Buffoonery

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

Notre Shame

This is what the Pope had to say to the folks from Notre Shame.

In my recent Apostolic Exhortation on the Joy of the Gospel, I stressed the missionary dimension of Christian discipleship, which needs to be evident in the lives of individuals and in the workings of each of the Church’s institutions. This commitment to “missionary discipleship” ought to be reflected in a special way in Catholic universities (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 132-134), which by their very nature are committed to demonstrating the harmony of faith and reason and the relevance of the Christian message for a full and authentically human life. Essential in this regard is the uncompromising witness of Catholic universities to the Church’s moral teaching, and the defense of her freedom, precisely in and through her institutions, to uphold that teaching as authoritatively proclaimed by the magisterium of her pastors. It is my hope that the University of Notre Dame will continue to offer unambiguous testimony to this aspect of its foundational Catholic identity, especially in the face of efforts, from whatever quarter, to dilute that indispensable witness. And this is important: its identity, as it was intended from the beginning. To defend it, to preserve it and to advance it!

Franciscus

Address to delegation of the University of Notre Dame du Lac

January 30, 2014

History will judge our beloved Papa!

History will judge, as will Our Lord; and the day will come in the not too distance future when Catholics around the world will come to the realisation that we were given a grace by God to be served by a man who is arguably the greatest intellect in the Catholic Church, if not the world, since St. Thomas Aquinas. Alas, we were unworthy.

Perhaps Father Allan J. McDonald has it right, shocking as it seems. I first discovered this man, our dear Papa, with the reading of The Ratzinger Report over twenty-five years ago. From then, he had me. His intellect was profound; yet, he would talk and teach as if he were always the kindly professor intent on not dumbing down his word but ensuring they were phrased that we simple folk could understand everything he said. 

Look at the photo below; look at he love in his eyes, on his face. I miss him; I miss him dearly. I am still in mourning. The fact is, we may never see one like you come our way again, not in many life times and certainly, not now. They can't hold a candle to you. 

May your enemies be confounded. May they be acursed - each and every filthy one of them. Every priest, bishop, cardinal whether in a parish, cathedral or the curia itself. Every teacher, liturgist, professor and layman. May they be held accountable for their evil, their treachery, their spite and their malice against you and the Church.

Papa Benedict, may our dear Lord comfort you and bless you; may you know how much you are loved and missed.

Vox Cantoris

Ecumaniacs

A picture speaks a thousand words.

Cardinal Taurans

Then Archbishop, soon to be Cardinal Nichols

Cardinal O'Malley

Brit Hume of Fox News on abortion

I was fortunate to have watched this live last evening.

Silencing of the lambs

Clearly, the people who March for Life need reminding because every year there are violent riots and blood in the streets of Washington.

Look at how the evil one has used these tweets to mock the Catholic faith and the cause for Life!

Some would like to see these lambs lead to the slaughter.

Like the One who did this, indeed, the True Lamb!

Who are the real Pharisees, today?

Perhaps, he should get off of Twitter.

“Whatever You Can Do to Stop Communion in the Hand Will be Blessed by God” ~ Fr. John Hardon S.J.

It has been my practice for many years now, when attending the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, and receiving Holy Communion, I neither approach a layperson, nor do I receive in the hand from a priest. I only go to a priest, or deacon; and I only receive on the tongue. I say this not to exalt myself in any way but to express my coming around to the grave error of receiving Our Blessed Lord in the hand. 

A priest friend on Facebook recently had a post about how to cause a war amongst Catholics and his comment referred to opening the debate on the topic. It was about communion in ht hand. There were hundreds of posts and it got heated. The ignorance of Catholic laity is mind-boggling. The deceit on how it was came to be is tragic.

It goes without saying that it was an abuse. It began in Belgium and Holland and rather than suppress it, Pope Paul VI allowed it where it had already occurred. From that point in 1969, it took nearly a decade for it to become a reality in the United States after the late Cardinal Bernardin was able to finally achieve his goal of seeing it come into force through manipulation and dissent from the wishes of Paul VI. Sadly, it become the norm in Canada in 1969 only days after South Africa which was the first country outside of Holland and Belgium to manipulate Memoriale Domini to permit this.

I want to be clear. This is not a judgement on my part of any priest who provides Communion in the hand to the faithful, nor to those who receive in that manner. The Law of the Church permits it. It cannot in any way be considered a sin on the part of the priest or the communicant as it is permitted by the Church. It is legal; but it is not right and that is a different matter.

It is up to each of us to stop this practice; but know this, it cannot come from the priest. Any priest who would refuse to give the Holy Eucharist in the hand would be violating the communicants right to determine how they receive and would incur the wrath of his bishop. It is however, within the power of the laity, you and me, to fix this. Think about it. You can change this practice which was never asked for by the faithful. You can change it for the whole Church. You, and you and you and you -- one person at a time. Remember the example of our beloved Benedict influenced to this no doubt by Bishop Athanasius Schneider Look even at the example of Pope Francis and the effort at St. Peter's to control the practice. 

The day is coming when it will be banned and recognised that it was nothing less than an abomination and condemned as an error in which the great majority of Catholics whom unbeknownst to them,  have taken part. May we be forgiven.  

There is this most excellent post by John Andrew Dorsey at Church Militant Blog and this from Catholic Insight which I encourage you to read. In the article by Dorsey, he comments about the middle-east tradition of placing a morsel of food in the mouth of the guest at dinner. He shows this iconography on the book cover to highlight the point. I can attest to this being of Lebanese ancestry. It was very common for our dear mother, particularly with that delicious raw Kibbeh, to call us to the kitchen and she would place a little morsel in our mouths before dinner. It is not far-fetched to conclude that Our Lord at the Last Supper may have indeed performed that same act of love. As an aside, if you followed that link to the Kibbeh, we always had a fresh sprig of mint and a cross formed in it as well!

Kitchener Ontario Pastor about to break Canon Law!

Invites protestant laywomen to preach at Mass!

Catholic priest to be warm-up act...

Kitchener - Father Joseph de Viveiros, C.R. is Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Kitchener, Ontario. This Sunday coming, January 18, two protestants are clearly listed in the bulletin as "preaching" during three Catholic Masses. When contacted by Vox and asked to comment about this clear breach of Canon Law, Father indicated in a hushed tone that "really a Catholic priest" would be delivering the homily and the protestant ministers would be providing a "reflection." 

One could suppose that this is a sneaky way to get around Canon Law. Homilies are to be delivered firstly by the celebrating priest or another priest whom he designates, or a deacon if necessary or of course, the bishop, if present in choir. A lay man or woman, even this corrupt Catholic, even a Seminarian installed as an Acolyte or Lector is simply not permitted to undertake this within the Mass.

When asked who would be allotted more time, the priest or the heretic, Father de Viveiros, politely replied, "this conversation has come to an end."

In an effort to confront this clericalism and an assault upon the faithful Pope Francis, referred to the creation of "little monsters" as an example of what happens with deformed formation. Is this what our Holy Father was referring to? 

Disobedience of Canon Law?

Insulting the parishioners deserving of sound doctrine and homilies? 

Dismissive of the concerns of a Catholic layman?

We really don't know what our Holy Father meant and so we are left to interpret from one day to the next what he means, but in the view of this writer, this kind of abuse comes pretty close to being "clericalism" as perpetuated by "little monsters."

However, this is not the future of the Diocese of Hamilton, this is its quickly fading past. I've met the future on numerous occasions and one be one they are a cause to rejoice. There will continue to be some bumps along the road, this being one; but make no mistake, this priest's example is one of a false ecumenism and a false hermeneutic and no matter what anyone thinks, that fact did not change with the election of Pope Francis.



From the bulletin...

WEEK of PRAYER for CHRISTIAN UNITY Jan. 18/19 – 25/26 We begin with a Prayer Service, with Taizé style songs, Sun. Jan. 19, 7:30pm at St. Anthony Daniel Parish. The week continues with a Pulpit Exchange for the Churches of Forest Hill on Jan 25/26:  Rev. Dianne Cunningham (Highland Baptist) will preach at our 5 pm Mass;  Rev. Katharine Edmonstone (Forest Hill United) will preach at our 9 & 11am Masses;  Fr. Joseph will preach at Forest Hill United Sun. at 10am. Join us at the Concluding Event on Sun. Jan. 26, 2pm at Forest Hill United. Members from Calvin Presbyterian, Forest Hill United, Highland Baptist and St. Francis Catholic churches will be involved in the service. Please join us to celebrate our similarities and differences with our Christian brothers and sisters. 

Canon Law is clear:

Canon law # 767 "§1. Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon, is preeminent; in the homily the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian life are to be explained from the sacred text during the course of the liturgical year."

"§2. A homily must be given at all Masses on Sundays and holy days of obligation which are celebrated with a congregation, and it cannot be omitted except for a grave cause."

"§3. It is strongly recommended that if there is a sufficient congregation, a homily is to be given even at Masses celebrated during the week, especially during the time of Advent and Lent or on the occasion of some feast day or a sorrowful event."

"§4. It is for the pastor or rector of a church to take care that these prescripts are observed conscientiously."

For more information, please review the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) where it states:

“The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.” (GIRM 66)

At the request of Pope John Paul II, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacrament in Rome issued the document, Redemptionis Sacramentum (RS), for the purpose of stopping liturgical abuses. Regarding the preaching of the homily, the document reiterates GIRM 66 and adds the following:

“It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the Eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon [law]. This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom.” (RS 65)

“If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily, nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account.” (RS 74)

Non-Catholic ministers who are invited to "speak" on the Sunday of Christian Unity, in the spirit of ecumenism, does not enjoy an exemption to the above instructions. His/her speach cannot be confused with the homily, nor be a substitute for the homily that the priest is obligated to present to the faithful.

“As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass. As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law. This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity. All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons.” (RS 161)

The document goes on to explain that abuses such as this “are not to be considered of little account” and are to be "carefully avoided and corrected.” (RS 174)

“Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff. It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.” (RS 184)

Redemptionis Sacramentum reiterates GIRM 66 and adds the following:

• It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon [law]. This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom. (RS 65)
• If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily, nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account. (RS 74)
• As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the priest or deacon during Mass. As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law. This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity. All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local ordinary [bishop], and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are priests or deacons. (RS 161)

The document goes on to explain that abuses such as this "are not to be considered of little account" and are to be "carefully avoided and corrected." (RS 174)

The Pastor with the Sheep

Nota Bene: It is a sad state when someone with a computer can take the article below from Rorate and Da Porta and interpret something that is not there and then use it for one's own self-serving satisfaction that does nothing but bring disrepute upon themselves and perpetuate a myth in many Chanceries that "traditional" Catholics are everything from unstable to just plain weird. To label those who wrote the articles below as engaging in "idol worship" is simply repugnant and to state it publicly causing slander to good people simply for reporting on an event and the respect arising from it to a particular Cardinal is nonsensical. Anyone who would interpret the article in such a manner cannot be taken seriously. There will be no link to it here, lest we feed the bear. This kind of behaviour is indicative of the spiritual and emotional state of those who would do such a thing, it says nothing of Catholics who support tradition in the use of the Vetus Ordo or who desire a more solemn celebration of the Novus Ordo. What this kind of public commentary does is to make those who are the enemies of tradition dance with glee and it must be condemned. It says more about the writers of such drivel than it does about anyone else. The sowing of this kind of division displays at the least the puerile hypocrisy and at the worst, a dangerous display of spiritual deformation. It is done by little bloggers with few readers and nationally syndicated bloggers. Let us pray that these brothers and sisters in Christ will seek the spiritual and emotional support necessary to move forward in life, freed from their ills and demons and learn to be productive members of the Catholic community rather than engage in that which they purport to condemn. This division and slander has nothing to do with the movement of those supporting the Traditional Mass and has everything to do with the despair to which those that would promote such scandal, have sunk. Vox.

From our good friends at Rorate Caeli blog originating at Da Porta Sant' Anna 

In the anomalous current trend to avoid clear positions on anything and to play down even the memory of the rituals associated with the Church in favor of dramatic, dialectical, and combative statements about poverty, no one finds the time to go down into the street and give living witness as asked for by the Pope in a loud voice during the Chrism Mass of March 28, 2013.  The words of Pope Frances echo in our hearts:  “…I ask this of you: be pastors who smell of the ‘smell of your sheep’.  May you hear these words!”  To this we say: Would that these words were heard! Would that these pastors were seen!

And we today have seen and heard only Cardinal Burke, a true pastor down among his sheep.

Nota Bene: It is a sad state when someone with a computer can take this article at Rorate and Da Porta and refer to them as "Idol Worshippers" and publicly state it causing slander to good people simply for the respect that is shown to this Cardinal. Anyone who would interpret this in such a manner cannot be taken seriously. This kind of behaviour is indicative of the spiritual and emotional state of those who would do such a thing, it says nothing of Catholics who support tradition in the use of the Vetus Ordo or who desire a more solemn celebration of the Novus Ordo. What this kind of public commentary does is to make those who are the enemies of tradition dance with glee and it must be condemned. The sowing of this kind of division shows at the least hypocrisy and at the worst, a dangerous display of spiritual deformation. It is done by little bloggers with few readers and nationally syndicated bloggers and you know who you are and you have been called out.

Canada's Primate named Cardinal

At today's Angelus in Rome, Pope Francis announced the new cardinals to be installed at the next consistory and included is the Primate of Canada, the 24th successor of François de Laval, Canada's first resident prelate, Archbishop Gérald Cyprien Lacroix . Cardinal Lacroix

Pictured upon his installation as Archbishop with Marc Cardinal Ouellet, he met Pope Francis in July and when finding out he was Archbishop of Quebec, the Pope said, He said when he introduced himself as the archbishop of Quebec, "the Pope replied, 'Ah, Quebec! Land of missions, a land that has known many great missionaries!'"

Archbishop Lacroix said he indicated to the Pope that Quebec wants to continue in the footsteps of the great missionaries, and the Pope responded, "Quebec must rise again."

"He would like us Quebecers to find again our faith that gave us life and that built our country," Archbishop Lacroix said. "We have to find again our roots of faith, rise again as Christians and find once again the Gospel in our lives."

The 56 year old prelate was named Archbishop nearly three years ago and was an Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec only two years before that. Canada has  been blest twice this week, with the appointment of the new Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa and now our new Cardinal. Both these men are solidly faithful and are at the forefront to lead the new evangelisation in Quebec and all of Canada.

God bless Cardinal Lacroix.

God bless Canada.

St. Joseph, St. Andre, St. Margurite, Blessed Francois Laval, pray for Canada.

Canada's newest bishop

How wonderful that on the feast day of the wonder-worker of Canada, St. Andre of Montreal, that the Church in Canasda would receive a son of that city as a new Bishop. Pope Francis has appointed Father Christian Riesbeck, CC (Companion of the Cross) as Titular Bishop of Tipasa in Numidia and Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa. Bishop-elect Riesbeck served in parishes staffed by the Companions in Kingston, Hawkesbury, Pendleton, Brockville and was Houston in Texas. He was ordained in Ottawa on October 12, 1996 and was educated at St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto (M.Div.) and Licentiate in Canon Law from St. Paul's University in Ottawa.

It may seem minor, but when I see the pectoral cross worn in the traditional way, over the heart, it sends a clear message. Friends, at age 43, this bishop is the future. He will be an Archbishop some day, perhaps of Ottawa itself. This is the future, not the weak, ineffectual episcopacy which thinks that water bottles are the greatest threat to mankind. To paraphrase Msgr. Bux, may the Patron Saint of Canada and the wonder-worker of Montreal pour out grace from heaven to open the eyes of all bishops to have the zeal for life as this one, or close them as heaven might see fit.

The Fathers of the Companions of the Cross founded in Ottawa by the late Father Bob Bedard and are filled with zeal for Christ. Below is a speech given by Bishop-elect Riesbeck at the Ottawa 40 Days for Life. We have been blest and we don't deserve it.

Let us pray for this young bishop and for the future of the Church in Canada.

Thank you St. Joseph!

Thank you St. Andre!

Epiphany of the LORD - Masses on January 6

While technically speaking, in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Epiphany of the Lord falls on January 6, it is most often transferred to the Sunday nearest, thus we have the great Solemnity as early as January 2 and as late as January 7; absurd. 

Happily, in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, it is on January 6. This year in Toronto there are three Masses on Epiphany. The usual churches of St.Lawrence the Martyr at 11:00 AM and Holy Family at 11:30AM will offer the Read Mass for Epiphany (Low Mass). In the evening, a Sung Mass will be held at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church on  Yonge Street in Richmond Hill at 7:30PM.

A blessed Christmastide to all

Pray for Archbishop Neinstedt

From Archbishop Neinstedt:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This is a difficult letter for me to write to you. This past weekend I learned of an allegation from a young man whom I anointed in the Sacrament of Confirmation who alleged that he believes I inappropriately touched his buttocks during a public photo session following the ceremony. Please allow me to say that I normally stand for those photos with one hand on my crozier (staff) and the other either on the right shoulder of the newly confirmed or on my pallium (the short stole), which hangs from my chest. I do that deliberately and there are hundreds of photographs to verify that fact.
I do not know the individual involved; he has not been made known to me. I presume he is sincere in believing what he claims, but I must say that this allegation is absolutely and entirely false. I have never once engaged in any inappropriate contact with a minor and I have tried to the very best of my ability to serve this Archdiocese and the church faithfully, with honor and due regard for the rights of all, even those with whom I disagree.
I have taken strong stands on the moral teachings of the Church and been criticized for it. I would not have done so if I did not believe those teachings and was personally bound to living up to them in practice.
True, I am a sinner, but my sins do not include any kind of abuse of minors. I have met victims and I know the lasting damage that such abuse causes.
The psalms from the Liturgy of the Hours have had a special echo in my heart these past weeks as I pray for those in distress. “But God does hear the cries of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.”
I hope that the investigations can be thorough but quick. I already long to be back in public ministry—to be able to serve as the Lord has called me to serve.
I regret this will be my last column until the present investigations are complete. These days will give me the time to pray for you and the individual involved. I ask that you pray for me too. 

With every good wish, I remain
Cordially Yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

What does Vox think?

This is what happens when you take on the homosexualist mafia as this good Archbishop has done. Evil is lurking everywhere in the Church of Christ my friends. The persecution is underway but they will not win. Christ has already won it for us.

Pray, pray for Archbishop Nienstadt and the clearing of his name. May St. Peter Damian intercede to the LORD to free the Church from these evil men who would tear Her down for the sake of sodomy.

Response to Father Tom Rosica's Salt + Light lawsuit

Further to the public release by Father Tom Rosica of Salt + Light's lawsuit against Fountain of Love and Life here is their response, notable, that they were, as faithful Catholics, trying to resolve this amicably and charitably out of the public eye!

Do you receive as our Pope and Emeritus desire?

OFFICE FOR THE LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling

The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. The history of the liturgy, however, makes clear that rather early on a process took place to change this practice.

From the time of the Fathers of the Church, a tendency was born and consolidated whereby distribution of Holy Communion in the hand became more and more restricted in favor of distributing Holy Communion on the tongue. The motivation for this practice is two-fold: a) first, to avoid, as much as possible, the dropping of Eucharistic particles; b) second, to increase among the faithful devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Saint Thomas Aquinas also refers to the practice of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue. He affirms that touching the Body of the Lord is proper only to the ordained priest.

Therefore, for various reasons, among which the Angelic Doctor cites respect for the Sacrament, he writes: “. . . out of reverence towards this Sacrament, nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest's hands, for touching this Sacrament. Hence, it is not lawful for anyone else to touch it except from necessity, for instance, if it were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency” (Summa Theologiae, III, 82, 3).

Over the centuries the Church has always characterized the moment of Holy Communion with sacredness and the greatest respect, forcing herself constantly to develop to the best of her ability external signs that would promote understanding of this great sacramental mystery. In her loving and pastoral solicitude the Church has made sure that the faithful receive Holy Communion having the right interior dispositions, among which dispositions stands out the need for the Faithful to comprehend and consider interiorly the Real Presence of Him Whom they are to receive. (See The Catechism of Pope Pius X, nn. 628 & 636). The Western Church has established kneeling as one of the signs of devotion appropriate to communicants. A celebrated saying of Saint Augustine, cited by Pope Benedict XVI in n. 66 of his Encyclical Sacramentum Caritatis, ("Sacrament of Love"), teaches: “No one eats that flesh without first adoring it; we should sin were we not to adore it” (Enarrationes in Psalmos 98, 9). Kneeling indicates and promotes the adoration necessary before receiving the Eucharistic Christ.

From this perspective, the then-Cardinal Ratzinger assured that: "Communion only reaches its true depth when it is supported and surrounded by adoration" [The Spirit of the Liturgy (Ignatius Press, 2000), p. 90]. For this reason, Cardinal Ratzinger maintained that “the practice of kneeling for Holy Communion has in its favor a centuries-old tradition, and it is a particularly expressive sign of adoration, completely appropriate in light of the true, real and substantial presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the consecrated species” [cited in the Letter "This Congregation" of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 1 July 1, 2002].

John Paul II, in his last Encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia ("The Church comes from the Eucharist"), wrote in n. 61: “By giving the Eucharist the prominence it deserves, and by being careful not to diminish any of its dimensions or demands, we show that we are truly conscious of the greatness of this gift. We are urged to do so by an uninterrupted tradition, which from the first centuries on has found the Christian community ever vigilant in guarding this ‘treasure.’ Inspired by love, the Church is anxious to hand on to future generations of Christians, without loss, her faith and teaching with regard to the mystery of the Eucharist. There can be no danger of excess in our care for this mystery, for ‘in this sacrament is recapitulated the whole mystery of our salvation.’”

In continuity with the teaching of his Predecessor, starting with the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in the year 2008, the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, began to distribute to the faithful the Body of the Lord, by placing it directly on the tongue of the faithful as they remain kneeling.

Rosica and Salt + Light sue group of Chinese Catholics!

Why is Father Tom Rosica and Salt + Light suing a group of faithful Chinese Canadian Catholics and better still, why are they "Tweeting" it for all to see?

Father Tom Rosica is Excecutive Producer of Salt + Light and a Vatican spokesman. 

Who does this on Twitter?

How ugly is this for to air such as this in public!

Salt + Light ‏@saltandlighttv 22 Nov

Salt and Light’s legal claim against Paul Yeung: We thank you for your concern and support.  You can read abou... http://bit.ly/1bYQNy7 

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Maria Divine Mercy found: PR expert exposed as the fraud she is

Maria Divine Mercy: The Woman Behind the Curtain

November 18, 2013 AM – NEW REVELATIONS – Developing

Since Nov. 8, 2010, a woman identifying herself as Maria Divine Mercy, a Catholic messenger from God and the Last Prophet, has posted nearly 1,000 messages from Jesus, the Virgin Mary and God the Father on the Website TheWarningSecondComing.com. She has nearly 35,000 international Facebook followers and dozens of worldwide geographically-local Facebook sites. The main FB site, Jesus to Mankind, shows an image of a happy Jesus as messages report of cataclysmic global devastation and Satanic influences leading to the end times and schismatic separation of her followers from the institutional church. MDMers, as her devoted followers are known – possibly numbering hundreds of thousands – have turned into a cult-like mass of sincere, truth-seeking believers who have generated plenty of formal reaction from Catholic hierarchy, religious commentators and theologians.

She has passionate advocates and adversaries.  She has averaged four visions a week for three years that repeat prophetic warnings from a hundred years-worth of seers, and adds lots of her own to the mix, creating a worldwide discussion-frenzy and divisiveness within communities and families, split for or against. Her internet site ranks as the finest-looking bunch of Web pages for any prophet since…well…ever.  She has marketing skills!

But nothing is known of her identity. Until now.

PR GIRL GETS TAGGED

Mary McGovern

A mosaic has formed that leads to the door step of Mary Carberry, 58, of Dublin, Ireland, who does business under her maiden name of Mary McGovern. She has four children. Two have worked for her firm, McGovernPR, including her daughter Sarah Carberry, 28, and a 27-year son, a Web page designer. The 27-year-old company, McGovernPR, has won international awards for its skill in marketing products and ideas. Other Carberry companies are CultureLink, headed by her husband, John Carberry, and Digital Future Link, headed by Sarah.  Mary, John and their adult son live in Muldowney Court, MalahideCounty, Dublin, Ireland.

FULL REPORT HERE!

Rob Ford

Our City has been much in the news lately with the tragic personal situation involving our Mayor, Rob Ford. 

First and foremost, this is a personal tragedy for him and his family. I've met Rob Ford. I've had him respond numerous times to concerns as a Councillor and as Mayor. I've seen Rob Ford in action with disadvantaged youth and heard the testimony of those who know the good this man has done. For five years, he has been slandered, attacked, insulted, mocked, besmirched, ridiculed and bullied. He has fallen victim to his own demons and it was those people who did the above who drove him to it. Yes, he opened the bottle. Yes, he put the pipe in his mouth; but these wretched demons handed him the bottle and lit the match.  

I voted for Rob Ford the last time. If he is able to get the help he needs and runs again, I will vote for him again. 

Toronto Catholic Witness has written the most accurate and pointed summation of all that has been going on that can be summed up with this:

"Rob Ford is essentially a poke in the eye of Toronto's elites on the part of middle class suburbanites who feel disenfranchised and taken advantage of. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a greater insult to the powers that be than to foist an overweight, football loving, beer swilling mayor on them". 

On this Sunday, my fellow Torontonian Catholics, let us say a prayer for Rob, first and foremost for his health of mind, body and soul and for his family. I have and will continue to do so.

It would to well for us all to remember the maxim of St. Philip Neri when considering whether to mock him or not, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

Appeal for funds for a Seminarian

Dear Friends,

There is a young seminarian well known to me studying in a the Seminary of St. Philip Neri of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest in Gricigliano, Italy. As one might expect, he comes from a home-schooled family of eight children. He is well-respected by the seminary and is doing well in his courses. He is known to me personally as is his family. He is being supported by many people in his studies but it is not enough. He prays daily at Mass for all of his benefactors.

I am going to be right up front. 

Funds are needed to aid in the continuing of his formation for his tuition. The goal is to raise $10,000 in Canadian funds by Christmas. This will cover all of his needs this year and get him started on next year.

I can personally attest to this young man and his family.

If you are in Canada, you can make a donation to the Toronto Traditional Mass Society and a grant will be sent directly to support him at 100% of your donation for which you will receive a tax receipt for 2013. Outside of Canada, the receipt may apply.

You may also make the donation directly here through Canada Helps.

You may also donate by cheque with a note Seminarian JH and mail a contribution to:

Toronto Traditional Mass Society
3701 Lakeshore Boulevard West
STATION LONG BRANCH
P.O. Box 48577
Toronto, Ontario
M8W 4Y6 

For more information, please write to me at

voxcantoris@rogers.com

God bless you.

Toronto's Catholic Register manipulates Pontiff's words

Is it not bad enough? Some of the Holy Father's language and verbiage are already confusing enough and we've seen how the lame stream media have manipulated his words; but to see this in a Catholic newspaper owned by the Archdiocese of Toronto is quite another thing.

When my "gift" subscription (I don't know who my benefactor is, but there is a parish out there "ordered" to pay for 50 copies to keep it afloat that has me on their list), I was stunned. 

The headline on the cover of the October 20 edition:

"I think this is the moment of mercy" ... "Pope seeks reveiw of divorxe, annolment so barred Catholics can return to Church? Page 11...

And on Page 11:

"Pope raises hopes of unmarried Catholics - Call of synod on marriage and family could soon reopen door to sacraments to divorced."

Clearly, when our beloved Pope Emeritus spoke of the "Council of the Media" he had this kind of manipulation in mind.

The article is written by Michael Swan.

From my letter to Jim O'Leary, Editor:

Dear Jim,

As an “annulled” and remarried Catholic who abided by the Church’s teaching, I am quite disgusted by your choice of headline on the cover of the October 20 CR “…Pope seeks review….so barred Catholics can return to the Church” and equally as bad on page 11: “…could soon reopen door of sacraments to divorced.”

One could expect such ignorance and manipulation from the Toronto Star, but from a Catholic Newspaper owned by the Archdiocese of Toronto?

The Pope WILL NOT admit divorced and remarried Catholics to Holy Communion without the appropriate annulment because he has no authority to do so, civil divorce and “remarriage” is adultery and fornication, period. One who engages cannot receive Holy Communion without reaping “condemnation upon themselves” as St. Paul reminds us. Sacramental confession is necessary and a change in behaviour. This is not explained  by your trite titles or articles or the interviewed in the article. While it may be desired by the usual cabal of dissenting Catholics, modernists and protestants, he will not do it. If there is a problem it is with catechesis, the true understanding of marriage and the annulment process.

2.       I am a Catholic. When I divorced I was NEVER unwelcome, NEVER was a door closed, NEVER was I “barred from Church.” I am no Saint and when I fell, I used the appropriate remedy, but these words used by a Catholic paper are frankly, an outright fallacy , a lie and a manipulation of the truth.

At a time when the Holy Father’s words are confusing enough and when the main stream media take these and manipulate them for their own sinister means, to see a “Catholic” paper do this as well, is the height of repugnancy.

I suggest a front page retraction is in order.

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 92^nd 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...