Reposts on a snowy day...The Saints of The Knights of Malta

Reposts on The Saints of The Knights of Malta for Today's ...

01 Nov 2014

Blessed Gerard Tonque, Founder of the Knights of Malta. The founder of the Order of John is another Saint of Malta, although he was not Maltese. Here is a bit about him and the Charter from Rome for the Order's recognition.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: The Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Two

02 Aug 2014

Blessed Adrian Fortescue From http://saint-john-of-jerusalem.blogspot.com/2011/07/feast-of-blessed-adrian-fortescue.html. Adrian Fortescue was born around 1480, the son of Sir John Fortescue of Punsborne, Hertfordshire.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Five

05 Aug 2014

Several women are saints of the Order of Malta. I have had one on this blog before, but hereis the first one. First, an explanation from the main site on women in the Order. http://www.smom-za.org/saints/women.htm ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Seven

05 Aug 2014

One year on the feast of All Saints, she fell into an ecstasy and took no nourishment until three weeks later on the feast of St. Cecelia. On another ... There are more saints from the Knights of Malta Order. One can look at the ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Four

04 Aug 2014

Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Four. Posted by Supertradmum. I first came across St. Nuno Álvares Pereira at Whitefriars Church in Dublin, where I was attending Mass last summer at this time. I would go to Adoration as ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Six

05 Aug 2014

Religious of the Order of Malta. Memorial: 14 July. She was born in Zevio, near Verona (Italy) about 1280 and married a man from Verona, Albert Canoculi with whom she began to do remarkable work for the poor. After her ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Three

03 Aug 2014

Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Three. Posted by Supertradmum. Blessed Gerard had an entire website to himself. The pictures and photographs are worth seeing. You may read his story here.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Re-posts on the Saints of Malta

25 Oct 2014

Several women are saints of the Order of Malta. I have had one on this blog before, but hereis the first one. First, an explanation from the main site on women in the Order. http://www.smom-za.org/saints/women.htm .

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

91 pence to the dollar-WOW!

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/05/us-markets-global-idUSKBN0M101N20150305

Would be nice to be in Malta now....

Nuns taught us this in the 1960s

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/julia-seymour/2015/03/05/and-thats-way-it-was-1972-cronkite-warned-new-ice-age

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/05/plane-skids-off-runway-at-laguardia-airport/

Ok Crunch Time

The tide has turned and one must choose.

Many of you have encouraged me not to stop this blog, but I have severe personal things which need attention. Sadly, I have no one within hundreds of miles to actually help me with some pressing needs. I hope to continue, but may not be able to do so until some other business can be finished.

This place where I am is not permanent, of course, But, it has been a lovely cave on the way through the desert.

Some of my readers understand the peripatetic lifestyle I have led for four entire years.  Physically, I cannot deal with the demands of spiritual direction, the blog, and getting my own work down without your prayers. Please pray for me. Thankfully, God has made me a disciplined person about daily things, but there is much to do.

Prayer takes a tremendous amount of energy, especially intercessory prayer. Contemplative prayer takes a tremendous amount of energy. It would be nice if I had another person to join me in this daily regime, but I do not. Yet, I shall continue.

I am going on a short retreat this weekend, my first retreat in almost two years, although the Malta experience was like a retreat just living in silence, daily adoration and Mass, as well as spiritual direction. Tomorrow will be more intense.

I have permission from the main speaker to take notes, which I may do.

However, I need to share that the time for mulling over what to do.is over and readers need to make decisions. I cannot keep telling readers that Catholic life as we have known it is coming to an end here in the States.

Example: what if your bishop or the majority of priests in your diocese agree with the ssm law? You will be faced with bishops or priests who will no longer be offering licit Eucharists. Since Pope Leo XIII, it is clear that those clerics who choose to separate from Rome on basic matters of teaching, have removed themselves from the Church and their masses are illegal and Eucharists invalid.

No confessions, no Eucharist, no marriages in the Church....in some areas.

You may be in a sacramental desert.

A real Catholic needs to start thinking of daily persecution without the sacraments. A real Catholic must think about hiding priests.

Repost of a repost

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Repost on recusants and remnants

Posted by Supertradmum

Thursday, 11 April 2013

NO MORE HIDING PLACES?: On Being a Recusant Catholic or Conscientious Christian from Another Denomination in 2013

Posted by Supertradmum

Where are the hiding places? 

LifeSiteNews in the article I just noted in the last post, also refers to two other cases where those
 who have had religious convictions against gay marriage have been persecuted. Fines are persecutions. Ask the descendants of the once wealthy Recusant families in England. 

However many families, including the Mores, the Ropers, the Throckmortons, the Selbys, the Bounts,
 the Arundels (for centuries), and perhaps even the Shakespeares were fined over and over and over. From 1581, one sees this in the annals. Many families fled to France. Some were torn to pieces as sides were taken, such as in the Throckmorton Family. Some came to the States and Canada, such as the
 family noted below in the note. There are few, if any, hiding places NOW.

Recusancy. After 1581, recusancy became an indictable offence, so recusants often appear in quarter sessions records and the fines levied were recorded in the pipe rolls. After 1592 a separate series of rolls, the recusant rolls was created for this purpose which continues until 1691. The pipe rolls also contain the accounts of fines and forfeitures of lands collected under the recusancy acts. Pipe and recusancy rolls are available for viewing at TNA. In 1581, the fine for missing an Anglican service was raised to twenty pounds per month. Also, in that year, a treasonable offence resulting in death was committed by anyone converting to Catholicism or attempting to convert others to the religion. In addition, a fine of 100 marks and a year in prison was imposed on those hearing mass. The details of criminal proceeding and fines levied should be contained within quarter session records. An Act of 1581 also forbade the Catholic education of children. Notice the last sentence. Parents were no longer allowed to raise their children in the Catholic Faith. Are you paying attention? More on the flower fines from another angle. FromLifeSiteNews. There are more links. The combination of legalizing same-sex “marriage” and odious “anti-discrimination” laws have faithful Christians saying their freedom of religion is being violated. And the court cases are piling up. An appeals court in New Mexico found a Christian couple, Elaine and Jonathan Huguenin, guilty of “discrimination” for refusing to photograph a homosexual “wedding.” They were ordered to pay more than $6,600 in fines after denying their services. Canadian homosexual activists demanded “born again Christian” florist Kimberly Evans of New Brunswick be taken to court for refusing to sell flowers for a gay “wedding.” Victoria Childress of Des Moines also faced threats of legal action for refusing to bake a cake for a homosexual ceremony on the grounds that it violated her Christian faith. More on the Recusancy Laws can be found here. I have taken a few of the laws and copied these. 1592 The first separate recusant rolls were compiled consisting mainly of Catholics and lasted up to 1691 (previously recusancy was recorded in the pipe rolls). The rolls recorded the punishments and fines of those who refused to conform to the Anglican doctrine. Memoranda Rolls 1217-1835: includes records of seizure of recusants' lands. 1593 Catholics were obliged to obtain permission to travel beyond five miles from their homes and those absent from home for more than three months were to leave the country. Another Act of the same year ordered that people of the age of 16 who refused to attend an Anglican service were to be imprisoned. Catholics had to worship in isolated places 1606 The Oath of Allegiance was introduced, denying the authority of the Pope and those that refused to swear the oath were liable to be imprisoned. Convicted recusants were ordered to receive Anglican communion once a year or face a fine or seizure of their property. Recusants were also barred from office and professions including the military. Informers were paid £50 for revealing a priest saying mass or persons attending mass. All the restrictions applied to a Protestant who married a Catholic wife. 1625 Catholics forced to pay a double rate of taxation. Tax records can be found in Lay Subsidy Rolls and Catholics and other nonconformists should be recognisable as they paid a double rate. 1661 Clarendon Code 1661-1665. Four Acts passed designed to emasculate the power of nonconformists. Corporation Act. (1661). Catholics and other nonconformists were excluded from official posts unless they took the sacrament of holy communion at an Anglican service. 1662 Act of Conformity. The Act excluded Catholics from holding church office. 1662 Conventicle Act. Made meetings for Catholic and nonconformist worship illegal, even in private houses, where more than four outsiders were present 1665 The Five-Mile Act. Nonconformist and Catholic ministers were forbidden to live or visit within five miles of a town or any other place where they had preached. 1672 Declaration of Indulgence. The Penal Laws against Catholics were relaxed. 1673 Test Act. The strength of anti-Catholic feeling led parliament to order the enforcement of the recusancy laws and pass the Test Act in retaliation against the Declaration of Indulgence. The Act required all those taking up an official post, civil or military, to take the oath and to submit a sacrament certificate that they had taken Anglican communion. Between 1689 and 1702, the requirement to take the oaths and test was extended to beneficed clergy, members of the universities, lawyers, schoolteachers and preachers. The declarations can be found in TNA. 1676 A proclamation ordered a survey of every recusant aged 16 and over. The names were handed to the local Justice of the Peace who called on those named to take the oath or be jailed. 1678 The Popish Plot. A fictitious plot made up by Titus Oates which alleged that Catholics were planning to assassinate King Charles II and bring the Catholic Duke of York to the throne. Estreats Rolls held at TNA hold information on fines imposed on Catholics following the alleged plot. The Estreats Rolls contain valuable genealogical information on those accused of recusancy in the local courts. They will include the recusant's name, parish, rank or occupation and the fine levied. http://hutchinsonfamilyhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/hutchinson-family-were-catholic.html 1689 The Bill of Rights excluded Catholics from the royal succession. New oaths of supremacy and allegiance were passed and measures were introduced to restrict the freedom of movement of Catholics. The Toleration Act of 1689 eased some restrictions, but the specific acts under the Clarendon Code were not repealed until the 19th century. 1692 Following the double rate of taxation Catholics were forced to pay in 1625, Catholics were obliged to pay double land tax. Catholics and other nonconformist entries should be recognisable amongst the land tax records as they paid double the rate of others. 1699 Recusants were barred from purchasing or inheriting land and any Catholics found practicing their religion could be jailed for life. 1702 The Security of Succession Act. The Act introduced an oath whereby all officials had to deny the right of the son of the exiled James II to succeed to the throne. Some returns of Catholics taking oaths are held by TNA as well as certificates of those who refused to take the oath. 1714 Security of the Sovereign Act. TNA holds certificates of those who refused to take the oath. 1715 Catholics were blamed collectively for the Jacobite rebellion. As a result, everyone over the age of 18 was compelled to swear an Oath of Allegiance. Lists of those who refused to take the oath are normally available at county record offices. 1716 Catholics were required to enrol documents such as wills and conveyances that involved the transfer of property and details can be found in close rolls held by TNA. 1723 Following the Jacobite rebellion of 1715, Catholics refusing to take the oaths of loyalty were required to register their names and estates at quarter sessions or face the seizure of their property. The returns describe the estates in detail, giving precise locations and dimensions of lands. The Forfeited Estates Commission was responsible for overseeing the seizure of the estates and details can be found in the close rolls held at TNA. Resucant Thomas Throckmorton's Tomb

Time to write

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States
P : 202-333-7121
F 202-337-4036
Address: 3339 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC, 20008-3687, USA

Support Salvatore Joseph Cordileone for his stand in San Franciso.

Get the details here.http://www.churchmilitant.tv/podcasts/vort-2015-03-05.mp3

Hmmm

"...neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

Today's Gospel

Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham.[a] The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.[b] 24 He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”  

Perfection Through Obedience-Yet, Again

From a treatise on the psalms by Saint Hilary of Poitiers

The meaning of "the fear of the Lord" Add this to the Doctors of the Church Perfection Series on this blog.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. Notice that when Scripture speaks of the fear of the Lord it does not leave the phrase in isolation, as if it were a complete summary of faith. No, many things are added to it, or are presupposed by it. From these we may learn its meaning and excellence. In the book of Proverbs Solomon tells us: If you cry out for wisdom and raise your voice for understanding, if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord. We see here the difficult journey we must undertake before we can arrive at the fear of the Lord.

  We must begin by crying out for wisdom. We must hand over to our intellect the duty of making every decision. We must look for wisdom and search for it. Then we must understand the fear of the Lord.

  “Fear” is not to be taken in the sense that common usage gives it. Fear in this ordinary sense is the trepidation our weak humanity feels when it is afraid of suffering something it does not want to happen. We are afraid, or made afraid, because of a guilty conscience, the rights of someone more powerful, an attack from one who is stronger, sickness, encountering a wild beast, suffering evil in any form. This kind of fear is not taught: it happens because we are weak. We do not have to learn what we should fear: objects of fear bring their own terror with them.

  But of the fear of the Lord this is what is written: Come, my children, listen to me, I shall teach you the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord has then to be learned because it can be taught. It does not lie in terror, but in something that can be taught. It does not arise from the fearfulness of our nature; it has to be acquired by obedience to the commandments, by holiness of life and by knowledge of the truth.

  For us the fear of God consists wholly in love, and perfect love of God brings our fear of him to its perfection. Our love for God is entrusted with its own responsibility: to observe his counsels, to obey his laws, to trust his promises. Let us hear what Scripture says: And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God and walk in his ways and love him and keep his commandments with your whole heart and your whole soul, so that it may be well for you?

  The ways of the Lord are many, though he is himself the way. When he speaks of himself he calls himself the way and shows us the reason why he called himself the way: No one can come to the Father except through me.

  We must ask for these many ways, we must travel along these many ways, to find the one that is good. That is, we shall find the one way of eternal life through the guidance of many teachers. These ways are found in the law, in the prophets, in the gospels, in the writings of the apostles, in the different good works by which we fulfil the commandments. Blessed are those who walk these ways in the fear of the Lord.

News

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2978794/High-court-takes-major-fight-health-law-subsidies.html

Watch France24 for international views on American news.

http://www.france24.com/en/join-the-community/

Blinders

I wrote last week about people living in fantasy land. I am encountering in person and on line more and more people who simply do not want to believe that the governments of the world have become more and more outwardly hostile to the Catholic Church.

What is the largest institution in the world which could stand up against a NWO?

Yes, the Catholic Church.

Some people have convinced themselves that their opinions are truth.

No. Facts not opinions create laws.

Unless Christians remain Christian and follow laws because they want to do so, there can be no freedom in America or Europe. Laws are followed because people believe in something higher than government. People obey moral laws because they believe in God.

The trouble is that too many people have made government their god.

Opinions not base on fact cannot change the world. If one is wearing blinders, one cannot see what is truly happening.

Why some see and others do not is a simple question to answer. Those who insist on deceit, on being deceit, have given in to deceit in their souls. Self-deceit has become a way of life for many people.

Blinders are also created by sin for which a person does not want to repent. Sin creates blindness, destroys discernment, causes more deceit.

When ssm passes, many Catholics including cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns and laity will follow the new laws of the land under the name of giving civil rights to gay couples. As I have written here for years, sin has no rights.

Those in the Church who are faithful will be persecuted by those who will choose compromise.

See my many posts on the English Revolt against Catholicism....

If one compromises, one loses one's soul. Period.

One cannot create a fantasy land out of deceit and lying to one's self for the sake of comfort or status.

We shall all be forced into making decisions for right or for wrong.

Those who choose to wear blinders will make the wrong choice.

Watch and Follow Up

The Elusive Elsewhere

Sharing on line with my old spiritual director my yearning to return to Europe, he shared with me his desire to return to the missions, which he is not allowed to do, because his mission territory is in a Muslim country which is becoming more and more dangerous. His order called him back.

We share a longing to be with the people we love the most in the "elusive elsewhere", as he calls it. We have a tug on the heart for the country we have been both forced to leave in our lives...me, England, and him, a dangerous place I shall not name.

The elusive elsewhere, as this good priest calls it, is not only our favorite missionary territory, but the place of love and service which cannot be conjured up at will, only in obedience. This elusive elsewhere is connected to God's Plan for our lives, the wandering of a heart which is not allowed to rest with those we love the most.

Perhaps this is our purgatory, denied comfort in kindred and locality, not being able to live in our spiritual homes, but forced to be strangers in a strange land.

All Catholics share this tugging of the heart, if we long for heaven first. Our longing for God is the unfilled love of the bride chasing the Bridegroom, who always seems to be in yet another part of the desert of our existence.

One of my favorite spiritual directors was like a father to me, older, wiser, yet steeped in a youthfulness of grace and an openness to the Holy Spirit. He was a famous writer as well as a teacher of theology.

My second outstanding spiritual director, the Opus Dei priest, was one man who I can say for sure has gone through the Dark Night, pursuing perfection, allowing God to purify him and bring him into illumination.

This third great director was a surprise to me, as I was led to him by God, just by continually bumping into him. After the first meeting it was clear I had met a holy man, a brother in Christ, who was not afraid to share the path of darkness which leads to light.

Like the brothers and sisters in the Narnia tales, we have been there and want to go back.

The "there" is where we met Christ in a special way, not because of scenery or comfort, but because we feel in love with God in a special way in that elusive elsewhere.

This elusive elsewhere stays before us, like a map on the wall, like the famous painting in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

One has experienced heaven somewhere in that elusive elsewhere and one desires to go back, always to return. When one cannot, like me, like the good priest, one wants to speak of the loss and the longing, like the children who wanted to go back but did not know how to do so.

Our longing is for Christ and for His Kingdom to come on earth, even in small places, even in the desert. Indeed, our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord. We keep seeking Him in the elusive elsewhere until He allows us to find Him.

Song of Solomon 3

Upon my bed at night
    I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not;
    I called him, but he gave no answer.[a]
2 “I will rise now and go about the city,
    in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.”
    I sought him, but found him not.
3 The sentinels found me,
    as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

Missing My Spiritual Director

My old spiritual director. could read my soul and verbalize the movements of God in my soul like very few priests. This is because he has suffered.  He is one of three in my life who are/were outstanding. He is in an order and the other two were in orders; one a Jesuit and one Opus Dei.

I would like to share a few thoughts from him today which touch all Americans.

One, I had mentioned that the soul of America is dead. He replied, "Losing one's soul is easy,yet I do hope that embers lie beneath, glowering impatiently, lying in wait for the lightest of breezes....and American souls are no exception." He is correct, but the breeze will not be light, as there is a mighty wind coming.

Two, I had mentioned the superficiality and liberalism of Catholicism here. His answer, "Of course even spiritual matters and themes are marketed and packaged for the challenge-weary or commitment-shy, witness the way angels are portrayed and sought or courted in popular art, literature and spiritual/therapy groups". Again, he hit the nail on the head that even religion has been marketed in America and made into a product, and not a process. Consumerism in the Church is obvious here.

Three, "The thirst for religion is still there." And, I hope so.