet-500-miles-SECOND.html

Pay Attention

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/02/business/international/web-freedom-is-seen-to-be-growing-as-a-global-issue-in-2015.html?_r=0