Me Monk

Apparently, if you don't post this your not a Catholic blog (joking)

Hermeneutic of Continuity

The Hermeneutic of Continuity has earned a special spot in my Honourable Mentions section of the blog. The writer is Fr. Tim Finigan, and is the Parish Priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Hermeneutic of Continuity by Fr. Tim Finigan

Collar

On the clerical collar. I think a priest should wear it whenever he can, or whenever he is in public. He should and is supposed to wear it during mass, and while on duty. A priest is never off duty though. Now, if he is at his mothers or his own house and is lounging in front of the TV or something, no, no, there is no need to, nobody is going to watch him (we hope not). I think a priest should wear his collar whenever he is out, or in visiting, or whenever he can.
Every priest in an order should wear the habit of the order, and a clerical collar underneath. It is especially nice to see a priest wearing a Cassock! Also ever priest should wear the Cassock.

Poll

I am having another poll. The answers on the last one were too complicated. Look under the picture of St. Nicholas of Myra on the side, and you will see another one about the clerical collar.

Cathedrals of the World, Part 3.

This is the third segment of the Cathedrals of the World! I will be doing Shrewsbury Cathedral, in England. First off, the Windows.

This is the great West Window. Absolutely stunning!

One of the images, off a big window.

A window with the Crests of the Bishops of the Diocese of Shrewsbury.Another great window.

Now, I will do the inside.

This is the Nativity shrine.

This is a view of the Sanctuary, from the back.

This is the Baptismal font.

and

The Crucifix, with two statues just float in the air!

Now I will do the outside.

And thats all I can fit, because my computer is being crooked today. There are big spaces in between the text blocks, etc.

"Well my son, thou doth havest Loyal Views!"

Oh! Another Cult!

Called "New Church"! Just look at their "hiliberalarious" "Lay Leadership" page.

http://www.newchurch.org/beliefs/index.html

UPDATE!
They have a cathedral too. I also found out that they are a branch of "Swedenbourgianism", which is a heretical group. They think that there is

1. No day of judgement
2. We are free to go to hell or heaven (Because they apparently don't fear God, so they can choose what happens to their eternity)

Now thats heretical.

Cathedrals of the World, Part 2.

Welcome to the Second segment of the "Cathedrals of the World" part 2! I will be doing Chartres Cathedral, in France.

First off, I focus on the Windows (of Course. You can expect less criticism this time!)

This one is very beautiful! It is much better.

Chartres has one of the most beautiful windows! Especially among a dark background.

Very beautiful.,



Next, I will be going onto the inside of the Cathedral.There is a full view of the inside. Beautiful!

Now, the Altar.Beautiful! There is 3 steps to te altar, as is custum. An Altar Rail (which every church is supposed to have)!

Last, but not least, the outside of the beautiful Cathedral.

The Outside of the Cathedral! Very big, and Beautiful.

This cathedral is very, very old. It survived many fires ... 2, and was destroyed in one. Well, all but the treasury and facade! The one you see today, was finished in 1220.

Cathedrals of the World, Part 1

More than likely, you have heard about the Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona. This is a very beautiful church. It only has one fault, and that is it's ugly windows. Not the shape of the windows, or the position, it's just whats on them is the problem. On the windows, there are no pictures, it's just a collade of random shapes and colours and lines -- all gone amess! I have made it clear .... I do Not like Modern Art at ALL.

Okay, look at this one. What is the significance of it?

This one too. It's just random blobs and squares and shapes that you never learned about in school, with different shades of Green, Blue, Brown, Black and Red.



Sorry for the big size of this one. I must point out, that these windows have stuff written in the little circles. I can't make out what they say... but If you can, just post them in the comments.

Now, on this one it is just the same of one of the above, I think. There is no significance.

Now I will focus on the Building itself.

It's majestic spires point up toward the sky. It is very beautiful from the outside, isn't it? You can see that this is very, very old! Yes, it was started in around 1882, and is not expected to be finished until 2026!

This is the inside, with on of its good windows. They are just clear glass. Much better than the modern art.

That is it. I found these pictures on Google, so I apologize if I did use your pictures! This is the new segment I am doing, called "Cathedrals of the world." Next, I am going to do Chartres Cathedral, in France.

EWTN Article

This is a great article from EWTN, on why a Priest should wear his Roman Collar.

Here

Please Comment and Discuss!

Baltimore Catechism

I have found the Baltimore Catechism of 1891 online, in the PDF format.

Here it is ... The Baltimore Catechism.

Prayer

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in Sæcula Sæculorum. Amen.

Please Pray for the Catholics in Ireland, the Very Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, Vicarius Christi. Please pray for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, and for all Catholics.

Please pray for England, so that she may come back to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and may abandon all her errors.

Please pray for an increase in traditional Vocations.

Please pray that the religious orders who do not wear a habit, wear one once again.

Please pray for the return of old traditions.

I ask thee, Lord Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that what all is good stay good, and for the Holy Father.

Lateran Basilica

I found this picture of Orbis Catholicus Secundus, of a Portable Altar. There used to be a tradition that only the Pope had the privelige of saying Mass on the High Altar in the Lateran Basilica. The visiting priests, had to celebrate it on this Portable Altar, and a very beautiful one at that!

Mary Stewarts Prayer

Keep us, O God, from all pettiness.Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off all self-seeking.May we put away all pretense and meet each other face to face, without self pity and without prejudice.May we never be hasty in judgment, and always be generous.Let us always take time for all things, and make us to grow calm, serene and gentle.Teach us to put into action our better impulses, to be straightforword and unafraid. Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that create differences, that in the big things of life, we are as one.And, O Lord God, let us not forget to be kind! Amen.

I found this on a website, http://www.catholic-kids.com/prayers.htm.

Discuss...

The Not-So-Conservative Party of Canada.

The Conservative Party of Canada. The name is so decieving, that you might as well say that you named your cat Lucky, when it's a dog. You see, what I am trying to say is the the Conservative Party is not Conservative at all. It's very funny, when I get an email from the party (for some strange reason, they send me emails sometimes. I never even subscribed. They get on with some pretty rediculous stuff), they go to the SPAM folder, haha! The Green party is more conservative than them, and do not get me started on the Green Party (I'll save that rant for "Earth Day", as Fr. Erik from Orthometer calls it, " a day when Pagans get to worship their trees"). As the title says, The Not-So-Conservative Party.

FSSP Vocations

Thou hath findeth a special spot in the Honourable Mentions!
http://fsspvocations.blogspot.com/

St. Mel's Fire

Here is a video, different shots from around the cathedral from when it set fire.



Courtesy of Gloria.TV

Picture of the Day!

This is the cetral nave of the Jasna Góra Monastery Basilica.

How beautiful. Please God, someday I may be able to visit this beautiful shrine!

Longford ... Rest in Peace.

Wel it is nice to see I have another follower! I also have some bad news. For those who hath not heard, the Longford Cathedral has burned to the ground on Christmas day. It is a sad event, for the Catholics in Ireland have indeed, been going through a hard time in their life. Please pray for the People of Ireland, especially the Parishioners, Priests, Deacons, Archdeacons, and Bishops and Archbishops of the Longford area.

What a way to start Christmas .... not.

Merry Christmas. I am sure the Holy Father is trying hi best after the incident yesterday. Whatever ........nutjob had the nerve to do this! It just jumped on him. If he was Catholic, then he is Excommunicated, latae sententiae.

Another Christmas Message

This time, from Archbishop Vincent Nichols. Yes, you read me right. The guy who offered flowers to a pagan "deity".

Okay, here we go....

Christmas message from Archbishop Vincent Nichols from Catholic Westminster on Vimeo.

His message with my emphasis and comments in the { }

"As Christmas approaches, our hearts turn to the Lord and to His coming into the world{ go on}. We remember the fragile baby boy, born in a lowly manger in Bethlehem. This reminds us of the humility and loving generosity of God towards every human being. The eternal word assumes our flesh. This is the source of our hope, for now every human life is clearly of eternal significance."
"Of course, Christmas is also a time of goodwill {he doesn't give much to charity} and I know that many people throughout our diocese, in schools {quite a few, too}, parishes and organisations{ what about religious orders, and priests?} , are working to help others in our country and abroad {Isle of Man, Canada} who may depend on our charity for food and shelter. This is particularly important this year, when many people have been affected by the economic crisis."

"At Christmas we share in the joy that Mary felt when she sang the Magnificat: 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour' (Luke 1: 46-47) for He has truly blessed us through His Incarnation. May that blessing be known by you and all your family this Christmas and New Year."
The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster
A video of Archbishop Vincent Nichol’s Pastoral

Please forgive my criticism of him, but I just needed to do it.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas.

In the rosary, Christ's birth is in the Joyful Mysteries.

Tha picture above, is when the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Virgin telling her that she is with child of the Holy Ghost.

Archbishops Christmas Message.

I have come accross the Christmas message of a very good bishop, the Arcbishop Martin Currie, of the Archdiocese of Newfoundland (With my Comments in the { })

Christmas Message 2009
Dear sisters and brothers,
In a few days it will be Christmas. As a community of believers we will soon celebrate the Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago and I never tire of doing so. {He isn't lying, either}
As we prepare for this feast we are conscious of the poor economy, the war in Afghanistan, the H1N1 flu, the new sexual scandals {he says it as if it is a new type of computer}, even with all these concerns people seem to be taken over and caught up by the Christmas spirit.
People seem to be warming up, opening up to each other . Strangers smile and greet each other{and so they should}. We seem to lose our fear for the future. At this time of year we are willing to splurge, sometimes too much, for those we love. The poor, the homeless, the mentally ill, all often hidden and forgotten suddenly become important. Everyone wants to do something so the needy can enjoy the season too. We reach out to old friends, we make plans to bring our families together. We truly want to celebrate.
It is amazing, that even in our fractured society {he doesn't mean only Newfoundland, I think he means society in general} the feast of the Birth of Jesus can still stir up and call us to be something more than we usually are, to show the best of ourselves. What we need to remember is that the Birth of Jesus, God becoming man 2000 years ago, was the beginning of a great mystery, a mystery that still transforms us to-day. The Child born in Bethlehem is the same person whose love and power calls us and enables us to live a generous, hospitable and sacrificial life not only now but throughout the year.
As we prepare to welcome Jesus, our Saviour once again I thank you for all your love, prayers and best wishes and I extend to each and everyone my heartfelt wishes for a joyful celebration of our Savour’s birth. May your hearts and homes be filled with true peace and real joy this Christmas!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
MOST REVEREND MARTIN W. CURRIE, D.D.

Don't get me wrong. He has his moments, but he is a good, orthodox bishop over all.
The one think I don't like him doing, is he doesn't wear his Clerical Collar on occasions. You see, I think that a priest should show their vocation, and wear the Clerical Collar. Just as much as a nun should wear her habit.

Don't get me started on the Irish Christian Brothers .....

Racist?

A little while ago, I was called Racist for not liking Obama. I am sick of that. I am NOT racist. Now, I wouldn't be called racist if I said I don't like Harper (which I definatively do not), now would I? You can not dislike someone just because of their skin colour or language, because thats the way God made them.

Contest!

Okay. I am going to have a contest. The first one didn't prove very succesful. I only got 0 votes. Maybe this time I will get some. Well, you know... the first one was pretty hard. What it was, was you had to guess what the picture is. The picture was a dove. It looks nothing like it, i know. Nut now, heres another contest. The Fanciest or Best looking Crozier. Yes. Whoever can send me (either email or comments) the best looking or fanciest Crozier, will win. I have not decided twhat the prize will be, but if you want to email it to me, on the sidebar there is a link that says "Send me an email" or something of the like. You only need to put in the link if you put it in comments.

Merry Christmas!

I have posted a new video on YouTube wishing everybody a Merry Christmas! My video account is Hiroshi2020. Yes I know, the name is very un-fitting, but thats all I could come up with. I have had it way before I have had the blog. anyways, ...here.

Another Great Honourable mention.

Oh, how nice. A blog from a priest. It is on StBlogs. Very conservative too! Hurrah.

http://gasparian.stblogs.org/

I hath putteth him in the Honourably Mentions section of the blog.

Ugh, Liberalism.

This time in Chicago. While flipping through the channel's today, trying to find EWTN, I can across something on Vision TV, called "Divine Restoration". I have heard about it before. It only does the radical, fundamentalist, churches. But today, they did a Catholic church ... a very liberal one too. This unorthodox church is called Holy Angels Catholic Church. In the words of the girl who was being asked about the choir on the show "We also have a liturgical dance group in the baseement". I was disgusted at that point. Who do they think they are? They are not allowed to have "liturgical dancers" or as I call them "liturgical terrorists". Here is their website...
http://www.holyangels.com/. If you have eaten in the past, oh maybe ... 4 hours, I suggest you don't go to this website. May I mention, that on the "Our Ministries" link, every ection has the logo for the Methodist church on it. They also have some very, very not-good-looking art.

Sacred Heart, Medford.

I would like to give to thee, a link to a Church's blog. Sacred Heart, in Medford. A very Loyal, Faithful, and Orthodox Church.

http://sacredheartmedford.blogspot.com/

On of the very fine Catholic churches in North America!

Save the Liturgy, Save the World.

As I once say again ... I prefer, I rather, and I would much rather go to a Tridentine Mass than a Novus Ordo. Go to Cleansing Firs's blog, and vote what kind of Mass you prefer, if you like. As Fr.Z says "Save the Liturgy, Save the World!".

Christmas in the Vatican!

Hello! How are you all doing! It is almost Christmas! Celebrating Christs birth. I have my tree up, my Nativity set up (2 or 3 of them), and my lights up, and all my decorations up! They are all Religious, with the exception of St. Nicholas statues (they are Religious too!). How about your decorations? But that isn't the main point.

That picture is the Vatican tree! Now here is the Nativity set...

It is very beautiful, indeed, but it isn't this years though, and neither is the tree. This year for the Nativity, it will show Christ and St. Joseph in his Carpentry shop. I don't know why though.

And then, on Christmas Night, you have to go to Christmas Mass. Remember: it is Obligatory.

Christmas Mass in the Vatican is absolutely beautiful I have watched it on EWTN before, for I don't have enough money to go to the Vatican, unfortunately.

Here is a picture from Life Magazine of the Choir at Christmas Mass.

Il Divino Nino,

For thou art born!

It is the 4th Week!

It is the 4rth week of Advent!

Wonderful News!

Pope John Paul II and Pope Pius XII were declard Venerable today. Here is the news..

PROMULGAZIONE DI DECRETI DELLA CONGREGAZIONE DELLE CAUSE DEI SANTIOggi, 19 dicembre 2009, il Santo Padre Benedetto XVI ha ricevuto in Udienza privata S.E. Mons. Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefetto della Congregazione delle Cause dei Santi. Nel corso dell’Udienza il Santo Padre ha autorizzato la Congregazione a promulgare i Decreti riguardanti:.....
- le virtù eroiche del Servo di Dio Pio XII (Eugenio Pacelli), Sommo Pontefice; nato a Roma il 2 marzo 1876 e morto a Castelgandolfo il 9 ottobre 1958;
- le virtù eroiche del Servo di Dio Giovanni Paolo II (Carlo Wojty?a), Sommo Pontefice; nato il 18 maggio 1920 a Wadowice (Polonia) e morto a Roma il 2 aprile 2005;....

translation...

ADOPTION OF ORDERS OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTSToday, 19 December 2009, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in private audience SE Archbishop Angelo Amato, SDB, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During an audience the Holy Father authorized the Congregation to promulgate the decrees concerning:....
.- The heroic virtues of the Servant of God Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli), the Supreme Pontiff, bornin Rome on March 2, 1876 and died at Castel Gandolfo, October 9, 1958,
- The heroic virtues of Servant of God John Paul II (Wojtyla Carlo? A) Pope, born May 18, 1920 in Wadowice (Poland) and died in Rome on 2 April 2005;

Hurrah!

Holy Helpers, Liturgical Helpers.

Oh good God. More MODERN ART! Does the pain never end? This time I have come across the website of the Holy Helpers. Now, they are good people, and have very good intentions, but they are, well how we say it ... dying. The oldest member is 104 years old ... God bless her! Poor old Sister Anne. On just about every page of their website it shows some really .... er, .... interesting art. What they are, well I really don't know. Go to their website ... Here.

Becket, and Westmisnter Cathedral.

I just finished watching the movie "Becket". This movie, is about St. Thomas Becket (hence the name). It is very good, I recommend it. It also shows how an excommunication is performed (Anathema). Anywho, this piece of news is coming from the Archdiocese of Westminster, in England.

"Celebrating Christmas in the Diocese of Westminster
Including the live broadcast on BBC 1 of Midnight Mass from Westminster Cathedral, please click on the link to read a round-up of some of the Christmas events that will be taking place in the diocese."

I will be sure to watch it. Although I don't live there, we still have BBC1.

That guy again! Ugh!

Well, I have come accross another one of ... dear I say it, Ray Grossworth's videos, eewww. I don't know why a news program would put out a story about him, but he is not validly ordained, I think. He has been a key to helping Liberals ... he must be stopped, and so should the Liberals.
Here it is..

You may Dicuss ......

Whats going on Today!

It goes to show how ard my contest is ... nobody has guessed what it is yet. Not even one. Keep on trying! If nobody knows what I'm talking about (iif this is your first time at the blog), I have a contest, and you have to guess what this:

It's a very scary looking creature, isn't it? But you see, I just gave you the first hint. It isn't scary looking in real life, it's actually quite beautiful. Whoever this is from (if I tell you, you will know) is not a good artist. Also, don't forget to vote in the poll. It's underneath the picture of Saint Nicholas!

Theres something Scary...

Now, as you know (or probably don't), I hate modern art. Yes. It is really -- um, weird? It's just, ugly. Some Churches also have modern art ... most of the churches are called "community" now. I really don't get it ... are they allergic to the word Church. If any liberals are reading, let me type it again ... Church. Are you shribbling in horror yet? Okay ... let me get to the point. Some of the art just truly freightens the living day lights out of me. Seriously!

Look at this .... things.

This is what I call (if it even deserves a name)... "Christ on Sticks". Look, even the lady in the chair is freightened of it ... it's either that, or shes asleep ... because she looks well like it.

Also, there is this thing..

The poor thing looks like it's in agony! Somebody put it out of it's misery! I am in misery just looking at it ... what ever it is!

Now wouldn't you rather this?

Now wouldn't you?

Picture of the Day!

I bring thee the picture of the day!







It is a picture of the Carpet of Flowers at Arundel Cathedral in England. Arundel Cathedral is one of the biggest Roman Catholic cathedrals in England!

Do you donate?

New Poll: Do you donate to the Salvation Army? (also known as the Sally Ann)
Sometimes I will, when I feel bad for them, and I see they have no money in the bin. Sometimes I will even leave the store when I don't donate -- and come back in because the guilt will tear me up! So my answer is yes-no-ish.

Contest!

If you can guess correctly what this picture is :
It is really hard to distinguish, and it looks nothing at all of what it actually is --- well, wait.. it got one part right!

Post answer in Comments ... prizes are digital. Maybe on my next Contest I will actually have something to give -- something thats not digital (that can be emailed to you) Also, you can email it to LoyalCameron@gmail.com.

The Tilma

The Tilma of St. Juan Diego, on which Our Lady appeared, is so durable. A scientist even said that "one of the most bizarre characteristics of the cloth is that the back side is rough and coarse, but the front side is ‘as soft as the most pure silk, as noted by painters and scientists in 1666, and confirmed one century later in 1751 by the Mexican painter, Miguel Cabrera.” Certainly, that is mind blowing.

Oh Dear Lord!

Look at this..




It is a great travesty that the Body of Christ be treated like this. I can't even count how many rubrics are being broken in this video -- oh wait, I can count a few.

• One. The Priest isn't wearing a Chasuble. The rubrics says he should.
• Two. The "Despenser" is made out of plastic. The Rubrics say the Body of Christ shouldn't be put in breakable material.
• Three. The Blood of Christ is in these mini plastic cups. The Rubrics say (once again) that the Blood of Christ shouldn't be placed in breakable material.
• Can you spot any more?

Also, what is the need for the motivational music? It's probably just a Liberal thing.

Third Sunday

It is now the Third Sunday of Advent.

Don't forget to light your wreaths.

National Catholic Register

Interesting? From the NCR

Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Harrisburg, Pa., is committed to Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the 1990 Apostolic Constitution whose Latin title translates “from the heart of the Church.”
He has been appointed bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., a diocese that was the scene of controversy last May, when the University of Notre Dame granted an honorary doctorate — and a podium — to President Obama.
Bishop Rhoades, 52, told reporters at a South Bend press conference he was not concerned about lingering tension with Notre Dame over the Obama controversy.
“Let’s move to the future. I love Notre Dame. I want to have a close personal and pastoral relationship. It’s such a strong place,” he said, according to a story in the South Bend Tribune daily newspaper.
Bishop Rhoades recently spoke with Register correspondent Joan Frawley Desmond.
Notre Dame, considered by many to be the Catholic Church’s flagship institution of higher education, is in your new diocese. Would you describe your own academic background and specific intellectual, theological and philosophical interests and how they might define your engagement with the Notre Dame community?
My own academic background includes a B.A. in philosophy from St. Charles Seminary, Philadelphia, and graduate degrees in dogmatic theology (S.T.L.) and canon law (J.C.L.) from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. My intellectual interests, besides philosophy, theology and languages, include history and humanities in general.
I also served as a seminary professor and then rector at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. I enjoyed teaching courses on the Eucharist, holy orders, celibacy, Hispanic ministry and canon law.
I am excited about serving in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, which has five Catholic colleges and universities, including the University of Notre Dame. I look forward to meeting the faculty, staff, administration and, of course, the students at these universities. I expect to have a close personal and pastoral relationship with the university communities. I am most interested in fostering and promoting their Catholic identity and mission.
According to Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the bishop has the responsibility “to promote and assist in the preservation and strengthening of their Catholic identity.” I believe this is a serious responsibility. As Pope John Paul II stated: Bishops “should be seen not as external agents but as participants in the life of the Catholic university.” I am really looking forward to participating in the life of the University of Notre Dame and in the lives of the other Catholic colleges of my new diocese.
During a closed-door session at the U.S. bishops’ Baltimore meeting last month, they reportedly discussed the mission of Catholic universities and colleges and considered how they might strengthen that mission. Can you offer any reflections on this discussion and what we might expect on this matter in the future?
I do not think it would be appropriate for me to discuss the private conversation during the executive session of the fall meeting of the USCCB. I will say, however, that the bishops are committed to the full implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, an important document which provides excellent guidance for the Church and Catholic universities and colleges for the future. It must not be a document consigned to a bookshelf, but one which inspires and challenges us to strengthen the Catholic identity and mission of our Catholic universities and colleges. Nearly 20 years since its promulgation, Ex Corde Ecclesiae continues to have great relevance.
What has been the impact of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the ongoing debate regarding academic freedom within Catholic universities?
In my opinion, the impact varies considerably, depending upon the individual university or college. While I served as vice president of Mount Saint Mary’s University (while rector of the seminary) in Emmitsburg, Md., I saw that it had a great impact. There were widespread discussions on campus about the document, and the faculty, administration, staff and students were very engaged in discussing the Mount’s Catholic identity and mission. That identity and mission strengthened considerably as a result of the serious assimilation of the teachings of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, as well as the full implementation of its norms.
During the past few years, I have been a member of the board of trustees of Mount Saint Mary’s University. I am proud to say that the board last year explicitly reaffirmed the critical importance of Catholic identity in all operations of the university, asserting that a strong Catholic identity is central to the university’s mission. In this statement, the board asserted the university’s commitment to the Church and the Church’s teachings, as well as its full compliance with both the letter and spirit of Ex Corde Ecclesiae. In addition, it affirmed the university’s recognition of the authority of the Holy See and the authority vested in the archbishop of Baltimore regarding the Catholic nature and direction of Mount Saint Mary’s University. It was clear to me that Mount Saint Mary’s in no way considered the bishop to be a mere external agent, but as a true participant in the university’s life, particularly in terms of its Catholic identity.
How would you frame the issue of academic freedom for Catholic theologians?
I do not think I could frame the issue better than Pope Benedict XVI did in his speech last year at The Catholic University of America. He was talking not only to Catholic theologians. The Holy Father stated: “In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges and universities, I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom, you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet, it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university’s identity and mission, a mission at the heart of the Church’s ‘munus docendi’ and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.”
A Catholic university has the mission to serve the truth. The principle of academic freedom cannot be separated from the commitment to the service of the truth. Therefore, academic freedom has its limits.
Let me give an example: A Catholic university must be deeply committed to the truth about the dignity of every human person created in the image and likeness of God. To deny this truth or to dissent publicly from Church teaching concerning the innate dignity of the human person (from conception to natural death) in the name of academic freedom is not acceptable for a professor in a Catholic university.
The exercise of academic freedom must be in conformity with the university’s Catholic identity. One cannot forget that one of the four essential characteristics of Catholic universities is “fidelity to the Christian message as it comes to us through the Church” (Ex Corde Ecclesiae No. 13).
Recent studies have suggested that graduates of Catholic universities may actually be more likely to lose their faith. What is your reaction to this data? What advice would you give college-bound students and their parents?
I have not seen these studies. If they are true, I find such data to be deeply troubling. I think that in those Catholic universities where such is the case, a serious examination of conscience would be needed and an assessment of what needed to be done to bring about needed reform. The full implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae would be an important place to start.
In choosing a Catholic college or university, I would encourage prospective students and their parents to ask a lot of questions about the college’s commitment to its Catholic identity and mission and to the teaching and norms of Ex Corde Ecclesiae. I would also encourage them to visit the campuses and check out for themselves the college environment, the campus ministry program, the liturgies, as well as the curriculum and extracurricular activities. You can usually tell if a place is proud of its Catholic identity or if it tries to minimize its importance.
Joan Frawley Desmond writes from Chevy Chase, Maryland

Here is some old news -- from 1996, and from the National Catholic Distorter.

• ARLINGTON, Va. -- A Virginia Catholic parish that stopped using any altar servers after the bishop banned the use of altar girls has been ordered to reinstate altar boys. The decision by Arlington Bishop John R. Keating, who heads one of only two U.S. dioceses where girls may not serve-the other is Lincoln, Neb. -- was greeted variously by silence, shock, tears and anger during weekend Masses March 2 and 3 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church here.
  Keating's order was transmitted to the pastor Holy Ghost Fr. Jeff Duaime, in a recent meeting.

Well, I am pretty impressed with the flag counter. 2 from Germany...1 from Italy!...31 from the United States...and 16 from Canada.

US Visit

That article is from the NCR. I agree with the visitation, because you should see some of these communities. Some commeit MAJOR abuses, and go against MANY teachings. Let me mention, per say ... a certain Sister from the "Sinsiniwa Dominicans" Sr. Quinn, a person boiling, bathing and walking in sin. I do not think she is living in a state of Grace. No wonder their name is SinSiniwa.

Anyway, here is the Article.



Nuns React to Apostolic Visitation
Posted by Tim Drake
Wednesday, December 09, 2009 5:27 PM

As the Vatican continues to carry out its Apostolic Visitation of American Catholic women’s religious orders, it has received a wide degree of responses ranging from acceptance of the Visitation to outright hostility.
Sister Elizabeth Ohmann, a Franciscan nun who works for the lobbying group Humane Borders recently told the Arizona Daily Star that she feels the Vatican is targeting communities that dissent from Catholic teaching, especially on sexuality.
“Are we going contrary to Rome’s teachings?” Sister Ohmann said. “I say, ‘Yes, it is contrary to Rome’s teachings.’ But it is not contrary to my own conscience.”
Sister Mary Waskowiak, president of the 4,000-member Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, told the AP that most of the 28 leaders of religious orders to whom she had spoken had either left sections of the Visitation questionnaire blank or simply sent the Vatican copies of their constitutions.
Ann Carey, author of Sisters in Crisis: The Tragic Unraveling of Women’s Religious Communities, said that she’s been contacted by many sisters about the refusal of their leaders to cooperate with the Visitation.
In response, Carey’s been asked to moderate an online Yahoo support group that has been formed to allow those sisters who support the Visitation to communicate with one another anonymously.
“Many women religious welcome the Apostolic Visitation in the hope that it might bring about an authentic renewal of religious life,” says a description of the group found on their home page. “Several of these sisters have been searching for a way to be in solidarity with other sisters who see the value and necessity of the Apostolic Visitation at this time in this country.”
Carey also noted that it is important to get the word out to sisters that the Apostolic Visitation office still welcomes and encourages letters from individual sisters who want to share their experiences and hopes for religious life. Such letters will be treated as confidential.
Sisters may write to:
Mother M. Clare Millea ASCJ Apostolic Visitation Office P.O. Box 4328 Hamden, CT 06514-9998
Comments (0)Permalink Filed under apostolic visitation, apostolic visitations, nuns

You know, I must say.... sometimes when people are committing Major Liturgical abuse, and they look so serious! I laugh my head off! But then I feel bad for the poor children who are dragged into it... even though they practically pry themselves away, until a certain lay member drags them back in to sitting around the altar, holding hands ... and sing a Barney version of "Yes, Jesus Loves Me"

Concieved without Sin!

Today is the feast of the Immaculate Conception! Don't forget, that today ... is a day of Obligation... Go To Mass!

Many people confuse the Immaculate Conception with that of what Jesus was born, but no ... it reffres to Mary, who was concieved without Original Sin. Mary is Ever Virgin, and Sinless.

Picture of the Day!

A Picture of St. Wenceslas

A good King Saint!

Absolutely DESPICABLE!

This is absolutely despicable. In Wikipedia, in the "List of Heresy's", Transubstantiation is listed as a Eucharistic Heresy! Now that is heresy. Transubstantiation is definitely NOT HERESY!

here... look. I will remove it ..

List of Heresy

From the NCR...

News from the National Catholic Register

Venerable Karol Wojtyla?
Congregation Reportedly Recommends Next Step
Toward Pope John Paul II’s Canonization
BY EDWARD PENTIN
ROME
CORRESPONDENT

Cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
reportedly voted in favor of the late Pope John Paul II having lived a life of
heroic virtue, according to some Italian press reports.
They report that
members of the congregation voted unanimously Nov. 16 to recommend that Pope
Benedict XVI formally recognize that Pope John Paul II heroically lived the
Christian virtues.
The Vatican would not deny or confirm the reports. The
process is being carried out under strict secrecy, and officials are refusing to
discuss any aspect of the cause for canonization.
But if true, Pope Benedict
may sign a decree recognizing the heroic virtue of his predecessor before the
end of the year (he generally signs a dozen or more decrees three times a year:
in April, June or July, and in December). John Paul II would then be declared
venerable, the penultimate step to beatification.
The congregation’s members
meet regularly to study a “positio” (documents pertaining to the causes of
proposed saints) and have been examining John Paul II’s since the summer. When
the cardinals and bishops are satisfied that the “positio” is complete and
demonstrates that the candidate for sainthood lived an extraordinarily holy
life, they recommend the pope sign the first decree declaring him
venerable.
But to be beatified, a second decree is needed to confirm a
miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession. It follows three phases of
approval by teams of doctors, theologians and the members of the congregation.
Many alleged miracles have been reported, but the promoter of John Paul II’s
cause, Msgr. Slawomir Oder, has proposed the healing of a French nun, Sister
Marie Simon-Pierre, who was allegedly cured of Parkinson’s disease — the same
disease that afflicted the late Pope.
Some have speculated that official
approval of the miracle may happen soon, leaving the possibility of John Paul
being beatified as early as next year, possibly on the fifth anniversary of his
death.
Informed Italian Vatican watcher Andrea Tornielli contended the
ceremony will “probably happen either in May or October next year,” but added it
is “premature” to give a more exact date.
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the
Vatican secretary of state, recently ruled out any beatification before the
spring. Others speculate that any miracle is unlikely to be approved until next
fall at the earliest.
At the moment, much hinges on the Holy Father issuing
the first decree, and he may choose to delay signing it for various reasons.
Two years ago, the same group of cardinals and bishops unanimously approved
the cause of Pope Pius XII, but Pope Benedict XVI has still not promulgated the
decree on the heroic virtues of Pope Pacelli, as he is reportedly waiting for
the Vatican archives on Pius’ pontificate during the Second World War to be
catalogued and opened to the public.
Usually, the Church does not allow the
opening of a cause for beatification until five years after the candidate’s
death, but as is well known, Pope Benedict waived this rule for John Paul II,
citing his predecessor’s worldwide reputation for holiness.
While this has
been welcomed, some in the Vatican hope the process becomes more deliberate, and
this may also influence the Pope’s decision.
“We still don’t really know all
there is to know about him [John Paul II],” one Vatican official told the
Register. “If he is beatified too soon, there is a danger of beatifying the
personality, not the person.”
Polish bishops have also been urging more
caution lately, having previously wished for a hasty beatification.
Cardinal
Stanislaw Dziwisz, John Paul’s long-serving private secretary, said on a trip to
Argentina at the end of November that “it all depends” on the Pope.
“We
Polish bishops do not want to interfere [in the cause],” he told reporters. “We
do not want the Pope to rush; he should analyze it properly.”
Meanwhile, as
John Paul II’s beatification cause progresses apace, more about his life is
being revealed, including testimonies that he would occasionally flagellate
himself and sometimes pray continuously for many hours.
According to Sister
Tobiana Sobodka, a Polish nun who worked for Pope John Paul in his private
Vatican apartments and at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome,
John Paul II would often put himself through “bodily penance.”
“We would
hear it — we were in the next room at Castel Gandolfo,” said Sister Tobiana, a
member of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “You could hear the sound of
the blows when he would flagellate himself. He did it when he was still capable
of moving on his own.” The testimonies appear in Santo Subito, a new book by
Tornielli.
The Church’s tradition of corporal mortification is founded on
Christ’s redemptive suffering and the Christian call to emulate him and join him
in his passion. Usually, such mortifications take the form of fasting and
abstinence, but some Catholics have undertaken greater sacrifices, such as
frequent fasting, or using a hairshirt, a discipline (a small, cord whip) or a
cilice (a small, light metal chain with little prongs worn around the thigh).
Many who have done so have been the Church’s greatest saints, including Sts.
Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Ignatius of Loyola, Thomas More and Blessed
Mother Teresa.
In 1986, in his annual “Letter to Priests,” John Paul wrote:
“What one must see in these forms of penance — which, unfortunately, our times
are not accustomed to — are the motives: the love of God and the conversion of
sinners.”
Some members of Opus Dei use the cilice as a means of corporal
mortification, the aim being to resist man’s natural drive toward personal
comfort, which can often prevent Christians from answering the call to love God
and serve others.
As well as mentioning this corporal discipline, Tornielli’s
book also recalls the late Pope’s love of prayer.
“When Karol Wojtyla
prayed, he was not distracted by anything,” said Emery Kabongo, a secretary of
John Paul. “I remember that when serving in the papal apartments, you were told
that when the Holy Father was praying, even if it was something important, you
had to wait to tell him because for him prayer came first. God came before
everything else, even the world’s problems.”
Arturo Mari, for many years the
Pope’s personal photographer, recalled how the Pope would make a point of
praying hard for the local people of the countries he visited. “It seemed that
he identified with them in their suffering,” Mari said. “I remember in Vilnius,
he remained praying on his knees for six hours without stopping.”
Edward
Pentin writes from Rome.

Your opinions of the matter?

Online Priestly Advice

I hope you know Italian...

I found this lovely video. I originally saw it on the FSSP's website, and now I found it on YouTube, so here it is...

My Catholic Answers account is LoyalViews. I have had it for quite a while now. Got there!

New Header.

Well now. If you can see above I have a new header. This is the second one, and I used it, so therfore it is the first one now. At the top of this post, was the orginal header ... but it was too big, and so Blogger kept aligning it to the left.

Icon of Our Lady of New Advent

Here is an Icon of Our Lady of New Advent. I made it myself (the background and text)

So much to say!

Hello once again. Sorry for posting late, the internet wasn't working. Well, I have great news! I have been added to the +Faithful Among Us+ section on Cleansing Fire, also a big Thank You to Gen for following me. Now. I heave another bit of news. There is a website where Priests, can give Priestly Advice ... This from the National Catholic Register ....

Priestly Advice Online

Posted by EDWARD PENTIN
Friday, December 04, 2009 10:19 AM
A website has been set up in Italy
whereby hundreds of priests from all over the country can offer pastoral help
and advice on the Internet but not the sacraments.
Called Pretionline.it,
users can request to hear the advice of a priest, all of which is given in
confidence. Each priest is listed according to his region, and under his listing
is a short bio and statement of his area of expertise. There are 825 priests
registered to help on the site, and some limit their pastoral skills only to
certain groups, such as the lonely and the sick. Others specialize in exorcisms,
helping widows or parents who have lost children.
Each priest has a “traffic
light” symbol beside his name. Users are advised to avoid a priest whose
particular light is red, as he is likely to be busy in his parish. One priest
who is busy in three dioceses has a red traffic light that is “always on,”
according to an article on the site in today’s Il Giornale.
The venture has
the blessing of Italy’s bishops, but they warn the Internet cannot be used to
give or receive the sacraments.
>p>“Contacting a priest via the Web can
be useful to get advice, opinions, suggestions and encouragement,” said the
general secretary of the Italian bishops’ conference, Bishop Mariano Crociato.
“But neither confession nor true spiritual direction is possible through this
form of telecommunication.”

This website has been added to the blog.

Be England thy Dowry, what beautiful words!

The 13th Day, and whats goin' on in Calgary.

Uhmm.. the news in Calgary is, well .... you probably know. I don't understand why he would do this. Doesn't he know that Communion-On-The-Tongue is the universal NORM!

Also, The 13th Day made it's DVD debut yesterday. Today.

Courtesy of the National Catholic Register

'The 13th Day' Released on DVD

Posted by JOSEPH
PRONECHEN
Wednesday, December 02, 2009 11:36 AM

The 13th Day,
the first major film on Fatima in 50 years, kicked off its official release on
DVD on Dec. 1 with a lively teleconference.
“The film is a great gift from
God,” said Fatima expert Father Andrew Apostoli of the Franciscan Friars of the
Renewal, who is featured on the DVD’s supplemental hour-long bonus documentary.
The DVD package also includes a fact-filled companion booklet, Fatima prayer
card and a rosary.
Anthony Ryan of Ignatius Press, The 13th Day‘s North
American distributor, called it “a great combination of entertainment,
catechesis and evangelization all in one film.”
“We’ve gone all out to make
this a powerful tool for evangelization,” he said, because the promises of Our
Lady of Fatima can change the lives of many people worldwide. She gave “dire
prophecies if we did not respond,” he said, but “there’s hope if we do
respond.”
The accurate retelling of the Blessed Mother’s appearances to Lucia
(later Sister Lucia) and her young cousins (Blesseds) Francisco and Jacinta from
May 13 to Oct. 13, 1917, is “a relevant wake-up call for a culture torn about by
so many evils today,” said Ryan. Because the message needs to reach as many
people as possible, Ignatius is doing more to promote this film than they’ve
done for any other they’ve licensed.
Father Apostoli pointed out Our Lady’s
message “is something our people need to be called to and people of the world
need to hear.”
“What comes across powerfully,” he said, “is Our Lady
reminding us through the children to pray and sacrifice. Many souls are lost to
God because there’s no one to pray and offer sacrifices for them. The basic
message is Mary calling all of us to the co-redemptive mission we have through
our baptism. Jesus has won for us the merits of salvation, but he wants all of
us to join with him in the work of bringing the message of salvation to
others.”
Father Apostoli also noted the film’s vision of hell makes an
impact. “It’s an important part of the message,” he said, “a reminder to all of
us.”
The theme of the children’s need to have courage comes out very
powerfully, too. Seeing what they went through has got to affect people, he
said. “I was a little child when the first movie came out. Fatima has made an
impact on my whole life.”
Father Apostoli and Ignatius noted that the film
also is relevant for relations between Catholics and Muslims. Archbishop Fulton
Sheen said one of the most powerful ways to reach Muslims is through the message
of Mary. Since they venerate Mary, she is the link. In fact, the film is booked
for a festival in Iran in February.
Working on the film affected the lives of
everyone connected with it, including directors Ian and Dominic Higgins and
executive producer Natasha Howes. She had been a lapsed Catholic, but finds it
“virtually impossible not to respond to the Marian call to faith.” She recounted
amazing divine interventions and blessings during production she can only
describe as divine assistance. Howes works daily toward a more in-depth
faith.
“This is a message everybody really needs hear — Catholic, Protestant,
non-Christians,” said Ignatius CEO Mark Brumley. “The Holy Father’s upcoming
trip to Fatima (on May 13, 2010) and this film underscores this relevance. …This
isn’t simply a movie: This is a message — the message of Our Lady, the message
of transformation and the message of peace.”
Parishes, schools and
organizations can have screenings with complete packages from Ignatius. (See
Ignatius.com for more information.)
“The message is timeless,” concluded
Father Apostoli. “The world is on the brink of catastrophe if we don’t work for
peace,” he said, adding Mary’s promise: “‘In the end, my immaculate heart will
triumph.’”
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