Neil's Blog (Pro Christo et Ecclesia) -- Ad Preservatio Traditionem SRE.....

OPEN LETTER

2011-12-22T20:50:00.006+08:00

TO THOSE WHO DO NOT CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS
(INC, ADD, Atheists, Quiboloys, etc..)

Dear ________,

Why are you celebrating Christmas? Your pastors and even your leaders wish to ask us our money to support your nefarious beliefs. I even know that "kayo ay nauuna sa pila sa mga kukuha ng Christmas bonus?".. and even eat Noche Buena. But your pastors and your leaders say " Christmas is a pagan feast.. or other stuff."

If you do not believe in Christmas: why do you ask these things? "Di kayo karapatdapat." Hehehhehehe.. This is what you should do (from The Pinoy Catholic)..

Those who do not believe in Christmas should...

a. Go to work on Dec. 25. There is no reason for the holiday anyway.

b. Not get any bonuses. There is no reason for the bonus anyway.

c. Not receive any gifts. You don't believe in the season in giving

d. Not ask for any gifts. Duh!

e. Not join any Christmas Parties. What is there to party for?

f. Not be carolled. They hate jolly music.

g. Not be greeted Merry Christmas. You do not deserve to be Merry on a day you don't believe in!

Hope you realize,

kiapokspika

PERFECT! new Filipino saint (all-sure)!

2011-12-20T14:58:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 19 DEC 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and authorised the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:

MIRACLES

- Blessed Giovanni Battista Piamarta, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth and of the Congregation of the Humble Sister Servants of the Lord (1841-1913).

- Blessed Jacques Berthieu, French martyr and priest of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) (1838-1896).

- Blessed Maria del Carmen (born Maria Salles y Barangueras), Spanish foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching (1848-1911).

- Blessed Maria Anna Cope, nee Barbara, German religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Syracuse U.S.A. (1838-1918).

- Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, American laywoman (1656-1680).

- Blessed Pedro Calungsod, Filipino lay catechist and martyr (1654-1672).

- Blessed Anna Schaffer, German laywoman (1882-1925).

- Servant of God Louis Brisson, French priest and founder of the Oblates of St. Francis of Sales (1817-1908).

- Servant of God Luigi Novarese, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Silent Workers of the Cross (1914-1984).

- Servant of God Maria Luisa (nee Gertrude Prosperi), Italian abbess of the convent of the Order of St. Benedict of Trevi (1799-1847).

- Servant of God Mother St. Louis (nee Maria Luisa Elisabeth de Lamoignon, widow of Mole de Champlatreux), French foundress of the Sisters of St. Louis (1763-1825).

- Servant of God Maria Crescencia (nee Maria Angelica Perez), Argentinean professed religious of the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Orchard (1897-1932).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Nicola Rusca, Swiss diocesan priest, killed in hatred of the faith (1563-1618).

- Servants of God Luis Orencio (ne Antonio Sola Garriga) and eighteen companions of the Institute of Brothers of Christian Schools; Antonio Mateo Salamero, diocesan priest, and Jose Gorostazu Labayen, layman, all killed in hatred of the faith in Spain in 1936.

- Servants of God Alberto Maria Marco y Aleman and eight companions of the Order of Carmelites of the Ancient Observance, and Agustin Maria Garcia Tribaldos and fifteen companions of the Institute of Brothers of Christian Schools; all killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1937.

- Servants of God Mariano Alcala Perez and eighteen companions of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1937.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Donato Giannotti, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Sisters Handmaidens of the Immaculate Conception (1828-1914).

- Servant of God Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus (ne Henri Grialou), French professed priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites and founder of the Institute of Notre-Dame de Vie (1894-1967).

- Servant of God Alphonse-Marie (nee Elisabeth Eppinger), French foundress of the Congregation of Sisters of the Blessed Saviour (1814-1867).

- Servant of God Marguerite Lucia Szewczyk, Polish foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sorrowful Mother of God - Seraphic Sisters (1828-1905).

- Servant of God Assunta Marchetti, Italian co-foundress of the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles (1871-1948).

- Servant of God Maria Julitta (nee Teresa Eleonora Ritz), German professed sister of the Congregation of Sisters of the Redeemer (1882-1966).

- Servant of God Maria Anna Amico Roxas, Italian laywoman and foundress of the Society of St. Ursula (1883-1947).

The New Roman Missal

2011-11-20T11:54:00.002+08:00

Some may have noticed the countdown on the right part of the blog.

That is for countdown to the implementation of the New Roman Missal this December 2. 2012 on the Philippine Islands.

I already prepared myself by learning all possible details on the "thing" and by using the downloadable primers by the USCCB (I do not trust the liturgists here.) with Scriptural annotations.

Next, I can download those videos of the USCCB for all ages about this revision. And , I'll teach our fellow acolytes about this thing.

ADVENT 2012, alright!

Speaking of Archbishop-elect Tagle

2011-11-18T15:59:00.004+08:00

In the past news, Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, DD of the Diocese of Imus was appointed by the Supreme Pontiff to be the next Archbishop of Manila, the primatial see of the Philippines. He is expected to take his canonical seat in the Archdiocese of Manila on December 12 (Our Lady of Guadalupe). This is primarily expected since he is a good theologian and a nice good-looking face for a Bishop!

I know Bishop Tagle to be a good apologist, theologian and commentarist. In fact, I watch his show every Sunday (The Word Exposed) before I set out for serving Mass.

But one thing I am concerned, is that he graduated from Bologna's school of theology, reputed to be one of the most liberal in the Catholic Church (but NOT Kung-like). To see things in a negative side of view, this was not considered in the "ponenza" or a document sent to choosing members and the Pope about the person that the local Church, as per Canon Law, chooses to become its Shepherd.

This might be only that the Archbishop-Elect was only chosen because of his good place in the Roman Curia or his "factor" among the people of God who chose him. And this time, the TLM might be further "removed" from the liturgical eyes of the Manileno...

In a positive side, I think that will not affect the Church of Manila. Further, it might turn later that Manila can boast of having one of the greatest theological formation in the Asia-Pacific region. It might be that the Church of Manila can be a good place for us to learn more about the Faith in praxis to daily life (that's what Archbishop-Elect is good at!) and the manners of simplifying theology for the common Catholic.

That depends if the Archbishop-elect has the proper will to implement the will of the Supreme Pontiff or go "mumbo-jumbo" on why he has not to follow the directives. Our talk is about Obedience. That is the essence of the Christian Life.

The issues are for us to decide: Where is Manila going to? Will Manila become a good Catholic place? Stay on watch, guys!

"As outsiders you are truly intriguing" -Archbishop Capalla

2011-10-22T11:37:00.005+08:00

"As outsiders you are truly intriguing and disturbing the flock which is not yours."

-Archbishop Fernando Capalla, DD

From the unfortunate events of the Latin Mass Seminar, a group of SSPX priests under Fr. Laisney said in their letters the same arguments they raised in the debates: The TLM is the only Mass from which many Saints came and etc. etc. A good refutation made by P. Abe Arganiosa, CRS on their open letter is given here: LINK

Now, the Letter:

For those who cannot see it clearly:

FR. FRANCOIS LAISNEY and COMPANIONS
Priests of the Society of St. Pius X
# 9 Carpio Subdivision, Buhangin Road, Davao City

Dear Fathers and Friends,

Pax Christi!

I write in reply to your “Open Letter to Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla and all the Catholic of good will in Davao City”. It bears the title “Fidelity to the Catholic Church”. It appeared in SunStar Davao of 02 October 2011.

Ironically the five (5) paragraphs of your letter contain serious half-truths which do not support that “Fidelity”. Yes, the Letter runs counter to it. Let me show you why.

1. You wrote that “the traditional Mass has always been the heart of the life of the Church”. By “traditional Mass” is meant here “the Tridentine Mass”, wrongly called “The Latin Mass” implying also that this is what made saints in the past. This form of the mass originated in the 16th centuy after the Council of Trent. So, what and where was the “heart of the Church” before 16th century after Vatican Council II of 1965? If you are correct, there were no saints before the Council of Trent and after the Vatican Council II. The truth is, the Essence of the Holy Mass has never changed (Ecclesia Dei, No. 7) only the form underwent changes.

2. To justify the Traditional Mass you quoted from Benedict XVI’s SUmmorum Pontificum but you omitted, perhaps deliberately, the portion where the Pope recognizes two forms of the Mass- “the forma Extraordinaria and forma ordinaria (Summorum Pontificum no. 1 and Ecclesia Dei no.6) The latter came after Vatican II.

3. Your third paragraph, and perhaps maliciously, compares priests who do not say, or allow the traditional Mass, to insensitive and unfeeling Levites while you proudly consider yourselves as “Good Samaritans” helping the people who are denied this mass because you see them as “victims”. You analogies are wrong and inappropriate and your allusion to the “victimizers” is uncalled for.

4. You misunderstood “canonical jurisdiction” and the popular norm or the principle “salus animarum suprema lex” which you correctly translates as “The Supreme law is the salvation of souls”. You failed to show that, because we are a Church, governed, and regulated by law, canonically as an excommunicated group you are outside the Church, and therefore cannot licitly or legally minister inside it without permission or jurisdiction. The Popular norm cannot grant ordinary jurisdiction except in emergency cases where a regular ordained priest is not around. Pope Benedict stated this very clearly in his “Papal Letter on Society of St. Pius X, Vatican City March 12, 2009” which is cited in my Circular Letter No. 19.

5. More importantly you failed to mention that the fundamental basis for your society to be fully recognized with the Apostolic See or the Roman Catholic Church for your Superior Bishop Bernard Fellay to accept and sign the text of the Doctrinal Preamble which our Cardinal William Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, presented to him last 14 September 2011. We hope he will accept and sign it. We are not sure.
Dear Fathers and Brothers, we bishops are not going in the opposite direction to the dialogue between your Superior and the officials in the Vatican. You here in Davao are pushing yourselves forcibly in the direction of our communities confusing our people, especially the ignorant and the young, with half-truths and selective quotes from Church documents taken out of the Context.

As outsiders you are really intruding and disturbing flock who are not yours. Elementary good manners dictate that you respect us and our people.

Since there is already an offer of reconciliation you have to wait for the official guidelines from the Holy See. We do not condemn you. We know your good intentions. We hope and pray that you understand our position.

May the Spirit of the Risen Lord enlighten you nd keep your hears patiently at peace.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

(Sgd.) Fernando R. Capalla,
Archbishop of Davao

To make all things short; Our Archbishop is asking them not to deceive the people by false novelties and to sign the Doctrinal Preamble offered by Cardinal Levada. Short and Sweet!

Long live our Lord Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Davao!

Long live the true Traditionalists, those loyal to the Holy Father, Successor of St. Peter

Latin Mass Seminar- EPIC SUCCESS!

2011-10-01T16:44:00.002+08:00

Today, October 1, I went early to Karpentrade Building for one big purpose.. The Archbishop even announced it a month ago with a circular letter. This was for a first time, Latin Mass Seminar made on the request of the Archbishop of Davao, His Grace Abp. Fernando Capalla, and conducted by Fr. Joel Caasi, SLL of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Center.

I arrived pretty early, but I then saw my friends: Bro. Ryan, Bro. Jub , Sir Hector and Bro. Ednard… I was also surprised when I saw the apologetics experts of USEP. But the most unexpected thing was there arrived 3 priests from the Society of St. Pius X and their followers (LOL) with the Archbishop… which made Bro. Ednard and myself, spooked… Later, many religious, seminarians and clerics came to the event. I clearly sat with my other pals, since I was uncomfortable sitting with the clerics. We then took the opportunity to kiss his sacred ring and ask for blessings and inquire about things.

The program went like this: a chant made by the Schola of REMASE and some prayers, next an opening address by the Archbishop, and then the first conference. The first conference talked about the Liturgy, most especially the Eucharist and its essentials, the development of the Liturgy, and a large definition of terms. It was followed afterwards with a break. Ednard and I did my job… I passed along the copies of the letter of Pope Benedict to the Bishops on the Summorum Pontificum, which was handed by the Archbishop… also I was given some task to give out the leaflet on the Latin Mass Society of Davao… while the SSPX also gave out their pamphlets (well, the Bishop issued a letter against the SSPX, anyway..) I was given some of these, and we passed these to the Archbishop and Fr. Joca for his investigation.. (gladly! ahhahaha)

The second conference went after and discussed on the varied matters on the Summorum Pontificum and the Tridentine Rite. It was also explained that the Forma Ordinaria and Extraordinaria are just the same expression of the one Roman Rite. We were then given time to watch a Low Mass made by the FSSP. The Bishop was clearly watching it and the religious asked us many questions about it. We gladly agreed. Afterwards, the Archbishop commented : “As I was looking at the Mass, I was seeing myself. When I was ordained in 1961, we celebrated this form. 50 years ago, the movements of the priest were explained.. ngayon, wala na! (now, not anymore).. It is important to understand why the priest does this and that. That is liturgical formation and education. Formation molds the heart, while education forms the head.”

Afterwards, came the Q & A portion, which to my regret, became a debate session of the SSPX and Fr. Caasi, who poked at their disobedience and their hate of the Novus Ordo Missae. Then the Archbishop presented his plan: Before we fully allow the Latin Mass, there must be widespread catechesis. (to which everyone agreed).. Then all sang the Ave Maria by Fr. Fruto Ramirez and recited the Angelus. (The religious watched us laity, because during the “et verbo caro” we genuflected…) then afterwards received the Blessing of the Archbishop (kneeling as well!). It ended happily not before we saw Fr. Calixto and a SSPX priest debate in front of the building… we laughed as we told others about this SSPX and their problem.

Deo Gratias! and a big bow to Abp. Capalla (KUDOS)!

EPIC: Archbishop Capalla's official approval of the Latin Mass movement!

2011-09-04T10:03:00.001+08:00

Last night, I just was tagged on Facebook and just saw this document... I could not believe my eyes... Archbishop Capalla approving our movement and inviting along his clergy to attend this seminar!

Praise God for this wondrous gift! This merely shows that the Archdiocese of Davao is loyal to the teachings of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, and the Magisterium of the Church.

Thank God also for the efforts of the Latin Mass Society of Davao, especially Mr. Ryan Mejillano and Mr. Ednard Kim de la Rosa for persuading our Archbishop to do this...

I could not help but say a Gloria in praise!

Neil (Davao Correspondent)

PS- I'll send in the details on the Latin Mass seminar on October 1 at Karpentrade.. If people want to join, you may contact me...

If somebody has wondered..

2011-07-25T12:28:00.000+08:00

Why I have left this blog for quite a long time.. reason: STUDIES..

Well, somebody must do his responsibility... but I ask people here to pray for me and my friends, so that we may excel in our studies..

S. Thomae Aquinae, Patronis Omnis Catholicis Universitatis, ora pro eo.

The Principle of Mutual Enrichment

2011-07-06T18:51:00.000+08:00

As I attended some seminars on the ancient Latin Mass, and the spirituality of the people who should promote it. I came to understand this principle.

This was what Pope Benedict wanted in Summorum Pontificum... He wanted to make sure the liturgy as given by the centuries and the one by the Council is preserved all in all.

In the passing of things, some came to hate Summorum Pontificum, called its proponents as cynical, in favor of some new inculturated "Rite", a Rite in which the essence of mission is lost, the Christianization of the culture being preserved. But what they failed to see is that the document provided a great light to the application of the Council's goals: the Church as a beacon of truth throughout the world.

There are some practices in the Tridentine Mass that one would like to imitate in a Novus Ordo Mass, like "ad orientem" or the addition of candles, or that of the whole Mass in Latin, etc. These were not banned, but encouraged even in the document 'Sacrosanctum Concilium" which interpreted properly would make great sense, contrary to Ultra-Traditionalist ideas.

In the introducing of the New Roman Missal on the Philippines in 2012, maybe these ideas will be brought to great sense, although abuses and mishaps are still there. I come to see many Churches bringing back the glorious architecture, contrary to "modern" art, which as a theological "setback" to the glory and splendor a Church building must have.

Also, is the "Pastoral" question.. as one Priest commented: "sometimes Pastoral reasons are not for the people, but only the will and artsy of the Pastor"... In that, this principle wishes that WHAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN, ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY CHANGED IS NEVER ABROGATED... primarily that one Pastor must listen to the faithful, even for a celebration of both Forms of the same Roman Rite. On the other side, the faithful must encourage their Pastor to do these not by force, but by love and devotion, which shows him the fruits of the Eucharist visible in them...

Another is that most of the Traditionalists active today are the youth. If the Church claims to be on their side as ever-vibrant yet ancient, it must implement this so that youth, in seeing the glory of the Church, are inspired to be messengers of the Word and receivers of the Bread of Life.

Finally, all the principles will be just labeled as vanity if we do not have further CATECHESIS, because, experience-wise, I have even my parents who does not consent that I really support the local Latin Mass movement in my city. There is a need of a new understanding of what the Liturgy always is and what it should be.. We must not put out or goodie-goodies, but that of the reality of the Gospel.. it may be partly painful, but in the long run will set us free

Recent Beatifications

2011-06-01T22:17:00.000+08:00

Aside from the popular Beatification of Blessed John Paul II, there were more Beatifications that happened in some places around the world in this month of May.

As hagiographers know, Beatifications take place in the areas once lived at by the Venerable Servant of God, and presided upon by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, recently, Card. Angelo Amato. Beatifications are the final step before Canonization, and their veneration limited to localities, unlike canonized Saints who are honored by the Church as a whole.

On May 7^th, Ven. Giustino Maria Russolillo was beatified in Pianura, Naples. Bl. Giustino was the founder of the Society of Divine Vocations or commonly known as Vocationists, an order of Brothers and Priests for the promotion and also praying for Vocations in the Church.

Another Venerable, Georg Hafner OCD, a martyr of the Nazi Regime, preacher against the Third Reich and contemporary of Blessed Clemens August Cardinal Von Galen. He died “in aerumne carceris” (by the sentence of prison) in 1946 was declared Blessed in the Cathedral of St. Killian, a first in the Diocese of Wurzburg in Germany.

On May 21, Ven. Maria Clara Galvão Meixa de Moura Telles (name in religion: Maria Clara of the Infant Jesus) was beatified in Lisbon. Bl. Maria was the founder of the Franciscan Hospitallers of the Immaculate Conception Sisters.

Another Portuguese-speaking Venerable was beatified, but this time, in Brazil. In Salvador de Bahia, Ven. Dulce Lopez Pontes de Souza Brito was beatified. More popularly known in Brazil as “Irma Dulce”, she was a member of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God, and founded many charitable institutions for the needy, which was named later after her. She was beatified by Gerardo Majella Cardinal Agnello, on behalf of the Holy Father and the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

On May 28, the Founder of the Sisters of the Angels, Ven. Maria Serafina Micheli (Clotilde Micheli) was beatified in Faicchio, Benevento. A deep promoter of devotion to the Angels and the Immaculata, she founded this order on the command of the Blessed Virgin in a church in Trento.

It is expected that there will be many more Beatifications and one Canonization, presided by the Pope, still to come in the year 2011.

Indeed, the Glory of God and the diversity of the Universal Church are present in the wonders of its Saints.

Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto-new Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines

2011-05-19T17:01:00.004+08:00

This was the article in ZENIT in Italian (with translation) for this matter:

Mons. Giuseppe Pinto, nuovo Nunzio Apostolico nelle Filippine

(Mons. Giuseppe Pinto, the new Apostolic Nuncio of the Philippines)

CITTA' DEL VATICANO, martedì, 10 maggio 2011 (ZENIT.org).- Papa Benedetto XVI ha nominato Nunzio Apostolico nelle Filippine monsignor Giuseppe Pinto, ha reso noto questo martedì la Sala Stampa della Santa Sede.

(VATICAN CITY, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 (ZENIT.org)- Pope Benedict XVI has nominated Monsignor Giuseppe Pinto as Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, as announced this Tuesday by the Press Office of the Holy See.)

Monsignor Pinto, Arcivescovo titolare di Anglona, era finora Nunzio Apostolico in Cile.

(Monsignor Pinto, Titular Archbishop of Anglona, was formerly the Apostolic Nuncio to Chile.)

Il presule è nato il 26 maggio 1952 a Noci, in provincia di Bari, ed è stato ordinato sacerdote il 1° aprile 1978.

(The prelate was born on 26 March 1952 in Noci, of the province of Bari, and was ordained Priest on 1 April 1978.)

Il 4 dicembre 2001 è stato nominato Arcivescovo titolare di Pandosia. Nello stesso giorno ha ricevuto la nomina a Nunzio Apostolico in Senegal e in Mauritania. Ha ricevuto l'ordinazione episcopale il 6 gennaio 2002.

(On 4 December 2001, he was nominated as Titular Archbishop of Anglona-Pandosia. That same day he received his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio in Senegal and Mauritania. He received episcopal ordination on 6 January 2002.)

Il 5 febbraio 2002 è stato nominato Nunzio Apostolico a Capo Verde e in Mali, il 5 marzo dello stesso anno Nunzio Apostolico in Guinea Bissau.

(On 5 February 2002 he was nominated Apostolic Nuncio to Cape Verde and Mali, and on 5 March of the same year as Apostolic Nuncio to Guinea-Bissau)

Il 6 dicembre 2007 è stato nominato Nunzio Apostolico in Cile.

(On 6 December 2007, he was nominated Apostolic Nuncio to Chile.)

We, the Traditional Catholics of the Philippines, wish that he be a strong voice of the Pope in implementing his wishes, specifically on the Tridentine Latin Mass, which is still barred in most dioceses in this country.

Blessed John Paul II, pray for us and the Universal Church!

2011-05-01T17:12:00.004+08:00

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

Today, at 10:45 am in Rome, the Pope declared Blessed, John Paul II, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church. A Marian pope, a Pope of power... he truly inspires people for his charisma and his Spirit-filled words.

I am pleased to have a relic of him, which I posted a few months ago, of a Rosary given to me by the Blessed and which I am pleased to hold as I write this column.

Speaking of Sede-freaks and others who dissent the Beatification, I say they are OK, if Mother Teresa has Christopher Hitchens, Edouard Dhanis for the Message of Fatima, there are people who wish to take stands not to allow this event to happen, and they do have roles in the Process as "Promotors of the Faith" or commonly "Devil's Advocate". But it has happened, and cannot be reversible, nor called invalid. We praise God and the Blessed Virgin for the "grace of serving as a Shepherd" (Benedict XVI), as our Pope and as a beloved son of Poland. For whatever wrong the Blessed has done that some still remember, we should remember: it is our duty to correct what is wrong and uphold good.

The Blessed offers a good witness to the glory and splendor of the Church, and offered it a new glow, while Benedict tries to further its flame to hit the hearts of the people who wish to gather into the fold of Peter.

In listening today, to the Rite, an appreciation of the Blessed is the most prevailing point. So, we pray we may commit ourselves to Mary, "Totus tuus", as St. Bernard and the new Blessed say to us, especially the young of the Church, its future leaders, apostles and saints.

"Blessed John Paul, intercede for us in the House of the Father!" (Benedict XVI)

RH Billers are Satanic... wahahahahahaha

2011-04-29T18:16:00.002+08:00

Dr. Esperanza Cabral does a "Mano Cornuto" showing her allegiance to satanic forces.

People usually make this a symbol or rock-and-roll... but in reality this one's a satanic hand signal, to show they are Satanists..

Whew, so that means RH Billers are under the influence of the Evil One... Good Lord, have mercy on them....

Ranters rant about this rantable rant

2011-04-29T17:50:00.003+08:00

Benedictine hits Benedict for 'reform of reform'

(red for comments)

A BENEDICTINE liturgist has criticized Pope Benedict XVI (how shameful for that priest!)for trying to turn back the clock in bringing back the old liturgy, saying the growing movement promoting a “reform of the reform” was threatening to derail changes brought by Vatican 2.

“Dark clouds (or a clear sky, blah!)are forming ominously on the Western (Catholic)horizon. They move hurriedly and decisively toward the direction of the sun that burns radiantly in the sky. They cast upon it stronger shadows (or greater things) to hide (show) it from view. Suddenly it is dusk, before the appointed time. In reality of our day, the realness is called by the passing clouds. This cannot (could really) put the clock back to yesterday’s evening hours,” Fr. Anscar Chupungco, O.S.B. said in his speech during the 2nd Annual Edward Schillebeeckx Lecture last February 22 at the UST Hospital auditorium.

The forum discussed the Vatican’s recent approval of the new English translation of the Mass, which takes effect on Advent in the United States.

Other priests in the forum, such as Fr. Mitchell Joe Zerrudo (of which we are fans) of the Diocese of Cubao and Jesuit Fr. Timoteo Ofrasio (the strong and venerable Liturgist), welcomed the changes in the English version of the Roman Missal, which adhere to the Latin (very well) and are closer to the biblical texts.

“In general, the new translation of the Roman Missal will be more formal and theologically deeper, more provocative emotionally and intellectually,” Ofrasio told students of the Central Seminary and the Ecclesiastical Faculties. (do we hear a great Amen!)

Ofrasio said there was a need (and there really is) to preserve the Mass and guard against tendencies to tinker (and bastardize) with the liturgy (of which Fr. Chupungco and his padawans are experts of).

The traditionalist movement in the Church, which is critical of changes in the Mass following the Second Vatican Council, scored a victory (weh? I don't think so) in 2007 when the Pope issued the “motu proprio” Summorum Pontificum. The decree liberalized ("liberalized", in 1986, the Pope John Paul II asked a Special Committee of 9 cardinals if the TLM was forbidden, they responded "No!") the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, or the Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal, in which the priest and the congregation offered Mass facing one direction (and the rest of things sacred and old).

The 1970 New Order of the Mass released by Pope Paul VI in the wake of Vatican 2 permitted the use of the vernacular in the liturgy, with the priest facing the people (and allowed priests to change parts of the Mass for "pastoral reasons" when it is really the "reason of the pastor").

Last year, the Vatican approved the new English translation of the Mass of Vatican 2, which, critics claim, contained a number of errors (these critics obviously did not read the text). Pope John Paul II last revised the New Mass in 2000, but the English edition had to wait until the release of translation guidelines in 2007.

Chupungco, head of the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy in Malaybalay, Bukidnon (place of liturgical abuses and shenanigans), placed the changes in the context of the liturgical “reform of the reform” pushed by Benedict XVI even before he became pope.

He said there was a need to distinguish (weh?)between papal decrees and the “theological musing” of Joseph Ratzinger, who, as head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, wrote the celebrated book Spirit of the Liturgy, which decried abuses in the aftermath of Vatican 2 (when in reality he had the same mindset. No wonder Chupungco is really rantable).

In the book, Ratzinger said changes in the liturgy undermine (undermine? I do not understand this) the sacrificial nature of the Mass as worship, placing the focus on the priest (which should be) and tending to celebrate the community (when in the Misa ng Bayang Pilipino, too many bastardizations happen).

But Chupungco, who had served as president of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome and consultor to the Congregation for Divine Worship and Congregation for Catholic Education (and also "kicked out" by Card. Ratzinger in the San Anselmo of Rome), said these moves were coming at the expense of “active participation,” (define active participation: is it a point where the Mass turns into a showcase of padawans and aliping sagigilid dancing?) pointing out that the old prayers and language had long been discarded (but were still there: Chupungco does not recognize Trent).

It’s too simplistic (weh)to claim that before Vatican 2, many churchgoers became saints by simply going to Mass, he said (opposite: prayer and actions are offered in the Mass, and that solemn and proper Masses inspire people to greater heights of holiness).

“The agenda is an attempt to retrieve the discarded liturgical practices and paraphernalia, sometimes at the expense of active participation (when they, as we said earlier, were still preserved and kept, unlike the Misa ng Bayang Pilipino, which gathers dust in the Vatican),” he said. “This movement has entered the Philippine shores, those that manifest the use of the defunct Latin language and the singing of distant generations. It is no longer a requirement to understand what is said, sung, or read,” Chupungco said. (he tries to hit us, when instead that he should be the one to be well-criticized)

Chupungco said liturgical tradition is not necessarily Church Tradition (with the capital “T”) (but really is, since it was passed down by the Apostles and added to by Saints, unlike your MBP that is too recent and modernistic) that must be preserved through the ages. The need to emphasize the sacred nature of the Mass need not involve turning back the clock, he added (but in this time of diabolical disorientation, there should be a need for such).

“The liturgy does not need to be backtracked to its early context that was understood after the Council of Trent, which the Pope is trying to revive, but should be “in the atmosphere of mysterium tremendum et fascinans (a mystery that creates fear and yet fascinates).” (huh?)

‘Mass is a treasure’ (it should be)

Meanwhile, Ofrasio, a professor of systematic theology at the Loyola School of Theology, said it was the Church’s prerogative to promote “renewed evangelization.” (do I hear a Amen?)

Pointing to various liturgical innovations, he said the Mass is not “free [for priests] to tinker with and change depending on their understanding.”(agree)

“The Mass is a treasure entrusted to them by the Church which they must cherish, guard, and preserve,” (and not bastardize) Ofrasio said. “The Mass that they celebrate is not their Mass (So be it in this era of bastardization). It is the Church’s, given to them, entrusted to them by God through the Church. [The priest] is just a steward (and not its master).”

Zerrudo, parish priest of the Lord of the Divine Mercy Parish in Quezon City, said: “We should not be afraid of the coming of the new translation.”

He said the new translation of the liturgy also called for a new translation of music for the Mass using the Latin liturgical text.

“Much of the liturgical reform is really academic – the books, the prayers, the rites were studied, revised, and rearranged by experts,” Zerrudo said. (and not by free-lancers)

Zerrudo, whose parish offers the Traditional Latin Mass every day, is an alumnus of the Central Seminary. (they should be thankful)

The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan is taking the lead, implementing some changes in the Mass effective March 9, Ash Wednesday. (Amen!)

“The English translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal will soon receive the approval of the Holy See to be used for the entire Philippines. Even before the actual implementation of the new English translation, some phrases and responses in the Order of the Mass have been decided on by the Apostolic Instruction Liturgicam Authenticam foremost among which is the translation ‘Et cum spiritu tuo’ which was translated in the 1970 Missal as ‘And also with you,’” Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a circular last February 11. (A KUDOS to Archbishop Socrates Villegas)

As a result, the new response to the priest’s greeting, “The Lord be with you,” is “And with your spirit.”(and many more....)

Before the consecration, when the priest says “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” the people’s response is “It is right and just,” instead of “It is right to give him thanks and praise.” J. M. Orillaza and B. B. Tabora

"Excommunicate me!"-PNOY (by Bro. Marwil Llasos)

2011-04-19T13:59:00.000+08:00

I was one of those "good" Catholics who voted President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III into office in May 2010. I campaigned for him in all my spheres of influence - to my students, to the members f my religious groups, to my province mates in Albay, my neighbors in Quezon City, etc. I campaigned for him through the various forms of social networking. I even debated anti-Noynoy forces the last campaign. I did all these without any expectation of a reward. I simply did so because I believed in the promise that my candidate represented. I thought that my candidate was in the mould of his parents. I was wrong.

Many well-meaning Catholics told me that Noynoy was pro-RH as he was in fact one of the sponsors of the Senate version of the RH Bill. Cardinal Rosales of Cebu also pointed that out. During the campaign, Noynoy and his handlers tried to downplay the issue. I thought that once elected into office, we could prevail upon Noynoy to change his stance because his mother was a good and practicing Catholic and he he would listen to the constituency that elected him into office - us. Catholics, especially the "churched", went for Noynoy because of his mother - one who is even popularly canonized as the "saint of democracy."

Yesterday, I saw on TV PNOY's speech, full of bravado, effrontery and arrogance, that he could risk excommunication by the Catholic Church just to push the RH Bill through.

I was shocked! the son of Cory and Ninoy could ever say that? Someone who went to Catholic schools can say that? Not even Ferdinand Marcos ever dared say such a thing!

As a Catholic, I am appalled by the arrogance of that statement. What PNOY did was an open declaration of war on the Catholic Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ whose Passion and Death we are commemorating this week.

PNOY's statement is totally uncalled for. There is no threat from the Church to excommunicate him on the RH Bill issue especially now that Malacanang is claiming to have a dialogue with the Church leaders. Why did the President fire the opening salvo?

I believe that PNOY wanted to score points in the UP community when he made that statement. He was pleasing the crowd he might have considered "godless." Sure, he drew some applause. He did please men, rather than God.

PNOY's statement is a sneak attack on the Church. PNOY's dastardly attack was done at the start of the Holy Week when all the Christian world is solemnly commemorating the sufferings of Christ. This is unacceptable. I condemn the slyness that went with it. Church leaders - bishops and priests - as well as the laity are all busy in the Holy Week activities of the Church when PNOY threw the gauntlet.

This issue is no longer about the RH Bill. It has something to do with even the slightest modicum of respect for the Church and its hierarchy. The timing is so bad - in the holiest week of the Christian world. When love, peace, reconciliation and peace are emphasized the world over, PNOY was in fighting form, even without any provocation.

He justified his act by saying that his conscience is clear. But is his a formed, informed and transformed conscience? or one that is deformed and malformed?

I condemn PNOY's attack on the Church by saying that he is willing to be excommunicated just to push the RH Bill. This is a scandal. He is showing a bad example Catholics especially to children. It is OK to be excommunicated just so that we can pass an immoral, anti-life, anti-family and anti-God piece of legislation.

PNOY already declared war on the Church, on Christ and on the Church. A sad day for the Church. There is all the more reason for all of us Catholics to increase our mortification, prayer and penance this Holy Week as an act of reparation for the President of the Philippines who chose to please men rather than God.

(I have spoken many times about this satanic bill, but we pray that PNOY's mother will get him to the right path, which is the path of Jesus Christ!)

CATECHESIS: Is the "rapture" preached by heretics approved Catholic Doctrine?

2011-04-13T17:41:00.002+08:00

There is an absolute difference between these different Eschatological theologies. I have noticed some of my friends believe in the Rapture, and quote the Scriptures for proof. I will try to debunk this belief and give the proper Catholic perspective on the End Times.

FIRST- An understanding of the Rapture..

The Rapture is the time that the Lord will supposedly lift into heaven those who love and believe him, sparing them from pain, and then leaving the sinful people behind who will go down with the destruction of the world.

SECOND- A Catholic Understanding

The Church ineffably declares the Rapture as plain foolishness by Protestant sects who wish to go with multiplying their believers.

Christ's mission on Earth is to make people aware of the realities of the Kingdom of God, he also stresses out readiness for the end of days, and leads people to the path of sanctification. He does all this by his life, death and Resurrection and makes himself visibly supreme by the Parousia.

The Church, in response, stresses individual salvation and individual judgement (heaven, hell and purgatory), looking at the signs of the times in the light of the Holy Spirit and Scripture, with their Magisterium (teaching authority).

Thus, Rapturists lose sight of their individual salvation due to figuring out when this will happen.

THIRD- Debuking myths

The rapture is NOT approved by the Catholic Church.

These are some Scriptural bases provided by heretical movements for their flock.

1. 1 Thess 4:16-17

-does not have any distinction between the end and the 'rapture'

- believed to be secret, silent and sudden, but in reality a shout and a trumpet sounded by the archangel.

2. 1 Cor 15:51-52

-no distinction between the end and the rapture

-still speaks of a trumpet

3. Mt 24: 37-42

-he will come again in glory (Apostle's Creed)

-loud noise of a trumpet

-content; taken away in judgement, in deference to Noah's case in Genesis.

FOURTH- Theological debunking

1. The rapture promises instant salvation, while true Christianity says: "If you wish to follow me, take up your Cross."

2. The rapture promises pain-free living, while true Christianity says: "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.

3. As mentioned, Christ gave more attention or spoke only of the Parousia, instead of speaking of another "Coming". It also destroys the article of the Creed: "He will come again in GLORY to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom shall have no end."

Ergo, the Catholic Church still holds the keys to Heaven, and that they even made and hold the authentic teaching of the Scriptures by authority of past and present Councils.

Thus you are given the question: Will you belong or go home to the fold of the Church or get away from it and go to the place of damnation.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us

PROGRAM FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II

2011-04-06T01:10:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY , 5 APR 2011 ( VIS ) - This morning, a conference was held at the Holy See Press Office to present the preparations and the program for the beatification of John Paul II. The speakers were Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome; Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., director of Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Centre (CTV) and the Holy See Press Office; Fr. Cesare Atuire, director general of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi; Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Vicariate of Rome; and Fr. Walter Insero, director of the Office of Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome.

Cardinal Vallini presented the full program for the celebrations for the beatification, which he described as "strongly characterised by particular elements intended to emphasise the richness of John Paul II's personality, and the impact of his pontificate on the life of the diocese of Rome and on the whole world".

1. The Vigil, 30 April (Circus Maximus, 20.00 to 22.30).

The celebration will be divided into two parts. The first part will be dedicated to remembering the words and actions of John Paul II. There shall then be a solemn procession during which the image of Maria Salus Populi Romani will be enthroned; this shall be accompanied by representatives of all the parishes and chaplaincies of the diocese. Privileged accounts will be given by Joaquin Navarro-Valls and Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, both of whom worked closely with the Pope, and by Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre, whose miraculous recovery opened the way for the beatification process. This first part of the celebrations will be concluded with the hymn "Totus tuus", composed for the 50th anniversary of John Paul's priestly ordination.

The second part will focus on the celebration of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, which were introduced by John Paul II. After the hymn "Open the doors to Christ", Cardinal Vallini will give an introduction summarising the spiritual and pastoral character of John Paul II. The Rosary will then be recited, with a live connection to five Marian sanctuaries around the world. Each of the five Mysteries of the Rosary shall be linked to a prayer intention of importance to John Paul II. In the Sanctuary of Lagniewniki, Krakow, the prayer intention will take the theme of youth; in the Sanctuary of Kawekamo, Bugando , Tanzania , the family; in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa, evangelisation; in the Basilica of Sancta Maria de Guadalupe, Mexico City , hope and peace among peoples; and in the Sanctuary of Fatima, the Church.

To conclude the vigil, Benedict XVI shall recite the final oration and impart the apostolic blessing to all participants, in live transmission from the Apostolic Palace .

That night the following churches shall remain open for the oration: Sant' Agnese in Agone, Piazza Navona; San Marco al Campidoglio; Santa Anastasia; Santissimo Nome di Gesù all'Argentina; Santa Maria in Vallicella; San Giovanni dei Fiorentini; San Andrea della Valle; and San Bartolomeo all'Isola.

2. Mass of Beatification, 1 May, Sunday after Easter or of Divine Mercy (St. Peter's Square, 09.00: hour of preparation; 10.00: officiated by the Holy Father).

The solemn liturgy of beatification shall be preceded by an hour of preparation during which the faithful shall pray together the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a devotion introduced by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska and dear to the Blessed John Paul II. The preparation will conclude with an Invocation to Mercy in the world, with the hymn "Jezu ufam tobie". This will be followed by Mass, with the texts for the Sunday after Easter. At the end of the rite of beatification, the unveiling of the tapestry depicting the newly Blessed shall be accompanied by the Hymn to the Blessed in Latin.

3. Mass of thanksgiving, Monday 2 May (officiated by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, St. Peter's Square, 10.30).

Mass on Monday 2 May shall be the first celebrated in honour of the newly Blessed John Paul II. The texts shall be those of the Mass of the Blessed John Paul II. Music during the celebrations shall be provided by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome, with the participation of the Choir of Warsaw and the Wadowice Symphony Orchestra, Poland .

Fr. Lombardi explained that in the evening of Friday 29 April the tomb of the Blessed Pope Innocent XI - currently in the Chapel of St. Sebastian in St. Peter's Basilica - shall be transferred to the Altar of Transfiguration, to make way for the body of John Paul II. That morning, the coffin of John Paul II - which shall not be opened - will be transferred before the tomb of St. Peter, in the Vatican grotto. On the morning of 1 May, it will be brought before the Altar of Confession in the Basilica.

Following the beatification ceremony, the Pope and the concelebrating cardinals will make their way to the Altar of Confession in the Basilica and will pray for a moment before the body of the newly Blessed. From that evening, those who wish to do so may venerate the remains of John Paul II.

Fr. Walter Insero shall present the new project, "Digital Sentinels", recalling the polish Pope's address to the young as "sentinels of the morning" on World Youth Day 2000 in Rome .

Through the already well-known portal "Pope2You", provided by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, it will be possible to send digital postcards with phrases, in several languages, extracted from John Paul II's various addresses to young people. These postcards may be used as invitations to young people to come to Rome to celebrate the beatification of John Paul II. Furthermore, through this portal it will be possible to follow the scheduled celebrations (Vigil, beatification Mass, Mass of thanksgiving).

This initiative, carried out in collaboration with Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center and the Office for Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome, is managed by a group of young volunteers, several seminarians from colleges in Rome who provide translations in various languages, and friends from other continents.

OP/ VIS 20110405 (1010)

DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

2011-04-04T22:59:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 2 APR 2011 (VIS) - Today, during a private audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:

MIRACLES

- Venerable Servant of God Serafino Morazzone, Italian diocesan priest (1747-1822).

- Venerable Servant of God Clemente Vismara, Italian professed priest of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (1897-1988).

- Venerable Servant of God Elena Aiello, Italian foundress of the Minim Sisters of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1895-1961).

- Venerable Servant of God Maria Catalina Irigoyen Echegaray (Sr. Maria Desposorios), Spanish professed nun of the Congregation of Servants of Mary, Ministers of the Sick (1848-1918).

- Venerable Servant of God Enrica Alfieri (nee Maria Angela), Italian professed nun of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret (1891-1951).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Peter Adrian Toulorge, French professed priest of the Premonstratensian Regular Canons, killed in hatred of the faith at Coutances , France (1757-1793).

- Servants of God Francisco Esteban Lacal, Spanish professed priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and twenty-one companions, and Candido Castan San Jose, Spanish layman, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain in 1936.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Thomas Kurialacherry, Indian, first bishop of Changanacherry and founder of the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (1873-1925).

- Servant of God Adolphe Chatillon (Br. Theophanius-Leo), Canadian professed religious of the Brothers of Christian Schools (1871-1929).

- Servant of God Maria Chiara of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus (nee Vincenza Damato), Italian professed nun of the Order of St. Clare (1909-1948).

- Servant of God Maria Dolores Inglese (nee Maria Libera Italia), Italian professed nun of the Congregation of Sisters Servants of Mary Reparatrix (1866-1928).

- Servant of God Irene Stefani (nee Aurelia), Italian professed nun of the Institute of Missionary Sisters of the Consolata (1891-1930).

- Servant of God Bernhard Lehner, German layman (1930-1944).

CSS/ VIS 20110404 (340)

Our Bishop went to Rome...

2011-03-01T16:16:00.003+08:00

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 28 FEB 2011 (VIS) - Holy Father today received in separate audiences three prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo O.M.I. of Cotabato, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo.

- Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla of Davao .

On Saturday 26 February he received in separate audiences:

- Seven prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on their "ad limina" visit:

- Bishop Emmanuel T. Cabajar C.SS.R. of Pagadian.

- Bishop Juan de Dios M. Pueblos of Butuan.

- Bishop Jose A. Cabantan of Malaybalay.

- Bishop Antonieto D. Cabajog of Surigao.

- Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar of Tandag.

- Bishop Romulo T. de la Cruz of Kidapawan.

- Bishop Dinualdo D. Gutierrez of Marbel.

- Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AL:AP/ VIS 20110228 (150)

Well, according to our Chancery, he was there for submitting his resignation to the Congregation of Bishops, who will forward it next to the Pope. According also to some clerics, there are 3 candidates he (Pope) can choose from.

We pray the same intention always: A good and Traditional Archbishop the Pope elect, Lord, for our Archdiocese.

More resources on Exorcism..

2011-01-24T12:34:00.003+08:00

Fortunately, I've found some excerpts of Mons. Leon Cristiani's book...

here at EWTN Libraries

and a short pamphlet called "Vade Satana" (Begone Satan!) by Fr. Celestine Kapsner, a old pamphlet about exorcism still there at EWTN Libraries...

I could not help but read!

Learning from the meek and humble

2011-01-18T12:27:00.003+08:00

On Saturday, we will be celebrating the feast of Bl. Laura Vicuña, the young Argentinian heroine of the Salesian Order.

Laura Del Carmen Vicuña was only thirteen years old when she died, but her life was very well-lived. She was very helpful to the sisters and to her Classmates in the Colegio de Maria Auxilladora. Her piety is exemplary. But most of all, her virtues are worth immolating.

She offered her life for the conversion of her mother like a little child: trusting, obedient to God's will and most of all, ready to accept anything from her Father in Heaven.

As der feastday draws near, we ask the Lord to give us the grace to be like that of Bl. Laura Vicuña. May we be like her in virtue. completely trusting in the Lord, and ever loving to others, forgetting herself for the benefit of others.

**************************
I am distributing third class relics of Bl. Laura Vicuña. For those who wish to obtain one (I will only limit it to five prayer cards per request), kindly email me your address at: paolocobangbang@gmail.com

~May the Holy Triune God live in our hearts and in the hearts of all people!

JOHN PAUL II'S BODY (RELICS) TO BE PLACED IN BASILICA

2011-01-15T12:46:00.001+08:00

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 14, 2011 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II's remains will be moved from the Grotto located beneath St. Peter's Basilica to a chapel in the main Church, the Vatican revealed.

"The transportation of the coffin will take place without exhumation," reported the semi-official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, "hence Pope [John Paul II's] body will not be exposed."

The newspaper reported that the body of John Paul II will be "enclosed" and that the placement of his body will be marked "by a simple marble stone engraved with: Beatus Ioannes Paulus II."

The Pope's body will be placed in the Chapel of St. Sebastian, which is located between the Chapel of the Pieta and the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.

The chapel houses the remains of Blessed Innocent XI (1676-1689), and is named after the main figure in the mosaic above the altar, which was completed by Pier Paolo Cristofari. Statues of Pius XI and Pius XII flank the right and left sides of the altar, respectively.

John Paul the Great: Blessed! and CCS News

2011-01-15T12:43:00.003+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2011 (VIS) - On 1 May, the second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, Benedict XVI will preside at the rite of beatification for John Paul II in the Vatican.

According to a note released by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, "today 24 January, Benedict XVI, during an audience granted to Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, authorised the dicastery to promulgate the decree of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla). This concludes the process which precedes the rite of beatification.

"It is well known that, by pontifical dispensation, his cause began before the end of the five-year period which the current norms stipulate must pass following the death of a Servant of God. This provision was solicited by the great fame of sanctity which Pope John Paul II enjoyed during his life, in his death and after his death. In all other ways, the normal canonical dispositions concerning causes of beatification and canonisation were observed in full.

"Between June 2005 and April 2007 the principal diocesan investigation was held in Rome , accompanied by secondary investigations in various other dioceses, on his life, virtues, fame of sanctity and miracles. The juridical validity of these canonical processes was recognised by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints with a decree of 4 May 2007. In June 2009, having examined the relative 'Positio', nine of the dicastery's theological consultors expressed their positive judgement concerning the heroic nature of the virtues of the Servant of God. The following November, in keeping with the usual procedure, the 'Positio' was submitted for the judgement of the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, who gave their approval.

"On 19 December 2009, Benedict XVI authorised the promulgation of the decree on John Paul II's heroic virtues.

"With a view to the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God, the postulator of the cause invited the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to examine the recovery from Parkinson's disease of Sr. Marie Simon Pierre Normand, a religious of the 'Institut des Petites Soeurs des Maternites Catholiques'.

"As is customary, the voluminous acts of the regularly-instituted canonical investigation, along with detailed reports from medical and legal experts, were submitted for scientific examination by the medical consultors of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 21 October 2010. The experts of the congregation, having studied the depositions and the entire documentation with their customary scrupulousness, expressed their agreement concerning the scientifically inexplicable nature of the healing. On 14 December the theological consultors, having examined the conclusions reached by the medical experts, undertook a theological evaluation of the case and unanimously recognised the unicity, antecedence and choral nature of the invocation made to Servant of God John Paul II, whose intercession was effective in this prodigious healing.

"Finally, on 11 January 2011 the ordinary session of the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints took place. They expressed their unanimous approval, believing the recovery of Sr. Marie Simon Pierre to be miraculous, having been achieved by God in a scientifically inexplicable manner following the intercession of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, trustingly invoked both by Sr. Simon herself and by many other faithful".

CCS/ VIS 20110114 (570)

(Neil has a relic of John Paul II, a Rosary blessed and given by the Pope himself to one of my relatives. They passed it to me as a spiritual patrimony and heritage. When JPII is beatified, it will become a second class relic.)

DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2011 (VIS) - Today, during a private audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:

MIRACLES

- Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), Polish Supreme Pontiff (1920-2005).

- Venerable Servant of God Antonia Maria Verna, Italian foundress of the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception (1773-1838).

- Venerable Servant of God Giuseppe Toniolo, Italian layman and father (1845-1918).

MARTYRDOM

- Servants of God Marija Jula (nee Kata Ivanisevic), Marija Bernadeta (nee Terezija Banja,) Marija Krizina (nee Jozefa Bojanc), Marija Antonija (nee Jozefa Fabjan) and Maria Berchmana (nee Karoline Anna Leidenix), professed religions of the Institute of Daughters of Divine Charity, killed in hatred of the faith in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 15 and 23 December 1941.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Antonio Franco, Italian bishop of Santa Lucia del Mela (1585-1626).

- Servant of God Franziskus Maria vom Kreuze (ne Johann Baptist Jordan) German priest and founder of the Society of the Divine Saviour and of the Congregation of Sisters of the Divine Saviour (1848-1918).

- Servant of God Nelson Baker, American diocesan priest (1842-1936).

- Servant of God Faustino Perez-Manglano Magro, Spanish student and postulant of the Marianist Fathers (1946-1963).

- Servant of God Francisca de Paula de Jesus, (also called Nha Chica), Brazilian laywoman (1810-1895).

CSS/ VIS 20110114 (250)

Availability of Third Class Relics

2011-01-12T18:36:00.002+08:00

We offer third class relics to interested parties. We can make third class relics of the following saints:

Saint Arcangelo Tadini
Saint Charbel Makhlouf
Servant of God Catherine Doherty
Servant of God Mother Concepcion of Saints James and Teresa, OCD
Saint Maravillas de Jesus, OCD
Saint Zygmunt Felinski
Blessed Columba Marmion, OSB
Saint John Marie Vianney
Saint Peter the Apostle
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, CSsR
Saint Anthony of Padua, OFM
Servant of God Catherine McAuley, RSM
Blessed Alberto Marvelli
Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko
Blessed Giuseppe Allamano
Servant of God Pope John Paul I
Saint Gerard Majella, CSsR
Saint Leopold Mandic, OFMCap
Saint Rose Durocher
Saint Gianna Molla
Servant of God Sor Lucia dos Santos, OCD
Servant of God Solanus Casey, OFMCap
Venerable Jeronima dela Asuncion, OSC
Servant of God Catherine Aurelie of the Precious Blood
Servant of God Miriam Teresa Demjanovich
Servant of God Terence Cardinal Cooke
Servant of God Fulton J. Sheen
Blessed Albertina Berkenbrock
Servant of God Michael McGivney
Saint Katharine Drexel
Blessed Paolo Manna

For details, contact me through my e-mail address: m_evardoni@catholic.org

THANK YOU!

(Neil: We also offer third class relics, but since our time is tightened and money-short.. I decided to only limit it to our place. Actually all custodians are called to do this, who knows? there might be a new miracle...)

New Author..

2011-01-12T18:28:00.002+08:00

Guys, we have a new author.

CREDENTIALS:

...is a Psychology student of St. Joseph's College of Quezon City.

He is an altar server, a choirmaster and organist at St. Joseph's College of Quezon City,

Shrine of the Divine Word (CTK), Violago Chapel and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine,

a songwriter and a brother to all.

(also a relic custodian, btw)

it is Bro. Maximillan Evardoni, a part and parcel of our relic ministry.. he is one of my friends, and is a custodian along with me, Paolo and Rhys (a Facebook pal)..

Ad multos annos!

simply awesome!

2011-01-12T12:37:00.002+08:00

@ Dieter Philippi

Wish I could have one of those cords... cool!

There is also a Blog that he made for his updates..

It is not only about Catholic cleric gear, but all Christian and non-Christian religions..

Pictures: Blessed Michal Sopocko

2011-01-11T12:40:00.002+08:00

as Chaplain of the University of Vilnius, Poland

As Canon of the Metropolitan Chapter of Bialystok

I just browsed my usual time, and then I saw these actual pictures of Blessed Michal Sopocko, in the last years of his life...

Also, there is a text of the Via Crucis, attributed to him.

COOL images...updates from the Trad..

2011-01-07T12:22:00.003+08:00

hahaha, mga kapatid, try nyo ito.. magandang-maganda ang images:

HERE/DITO/(hindi there/doon)

they have really nice Tridentine and NO art for your needs...

(They have nice images from old books, most of these are that of the Lord, the BVM, and the Saints)...

Concerning Traditionalism, as I told in my post here on the background.. I hope it's final..
the TLM Conference for Davao this Jan 16-17 (somehow).. I hope things are running smooth because it's gonna be nice..

Also, this blog has been cleaned of extra spam.. so it will be easy to load.. Also here is the prayer to St. Michael by Leo XIII, good for spiritual warfare

Finally, I hope the Eastern Rite Mass (Greek Catholics, I hear) near the Vatican will be all right...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! (for the Eastern Rite- Oriental Catholics)

Neil (I hope that the pic above is real good!)

and who the Pope placed the burden of..

2010-12-30T17:17:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 29 DEC 2010 ( VIS ) - The Holy Father appointed:

- As members of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum": Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Archbishop Douglas Young S.V.D. of Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea; Msgr. Manfred Ertl, currently consultor of the same dicastery; Laurence de la Brosse, president of the "Association Internationale des Charites"; Fr. Simon T. Faddoul, president of Caritas Lebanon; Michael Thio Yauw Beng, president of the "Societe de Saint Vincent de Paul ‑ Conseil General International"; Roberto H. Tarazona Ponte, "Asistente de la Oficina de Asesoria Pastoral de Caritas" in Peru; Henrietta T. de Villa, currently consultor of the same dicastery, and Carlos Augusto de Oliveira Camargo, currently consultor of the same dicastery.

- As consultors of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum": Fr. Paolo Asolan, professor at the "Redemptor Hominis" Pontifical Institute of Rome's Pontifical Lateran University; Fr. Silverio Nieto Nunez, director of the "Servicio Juridico Civil" of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, and Paolo Luca Beccegato, head of the international unit of Caritas Italy.

- As members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

- As members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches: His Beatitude Cardinal Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt; Cardinal Francesco Monterisi, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, and Cardinal Kurt Koch.

- As members of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments: Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop of Warsaw, Poland; Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka; Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B.; Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, and Cardinal Velasio De Paolis C.S., president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

- As members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints: Cardinal Francesco Monterisi; Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, penitentiary major of the Apostolic Penitentiary; Cardinal Paolo Sardi, vice chamberlain of Holy Roman Church and patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

- As a member of the Congregation for Bishops: Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke.

- As members of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: Cardinal Medardo Joseph Mazombwe, archbishop emeritus of Lusaka, Zambia; Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, and Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".

- As members of the Congregation for the Clergy: Cardinal Donald William Wuerl, archbishop of Washington , U.S.A. , and Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz.

- As a member of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life: Cardinal Paolo Sardi.

- As a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education: Cardinal Mauro Piacenza.

- As a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura: Cardinal Velasio De Paolis C.S.

- As members of the Pontifical Council for the Laity: Cardinal Paolo Romeo of Palermo , Italy ; Cardinal Robert Sarah, and Cardinal Paolo Sardi.

- As members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: Cardinal Donald William Wuerl, and Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B.

- As a member of the presidential committee of the Pontifical Council for the Family: Cardinal Raul Eduardo Vela Chiriboga, archbishop emeritus Quito , Ecuador .

- As members of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace: Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany, and Cardinal Robert Sarah.

- As a member of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum": Cardinal Medardo Joseph Mazombwe.

- As a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples: His Beatitude Cardinal Antonios Naguib.

- As members of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts: Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, and Cardinal Velasio De Paolis C.S.

- As members of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue: Cardinal Kurt Koch, and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, and of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology.

- As members of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications: Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, archbishop of Aparecida , Brazil , and Cardinal Mauro Piacenza.

- As a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation: Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi.

- As a counsellor of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America : Cardinal Francesco Monterisi.

- As members of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America : Cardinal Raul Eduardo Vela Chiriboga; Cardinal Paolo Romeo, and Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis.

- Msgr. Marcello Bartolucci, under secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as secretary of the same congregation, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Bastia Umbra, Italy in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1968.

- Fr. Boguslaw Turek C.S.M.A., bureau chief of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as under secretary of the same congregation.

- Msgr. Celso Morga Iruzubieta of the clergy of the diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada - Logrono, Spain, under secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, as secretary of the same congregation, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1972.

- Msgr. Serge Poitras of the clergy of the diocese of Chicoutimi , Canada , official of the Congregation for Bishops, as adjunct under secretary of the same congregation.

NA/ VIS 20101229 (930)

A Background: Catholic Traditional Movement in Davao City (in our experience)

2010-12-28T16:53:00.003+08:00

The TLM Conference is near.... so I decided to post this background..

(I hope some of the statements here are accurate, since they have been passed to me by word of mouth. Experiences I had are accurate and still remembered)

(EF refers to the Extraordinary Form, the "Tridentine" Mass)

EARLY BEGINNINGS

The one who started the Trad movement here is a Priest of the Archdiocese, he used to offer Mass in the EF on the right wing of San Pedro Cathedral (because it is a Tridentine Altar), with the full and awesome support of then Archbishop Mabutas.

When Mons. Capalla lead the Archdiocese, the Priest applied to leave Davao, and his whereabouts are not known to the Trad Movement.

MOVEMENTS SUPPORTING THE EF

Then SSPX (a Catholic group separated from Rome) came in and also, one of their Servers (taga-Gensan) told me last Good Friday 2006 that they are inviting me for a Mass at their Chapel which was in the vicinity of the Cathedral. It was staffed by the SSPX priests which were based in Gensan (General Santos City) , and usually they come here twice a month to offer the EF.

Another movement which is Traditional is the AHFI or the Alliance of the Holy Family International, a group of lay and clerics for the sanctification of family life (according to them). They have been richly supported by our Archdiocese, and the OATH (their clerical arm) celebrates both Rites of the Roman form with solemnity and devotion, when they are here for varied activities.

Another is the SVD (under Fr. Maniwang) , which offers the EF in irregular schedules. I do not know when or why they had started this movement. (Thanks to Mr. Ednard dela Rosa for the information)

There are more organizations I know, but due to space and many limitations, I cannot record them all.

COMMON REACTIONS TO THE TRADITIONAL MOVEMENT

The Archdiocese, since the release of the "Summorum Pontificum", reacted coldly towards the Tridentine Mass, and according to some, advises priests not to celebrate the EF, due to confusion on which rite to attend (according to one of the priests I interviewed). The clergy I have talked to has reacted negatively, even in blessing water in the EF. But I know personally some clerics who have expressed their support to the Traditional Movement and to the EF (like Msgr. Cuizon of the Sta. Ana Vicariate)

The laity also, have grown ignorant of the Movement, and some even to the point of attacking us and calling us "Schismatics" because of our adherence to the Catholic Tradition. But, in my experience there have been laity who have been active in promoting them (for the AHFI, Maam Zeny Hechanova, for my school, Mr. Hector Damaso, and many more).

I have been also gathering info about the issue that Mons. Capalla had given his consent for the priests who will celebrate the EF in the Archdiocese... It has not been confirmed by our Chancery at the time I called in.

HOPES

I personally hope that the EF will be well accepted here, and that the Holy Father will appoint a Tradition-minded Archbishop for this Archdiocese (Mons. Capalla will retire after the Pope will elect a new Archbishop next year).

It will be also hoped that those who are active in this movement (especially those in authority) will help instruct the Catholic laity on the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, and help the faithful to be more close to the Tradition of our Forefathers.

on holy water and exorcism

2010-12-23T18:00:00.003+08:00

Actually, I was reading the book of Fr. Jocis Syquia today, entitled: EXORCISM-Encounters with the Paranormal and the Occult... I loved how he blended things from people who had the gifts of the Spirit, and that of Catholic Traditional practice (using the Old Rituale Romanum)..

I had been really looking at the part on which, in every exorcism he conducts.. he always asks the Blessed Mother on helping him remove the demon, and usually Mary helps him by giving him an inspiration. I also recount that I always ask Mary to help me before, during and after any deliverance prayer.

It also is necessary that one who conducts exorcism/deliverance, must pray for spiritual cleansing before the prayer/rite and pray for protection at the end. If this is not followed, effects may be worse (the demons attaching to you and giving you the heck of the time).

It is necessary that the deliverance minister/exorcist is a humble person, because the Devil himself does not avert holy persons who are proud.

The tactics presented by the Author in the book is a very marvelous example on how on must protect himself and others in the presence of the Lord. And its tactics are always based on the Faith and the Liturgy..

Also, today, after the Priest had blessed water in the EF... I thought of the effects of holy water.. I have to post again the prayer...

May this creature of yours, when
used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast
out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water
sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be
delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of
contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles
of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this
water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the
occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your
holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be
protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord.

The effects themselves are very powerful.. even for some priests (like Msgr. Lucas) that conducts house cleansing (if the blessing of the house does not work).

It is necessary to set the difference.. even that a simple mistake in choosing what water to sprinkle could be impotent. The demons are that powerful and yet our holy water is not that powerful enough to remove them.

DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

2010-12-11T09:09:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 10 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Today, during a private audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:

MIRACLES

- Blessed Guido Maria Conforti, Italian archbishop-bishop and founder of the Pious Society of St. Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions (1865-1931).

- Servant of God Francesco Paleari, Italian priest of the "Cottolengo" Institute (1863-1939).

- Servant of God Anna Maria Janer Anglarill, Spanish foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Holy Family of Urgell (1800-1885).

- Servant of God Marie Clare of the Child Jesus (nee Libania do Carmo Galvao Meixa de Moura Telles e Albuquerque ), Portuguese foundress of the Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (1843-1899).

- Servant of God Dulce (nee Maria Rita Lopes Pontes), Brazilian religious of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (1914-1992).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Alois Andritzki, German diocesan priest who died in the concentration camp of Dachau (1914-1943).

- Servants of God Jose Nadal y Guiu (1911-1936) and Jose Jordan y Blecua (1906-1936), Spanish diocesan priests, killed in hatred of the faith during religious persecution in Spain .

- Servants of God Antonio (ne Miguel Faundez Lopez), Spanish professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor (1907-1936) and Bonaventura (ne Baltasar Mariano Munoz Martinez) Spanish cleric of the Order of Friars Minor (1912-1936), as well as Pedro Sanchez Barba (1895-1936) and Fulgencio Martinez Garcia (1911-1936), Spanish priests and pastors of the Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi, killed in hatred of the faith during religious persecution in Spain.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Antonio Palladino, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1881-1926).

- Servant of God Bechara (ne Selim Abou-Mourad), Lebanese religious of the Basilian Salvatorian Order of the Melkites (1853-1930).

- Servant of God Maria Elisa Andreoli, Italian foundress of the Congregation of Reparatrix Sisters Servants of Mary (1861-1935).

- Servant of God Maria Pilar of the Sacred Heart (nee Maria Pilar Solsona Lamban), Spanish religious of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary, Religious of Pious Schools (1881-1966).

CSS/ VIS 20101210 (380)

POPE TO THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPINES : CONTINUE TO BE A LEAVEN IN SOCIETY

2010-12-01T12:13:00.001+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 29 NOV 2010 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father received prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Addressing them in English, the Pope referred to the close ties that for four centuries have united the Philippines and the See of Peter, highlighting the benefits the leaven of faith has brought to the Filipino people and their culture.

"To be such a leaven, the Church must always seek to find her proper voice, because it is by proclamation that the Gospel brings about its life-changing fruits", he said. "Thanks to the Gospel's clear presentation of the truth about God and man, generations of zealous Filipino clergymen, religious and laity have promoted an ever more just social order. At times, this task of proclamation touches upon issues relevant to the political sphere. This is not surprising, since the political community and the Church, while rightly distinct, are nevertheless both at the service of the integral development of every human being and of society as a whole".

"At the same time, the Church's prophetic office demands that she be free 'to preach the faith, to teach her social doctrine ... and also to pass moral judgments in those matters which regard public order whenever the fundamental human rights of a person or the salvation of souls requires it'. In the light of this prophetic task, I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defence of the integrity of marriage and the family. In these areas you are promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only from divine revelation but also from natural law, an order which is accessible to human reason and thus provides a basis for dialogue and deeper discernment on the part of all people of good will. I also note with appreciation the Church's work to abolish the death penalty in your country.

"A specific area in which the Church must always find her proper voice comes in the field of social communications and the media", Pope Benedict added. "It is important that the Catholic laity proficient in social communications take their proper place in proposing the Christian message in a convincing and attractive way. If the Gospel of Christ is to be a leaven in Filipino society, then the entire Catholic community must be attentive to the force of the truth proclaimed with love".

Finally the Holy Father turned his attention to "a third aspect of the Church's mission of proclaiming the life-giving word of God: ... her commitment to economic and social concerns, in particular with respect to the poorest and the weakest in society". The Church in the Philippines , he said, takes "a special interest in devoting herself more fully to care for the poor. It is heartening to see that this undertaking has borne fruit, with Catholic charitable institutions actively engaged throughout the country. Many of your fellow citizens, however, remain without employment, adequate education or basic services, and so your prophetic statements and your charitable action on behalf of the poor continue to be greatly appreciated. In addition to this effort", he concluded, "you are rightly concerned that there be an ongoing commitment to the struggle against corruption, since the growth of a just and sustainable economy will only come about when there is a clear and consistent application of the rule of law throughout the land".

A new video

2010-11-29T14:10:00.003+08:00

This one's very good!

I cannot embed the video, it is disabled, but I'll give the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkbL4xpzuk

Thank God, it is also in English!

As for the usual activities, we will only post here on occasions.. we are filled with work.. for the Church and for ourselves!

Neil

Commercial Break!

2010-11-23T22:20:00.004+08:00

Paolo here, doing some school work.

To my "family" (DILIGENCE) for the College of the Holy Spirit Family Day:

Here is the list of the participants in the upcoming family day celebration. DO READ THEM.

~Kuya Miguel

1 BSE-RVE

(Grand Relay itong 1-10 na walang name. Nota bene)

click on the image to enlarge. grazie!

A response to Carlos Celdran

2010-11-10T12:19:00.002+08:00

Actually he (Carlos) posted a bit of "good" statement about the harsh (yes we do) statements we make here in the website (Modernists do not read this blog, and so we are safe)

the We here are the authors, there are actually 3 persons running this Trad-site... the one is the Relics correspondent (sacrareliquia) and the other two are the main authors (Me and Paolo)..

We have to reiterate our statements:

1.HERETICS are not always welcome here, this is a unsafe place to visit (eh?)... they are free to ask why, but if they give a heck of a comment, we shoot or attack them (with harsh and often truthful words)... abd even to our Jewish pals-counterparts, they say I am not violating any commandment (Shalom!)

2. It is our duty to say that what Carlos did could be very damaging, not only a excommunication "latiae-sententiae" but also a civil case (which we do not recommend using... hey, we do have our Ecclesiastical courts...).. added to it is the millions of eyes "looking" at you on straight_target. It is not wrong to put sentiments in public (ie newspapers, Internet posts) but not in places where people could be hit straight in down-right anger..

3. It is also a big trouble using the Rizal costume.. Actually, as most of us know, Rizal made a bit of harsh statements on the Church... but little did all know that Rizal had many friends who were Priests, even in Spain.. but we do say that NHI should censor the parts where he speaks too much... (and gets killed for)

4. We are of course, forgiving (as all Christians do) , but it is in "tough-love" mode... and it often comes to a certain lesson... "Mercy often hangs out with Justice" as they say....

5. For the pro-choice: It is often painful to see life being ruined in the name of "the right-to-choose"... so it is necessary that Catholics defend life even to the point of losing it. But today, in the name of Modernity, most of you follow the silent dance it plays. We have no problems with the conscience (it's up to you)... but it is disheartening how some of you force the RH bill... we do have stuff such as "free will", right.. so it is necessary to let our Congress and Senate decide on what to do.. Actually the battle is NOT on that place, but on every home, and on every marital and extra-marital couple..

6. Islam (that fun-loving bunch) do kill people in the Name of "Allah".. and yes.. they do, but we Catholics do not opt for death.. because of the words of the sweet Savior "whoever has no sin casts the first stone"... so we often use the thing called "excommunication" and leave the person to decide to leave or return.. and shooting, as most readers know from some posts, is referring to our harsh and yet-truthful method of posting the Truth and attacking those who oppose it at the same time.

7. Actually, for cases like Carlos, the excommunication is automatic (latiae-sententiae)... so it does not need for a Order from the Hierarchy to be enforced...

Peace!

The authors of Neil's Blog...

Feast of the Holy Relics-November 5th

2010-11-04T18:48:00.006+08:00

(Feast of All Saints, Rome, Relic Exposition on Papal Altar of St. Peter's Basilica, photo from Orbis Catholicus Secundus)

From all the authors of Neil's Blog, we greet all fellow Custodians of Holy Relics, and all those who
conserve and cherish the sacred Relics of the Saints, a happy feast day to all of us!!!

Actually, what are shown here are the relics of some Saints, most numerous are that of Popes. I think that the relics being given at Beatifications and Canonizations are kept in the private Chapel of the Pope or somehow inside the Basilica..

For the Modernists, or for the other heretics, or simply those who do not know: hear the commentary:

Had we angels’ eyes, we should see the earth as a vast field sown with seed for the resurrection. The death of Abel made the first furrow, and, ever since, the sowing has gone on unceasingly the wide world over. This land of labor and of suffering, what treasures it already holds laid up in its bosom! And what a harvest for Heaven, when the Sun of Justice, suddenly darting forth His rays, shall cause to spring up as suddenly from the soil the elect wheat, ripe for glory! No wonder that the Church Herself blesses and superintends the laying of the precious grain in the earth.

But the Church is not content to be always sowing. Sometimes, as though impatient of delay, She raises from the ground the chosen seed She had sown therein. Her infallible discernment preserves Her from error; and, disengaging from the soil the immortal germ, She forestalls the glory of the future. She encloses the treasure in gold or precious materials, carries it in triumph, invites the multitudes to come and reverence it; or She raises new temples to the name of the blessed ones, and assigns them the highest honor of reposing under the altar, whereon She offers to God the Tremendous Sacrifice.

“Let your charity understand,” explains St. Augustine, “it is not to St. Stephen we raise an altar in this place; but of St. Stephen’s relics we make an altar to God. God loves these altars; and if you ask the reason: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints (Ps. 115: 15). In obedience to God the invisible soul has quitted its visible dwelling. But God preserves this dwelling; He is glorified by the honor we pay to this lifeless flesh; and, clothing it with the might of His Divinity, He gives it the power of working miracles.” Hence the origin of pilgrimages to the shrines of the Saints.

“Christian people,” says St. Gregory of Nyssa, “wherefore are you assembled here? A tomb has no attractions; nay, the sight of its contents inspires horror. Yet, see what eagerness to approach this sepulcher! So great an object of desire it is, that a little of the dust from around it is esteemed a gift of great price. As to beholding the remains it conceals, that is a rare favor and an enviable one, as those can testify who enjoy the privilege: they embrace the holy body as though it were yet alive, they press their lips and their eyes upon it, shedding tears of love and devotion. What emperor ever received such honor?”

“Emperors!” rejoins St. John Chrysostom, “as the porters at their gates, such have they become with regard to poor fishermen. The son of the great Constantine deemed he could not pay a higher honor to his father, than to procure him a place of sepulture in the porch of the Fisherman of Galilee.” And again, concluding his commentary on St. Paul’s admirable Epistle to the Romans, the golden-mouthed Doctor exclaims: “And now, who will grant me to prostrate myself at St. Paul’s sepulcher, to contemplate the ashes of that body which, suffering for us, filled up what was wanting of the sufferings of Christ? The dust of that mouth which spoke boldly before kings, and, showing what St. Paul was, revealed the Lord of St. Paul? The dust of that heart, truly the heart of the whole world, more lofty than the heavens, more vast than the universe, as much the heart of Christ as of St. Paul, and wherein might be read the book of grace graven by the Holy Ghost? Oh, that I might see the remains of the hands which wrote those Epistles; of the eyes which were struck with blindness and recovered their sight for our salvation; of the feet which traversed the whole earth! Yes; I would fain contemplate the tomb where repose those instruments of justice and of light, these members of Christ, this temple of the Holy Ghost. O venerable body, which, together with that of St. Peter, protects Rome more securely than all ramparts!”

In spite of such teachings as these, the heretics of the 16h century profaned the tombs of the Saints, under pretext of bringing us back to the doctrine of our forefathers. In contradiction to these strange “reformers,” the Council of Trent expressed the unanimous testimony of tradition in the following definition, which sets forth the theological reasons of the honor paid by the Church to the relics of the Saints:

“Veneration ought to be shown by the faithful to the bodies of the Martyrs and other Saints, who live with Jesus Christ. For they were His living members and the temples of the Holy Ghost; He will raise them up again to eternal life and glory; and through them God grants many blessings to mankind. Therefore, those who say that the relics of the Saints are not worthy of veneration, that it is useless for the faithful to honor them, that it is vain to visit the memorials or monuments of the Saints in order to obtain their aid, are absolutely to be condemned; and, as they have already been long ago condemned [by the Second Council of Nicaea], the Church now condemns them once more” (Council of Trent, Session 25).

Our ancestors looked upon holy relics as their greatest riches, the treasure par excellence of their cities. “Dew of heaven and fatness of the earth,” the blessings of this world and of the next, seemed to distil from the bodies of the Saints. Their presence was a check to hostile armies, as well as to the legions of Hell; it guarded morals, fostered faith, and encouraged prayer in the heart of cities, to which they attracted as great crowds as now flock to our centers of pleasure. And with what vigilance was cherished the blessed deposit, the loss whereof would have been considered the greatest of public calamities!

“I have here, my brethren,” says Cardinal Pie, “to unfold to you a marvelous design of God, Whom Scripture calls wonderful in His Saints. The Lord Jesus, Who said to His disciples: ‘Go ye and teach,’ frequently takes pleasure in sending them forth again after their death; and He makes use of their apostolate from beyond the tomb, to carry the blessings of grace to other nations besides those whom they evangelized in life. ‘I have appointed you,’ He said, ‘that you should go and should bring forth fruit.’ In obedience to this command the Saints, even after having reached the blessed term of their mortal pilgrimage, consent to become wayfarers once more. Had I leisure to recount to you all the posthumous wanderings of our illustrious Pontiffs and wonder-workers—for instance, the repeated journeys of our own Sts. Hilary and Martin during more than ten centuries—I should, though captivating your attention by narratives full of interest, run the risk of wearying you by the length of my discourse.”

Amen, amen, I say to you, he that believeth in Me, the works that I do he also shall do, and greater than these shall he do (John 14: 12). Our Lord was speaking of His Saints and disciples, who would believe in Him so fully as to place their earthly happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution. His word was to be accomplished in them during life; but frequently it was to be still more manifested after death, in the power retained by their relics of driving away demons, healing all diseases, and obtaining every grace. It is not only from the narrow province of Judea, but from the coasts of the entire world, that multitudes now flock to hear the Saints in the silent eloquence of their tombs, and to experience the virtue that goes out from them.

St. Paulinus of Nola thus speaks in his poems: “God in His goodness, has willed that the Saints should be distributed among the nations, so that their aid might never be wanting to us weak mortals. If He has given the principal cities to the greatest Saints for their residence, the grace with which they are endowed for our sake is not confined to the places where their entire bodies rest; where there are but small portions there is the same power, and God thus gives testimony to their credit in Heaven. From the holy deposit the sacred ashes are scattered abroad, and become the seeds of life: let but the least drop be taken from the spring, and it is itself a source producing rivers of grace and of love.”

Considering the unequal distribution of relics throughout the world, Rome has not fixed one universal Feast for the essentially local veneration of these precious remains. The Mass of the Holy Relics is found in the Missal, among the Masses for Various Places, on the 5th of November. In some places it has been celebrated on the 3rd, in others, on the Sunday within the Octave of All Saints; but nearly always it is celebrated, most fittingly, within that Octave.

(Promise, I'll post photos of my relics)-Neil

It's here, folks!

as promised....

2010-11-03T12:27:00.002+08:00

RITE FOR PROVIDING/BLESSING HOLY WATER

Some minor changes have been made in this rite, such as the 
omission of certain words, putting salt into the water only once, 
and the use of the short conclusion for the orations (see 
"Ephemerides Liturgicae" 75 [1961] 426). The holy-water font is a 
counterpart of the baptismal font; and the sacramental use of 
holy water is related to the great sacrament of water, baptism. 
Easter is the day par excellence for baptism, and every Sunday is 
a little Easter. Consequently, on the Lord's day the Church 
blesses water to be used in the ceremony of renewal of baptism, 
for as often as she sprinkles us with the blessed water a sign is 
given us of that sacrament which once bestowed the gift of life. 
The rubrics direct that the water may be blessed either in the 
church proper or in the sacristy. For the edification of the 
people it might be well to perform this blessing in the sight of 
the people, at least occasionally. The practice of putting salt 
into the water comes no doubt from the incident of the miraculous 
cure of the poisonous well (see 4 Kings 2.19-21), where the 
prophet Eliseus used salt to purify the water of the well.

1. On Sundays, or whenever this blessing takes place, salt and 
fresh water are prepared in the church or in the sacristy. The 
priest, vested in surplice and purple stole, says:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.

2. The exorcism of salt follows: God's creature, salt, I cast out
the demon from you by the living + God, by the true + God, by the
holy + God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water-
spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a
purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a
medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all
evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven
afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every
unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the
living and the dead and the world by fire.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy and
goodness to graciously bless + this creature, salt, which you
have given for mankind's use. May all who use it find in it a
remedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or
sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil
spirit; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Exorcism of the water:

God's creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name
of God + the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His
Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit. May you be
a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy,
in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his
fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and
the world by fire.
All: Amen.

Let us pray.
O God, who for man's welfare established the most wonderful
mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and
pour forth your blessing + on this element now being prepared
with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, when
used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast
out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water
sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be
delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of
contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles
of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this
water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the
occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your
holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be
protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

3. Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a 
cross, saying:

May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, source of irresistible might and king of an invincible
realm, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrain the force of the
adversary, silencing the uproar of his rage, and valiantly
subduing his wickedness; in awe and humility we beg you, Lord, to
regard with favor this creature thing of salt and water, to let
the light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with
the dew of your mercy; so that wherever it is sprinkled and your
holy name is invoked, every assault of the unclean spirit may be
baffled, and all dread of the serpent's venom be cast out. To us
who entreat your mercy grant that the Holy Spirit may be with us
wherever we may be; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

4. On Sundays after the water is blessed and before Mass begins 
the celebrant sprinkles the altar, himself, the ministers, and 
the people as prescribed in the Missal and in the ceremony of the 
Ritual given below.

5. Christ's faithful are permitted to take holy water home with 
them to sprinkle the sick, their homes, fields, vineyards, and 
the like. It is recommended too that they put it in fonts in the 
various rooms, so that they may use it to bless themselves daily 
and frequently.

"Holy Water is NOT Blessed Water" Priest says... (INQUIRER)

2010-11-02T17:50:00.006+08:00

MANILA, Philippines—Disturbed by [malignant, evil and lurking] spirits despite having your house blessed a couple of times [even if the Priest sprinkled 5 bottles already] ? It must be the holy water sprinkled during the house blessing.Unknown to many Catholics, holy water—a sacramental believed to provide protection from evil—is not merely water blessed by a priest, said Fr. Francis Lucas of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Citing old [and yet used] Catholic rites, Lucas said holy water also contained (blessed) salt, a basic element of the holy liquid.“The priest exorcises first the water and then exorcises the salt, mixes them and recites a special prayer usually in Latin,” said Lucas, the executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Social Communications and Mass Media.

He told reporters that the entire process could be completed in not less than five minutes.A tradition among Filipino Catholics, a house blessing is performed to ward off elementals and evil spirits. It is carried out by a priest, who sprinkles holy water in every room and corner of the house.

Generic

But some holy water being sprinkled during house blessings may be that of the “generic”1 kind or those that do not contain (blessed) salt, Lucas said.“It may be a personal opinion but some priests may not be using the formula of mixing water and salt,” he said. “But as far as I am concerned, that’s the ritual and it has very explicit symbols.”Water signifies life and purification while salt indicates the people as the “salt of the Earth,” as what Jesus had spoken in the Holy Scriptures, said the priest.

Preservative

In the book, “The Priesthood” by Auxiliary Bishop Wilhelm Stockhums, DD, salt in the holy water was to “act as a preservative, safeguarding mankind from the moral decay of sin.”Lucas said there were times that he had been requested to perform the ritual on some homes even if it had already been done in the past. “They would tell me that the disturbances or spirits have come back so there was a need for a blessing again.”Performing house cleansing for 36 years now, Lucas said the holy water derived from the traditional formula had so far never failed in driving away “disturbances” from homes for good.

If wary homeowners wanted to make sure that their homes were rid of unwanted “visitors” permanently, they could ask their priest politely if the holy water to be used contained salt, Lucas advised.“Second, the family should pray with the priest. It should not only be the priest who should pray during the blessing and that they must have candles while praying,” he added.

NOTES:

(1)- Generic blessed water is for example, the Easter Water... it is ONLY used during the Easter Season... if the Priest does not mix blessed salt to the water, it is only blessed water...

The Ancient Form of blessing/providing Holy Water may be found here and its English translation may be found on the next post.

And there goes another Filipino liturgist...

2010-10-19T12:36:00.003+08:00

I read this in Rorate Caeli, that Fr. Anscar Chupungco OSB has committed another mistake on interpreting authentic Ecclesial liturgy.

I'll render a copy and add some of my harsh and yet true comments.

Veneration of relics is “a sad chapter in the history of the liturgy”

From Anscar Chupungco’s What, Then, is Liturgy?: Musings and Memoir, Claretian Publications, Quezon City 2010, pp. 51-52:

The veneration of the bodies or relics of saints is a sad chapter (as if you did not study the liturgy in 1962) in the history of the liturgy. In the Middle Ages (and today in E-bay, geez) dealers made a big business out of the sale of bones purportedly of saints (and it did happen in that time) but later discovered, thanks to modern technology, to be of animals (and yet the authentic relics overpower the fakes! And as if the Church does not have the CCS... which determines authentic relics and "historical" relics) . Unsuspecting devotees brought them and built magnificent chapels to house richly Italian adorned reliquaries (sounds repeating!). When I was a student in Europe it was one of my diversions to look for some of the most amusing kinds of relics: a feather of St. Michael the Archangel, a piece of cloth stained with the milk of the Blessed Virgin, one of the prepuces of the Child Jesus, and believe it or not, a bottle containing the darkness of Egypt! The great (great?) reformer Martin Luther (may his tribe decrease), appalled by aberrations committed on relics, fiercely took issue with the Catholic Church. Indeed, who would not be scandalized by reports that when priests were compelled to celebrate only one Mass a day to stifle the abuses surrounding Mass stipends (there was really Canon Law at that time, so it is controlled... haaay!) , some had the temerity to simulate the Mass and raise the relic of a saint at the supposed moment of consecration (humm... a false idea on relic veneration eh?) ? I can still hear my mentor Adrian Nocent’s dismissive remark when he listened to stories of relics, private apparitions, and saccharine devotions: “It’s another religion!” (I smell something fishy about these two people....)
…
Abstracting from the deviations (it should have been "important ideas") of the past and from the odd ( but yes, sanctioned) practice of displaying dismembered parts of the bodies of saints for public veneration (he might have not properly read Dave's idea on relics), it is important to keep in mind that the liturgy gives special honor to the human body (and it is) , whether it is of a great saint or a departed ordinary Christian (Blessed)…

Adrian Nocent OSB was one of the leading lights of the liturgical (unfortunate) reform of the 1960′s.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaay naku! The issue on relics in not always a good issue to comment, and yet, there is a great morning on it...
Neil :)

On Carlos Celdran and his stunt in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Manila

2010-10-07T13:41:00.003+08:00

Hi guys, Paolo here and I'd like to share my two-cents worth on this latest uproar of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Just a summary of the issue: Famous tour-guide Carlos Celdran pulled a stunt on the "May They Be One" Bible Service in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Manila in Intramuros last week. He entered the Cathedral dressed-up as Rizal, went in front of the altar and flashed a placard with the name "Damaso" on it (see photograph), shouting protests against what he believes as the church interfering on the affairs of the state just like what happened during the Philippine Colonial Spanish Era. He was jailed by the rector of the Cathedral for "disrupting religious services". He paid 6,000 PHP ($140.00) in bail.

I personally believe that what he did is nothing short of a "ho-hum" for me. Fr. Jojo Zerrudo, the leading authority on the TLM in the Philippines said in his homily: "If the liturgy that we know today is composed of dancing and strange music as if the church was made into a multipurpose hall, then no wonder people didn't really notice something wrong when Celdran entered the Cathedral." True enough, this is a reality that we face today in most of the "improvised" liturgies today.

Furthermore, I personally believe that he did this stunt out of sheer stupidity. Want something stupider? I challenge him to go to a moslem mosque and do his stunt while the moslem people pray in their mosque.

If the Priests in Manila are praying for his conversion, then I say: "Anathema sit!"

Neil's here.... I have to agree.... and I super like the commentaries we make!

NEW HERETIC: Carlos Celdran

2010-10-04T17:38:00.005+08:00

"DAMASOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" (I laugh again and again when I hear this)

Yeah, you heard that right! That guy above is Carlos Celdran, a common tour guide roaming around in Intramuros,Manila.

This guy got a heck of trouble by romping in the Mother of all Churches of the Philippines, holding a poster with the words "Damaso" (For non-Filipino readers, Fray Damaso is a priest-friar who supposedly abused his authority for a woman named Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere, by Jose Rizal... that girl really throws my socks off because she jumps off the Church tower at the novel.) He commented on the future Satanic-rooted, abortion-supportive Reproductive Health Bill. He also shouted inside "Stop meddling in politics!"

Yeah.... I'll slap his face bit-by-bit (he does not read this blog, so were safe!)

First...Bishops, Clerics and the entire Church is against that horrendous bill. Even though the population is really booming, we must find ways on how to lessen our tribe by safe and sane means, not by providing stupid mechanisms for adding one's promiscuity...

Then, what is in stake here is our country's morality... remember, we are a Catholic country... would you mind saying that somewhere else... please do your countrymen a big favor!

Next, according to what was in the news, you said that 90% supported that bill. Then you should not be alone on that place....

Also, you must not say things that the Church does not know sexuality... You, have you read all the encyclicals by the Popes on sex, especially Humanae Vitae.... if your answer is no.... "'kaw yata ang pinakatangang tao sa balat ng mundo" ( You might be the most dumb person in the face of this world)..... thanks to our SS teacher who commented on this issue... The Church is human, so it knows and promotes human sexuality (our teacher even commented that the Catholics are one of the most sexiest religions today, why? Did you know that when you say "Body of Christ" that is the whole body of Christ, and includes its all-in-all... tell us again if we could remember)

Finally, you are a man of known manners, I would never like to say this in public, yet the usual comment on you will be "Hey you! Where's your manners! Did your parents teach you on manners!" Yes, that would really be... You did not know that not only the Bishops and the Catholics were there, but the entire Christian church with their own delegates, for a ecumenical service (even though we are Traditionalists, we respect that!) called "May they be One (Ut Unum Sint)", a Bible service for the Unity of Christians... Shame on you!!!

We remain to hit and shoot heretics if there are still people like that who exist!

This one makes me a bit uncomfortable...

2010-09-16T18:23:00.003+08:00

This is....... awful....

Traditionalists consider this as the NO gig.... yah, makes me think I want to go to the bar..

____________________________________________________________________

BETTER:

Congregation- Fidelis

Liturgy, Celebration, Mass, Benediction- Liturgiae Sacrae

Pilgrim Pass -Heretic-proof stubs!

Spiritual, Uplifting- Pious Sentiments inspired by Sacred Liturgies!

Blessed Sacrament- (in English, The Most Holy and August Sacrament of the Altar... long eh? that's heretic-proof!)

Holy Communion- Communion of the Faithful (as if this was TLM)

Liturgists- for the Pope: Papal Master of Ceremonies
for the rest: use it as usual

Pope and Concelebrants- The Most Holy Father, and his Concelebrants... but it's safe to use the first term anyway!

Altar- Altar of Sacrifice (not a table.. what, you can play even mahjong on a plain table..)

Sanctuary- As is.....

Sacristy- Sancta Sanctorum's hidden room.... wow!

I'll comment on what the NO people had posted...

Reform of the Reform: New Rite of the Mass: A bit closer, pleez!

2010-09-01T18:43:00.002+08:00

Yah, the Mass is changing one more time, backwards (to Neil's relief, and for some as well)....

I read the new Order of Mass, and the replies go as this:

V. The Lord be with you
R. And with thy spirit

And:

P:The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion (notice that it is not fellowship) of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.

Seems a bit awkward, no? But this will be the norm starting this Nov 2011, for the Dioceses of America (when will Filippine get to use this one).... To answer some questions/complaints posted on some liberal sites:

) The new translation is not needed

Oh puhleez! It is needed, not because of the scandals of the recent days, but that these make it more close to the Latin text... and this will make it more clear for the person to understand.. The Old 1970's guy has a lot of defects, so we really need to change it...

2) There will be too much confusion with the new translation

How come? For the usual Catholic, it was a shock that the liturgy changed overnight in the middle of Vatican II (Yah, Bugnini, may his tribe lessen!).... So, it was not hard for the average Catholic to change the language, how 'bout the words!

3) The new translation is too literal

It must be, in order to make it accurate. You do not have to add up the liturgical mumbo-jumbo of the 1970's to compare it with this one.... remember, originality is a heresy, it is often said that 2+2 make four, and to say that it will make 3.14 is really wrong! Try to read up (for Trad-Cats) their old Missals, and they'll get it!

4) This is a “step backwards”

And it will be, in order to favor our reigning Pontiff's wishes to make the Liturgy closer to the pre-Vatican II days! Liberals will have to step off or silence their own heresies to get why! A step backwards means a closer union with the Church truly Catholic

5) The new translation will be too hard to understand

NO! It is easier than having it in all-Latin (which is better for us)....

Lastly.... (on Latin) the baby does not know English, but the devil knows a 'lotta Latin there....

Augustii XXI- Festae S. Pius X, Summi Pontificis, Confessoris

2010-08-21T13:49:00.003+08:00

"Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven."

5 reasons why he is the Patron of Traditional Catholics:

1. He wrote the famous encyclicals "Pascendi Dominici Gregis" and "Lamentabili Sane Exitu"... to cut up the tongue of the malicious Modernists, and worse... most of what is seen in the Vatican II Church is described there.

2. He frequently asked his flock to receive as much as often, the Most Holy Sacrament of the
Altar... much of a antidote against those heretics and their schisms!

3. He promoted devotion to St. Philomena, Virgin and Martyr....... remember that the post-Conciliar Church removed (or rather depopularized) her feastday on August 11.. maybe
she strikes fear in the hearts of those who hate the Faith...

"...to discredit the present decisions and declarations concerning Saint Philomena as not being permanent, stable, valid and effective, necessary of obedience, and in full-effect for all eternity, proceeds from an element that is null and void and without merit or authority." (1912)

4. He wanted all of the clergy, theologians, and for now, all Traditional Catholics to swear the oath
against Modernism..

If you want to recite the oath, go HERE !

5. He lived a life of total sanctity, and in return, received many visions, prophecies and ecstasies..
Heaven does give them to persons who are very holy!

And then again, Happy Feastday!

Oh.... I forgot!

2010-07-09T16:26:00.003+08:00

Yes, I aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmm back!

I just recently stumbled upon the blog of my fellow-expert Neil Capidos, CSSR (yes, he is!)

---------------------------------here------------------------------------------------

Oh, by the way, there are several (OR LOTS OF) relics that arrived in the Custos.

Uhmm...

Blessed Isidore Bakanja, Martyr of the Scapular in Congo.
St. Crescentia Hoss, Virgin and Abbess,
Spanish Amigonian Martyrs:

Chullo Ferrandis Salvador (Ambrosio Maria de Torrente). Priest. (* Torrente, Valencia, 16-IV-1866 + Torrente, 18-IX-1936).

Jorda Manuel Ferrer (Benito Maria de Burriana). Brother. (* Burriana, Castellón, 26-XI-1872 + Calabra Masia de Turis, 16-IX-1936).

Crescencio Garcia Pobo. Priest. (* Celadas, Teruel, 15-IV-1903 + Madrid, 3-X-1936).

Vincent Gay Zarzo (Modesto Modesto Maria de Torrente). Brother. (* Torrente, Valencia, 19-I-1885 + Torrente, 18-IX-1936).

Urban Sáez Gil (* Albarracin, Teruel 9-111-1901 + La Pobla de Vallbona, Valencia, 23-VIII-1936).

Agustín Hurtado Soler (Domingo Miaría de Alboraya). Priest. (* Alboraya, 28-VIII-1872 + Madrid, 15-VIII-1936).

Jaunzarás, Vincent Gomez (Valentín María de Torrente). Priest. (* Torrente, Valencia, 6-III-1896 + Torrente, 18-IX-1936).

Cardet Salvador Ferrer (Laureano Maria de Burriana). Priest (* Burriana, Castellón, 13-VIII-1884 + Masiá of Calabra 16-IX-1936).

Manuel Legua Marti (León María de Alacuás). Priest. (* Alacuás, Valencia, 23-IV-1875 + Madrid, 26-IX-1936).

Justo Lerma Marúnez (Francisco Maria de Torrente). Brother. (* Torrente, Valencia, 12-XI-1886 - Torrente, 18-IX-1936).

Llópez José María Mora (Recaredo Maria de Torrente). Brother. (* Torrente, Valencia, 22-VIII-1874 + Torrente, 18-IX-1936).

Jose Llosa Balaguer. Brother. Benaguacil, Valencia, 23-VIII-1901 + Benisanó, Valencia, 7-X-1936).

Paul Martinez Robles (Bernardino Maria Andujar). Brother. (* Andujar, Jaen, January 28, 1879 + Masiá of Calabra, Turis, 16-IX-1936).

Florentin Perez Romero. Priest. (* Valdecuenca, Teruel, 14-III-1904 + La Pobla de Vallbona, Valencia, 23-VIII-1936).

Jose Maria Sanchis Monpás (Benifayó Mary Gabriel). Brother. (* Benifayó, Valencia, October 8, 1858 + Benifayó, 16-VIII-1936).

Francis Thomas Serer. Priest. (* Alcalalí, Alicante, 11-X-1911 & Madrid, 2-VIII-1936).

Timothy Perez Valero. Priest. (* Terriente, Teruel, 24-I-1901 + Vicalvaro, Madrid, 17-IX-1936).

Coupled with this group, the canonical process, is also:

Moyon Carmen Garcia. lay cooperator. (* Nantes, France, 13-IX-1888 + Torrent, 01/30/1937). Having tried to rape her, the militiamen poured gasoline and burned her alive.

(yes, that is a lot in one theca!)

St. John Vianney,

and Blessed Michal Sopocko, confessor of St. Faustina

Decretum CONGREGATIONIS de CAUSIS SANCTORUM

2010-03-30T16:34:00.000+08:00

DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

VATICAN CITY, 27 MAR 2010 ( VIS ) - Today, during a private audience with Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorized the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:

MIRACLES

- Blessed Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro, Spanish foundress of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of St. Joseph (1837-1905).

- Servant of God Juan de Palafox y Mendoza , Spanish bishop of Osma (1600-1659).

- Servant of God Maria Barbara of the Blessed Trinity (nee Barbara Maix), Austrian foundress of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (1818-1873).

- Servant of God Anna Maria Adorni, Italian foundress of the Congregation of Handmaidens of Blessed Mary Immaculate and of the Institute of the Good Shepherd of Parma (1805-1893).

- Servant of God Mary of the Immaculate Conception (nee Maria Isabella Salvat y Romero), Spanish superior general of the Institute of Sisters of the Company of the Cross (1926-1998).

- Servant of God Stephen Nehme (ne Joseph), Lebanese professed religious of the Order of Maronites (1889-1938).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Szilard Bogdanffy, Romanian bishop of Oradea Mare of the Latins, died in prison in Nagyenyed , Romania (1911-1953).

- Servant of God Gerhard Hirschfelder, German diocesan priest, died in Dachau concentration camp (1907-1942).

- Servant of God Luigi Grozde, Slovenian layman and member of Catholic Action, killed at Mirna in hatred of the faith (1923-1943).

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Francesco Antonio Marcucci, Italian archbishop-bishop of Montalto (1717-1798).

- Servant of God Ivan Franjo Gnidovec, Slovenian bishop of Skopje-Prizren, (1873-1939).

- Servant of God Luigi Novarese, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Silent Workers of the Cross (1914-1984).

- Servant of God Henriette DeLille, American foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family (1813-1862).

- Servant of God Maria Theresia (nee Regina Christine Wilhelmine Bonzel), German foundress of the Institute of Poor Franciscan Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration, of the Third Order of St. Francis (1830-1905).

- Servant of God Maria Frances of the Cross (nee Franziska Amalia Streitel), German foundress of the Institute of Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows (1844-1911).

- Servant of God Maria Felicia of the Sacramental Jesus (nee Maria Felicia Guggiari Echevarria), Paraguayan professed sister of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. (1925-1959).

CSS/DECREES/AMATO VIS 100329 (390

2010-03-24T16:28:00.002+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 22 MAR 2010 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today published the calendar of ceremonies to be presided by Benedict XVI during Holy Week.

- Sunday 28 March: Palm Sunday and Our Lord's Passion; 25th World Youth Day on the theme: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?". At 9.30 a .m. in St. Peter's Square, blessing of palms, procession and Mass.

- Thursday 1 April: Holy Thursday. At 9.30 a .m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Chrism Mass. At 5.30 p.m. in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, beginning of Easter Triduum of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection with the Mass of Our Lord's Last Supper. Collection to be donated for the reconstruction of the seminary in Port-au-Prince , Haiti .

- Friday 2 April: Good Friday. At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, celebration of the Passion of Our Lord. Way of the Cross at the Colosseum at 9.15 p.m.

- Saturday 3 April: Easter Saturday. At 9 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, beginning of Easter Vigil.

- Sunday 4 April: Easter Sunday. At 10.15 a .m., Mass in St. Peter's Square. At midday, "Urbi et Orbi" blessing from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica.

OCL/HOLY WEEK CELEBRATIONS/... VIS 100322 (220)

As part of our penance, we have not posted this much during the Lenten season... may we have a good celebration of the Easter Triduum next week!

HOLY FATHER'S PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND

2010-03-22T16:25:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAR 2010 ( VIS ) - Given below is the complete text of the Holy Father's Pastoral Letter of The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland:

1. Dear brothers and sisters of the Church in Ireland , it is with great concern that I write to you as Pastor of the universal Church. Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland , particularly by priests and religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.

As you know, I recently invited the Irish bishops to a meeting here in Rome to give an account of their handling of these matters in the past and to outline the steps they have taken to respond to this grave situation. Together with senior officials of the Roman Curia, I listened to what they had to say, both individually and as a group, as they offered an analysis of mistakes made and lessons learned, and a description of the programmes and protocols now in place. Our discussions were frank and constructive. I am confident that, as a result, the bishops will now be in a stronger position to carry forward the work of repairing past injustices and confronting the broader issues associated with the abuse of minors in a way consonant with the demands of justice and the teachings of the Gospel.

2. For my part, considering the gravity of these offences, and the often inadequate response to them on the part of the ecclesiastical authorities in your country, I have decided to write this Pastoral Letter to express my closeness to you and to propose a path of healing, renewal and reparation.

It is true, as many in your country have pointed out, that the problem of child abuse is peculiar neither to Ireland nor to the Church. Nevertheless, the task you now face is to address the problem of abuse that has occurred within the Irish Catholic community, and to do so with courage and determination. No one imagines that this painful situation will be resolved swiftly. Real progress has been made, yet much more remains to be done. Perseverance and prayer are needed, with great trust in the healing power of God's grace.

At the same time, I must also express my conviction that, in order to recover from this grievous wound, the Church in Ireland must first acknowledge before the Lord and before others the serious sins committed against defenceless children. Such an acknowledgement, accompanied by sincere sorrow for the damage caused to these victims and their families, must lead to a concerted effort to ensure the protection of children from similar crimes in the future.

As you take up the challenges of this hour, I ask you to remember "the rock from which you were hewn". Reflect upon the generous, often heroic, contributions made by past generations of Irish men and women to the Church and to humanity as a whole, and let this provide the impetus for honest self-examination and a committed programme of ecclesial and individual renewal. It is my prayer that, assisted by the intercession of her many saints and purified through penance, the Church in Ireland will overcome the present crisis and become once more a convincing witness to the truth and the goodness of Almighty God, made manifest in His Son Jesus Christ.

3. Historically, the Catholics of Ireland have proved an enormous force for good at home and abroad. Celtic monks like St. Columbanus spread the Gospel in Western Europe and laid the foundations of mediaeval monastic culture. The ideals of holiness, charity and transcendent wisdom born of the Christian faith found expression in the building of churches and monasteries and the establishment of schools, libraries and hospitals, all of which helped to consolidate the spiritual identity of Europe . Those Irish missionaries drew their strength and inspiration from the firm faith, strong leadership and upright morals of the Church in their native land.

From the sixteenth century on, Catholics in Ireland endured a long period of persecution, during which they struggled to keep the flame of faith alive in dangerous and difficult circumstances. St. Oliver Plunkett, the martyred archbishop of Armagh, is the most famous example of a host of courageous sons and daughters of Ireland who were willing to lay down their lives out of fidelity to the Gospel. After Catholic Emancipation, the Church was free to grow once more. Families and countless individuals who had preserved the faith in times of trial became the catalyst for the great resurgence of Irish Catholicism in the nineteenth century. The Church provided education, especially for the poor, and this was to make a major contribution to Irish society. Among the fruits of the new Catholic schools was a rise in vocations: generations of missionary priests, sisters and brothers left their homeland to serve in every continent, especially in the English-speaking world. They were remarkable not only for their great numbers, but for the strength of their faith and the steadfastness of their pastoral commitment. Many dioceses, especially in Africa, America and Australia , benefited from the presence of Irish clergy and religious who preached the Gospel and established parishes, schools and universities, clinics and hospitals that served both Catholics and the community at large, with particular attention to the needs of the poor.

In almost every family in Ireland , there has been someone - a son or a daughter, an aunt or an uncle - who has given his or her life to the Church. Irish families rightly esteem and cherish their loved ones who have dedicated their lives to Christ, sharing the gift of faith with others, and putting that faith into action in loving service of God and neighbour.

4. In recent decades, however, the Church in your country has had to confront new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid transformation and secularisation of Irish society. Fast-paced social change has occurred, often adversely affecting people's traditional adherence to Catholic teaching and values. All too often, the sacramental and devotional practices that sustain faith and enable it to grow, such as frequent confession, daily prayer and annual retreats, were neglected. Significant too was the tendency during this period, also on the part of priests and religious, to adopt ways of thinking and assessing secular realities without sufficient reference to the Gospel. The programme of renewal proposed by the Vatican Council II was sometimes misinterpreted and indeed, in the light of the profound social changes that were taking place, it was far from easy to know how best to implement it. In particular, there was a well-intentioned but misguided tendency to avoid penal approaches to canonically irregular situations. It is in this overall context that we must try to understand the disturbing problem of child sexual abuse, which has contributed in no small measure to the weakening of faith and the loss of respect for the Church and her teachings.

Only by examining carefully the many elements that gave rise to the present crisis can a clear-sighted diagnosis of its causes be undertaken and effective remedies be found. Certainly, among the contributing factors we can include: inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of candidates for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient human, moral, intellectual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in society to favour the clergy and other authority figures; and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting in failure to apply existing canonical penalties and to safeguard the dignity of every person. Urgent action is needed to address these factors, which have had such tragic consequences in the lives of victims and their families, and have obscured the light of the Gospel to a degree that not even centuries of persecution succeeded in doing.

5. On several occasions since my election to the See of Peter, I have met with victims of sexual abuse, as indeed I am ready to do in the future. I have sat with them, I have listened to their stories, I have acknowledged their suffering, and I have prayed with them and for them. Earlier in my pontificate, in my concern to address this matter, I asked the bishops of Ireland, "to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes".

With this Letter, I wish to exhort all of you, as God's people in Ireland , to reflect on the wounds inflicted on Christ's body, the sometimes painful remedies needed to bind and heal them, and the need for unity, charity and mutual support in the long-term process of restoration and ecclesial renewal. I now turn to you with words that come from my heart, and I wish to speak to each of you individually and to all of you as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

6. To the victims of abuse and their families

You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated. Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of what happened to you, no one would listen. Those of you who were abused in residential institutions must have felt that there was no escape from your sufferings. It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the Church. In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel. At the same time, I ask you not to lose hope. It is in the communion of the Church that we encounter the person of Jesus Christ, who was Himself a victim of injustice and sin. Like you, He still bears the wounds of His own unjust suffering. He understands the depths of your pain and its enduring effect upon your lives and your relationships, including your relationship with the Church.

I know some of you find it difficult even to enter the doors of a church after all that has occurred. Yet Christ's own wounds, transformed by His redemptive sufferings, are the very means by which the power of evil is broken and we are reborn to life and hope. I believe deeply in the healing power of his self-sacrificing love - even in the darkest and most hopeless situations - to bring liberation and the promise of a new beginning.

Speaking to you as a pastor concerned for the good of all God's children, I humbly ask you to consider what I have said. I pray that, by drawing nearer to Christ and by participating in the life of His Church - a Church purified by penance and renewed in pastoral charity - you will come to rediscover Christ's infinite love for each one of you. I am confident that in this way you will be able to find reconciliation, deep inner healing and peace.

7. To priests and religious who have abused children

You betrayed the trust that was placed in you by innocent young people and their parents, and you must answer for it before Almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals. You have forfeited the esteem of the people of Ireland and brought shame and dishonour upon your confreres. Those of you who are priests violated the sanctity of the sacrament of Holy Orders in which Christ makes Himself present in us and in our actions. Together with the immense harm done to victims, great damage has been done to the Church and to the public perception of the priesthood and religious life.

I urge you to examine your conscience, take responsibility for the sins you have committed, and humbly express your sorrow. Sincere repentance opens the door to God's forgiveness and the grace of true amendment.

By offering prayers and penances for those you have wronged, you should seek to atone personally for your actions. Christ's redeeming sacrifice has the power to forgive even the gravest of sins, and to bring forth good from even the most terrible evil. At the same time, God's justice summons us to give an account of our actions and to conceal nothing. Openly acknowledge your guilt, submit yourselves to the demands of justice, but do not despair of God's mercy.

8. To parents

You have been deeply shocked to learn of the terrible things that took place in what ought to be the safest and most secure environment of all. In today's world it is not easy to build a home and to bring up children. They deserve to grow up in security, loved and cherished, with a strong sense of their identity and worth. They have a right to be educated in authentic moral values rooted in the dignity of the human person, to be inspired by the truth of our Catholic faith and to learn ways of behaving and acting that lead to healthy self-esteem and lasting happiness. This noble but demanding task is entrusted in the first place to you, their parents. I urge you to play your part in ensuring the best possible care of children, both at home and in society as a whole, while the Church, for her part, continues to implement the measures adopted in recent years to protect young people in parish and school environments. As you carry out your vital responsibilities, be assured that I remain close to you and I offer you the support of my prayers.

9. To the children and young people of Ireland

I wish to offer you a particular word of encouragement. Your experience of the Church is very different from that of your parents and grandparents. The world has changed greatly since they were your age. Yet all people, in every generation, are called to travel the same path through life, whatever their circumstances may be. We are all scandalised by the sins and failures of some of the Church's members, particularly those who were chosen especially to guide and serve young people. But it is in the Church that you will find Jesus Christ, Who is the same yesterday, today and for ever. He loves you and He has offered himself on the cross for you. Seek a personal relationship with Him within the communion of His Church, for He will never betray your trust! He alone can satisfy your deepest longings and give your lives their fullest meaning by directing them to the service of others. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and His goodness, and shelter the flame of faith in your heart. Together with your fellow Catholics in Ireland , I look to you to be faithful disciples of our Lord and to bring your much-needed enthusiasm and idealism to the rebuilding and renewal of our beloved Church.

10. To the priests and religious of Ireland

All of us are suffering as a result of the sins of our confreres who betrayed a sacred trust or failed to deal justly and responsibly with allegations of abuse. In view of the outrage and indignation which this has provoked, not only among the lay faithful but among yourselves and your religious communities, many of you feel personally discouraged, even abandoned. I am also aware that in some people's eyes you are tainted by association, and viewed as if you were somehow responsible for the misdeeds of others. At this painful time, I want to acknowledge the dedication of your priestly and religious lives and apostolates, and I invite you to reaffirm your faith in Christ, your love of His Church and your confidence in the Gospel's promise of redemption, forgiveness and interior renewal. In this way, you will demonstrate for all to see that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.

I know that many of you are disappointed, bewildered and angered by the way these matters have been handled by some of your superiors. Yet, it is essential that you co-operate closely with those in authority and help to ensure that the measures adopted to respond to the crisis will be truly evangelical, just and effective. Above all, I urge you to become ever more clearly men and women of prayer, courageously following the path of conversion, purification and reconciliation. In this way, the Church in Ireland will draw new life and vitality from your witness to the Lord's redeeming power made visible in your lives.

11. To my brother bishops

It cannot be denied that some of you and your predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse. Serious mistakes were made in responding to allegations. I recognise how difficult it was to grasp the extent and complexity of the problem, to obtain reliable information and to make the right decisions in the light of conflicting expert advice. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that grave errors of judgement were made and failures of leadership occurred. All this has seriously undermined your credibility and effectiveness. I appreciate the efforts you have made to remedy past mistakes and to guarantee that they do not happen again. Besides fully implementing the norms of canon law in addressing cases of child abuse, continue to co-operate with the civil authorities in their area of competence. Clearly, religious superiors should do likewise. They too have taken part in recent discussions here in Rome with a view to establishing a clear and consistent approach to these matters. It is imperative that the child safety norms of the Church in Ireland be continually revised and updated and that they be applied fully and impartially in conformity with canon law.

Only decisive action carried out with complete honesty and transparency will restore the respect and good will of the Irish people towards the Church to which we have consecrated our lives. This must arise, first and foremost, from your own self-examination, inner purification and spiritual renewal. The Irish people rightly expect you to be men of God, to be holy, to live simply, to pursue personal conversion daily. For them, in the words of St. Augustine , you are a bishop; yet with them you are called to be a follower of Christ. I therefore exhort you to renew your sense of accountability before God, to grow in solidarity with your people and to deepen your pastoral concern for all the members of your flock. In particular, I ask you to be attentive to the spiritual and moral lives of each one of your priests. Set them an example by your own lives, be close to them, listen to their concerns, offer them encouragement at this difficult time and stir up the flame of their love for Christ and their commitment to the service of their brothers and sisters.

The lay faithful, too, should be encouraged to play their proper part in the life of the Church. See that they are formed in such a way that they can offer an articulate and convincing account of the Gospel in the midst of modern society and cooperate more fully in the Church's life and mission. This in turn will help you once again become credible leaders and witnesses to the redeeming truth of Christ.

12. To all the faithful of Ireland

A young person's experience of the Church should always bear fruit in a personal and life-giving encounter with Jesus Christ within a loving, nourishing community. In this environment, young people should be encouraged to grow to their full human and spiritual stature, to aspire to high ideals of holiness, charity and truth, and to draw inspiration from the riches of a great religious and cultural tradition. In our increasingly secularised society, where even we Christians often find it difficult to speak of the transcendent dimension of our existence, we need to find new ways to pass on to young people the beauty and richness of friendship with Jesus Christ in the communion of His Church. In confronting the present crisis, measures to deal justly with individual crimes are essential, yet on their own they are not enough: a new vision is needed, to inspire present and future generations to treasure the gift of our common faith. By treading the path marked out by the Gospel, by observing the commandments and by conforming your lives ever more closely to the figure of Jesus Christ, you will surely experience the profound renewal that is so urgently needed at this time. I invite you all to persevere along this path.

13. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is out of deep concern for all of you at this painful time in which the fragility of the human condition has been so starkly revealed that I have wished to offer these words of encouragement and support. I hope that you will receive them as a sign of my spiritual closeness and my confidence in your ability to respond to the challenges of the present hour by drawing renewed inspiration and strength from Ireland 's noble traditions of fidelity to the Gospel, perseverance in the faith and steadfastness in the pursuit of holiness. In solidarity with all of you, I am praying earnestly that, by God's grace, the wounds afflicting so many individuals and families may be healed and that the Church in Ireland may experience a season of rebirth and spiritual renewal.

14. I now wish to propose to you some concrete initiatives to address the situation.

At the conclusion of my meeting with the Irish bishops, I asked that Lent this year be set aside as a time to pray for an outpouring of God's mercy and the Holy Spirit's gifts of holiness and strength upon the Church in your country. I now invite all of you to devote your Friday penances, for a period of one year, between now and Easter 2011, to this intention. I ask you to offer up your fasting, your prayer, your reading of Scripture and your works of mercy in order to obtain the grace of healing and renewal for the Church in Ireland . I encourage you to discover anew the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to avail yourselves more frequently of the transforming power of its grace.

Particular attention should also be given to Eucharistic adoration, and in every diocese there should be churches or chapels specifically devoted to this purpose. I ask parishes, seminaries, religious houses and monasteries to organise periods of Eucharistic adoration, so that all have an opportunity to take part. Through intense prayer before the real presence of the Lord, you can make reparation for the sins of abuse that have done so much harm, at the same time imploring the grace of renewed strength and a deeper sense of mission on the part of all bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful.

I am confident that this programme will lead to a rebirth of the Church in Ireland in the fullness of God's own truth, for it is the truth that sets us free.

Furthermore, having consulted and prayed about the matter, I intend to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses in Ireland , as well as seminaries and religious congregations. Arrangements for the Visitation, which is intended to assist the local Church on her path of renewal, will be made in co-operation with the competent offices of the Roman Curia and the Irish Episcopal Conference. The details will be announced in due course.

I also propose that a nationwide Mission be held for all bishops, priests and religious. It is my hope that, by drawing on the expertise of experienced preachers and retreat-givers from Ireland and from elsewhere, and by exploring anew the conciliar documents, the liturgical rites of ordination and profession, and recent pontifical teaching, you will come to a more profound appreciation of your respective vocations, so as to rediscover the roots of your faith in Jesus Christ and to drink deeply from the springs of living water that he offers you through His Church.

In this Year for Priests, I commend to you most particularly the figure of St. John Mary Vianney, who had such a rich understanding of the mystery of the priesthood. "The priest", he wrote, "holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of His goods". The Cure d'Ars understood well how greatly blessed a community is when served by a good and holy priest: "A good shepherd, a pastor after God's heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish, and one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy". Through the intercession of St. John Mary Vianney, may the priesthood in Ireland be revitalised, and may the whole Church in Ireland grow in appreciation for the great gift of the priestly ministry.

I take this opportunity to thank in anticipation all those who will be involved in the work of organising the Apostolic Visitation and the Mission , as well as the many men and women throughout Ireland already working for the safety of children in church environments. Since the time when the gravity and extent of the problem of child sexual abuse in Catholic institutions first began to be fully grasped, the Church has done an immense amount of work in many parts of the world in order to address and remedy it. While no effort should be spared in improving and updating existing procedures, I am encouraged by the fact that the current safeguarding practices adopted by local Churches are being seen, in some parts of the world, as a model for other institutions to follow.

I wish to conclude this Letter with a special Prayer for the Church in Ireland , which I send to you with the care of a father for his children and with the affection of a fellow Christian, scandalised and hurt by what has occurred in our beloved Church. As you make use of this prayer in your families, parishes and communities, may the Blessed Virgin Mary protect and guide each of you to a closer union with her Son, crucified and risen. With great affection and unswerving confidence in God's promises, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in the Lord.

From the Vatican , 19 March 2010, on the Solemnity of St. Joseph

Prayer for the Church in Ireland

God of our fathers,

renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation,

the hope which promises forgiveness and interior renewal,

the charity which purifies and opens our hearts

to love you, and in you, each of our brothers and sisters.

Lord Jesus Christ,

may the Church in Ireland renew her age-old commitment

to the education of our young people in the way of truth and goodness, holiness and generous service to society.

Holy Spirit, comforter, advocate and guide,

inspire a new springtime of holiness and apostolic zeal

for the Church in Ireland .

May our sorrow and our tears,

our sincere effort to redress past wrongs,

and our firm purpose of amendment

bear an abundant harvest of grace

for the deepening of the faith

in our families, parishes, schools and communities,

for the spiritual progress of Irish society,

and the growth of charity, justice, joy and peace

within the whole human family.

To you, Triune God,

confident in the loving protection of Mary,

Queen of Ireland , our Mother,

and of St. Patrick, St. Brigid and all the saints,

do we entrust ourselves, our children,

and the needs of the Church in Ireland .

Litany of Mercy (own version)

2010-03-17T15:21:00.000+08:00

Κύριε ἐλέησον, Κύριε ἐλέησον, Κύριε ἐλέησον.
-Ἔτι δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ τοῦ εἰσακοῦσαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεως ἡμῶν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ ἐλεῆσαι ἡμᾶς.
-Κύριε ἐλέησον, Κύριε ἐλέησον, Κύριε ἐλέησον.

Lord, grant your mercy on us, pardon us especially for those whom we hurt.

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those falsely accused by us that they had done evil.

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those whom we had given an inconvenience

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those whom we have not given mercy

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those persons, who by our actions, has been affected with troubles

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those who hurt us

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those who persecute and maliciously destroy our identity

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those who destroy the Church with their bad examples

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those who help us

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For those whom we have been helped

Κύριε ἐλέησον

For the Church

Κύριε ἐλέησον

Lord Have Mercy on us!

Κύριε ἐλέησον

-Again we pray that the Lord God will hear the voices of the petitions of us sinners and have mercy on us.

Amen!

extract of the Pope's message for World Youth Day 2010

2010-03-17T15:19:00.001+08:00

"The present 25th Youth Day represents a stage on the journey towards the next World Youth Day, which will take place in August 2011 in Madrid , Spain , where I hope many of you will come to experience that event of grace.

"To prepare ourselves for this celebration, I would like to suggest some reflections on this year's theme: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?", taken from the Gospel account of Jesus' meeting with the rich young man, a topic already considered in 1985 by Pope John Paul II in a most beautiful Letter, addressed to young people for the first time".

1. Jesus Meets a Young Man

"The Gospel narrative effectively expresses Jesus' great concern for young people. ... His desire is to meet with you personally and establish a dialogue with each one of you".

2. Jesus Looked at Him and Loved Him

"In the evangelical narrative, St. Mark stresses how 'Jesus looking at him, loved him'. The Lord's gaze was at the core of that very special encounter, and of all Christian experience. In fact, Christianity is not primarily an ethic, but an experience of Jesus Christ Who loves us personally, young and old, poor and rich; He loves us even when we turn our backs on Him".

"The awareness that ... Christ loves everyone and always ... enables us to overcome any trial: ... sins, suffering or discouragement. In this love lies the source of all Christian life and the fundamental reason for evangelisation; for if we have truly found Jesus, we cannot but bear witness to Him to those people who have not yet encountered His gaze".

3. Discovering a Plan for Life

"The rich young man asks Jesus: 'What must I do?' The stage of life you are currently experiencing is a time of discovery: discovery of the gifts that God has lavished on you, and of your responsibilities. It is, moreover, a time of fundamental choices to create a plan for your lives. It is a moment, therefore, to question yourselves about the authentic meaning of existence and to ask: 'Am I satisfied with my life? Is there something lacking?'"

"Do not be afraid to address these questions! ... They await answers, answers that are not superficial but able to satisfy your authentic expectations of life and happiness. To discover the life plan that can make you fully happy, listen to God, Who has a plan of love for each one of you.

4. Come and follow me!

"The Christian vocation springs from a proposal of love from the Lord, and can only be fulfilled through a response of love. ... Dear friends, following the example of so many disciples of Christ, joyfully accept His invitation to follow, in order to live intensely and fruitfully in this world.

"The sadness of the rich young man of the Gospel is that which arises in the heart when a person does not have the courage to follow Christ, to make the right choice. However, it is never too late to respond to Him!

"In this Year for Priests, I would like to exhort boys and young men to be attentive as to whether the Lord is inviting them to a greater gift ... in ordained ministry, and generously and enthusiastically to make themselves ready to accept this sign of special predilection, undertaking with a priest or spiritual director the necessary path of discernment. Do not be afraid, dear young people, if the Lord calls you to the religious, monastic or missionary life, or to a life of special consecration: He is able to give profound joy to those who respond with courage.

"Moreover, I invite all those who feel the vocation to marriage to accept it with faith, committing themselves to laying solid foundations for a love that is great, faithful and open to the gift of life, which is a source of richness and grace for society and the Church".

5. Oriented to Eternal Life

"To ask ourselves about the definitive future awaiting each of us gives full meaning to existence, because it orients our life plan toward horizons that are not limited or fleeting, but broad and profound; horizons which lead us to love the world so loved by God himself, to dedicate ourselves to its development, but always with the freedom and joy born of faith and hope. These horizons help us not to make absolute values of earthly realities, aware that God is opening greater prospects for us. ... Dear young people, I exhort you not to forget this perspective in your own lives: We are called to eternity".

6. The Commandments, the Way of Authentic Love

"Jesus also asks you if you know the commandments, if you are concerned to form your conscience according to divine law and if you will put it into practice. These are certainly questions that go against the tide of the present-day mentality, which presents freedom as disconnected from values, rules and objective norms, and invites us to reject any limitation to momentary desires".

"God gave us the commandments because He wants to educate us to true freedom, because He wants to build with us a Kingdom of love, justice and peace. To listen to them and to put them into practice does not mean to be alienated, but to find the path of authentic freedom and love, because the commandments do not limit happiness, but show how to find it".

7. We Have Need of You

"Young people today find themselves facing many problems arising from unemployment, and from the lack of solid ideals, and of concrete prospects for the future. ... Despite the difficulties, do not let yourselves be discouraged and do not give up your dreams! Rather, cultivate great desires of fraternity, justice and peace in your hearts. The future is in the hands of people who know how to seek and discover powerful reasons for life and hope"

"In my recent Encyclical 'Caritas in Veritate' on integral human development, I listed some of the great modern challenges, which are urgent and essential for the life of this world: the use of the resources of the earth, respect for ecology, the just division of wealth, the control of financial mechanisms, solidarity with poor countries, ... the struggle against hunger in the world, the promotion of the dignity of human work, service to the culture of life, the building of peace between peoples, inter-religious dialogue, and the correct use of the social communications media.

"These are challenges to which you are called to respond in order to build a more just and fraternal world; challenges that call for an exacting and passionate life plan, into which to pour all your richness according to the design that God has for each one of you".

"In this Year for Priests, I invite you to study the lives of the saints, especially those of saintly priests. You will see that God guided them and that they found their path day after day, in faith, hope and love. Christ calls each of you to commit yourselves, with Him, and to assume your responsibilities to build a civilisation of love".

------note: Every year the Pope publishes this kinds of statements. the next international WYD will be on August 2011 at Madrid, Spain

Alternative Reliquary

2010-02-16T12:44:00.002+08:00

Here's how it goes,

Isang araw, napadpad ako sa isang made-in-china store (eh chikwa yun eh!, hate ko dyan. gusto ko orig!)

Naghahanap ako ng frame para sa mga relics bukas, at nang may.....

CRASH....BLAGKABLAGKAG...(ting-bling)

at nakita ko isang clock na parang reliquary..... sabi ko sa mom ko "bili agad kuya nito", "o sige", reply ni mommy... so yun.. (hehehehehe)

Then, tinangal ko ang clock (na mumurahin), at nilagyan ng felt.... yun, nilagay ko ang relics and presto, wow, ang ganda!!!

Kung gusto nyo makita ang aking nagawa, check out dito:

http://flickr.com/photos/sacrareliquia

Heheeee!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Neil

Message of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI for the Season of Lent 2010

2010-02-11T12:07:00.000+08:00

“The justice of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ” (cf. Rm 3, 21-22)

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Each year, on the occasion of Lent, the Church invites us to a sincere review of our life in light of the teachings of the Gospel. This year, I would like to offer you some reflections on the great theme of justice, beginning from the Pauline affirmation: “The justice of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ” (cf. Rm 3, 21-22).
Justice: “dare cuique suum”
First of all, I want to consider the meaning of the term “justice,” which in common usage implies “to render to every man his due,” according to the famous expression of Ulpian, a Roman jurist of the third century. In reality, however, this classical definition does not specify what “due” is to be rendered to each person. What man needs most cannot be guaranteed to him by law. In order to live life to the full, something more intimate is necessary that can be granted only as a gift: we could say that man lives by that love which only God can communicate since He created the human person in His image and likeness. Material goods are certainly useful and required – indeed Jesus Himself was concerned to heal the sick, feed the crowds that followed Him and surely condemns the indifference that even today forces hundreds of millions into death through lack of food, water and medicine – yet “distributive” justice does not render to the human being the totality of his “due.” Just as man needs bread, so does man have even more need of God. Saint Augustine notes: if “justice is that virtue which gives every one his due ... where, then, is the justice of man, when he deserts the true God?” (De civitate Dei, XIX, 21).
What is the Cause of Injustice?
The Evangelist Mark reports the following words of Jesus, which are inserted within the debate at that time regarding what is pure and impure: “There is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him … What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts” (Mk 7, 14-15, 20-21). Beyond the immediate question concerning food, we can detect in the reaction of the Pharisees a permanent temptation within man: to situate the origin of evil in an exterior cause. Many modern ideologies deep down have this presupposition: since injustice comes “from outside,” in order for justice to reign, it is sufficient to remove the exterior causes that prevent it being achieved. This way of thinking – Jesus warns – is ingenuous and shortsighted. Injustice, the fruit of evil, does not have exclusively external roots; its origin lies in the human heart, where the seeds are found of a mysterious cooperation with evil. With bitterness the Psalmist recognises this: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps 51,7). Indeed, man is weakened by an intense influence, which wounds his capacity to enter into communion with the other. By nature, he is open to sharing freely, but he finds in his being a strange force of gravity that makes him turn in and affirm himself above and against others: this is egoism, the result of original sin. Adam and Eve, seduced by Satan’s lie, snatching the mysterious fruit against the divine command, replaced the logic of trusting in Love with that of suspicion and competition; the logic of receiving and trustfully expecting from the Other with anxiously seizing and doing on one’s own (cf. Gn 3, 1-6), experiencing, as a consequence, a sense of disquiet and uncertainty. How can man free himself from this selfish influence and open himself to love?
Justice and Sedaqah
At the heart of the wisdom of Israel, we find a profound link between faith in God who “lifts the needy from the ash heap” (Ps 113,7) and justice towards one’s neighbor. The Hebrew word itself that indicates the virtue of justice, sedaqah, expresses this well. Sedaqah, in fact, signifies on the one hand full acceptance of the will of the God of Israel; on the other hand, equity in relation to one’s neighbour (cf. Ex 20, 12-17), especially the poor, the stranger, the orphan and the widow (cf. Dt 10, 18-19). But the two meanings are linked because giving to the poor for the Israelite is none other than restoring what is owed to God, who had pity on the misery of His people. It was not by chance that the gift to Moses of the tablets of the Law on Mount Sinai took place after the crossing of the Red Sea. Listening to the Law presupposes faith in God who first “heard the cry” of His people and “came down to deliver them out of hand of the Egyptians” (cf. Ex 3,8). God is attentive to the cry of the poor and in return asks to be listened to: He asks for justice towards the poor (cf. Sir 4,4-5, 8-9), the stranger (cf. Ex 22,20), the slave (cf. Dt 15, 12-18). In order to enter into justice, it is thus necessary to leave that illusion of self-sufficiency, the profound state of closure, which is the very origin of injustice. In other words, what is needed is an even deeper “exodus” than that accomplished by God with Moses, a liberation of the heart, which the Law on its own is powerless to realize. Does man have any hope of justice then?
Christ, the Justice of God
The Christian Good News responds positively to man’s thirst for justice, as Saint Paul affirms in the Letter to the Romans: “But now the justice of God has been manifested apart from law … the justice of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (3, 21-25). What then is the justice of Christ? Above all, it is the justice that comes from grace, where it is not man who makes amends, heals himself and others. The fact that “expiation” flows from the “blood” of Christ signifies that it is not man’s sacrifices that free him from the weight of his faults, but the loving act of God who opens Himself in the extreme, even to the point of bearing in Himself the “curse” due to man so as to give in return the “blessing” due to God (cf. Gal 3, 13-14). But this raises an immediate objection: what kind of justice is this where the just man dies for the guilty and the guilty receives in return the blessing due to the just one? Would this not mean that each one receives the contrary of his “due”? In reality, here we discover divine justice, which is so profoundly different from its human counterpart. God has paid for us the price of the exchange in His Son, a price that is truly exorbitant. Before the justice of the Cross, man may rebel for this reveals how man is not a self-sufficient being, but in need of Another in order to realize himself fully. Conversion to Christ, believing in the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit the illusion of self-sufficiency in order to discover and accept one’s own need – the need of others and God, the need of His forgiveness and His friendship. So we understand how faith is altogether different from a natural, good-feeling, obvious fact: humility is required to accept that I need Another to free me from “what is mine,” to give me gratuitously “what is His.” This happens especially in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Thanks to Christ’s action, we may enter into the “greatest” justice, which is that of love (cf. Rm 13, 8-10), the justice that recognises itself in every case more a debtor than a creditor, because it has received more than could ever have been expected. Strengthened by this very experience, the Christian is moved to contribute to creating just societies, where all receive what is necessary to live according to the dignity proper to the human person and where justice is enlivened by love.
Dear brothers and sisters, Lent culminates in the Paschal Triduum, in which this year, too, we shall celebrate divine justice – the fullness of charity, gift, salvation. May this penitential season be for every Christian a time of authentic conversion and intense knowledge of the mystery of Christ, who came to fulfill every justice. With these sentiments, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 30 October 2009

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

© Copyright 2009 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

SAINTS OF 2010 (First 5 Months, except September...)

2010-02-03T18:26:00.005+08:00

DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS

Promulgation of Decrees:

VATICAN CITY, 19 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and authorised the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:

MIRACLES

- Blessed Stanislao Soltys, called Kazimierczyk, Polish professed religious of the Order of Canons Regular Lateranense (1433-1489).

- Blessed Andre Bessette (ne Alfred), Canadian professed religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross (1845-1937).

- Blessed Mary of the Cross MacKillop (nee Mary Helen), Australian foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (1842-1909).

- Blessed Giulia Salzano, Italian foundress of the Congregation of Sisters Catechists of the Sacred Heart (1846-1929).

- Blessed Battista da Varano (nee Camilla), professed nun of the Order of Poor Clares and foundress of the monastery of St. Clare in the Italian town of Camerino (1458-1524).

- Venerable Servant of God Giuseppe Tous y Soler, Spanish professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins and founder of the Capuchin sisters of the Mother of the Divine Shepherd (1811-1871).

- Venerable Servant of God Leopoldo Sanchez Marquez de Alpandeire (ne Francesco), Spanish professed layman of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins (1864-1956).

- Venerable Servant of God Manuel Lozano Garrido, Spanish lay person, (1920-1971).

- Venerable Servant of God Teresa Manganiello, Italian laywoman of the Third Order of St. Francis (1849-1876).

- Venerable Servant of God Chiara Badano, young Italian lay woman (1971-1990).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Jerzy Popieluszko, Polish diocesan priest (1947-1984).

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Blessed Giacomo Illirico da Bitetto, professed layman of the Order of Friars Minor (circa 1400-1496).

- Servant of God Pope Pius XII (ne Eugenio Pacelli), Supreme Pontiff, born in Rome 2 March 1976, died at Castelgandolfo 9 October 1958.

- Servant of God Pope John Paul II (ne Karol Wojtyla), Supreme Pontiff, born at Wadowice , Poland 18 May 1920, died in Rome 2 April 2005.

- Servant of God Louis Brisson, French priest and founder of the Oblates of St. Francis of Sales (1817-1908).

- Servant of God Giuseppe Quadrio, Italian professed priest of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco (1921-1963).

- Servant of God Mary Ward (nee Joan), English foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, today called the Congregation of Jesus (1585-1645).

- Servant of God Antonia Maria Verna, Italian foundress of the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception (1773-1838).

- Servant of God Maria Chiara Serafina Farolfi (nee Francesca), Italian foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1853-1917).

- Servant of God Enrica Alfieri (nee Maria Angela), Italian professed nun of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret (1891-1951).

- Servant of God Giunio Tinarelli, Italian layman of the "Pia Unione Primaria Silenziosi Operai della Croce" (1912-1956).

CSS/DECREES/AMATO VIS 091221 (480)

Beatifications:

beatification on 23 January in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Mataró, Barcelona (Spain), presided by Archbishop Angelo Amato of Bl. Josep Samso Elias, Priest and Martyr of the Archdiocese of Barcelona

future beatification on 18 April at Plaza de Colón, Valladolid (Spain), presided by Archbishop Angelo Amato of Ven. Bernardo Francisco de Hoyos Seña, OFM

future beatification on 25 April in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Rome (Italy), presided by Cardinal Agostino Vallini of Ven. Angelo Paoli, Founder

future beatification on 22 May at the Square of the Basilica of Madonna delle Grazie, Benevento (Italy), presided by Archbishop Angelo Amato of Ven. Teresa Manganiello, Virgin and Founder of the Franciscan Immaculatines (relic in custody of Neil: ex habitu)

future beatification on 30 May in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome (Italy), presided by Archbishop Angelo Amato of Ven. Ma. Pierina Micheli, Founder of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Buenos Aires (relic in custody of Neil: ex indulmentis and just recently a lovely ex corpore relic of hers. (10/13/10) )

future beatification on 12 September at the Armilla Air Base, Granada (Spain), presided by Archbishop Angelo Amato of Ven. Leopoldo of Alpandeire, OFM Capuchin, priest. (relic in custody of Neil: ex arca sepulerali)

Blessed be God in all his Saints!!

Neil's Blog Catholic Awards: POSTPONED ANNOUNCEMENT

2010-01-29T20:05:00.000+08:00

Due to some document difficulties, we will be postponing the announcement of the recipients of the Neil's Blog Catholic Awards to the 5th day of February, 2010.To our dear viewers, we humbly apologize for the inconvenience.

~Neil's Blog Authors and Staff

Neil's Blog Catholic Awards

2010-01-27T14:05:00.005+08:00

Tomorrow, we shall be announcing the recipients of the Neil's Blog Catholic Awards here in Neil's Blog.

*Photo courtesy of Rey Aguinaldo

#Neil Here, Hurray!!! meron na ba, please tell me the results beh.....#

From all of the authors of Neil's Blog: HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

2009-12-26T00:15:00.004+08:00

"Belen"

Capillia de Santa Rosalia

Seville, Spain

Hey Guys!

I have with me the Christmas Message of the Holy Father for this year, and the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Holy Father.

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
CHRISTMAS 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Rome and throughout the world,and all men and women, whom the Lord loves!

“Lux fulgebit hodie super nos,

quia natus est nobis Dominus.

A light will shine on us this day,

the Lord is born for us”

(Roman Missal, Christmas, Entrance Antiphon for the Mass at Dawn)

The liturgy of the Mass at Dawn reminded us that the night is now past, the day has begun; the light radiating from the cave of Bethlehem shines upon us.

The Bible and the Liturgy do not, however, speak to us about a natural light, but a different, special light, which is somehow directed to and focused upon “us”, the same “us” for whom the Child of Bethlehem “is born”. This “us” is the Church, the great universal family of those who believe in Christ, who have awaited in hope the new birth of the Saviour, and who today celebrate in mystery the perennial significance of this event.

At first, beside the manger in Bethlehem, that “us” was almost imperceptible to human eyes. As the Gospel of Saint Luke recounts, it included, in addition to Mary and Joseph, a few lowly shepherds who came to the cave after hearing the message of the Angels. The light of that first Christmas was like a fire kindled in the night. All about there was darkness, while in the cave there shone the true light “that enlightens every man” (Jn 1:9). And yet all this took place in simplicity and hiddenness, in the way that God works in all of salvation history. God loves to light little lights, so as then to illuminate vast spaces. Truth, and Love, which are its content, are kindled wherever the light is welcomed; they then radiate in concentric circles, as if by contact, in the hearts and minds of all those who, by opening themselves freely to its splendour, themselves become sources of light. Such is the history of the Church: she began her journey in the lowly cave of Bethlehem, and down the centuries she has become a People and a source of light for humanity. Today too, in those who encounter that Child, God still kindles fires in the night of the world, calling men and women everywhere to acknowledge in Jesus the “sign” of his saving and liberating presence and to extend the “us” of those who believe in Christ to the whole of mankind.

Wherever there is an “us” which welcomes God’s love, there the light of Christ shines forth, even in the most difficult situations. The Church, like the Virgin Mary, offers the world Jesus, the Son, whom she herself has received as a gift, the One who came to set mankind free from the slavery of sin. Like Mary, the Church does not fear, for that Child is her strength. But she does not keep him for herself: she offers him to all those who seek him with a sincere heart, to the earth’s lowly and afflicted, to the victims of violence, and to all who yearn for peace. Today too, on behalf of a human family profoundly affected by a grave financial crisis, yet even more by a moral crisis, and by the painful wounds of wars and conflicts, the Church, in faithful solidarity with mankind, repeats with the shepherds: “Let us go to Bethlehem” (Lk 2:15), for there we shall find our hope.

The “us” of the Church is alive in the place where Jesus was born, in the Holy Land, inviting its people to abandon every logic of violence and vengeance, and to engage with renewed vigour and generosity in the process which leads to peaceful coexistence. The “us” of the Church is present in the other countries of the Middle East. How can we forget the troubled situation in Iraq and the “little flock” of Christians which lives in the region? At times it is subject to violence and injustice, but it remains determined to make its own contribution to the building of a society opposed to the logic of conflict and the rejection of one’s neighbour. The “us” of the Church is active in Sri Lanka, in the Korean peninsula and in the Philippines, as well as in the other countries of Asia, as a leaven of reconciliation and peace. On the continent of Africa she does not cease to lift her voice to God, imploring an end to every injustice in the Democratic Republic of Congo; she invites the citizens of Guinea and Niger to respect for the rights of every person and to dialogue; she begs those of Madagascar to overcome their internal divisions and to be mutually accepting; and she reminds all men and women that they are called to hope, despite the tragedies, trials and difficulties which still afflict them. In Europe and North America, the “us” of the Church urges people to leave behind the selfish and technicist mentality, to advance the common good and to show respect for the persons who are most defenceless, starting with the unborn. In Honduras she is assisting in process of rebuilding institutions; throughout Latin America, the “us” of the Church is a source of identity, a fullness of truth and of charity which no ideology can replace, a summons to respect for the inalienable rights of each person and his or her integral development, a proclamation of justice and fraternity, a source of unity.

In fidelity to the mandate of her Founder, the Church shows solidarity with the victims of natural disasters and poverty, even within opulent societies. In the face of the exodus of all those who migrate from their homelands and are driven away by hunger, intolerance or environmental degradation, the Church is a presence calling others to an attitude of acceptance and welcome. In a word, the Church everywhere proclaims the Gospel of Christ, despite persecutions, discriminations, attacks and at times hostile indifference. These, in fact, enable her to share the lot of her Master and Lord.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, how great a gift it is to be part of a communion which is open to everyone! It is the communion of the Most Holy Trinity, from whose heart Emmanuel, Jesus, “God with us”, came into the world. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, let us contemplate, filled with wonder and gratitude, this mystery of love and light! Happy Christmas to all!

URBI ET ORBI Blessing:

Sancti Apostoli Petrus et Paulus: de quorum potestate et auctoritate confidimus ipsi intercedant pro nobis ad Dominum.

R/ Amen.

Precibus et meritis beatæ Mariae semper Virginis, beati Michaelis Archangeli, beati Ioannis Baptistæ, et sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli et omnium Sanctorum misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus; et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris, perducat vos Iesus Christus ad vitam æternam.

R/ Amen.

Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, spatium verae et fructuosae poenitentiæ, cor semper penitens, et emendationem vitae, gratiam et consolationem Sancti Spiritus; et finalem perseverantiam in bonis operibus tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.

R/ Amen.

Et benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti descendat super vos et maneat semper.

R/ Amen.

Wishing you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Authors of Neil's Blog!

~Neil and Paolo

Criteria for Neil's Blog Awards.....

2009-12-12T15:57:00.002+08:00

Sorry, were a bit late, so here are the criteria:

For the Cottolengo award:

1. Shows itself as a institution that gives freely its services especially to the needy.
2. Must be Catholic and be very orthodox in teaching.

For the Mother Teresa award:

1. Is a person, with full knowledge of his work and purpose, especially in bringing social justice to the poor and the needy.
2. Still must be a Catholic, or an affiliate Church.

For the Marmion award:

1. Must be a Roman Catholic person or a institution
2. Has contributed to the modern way of theology, but retains the sense of tradition.

For the Marvelli Award:

1. Must be a Catholic person
2. Is a person who is totally dedicated to serving the poor, the lost and the needy in all aspects.

For the Ex Corde award:

1. Must be a Catholic school/institution
2. Defends orthodoxy in teaching, gives a great help in forming holistically the students themselves.
3. Must be socially aware, and gives their topics in class a social context.

For the Alberione Award:

1. Is Catholic a person or a institution
2. Must defend Catholic Tradition and be very vigilant especially of the new heresies in the Modern Church, especially in the mass media.

For the Pius X award:

1. Must be Catholic a person or a institution
2. Must be a Traditionalist, which means no Modernists allowed, and is defending the Latin Mass and all the aspects and details of the Traditional rites of Holy Roman Church.

For the Omnes Sanctorum award:

1. Must be Catholic, a person or a institution
2. Must have at least five or more relics, specifically second class relics.
3. Must have the true spirit of a pious custodian.
4. Must be a courageous and humble person, specifically amidst the proud persons who dominate this kind of area.
5. Must have experienced bringing relics closer to people, and NOT just keeping them.

For the La Purisima Concepcion Award:

1. Must be Catholic
2. Must have all the virtues of the BVM.
3. Must be active in the Church
4. Must be a example for all Catholics.

1st NEIL'S BLOG CATHOLIC AWARDS

2009-12-01T10:34:00.003+08:00

Friends and viewers:

Our website, Neil's Blog, has been in circulation for more than one year now. Many people looking for inspiration are being blessed by this ministry of ours here in the Internet. And I think it is proper to release the first major project of Neil's Blog: the 1st NEIL'S BLOG CATHOLIC AWARDS.

In this project, we will give due honor to the people or organizations who showcased Catholic, Pro-Family, Pro-Life and Pro-Environment views and principles in their own way. we will give special recognition to people who "gave Christ to others" (Pope John Paul II) through their work.

Neil's Blog will be looking for people and institutions that possesses these criteria.

We plan to have the awards here in our website on 28 January 2010, Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

These are the categories for the awards:

Cottelengo Award for Charity (person or institution)

Mother Theresa Citation for Social Work (Person)

Marmion Award for Theological Excellence (Person or Institution)

Marvelli Awards for Lay Apostolate Work (Person)

Ex Corde Scholastic Citation (Institution of learning)

Alberione Award for Mass Media (Mass Media)

Pius X Award for Traditionalism and Orthodoxy to Catholic Teaching (Person or Institution)

Omnes Sanctorum Citation for Relic Custodians (Person or Institution) (our favorite!!!!)

and last but not the least...

La Purisima Concepción Award (This will be the highest award that a person or institution can attain)

We will be posting the criteria for eligibility after the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

~Neil's Blog Authors

how I have been doing...

2009-11-20T12:49:00.002+08:00

Actually I have received hundreds of relics in the last weeks...

a partial list:

-ex indulmentis relics of

St. Luigi Orione
Bl. Jacinta and Francisco
St. Edith Stein
St. Gaspar del Bufalo
34 others

St. Geltrude Comensoli

and more!

see here!

Addressing God as "Bro": a reflection of a Traditionalist Catholic

2009-11-18T18:42:00.006+08:00

Filipinos are known to be God-fearing. But I think this should be replaced by "God-friendliness".

Here in The Philippines, there is a TV show called "May Bukas Pa" ("There is Still Tomorrow", title adapted from an inspirational song popularized by Rico J. Puno and rendered by many Filipino recording artists). In the show, Santino, an orphan boy adopted by priests and brothers in a monastery (They dress up as Franciscans, and sometimes, the priests and brothers wears the cassock and the Superior, Father Anthony, wears the Augustinian Habit.) and his story of God's intervention in the lives of the people. There's Mayor Enrique, the mayor of the town of "Bagong Pag-Asa" and his wife Malena (who died repentant in the middle of the show), the town and "Bro", Jesus Christ appearing to Santino.

The Filipinos can relate to the story of May Bukas Pa: man is in search of God, and God continues to manifest himself to the people; man sins and God punishes the wrong to teach right; and the People ofGod rejoice in their saving Lord.

Today, every Filipino informally calls God "Bro", believing that it's an appropriate way to call the Creator. I had an experience with this parishioner in our parish, he prays to God, addressing him as "Bro". There's nothing wrong with that, its just that he prayed a prayer that started with "Oh Bro who have saith..." I do not know if I should laugh in amusement or be enraged with the parishioner's blasphemy.

Have we been too complacent in addressing God as such? I am not in favor of this but I do respect it. It is biblical and it makes us closer to God, but should we also consider the greatness of God and our littleness, that we fail to acknowledge His Majesty and Deity?

Just my two-cents worth.

The Cast of May Bukas Pa in the Catholic Mass Media Awards with His Eminence, Gaudencio Card. Rosales, Archbishop of Manila

-Bro. Paolo is a Philosophy student of the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, and also is the SS. Reliquiarum Custos of the Diocese of San Pablo, Laguna. He is a co-author of this website...

Yuri Gevorgian paints a portrait of St. Arcangelo

2009-10-30T13:35:00.004+08:00

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=7080731

His painting will be blessed by the Pope as he with him, visits this Nov. 9 to Botticino Sera, the place of S. Tadini's Shrine, formerly the Parish of Botticino Sera....

VIVA!!!

The Theology Behind S. Theresa's Nada te Turbe

2009-10-15T12:16:00.003+08:00

Hey guys, Paolo here!

Today, we celebrate the feast of Saint Theresa of Jesus (de Avila). This feast is very special to me not only because of my Carmelite upbringing taught to me by my grandmother who happens to be a Third Order Carmelite, but also because I found a lot of fruit from her writings, and, along with St. Thomas Aquinas, she is the patron saint of my studies; that is, I dedicated to God through her, my studies in Philosophy. Today in my blog, I would like to discuss a very famous poem by S. Theresa of Jesus. This is a very popular poem by her, especially to those who practice Taizé (one of the songs in Taizé is this one). I'm gonna post the Spanish and the English translation:

Nada te turbe;nada te espante;

todo se pasa;Dios no se muda,

la pacïencia Todo lo alcanza.

Quien a Dios tiene,nada le falta.

Solo Dios basta.

May nothing disturb you.
May nothing astonish you.
Everything passes.
God does not go away.
Patience can attain anything.
He who has God within,
does not lack anything.
God is enough!

(N. B.: The Spanish version are the original ones written in S. Theresa's breviary)

I just want to take note on the shortness of the poem. We can see it is only composed of five lines. Anyone can memorize it within a day (I did it in an hour). Why did I take notice on the shortness of the poem? Simple: It takes a few words to remind us that God alone is enough. S. Theresa tells us that it takes only a few words to tell us of God's love for us. He so loved us the He wanted us to be still because He will give us what we need. Mind you, it's not easy to comfort and to assure a troubled soul.

Next on my observation is the use of very simple words. In Spanish, These words do not really give too much expounding power on the word itself. It takes a five-year-old to understand them. What does S. Theresa wants us to believe in? She wants us to believe that God is not a God of big words. He does not want us to use big words, and He does not give us big words to be conforted of our daily struggle in life. Don't be pressured of what you'll say to God because God is not a God of complexities. Sure, there's the mystery of the Trinity and the Eucharist, which takes a church-full of Theologians and biblical scholars to analyze, but God wants us to leave that to these guys. "Let them do their job! I want you to be faithful to Me, and do'nt trouble yourself with them. Leave everything to Me, I'll let you understand them."

I also want to note the words "patience can attain everything","la pacïencia Todo lo alcanza". S. Theresa wants us to understand that in patience, everything can be done, achieved and made. "Good things come to those who wait". Just wanna point out here that We don't have to rush things. Take it slow and easy. It's like hiking. Have you tried treckking fast, so fast that you can't even notice the beautiful scenery on your left, or that graceful waterfalls on your right? Same banana. You rush things, you can't enjoy the details of life. The intricate embroidery on a big blanket. The small diamond in a vast mine. All of these reflect on the poem of this great doctor of the Church.

Last on my discussion, the theme of the poem: Nada te Turbe. Let nothing trouble you. Saint Theresa, as what I have said above, wants us to believe that we should not worry, God alone can do everything. Trusting in Him is always the best way to solve everything. Offer to him everything you have, just like how S. Theresa offered every dance she made every time the sisters sang, her terrible migraine, and practically everything that she was, is and will be. Lern the lesson from a dancing nun. The magic words: Trust and believe.

AMDG

~Paolo

Alma Mater | Music From the Vatican

2009-10-15T12:08:00.002+08:00

A viewer of our blog emailed me and asked me if I can post something about this here in Neil's Blog. This "this" that i'm talking about is an album entitled "Alma Mater", recorded by the Music From The Vatican. The recording is dedicated to the Mother of God, Mary Most Holy. Here's a description from the website:

ALMA MATER
"The Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will release eight original pieces of modern classical music featuring prayers recited and sung by Pope Benedict XVI recorded mostly during His Marian pilgrimages by Vatican Radio."

To see more infos about this very wonderful project, please visit their website here.

AMDG

Paolo

Canonization

2009-10-13T12:47:00.002+08:00

The Pope has canonized last October 11, these Saints:

S. Zygmunt Felinksi, Ep. et Fund.
S.Jeanne Jugan, Virg. et Fund.
S.Damian di Molokai, Sac.
S.Rafael Arnaiz Baron,OCSO

Their relics are seen above...

Pope to canonise 'lepers' apostle' and four others (AFP)

2009-10-11T17:48:00.000+08:00

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - – Pope Benedict XVI is on Sunday to canonise five new saints, including a man who dedicated his life to lepers in Hawaii and another considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century.

Tens of thousands of worshippers are expected to attend the mass in St Peter's Square in which the pope will also canonise Jeanne Jugan (1792-1879) of France, who founded the order of the Little Sisters of the Poor.

By the time she died, her institute had 2,500 workers looking after elderly and solitary women in 177 homes around the world.

Jozef Damian de Veuster (1840-1889) of Belgium moved to Molokai in Hawaii at the end of the 19th century, where he became known as "the lepers' apostle" for living on a colony for 16 years until he himself died of the disease.

Also to be canonised are Polish archbishop Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski (1822-1895) and two Spanish monks -- a Dominican, Francisco Coll y Guitart (1812-1875) and a Trappist, Rafael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938).

Baron, considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century, died aged 27 while he was a member of the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance.

He died from diabetes after preferring to stay at the monastery rather than with his parents, where medical care would have been easier to come by during the upheavals of the Spanish Civil War.

The canonisations will be attended by Belgium's King Albert II and his wife Paola, Polish President Lech Kaczynski and French Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

Fillon met the pope on Saturday, during which the pontiff gave him a pen "to sign his documents." Fillon, a practising Roman Catholic, replied: "documents which will be agreeable to you."

In April, the pope canonised five Christians, including Father Arcangelo Tadini (1846-1912), Sister Caterina Volpicelli (1839-1894), theologian Bernardo Tolomei (1272-1348) and Gertrude Caterina Comensoli, (1847-1903), all Italian.

The fifth was Carmelite monk Nuno de Santa Maria Alvares Pereira (1360-1431) of Portugal.

Benedict XVI has indicated he intends to slow down the rate of canonisations and of beatifications -- a step towards full sainthood -- in contrast with the prolific rate of his predecessor, John Paul II.

After Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI will have canonised 28 new saints since becoming pontiff in April 2005. Jean-Paul II created 482 new saints and beatified 1,338 during his 26 years in office.

Beatification, officially the Catholic Church's recognition that a dead person has entered heaven and can intercede on behalf of those who pray in their name, is a key step towards sainthood.

I like this version of "For All the Saints"

2009-10-06T12:23:00.001+08:00

I found this here:

FOR ALL THE SAINTS (same tune as the original)

For all Thy Saints forgotten,
For all Thy Saints suppressed,
Who not only existed,
But won eternal rest;
Who, honored through the ages
Like Chris and Valentine,
Went missing from the calendar
In 1969.

Confessors, Virgins, Martyrs
Whose names our parents took:
Those names and stories vetoed,
Erased now from the book,
But still renowned and glorious,
Surviving death anew,
Provided someone's offering
The Mass of '62.

For poor young Philomena,
For good Hermenegild;
For youthful brave Venantius,
Who for the Faith was killed;
Now being so exclusive,
Seems just a trifle mean;
Perhaps we'll be more tolerant
And go all Tridentine.

Tell me your reactions!!

Habitless Nuns and Priests: a come-back from vocation.

2009-10-04T18:18:00.004+08:00

Let me first talk about habits,

Habit-is a specific type of dress worn by clergy and religious.

Habits are specifically a sign of withdrawal from a sinful world and into a total dedication to Christ.
And, almost since the beginning of Monasticism, St. Anthony of Egypt designed the first religious habit, gray, with a scapular and a long, alb-like dress.

In the Middle Ages, all religious, under pain of mortal sin, must wear their habits inside and outside of their monastery.

In the Council of Trent, all clergy and religious were obliged also to wear their habits, outside their place of residence, but on their residences, they may wear secular clothes.

Then, came Vatican II, in 1967-1970. the Popes Bl. John XXII and Paul VI, with other religious and interfaith leaders, changed the overall look of the Church and describing it as a "springtime of the Church, specifically vocations" (I think I took it somewhere from Lumen Gentium).

Then one of the problems of this seemingly not-so-nice "springtime" is what we call habitless religious, and these are practically the worst.

First, religious and clergy MUST wear this, as the reasons in the first paragraph has presented, and they may wear secular dress, for private functions only.

Second, the blessing of habits suggest that "they might show, as they wear this habits their being discples of Jesus, and lead all to holiness."

Third, I know a lot of nuns, priests and clergy that even wears their habits as they do normal chores in their convents. I hope the habitless religious too will follow.

I hope that there will also be a "Visitation" by a Papal delegate to see this problem.

NOTE to those "Modernists", do not use your abuses in the name of any Church Council, specifically Vatican II, even Vatican II disproves your malicious actions.

( the Church did also allow religious and clergy not to wear habits in places where religious persecution is rampant)
_________________________________________________________________
Neil (Thanks Paolo for the idea)

Addendae: "Sosyalera Schools"

2009-09-30T12:08:00.003+08:00

Ok, let me summarize, "sosyal" means high-end....

I would also like to point out that these schools have Superiors who practically live the Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.

So to speak, Catholic schools are bound to show their orthodoxy and submission to the the Church, otherwise they are not specifically "Catholic".

So we call on to ALL "Catholic" schools to follow the rule of poverty, as well to follow their Superiors, because this will show to all that you are an Catholic institution.

We have been called many times in the Bible, specifically the book of Ecclesiates,

"Vanity of Vanities,
all things are vain"

So, we must try to remove ourselves from too much luxury, wealth and prestige, which will lead us to evil deeds.

Poverty means:
-removing yourselves from expensive bags, cool sneakers, etc. while being faithful to God.
-removing yourselves from high prestige, ranking yourselves as high-end, while serving those in need
-removing yourselves from excessive pride, love of vanity, while being generous
-removing yourselves from being overly "hambog", to furnish humility's throne
-removing yourselves from being arrogant and thinking of the poor as "cheap", everybody went through it.
-not being excessively aesthetic, but true to the form.
-not being very poor, but only to give comfort and purpose to the ordinary.

So we call also on their superiors, rectors, headmasters, etc. to please let the children live simply, not with excess and glamor, and because simplicity is the virtue and dignity of the soul.

Then, also, we are NOT ruining their reputations, their leaders or their students, but only the personnel's, student's, and everybody's love of all things rich and glamorous.
__________________________________________________

Neil Sator

(PS- Paolo, please post the summary of your findings, at least we can send some evidences to school leaders as a report)