Saturday, 21 December 2013
Friday, 20 December 2013
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
I keep wondering how my ancestors managed this weather in the 1880s.
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
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.
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
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.
Boycott the Rose Bowl and the parade. And, read why on this link.
God will not be mocked.
Thursday, 19 December 2013
Prayers please
Pray for Cara, who just died of cancer at the age of thirty.
May God bring her to rest in Him.
May God bring her to rest in Him.
Scary Thoughts on A Thursday
I am surrounded in a diocese with a majority of Obama Catholics, including many priests, nuns, and workers at the Chancery who voted TWICE for Obama.
I am surrounded by parish and family members who voted TWICE for Obama.
Do we not need to do penance for these people? Where are the prophetic voices?
from Wiki
May 2009, he stated, "Since President Obama clearly announced, during the election campaign, his anti-life and anti-family agenda, a Catholic who knew his agenda regarding, for example, procured abortion, embryonic-stem-cell research, and same-sex marriage, could not have voted for him with a clear conscience."[52]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Leo_Burke
footnote^ (Archbishop) Ray of Clarity – Kathryn Jean Lopez – National Review Online
I am surrounded by parish and family members who voted TWICE for Obama.
Do we not need to do penance for these people? Where are the prophetic voices?
from Wiki
May 2009, he stated, "Since President Obama clearly announced, during the election campaign, his anti-life and anti-family agenda, a Catholic who knew his agenda regarding, for example, procured abortion, embryonic-stem-cell research, and same-sex marriage, could not have voted for him with a clear conscience."[52]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Leo_Burke
footnote^ (Archbishop) Ray of Clarity – Kathryn Jean Lopez – National Review Online
One from Lockerbie
Twenty-five years ago, I lost a friend in Lockerbie.
A few weeks ago, I was talking to a person in their early 30s, who claimed he never heard of this terrorist attack. Another woman I was talking to, in her late twenties, had never heard of Lockerbie.
But, I lost a friend, a beautiful, young, woman musician with a big smile, a peaceful heart, and load of talent in that terrorist attack. 270 died because of that action of terrorism.
At that time, on December 21, 1988, I was in America for parties celebrating my baby son and showing him off to relatives. My husband at the time and I were watching international news on the television when the pictures of the devastated village and the wreckage were being broadcast. We had just flown out of England for this visit a week before, making the entire event even more poignant. We mentioned to each other that we hoped no one we knew was on the plane.
It was not until last January, 1989, that a priest friend of mine told me of my friend's death. When I came back and the academic year started again, I tried to phone my friend many times. But, as she was a young person, I just assumed she was out and about.
At a surprise birthday party for my husband at the time, a small party of about 40 people, I mentioned to the priest that I could not get a hold of Jane. Then he said, "I thought you knew. Did you not know she went down in Lockerbie?"
That was the end of the birthday celebrations for me. Most of the guests had known and a month later, it was "old news". I talked awhile with the good priest, who just happens to be a psychologist as well, as we discussed Jane, her life, her death.
One young voice stilled. She had been on her way to America for Christmas. I had known she was going, and we had agreed to meet up in the New Year. I thought she had left earlier than December 21st.
Jane had been "almost engaged" with a nice young man. I felt for him.
What is hard for me is that with the 25th anniversary coming up, there are so many people who do not know about Lockerbie.
But, then, they did not know Jane. May she rest in peace. She missed her 28th birthday.
Melber, Jane Susan, musician and teacher, 27 years, born 01.01.61, Middlesex, England, American, seat number 27H
http://www.victimsofpanamflight103.org/victims
There is a scholarship fund which was set up by her parents at Gettysburg College, from where Jane graduated before going to the Royal College of Music in London.
Jane S. Melber (1983) Memorial Scholarship Fund
Established by Theodore W. and Lucile M. Melber in memory of their daughter, to be awarded to worthy and promising students for the study of music in Great Britain.
http://www.gettysburg.edu/academics/endowment-funds/all-student-aid.dot
http://www.gettysburg.edu/about/photo_gallery/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_103
What is even odd for me is that I have taken that trip from Malta to Frankfurt this past November. That was the way the bomber was able to kill so many people in a more relaxed time of flying. Frankfurt is so big today, I wonder at the ability to stop further attempts.
May we always be ready for death.
The only man ever convicted for the bombing was a Libyan intelligence officer, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was found to have placed a suitcase containing the bomb on a flight from Malta to Frankfurt, from where it was transferred to a flight to London’s Heathrow, before detonating on Flight 103 a little more than half an hour after the Pan Am plane took off for New York.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-group-carried-out-lockerbie-bombing/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Perfection Series Starting Up Soon-Come And Rest Awhile
Christmas is coming soon. I witness the craziness of too much solicitude for the outward celebrations, a fact to which I referred in a post yesterday.
But, Christ waits for us to slow down, to reflect, to rest in Him. This takes a bit of time each day. It takes perseverance.
One of the things we learn from the saints is that in order to pursue the Love of Christ, we must have perseverance. Daily, we must choose to do the hard things which bring us closer to God.
St. Therese, the Little Flower knew this. St. Francis de Sales knew this. One must never give up.
For people in my generation and younger, giving up is just one more option among many. People now grow up not knowing what commitment and perseverance are. They have been able to change and make different choices more frequently than in previous generations.
The stability of the family, and the stability of society are gone. The individual faces the world alone.
This makes perseverance almost impossible. St. Francis de Sales helps us, but reminding us of where we get our spiritual energies.
Here is a snippet from his Introduction to the Devote Life:
I have already spoken of that mental solitude into which you can retire when amid the
greatest crowd, and furthermore you should learn to like a real material solitude. Not that
I want you to fly to a desert like S. Mary of Egypt, S. Paul, S. Anthony, Arsenius, or the
other hermits, but it is well for you to retire sometimes within your own chamber or garden,
or wheresoever you can best recollect your mind, and refresh your soul with good and holy
thoughts, and some spiritual reading, as the good Bishop of Nazianzum tells us was his
custom. “I was walking alone,” he says, “at sunset, on the seashore, a recreation I am wont
to take in order somewhat to lay aside my daily worries.” And S. Augustine says that he often
used to go into S. Ambrose’ room—his door was open to every one,—and after watching
him absorbed in reading for a time, he would retire without speaking, fearing to interrupt
the Bishop, who had so little time for refreshing his mind amid the burden of his heavy
duties. And we read how when the disciples came to Jesus, and told Him all they had been
doing and preaching, He said to them, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and
rest awhile.”
A Hero Pope
I suggest we all pray to St. Anastasius I, whose feast day is today. He was the pope in troubled times, when various groups ripped apart the various dioceses of the Church.
He was a champion against Origen and Donatism.
The errors of Origen and those of Donatism plagued us still.
St. Anastasius I, pray for us, and for the Church.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)