I don't know Jackie. Mother Angelica, she doesn't strike me as quite the same as Michael Voris. There was a kind of wry kindness to the good Mother. A sweetness ,a kindness even when she was banging the war drums. As the French say a Je ne suis quoi ( I do not know). Michael comes across to me as much more strident and harsh. I would never be uneasy with the Mother Angelica, I trusted her like a member of the family. Michael..wellllllllllllll..sometimes he makes me uneasy.
You are right to make the distinction and I understand. Scholaire. Nevertheless I believe habitual practice to me indicates Church consent. Otherwise we end up in a misty world of ifs and maybes. Of second guessing. If Our Lord wants these practices stopped they will be stopped. But at the moment considering such things to me a bit like complaining about a lit candle when the house is on fire.
Obedience: All of those who have reached great unity with God have one common theme. They have all practiced obedience, not only to the Catholic Church...but starting with their spiritual director, local Bishop and finally Our Holy Father. If you read the Catholic Saints throughout the history of the church...that is their common thread. Obedience to Our Holy Catholic Church... is obedience to God. Understanding God: No one fully understands Gods ways. Again, read the great saints in Our Catholic Tradition. They can all give a glimpse of God but not one can totally understand all of Gods wonders. Novus Ordo: This type of mass was guided by the Holy Spirit. It is still latin mass just converted to all languages. This is what we seem to forget about Vatican 2. It allowed Mass to be heard in our native tongues. If it was still in Latin, we might have lost many souls because no one would fully understand what was really going on. Also, to convert the third world (asia, latin america, africa). Maybe Novus Ordo was needed. It is Gods Will not our will. I am the first to love tradition but maybe we have to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes, we argue from inside are own box. Gods plans are infinite and we are finite...who are we to understand. Not even rockstar saints had all the answers. It takes humility and obedience to fully accept Our Lord Jesus Christ. May Gods Will be Done
padraig, Yes, Michael Voris does come across often harshly. I think it's because the times are far worse than when Mother Angelica spoke out against errors practiced, the falling away from the Faith. I can give a recent examples of no faith, the young do not even know. Monday, I unscribed from Urban Outfitters. Why? There came up a new ad for fall, it was a photo of young men and women sitting in line, in a row and two of the women had no shirts on, naked from the waist up!!! Jesus mercy. Do not purchase anything from them and mainly, tell your children not to buy UO. Here's totally against the Faith, the Cardinal Dolan business, he gets away with murder. Remember his laughing photos with two maximum pro-aborts, BHO and Romney at the Al Smith dinner? Everything is fine. Made you sick back in October of 2012. An now his approval of the furthering of the Gay agenda concerning the St. Patrick's Parade. I cannot find it, I've looked, one sentence from Mothersuperior7 recently. She said so beautifully, how God accepts, each in our individual way, a person's way of helping Him. We gotta keep on.
I think all the answers Jackie are contained in what are lady told us to do. To pray and fast and basically live good prayerful lives. It sounds so simple but... it reminds me of lighting a candle on a clear windless evening , it is the easiest most simple thing in the world to do. But try lighting a candle in the storm ..and that is what we are in at the minute a great storm so keeping the candle lit takes real courage. After giving out communion I stand up at the altar in the mornings at early mass and look down at the congregation whom I mostly know by sight. I think how special they are, how blessed by God to keep the storm lantern of their hearts lit. On the other hand I heard this morning about the American nurse who encouraged numerous people to kill themselves and even watched them die by web cam. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ex-nurse-who-encouraged-people-online-4192470 Convicted: William Melchert-Dinkel (R) has been convicted following the death of Brit Mark Drybrough The murderer did not do this for any reason at all except from pure evil. He wanted them to die. It was diabolical. On the other hand the British woman who tracked the killer through the internet to report him to the police was very brave, selfless and good. So we have the two things great evil and great good side by side. I think Cardinal Dolan and others like him do not understand this lesson. 'Treat a lion like a lion'. Treat evil like evil. Fight it, stand up to to it, Try to overcome it. Leviticus 20:13 13 “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.
I am a female Extraordinary minister and a convert. All I knew was when I entered the Church I wanted to serve. When I read some of these visions that what I am doing is wrong it disturbs me in my spirit but when I take it to prayer the Lord reminds me that I am a child of the Church. Now the Church allows this and our pastors and our aging morning Mass parishioners who have been doing this role for years are grateful and have thanked me for helping. Should the Church change its position on this tomorrow I would be more than happy to step aside as it is not about me, it is about Jesus. I trust in Jesus which means that as a Catholic Christian I trust in His Church.
When female eucharistic ministers took to the altar years ago I was very upset and always insisted on going to the priest. Then we had many priests. Now some of our parishes depend on a visiting priest and the female eucharistic minister is really needed. I now take the view that the church has allowed this and I realise that the original idea was for the situation when no priests were available to distribute communion. We are now at this point. Now I leave the judgement to the Lord. I do wish though that people in church behave in a more reverent way. I also attend the Tridentine Mass from time to time. It is very reverent and beautiful but I like to fact that the Gospel & readings are available to us in the vernacular in the Novus Ordo. Both have their strengths. I agree with you Padraig, the day is fading and we must trust the Lord and try and fulfill the requests from heaven that have been sanctioned by the church. First Friday devotions, First Saturday devotions and pray pray pray.
Thanks for your words Lifesong. I too was asked several years ago by my pastor, a canon lawyer and a "conservative no nonsense priest" , to be a Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. I too have been bothered somewhat by posts and blogs indicating that I'm in error for being a EM. It caused me to even exhibit false humility- of not bring worthy. I even at one point was going to ask my pastor to take me off the schedule. But, like you, in prayer I went to Jesus , and came away with that I'm only being a servant to the Church. I'm grateful to be called to this service and I can only say how much of a blessing it has been to me. It has brought me closer to the Eucharistic Jesus when I see faithful men and women coming to receive Jesus. As I look into their eyes, I see their earnest hunger and need for Jesus that sometimes I need to fight to hold back my tears in front of such devoutness.
That is beautiful Miker, I agree, I am overwhelmed by grace that I have been asked to do this and I have felt the same emotions as people line up and I see what is on their faces. Some are solemn, some smile but all are seeking Jesus. It is so beautiful! We were taught in our training that it is not just our role at Communion but we are to be role models throughout the Mass by participating and by our reverence and also in Church and I have never forgotten that. To whom much is given much is expected!
Last week on Catholic radio, listening to a replay of the long ago Mother Angelica shows, a dear lady from Florida asked a question that I couldn't wait to hear Mother Angelica's reply. The woman, who is from Florida first said the churches are full on Sunday, standing room only. Then she shared, I tell my children "go to the priest, go to the priest" to receive and receive on the tongue. She told Mother Angelica her kids are the only ones in their class who do. Next she stated... Her pastor asked her to become a Eucharistic minister. The question... Mother, what do I do? I wish I had it all in quotes but I don't. Mother Angelica told her she cannot become a Eucharistic minister for the instruction she gives her kids. Mother Angelica said "you must follow your conscience." Mother Angelica then stated because of the loss of vocations and lack of priests, the need for Eucharistic ministers but she sees/saw the use of them is abused.
Mother Angelica was always very,very prudent and shrewd. I sometimes had a feeling listening to her that she sometimes did not say as much as she might have liked. Like all the saints she had many enemies. I listen to her old talks every week always with great profit. Old fashioned simple Catholicism. Pure old fashioned Catholicism. Very rich, very Orthodox, great wisdom.
I have long ago and after much prayer and heart searching decided to follow what the Church directs on this. If they say it is fine to be a Eucharistic Minister I will stay on as one. If they say it is fine for me to receive on the hands I will receive on the hands. The very day, the very hour they say I can do neither, I will do neither. 'Obedience and Peace'. St John 23rd's motto. So true. So very,very true. View attachment 2465
Good points, Padraig. Perhaps we could all do with a bit more obedience and a little less questioning. I'm with you on this.
padraig, I don't reply to all your comments. Why? It is because your writing is fresh, you share things in a new and different way, MOG loves reading your posts. Thank you. My style of writing is the same, blah, blah but I like posting something new I've read from others. Hitting the "like" option doesn't always due you justice. NRR.
Thanks Jackie. I noticed at the Vatican in St Peter's Square during his Angelus talk the Holy Father talks in a fresh , open way too. A large group of children had brought a twenty foot baby Jesus for the crib in the square and had a large sign saying. With Jesus in the home there is joy!' The Pope noticed this and quoted from it and had the little kids all screaming this out. He also said that without Jesus in the house there can be no joy, warning the kids with several wags of his finger. Again much joy and screaming out the message from hundreds of children. I have watched priests at mass on Sunday and often wish they would spend more time talking with and to children in a way they understand. Of course Pope Francis had a prepared script but he was prepared to dance away from it and back into it. You know because he talked to the children like this I will always remember what he said. If he had talked to me as an adult, when I cannot understand Italian too well I would never have understood him. 'Pope Francis says the joy that Jesus gives is one that we can experience and feel already today, not just when we get to Heaven. 'The Pope said this today, on this Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete or "rejoice" Sunday, a title taken from the first words of the prayers of the day’s Mass. He also followed the tradition of giving a blessing and special greeting to the many children who came to St. Peter's with Baby Jesus figurines from their nativity scenes. Italian children on Gaudete Sunday bring their figurines to the Angelus for this Bambinelli Sunday blessing. As well, as a gift from the Holy Father, 50,000 prayerbooks, produced by the Office of Papal Charities and published by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana (the Vatican publishing house), were distributed to those gathered in the Square. The Pope said that this Third Sunday of Advent invites us to an interior attitude of joy as a way of preparing for the Lord. Referring to a phrase spelled out by a large sign in the crowd, he spoke of joy with Jesus as being "part of the home." At various times during his address both before and after the Angelus, the Pope invited the people to repeat the phrase. "The heart of man desires joy. All of us aspire to joy. Every family, every people aspires to happiness," he explained. "But what is the joy to which the Christian is called to live and to give witness? It is that that comes from the closeness of God, of his presence in our lives. [...] We don't need to look elsewhere. Jesus came to bring joy to everyone and for ever." He affirmed that this joy is not just something for the future, for heaven. "No. It's not that. Rather, [it is] a joy that is already real and that can be felt now, because Jesus himself is our joy, is our home." Pope Francis said that helping others to discover or rediscover this joy of Jesus is a mission like that of St. John the Baptist, given to all the baptized: "a beautiful mission [...] to point people toward Christ -- not to ourselves -- because He is the final goal toward which the human heart reaches when it seeks joy and happiness." "The Christian is a person who has his heart full of peace, because he knows how to place his joy in the Lord, even when the difficult moments of life arise. To have faith does not mean to not have difficult moments, but to have the strength to face them, knowing we are not alone. And this is the Peace that God gives to his children," the Pope said. "With eyes set on Christmas, which is approaching, the Church invites us to give witness that Jesus is not a figure from the past. He is the word of God who today continues illuminating the path of man. His actions, the sacraments, are the manifestations of the tenderness, of the consolation, of the love of the Father for each human being." In greeting the children with their Baby Jesus figurines, the Pope asked them to remember him in their prayers before their home nativity sets. "Prayer is the breath of the soul," he said. "It is important to find moments during the day to open the heart to God, also with simple and brief prayers of the Christian people." With this, the Pope explained that he planned to give those in the Square the gift of a pocket-sized prayerbook and he asked them to "carry it with you always, as a tool to help you live the day with God."' http://www.romereports.com/pg158065-live-broadcast-pope-francis-prays-the-angelus-en
padraig, Cute photo, a giant baby Jesus. My kids got to attend the Holy Father's Wednesday public audience in St Peter's Square. They were pretty near to Pope Francis. I was going to share the pic my son sent me but I do not know how to paste it from my e-mail and everybody's seen a hundred photos that look similar already.
