At the bottom of the hour, in just a few minutes, I will head to the Sabine Chapel and say Mass.
I am especially thankful for the recent news about the Transalpine Redemptorists.
However, as good as this news is, I am sure that some on the traditionalist side of things will receive this news with bitterness and acrimony.
So, my special prayer in this Mass will be to strengthen those who are in the least inclined to bitterness about this development, even if in the leadership of the SSPX, against the attacks of hell.
The Enemy seeks to destroy the unity of the Church and the role of Peter in the Church.
So, PRAY! PRAY NOW!
Each drop of the Precious Blood is beyond the price of the world. But it was willingly shed for each one of us, despite our sins and defiance.
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Praying, Father!
Praying
Continuing to pray………
My family will say the Rosary this evening and this will be my intention.
However, my children will probably continue to pray that I finally get the pool open.
Ever notice that pools are big holes in the ground where one throws perfectly good money?
All kidding aside; I am praying hard for this intention. Praise be Jesus Christ!
Praying Father!
Thank you for keeping us up to date and for encouraging us to pray. :-)
Dear Fr. Z.
I will continue to pray for the return of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X.
They have much to offer insofar as traditional Catholicism is concerned.
May God show them the way!
We should rejoice in the decision of the Transalpine Redemptorists to return to the barque of Peter. May God bless them and grant them the strength to promote the Mass of The Ages so that every Catholic will be exposed to the beauty and solemnity of this precious gift.
Today, while praying in front of Jesus in the monstronce,for the return of the Orthodox, I suddenly realized I – we – are watching something so momentous, on so many fronts,that I was overwhelmed. The Orthodox, the SSPX, etc., and the Anglicans. All of them, on their way back to Peter. All of it in God’s time, and in God’s way. But it seems to be happening all at the same time. I am so glad to be alive at this time!
Christine, the return of the Orthodox? We never left Peter, he is the bishop of Rome. We don’t believe in universal jurisdiction. We believe in local churches governed by their bishops. We don’t have a pope. Please do not compare the Orthodox and the Anglicans to the SSPX. The SSPX are your problem as Catholics. The Orthodox and the Anglicans have their own problem. We are not a Catholic sect. That is very insulting. [I ask for prayers, and you pick a fight. – Fr. Z]
Atlanta,
Please be charitable. I don’t think Christine meant to insult us.
Atlanta,
The SSPX are true Catholics,the Eastern churches are schismatic sects, and the Anglicans strictly speaking are not even a Christian church.
But Guadalupe is another matter, but still be charitable.
Fr. Gregory, It does not matter if she meant it or not, it was insulting and so was “Guadalupe Guard”‘s remark. I am not sure how profitable this blog is to my spiritual health, I may have to let it go.
Again, Hieromonk Gregory, there is being charitable and there is being foolish. In this case it seems continuing to read this blog would be foolish for me, perhaps not so for you. That is my individual right as an Orthodox to choose what blogs I read and do not read.
Hieromonk Gregory,
You seem to not understand the connection of truth and charity. Just because the truth hurts (as did my comments to you elsewhere) does not mean it is not charitable. I must say this is a characteristic of the Eastern churches and their indefinitiveness. But you are right, no personal i sult is meant only brotherly correction and a desire that you enter into the fullness of the faith. Pax Christi.
“We never left Peter, he is the bishop of Rome”
So Atlanta, you are ok with Peter as long as he stays in his neat littl box and leave you alone?
“We don’t believe in universal jurisdiction. We believe in local churches governed by their bishops.”
It doesn’t matter what you believe, it matters what Christ did and said.
Walter, Peter is the bishop of Rome, nothing more, nothing less. Rome has expanded all over the world. I don’t have any control over St. Peter so I find your remark to be rather out of place. What I believe does matter, for it is not my own personal belief, but the belief of Orthodox Christians worldwide. Are you dismissing us all?
Again, I am even more certain this blog is not good for my spiritual health. I do not need to be here.
Well as a Catholic in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, I think it would be wise for my fellow Catholics to not try and be more “Catholic than the Pope” as I think Pope Benedict’s view of the Orthodox seems to me to be a little different than what is being posted by some Catholics in this thread. With respect to the Anglicans, yes it is true that the Anglican Church is not a Church in the sense that Catholic doctrine views what is essential to a Church valid Apostolic succession, thus valid Holy Orders, thus a valid Eucharist. However, there are many orthodox Anglicans who are very faithful Christians and we should not act arrogant but proclaim the Truth of Catholicism with firmness yes, but with charity, and pray that orthodox Anglicans will reconcile with Rome and join us against the forces o f what Pope Benedict calls the “dictatorship of relativism”.
Regards
Atlanta: There is no “belief of Orthodox Christians worldwide’ save that what you believe as formulated when united to Peter. But please understand that some times one may feel his spiritual equilibrium (or as you say “health”) is being jeopardized when he is being called to grow in the faith as you and Fr. Gregory are.
STOP IT!!!
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
Atalanta,
My point is don’t get caught up with the remarks of some of the fringes of posting. Most people are quite polite and helpful. Your choice to post here of course is your decision. But I remind you that we have some Orthodox Christians who make Guadalupe appear most gentle. Bad manners is bad manners no matter who expresses them. As my spiritual father tells me: the trouble with zealots is that they often give more heat than they do light.
Atlanta,
Thank you for your post and thank you for reading Fr. Z’s blog. I understand you may find this offensive, and I apologize for having to offend you. However, I must speak truth, even to those who may be offended.
You are not in communion with the Bishop of Rome, who is the successor of St. Peter, who had primacy in the Apostolic age, and whose successors enjoy primacy now. Just because “you don’t believe in” the Pope’s jurisdiction, that doesn’t make you correct.
Your “belief” contradicts historical fact. The first epistle of Clement to the Corinthians is one example.
Clement, the Bishop of Rome, wrote this epistle around 96 AD. He had heard about a dispute in the Church in Corinth, but was delayed in responding to the schism brewing in the Corinthian Church. Given his delay in responding to the crisis, he starts with an apology: “Owing to the suddenly bursting and rapidly succeeding calamities that have befallen us (royal we), we have been somewhat tardy, we think, in giving out attention to the subjects of dispute in your community beloved. We mean the execrable and godless schism so utterly foreign to the elect of God.”
Clement goes on to intervene in the scandal, and set forth remedies.
Now, when the Church in Corinth received the letter they could have reacted in one of three ways.
1) They could (and this may be frank, but it must be said) react like you Atlanta and say “Buzz off. You don’t have jurisdiction here.” Imagine if I sent you a letter telling you how to raise your family Atlanta. You would rightly tell me to “buzz off” for I have no authority over your family. But they did NOT tell the Pope to “buzz off.”
2) They could ignore it as a rant. They didn’t.
3) They could revere the letter as something written by a man who had the authority to write it.
They chose option 3. Not only did they obey the Pope’s orders, they revered his letter so much they made it part of their liturgy (raising it temporarily to the level of Scripture).
Given this (and MUCH other) historical evidence (including from Sacred Writ) it is clear that the Bishop of Rome enjoys primacy in the Church, and has since the Church’s earliest days, when Peter himself exercised primacy.
The Orthodox too should recognize this fact of primacy and work to resolve any issues with the See of Rome so that the Catholic Church (of which they are a part) can enjoy full communion.
If you are offended, please know that I hold the Orthodox in the highest regard. You are a part of the Church (although imperfectly united with the Church’s head). You are NOT like the protestant sects. You have valid sacraments, and valid orders.
But your separation from the Bishop of Rome is starting to show serious and dangerous effects. I know you will be offended here. But PLEASE listen:
The Orthodox have abandoned the truth on sex and sexuality by caving in to the contraceptive culture. Artificial birth control is intrinsically evil. Everyone taught so until 1930. First the Anglicans apostasized at the Lambeth Conference. Then the protestant sectarists all followed suit. Finally, the Orthodox caved in. Now, only the Bishop of Rome stands for truth. This is because the Holy Ghost protects him from error.
Given the Orthodox Church’s apostasy on this unchangeable moral truth, it is clear that Orthodox leaders are NOT protected from error in faith and morals by the Holy Ghost. Only the Bishop of Rome enjoys this privilege.
Sorry to post again. In the time it took me to formulate my post, many posts were added and I did not read them.
To my fellow Catholics: I know this is the internet, and you do not see the people you are dialoging with, and your are using a handle. PLEASE DO NOT allow that fact to make your discourse mean spirited and cruel. THINK as you type. We have difficult truths to proclaim. Do so with as much charity as you can muster!
Ctrent,
Thank you for your kind words. You more in tune with the thinking of the Pope than some of the folks who post here. But then we do live in a free society where one is entitled to express their views. Thank God for that basic human right. I find that folks who attack others do so out of fear and lack of security, and thus need our patience and prayers.
Cathguy,
There are times and places for apologetics. I’d say this thread would be the wrong place.
Atlanta – regardless of the factual accuracy of Cathguy’s statements, his sense of timing and tact is severely lacking.
God Bless, I hope you don’t leave on the basis of one.
Sincerely
Paul
I’m late to this place. lets all pray for the unity of the Church and save the debates for another thread. Please, Fr. Z asked for prayer.
Unbelievable.