Fr. Z’s Voice Mail: Of indulgences, cemeteries, and consolations in trying times. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

It has been a while since I have posted about my voice mail.  I very much enjoy (most of) your voice mail messages.

First, to the gentleman with the anti-Catholic wife who wants to know how to support the blog financially.  Thank you for your desire to donate!  You asked how a donation would show up on a credit card.  I assume it would be a PayPal indication but… frankly… I am not sure!  I don’t donate to myself.  Maybe someone can clear that up for me.  THAT SAID… I don’t think that giving secretly – so that your wife doesn’t get angry – is a good idea.  Pray for her conversion.  Be the model of a Catholic husband and father, devout, ready to help them with any questions or challenges.  And if you want to help me, please pray for me every day.

UPDATE: A reader sent me a note saying that the donations through PayPal come up on the credit card statement as “PAYPAL *FR Z – BLOG”.

And I’ll think about doing more PODCAzTs.  Thanks for asking.

Next, the nice lady in Dayton, OH….

We find in the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum or Handbook of Indulgences for the All Souls (and days following) grant of indulgences that – from 1 November to 8 November the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence applicable only to the souls in Purgatory by visiting “a cemetery” (coemeterium devote visitaverit).

There is no specification that the cemetery necessarily be a Catholic or even an explicitly Christian cemetery.

I hope everyone will review the grant of indulgences at this time of the year.  HERE

Finally, from England…

First, thanks for being so graciously flexible with the “Fr. Zee”.  I do also happily answer to “Fr. Zed”.  As a matter of fact, in ham radio practice we use Zed all the time for Zee, when we are not using Zulu.

I too was very impressed by the doctor from Romania who spoke to the Synod.  She was amazing.  HERE  Her name is Dr. Anca-Maria Cernea, and she deserves our thanks and prayers.

With you, I believe that – in these troubling times for the Church – consolations will come not only from clear words, a certain trumpet, as it were, but also from prayer and fasting.

Many Catholics are deeply upset and disoriented right now because of the confused antics of their feckless pastors.  Agents of the Enemy of the soul embedded in the media are ready to make much use of the waffling weasel words that dribble from some of our leaders today.  We need steel and fire from them right now and instead many of us are getting daisies and warm drool.

I’ve been thinking about what I personally need to do in my own life as a response, both on the level of my role in the Church and as a Catholic man who one day must go before the Just Judge, the King of Fearful Majesty as we will hear Him described in the Dies Irae tomorrow.

Let us pray to God asking for consolations, knowing that at times consolations will not be granted to us.  Sometimes God will ask us to suffer without consolations.  He withholds them at times from us to test and try us, to purify our love and strengthen us.  In that case we must persevere in faith, hope and charity.

It might be a good start for some of you to memorize the classics Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity, for frequent recitation as part of your own Battle Plan.

In any event, thank you for the positive and cheerful voice mail, even while it contained a serious subtext.  We can all help each other through our sacrifices and good examples.

Please leave me voice mail. I don’t call back, but I listen to it. You have three options:

 WDTPRS

 020 8133 4535

 651-447-6265

TIPS for leaving voice mail.

1. Don’t shout.  If you shout, your voice will be distorted and I won’t be able to understand you.
2. Don’t whisper.  If you have to whisper, maybe you should instead be calling the police.
3. Come to your point right away.

Let’s me know at the onset if I can use it on the blog.  I may be able to anonymize it a little by editing if need be.

___

Act of Faith / Actus Fidei

O my God! I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to, judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived

Domine Deus, firma fide credo et confiteor omnia et singula quæ sancta ecclesia Catholica proponit, quia tu, Deus, ea omnia revelasti, qui es aeterna veritas et sapientia quae nec fallere nec falli potest. In hac fide vivere et mori statuo. Amen.

Act of Hope / Actus Spei

O my God! relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

Domine Deus, spero per gratiam tuam remissionem omnium peccatorum, et post hanc vitam æternam felicitatem me esse consecuturum: quia tu promisisti, qui es infinite potens, fidelis, benignus, et misericors. In hac spe vivere et mori statuo. Amen.

Act of Charity / Actus Caritatis

O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

Domine Deus, amo te super omnia proximum meum propter te, quia tu es summum, infinitum, et perfectissimum bonum, omni dilectione dignum. In hac caritate vivere et mori statuo. Amen.

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