Well, I'm in my second year of a formation program with the Diocese of Syracuse. This winter I'm taking an invigorating course on Christian Spirituality. It's menu includes the desert fathers, the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Jesuits, Sts.Thersa Avila and John of the Cross. It touches base on 20th century spiritualities, even taking a look into Liberation Theology and Feminist spirituality. It grieves me that the textbook, at least, does not focus in on the Mother of God at all. I hope the instructor broaches the subject. If not, I know someone who will! 8) As always, I ask for your prayers so that when I stick my head out and open my mouth, nothing will get chopped off! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
I would consider Devotion to Our Lady as the great litmus test of orthodoxy, Terry. If anyone acted shy I would take it as a very,very, very bad sign. Time to pick up the coat and go, the parting of the ways. I am happy at the minute, I have found that I can hire out the new Film, 'The 13th Day',' for public showing. My package includes several posters and information leaflets; I have emailed my parish priest and he is very enthusiastic about me giving a feee showing of the film at the hall here. I take his enthusiasm as a very good sign of him, if he had acted shy I would have been concerned. I am looking forward so much to seeing the film with the rest. You can watch the whole film online here: ]
I watching the film at the minute online Bobby and admit to shedding a few tears. :wink: Great film but they should have focussed more on the exact words of Our Lady at the apparitions; how they failed to do this I cannot imagine. Also the exact things Our Lady showed, for instance concerning hell, I can't think why this wasn't done. Content is much more important than stylisation were spiritual content is concerned. We'll have to get Mel Gibson off the drink and abck on the job, I think. I must start praying for his conversion. He can do more great work for the Lord.
Mel is worthy of our prayers. What a sad state he brought upon himself. Shame is a tough thing to beat- I'll join you in that prayer. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he came back and rejoined the real church ( not one of his own making) and used his talents for good once again. Pray, Pray, Pray Kath
I've seen the movie, n I thought it.was good considering that 2 brotjets made it on a low budget. Maybe they wanted 2 leave hell up 2 the imagination. After all, we really can't fathom what hell is like. Lucia did say if Our Lady hadn't sustained the, they would've died from fright.
Kathleen, I watched a bio on Mel and it was sad. Apparently when he started in Hollywood he vowed not to let his success stand in the way of his family life and he did for a very long while concentrate on his family. His father seems to have been an excellent Catholic father too (despite some problematical views , many of which my own father shared) . I wonder if maybe the success of the film , 'The Passion of the Christ' might have led him to become a particular target of Satan? I notice in the lives of the saints they often seem to reach a, 'TIpping point' at which time the devil seems to say , 'Watch out this woman or man is becomming dangerous and then him and his colleagues go all out to knock them over. A warning that the foundations of an apostolate is prayer, prayer, prayer if for no other reason than personal protection from Satan. I feel for Mel, he has fallen but we all have fallen its just his is in the full spotlight of the world's media. I feel too for his wife and children, they are sharing this spotlight, the embarrassment of it all , having done nothing at all , I am sure to deserve it. But I have a feeling God is not finished with MEl yet...I feel he is called to do great things... I loved the film MJ. I have been reading up on Fatima since I was a kid and every time I think I know all there is to know something like this film comes along to show things in a new light. For instance I did not know there was an angel in one of the visions who cried out..this angel could have been plucked straight from the Book of the apocalpse. A lot of things not mentioned, like the angel of peace who came as a precusor to the Madonna, no word of their prayer life before the apparitions.....no detailed accounts of Mary's words....But I am not being critical it was a wonderful movie and will do much good. I never realised before how much them poor kid suffered and that Jacinta's body had been brought up incorrupt!!
I feel bad 4 Mel. He was trying 2 do better. We need 2 pray 4 him n his family. It is amazing 2 know how much Jacinta n Fransisco suffered.
Padraig, I had forgotten to respond to your word of caution. Sometimes for a greater good one must proceed with the course at hand. My first job as a teenager was washing dishes in a seafood restuarant. At times, I was asked to retrieve a lobster from the lobster tank in order to satisfy a customer's palate. Well, this would often prove to be an adventurous undertaking for the lobster of my choosing usually had friends that tried coming to his rescue by snipping at my fingers! Ouch! At least it was not life-threatening! :wink: I believe the situation here is the same. There is good to be gleaned from this course. My fellow students are earnest and refreshing. If I can bring joy to Our Lady's Heart by reminding everyone what a gift she is, all the better! If some grind and gnash their teeth in response, well, I hope they have a good dentist! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
May you be the good yeast, Terry. Matthew 13:33 Jesus spoke another parable to them, He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”
I havent seen this film on Fatima but I will get the DVD as it sounds very good. Some years ago I saw a presentation on Fatima and I discovered that Jacinta is incorrupt and also she had a bunch of flowers in her hand that was placed there by the nurse who cared for her and the flowers were still fresh when she was exumed. jacinta died of the Spanish flu as did Francisco. Both were buried in quicklime. Despite the quicklime she is completely perfect just as she was on the day of her death. Genetics do not come into it as they are brother and sister and both died and were buried in the same circumstance so her incorruptability is a miracle. Mary
I didn't know about the flowers...I suspect the fact that Jacinta's body was preserved was to underline the truth of Fatima and Jacinta's own personal holiness. I was reading about a case like this last night on a wonderful website, 'Mystics of the Church' which I love to delve into from time to time for the author keeps adding new saints all the time: http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/ Anyhow the case that is like Jacintas is a Lebanese Saint canonised not too long ago, Saint Charbel Makhlouf a Maronite (the Maronite were reconciled with Rome not so long ago and are now Catholics, Maronite being a Rite in the Catholic Church, you might have seen Maronites round Pope JP2 bier at his funeral incensing, it was very touching}: http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2010/10/saint-charbel-sharbel-makhlouf-maronite.html St Cahrbel was a hermit high up in the mountains near his monastery for 23 years; no one realised just how cold it got up there till after the poor man died. It does not mention it in the link I gave , but for forty days after his death a bright light shone run his grave drawing people from far and wide . Otherwise I suppose he would have remained onlylocally known and venerated. But the clincher was that when they dug up his body it was not only incorrupt but covered in oil, whhich it was pretty well bathed in. But I think Charbel like Jacinta was preserved incorrupt to draw attention to the fact they were saints and to incourage a Cultus to them to give them a little nudge towards the altar of the Church. The fact tehy are incurrupt does not necessarily mean they were holier than other saints, its just God was of giving thigs a little nuge along in case folks forget. For instance St These of Liseaux's body was not preserved but she was a huge saint. On the other hand St Bernadettes was preserved in order to underline the turht of the Apparitions at Lourdes. Again I suspect that the good God knew the day would come (our own days) when faith would fade and folks would try to undercut belief apparitions and personal holiness and the CUlt of Sainthood and these incorrupt bodies would remind people that heaven takes a different view about things...than the 'wise', the 'learned' and the 'great' in our Church :wink: If you're ever wandering round Rome don't for goodness sake miss out the chance to see at first hand the bodies of the incorrupt saints there including: Blessed Maria Tiagi: Not far from St Pater's about ten minutes walk in as far as I remember a working class beautiful area beside the Tiber the Trastevere. Blessed Pope John 23rd on display in St Peter's itself: I suspect there are many more round Rome and its a treat to see them. Also the museum to the Holy Souls which gives eveidence of the truth of Purgatory. ] I have to say, I LOVE this stuff.
