Miraculous Medal & St. Catherine Laboure Nov. 27th & 28th

 

 Today we we celebrate the feast of the Miraculous Medal and tomorrow we celebrate the memorial of St. Catherine Laboure. Born in 1806, Catherine’s birth name was Zoe Laboure.

She was the 9^th child of eleven and was the only child in her family to not go to school and she didn’t learn to read and write. Her mother died when Zoé was 8, and when her elder sister, Louisa, left home to become a Sister of Charity, the duties of housekeeper and helper to her father fell upon her. From the time of her first Communion at Saint Remy, Catherine became a mystic. From the age of 14 or so, she heard the call to the religious life.

At age 18 Catherine had her first mystical experience. It was in the form of a dream of an old priest (who was a stranger to her,) that she assisted during a Mass in the dream. Four years later Catherine asked her father for permission to enter religious life. Her father flatly refused. A year later while in a visiting parlor of the Hospital de Saint-Sauveur in Chatillon, Catherine recognized the old priest from her dreams in a portrait of St. Vincent de Paul and knew God meant her to be a Sister of Charity. Her father finally allowed her to join the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in 1830. She took the name Catherine, and after her postulancy was sent to the convent in the Rue du Bac at Paris, where she arrived four days before the translation of the relics of St. Vincent from Notre-Dame to the Lazarist church.

On the eve of the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, July 19, the Superior spoke to the novices about the virtues of their Holy Founder and gave each of them a piece of cloth from his surplice. Catherine earnestly prayed to Saint Vincent that she might with her own eyes see the Mother of God.

She was convinced that she would see the Blessed Virgin Mary that very night; and in her conviction, Catherine fell asleep. Before long, she was awakened by a brilliant light and the voice of a child. "Sister Laboure, come to the Chapel; the Blessed Virgin awaits you." Catherine replied: "We shall be discovered."

The little child smiled, "Do not be uneasy; it is half past eleven, everyone is sleeping... come, I am waiting for you." She rose quickly and dressed. The hall lights were burning. The locked chapel door swung open at the angel's touch. Amazed, Catherine found the Chapel ablaze with lights as if prepared for midnight Mass. Quickly she knelt at the communion rail, and suddenly, she heard the rustle of a silk dress... the Blessed Virgin, in a blaze of glory, sat in the director's chair. The angel whispered: "The Blessed Mother wishes to speak with you."

Catherine rose, knelt beside the Blessed Mother and rested her hands in the Virgin's lap.

Our Lady told Catherine she would have to undertake a difficult task and also, it is said, spoke of the future and the violent death of an archbishop of Paris forty years later.

On November 27 Our Lady again appeared to Sister Catherine in the same chapel, in the form of a picture and as it were standing on a globe with shafts of light streaming from her hands towards it, surrounded by the words: "O Mary, conceived free from sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!" Then the picture turned about, and sister Catherine saw on the reverse side a capital M, with a cross above it and two hearts, one crowned with thorns and the other pierced with a sword, below. And she seemed to herself to hear a voice telling her to have a medal struck representing these things, and promising that all who wore it with devotion should receive great graces by the intercession of the Mother of God. This or a similar vision was repeated in the following month and on several other occasions up to September 1831.

Sister Catherine confided in her confessor, and he, after making very careful investigations, was given permission by the archbishop of Paris, to have the medal struck. In June 1832 the first 1500 were issued. Originally called the “Medal of the Immaculate Conception”, it later became known to Catholics throughout the world as "miraculous".

The archbishop of Paris instituted a canonical inquiry into the alleged visions in 1836. The precautions she had taken to keep herself unknown, the promise she had wrung from her confessor not to tell anybody who she was, the secrecy she had kept towards everyone except her confessor, her constant unwillingness to appear before an ecclesiastical authority, account for this inquiry not being extended to the young sister herself. The tribunal decided in favor of the authenticity of the visions, taking into consideration the circumstances, the character of the sister concerned, and the prudent and level-headedness of her confessor.

The popularity of the medal increased daily, especially after the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne in 1842. He was a Jew who, having reluctantly agreed to wear the medal, and then consequently received a vision of our Lady in the church of Sant' Andrea delle Frate at Rome, whereupon he became a Christian and was later ordained a priest and became founder of a religious congregation, the Fathers and Sisters of Zion.

I met Zachary King in Wichita. He was a Baptist man who became a satanic high priest and through the miraculous medal. As a satanic high priest he assisted with and did abortions. However, one day someone gave him a miraculous medal and the moment he took it, he immediately had a vision of the Virgin Mary. At that moment, he gave up being a satanic follower and also knew he had to become Catholic. He became Catholic and since goes around giving talks throughout the United States warning people about the danger of the occult and satanism and also speaks about the power of the miraculous medal.

When I went on vacation to South Dakota a few years ago, as I was walking out of my motel room, a man was painting the exterior of the building. He walked up to me and said, “I used to be Catholic. I was invloved in witchcraft but don’t do it anymore. After some discussion, I invited him to return to the Church and go to confession. He said, “I will never go to confession. I don’t believe in it.” I handed him a miraculous medal and told him I would pray for him. He put it around his neck. The next day, when I returned to my motel, he walked up to me and said he wanted to return to Mass and said he wanted to go to confession. The power of miraculous medal is amazing. I have also seen how Our Lady uses the medal in parishes to bring back fallen away Catholics. So, if you know of anyone who is fallen away or who is not living a good lifestyle. Give them a miraculous medal and ask them to wear it. Its an innocent little medal, but Our Lady uses it in a powerful way.

This vision of Ratisbonne was also subject of a canonical inquiry and the reports of this were extensively used in the process of beatification of Catherine Labouré, of whose personal life very little is recorded. Her Superiors spoke of her as "rather insignificant", "matter-of-fact and unexcitable", "cold, almost apathetic".

From 1831 until her death on December 31, 1876, she lived unobtrusively among the community as portress, in charge of the poultry, and looking after the aged. Not until eight months before her death, did she speak to anyone except her confessor of the extraordinary graces she had received, and then she revealed them only to her superior. Her funeral was the occasion of an outburst of popular veneration, and a child of twelve, crippled from birth was instantaneously cured at her grave. St. Catherine Labouré was canonized in 1947, and Nov. 28^th was appointed as her feast day. Today, her body is incorrupt is encased in glass.

When we think of the saints, we often forget that they were ordinary people, who lived extra ordinary lives, often times in a hidden way. Their lives were simple, yet profound.

I would like to close with a quote from St. Catherine on the subject of prayer. St. Catherine once said, "Whenever I go to the chapel, I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him, Lord I am here. Tell me what you would have me to do. If He gives me some task, I am content and I thank him. If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that. And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart. I tell him about my pains and joys, and then I listen. If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen. God always speaks to you when you approach Him plainly and simply. "

Today may we strive to do as St. Catherine Laboure in prayer, to approach God plainly and simply, knowing if we speak to Him and if we listen, He will speak to us.

 

St. Catherine of Alexandria - Nov. 25th

 

 Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria. She was a virgin martyr, who lived many centuries ago in the late 200’s and early 300’s of Christianity.

As a young lady, she read much about Christianity, and became Christian, after she had a vision of Our Lady with the Child Jesus. When the emperor heard of the young noble Christian woman, from Alexandria, he had her brought to him. She rebuked the emperor for worshiping idols. He was unable to reply against her arguments about his pagan gods, and so, he had 50 philosophers attempt to refute her, in a public debate. She easily one every point and made them look foolish. The emperor became angered, and had all 50 philosophers were burned to death. The emperor then responded by offering to marry her, if she would renounce her faith. She refused, which resulted in her getting beaten, scourged, and put into prison.

The emperor then went out of town to inspect his military forces, and when he returned, he discovered, that Catherine had converted the queen, and 200 of the queen’s bodyguard. The emperor had the queen, and all 200 soldiers put to death.

Catherine was sentenced to death, on a spiked wheel. When she was fastened to the wheel, its spikes flew off, and killed some onlookers. She was then beheaded. It is believed, angels carried her body to Mount Sinai. And in 526 the emperor Justinian built a monastery dedicated to St. Catherine on Mount Sinai.

She is often times pictured with a spiked wheel, or with a sword in her hand. The modern Catherine wheel, used as fireworks, is named after her. It is believed she appeared to St. Dominic. Dominicans have her as their special patronage.

St. Joan of Arc received spiritual advice by way of voices, from many saints, including St. Catherine of Alexandria.

She is the patron for philosophers, lawyers, librarians and teachers. St. Catherine boldly stood up for truth, and for justice, against the evil forces of the world. She also was willing to suffer for Her divine spouse for the sake of her virginity.

Today, we can expect evil forces to oppose us, but, by God’s grace, by our reliance on Jesus Christ, by boldly refuting modern day idols of the world, by living holy lives, and by our steadfast proclaiming of the truth to the world, we shall be victorious.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, give us the courage to witness to our faith in imitation of St. Catherine of Alexandria, even unto death.

Thanksgiving Day

 

 Today, American families will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

Our first president, George Washington established Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Many of us were taught in school the history of Thanksgiving. We were told Puritan pilgrims from Britain, and the local Indians, gathered at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, in the fall of 1621. These pilgrims and Indians gave thanks to God for surviving the hard winter, and for the many blessings God had bestowed upon them. They ate wild turkey and venison, which is deer meat. Although this event really happened, perhaps we may be unaware there was an earlier Thanksgiving, which included the Sacrifice of the Mass.

The first Thanksgiving Feast was actually Catholic, involved the Mass, and a dinner with the Indians. It occurred 56 years earlier in 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. The first settlers weren’t British and Puritan, but rather, Spanish and Catholic.

Admiral, Pedro Menendez de Aviles and the Spanish settlers came ashore in Florida on the Feast of the Birthday of Mary, on Sept, 8^th, 1565. Fr. Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, a diocesan priest offered the Holy Mass of Thanksgiving.

After the Sacrifice of the Mass was offered, the priest invited all 800 European settlers and the native Indians, for a communal meal, which consisted of wild turkey, deer meat, pork stew, and vegetables.

In the Gospel today, 10 lepers receive healing from Jesus, but only one, a non-Jew, who as a Samaritan returned to thank the Lord. All were healed, but only one returned to thank Our Lord.

Think about the times you were sick in the past. A cold, a fever, perhaps covid, or the flu, or maybe even cancer or an operation. When you got better, did you thank the Lord?

In the book of James it states, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” It is a gift to be healed from a physical ailment. It is a gift to have our soul healed when we confess our sins. It is a gift that we receive spiritual graces from God in Holy Communion. Family is a gift. Our job is a gift. Our good health is a gift. To live in the United States and be an American is a gift. Even sufferings and pain are a gift from God because they can be offered to make reparation for our sins and can be offered for the conversion of sinners.

The last time you went to Confession, did you thank Jesus for forgiving your sins? Have you thanked the Lord for all the times in your life you were physically healed? Or for all the times, you had good health. Or thank Him for your parents raising you in the faith or if you converted, to thank the Lord for the grace to become Catholic. We should thank God that we receive the grace to have a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and She intercedes for us. Some saints and religious communities, give thanks for all that God has done for Mary, such as Her Immaculate Conception, Her glorious assumption and Her being the Mother of God.

With hearts full of thanksgiving, let us give thanks and praise to God for every good gift He has ever given us and will ever give us and especially the gift of heaven.

Blessed Miguel Pro - Nov. 23rd

 

 In the Gospel today, Jesus told the crowd, “They will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons and they will lead you before kings and governors because of my name.”

Our Lord’s prediction certainly came true as Christians would be persecuted for the first 300 years, until Constantine would give his edict permitting Christianity as a religion. The apostles were all martyred except John. They did however, try to kill him and he was most certainly persecuted. Thousands upon thousands of early Christians would be killed for the faith, some were killed in the Coliseum, but many more were killed in what was called a circus.

Peter would be placed in prison, but would be freed by an angel. Paul would be put into prison several times. Paul was stoned and beaten with iron rods. Peter was eventually captured again and then crucified upside down on Vatican Hill. Paul was captured again and was in prison for years and then they cut off his head near Rome.

Jesus Himself was persecuted beyond measure. He was taken before the governor Pilate and before king Herod.

It was said in the early Church, that those who would be named bishops would most likely be martyred. That is why they wear the red zucchetto cap, to remind them to expect to be martyred for the faith.

Jesus gives the reason why they would be persecuted; He said they would be persecuted because of His name. Those who would follow Him, follow the way of love, the way of the Gospel would find themselves being handed over by parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends. He said, “You will be hated because of My Name.”

Today is the feast of Blessed Miguel Pro, a priest martyr from Mexico. Due to the persecution in Mexico, it was illegal to perform the sacraments in the early 1900’s. Fr. Miguel disguised himself as a layman, so he could administer the sacraments secretly. By wearing regular clothes, he was able to go about the city giving Holy Communion. He distributed Holy Communion to 1,300 people in a singe day. Despite the danger of getting caught by the police, he continued to administer the sacraments and was arrested several times.

In 1927, after a bomb exploded, aimed at killing the president, Fr. Miguel was arrested but had nothing to do with it. He had no trial. And moments before he was shot, the Holy Spirit gave him wisdom to speak to his adversaries. A remarkable photograph was taken just before his death. With arms outstretched, his last words were, “Vivo Christo Rey”, “Long live Christ the King”.

Today, persecution continues to rage. Saudi Arabia do not permit Christians to practice their faith. Anyone with a bible, or crucifix or if they were to attend Christian worship, can themselves arrested and placed into prison. They same holds true for China as well. China is notorious for killing and imprisoning Catholics especially bishops and cardinals. The 90 year old, Cardinal Zen was arrested in Hong Kong and has been imprisoned and he recently went on trial.

The words of Jesus spoken 2000 yrs, ago apply to us today. We should expect persecution, and be hated because of His name. But, it is our duty to forgive those who hurt us and pray for those who persecute us, that they too may follow the way of Jesus, who is the only way to the Father in heaven. As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, let us be thankful to God for allowing us to suffer for Him even in such a small way in our own families. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, She who is the help of Christians, come to the aid of all those who are hated and persecuted because of the name of Jesus.

St. Cecilia Nov. 22nd

 

 Today, St. Cecilia, the martyr and the patroness of music, whose memorial we celebrate, sings in heaven before Jesus, the Lamb of God.

A native of Rome, she made a vow of virginity as a child. Despite her vow of virginity, her parents forced her to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerian. After she told him of her vow of virginity, she was still able to maintain the vow while married. At her wedding, when the musicians played their instruments, she sang with all her heart to God, her divine spouse. She told her husband, that an angel is watching over her virginity, and that if he wanted to see the angel, he too should be baptized. Because of the deep love of Christ and her holy virtues, her husband and his brother became Christian. And once he was baptized, he saw the angel. From her childhood until her death, she bravely denied the worship of false gods. She helped the poor and did many deeds of mercy. Her husband and his brother were martyred, followed by St. Cecilia, a few days later. She was placed in hot steam for three days, but was miraculously not affected. The executioner struck her three times with the blade, but she did not die immediately. And do today, statues of the virgin martyr, show her lying down with a large gash on her throat. Although she died in the early 2^nd century, her body continues to be incorrupt and is located in a church in Rome. Her name is in the Roman Canon, which is Eucharistic prayer 1 of the Mass.

Just as St. Therese is patroness of the missions, although she was never a missionary, St. Cecilia, is the patroness of music, although she never played musical instruments. However, at the sound of musical instruments, the virgin, Cecilia, sang in her heart continually, as an outpouring of love to God, Her Divine Spouse.

Today, even though there are some of us who may never have played a musical instrument we can be just like St. Cecilia and do everything for the love of God and in this way, when we enter the gates of heaven, we will sing with the choir of angels forever.

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Nov. 21st

 

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. Even though Sacred Scripture doesn’t say anything about Mary’s Presentation in the Temple, the belief is based upon by a very ancient tradition of the Catholic Church. And the Church has given it, official recognition by making it a special Marian Feast.

It’s believed that when St. Anne was childless, she and her spouse St. Joachim, made a promise to God, that if they would conceive a child, the child would dedicated to God. Once the child was born, the sacrifice would be a great one, but their love was entirely pure and holy, as they preferred God’s glory and pleasure. And so, when Mary was three years old, they took Her to the temple to be consecrated to God.

On Mary’s part, She totally gave Herself to God, consecrating Herself to Him, and vowed Her Perpetual Virginity. She left Her home, Her family, and aging parents behind, to consecrate Herself solely to Her Divine Master.

Many young virgins attempted to enter into the service of the Lord at the temple, but not all were permitted. They had to undergo questioning and approval by the priests. The young Virgin Mary, must have dazzled the priests by Her perfect answers, and so, would have been easily admitted, due to Her abundance of grace. While in the temple, Mary remained with other young virgins to be educated and trained to serve the sanctuary and sacred priests, by making vestments, and ornaments, and assisting at services, and contributing to the worship of God, in whatever manner was possible, for a young girl of the time.

How sorrowful for Sts. Joachim and Anne to leave their only daughter at the Temple, after just three years, from which She was born.

The Gospel for the feast calls our attention to the total dedication of Mary to God’s service, and Her obedience to God’s plans, because She always did the will of the Father, from Her tender years as a child, to the day of Her Assumption into heaven.

All of us are mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters of Jesus, as we joyfully serve God, by doing His Holy Will in our life. It is never too late to dedicate our self, to the service of the Lord, in whatever manner we are able.

And so, with a prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori, we cry out to Mary, “Behold, O Mary, I present myself to You today, offering myself entirely to Your service, for whatever days I have left still on this earth. I renounce all creatures as you did, and vow myself entirely to the love of the Creator. Accept O Most Holy Virgin, the offering; accept it, I beg, by the consolation Your Heart felt when you gave Your Self to God in the temple. O Mother of Mercy, help my weakness by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me, from your Jesus, the strength to be faithful to you until death. And Grant that after having served You, always in this life, I may go to praise You, eternally, in Paradise.” Amen.

Christ the King - Reverence Towards Our Eucharistic King

 

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical year.

In the first reading, David is a shepherd and anointed as a king. God made a covenant with David, in which He promised, a future messianic king. It was fulfilled when the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to the Blessed Virgin. “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Jesus is the King of Kings, and the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His Sheep, so that His kingdom could come here on earth as it is in heaven.

When we think of a king, we think of his authority and how his subjects show respect and reverence to Him. A king has power to rule his kingdom.

An ordinary king is to be treated with honor and respect. We see this in King Charles, who replaced his mother, the Queen of England.

Suppose a citizen of the king would walk up to him and spit in his face, what do you think would happen to him? Or what if someone began cursing at the king? What do you think the king’s attendants would do? Rather, then bowing before the king, as people were obliged to do, what if someone were to mock the king, by pretending to kneel before the him. Or what if someone were to slap a king in his face, what do you think would happen to the man?

If a king is treated disrespectfully, the king or his guards ordinarily would have the person arrested or even killed.

In the 2 book of Samuel (16:13), Shemei threw rocks and tossed dirt at King David and cursed at him. One of his attendants with David said, “Let me go and lop off his head for cursing my lord and king.” So if anyone treated a king with disrespect, he would certainly pay the price.

Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the king of heaven and earth. And this is what happened to Jesus. The night He was taken captive, a man spit in his face. Another slapped Jesus. Soldiers later mocked Our Lord, by pretending to kneel before Him. They put a robe around him, placed a stick in His hand, pretending it to be a scepter, and on His Sacred Head, they did not place a royal golden crown, but rather, a crown of thorns.

In the Gospel today, it states the rulers sneered at Jesus, saying, “He saved others, let Him save Himself, if He is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” The Gospel said, “even the soldiers jeered at Him.” They said, “If you are the King of Jews, save yourself.” The inscription Pilate placed above the head of Jesus, on the Cross, testified as to why Jesus was being crucified. It said, “This is the King of the Jews.”

The good thief is the only one who defended Our Lord, who said, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he acknowledged Jesus is a king, saying, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

When anyone comes into the presence of a king, they dress up. They wear their best clothes out of respect for the dignity of Jesus, whose house we enter. We shouldn’t wear t-shirts and shorts during Mass or Eucharistic Adoration or really anytime we come inside the church because this is God’s house. This is His temple.

Thanks be to God, in our parish we don’t have a problem with modesty. In some parishes, pastors struggle to warn young ladies to not wear low cut tops or short shorts or tight clothes. Girls shouldn’t unveil anything sacred. Men and boys, could be tempted in ways women don’t know or understand. Girls should be modest at all times, including sports activities.

The Holy of Holies was in the Jewish temple. It was veiled as a sign of respect for the sacred presence of God. When the tabernacle is opened, you see two white cloths hanging at the opening. There in the tabernacle is a veil that covers the presence of Jesus in the tabernacle. Women and girls veil themselves because their bodies are sacred and should not be revealed in public.

It is becoming more popular that women and girls are now returning to wearing chapel veils to humble themselves before the presence of God in the church.

Out of reverence and respect toward Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, truly present in the tabernacle, when we come to church and leave the church, we genuflect and then we go to our pew and we kneel and bow our head in prayer before the golden door containing the Eucharist, because as Catholics, we are giving homage the King of heaven and earth in the most Blessed Sacrament.

At Mass, we kneel at the moment bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus. At the words of the priest, “This is my body”, and “This is my blood.”, Jesus will come down from heaven on the altar. We kneel because Jesus, who is God, and who is a divine King comes down at that moment.

When we come forward to receive Holy Communion, the Church requires we show reverence before receiving Holy Communion. In the US, the bishops ask us to bow our head. There are some who make the sign of the cross or genuflect or kneel before receiving Holy Communion. Minimally, we should at least bow before receiving Communion. How beautiful that altar rails are being re-install and parishioners are now able to once again kneel to receive Holy Communion.

It is especially reverent to receive Our Eucharistic King on the tongue, as this is the manner the Church desires. However, we are permitted to receive on the hand. But if we do, after the Host is placed in our hand, we should look for Sacred Particles and consume them, less they fall to the ground.  As your priest, I strongly recommend receiving on the tongue, which safer because the Host is less apt to fall, and no particles fall to the ground when receiving on the tongue.

Our heart is the palace of the King of Heaven. And in order to keep our palace presentable, we need to regularly keep it clean, by going to confession at least monthly.

If we were to receive Jesus in Holy Communion, in the state of mortal sin, or if we receive the Eucharist without fasting before receiving the Eucharist, we commit a sacrilegious communion, which is another mortal sin.

We are not permitted to receive Holy Communion if we break the one hour fast. Chewing gum, eating candy, drinking coffee or tea will break the one hour fast and we are not permitted to receive the Eucharist, if its been less than one hour before Communion. If we eat something accidentally, its not sinful, but we are still not permitted to receive Communion after we just ate or drank something, other than water or medicine, except for diabetics, who if their sugar drops suddenly, the can take orange juice or sweets, and that’s when food becomes medicine and is permissible.

If we commit a sacrilegious communion, we do as the soldiers did to Jesus, we, so to speak, re-crucify Him, we nail His hands and feet to the Cross, we jeer at Him and mock Him and treat Him in a vile manner. That’s why its called a sacrilegious communion. Just as the body of Jesus was profaned on the Cross, His blessed body in the Eucharist is profaned when we commit a sacrilegious communion.

But oh, how merciful is our King! All we need to do is come to Him in confession, first, before receiving Communion, and He will wash away all our sins, bestow His mercy on us, and therefore prepare our heart to receive Him worthily. He will then pour abundant graces and gifts into our hearts.

It is so wonderful to see many in our parish spending time with Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament during your Holy Hour. I would also like to encourage you to bring your children with you to adore Jesus, our Eucharistic king.

Its so beautiful to see many from our parish give Jesus the double knee genuflection when you come to do your Holy Hour. When we adore Jesus, we are coming before the king and what does a king do, when He is treated with respect and reverence? He lavishes His gifts upon His subjects. Jesus pours spiritual gifts into our hearts because we are faithful in our commitment to be with Him. He gives us graces and gives because we come to Him, not demanding what we want, but we ask out of humility from the giver of every good gift. Don’t be afraid to ask the king for anything. Be bold and ask for more than you can imagine. As God and king, Jesus can give you anything, if its in accord with His holy will.

Advent begins next Sunday. Everyone should go to Confession before Christmas. Just as the wise men, fell on their knees in adoration in the presence of the newborn king, so we will do the same, if we come to receive His infinite mercy in confession and have our heart (our own temple) prepared for Him, who loves us.

Then when Christmas comes, we will sing with the angels, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. May the Virgin Mary, the Queen of heaven and earth, help all of us to grow in love and respect for Her Son, the King of the universe.

St. Rose Duchesne

 

 Born on Aug. 29, 1769, in Grenoble, France, Rose Duchesne was the second of eight children. Five of the six sisters would become visitation sisters.

She briefly joined the Grenoble Visitation sisters until the government closed all women’s religious communities due to the Enlightenment.

After a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Francis Regis in 1800, she resolved to dedicate her life to the teaching of the poor. She and four nuns adopted a new name “Daughters of the Propagation of the Faith” on Mar. 3, 1803, and the following year sought admission into the Society of the Sacred Heart, founded by Madeleine-Sophie Barat.

In 1817 Louis DuBourg, bishop of Louisiana visited France. Because of the urgent plea for missionaries and a personal meeting between the bishop and Mother Barat, permission was obtained for Mother Duchesne and her first nuns to go to America. After spending 10 weeks at sea, the missionaries landed in the US on May 25 in 1818. They stayed with the Ursulines at New Orleans for several weeks before heading by boat to St. Louis. The bishop ordered the sisters to take up residence at St. Charles Missouri.

After Pope Gregory XVII urged the society to engage in missionary activity among the Native Americans, three sisters were appointed to this task. Due to her advanced years, Mother Duchesne was not chosen. The intercession of her priest friend called Mother Duchesne to be included. Their destination was a Potawatomi Indian village at Sugar Creek, KS.

Mother Duchesne arrived in Sugar Creek in July of 1841. Her age, her inability to master the Native tongue, and her ill health, combined to limit her material support she could offer to the missionary effort. She spent long hours nursing sick tribe members and the reputation of her sanctity grew. The Indians called her “woman who prays always”, in honor of her extensive periods of time she spent kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament.

After being sent to St. Louis by her superiors, she died Nov. 18, 1852 having attained her eighty-third year.

Mother Duchesne’s remains were interred in the community cemetery at St. Charles. After lying in the ground for three years, encased in a plain wooden coffin, her body was exhumed and the corpse was found to be incorrupt at this time, although later it decomposed. Mother Rose Duchesne was beatified in 1940 and in 1988 was pronounced a saint of the Church by Pope John Paul II. Today, if we have never prayed to St. Rose of Duchesne, a saint who walked, worked and prayed in Kansas, let us beseech her to help us to pray before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

33rd Sunday Year C - Synod

 

Image taken from the Vatican Synod Website

“By your perseverance you will secure your lives”. During this time just before Advent, the Church gives us Apocalyptic readings in Scripture that can be frightening, but passages like today’s Gospel can also fill us with hope.

Today, we read about Jesus reaching the temple, surrounded by all its grandeur. For the Jewish people, the temple was a sacred place. It stood as a reminder that God had chosen Israel as His own. So when Jesus warned, “There will not be left a stone upon another stone,” His message troubled His listeners.

Just as Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, so the Catechism of the Catholic Church predicts the passion of the Church, meaning the body of Christ, will go through its apparent crucifixion. But it will rise after what appears to be its destruction, as Jesus told Peter, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Catechism states, “Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth….The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection.”

There is a synod going on in Rome some believe could cause the Church to go through its passion. This synod is causing great concern among bishops, priests and lay people. There is not only concern in the US, but also throughout the world.

A synod is general term for ecclesiastical gatherings under hierarchical authority, for the discussion and decision of matters relating to faith, morals, or discipline. It’s different from a Church Council called by the pope and all bishops of the world participate. But, all the bishops of the world don’t participate in a synod. A synod cannot make infallible statements on faith and morals. Synod statements can contain errors.

However, a Church Council, when in union with the pope, can make infallible statements on faith and morals binding all Catholics to believe. The last Church Council was Vatican II.

The current synod underway has been criticized by some cardinals, bishops and priests.

When I was in Medjugorje, a Dominican priest, who preached in the presence of a bishop who offered the Mass, gave a homily on the synod. He said, “In the pre-synodal reports of certain countries, they clamor for change in doctrine and morals.” “...some who promoting for change, claim holiness is an ideal, rather than a goal. They seek to accompany, which they mean to keep people exactly where they are. What is sinful is no longer called sin. We are reassured that hell is not eternal or that it is empty. When we fail to love people enough and properly, our error manifests. How? By lying to them and blessing their disordered unions. By confirming them in adultery and fornication. By affirming their grave errors like abortion and reward them with Communion without repentance. It is a failure to love people’s souls and the willingness to risk their eternal salvation. And all, why? For the sake being inclusive and nice. For the sake of making myself popular.”

In Catholic news recently, Bishop Robert Mutsaerts from the Netherlands, said, “One thing is clear to me. God is out of the picture in this damned synodal process. The Holy Spirit has absolutely nothing to do with it. Among the protagonists of this process are to me a little too many defenders of gay marriage, folks who don't really think abortion is a problem and never really show themselves defenders of the Church's rich creed, wanting above all to be liked by their secular surroundings. How un-pastoral, how unloving. People want sincere answers. They don't want to go home with more questions. You're keeping people from salvation. I have since dropped out of the synodal process.”

Cardinal Mueller, former head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith was recently interviewed on the Catholic television EWTN show, The World Over hosted by Raymond Arroyo. During the interview the cardinal spoke about the current synod being held in Rome. He, other clerics and church theologians are accusing the synod leaders of having a pre-planned agenda.

He said, “This is a desire to take over, a power which doesn't exist, a want to be more intelligent than God himself. It is like the Marxistic form of creating the truth by presenting of his own power. ... They have the intention to substitute their own subjective ideas, against a revealed reality of Jesus Christ, as is the [path to the] destruction of the Catholic Church... This occupation of the Catholic Church is a hostile takeover of the Church of Jesus Christ... And if you look at only one page, or read one page of the Gospel, you'll see that it has nothing to do with Jesus Christ... and [in this agenda] they think that doctrine is only like a program of a political party, who can change it according to their votes. And we must resist it like the old heretics of the Arianism.” The words of Cardinal Mueller are sobering.

What if the majority of bishops in the world, were to say, Jesus is more than a man, but less than God? Would you follow the majority of the bishops? This is actually what happened in the early 300’s, during the Arian Heresy. During that time, the majority of the bishops in the world were holding to a false teaching that originated by a bishop, whose name was Arius. However, the majority of the people of the Church did not accept this false idea, but persevered through that crisis and the heresy died away because the Church, as the bride of Christ was victorious. Ordinary lay people believed what the Church had taught, Jesus is fully God and fully man, with two natures, human and divine.

What if today, suppose for example, the majority of the bishops would say women can be ordained priests, homosexual unions are no longer sinful, and can be blessed, and everyone, no matter their religion, or if in they are in a state of mortal sin, can receive the Holy Eucharist. But the problem with these ideas, is that the teachings of the Church on these subjects can never be changed. These topics are actually being discussed at the synod.

But what if the majority of the bishops followed these errors? Suppose for example, if a synod document would make these erroneous statements, would you follow the synod? You better not, because then you would be setting yourself outside the teachings of the Church passed down to us from Jesus and the Apostles.

St. John’s second letter, he said, “Anyone who is so “progressive” as to not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.” (2 John: 4-9)

St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians (1:8) said, “Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the we preached to you, let him be cursed.”

Bishop Fulton Sheen, whose cause for his canonization is under way, said, this about the future antichrist: He will give “the temptation to have a new religion without a Cross, a liturgy without a world to come, a religion to destroy a religion, or a politics which is a religion.. He will set up a counter church which will be the ape of the Church, because he, the Devil, is the ape of God. It will have all the notes and characteristics of the Church, but in reverse and emptied of its divine content. ..But the twentieth century will join the counter church because it claims to be infallible when its visible head speaks ex cathedra from Moscow on the subject of economics and politics, and as chief shepherd of world communism.”

My friends, we are entering into very confusing times in the Catholic Church and the world. That is why in last week’s bulletin, I suggested you keep up on Catholic news. We must always hold fast to our Catholic faith. It is the pearl of great price. Human beings make mistakes and sin. But the deposit of faith (divine revelation) given to us by way of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition (as found in the Catechism) can never change and if we cling to it, no matter what goes on around us, we will always have hope.

Jesus wasn’t just predicting the destruction of Jerusalem (which actually took place in 70 AD), about 37 years after His death and resurrection. He was also unveiling a spiritual reality. Like the prophet Jeremiah centuries before Him, Jesus was warning the people not to place all their confidence on the temple alone. Rather than placing their hope in bricks and mortar, they needed to look to the God who inhabits the temple.

It wasn’t just the temple, either. Jesus also foretold of earthquake, famines, wars, and persecutions. Nations would fall; good health, peace, and stability would collapse. Everything the people relied on—everything we rely on—would one day pass away. Only God and His teachings lasts forever.

So where’s the hope? By exposing the lie that says security comes from money, status, or well-being, from human beings, Jesus is pointing us to what does last: heaven. Because He loves us, He is warning us not to rely on fleeting things that will only disappoint us. As much as we enjoy the consolations and blessings of life on earth, they can’t possibly compare to heaven!

That the hope: Jesus is showing us the greatness of our God and the glory of the life to come. He’s opening our eyes to the only One who lasts: our faithful God. With Him, we find everlasting life. That’s why, as we persevere and cling to Him, and His divine revelation through His immemorial teachings of the Church, and we will “secure our lives”.
The words of Jesus to Peter, give us hope: “I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He doesn’t promise the Church won’t go turmoil. But, He promises His Church and His teachings will never change and will last until He comes on the clouds of heaven. Let us turn to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and ask Her to watch over and protect the Church and help us to always be faithful to the Church’s teachings, even to death if necessary. And may we keep all those who are causing confusion in the Church in our prayers, that they may become a witness to the truth of the Gospel.

Fr. Leon's Pereira Homily before a Bishop, who offered the Mass at St. James in Medjugorje

 Bishop Robert Mutsaerts Synod Explanation

https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/11/dutch-bishop-god-is-out-of-picture-in.html

Cardinal Mueller's Interview with EWTN the World Over

 https://fatheredmondkline.blogspot.com/2022/10/ewtn-world-over-cardinal-mueller.html

St. Josaphat - Nov. 12th

 

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Josaphat, bishop and martyr, who was born in 1580 in Poland to Orthodox parents. His birth name was John Kunsevich. His mother raised him in the fear of the Lord and in his tender heart formed longings for virtue. As a child, he would separate himself from the games of his companions in order to pray. He learned a large section of the Divine Office by heart and was faithful in praying it everyday. He became Catholic of the Byzantine Rite. He studied philosophy and theology under two famous Jesuits.

In 1604, when took the religious habit as he entered the Order of St. Basil, at twenty years of age, he took the name Josaphat. He thoroughly reformed the order, giving the order a more active character. He was ordained a priest and began to preach in various churches to many dissidents. Through his boundless charity and powerful preaching, he established unity with the Uniate Church. So well known, did his wisdom and knowledge become, that he was recommended, to the Pope by his own people to rule over them as archbishop in 1617. In this office he campaigned intensively for the conversion of the schismatics, and reform the clergy in his diocese. He restored five major cathedrals, aided the poor and maintained total frugality in his residence. Soon, St. Josaphat had an enemy, who made himself bishop of the same city in which Josaphat was bishop. In a very short period of time, many of the people of the city began to follow the false archbishop, who sought power over the people. An uprising occurred which resulted in the archdeacon being wounded on the head and left for dead. When Bishop Josaphat went to calm the turmoil, he knew it would be the end of his life. At the age of 44, Josaphat they cruelly assassinated him and profaned his body.

After five days, when his mortal remains were recovered from a river, and exposed for 9 days, his body constantly emitted a fragrance of roses and lilies. One of the councilors, who had abandoned the faith, immediately came back to the Church, when he saw the countenance of the St. Josaphat. The archbishop gladly went to his death in order to reunite the schism. About four years after the death of Josaphat, the false archbishop repented and lived a life of penance and prayer. Such changes of heart are the result of the sanctity of St. Josaphat. About 5 years after his death, his body was found incorrupt, though his clothes had rotted away. Again, in 1637, his body was found white and supple. After a hundred forty years in 1767, the body was still found incorrupt. It was eventually taken to St. Peter’s basilica in Rome and he was canonized in 1867, as the first Eastern saint by Pope Leo XIII.

Pope Pius XI said, “St. Josaphat is rightly looked upon, as the great glory and strength of the Eastern Rite Slavs. Few have brought them greater honor, or contributed more, to their spiritual welfare than Josaphat, their pastor and apostle, especially when he gave his life, as a martyr for the unity of the Church.”

Today, let us pray for unity among all Christians, especially between the East and West. And if necessary, and if God so ordains it, may we lay down our life for truth and unity, in imitation of St. Josaphat, the martyr.

St. Marin Tours - Nov. 12th

 

 Today is the feast of St. Martin of Tours. He was born about the year 317AD. His parents were not Christians. They were pagans, who worshipped idols. His father was a soldier, who wanted his son, Martin, to follow in his footsteps, as a soldier. After becoming a soldier, he met a poor man in the street, who was cold. Martin cut off a piece of his own military cloak, and gave half of his cloak to the poor man. That same night he had a vision, which helped him to understand that the poor man was really Jesus in disguise. This caused Martin to become Catholic. And after his baptism, he led the life of a hermit, and later converted his mother to the Catholic faith as well.

St. Martin and St. Hilary built a monastery and lived there, until he was chosen bishop of Tours in 371. Even though he was elected bishop, he continued to live the same humble and mortified life as before. As bishop, at first, he lived in a little cell near the church, but afterward laid the foundations of a new monastery. A number of followers flocked to his monastic way of life, and he therefore became the founder of monasticism in what is now today, France.

As bishop, he succeeded in getting rid of idolatry from his diocese of Tours. He and St. Ambrose protested against those who were putting heretics to death.

The life of St. Martin was one of constant prayer and his virtues were rewarded by an extraordinary gift of miracles. Living more than eighty years, he died peacefully in 397. As we prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, let us ask Our Blessed Mother to give us the grace to live a holy life in imitation of St. Martin of Tours.

St. John Lateran - Nov. 9th

 

 Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica, which is the cathedral of Rome. There is an inscription on the outside of the church, which states, “The holy church of the Lateran, mother and head of all the churches of the city and of the world.”

After the church was constructed by the emperor Constantine and given to pope Sylvester I, it was consecrated in 324. The pope lived at the Lateran palace for about 1000 yrs, before moving to St. Peter’s Basilica. The church also possesses the relics of the heads of Peter and Paul and the holy table our Lord used at the Last Supper.

Many think St. Peter’s Basilica is the Cathedral of Rome, but its not. It’s St. John Lateran and the church has the bishop of Rome’s chair called the cathedra.

We celebrate the dedication of the physical structure of the Lateran Basilica, not so much because it is old, or that it was the resident of the pope for centuries, but most importantly, because of who is in the Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ truly present in the Eucharist now resides in the Lateran Basilica and every Catholic church in the world.

In the second reading today, St. Paul said, “Do you not know you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.”

Today’s feast is a reminder that our body, like that of a church, is a temple, which belongs to God. Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and because of that we should treat our body with respect. It does not belong to us, it belongs to the Lord. So when we purposely harm our body, we really harming something that belongs to God.

Many today, don’t respect their God given body, which does not belong to any of us, but to the Lord. We are stewards of our body. We are to take care of that which belongs to God.

When our body dies, we bury it with respect. In fact, it used to be that it was never be permitted to cremate. But today, we can, but only if the remains are buried properly and the ashes are not scattered and if the person who died believes in the resurrection of the body. At the end of the world, our body, whether decayed or as ashes will be resurrected and be re-united with our soul and the general resurrection.

Because our body is sacred, we are to treat it with respect. Some ways the body is disrespected today, include dying of one’s hair such as green, red, yellow, orange or purple. For young men they at times where there hair with dread locks, which means they don’t wash their hair and purposely damage it.

The bible also specifically mentions not to get tattoos nor mutilate our body. Tattoos inject ink in our body and at times can cause serious infections. Simply even writing on the hand and use it as paper is also disrespectful to the body.

Surgeries such as face lifts, or if a man or woman gets sterilized, so as to not have children is harmful to the body.

Piercing of eye brows, the nose, and excessive ear piercing is not treating our body with respect. Other ways we treat our body sinfully is overeating food, or food that harms our body, or smoking, which harms our lungs, or excessive drinking of alcohol. Eating excessive candy. Some women starve themselves to have a slim figure. Not taking care of our health or by refusing to see a doctor, or not taking medicine beneficial to us. Some people exercise excessively and can eat harm their body because of the desire for others to look at their physic. Others don’t get the exercise they need such as walking. Some don’t bathe as often as they should.

Even more important than the physical care of the body, is the care of the soul. Whereby we avoid sin, especially mortal sin. We do this especially by going to confession regularly to spiritually wash our soul and to receive Holy Communion often, which strengthens our soul, when its united to Jesus.

We become living tabernacles, when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. And we need to be conscience of the indwelling of God in our soul, for by doing this, we will treat our body and our soul with respect.

By coming to Mass today, we recognize our need to drive those things in our heart, which prevent the temple of our soul from truly being the Father’s house. We need to be like Jesus, and have holy zeal, to drive out the sheep, oxen, and money changers within our heart (which are our sins).

Today, let us therefore honor and praise St. John Lateran Church, the mother church of all Christians, let us with zeal strive to make our soul immaculate in imitation of Mary, the image and model of the Church and in this way, Our Lord will find within us a miniature palace, a little tabernacle and a home He can dwell.