"Receiving Communion not obligatory at Mass" -- Thomas Cardinal Collins

Please visit Word on Fire for this terrific interview by Brandon Vogt with Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, where he defends marriage, comments on the danger of the media build-up of the Synod and reminds us on the reality of receiving Holy Communion.

The Catholic Church simply teaches what Jesus teaches: marriage is an unbreakable covenant between a man and a woman, faithful in love and open to the gift of life. Divorce and remarriage is not allowed when it is a matter of a valid, sacramental, and consummated marriage. 

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Our Lord's teaching on marriage, like his whole teaching on discipleship, can at times be very difficult. Especially in the world in which we live, but really in all periods of history, a certain heroism is required in the Christian life. We are all called to holiness; that is not just the vocation of the few who are canonized, but of all of us. 

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One thing that would help would be if all of us realized that receiving communion is not obligatory at Mass. There are many reasons why a Christian might choose not to receive communion. If there were less pressure for everyone to receive communion, it would be some help to those who are not in a position to do so. 

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So when Pope Paul did not change what he could not change, but re-affirmed Christian faith, many, many people were upset, and simply decided to ignore the teaching. That is our present situation. I certainly hope that we do not suffer a repeat of that, as unfounded speculation swirls concerning a change by the Church of the explicit teaching of Jesus on marriage. 

Reparation for "World Pride"

Rather than despair over the situation; one Toronto resident and blogger has come up with another plan. Alan Yoshioka is a former "Gay activist". I've known Alan for a number of years now and his wife. If you do not know Alan's story then it is worth a visit to his blog, The Sheepcat. Alan is a devoted Catholic man in love with Jesus and his wife Theresa. I will always be thankful for the invitation to Lector at their marriage. It was a great honour to do so.

Alan and Theresa have come up with the only just response possible to the so-called, World Pride event which has been thrust upon our City -- to fast and pray in reparation.

May God bless them both; and may He forgive us for what we have permitted.

 

One year ago!

The glorious weather of Saturday, June 15, 2013 marked a rare liturgical event in the last half century in Canada; the Solemn Nuptial -  Missa pro sponso et sponsa. It was the marriage of the Miss Frankie and the Vox.

The magnificent liturgy was held at the beautiful St. Patrick's Kinkora in the Diocese of London in Ontario where the Mass in the EF will be moving from to the City of London in July 2013. The Mass was celebrated by Father Paul Nicholson, Pastor and Priest for the Solemn Liturgy. Father Kim D'Souza, Associate Pastor at St. Joseph's Mississauga (Streetsville) was Deacon and Mr. Stephen Bruzzese, Seminarian from the Diocese of St. Catharine's Ontario was Subdeacon. Mr. Joseph DeCaria was Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Steven Eckert, MCII aided by five Clerks. The music was provided by Ensemble Sine Nomine of Kitchener under the direction of Mr. Stephen Strauss with Angela Straus, Organist

The music included St. Anthony's Chorale based on a Theme of Haydn's by Brahms during the liturgical procession. The congregation and choir then sang the Veni Creator Spiritus prior to the Nuptial Rite. Mass began with the Gregorian Introit and all the Gregorian Propers from the Liber Usualis. The Ordinary of the Mass -- Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei was the Mass for Five Voices by William Byrd. After the Offertory Antiphon was sung the sublime Ave Maria by Robert Parsons followed and Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus was sung after the Communion Antiphon and Psalm at Holy Communion. All sang the Salve Regina which was followed by the presentation of the Bride's bouquet at the Altar of Our Lady whilst the Ave Maria by the Rt. Rev. John Edward Ronan, founder of St. Michael's Choir School, Toronto was sung with choir and organ. The recessional was La Rejouissance from the Royal Fireworks by Handel.

A luncheon reception followed at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Mitchell, Ontario.

+ Deo gratias +

Photographic talent courtesy of Mr. George Opreff

Priest of two years, murdered in Phoenix, another critically injured! Father Kenneth Walker, FSSP - Our Lady of Seat of Wisdom alumnus

The late Father Kenneth Walker, FSSP celebrating the Holy Mass
at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy at Barry's Bay, Ontario.

From Rorate Caeli Blog.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST
FSSP Priests attacked in Phoenix, Arizona, 1 murdered, 1 critically wounded

The Mater Misericordiae Mission, the Latin Mass community of the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona, run by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), was the scene of a terrible tragedy on Wednesday night, following the breaking and entering of their church.

Father Kenneth Walker, FSSP, Assistant Pastor, was murdered. Requiescat in pace. Please, pray also for the consolation of his family.

Father Joseph Terra, FSSP, Pastor, was severely wounded by the criminals, and is (at least to our knowledge as of this moment) hospitalized in critical condition. Please, pray for his health and his complete recovery, through the mercy of God Almighty.

Finally, let us also pray for their parishioners and all who are affected for this ordeal. Let us pray for the law enforcement officers, may they accomplish justice according to God's will.

Let us pray for the criminals, may they find conversion and salvation on this earth and avoid eternal damnation. [Tip: Parishioner. Local news report and video here.]

____________________________

R.P. KENNETH WALKER

TU ES SACERDOS IN ÆTERNUM
SECUNDUM ORDINEM MELCHISEDECH

Father Kenneth Walker, FSSP, at the moment of his Ordination, on May 19, 2012 (post from the time):

Father Walker is the first on the right.

Father Walker gives his first blessing to his ordaining bishop, Bishop Bruskewitz

____________________________

First Alumni Ordained to the Priesthood: Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, and Fr. Ben Weber

i

Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, on far right, at his May 19 ordination. (Photo (c) fssp.org – Priestly Fraternity of S. Peter)

This spring OLSWA rejoiced as two alumni, Fr. Kenneth Walker (’05) and Fr. Benjamin Weber (’06), were ordained to the priesthood and are now priests forever “according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6).”

Fr. Kenneth Walker, a member of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, was ordained on May 19, 2012, with four other young men. They were ordained by His Excellency Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz in the beautiful Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska. On May 26, 2012, in the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, His Excellency Bishop Gerard P. Bergie ordained Fr. Ben Weber and Fr. Chad Grennan for St. Catharine’s diocese in Ontario.

Through this sacrament of Holy Orders these young men are now consecrated and called to act ‘in persona Christi Capitis’ (in the person of Christ the Head), bringing the Sacraments to Christ’s Church. The joy of this vocation shone in Fr. Ben’s smile as he gave his first priestly blessings. In answering the Divine call to the priesthood Fr. Kenneth and Fr. Ben gave a resounding ‘yes’ to God’s will.

Bishop Bergie confers Holy Orders on Fr. Ben Weber.

As His Excellency Bishop Bergie noted in his homily at Fr. Ben’s ordination, this ‘yes’ answered the question that Jesus posed to Peter in John 21, “Do you love me?” Christ called in love, and these men have responded by choosing to live out their yes to God daily in joyful, loving dedication to Christ and His Church.

As each priest gave his first priestly blessing, he handed out cards of remembrance. Fr. Ben’s cards fittingly quoted John 2:5, “Jesus’ mother said to the servants, ‘do whatever He tells you.’” Fr. Ben, Fr. Kenneth and all other priests are doing what ‘He is telling them to do.’ They are living out an apostleship of love. As the Curé of Ars states, “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”

 Fr. Kenneth shared the following message with OLSWA leading up to his ordination: “I would also like to express my gratitude to the Academy for the truly excellent education and warm friendship I experienced there, and I found it to be a wonderful preparation for entering seminary. May God continue to bless the efforts of all those involved in the Academy!”

Let us keep Fr. Ben, Fr. Kenneth and all priests in our thoughts and prayers, thanking God for them daily.

Solemn EF Mass for the Vigil of Pentecost - In the Presence of a Greater Prelate and Monsignor Vincent Foy

The third of June this year was the 75th anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood of Monsignor Vincent Foy, a priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Msgr. Foy will turn 99 on August 14 and has served his priestly life with faith and loyalty and is an example to all priests and to all Catholics of the devout life. He is a pro-life champion and has long been known in Canada for his opposition to the Winnipeg Statement. His writings can be found at www.msgrfoy.com. 

On Saturday, June 7, a Solemn Mass on the Vigil of Pentecost was held at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church in Toronto. The Mass was in the Presence of Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto who presided and preached the homily. 

Cardinal Collins was amongst the last seminarians at the time for the Diocese of London that received the tonsure and the minor orders and the first of the major orders, that being Subdeacon. This was the first time that he has presided at the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and the first time in a half-century that any Archbishop of Toronto or Cardinal in Canada has done so.

Also in attendance at the Altar and with the Cardinal were priests of parishes and prelatures of the Archdiocese of Toronto and priest-professors from St. Augustine's Seminary, priests from the Chancery and Seminarians from St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto attending to the Cardinal. Monsignor Foy sat in choir with the Provost of the Toronto Oratory, Father Jonathan Robinson, Cong. Orat. and over 50 other priests in choir and hundreds of faithful. The Mass was recorded by EWTN and we look forward to the upcoming documentary on the life of Monsignor Vincent Foy.

The organisation of this Mass was a monumental effort as nothing like this has happened here for a half-century. The Toronto Traditional Mass Society - UNA VOCE TORONTO responded immediately and enthusiastically late last year to Monsignor Foy's request for help with the organisation. It was our great privilege and humbling honour to assist Monsignor Foy with this glorious day. 

Monsignor Vincent Foy - 75 years a priest!

It was June 3, 1939 and three months before Adolf Hitler invaded Poland setting off the death of millions in Europe. That war would change the plans of the Archbishop of Toronto for his new priest -- instead of studying Canon Law in Rome, Catholic University in Washington would have to suffice.

So began the priestly life of Vincent Foy. Born in Toronto in 1915, he was the second of a family of eight children. He knew at the age of ten that he would be a priest; his mother was dying and he prayed to God to save her and in exchange he would offer his life as a priest. As evidenced by his soon to be 99 years and his 75 years as a priest, God answered his prayer and Vincent kept his promise. When this writer was only a year-old, Father Foy was named a Domestic Prelate by Venerable Pius XII.

Monsignor Foy served many parishes in the Archdiocese of  Toronto and on did much of his work on the Marriage Tribunal. Monsignor Foy was an ardent opponent of the infamous Winnipeg Statement and made no apologies for it. He was the pro-life hero in Canada, inspiring countless numbers to this day. He took on the powers that would undermine the faith be they bishops or Council "periti." He has served Christ, His Church and all of us. He even has a web page!

Next Saturday, June 7, 2014, is the Vigil of Pentecost. On that day, a Solemn Mass will be held in Toronto at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church to adore God and to thank Our Lord Jesus Christ for the gift of this priest as we acknowledge and celebrate the 75 years of priesthood of Monsignor Vincent Foy. He is the oldest living priest in the Archdiocese of Toronto and the only one who has reached this milestone. Monsignor's trusted and loyal secretary has done a search with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and they can find no record of a priest in Canada serving that long; certainly priests over 100 but not serving that long. Then Archbishop McGuigan tried to ordain him at the age of 23 but could not gain permission and he needed to wait one more year -- and even 24 was unheard of.

Photo By Ruane Remy Catholic Register, Toronto

The Mass will be according to the Roman Missal of 1962 and is known as the Mass in the Presence of a Greater Prelate. For those interested in such matters liturgical, this is one small step removed from a Pontifical Mass in the traditional rite of the western Church. Thomas Cardinal Collins will Preside and deliver the Homily. This is the first time that the Ordinary in Toronto has participated in a liturgy according to the 1962 Roman Missal since 1965 and the first time for a Cardinal in Canada since that year. 

What an incredible opportunity also for the whole liturgical movement of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The question arose immediately; "How do we present this liturgy, --as a fly in amber or in the light of what we have known had gone wrong with the traditional liturgy for most of the first half of the last century and what we have learnt had gone wrong for the last fifty years with the reform?" 

"How can we respect the liturgical purity necessary whilst accomplishing the 'actuoso participatio' long desired by St. Pius X, Pope as articulated in Tra le sollecitudini and recognising the liturgical praxis today and the pedagogical state of liturgical formation."

In the liturgy properly understood, everyone has a role in actual participation. This means we understand what is being done, we watch, we sing, we pray, we listen; we stand, we sit, we kneel. We absorb the liturgy and we express ourselves inwardly and outwardly. It is important to understand that the people have become now the liturgical choir. They must take their role and not be excluded from this actuoso participation; this is the essence that St. Pius X and Dom Gueranger and the liturgical movement were trying to elevate us to; not the "active motion" that has come to be the dominant characteristic of our liturgical worship but the full, conscious, actual and complete participation with everyone undertaking that which is properly theirs.

First, a complete missalette is necessary to aid the faithful in a comprehensive understanding of the Mass side-by-side Latin and English. We no longer carry one to Mass as our parents and grandparents did.

Secondly, the Schola has its role in all the Propers, the full Choir its role in the glorious musical offerings and again, the People take their proper role in fully sung responses and the Mass Ordinary and verbal petitions at the appropriate place.

Let us fill this Church to honour God and thank Our Lord for Monsignor Foy's 99-years on this earth and 75 as a priest in the same liturgy in which he was ordained with even a choral acknowledgement to the choir director of that special day in 1939, Monsignor John Edward Ronan.

~ Music Notes ~

Organ preludes
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring—Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fugue in C major—Johann Sebastian Bach  
Prelude and Fugue in F major—-Johann Sebastian Bach
Variations on Veni Creator—Maurice Duruflé
Processional Hymn: Come Down, O Love Divine—Down Ampney
Introitus: Cum sanctificatus—schola
Kyrie: Missa de Angelis—organ, all
Gloria: Missa de Angelis—organ, all
Alleluia: Alleluia, Confitemini Domino—Schola
Tractus: Laudate Dominium—Schola
Offertorium: Emmitte—Schola
Motet: Sacerdotes Domini—William Byrd
Sanctus: Missa de Angelis—organ, all
Agnus Dei: Missa de Angelis—organ, all
Communio: Ultimo—Schola
Motet: Ave Verum Corpus—Wm. Byrd
Chant: Veni Creator Spiritus— Rabanus Marus
Reprise of Variations on Veni Creator by Durufle 
Ablutions: Ubi Caritas—children Chant
Ubi Caritas—M. Duruflé
Marian Antiphon: Regina Caeli—Msgr. J.E. Ronan
Recessional Hymn: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—Grosser Gott
Organ Postlude: Toccata— Charles Widor

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Toronto Solemn Latin Mass - Ascension "THURSDAY" of the Lord.

While the Una Voce Toronto Schola Tridentina and all ready themselves for this, we have this important work for the Lord and His Church and people of Toronto to do on Ascension Thursday.

Franciscan Friars and Sisters - scandalous treatment!

While some on this sometimes unfortunate medium prefer to mock and slander in a manner unfit for Catholics, particularly when it comes to name-calling and mocking those who love the traditional Church and this abused and maligned Order, let us join our friends at Rorate in this appeal and leave the muckrakers to themselves and their own puerile and dyspeptic mutterings. May they be enlightened to obtain the most necessary spiritual and psychological help that their behaviour and their slander gives evidence to.

 

A CALL TO PRAYER
on behalf of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate

Regardless of your opinion on specific Church matters, please spread as widely as possible this appeal to prayer for justice and peace regarding the recently initiated visitation (with intervention tones) of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate decided by the Congregation for Religious.

We join Italian website Corsia dei Servi in this appeal, and ask all to join in prayer to the Lord and His Virgin Mother.

She's paying attention - and He's listening to Her

APPEAL

After hearing the news about the appointment of a visitator to the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, we are more than ever convinced that these days being Catholic is a problem for some Vatican authorities. We have decided (at least for the time being) to suspend any comment or publication whatever related to this incredible and disconcerting affair: let this be a time of prayer and staying spiritually close to the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate. 

 For this reason, we ae launching a Rosary Crusade appeal, requesting the help of everyone that intends to support the Fathers, Brothers and Sisters who are being hit and persecuted so unjustly, through the recitation of at least a decade of the Rosary every day, dedicated to the Franciscans of the Immaculate.

Editorial Staff

Corsia dei Servi

A bishop living up to his name!

“Out of concern for safeguarding the reverence that is due Our Lord in the Eucharist, and to avoid scandal, one could possibly apply this norm even in the case of a pro-abortion Catholic politician who is extremely vocal about his position.”

Go here, fill the combox!

Cardinal Collins calls on Justin Trudeau to recant -- not even Pope Francis is good enough for the Liberal Party!

UPDATE:

Archbishop Terence Prendergast, S.J. of Ottawa
Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton
Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary
Bishop Christian Riesbeck, Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa
Reverend Raymond J. de Souza, Priest & Journalist

Toronto Archbishop Thomas Cardinal Collins has issued a clear and direct letter to federal Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau. 

Every bishop in Canada needs to follow this example of making it abundantly clear to this little fascist that professes to be a practicing Catholic exactly how wrong-headed he is. 

It is time Justin to wake up; read between the lines of this letter, it is your warning of what will come next.

God bless Cardinal Collins for his clarity and steadfastness. Thank you Your Eminence.

Mr. Justin Trudeau, MP 
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada 
House of Commons, Ottawa 

May 14, 2014 

Dear Mr. Trudeau,

I am deeply concerned about your decision that citizens who, in conscience, seek to assure the protection of the most vulnerable among us are not acceptable as candidates in your party.

Just last week Pope Francis sent a message of support for thousands of your fellow citizens who gathered on Parliament Hill to peacefully affirm the right to life, and the need to protect the vulnerable. He assured them of his spiritual closeness “as they give witness to the God-given dignity, beauty and value of human life.” It is worth noting that if Pope Francis, as a young man, instead of seeking to serve in the priesthood in Argentina, had moved to Canada and sought to serve in the noble vocation of politics, he would have been ineligible to be a candidate for your party, if your policy were in effect.

Among the two million Catholics of my archdiocese, there are members of all political parties, including your own. I encourage all of them, of whatever party, to serve the community not only by voting but by active engagement in political life as candidates. It is not right that they be excluded by any party for being faithful to their conscience.

Political leaders surely have the right to insist on party unity and discipline in political matters which are within the legitimate scope of their authority. But that political authority is not limitless: it does not extend to matters of conscience and religious faith. It does not govern all aspects of life.

The patron saint of politicians is St. Thomas More. He came into conflict with the political authority of his day on a matter of conscience. The king claimed control over his conscience, but Thomas was “the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” Political leaders in our day should not exclude such people of integrity, no matter how challenging they find their views.

I urge you to reconsider your position.

Sincerely yours, 

Thomas Cardinal Collins 
Archbishop of Toronto

Face The Children Justin Trudeau from FacetheChildren on Vimeo.

Justin Trudeau: Baby killing advocating fascist

How it is possible for anyone to think that killing a child in its mother's womb should be legally permissible? The absurdity of this question escapes my reason. Watching some of the comments from abortion advocates interviewed during the recent March for Life in Ottawa made it abundantly clear how illogical, how perverse, and how darkened the intellects are of these people. You don't have to be Catholic or even believe in God to know that abortion is the killing of a baby. 

In 1968, a Catholic Minister of Justice educated by Jesuits and given every privilege in life appeared on the scene and ushered in the "right" to abortion; later that year, he became Prime Minister. He loved Castro and Mao, the former attended his funeral along with Jimmy Carter, well; you're known by the company you keep. He was given a glorious Catholic funeral at Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal. A scandal given what he stood for as Prime Minister.

Now his intellectually challenged son with nice hair is leader of the same Liberal Party, a party that I grew up with around the house that was once the party of the Catholic immigrant long used and abused by these creeps.


When he's not attending parades of men celebrating once criminal activity with other men (elminated from the Criminal Code by his father) alongside child pornographers, Justin Trudeau claims to be a practising Catholic. He has again said, and on the eve of the March for Life, that there is no conscience for a Liberal Party candidate or Member of Parliament, one must be pro-abortion because friends, being pro-choice is being pro-abortion and anti-life.

There is much more wrong with this slimy poseur with his father's sense of morality and his mother's intellect. His admiration of dictatorships and communist China being one. 

If you are a Catholic and you vote Liberal under this policy, notwithstanding that the Conservative Government has not and probably will not address the matter, you will have undertaken a grievous act in the next election.

You cannot vote Liberal or NDP when any party imposes such a position. The issue is one of life of the unborn and it is a matter of freedom of consciences. 

Justin Trudeau has proved what he is. 

A fascist.



Postscript.

It is time for the Canadian bishops to act against this man who professes to be a practising Catholic.

Sign this petition.

Who is he to judge?

Given that Cardinal Kasper has pronounced that Francis, Bishop of Rome has pronounced that "half of all marriages are invalid" I pronounce with the same authority that half of all ordinations are invalid.

The Usual Suspects - Take notice

Don't even think of it.

Joanne McGarry, Requiescat in pace

Go forth from this world, O Christian soul, in the name of God the Father almighty, who created you; in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered and died for you; in the name of the Holy Spirit, who sanctified you; in the name of the glorious and holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary; in the name of blessed Joseph, her illustrious spouse; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones, domi­nations, principalities, powers, virtues, cherubim and seraphim; in the name of the patriarchs and prophets; in the name of the holy apostles and evangelists; in the name of the holy martyrs and confessors; in the name of the holy monks and hermits; in the name of the holy virgins and of all the saints of God. May peace come to you today, and may your home be in holy Sion. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Joanne McGarry was Executive Director of the Catholic Civil Rights League and a regular columnist in the Catholic Register. Joanne passed on to the Lord on Divine Mercy Sunday. She was an inspiration to this writer. 

I can imagine that Our Lord greeted her and said, "I know you, my mother has told me all about you, well done good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of thy Lord."

ONTARIO READERS!

Sign here!

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ontario-catholic-teachers-union-must-withdraw-from-pride-parade.html

He is Risen, indeed

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit

Hoc est enim corpus meum.