St. Perfectus of Cordoba, Priest & Martyr, Intercede for us

Beheaded by the Moors of the Umayyad Caliphate (Muslims), Saint Perfectus (Santo Perfecto, died 850) was charged with "blasphemy", denouncing Islam and Muhammad to the very end:

"I have cursed, yea, and I will curse your prophet :

I have called and I do call him the spawn of devils, 

a magician, an adulterer, and a liar! 

I denounce the profanations of your sect to be the invention of hell."

While uttering these truths, the scimitar separated his head from his body.

Perfectus, a Spanish priest who served at the basilica of St. Aciscius just outside the city walls, was stopped one day on his way to market by a group of Muslims. Seeing that he was a priest, they asked him to explain the "catholic faith" and to share with them his opinions about Christ and Muhammed. Fearing that he would only provoke his audience, Perfectus declined. But when the Muslims swore to protect him, he proceeded, in Arabic, to decry Muhammed as one of the false prophets foretold by Christ and as a moral reprobate who had seduced the wife of his kinsman.

Though angered by the harsh attack, the Muslims respected their oaths and let Perfectus go on his way. But a few days later the priest ran into some of the same group, who no longer felt constrained by their earlier promise. Seizing Perfectus, they took him before the magistrate and testified that he had disparaged the prophet. As they led Perfectus to prison to wait out the holy month of Ramadân, he repeatedly denied his guilt. Only when he realised that his fate was sealed did he repeat his denunciation of Islam. On April 18, 850, Perfectus was decapitated before the crowds that had gathered to celebrate the end of the feast. He died on Easter Sunday.

St. Perfectus was one of the Martyrs of Córdoba whose martyrdom was recorded by Saint Eulogius in the Memoriale Sanctorum.

James Foley, Requiescat in Pace

The Moslem barbarians (I will not give them the credence of identifying them as a nation state), continue their slaughter of humans as if they were nothing more than animals. The practice of slitting the throats of animals in a painful and torturous manner under the religious edict of "Halal" is good practice for the necks of humans beings. 

The death cult of Mahomet, the diabolical, murderous, lecherous, thief and child-molester which some poor souls think is a prophet of the one God of the Universe continues unabated.

The question now is, will the man occupying the White House that says "America is no longer a Christian nation" and applauds and longs for the sound from the minaret of his evil "Muslim faith" do anything considering the beheading of this latest American. He clearly cares not for Syria or Iraqi Christians, will he care for his own?

Following up on the "smiting of the neck" of the "Jew" Nick Berg, another American journalist and a Catholic, James Foley, has been dispatched to eternity with all the efficiency of a Halal butcher.

May Nick have said yes to the Messiah Yeshua and be with Him now. May James who knew the Messiah and His Mother through the Rosary that strengthened him be in the arms of the Lord.

May his parents be comforted.

May these devils be confounded.

Courtesy of Father Z and James' mother's Twitter:

Phone call home
A letter from James Foley, Arts ’96, to Marquette.

Marquette University has always been a friend to me. The kind who challenges you to do more and be better and ultimately shapes who you become.

With Marquette, I went on some volunteer trips to South Dakota and Mississippi and learned I was a sheltered kid and the world had real problems. I came to know young people who wanted to give their hearts for others. Later I volunteered in a Milwaukee junior high school up the street from the university and was inspired to become an inner-city teacher. But Marquette was perhaps never a bigger friend to me than when I was imprisoned as a journalist.

Myself and two colleagues had been captured and were being held in a military detention center in Tripoli. Each day brought increasing worry that our moms would begin to panic. My colleague, Clare, was supposed to call her mom on her birthday, which was the day after we were captured. I had still not fully admitted to myself that my mom knew what had happened. But I kept telling Clare my mom had a strong faith.

I prayed she’d know I was OK. I prayed I could communicate through some cosmic reach of the universe to her.

I began to pray the rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed. 
I said 10 Hail Marys between each Our Father. It took a long time, almost an hour to count 100 Hail Marys off on my knuckles. And it helped to keep my mind focused.

Clare and I prayed together out loud. It felt energizing to speak our weaknesses and hopes together, as if in a conversation with God, rather than silently and alone.

Later we were taken to another prison where the regime kept hundreds of political prisoners. I was quickly welcomed by the other prisoners and treated well.

One night, 18 days into our captivity, some guards brought me out of the cell. In the hall I saw Manu, another colleague, for the first time in a week. We were haggard but overjoyed to see each other. Upstairs in the warden’s office, a distinguished man in a suit stood and said, “We felt you might want to call your families.”

I said a final prayer and dialed the number. My mom answered the phone. “Mom, Mom, it’s me, Jim.”

“Jimmy, where are you?”

“I’m still in Libya, Mom. I’m sorry about this. So sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Jim,” she pleaded. “Oh, Daddy just left. Oh … He so wants to talk to you. How are you, Jim?” I told her I was being fed, that I was getting the best bed and being treated like a guest.

“Are they making you say these things, Jim?”

“No, the Libyans are beautiful people,” I told her. “I’ve been praying for you to know that I’m OK,” I said. “Haven’t you felt my prayers?”

“Oh, Jimmy, so many people are praying for you. All your friends, Donnie, Michael Joyce, Dan Hanrahan, Suree, Tom Durkin, Sarah Fang have been calling. Your brother Michael loves you so much.” She started to cry. “The Turkish embassy is trying to see you and also Human Rights Watch. Did you see them?” I said I hadn’t.

“They’re having a prayer vigil for you at Marquette. Don’t you feel our prayers?” she asked.

“I do, Mom, I feel them,” and I thought about this for a second. Maybe it was others’ prayers strengthening me, keeping me afloat.

The official made a motion. I started to say goodbye. Mom started to cry. “Mom, I’m strong. I’m OK. I should be home by Katie’s graduation,” which was a month away.

“We love you, Jim!” she said. Then I hung up.

I replayed that call hundreds of times in my head — my mother’s voice, the names of my friends, her knowledge of our situation, her absolute belief in the power of prayer. She told me my friends had gathered to do anything they could to help. I knew I wasn’t alone.

My last night in Tripoli, I had my first Internet connection in 44 days and was able to listen to a speech Tom Durkin gave for me at the Marquette vigil. To a church full of friends, alums, priests, students and faculty, I watched the best speech a brother could give for another. It felt like a best man speech and a eulogy in one. It showed tremendous heart and was just a glimpse of the efforts and prayers people were pouring forth. If nothing else, prayer was the glue that enabled my freedom, an inner freedom first and later the miracle of being released during a war in which the regime had no real incentive to free us. It didn’t make sense, but faith did. 

Letter from the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon

Another Catholic Genocide

While we look upon a genocide of our Catholic and non-Catholic brethren of Iraq and Syria, let us look back for a few minutes at another genocide--the first really of modern times and one committed by those of the same blood. Like England, one day France will have to come to terms with the horror which it committed upon its own citizens.

The Freemasons of France outdid England, but England has no reason to be praised.

May the English Martyrs and the Martyrs of Vendee intercede. 

Vendée French call for revolution massacre 

to be termed 'genocide'

It was one of the most infamous episodes of the bloody French Revolution.

By Henry Samuel in Paris

1:25PM GMT 26 Dec 2008

In early 1794 – at the height of the Reign   of Terror – French soldiers marched to the Atlantic Vendée, where peasants had risen up against the Revolutionary government in Paris.

Twelve "infernal columns" commanded by General Louis-Marie Turreau were ordered to kill everyone and everything they saw.

Thousands of people – including women and children – were massacred in cold blood, and farms and villages torched.

In the city of Nantes, the Revolutionary commander Jean-Baptiste Carrier disposed of Vendéean prisoners-of-war in a horrifically

efficient form of mass execution. In the so-called "noyades" –mass drownings – naked men, women, and children were tied together in

specially constructed boats, towed out to the middle of the river Loire and then sunk.

Now Vendée, a coastal department in western France, is calling for the incident to be remembered as the first genocide in modern

history.Residents claim the massacre has been downplayed so as not to sully the story of the French Revolution.

Historians believe that around 170,000 Vendéeans were killed in the peasant war and the subsequent massacres – and around 5,000

in the noyades.

When it was over, French General Francois Joseph Westermann penned a letter to the Committee of Public Safety stating: "There is no

more Vendée... According to the orders that you gave me, I crushed the children under the feet of the horses, massacred the women who, at

least for these, will not give birth to any more brigands. I do not have a prisoner to reproach me. I have exterminated all.”

Two centuries on, growing calls from local politicians to have it declared a "genocide" have sparked intellectual debate.

"There was in the Revolution a clearly stated programme to wipe out the Vendéean race," said Philippe de Villiers, European deputy and

former presidential candidate for the right-wing traditionalist Movement for France (MPF) party.

"Why did it take place? Because a people was chosen to be liquidated on account of their religious faith. Today we demand a law officially

declaring it as a genocide; we demand a statement from the president; and recognition by the United Nations."

Mr de Villiers – who opposes Turkish entry into the EU – was in Armenia last month, where he compared the Vendée of 1794 to the 1915

massacres of Armenians. In neither case, he said, "have the perpetrators admitted their fault or asked forgiveness of the victims".

The bloody events of the Vendée were long absent from French history books, because of the evil light they shed on the Revolutionaries.

However, they were well known in the Soviet bloc. Lenin himself had studied the war there and drew inspiration for his policies towards the peasantry.

According to the historian Alain Gérard, of the Vendéean Centre for Historical Research, "In other parts of France the revolutionaries killed the

nobles or the rich bourgeoisie. But in Vendée they killed the people.

"It was the Revolution turning against the very people from whom it claimed legitimacy. It proved the faithlessness of the Revolution to its own

principles. That's why it was wiped out of the historical memory," he said.

While today nobody denies that massacres took place, some historians argue they cannot be called "genocide" as there were excesses on

both sides in what was a civil war, and they do not fit the UN criteria of killings based on ethnic or religious identity. "The Vendéeans were no more

blameless than were the republicans. The use of the word genocide is wholly inaccurate and inappropriate," said Timothy Tackett of the University of

California.

For Mr. Gérard, the massacres were clearly "a deliberate policy on the part of the authorities". For Mr. de Villiers, an aristocrat whose family seat

is in the Vendée, genocide does indeed apply as his forebears were killed for religious reasons: they had rebelled to protect their priests, who refused

to swear an oath to the new constitution.

"It's the rare case of a people rising up for religious reasons. They did not rebel because they were hungry, but because their priests were being

killed," he said.

"It is my burden – and my great honour – to defend the Vendée to the end of my days. The Vendée is not just a province of France, it is a province

of the spirit. If today we enjoy the freedom to worship the way we choose, it is largely down to the sacrifice of those who died here."

The grave for Gravel

Raymond Gravel is dead.

The former male same-sex prostitute entered the priesthood with improper formation within one year of meeting the then bishop of Joliet. He became a Member of Parliament until ordered by the Church, in spite of his bishop, to make a choice, politics or priesthood.  

Raymond Gravel undermined church teaching during his priesthood. In death, as in life, he is lionised by the secular media for his dissent. There is no need to list his betrayal of the Bride of Christ here but questions about Gravel have been asked for decades and they persist. The bishops of Joliet have been complicit in the scandal of this man.

He chose to go so far as to sue LifeSiteNews in an attempt to break-him and the funding for this came from no less than six religious orders or houses in Quebec.

My sources tell me that his wish is for the lawsuit to continue beyond the grave.

May God have mercy on the soul of this priest.

Truer words were rarely spoken

'I was reminded of all this recently, when I read the edition by Professor Theodore Khoury (Münster) of part of the dialogue carried on - perhaps in 1391 in the winter barracks near Ankara - by the erudite Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both.[1] It was presumably the emperor himself who set down this dialogue, during the siege of Constantinople between 1394 and 1402; and this would explain why his arguments are given in greater detail than those of his Persian interlocutor.[2] The dialogue ranges widely over the structures of faith contained in the Bible and in the Qur'an, and deals especially with the image of God and of man, while necessarily returning repeatedly to the relationship between - as they were called - three "Laws" or "rules of life": the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Qur'an. It is not my intention to discuss this question in the present lecture; here I would like to discuss only one point - itself rather marginal to the dialogue as a whole - which, in the context of the issue of "faith and reason", I found interesting and which can serve as the starting-point for my reflections on this issue.

In the seventh conversation (διάλεξις - controversy) edited by Professor Khoury, the emperor touches on the theme of the holy war. The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to some of the experts, this is probably one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels", he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness, a brusqueness that we find unacceptable, on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”[3] The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God", he says, "is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably (σὺν λόγω) is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death...

From the Regensburg Address of Benedict XVI, Pope

Who is this little girl?

Nota bene: for those in the combox who have stated that this photo is somehow to be excused please note this:

The photo was published on twitter by a Muslim user (@Fadel_alHadidi) and profess to be an ISIS militant marrying a 7-year old kafir in occupied minority district of either Mosul or Syria (source and image is unconfirmed). When a forced conversion takes place, the victim is  first be forced to recite the Quran to make the pedo-marriage halal according to Sharia law.

Who is this little seven-year old girl. The best we know is that she has been kidnapped from her family. No doubt, this sweet little child has already been raped and defiled by the evil bearded bastard.

How did this happen?

The blood of these victims is on the hands of many of our leaders.

Satan will not prevail.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said to the little children to come to you, please comfort and take to you this little child and ease her suffering that she may be free from this evil. Amen.

Mother Mary, look down upon these suffering souls and intercede for them.

God help them. 

God forgive us.

Who is this little girl? 

Catholic Genocide!

The great fault now lies with America. Having gone in to unseat the despot (who, like Tito, managed to keep the factions from creating the genocide we now see and saw in Yugoslavia), its President lost the peace by abandoning the country long before it was able to stand on its own.

The blood is dripping from the hand of Barrack Hussein Obama. The blood of 3000 American solidiers, the blood of a million Iraqis and now the blood of these Christians. It is Barrack Hussein Obama who has caused this. 

The people ask "where is the Pope?" He goes to Korea!

Slaughter of the Innocents 2014 Version - CAUTION GRAPHIC

WE CAN NOT BE SILENT ANY LONGER!

http://www.catholic.org/news/international/middle_east/story.php?id=56339

http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/08/06/idesk-iraq-christians-persecuted-mark-arabo-intv.cnn.html

An Urgent Letter of the Chaldean Patriarch

Courtesy of our good friends at Rorate Caeli blog.

AN URGENT LETTER OF THE CHALDEAN PATRIARCH

August 5, 2014

Your Holiness Pope Francis

Your Beatitudes the Patriarchs of the East

Your Excellencies the Presidents of the Bishops' Conferences

The Christians of Iraq face an enormous tragedy

The Christians of Mosul (Nineveh Province, Iraq), horrified, have fled the city with only the clothes they were wearing. Their churches have been profaned and on August 2, a mass migration took place from the villages of Telkev, Batnaya and Telleskuf as, knowing that the small town of Sinjar alongside other neighboring villages had fallen and seventy persons had been massacred, gave rise to panic. There, on Monday, August 4, ISIL commenced the bombardment the village of Telkef and a young Christian was killed. This having been said it is evident that there is practically no collaboration between the central government and that of the Kurdish Region and in addition to that the new government is not yet formed!

As for our political parties, they have failed in every tangible manner, and this for reasons well known to everyone as well as to each of these parties themselves.

As for the Church, she finds herself completely alone, more than ever; nevertheless her leaders are strongly required to react before it is too late in applying the necessary pressure on the international community as well as those other decision-makers in view of fundamental answers necessary to the scandalous crimes and the destructive conspiracies that affect, above all, unarmed citizens in Iraq, Syria, and in Palestine - Gaza.

It should be noted that the motivation for all of these killings is the lust for everything that lies beneath the earth like oil and gas ... what else explains this war so curiously radicalised and, as if following an excellently premeditated plan, does not take the least account of the destinies of the people.

We are equally shocked and indignant with the absence of a vigorous position taken by Muslims and their religious leaders, not the least because the actions of these factions represent a menace for the Muslims themselves.

In fact, speeches are good for nothing, so too declarations that rehash condemnations and indignation; the same can be said for protest marches. In addition, while appreciating the generosity of our donors, we would say that donations and fundraising too are not what will solve our problems. We have to demand a large-scale administrative [governmental] operation on an international level. There is in fact the need for a position of conscience regarding this simple human principle: the demand for real actions and solidarity because we are before a crisis related to our very existence, confronting the fact that "we will be or we will not be".

This is an appeal from the bottom of the heart in the search for a solution that lies uniquely in the hands of the international community and above all with the great powers. We address ourselves profoundly to their consciences and that they should review their positions and to re-evaluate the impact of the situation of today.

These powers confront a human and moral responsibility. It is no longer reasonable to take recourse to double standards. They are called to free themselves from their narrow interests and to unite themselves in a political and peacekeeping solution that puts an end to this conflict. These powers must vigorously exercise pressure on those who support financially and train militarily these factions and so cut short these sources of violence and radicalisation.

Concerning the Christians of Iraq, in our pastoral ministry towards them, we also call upon the international community: our Christians are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, as too they are in need of an efficient, true and permanent protection that reassures them that there is no end to their existence whose origins are so deeply rooted in Iraq; this also concerns Christians in other regions of the Middle East that are burning and being torn apart.

We also appeal to our brothers and sisters around the world, that they too be truly with us in solidarity at this our time of suffering this terrible ordeal; that they live with us this feeling of solidarity as if belonging to the same family.

We are in need of a communion of the heart, and for prayers with our faithful during this terrible ordeal as we experienced during the visit of the delegation of Bishops of France presided by His Eminence Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon.

We remain believing in dialogue, exchange and conviviality.

That God may grant us the grace and possibility to overcome this trial, that He remove from all hearts all hatred and violence.

In great union of prayer,

Louis Raphael I Sako

Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans

[French original text; translation provided by the Patriarchate, adapted where necessary.]

[Note: following this letter, this Wednesday, the Christian capital of Northern Iraq, Qaraqosh or Bakhdida, suffered the first attacks of Islamist forces, with three Christians already killed.]

Sign of Peace in the Mass - Bishops ordered to catechise and regulate abuses

 Parishioners offer each other the Sign of Peace during Mass for the World Day of Peace Wednesday
at Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral in Cincinnati. (CT Photo/E.L. Hubbard)

The Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments Antonio Cardinal Canizares Llovera (with the approval of Pope Francis on June 7 has issued a letter regarding the Sign of Peace during the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. 

It's all about you and me and we and community: Not!

The Cardinal Prefect's original letter, in Spanish, can be read here.

In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite the Sign of Peace is only in the Solemn Mass between the Sacred Ministers and can be extended to those in choir, but it is not intended between the people. Prior to the institution of the Missal of Paul VI in 1969 it became "ad experimentum" ad nauseam in the truncated Tridentine liturgy of 1965. It began in earnest, given to the altar boys (I was one) by the priest with clasped hands and then taken by each to the first person in the pew who was to extend it one at a time giving the clear sign that "Peace" only comes from Christ at the Altar. Since then in the Ordinary Form it has become a glad fest of peace signs, waves across the church, noise and total distraction when Christ is present on the Altar (whether they believe it, or not!). I some cases, it even involves groping and kissing. What about Jesus?

For these reasons of distraction, Pope Benedict XVI asked about the possibility of moving it before the Offertory hearkening the words of scripture about making peace before offering a sacrifice which is where it is placed in the Ambrosian Rite. However, this would put it out of context with the traditional liturgy (EF). At as well requiring a structural change in the current Missal. It is interesting that the Prefect has chosen the words "en estos momentos" -- "right now" as far as changing the place in the Mass; leaving our beloved Benedict's option open for some point in the future. The intent is to "moderate the excesses" and limit the "confusion" in the liturgy just before Holy Communion.

The peace is to be short and take place only to those immediate and the priest must not leave the sanctuary -- even in the case of funerals to greet the bereaved.

It is important for priests and all to remember, and this is in the Missal, the GIRM (General Instruction) and this letter, the Sign of Peace is optional.

Peace, yes, but without confusion. Francis adjusts the liturgy

The sign of peace in the Roman Rite of the Mass will remain the same moment in which he is still placed before the distribution of the Eucharist. But it must be corrected the abuses that have registered so far, especially with regard to the confusion that often characterizes this time of the liturgy.

This is the meaning of a letter sent by the Congregation for Divine Worship to the bishops' conferences of the world, which you can read here in its Spanish version:

> "A los señores Obispos ..."

In the letter, signed by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera Prefect and Secretary Archbishop Arthur Roche, it should be noted that the study of this issue was initiated in the course of the Synod on the Eucharist in 2005.

And what is mentioned in paragraph 49 of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation of 2007, "Sacramentum Caritatis," Benedict XVI wrote:

"During the synod of bishops was the appropriateness of greater restraint in this gesture, which can be exaggerated and cause a certain distraction in the assembly just before communion. It is important to remember that nothing is lost when the sign sobriety needed to maintain a climate suitable for celebration, for example by making sure to limit the exchange of peace to those who are closest. "

Pope Joseph Ratzinger was then added in a footnote:

"Taking into account ancient and venerable customs and the wishes expressed by the Synod Fathers, I asked the relevant departments to study the possibility of moving the sign of peace to another place, such as before the presentation of the gifts to the altar. This choice, however, would not fail to elicit a significant reminder of the Lord on the reconciliation required prior to any offer to God. "

Before the offertory is also the time when the peace sign is placed in the Ambrosian liturgy, in force in the diocese of Milan.

The circular, the contents of which have been approved by Pope Francis during an audience granted to Cañizares June 7, explains that - after consultation with the episcopal conferences and after a deep reflection - it was decided to keep the exchange of peace before Communion not to introduce structural changes to the Roman Missal.

At the same time, however, some practical guidelines are given to overcome the drawbacks encountered.

And that is:

1. Should be noted that it is not necessary to invite mechanically every time the faithful to exchange the sign of peace, and then if it is deemed convenient to omit it.

2. Should be noted that the opportunity in the publication of the new edition of the missal going episcopal conferences will change for the better the ways suggested above: for example, from family and profane gestures of greeting gestures more appropriate.

3. This indicates the need for the exchange of peace is to avoid the introduction of a song of peace that does not exist in the Roman rite; the displacement of the faithful from his seat; the abandonment of the altar by the priest to give peace to some of the faithful. In addition, it is recommended to avoid that in certain circumstances - such as the feast of Easter or Christmas, baptisms, first communions, confirmations, weddings, ordinations, religious professions, the funeral - the opportunity to give peace be congratulate or to express condolences among those present.

4. The episcopal conferences are invited to prepare liturgical catechesis on the meaning of the rite of peace in the Roman liturgy and proper development in the celebration of mass.

The letter is dated June 8. And the news of its existence was leaked to Spain where he was sent to individual bishops in a letter dated July 28.

Now we will see if and how it will be applied, in Spain and elsewhere.