A corporal work of mercy.

A corporal work of mercy.
Click on photo for this corporal work of mercy!

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Seven years ago


Dear Readers; Your indulgence please as this was originally posted, October 16, 2006 and edited for today on the seventh of anniversary of the passing into eternity of: 



A WIDOW WHO SOUGHT "THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE"

+ Martha Joan Stephen Domet +

August 15, 1915 - October 16, 2006

Requiescat in pace

Martha on her 90th birthday
+++
Seven years ago today, in her 92nd year, my mother was called home to the LORD. She was a woman of great faith in God and she taught many lessons to all of those who came into contact with her. This was especially true in her last few years. She suffered the loss of her first grandson and then her first son from cancer and bore much physical suffering with faith, trust and humility.

Today, October 16 according to the calendar for the usus antiquior or the Traditional Latin Mass calendar is the Feast of St. Hedwig a medieval Polish duchess who died on October 14, 1243. She was also maternal aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary incidentally my maternal grandmother's name. So it was then for me a serendipitous moment when at the Mass I attended that morning, at the Toronto Oratory, the Epistle was read from the First Letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to Timothy:

"Dearly beloved: Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children, or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house, and to make a return of duty to her parents: for this is acceptable before God. But she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, let her trust in God and continue in supplications and prayers night and day. For she that liveth in pleasures is dead while she is living. And this give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband having testimony for her good works, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbour, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work." 

Then came the Gospel; the parable about the "pearl of great price." A few hours later, just after lunch and whilst at work, I would receive the phone call from the caregivers at home. "David, your mother's not breathing, the paramedics are on their way." They revived her just before I walked in the door as you'll read in my little story below. She never regained consciousness and passed at around 8:00 P.M. in hospital. 


Martha spent her life auctioning all for that pearl. I believe she found it. A few days before she died we had a conversation and she told me that she whenever God was ready to call her, she was ready to go.

We often hear or read of those things that are “unexplained” except by coincidence, of course. To those who know and love God, “there are no coincidences.” Not even the fact that the Epistle at Mass is one of two from the "Common of Holy Women" or that she spoke only a few days before about being "ready" nor about what you are about to read below.

That day started like many others. I woke my son for school, (he now lives in Vancouver). I got ready for work and before dashing out the door I took Roxy, our terrier mutt to stay with her, kissed her good-bye and while bidding her adieu the first home care girl was arriving to help her get ready for the day and stay with her whilst I was at work.

At around 1:00 PM the second caregiver, Bridget, arrived for the shift-change. As Bridget arrived she came into the family room, the other caregiver had just sat her mum down on the sofa. My mother had only moments earlier complained of difficulty breathing and then she laid back, gasped and closed her eyes. Bridget yelled out her name, “Martha, Martha!” and gently slapped her. She stirred and let out a breath, she collapsed on the sofa. 

At that moment, my mother died.

I got the call at work from Bridget and on the way home it was clear from speaking to the paramedics that she was gone. They were working on her with adrenalin and the heart paddles but were not having any success. I told them to stop but they would not, there was no DNR posted. Well, that is because she had trouble swallowing and if she was choking, they would have let her choke to death with a DNR posted, so is the absurdity of the system.

I spoke to Bridget and told her that a priest from the local parish was on his way (the Sacrament of the Sick, what we used to call Extreme Unction had already been administered by one of her faithful Oratorian Priests a few weeks earlier.) I asked Bridget to go to my mother’s bedroom and retrieve the sick visit Crucifix from the wall above her bed. (This is a Crucifix which slides off and is placed in a stand; on either side are then candle holders and some of the necessary items for the Sacrament).
A few minutes later, I arrived screeching in the driveway. When I arrived my mother’s eyes were open and she was semi-conscious, technology, it seemed had triumphed, at least for now. Father arrived a few moments later and anointed her. She was transported to “St. Joe’s” where my father also died, and we removed the medical intervention around 5:00 PM., it was clear that the technology that brought her back was keeping her here and that if we did not remove this invasion she would suffer worse indignities. An Oratorian priest came to bless her again and to counsel us on the rightness of our decision to remove the intervention. Just after 8:00 P.M., I went outside for some air and a smoke with my niece. A a few minutes later my sister came running to get me. She had just gone out of the room to the Nurses desk to make a phone call. My sister was not out of the room a half-minute and no more than 5 metres away and our mother died. It was like she could not let herself go whilst we were with her.

So, what does this have to do with another coincidence?

The next day I called Bridget and asked her to stay on for a few more days to be at the house to tidy and answer the phone and assist with guests. Bridget was quite upset to be sure. She had been with my mother daily for the last year and often spoke of how well she was always treated and “their little talks.”

She came to me with apprehension and said that she really needed to talk to me about something.

The paramedics, with all of their intervention, “brought her back.” It took 14 minutes from the time they began to get a pulse. Had she every regained full consciousness her life would have been horrible, we all new that. But what was disturbing Bridget was that there was no reaction to their work; nothing, until my car screeched to a halt in the driveway.

“I have a pulse!” exclaimed the paramedic. It was simultaneous and  it was simultaneous with the screeching of my tires. David was home and his mom wanted to see him.

But there is more, much more.

Bridget was shaking and in tears.

“David, I had a dream Sunday night," my mother having died on Monday. She went on to say that she had typically forgotten the dream until she went to my mother’s bedroom to get the Crucifix. Upon seeing Jesus on the Cross the dream came back to her for just a moment. Again, it was gone. The house after all was a mass of confusion, police, fire-fighters, the paramedics, and eventually me, and the Priest; Bridget was now a bystander. After we left for the hospital, Bridget was alone and tidying up and it was what happened then that she was so desperate to tell me. It was then that Bridget told me what else happened. She will never forget it. Nor will I.

Bridget recalled for me her dream.

“I was standing on a street-corner in small town with other people. We were laughing at this man dressed in a robe and with long-hair. He said his name was Jesus and we were making fun of him. Just then a young beautiful woman stepped off of the curb and started to cross the street; she turned around and looked at us, she had tears in her eyes, tears of overwhelming joy, she was happy, really happy.It was then that Jesus took her hand and walked across the road with her.”

That was Bridget’s dream.

She went on to say that when she woke up from it she was aware that she needed to be more like the woman who walked across the street. That she needed to have “more faith in Jesus.”

I told her that it seemed like a pretty plausible conclusion.

“Wait” Bridget said, “There is more.”

I waited and listened as she started to cry.

“David, I remembered the dream only for a moment when carrying the Cross.”

“When I was tidying up I put the Cross on the end-table over there.”

“Yes, it looks nice there” I replied.

“No, David, you don’t understand, the picture, the picture beside the Cross.”

“Yes, Bridget, what is it?”

“That picture of your mother at graduation.” Bridget started to cry.

“It was her; she was the girl in my dream, it was Martha.”


and this...

Friday, 11 October 2013

Pope Francis to declare Canadian, "Servant of God"

Let the little children come to me," said Jesus to his disciples (Luke 18, 16) . To achieve this commitment to the children of the diocese of Rimouski, God prepared a wonderful woman of tenderness and solicitude Elisabeth Turgeon. This woman, in poor health, but the keen intelligence and wise and generous heart, was born in Beaumont (Quebec) February 7, 1840. His parents, Louis-Marc Turgeon and Angèle Labrecque, gave their nine children education stronger.
Elizabeth was 15 years old when his father died prematurely. Five years later, she entered the Ecole Normale Laval in Quebec City. After graduating in 1862, she taught successively in Saint-Romuald, Quebec City and Sainte-Anne-de-BeauprĂ©.April 3, 1875, at the invitation of Bishop Jean Langevin, Bishop of Rimouski, she joins a group of girls together, according to the desire of the bishop, in order to train qualified teachers for schools parishes in the diocese of Rimouski.
September 12, 1879, with twelve of his companions, Elizabeth is dedicated to the Lord by the vows [] . The same day, she was appointed the first superior of the Congregation. She agreed to send sisters, two by two, into a very poor school in three parishes: St. Gabriel, St. Godfrey and Port-Daniel. Then she opens aindependent school [?] Rimouski to prepare novices [?] teaching.
Her maternal tenderness as his unshakable confidence are endless, but his physical strength is already exhausted. Mother Mary Elizabeth (his religious name) died on August 17, 1881.

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

Demeaning of Cardinal Burke exposed for what it is

The pitting of one against another by the secularists and Catholic-haters continues. We've seen it continuously since March, how all of a sudden, the Church and its Chief Shepherd have discovered humility. How we're all now like little hippie Franciscans, quick; come give me a hug, let's make a felt banner and hold hands and sing kubaya. 

Remember this, Francis of Assisi was poor on the outside and with his own habit, but not for the Holy Mass and not for the doctrine of the Church. St. Pio had one habit but when he celebrated Mass, he wore a glorious chasuble of silk and gold thread and even a lace alb with his one, old poor habit, underneath. His clothes were poor but he dressed in fine linen, silk and gold because he was going up to the Altar of God to offer the Holy Sacrifice with silver and gold sacred vessels. That was for the LORD, not for him. Does anyone wish to question this Saint's humility or poverty whilst on earth?

Gaze upon this picture my friends, this is humility.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina celebrating the Holy Sacrifice the day before his death
Father Paul Nicholson reports on a scornful attack on Raymond Cardinal Burke and where its roots really lay. 

"I really shouldn't give this author the time of day.  He has done a dreadful thing.  He has taken one of the kindest, gentlest, most approachable "Princes" of the Church and mocked him to scorn.  Really, a new depth has been reached.
There is such a smug tone in this article that you can almost picture the uber-yuppie type, drinking his mocha latte, at an upscale suburban Denver coffee house as he writes his hit piece on Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke."

Raymond Cardinal Burke celebrating the Holy Sacrifice
What is the difference between the two photos? I see the same silk, gold and lace and the same humility.

It is not going to get easier friends. Not one little bit.


But you already know that. 

Sunday, 6 October 2013

TORONTO: Solemn Latin Mass for Our Lady of the Rosary

Please join the Knights of Columbus of Blessed John XXIII Council 4976 and their guests from the  Knights of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; and the Toronto Traditional Mass Society-UNA VOCE TORONTO, as we gather to honour Our Lady and her victory at the Battle of Lepanto. The Mass will be held on the Feast of the Holy Rosary, Monday, October 7, 2013 at St. Cecelia's Catholic Church at 161 Annette Street, just east of Keele Street in Toronto. A public recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin at 6:30 P.M and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be available with the Solemn Mass according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite following at 7:00 P.M. We are pleased to announce that the homilist is Father Raymond J. de Souza.

A collection will be taken to support the ongoing restoration at St. Cecelia's and this will be specifically granted to the church hall. Cheques may be made out to St. Cecelia's Catholic Church Building Fund.

Battle of Lepanto

On October 7, 1571, a great victory over the mighty Turkish fleet was won by Catholic naval forces primarily from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of Don Juan of Austria. It was the last battle at sea between "oared" ships, which featured the most powerful navy in the world, a Moslem force with between 12,000 to 15,000 Christian slaves as rowers. The patchwork team of Catholic ships was powered by the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct material disadvantage, the holy pontiff, St. Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory. We know today that the victory was decisive, prevented the Islamic invasion of Europe, and evidenced the Hand of God working through Our Lady. At the hour of victory, St. Pope Pius V, who was hundreds of miles away at the Vatican, is said to have gotten up from a meeting, went over to a window, and exclaimed with supernatural radiance: "The Christian fleet is victorious!" and shed tears of thanksgiving to God.
What you may not know is that one of three admirals commanding the Catholic forces at Lepanto was Andrea Doria. He carried a small copy of Mexico's Our Lady of Guadalupe into battle. This image is now enshrined in the Church of San Stefano in Aveto, Italy. Not many know that at the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, one can view a huge warship lantern that was captured from the Moslems in the Battle of Lepanto. In Rome, look up to the ceiling of S. Maria in Aracoeli and behold decorations in gold taken from the Turkish galleys. In the Doges' Palace in Venice, Italy, one can witness a giant Islamic flag that is now a trophy from a vanquished Turkish ship from the Victory. At Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome, close to the tomb of the great St. Pope Pius V, one was once able to view yet another Islamic flag from the Battle, until 1965, when it was returned to Istanbul in an intended friendly token of concord.

The Rosary

At Lepanto, the Victory over the Moslems was won by the faithful praying the Rosary. Even though they had superior numbers, the Turks really were overmatched. Blessed Padre Pio, the Spiritual Father of the Blue Army, said: "The Rosary is the weapon," and how right he was!
The Battle of Lepanto was at first celebrated liturgically as "Our Lady of Victory." Later, the feast of October 7th was renamed "Our Lady of the Rosary" and extended throughout the Universal Church by Pope Clement XI in 1716 (who canonized Pope Pius V in 1712).
And with that we are back to Fatima, Portugal where Our Lady, when asked her name, said: "I am the Lady of the Rosary." At Fatima, Our Lady taught us to pray the Rosary every day. Heaven presented its peace plan at Fatima and truly gave us hope for the world. Conversions were promised at Fatima: the conversion of sinners; the conversion of Russia; and what also appears to be the conversion of Islam. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

Taken from:
Soul Magazine
© 2001 The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.
September - October 2001, page 6
For subscription information:
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.
PO Box 976
Washington, NJ 07882-0976
Website: http://www.bluearmy.com
E-mail: service@bluearmy.com

or Phone Toll Free: 866-513-1917

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

The end of he world as we know it

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday welcomed Pope Francis' recent remarks that the Catholic Church must shake off an obsession with teachings on abortion, contraception and homosexuals, saying the pontiff was showing incredible humility.
"I tell you, I have been hugely impressed with the pope's pronouncements," Obama said in a CNBC interview.
Obama has worked to expand gay rights as president and last year backed same-sex marriage. He also supports the use of contraception and a woman's right to an abortion.
Pope Francis told the Italian Jesuit Journal last month that the Church had "locked itself up in small things" by its obsession with abortion, contraception and homosexuality.
Obama said the pope seemed to be someone who "lives out the teachings of Christ" and shows "incredible humility" toward the poor.
"That's a quality I admire," said Obama, who has yet to meet the new pope.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Holding my tongue as best I can

When one wakes to a world where the to find that "The most serious of evils that afflict the world in recent years are youth unemployment and the solitude in which the old are left" when I nursed my mother to the day she died in my home and raised my son who is now 24, gainfully employed, on the other side of the continent, one can imagine how hard it is to hold my tongue. Truly, these are problems which afflict modern society due to globalist economic dominance and family breakdown; but, "the most serious?" 

Abortion.

Pornography.

Murder of innocents.

Human slavery.

Religious indifference.

Radical secular atheism.

Abuse of drugs and exploitation of the poor.

Sodomic cultural domination and the destruction of marriage.

Exploitation of the poor and feeble minded?

Breakdown of the family.

I thought the "most serious of evils" were these.

The fact is, youth unemployment and abandonment of the elderly are not evils, they are symptoms of the evils I've just listed.

But who am I too judge.

Oh, and "modernism" is a heresy.



Monday, 30 September 2013

Rorate hits the mark

Our good friends at the Rorate Caeli blog have two posts which I wish to point you too.

1.  The scandalous behaviour of a tie-wearing bishops from France who has the temerity to call for armed assault against President Assad of Syria in direct dissent to the Holy Father's plea for peace; and if that is not enough, a slap in the face to the Melkite Archbishop.

2. A disgusting piece from the National Catholic Reporter blaming the deaths of the Catholics at Mass last week in Peshawar on themselves.

Do not lose heart friends.


Saturday, 28 September 2013

Papal Nuncio to Canada abruptly resigns


Sources close to this writer advised a few days ago that the Papal Nuncio to Canada would be replaced sometime in October, perhaps around the 15th. In an unexpected occurrence, the Most Rev. Pedro LĂłpez Quintana, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada and Titular Archbishop of Agropoli resigned earlier today. No reason is yet known for the rumoured replacement or now, the sudden resignation and no announcement from the Holy See or the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has been made.  

Born in Barbastro, Spain, on July 27, 1953. He was ordained to the priesthood by His Holiness Pope John Paul II for the Archdiocese of Compostella, Spain on June 15, 1980.

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on February 10, 1984 and has served in the Apostolic Nunciatures of Madagascar, the Philippines and India. He was appointed Assessor for General Affairs for the Secretariat of State of the Holy See on February 7, 1998.
He was appointed Titular Archbishop of Agropoli and Apostolic Nuncio on December 12, 2002, and received episcopal ordination by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on January 6, 2003. He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal on February 8, 2003. Then Holy Father Benedict XVI named him Apostolic Nuncio to Canada on December 10, 2009.

Below is the chronology of Archbishop Luigi Ventura. It is worth noting that the "Events" between Apostolic Nucicature's were "appointments," not resignations. This was also the case with Archbishop Quintana's previous appointments and the Nuncio previous to +Ventura. 

DateAgeEventTitle
9 Dec 194468.80BornBorgosatollo, Italy
14 Jun 196924.5Ordained PriestPriest of BresciaItaly
25 Mar 199550.3AppointedTitular Archbishop of Equilium
25 Mar 199550.3AppointedApostolic Nuncio to CĂ´te d’Ivoire
25 Mar 199550.3AppointedApostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso
25 Mar 199550.3AppointedApostolic Nuncio to Niger
29 Apr 199550.4Ordained BishopTitular Archbishop of Equilium
25 Mar 199954.3AppointedApostolic Nuncio to Chile
22 Jun 200156.5AppointedApostolic Nuncio to Canada
22 Sep 200964.8AppointedApostolic Nuncio to France
In an article logged in the comment box to this report, the Archbishop spoke last week at the CCCB Annual Plenary and indicated that he was being "called back to Rome."

Let us remember Archbishop Ventura in our prayers.

As information becomes available this post will be updated.

Thursday, 12 September 2013

Solemn Latin Mass in Toronto - Our Lady of the Rosary

Please join the Knights of Columbus of Blessed John XXIII Council 4976 and their guests from the  Knights of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; and the Toronto Traditional Mass Society-UNA VOCE TORONTO, as we gather to honour Our Lady and her victory at the Battle of Lepanto. The Mass will be held on the Feast of the Holy Rosary, Monday, October 7, 2013 at St. Cecelia's Catholic Church at 161 Annette Street, just east of Keele Street in Toronto. A public recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin at 6:30 P.M and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be available with the Solemn Mass according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite following at 7:00 P.M. We are pleased to announce that the homilist is Father Raymond J. de Souza.

A collection will be taken to support the ongoing restoration at St. Cecelia's and this will be specifically granted to the church hall. Cheques may be made out to St. Cecelia's Catholic Church Building Fund.

Battle of Lepanto

On October 7, 1571, a great victory over the mighty Turkish fleet was won by Catholic naval forces primarily from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of Don Juan of Austria. It was the last battle at sea between "oared" ships, which featured the most powerful navy in the world, a Moslem force with between 12,000 to 15,000 Christian slaves as rowers. The patchwork team of Catholic ships was powered by the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct material disadvantage, the holy pontiff, St. Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory. We know today that the victory was decisive, prevented the Islamic invasion of Europe, and evidenced the Hand of God working through Our Lady. At the hour of victory, St. Pope Pius V, who was hundreds of miles away at the Vatican, is said to have gotten up from a meeting, went over to a window, and exclaimed with supernatural radiance: "The Christian fleet is victorious!" and shed tears of thanksgiving to God.
What you may not know is that one of three admirals commanding the Catholic forces at Lepanto was Andrea Doria. He carried a small copy of Mexico's Our Lady of Guadalupe into battle. This image is now enshrined in the Church of San Stefano in Aveto, Italy. Not many know that at the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, one can view a huge warship lantern that was captured from the Moslems in the Battle of Lepanto. In Rome, look up to the ceiling of S. Maria in Aracoeli and behold decorations in gold taken from the Turkish galleys. In the Doges' Palace in Venice, Italy, one can witness a giant Islamic flag that is now a trophy from a vanquished Turkish ship from the Victory. At Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome, close to the tomb of the great St. Pope Pius V, one was once able to view yet another Islamic flag from the Battle, until 1965, when it was returned to Istanbul in an intended friendly token of concord.

The Rosary

At Lepanto, the Victory over the Moslems was won by the faithful praying the Rosary. Even though they had superior numbers, the Turks really were overmatched. Blessed Padre Pio, the Spiritual Father of the Blue Army, said: "The Rosary is the weapon," and how right he was!
The Battle of Lepanto was at first celebrated liturgically as "Our Lady of Victory." Later, the feast of October 7th was renamed "Our Lady of the Rosary" and extended throughout the Universal Church by Pope Clement XI in 1716 (who canonized Pope Pius V in 1712).
And with that we are back to Fatima, Portugal where Our Lady, when asked her name, said: "I am the Lady of the Rosary." At Fatima, Our Lady taught us to pray the Rosary every day. Heaven presented its peace plan at Fatima and truly gave us hope for the world. Conversions were promised at Fatima: the conversion of sinners; the conversion of Russia; and what also appears to be the conversion of Islam. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

Taken from:
Soul Magazine
© 2001 The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.
September - October 2001, page 6
For subscription information:
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.
PO Box 976
Washington, NJ 07882-0976
Website: http://www.bluearmy.com
E-mail: service@bluearmy.com

or Phone Toll Free: 866-513-1917

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

We will never forget






"Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust,
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust;
but God's power, hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower." 

May those who died on this day eleven years ago in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania rest in the mercy of God; may those who lost loved ones be comforted by Him who suffered for us; may those survivors who suffered then and still do be healed and may those who perpetrated this despicable act face His Divine Judgement.



Saturday, 7 September 2013

Abun D'Bashmayo

Let us pray and fast for our brothers and sisters in Syria. (turn down the music at the top right or stop at the left of the bar).



Friday, 6 September 2013

The drumbeats of war; the people don't matter.

"We will not be collateral damage!"

This minion of the malefactor Obama could not even look her in the eye.