#catechism #song #music

[#Note Against #Protestantism]

But I may be told: “Though our public history as #Protestants dates from the #Reformation, we can trace our origin back to the Apostles.” This I say is impossible. First of all, the very name you bear betrays your recent birth; for who ever heard of a Baptist or an Episcopal, or any other Protestant church, prior to the Reformation? Nor can you say: “We existed in every age as an invisible church.” Your concealment, indeed, was so complete that no man can tell, to this day, where you lay hid for sixteen centuries. But even if you did exist you could not claim to be the Church of Christ; for our Lord predicted that His Church should ever be as a city placed upon the mountain top, that all might see it, and that its ministers should preach the truths of salvation from the watch-towers thereof, that all might hear them.

It is equally in vain to tell me that you were allied in faith to the various Christian sects that went out from the Catholic Church from age to age; for these sects proclaimed doctrines diametrically opposed to one another, and the true Church must be one in faith. And besides, the less relationship you claim with many of these seceders the better for you, as they all advocated errors against Christian truth, and some of them disseminated principles at variance with decency and morality.

The Catholic Church, on the contrary, can easily vindicate the title of Apostolic, because she derives her origin from the Apostles. Every Priest and Bishop can trace his genealogy to the first disciples of Christ with as much facility as the most remote branch of a vine can be traced to the main stem.

[#Note Against #Protestantism]

Now, the #Scripture is the great depository of the Word of God. Therefore, the Church is the divinely appointed Custodian and Interpreter of the Bible. For, her office of #infallible Guide were superfluous if each individual could interpret the #Bible for himself.
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God never intended the Bible to be the Christian’s rule of faith, independently of the living authority of the Church, will be the subject of this chapter.
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Does our Savior reverse this state of things when He comes on earth? Does He tell the Jews to be their own guides in the study of the Scriptures? By no means; but He commands them to obey their constituted teachers, no matter how disedifying might be their private lives. “Then said Jesus to the multitudes and to His disciples: The Scribes and Pharisees sit upon the chair of Moses. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do.”
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But when our Redeemer abolished the Old Law and established His Church, did He intend that His Gospel should be disseminated by the circulation of the Bible, or by the living voice of His disciples?...it was by preaching alone that He intended to convert the nations, and by preaching alone they were converted. No nation has ever yet been converted by the agency of Bible Associations.

Jesus Himself never wrote a line of Scripture. He never once commanded His Apostles to write a word, or even to circulate the Scriptures already existing. ... Of the twelve Apostles, the seventy-two disciples, and early followers of our Lord only eight have left us any of their sacred writings. And the Gospels and Epistles were addressed to particular persons or particular churches. They were written on the occasion of some emergency, just as Bishops issue Pastoral letters to correct abuses which may spring up in the Church, or to lay down some rules of conduct for the faithful. The Apostles are never reported to have circulated a single volume of the Holy Scripture, but “they going forth, preached everywhere, the Lord co-operating with them.”

What is Advent?

Advent (Lat. ad-venio, to come to), according to present usage, is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as November 27, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as December 3, giving the season only twenty-one days. With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches. During this time the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into the world as the incarnate God of love, thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world.

SYMBOLISM. To attain this object the Church has arranged the Liturgy for this season. In the official prayer, the Breviary, she calls upon her ministers, in the Invitatory for Matins, to adore “the Lord the King that is to come,” “the Lord already near”, “Him Whose glory will be seen on the morrow”. As Lessons for the first Nocturn she prescribes chapters from the prophet Isaias, who speaks in scathing terms of the ingratitude of the house of Israel, the chosen children who had forsaken and forgotten their Father; who tells of the Man of Sorrows stricken for the sins of His people; who describes accurately the passion and death of the coming Savior and His final glory; who announces the gathering of the Gentiles to the Holy Hill. In the second Nocturn the Lessons on three Sundays are taken from the eighth homily of Pope St. Leo (440-461) on fasting and almsdeeds as a preparation for the advent of the Lord, and on one Sunday (the second) from St. Jerome’s commentary on Isaias, xi, 1, which text he interprets of the Blessed Virgin Mary as “the rod out of the root of Jesse”. In the hymns of the season we find praise for the coming of Christ, the Creator of the universe, as Redeemer, combined with prayer to the coming judge of the world to protect us from the enemy. Similar ideas are expressed in the antiphons for the Magnificat on the last seven days before the Vigil of the Nativity. In them, the Church calls on the Divine Wisdom to teach us the way of prudence; on the Key of David to free us from bondage; on the Rising Sun to illuminate us sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, etc. In the Masses the intention of the Church is shown in the choice of the Epistles and Gospels. In the Epistle she exhorts the faithful that, since the Redeemer is nearer, they should cast aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; should walk honestly, as in the day, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ; she shows that the nations are called to praise the name of the Lord; she asks them to rejoice in the nearness of the Lord, so that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, may keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus; she admonishes them not to pass judgment, for the Lord, when He comes, will manifest the secrets hidden in hearts. In the Gospels the Church speaks of the Lord coming in glory; of Him in, and through, Whom the prophecies are being fulfilled; of the Eternal walking in the midst of the Jews; of the voice in the desert, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord”. The Church in her Liturgy takes us in spirit back to the time before the incarnation of the Son of God, as though it were really yet to take place. Cardinal Wiseman says: “We are not dryly exhorted to profit by that blessed event, but we are daily made to sigh with the Fathers of old, ‘Send down the dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One: let the earth be opened, and bud forth the Redeemer.’ The Collects on three of the four Sundays of that season begin with the words, ‘Lord, raise up thy power and come as though we feared our iniquities would prevent His being born.”

#Advent #Fasting and #Abstinence: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Abstinence-only: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
No discipline on Sunday


St. Frances de Sales: “If you’re able to fast, you will do well to observe some days beyond what are ordered by the Church.”

https://fatima.org/news-views/the-true-advent-fast/

#catechism #song #music

November 29.--ST. #SATURNINUS, Martyr.

SATURNINUS went from Rome, by direction of Pope Fabian, about the year 245, to preach the faith in Gaul. He fixed his episcopal see at Toulouse, and thus became the first Christian bishop of that city. There were but few Christians in the place. However, their number grew fast after the coming of the Saint; and his power was felt by the spirits of evil, who received the worship of the heathen. His power was felt the more because he had to pass daily through the capitol, the high place of the heathen worship, on the way to his own church. One day a great multitude was gathered by an altar, where a bull stood ready for the sacrifice. A man in the crowd pointed out Saturninus, who was passing by, and the people would have forced him to idolatry; but the holy bishop answered: “I know but one God, and to Him I will offer the sacrifice of praise. How can I fear gods who, as you say, are afraid of me?” On this he was fastened to the bull, which was driven down the capitol. The brains of the Saint were scattered on the steps. His mangled body was taken up and buried by two devout women.

Reflection.--When beset by the temptations of the devil, let us call upon the Saints, who reign with Christ. They were powerful during their lives against the devil and his angels. They are more powerful now that they have passed from the Church on earth to the Church triumphant.

#Advent Season: suggestions for #penance to be done during this Liturgical Season will then be sent to prepare well for Holy Christmas:

1) Gastronomic penances.

– Exchange meat for fish, eggs or cheese;

– Eat less rice, beans, bread, pasta, to leave the table with a little appetite;

– Eliminate all sweets, sodas, chocolates and other goodies;

– At meals, add something that is unpleasant, such as reducing the amount of salt or adding a condiment that breaks the flavor a little;

– Eat some vegetable or vegetable that you don't like very much;

– Decrease or even remove intermediate meals (such as an afternoon snack);

– Drink coffee without sugar, or water at a less pleasant temperature;

– Set aside some day for total or partial fasting.

2) Corporal penances.

– Sleep without a pillow;

– Sit only on hard chairs;

– Pray a longer prayer on your knees;

– Do not use elevators or escalators;

– Work without leaning on the chair;

– Taking care of body posture;

– Get off a stop before the bus and walk part of the way;

– Stop using the car and take public transport.

3) Moral Penances.

– Do not complain about the difficulties of the day, but thank and praise God;

– Always smile, even when there is a nervous one;

– Moderate the frequency to social networks, cell phones and computers (reduce to a few times a day);

– Turn off cell phone notifications;

– Do the most uncomfortable jobs at home and at work, helping others;

– Waking up early to pray;

– Do not listen to music in the car;

– Do not watch TV, but dedicate this time to reading;

– Do not use electronic games if you are addicted;

– Do some volunteer work;

– Pray more for others than for yourself;

– Set aside money to give alms, but above all pay attention to beggars;

– Do not defend yourself when someone accuses you;

– Speak well about the people you would like to criticize;

– Listen to uncomfortable people without interrupting them;

– Sleep on time, even if you don't feel like it.

Fr. Lombardi: "Do you really believe that many will go to Hell? I hope that God will save the greater part of humanity." [He had just written a book entitled: Salvation for Those Without Faith]

Sr Lucia: "Father, many will be lost."

Fr. Lombardi: "It is true that the world is full of evil, but there is always a hope of salvation."

Sr Lucia: "No Father, many will be lost."

“The sins of the world are very great ... If men only knew what eternity is, they would do everything in their power to change their lives.” - Our Lady of Fatima

“The sins of the world are very great ... If men only knew what eternity is, they would do everything in their power to change their lives.” - Our Lady of Fatima

#Saint #story: After suffering a cruel scourging at Patrae in Achaia, he was left, bound by cords, to die upon a cross. When St. Andrew first caught sight of the gibbet on which he was to die, he greeted the precious wood with joy. “O good cross! “ he cried, “made beautiful by the limbs of Christ, so long desired, now so happily found! Receive me into thy arms and present me to my Master, that He Who redeemed me through thee may now accept me from thee.” Two whole days the #martyr remained hanging on this cross alive, preaching, with outstretched arms from this chair of truth, to all who came near, and entreating them not to hinder his passion.

Reflection.--If we would do good to others, we must, like St. Andrew, keep close to the cross.

https://praybenedictus.com/
#book #magazine for #Mass

For days when you cannot get to the (traditional) Mass:

O holy Angel at my side
Go to the Church for me
Kneel in my place at Holy Mass
Where I desire to be
At Offertory in my stead
Take all I am and own
And place it as a Sacrifice
Upon the Altar Throne
At Holy Consecration's bell
Adore with Seraph's love
My Jesus hidden in the Host
Come down from Heaven above
Then pray for those I dearly love
And those who cause me grief
That Jesus' Blood may cleanse all hearts
And suffering souls relieve
And when the Priest Communion makes
Oh bring my Lord to me
That his sweet Heart may rest on mine
And I his Temple be
Pray that this Sacrifice Divine
May mankind's sins efface
Then bring me Jesus' blessing home
The pledge of every grace.