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Coat of Arms by D Burkart
St. John Eudes
- Prosper of Aquitaine (+c.455), De gratia Dei et libero arbitrio contra Collatorem 22.61
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“He [Satan] 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. It will be a mystical body of the anti-Christ that will in all externals resemble the mystical body of Christ. In desperate need for God, whom he nevertheless refuses to adore, modern man in his loneliness and frustration will hunger more and more for membership in a community that will give him enlargement of purpose, but at the cost of losing himself in some vague collectivity.”
“Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops.”
- Fulton Sheen
Therefore, ACTIVATE YOUR CONFIRMATION and get to work!
- C.S. Lewis
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"But if, in any layman who is indeed imbued with literature, ignorance of the Latin language, which we can truly call the 'catholic' language, indicates a certain sluggishness in his love toward the Church, how much more fitting it is that each and every cleric should be adequately practiced and skilled in that language!" - Pius XI
"Let us realize that this remark of Cicero (Brutus 37, 140) can be in a certain way referred to [young lay people]: 'It is not so much a matter of distinction to know Latin as it is disgraceful not to know it.'" - St. John Paul II
Grant unto thy Church, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that She, being gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may be in no wise troubled by attack from her foes. O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of Thine anger which we deserve for our sins. Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Christian people that the heathen nations who trust in the fierceness of their own might may be crushed by the power of thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
Visits tracked by Statcounter since Sat., 25 Nov. 2006:
The temperature is above freezing at last and my pipes didn’t freeze, so I am happy about that.
We were able to get to Cologne on the 5th with all the kids. Because we took a guided tour of the Cathedral we were able to get up close to the Holy Shrine of the Three Kings. As it was the day before Epiphany everything was already prepared to receive the pilgrims and the Shrine was opened to reveal the relics. 3 skulls with crowns are barely visible. There is much more in there. It is really huge, but because the Cathedral itself is so huge one loses all perspective… re: size. It was truly a glorious day! The skies were blue the air crisp and clear. The Kapitalsamt at 10am was heavenly with the girls choir singing – ages ranging from 10-20 with angelic voices. We were able to visit a Romanik Church , St. Maria am Kapitol, and then ate well and drank Kölsch… At 6pm we returned to the Cathedral for Vespers/Evensong. Once again the girls sang, but only the older girls. Unbelievable! They entered singing in Latin an antiphon? for the 3 Kings(by heart). This is something that is sung once a year – it was just lovely! and then various other psalmody 4 voices… I was just wondering how often these girls meet to practice every week. All 4 of my girls sing in the parish girls choir and so it is of interest to the whole family.
The next morning Pater Stefan came to bless our home with incense and Holy Water.
We feel truly blessed!
Two years ago this Monday, our dear daughter-in-law gave birth to premature identical twin boys [27 weeks]. Sadly, one died at the age of 5 months, though his brother is doing very well considering his early start. Now, we have just learned that she is pregnant again, and the best date for her scheduled c-section in June is the anniversary of little Patrick’s death. How graciously God gives beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.
With the help of the Holy Spirit and your many prayers, monthly Adoration and Benediction begins this Saturday in my parish. Please continue to pray that this endeavor successfully inspires our parish members to participate.
In the middle of the Midwest’s snowmaggedon and subzero temps, a friend received the call that donor lungs were available. The transplant was successful. Thank you to Our Blessed Mother for her protection of this young man. Please pray for his continued healing.
katieg that is wonderful! As a double lung transplant recipient myself, I welcome him to the club. :)
John Allen has joined the staff of the Boston Globe. I guess I’ll re-subscribe.
We are grandparents for the very first time. Eve Josephine made her entance on Dec. 2nd. It is very hard to explain being a grandparent, but it is amazing. Extraordinary. Thanks be to God.
One year tumor free. Oncologist does not want to see me for 4 months.
Cancer free test-another year of good news. Also, am beginning to finally write the one novel I have in me, if I could just stay in one place long enough to concentrate. (Please continue prayers to find an immigration lawyer who understands EU and British laws).
We survived the Polar Vortex with a bonus 1 1/2 days out of school after just finishing two weeks of winter vacation.
It was a good time to sew a little cassock for my 5-year-old who is suddenly very interested in playing mass. Working on the rest of it now.
And, finally, I snagged a beautiful Infant of Prague statue for a great price on eBay.
Juventutem DC has partnered with Juventutem Michigan and a DC parish, Epiphany Catholic Church (with the possibility of help from a student TLM group at Georgetown University), to plan a HOLY HOUR VIGIL the night before the MARCH FOR LIFE, Jan 21 from 8-9 PM, with exposition and benediction.
This is the first time this parish will have done something like this in the traditional form in a long time. The parish priest is very good, young, and has been most welcoming. We want to reach out both to TLM groups that would find this meaningful. We also want to reach out to those who don’t know the extraordinary form, but might find it more accessible by first coming to exposition and bendiction.
We are inviting all those who will be in DC the night before the March — especially young adults, but certainly all the faithful, and of course Fr. Z, to come. We could use some singers for a make-shift schola!
We hope to see you in Washington, DC and thank you for helping us sharing our faith through beauty and prayer. Please see our Facebook event for more details, and please RSVP and share–
https://www.facebook.com/events/199723923553675/
My son lost his (expen$ive) sports glasses for the third time. Through the intercession of St. Anthony, he just found them.
I had my little Etheldreda just before Christmas, and she will be baptized this Sunday. Please pray for Dreda, as she was tongue-tied at birth and having trouble gaining weight.
I WENT TO CONFESSION. :) And I also noticed that I’m ever so slowly getting better at making it a habit, plus making better confessions. Slowly, as a new Catholic, that is. :)
I got married two days after Christmas. The wedding was beautiful and I am so glad to be married. thanks be to God. Still, please pray for us. God knows our challenges already, but we could always use your supportive prayers.
I’m a student at Boston College, and along with a few others, I founded a new Catholic newspaper on campus this year (www.thetorchbc.com). Our first four issues were released last semester, and we’ve got four more issues planned for this semester. We’re still working the kinks out, but we are so pleased that we have been able to put something like this together for our fellow students. We understand our efforts to be a small piece of the new evangelization, aimed at enriching our campus culture.
I’m an aunt!!!! :D My brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first child, due sometime around the middle of August. <3
chantgirl, special prayers, as I love St. Etheldreda.
Since New Year’s Eve, my life has been filled with friendly people. I began the New Year in the company of a good friend from army times (and his girlfriend and friends), met my little brother (a priest), incidentally ran into a former coworker on the train, spent a lovely afternoon with a friend from Ukraine just going back from the Taizé youth meeting in Strasbourg, reconnected with an old friend I hadn’t heard of for years (he spontaneously visited me for the weekend), got two bright young interns at work, and yet another old friend is staying in town for the next six months, living 1000 metres from my office… Isn’t God great, giving me so many friends?
Supertradmum- Thank you for the prayers. Last June I was wondering what I would name my surprise miracle baby. I happened upon your blog and wanted to know more about St. Etheldreda. I read everything I could find online about her, and was impressed by her courage and steadfast love for God in keeping a vow of virginity under very difficult circumstances. I felt a kinship with her because she died of a tumor of the neck and I have had two surgeries to my neck, one to remove a troublesome goiter. Then I read about the history of the Chapel of St. Etheldreda, which involves numerous royalty, Shakespeare and Dickens, martyrs and plots, and finally the first fruits of the restoration of the Catholic Church in England, and I was sold on her patronage for my child. This all happened to happen on her feast day. Later, when I had my ultrasound, I told the ultra sonographer that I was convinced the baby was a girl, and so she was. Perhaps you can be her internet Godmother :)
Fr. celebrated our first OF Latin Mass last night…the first in our parish in about 50 yrs.! It will be continued on a monthly basis to begin with. He is determined to improve his Latin and his enthusiasm encourages us all. Thank you, Lord…Thank you, Fr. Miller!
Just before Christmas, my husband and I received wonderful news!!!!
Our son and daughter-in-law are expecting a baby, some time around mid August. This is our first grandbaby! How wonderfully exciting!!!
Additional good news…….by this weekend, we anticipate being out of the deep freeze!
We have a new (retired) priest who recently joined our parish. Last Saturday afternoon he heard confessions and went 15 minutes overtime before having to excuse himself to celebrate Mass. This was a disappointment to the many of us still in line. Then just before the final blessing he kindly announced that he would be back in the confessional after Mass “for as long as it takes”, and that he did not mind at all. He even said it was his privilege. Both my daughter and I were able to receive the Sacrament. My heart is bursting in gratitude!!!
My baby (7 months) figured out how to crawl this evening. Not quite sure whether I should note that here, or under Urgent Prayer Requests.
@mamajen, crawling is good news. Shouldn’t the urgent prayer requests be to keep her and her surroundings safe from each other since she’s a novice explorer so unaware of many dangers and is learning how sturdy or delicate the things are around her?
I’ve been struggling with severe adrenal fatigue and anxiety for two years. Today I had a test run that found the chicken pox virus in my endocrine system which I have apparently been battling for forty years! In three months I pray and hope to be a new person after treating with homeopathic remedy to put the virus into submission. Now, if there were only a simple remedy for liberalism. . . In any case I’m thankful for answers. God is good!
I ordered Evelyn Waugh’s Helena the other day since Fr. Z. posted about it, and it got her today in time for my birthday. I have loved St. Helen ever since I went to Rome in the fall, and I love Brideshead so this is a treat!
Our family was facing a $300K debt in the very near future. While the Good Lord did not see fit to create a money tree in our backyard, He did arrange for the law to be on our side. That will prevent us from inheriting such an enormous debt that we could never have afforded.
I will soon be beginning a period of live-in discernment in a cloistered/contemplative monastery!! I’m so excited! :-D I won’t say which one, however, because too many acquaintances and colleagues of mine read this blog, and doing so would endanger the cover of my nom-de-plume. ;-) But I humbly ask for prayers.
Got an extension to my work contract. Gives me a bit more breathing room financially and to find a more permanent job in these trying times.
My protestant parents decided to convert to Catholicism!
@Cafea Fruor, I’ll pray to St. Lucy that you may have clarity.
My oldest son who has learning disabilities, just completed his first semester in Building Construction Technology at the local Community College with flying colors, getting A’s in most of his subjects. It is so exciting to see how motivated he is to succeed.
And just got a new shipment of Mystic Monk coffee which had run out yesterday, trying Jingle Bell Java for the first time :)
Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, newly appointed as the ordinary for my long-suffering home diocese of Rochester (NY), invoked the hermeneutic of continuity during the opening portion of his Installation Mass homily last Friday:
Recently, my husband, who is in RCIA, knelt at the consecration for the first time ever.
Going through some trying times, I am heartened by all your good news! I will continue to pray daily for Fr. Z AND all his readers. You’re all a blessing in my life.
@PeterSonOfAnder Deo gratias! @mamajen I’ll pray for you ;)
I went to Confession this morning and had my sins absolved; such is the great and wonderful privilege of being a member of the Catholic Church.
Back in November the TLM was celebrated on Staten Island (Sacred Heart Church) for the first time in–I think–two years! Good news: it looks like the pastor of the parish will be celebrating it again on or around January 25. Hopefully this will eventually become weekly; for now I have to drive into Manhattan or New Jersey if I want to attend the TLM.
I tried posting it a few minutes ago and thought it worked, but then I just revisited the post and it wasn’t there, so, if I am accidentally posting it twice, sorry:
I just got the call from UST. I am now a “free-agent” seminarian (just have to [officially] begin the process of becoming a Diocese of Lansing Seminarian now) Orate pro me!
@Lily, that was really awesome to read; thanks for sharing.
I have lost over 35 pounds and four belt notches since I began my diet at Pentecost in May. My blood tests came back with incredible improvements: my bad cholesterol is down, my liver enzymes are normal, my blood sugar is normal. Everyone says I look great. The secret? Portion control.
Elizium23: Congrats! I had a similar experience after my first child. Isn’t it an amazing feeling achieving that? I did it with portion control, too. It’s tough at first, but once you get used to it, it’s like the best of both worlds.
Priam1184: Thanks :)
chantgirl: Congratulations! I love how you chose “Dreda” as a nickname–so pretty. Both of my babies had feeding and weight gain issues in the beginning, and I know how worrying it is. Hope you can get that resolved soon.
Lots of happy things to read here–congrats, everyone.
I got a new job working for my local Diocese! What an awesome opportunity for which I’m grateful to God to serve His Church full-time.
My good news is that I’ve been recently ordained to the Permanent Diaconate and while I was in formation I had the extremely good fortune to have been taught Chant and Liturgy by Fr. Samuel Weber OSB.
My good news is that I read the novel VATICAN by Malachi Martin. A great joy.
My good news is that I am starting the 4th year of my wife’s divorce, annulment, re-marriage and the estrangement from some of my children and I still Love and Miss them all and continue to pray for the Graces to persevere in that Love and in this Cross. Deo Gratias!
We are having a morning of recollection tomorrow– our third so far. It will be at St. Thomas Apostle, Woodley Park at 9:30 AM, with exposition and benediction to follow! (For those who have been before, usual schedule wil be followed).
Each time, a great group has shown up– religious and secular priests, lay men and women, the young and the old. A veritable Catholic thinktank in DC is forming!
Tomorrow’s reflection will be on the Most Holy Trinity given by Fr. Stephen Fields SJ of Georgetown University– the chaplain to the student TLM group.
We are so happy to offer this event and invite all to come tomorrow morning!
http://www.twitter.com/juventutemDC
I got engaged to my beautiful and amazing fiancee on December 12th :). We will be having the first EF wedding mass at my parish since the 1960s.
The Good news is that I just recieved an email that contained the following info regarding the chapel on base;” Roman Catholic Mass: now offered at both 0900 and 1100 each Sunday. 1100 is a traditional High Mass.”
-The Mass time at 1100 is new.
The bad news is that I just got deployed so will be unable to attend.
Abby Johnson is coming to our parish to speak on Saturday!
Abby is a pro-life activist who used to be a Planned Parenthood director in Texas – until she had a conversion experience. She’s also a Catholic convert.
Her webpage proudly exclaims, “I once was lost but now I am pro-life.” And this is good news for all of us!
http://www.abbyjohnson.org/
My fulltime temp job has been extended another three months! Yay!
Yesterday I learned that it might be possible for me to get a sabbatical from work. This would mean I could discern my vocation while keeping my job (I’m in my 40s) during postulancy. Cafea Fruor, I am happy for you, prayers going your way.
I also have another piece of good news: I’m going to confession tomorrow!
Thanks, Nan and CatholicCoffee, for the prayers! I’m going to need them! :)
I really believe in Angels. Had a close-encounter with my Guardian Angel last evening. The wife and I were driving north on I-5 at about 70mph when all of a sudden the steering on the car got real loose and sloppy. Pulled off on an exit and pulled into a Costco parking lot. As soon as I stopped there was a metallic clunk. I got out and there on the ground under the car was my tie-rod ends staring at me. One tire was pointing east and the other one was looking west.
I had just cleared a lot of 5:00pm traffic and it had been raining very heavy. Everything took place on the best exit and closest one.
I have been thanking my Guardian Angel all day today. Even said 3 Rosaries in his honor.
@Sword40: !!! God bless your Guardian Angel!
I rejoice at all of your good news! I ask God to continue to help you all with your needs and intentions.
@AMTFisher, free range seminarian? How does that work? Congrats on acceptance. Prayers to St. Pius X for you. I love Monsignor Callaghan.
@Catholic Coffee, prayers to St. Lucie for you too…
My good news? We have free range seminarians in St. Paul. What?
My other good news is that my mom’s house has been sold, cleared out, the closing takes place on Monday. Her Medical Assistance application has finally been approved.
I have been attempting to attend daily Mass for the past 6 years or so. Since I am a small business person, the only logical option for me has been to attend before
work, or during the noon hour. In my area that leaves out the nearest parish to my home or place of work. I drive either 22 miles prior to work or 10 miles during lunch to attend Mass at our diocesan Mother Church, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. Morning Mass is at 6:30 a.m. and noon Mass at 12:00 p.m.
Some good news:
1. A wonderful variety of good and holy priests. Some from Mexico, some from Africa, some retired, some brand new, some just visiting, some here for years, and by my being able to regularly attend Mass I get to see and celebrate with them on their good and not so good days, which gives me the sense of being part of a community of believers, a sense of what “Church” is.
2. The number of participants at Mass is steadily increasing. Normally on a Friday, not a First Friday, noon Mass, there will be 30 or so folks. Today probably 150.
3. The age of participants is slowly decreasing. More single young men and women, some appearing to maybe trying to discern their vocation, others seeking refuge. Even some young mothers and children are attending regularly.
4. Since beginning to attend daily Mass, my participation in the sacrament of Reconciliation has significantly increased. And the lines are getting longer!
Peace and God bless.
@Nan,
I was officially accepted at University of St. Thomas (and when I am “enrolled” [pay a fee, get some sort of living/educational plan for next fall] also SJV seminary): so I am technically a Seminarian. But, I am not officially affiliated with a Diocese at the moment; so, my friends and I have compared it to a sports free-agent (not affiliated with any team, a member of the organization as a whole, can be picked up by any team).
That being said, the official interview with my vocation director (to get the ball rolling) is this Friday (ironically enough, St. Anthony Day). Then it will be the succession of hoops to jump through (Psych Eval, Essays, Background Check, Interview with the Bishop, Physical, etc)
Today is my 50th birthday :-) To celebrate, husband, daughter and I are going to see the new “Hobbit” movie at a restored small-town theater that is run by all volunteers so that they can keep ticket and concession prices affordable (all shows $5 for adults; the local multiplex charges $6 to $11 a ticket depending on the show time).
My husband and I have two days off in a row, together. That hasn’t happened in months! The children are playing in the snow, the cat is sleeping in front of the fire place, the Christmas tree is still alive and we are enjoying the weekend!
@AMTFisher, Fr. Becker also rocks. Prayers also to St. Andre Bessette, St John Vianney and St Thomas Aquinas.
Nan, thank you very much for the prayers!
I prayed for an enemy…purely for their good not my defence…and it worked (I was spared their wrath..so far).
Also, last scan showed no recurrence so I’m one of the hospital’s longest survivors so far (pancreatic cancer).
Domine, non sum dingus…..
I’ve started a painting of St. Stephen, and I am in the process of making a visit to the headquarters of the Institute of Christ the King.
@av8er
“The bad news is that I just got deployed so will be unable to attend.”
Prayers for a safe deployment. God bless you.
Happy birthday, bookworm!
Deo gratias, for all this good news!
I am thankful that a very close and dear friend is ok. She has had a hard Christmas and I was concerned when I had not heard from her in several weeks. Thanks Father!