St. Margaret opens a can of whoop-ass on the Devil.
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
With so many sudden changes to our daily lives (how, where, and with whom we spend our time), do you think Satan and his demons will be ramping up any new strategies of attack and temptation against the faithful? Curious what you think.
OF COURSE Satan is active. The Enemy is active at all times.
We are constantly being warred upon, from within and from without, by “the world, the flesh and the Devil”.
One of the things we must militate against in our lives, with the grace of God, is to resist resist resist. “Fratres: Sóbrii estóte, et vigiláte: quia adversárius vester diábolus, tamquam leo rúgiens círcuit, quaerens quem dévoret: cui resístite fortes in fide…. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
The Devil wants us prostrate in anxiety and fear. But joy is one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. If we don’t manifest joy, it may be that we should examine our consciences and get to confession soon. Yes, it is possible to get to confession for most people. Otherwise, try to make a perfect Act of Contrition.
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
The Church has for centuries, rightly, connected the demonic with illness. Very often when the Lord and the Apostles healed, they also expelled demons. The Church’s prayers very often emphasize salus corporis et animae… health of body and soul.
I think that bishops should exorcise their dioceses using the Rituale Romanum with Title XI Chapter III, the long St. Michael Prayer.
Bishops should give permission to all their priests to use the Rituale Romanum with Title XI Chapter III even publicly. (They can use it now privately. It must be done in Latin. I have some help for that. HERE For priests only.
Priests should go around all the buildings of their parish grounds and bless them and the grounds. They should go through every room of their rectories and every nook and cranny of their churches. Say the exorcism (in Latin) and bless with Holy Water (properly blessed in Latin with the Rituale Romanum).
Some might be saying, “Why can’t they do it in English? Isn’t that better than nothing?”
I respond, yes, it is better than nothing. But is that really where we are at today? WAR requires the best weapons. Use Latin. Is Latin hard? Okay! It’s hard. So what? Do priests have a lot to do right now? Perhaps this downtime is an opportunity.
This is a time for care of soul and body. Let priests, who have a special ability in the spiritual plane of this WAR, to do what they are uniquely empowered to do!
We need to use ALL our spiritual weapons.
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“per ardua ad Latinam”
To master Latin to the point you can sit down under some leafy bough — with Horace in hand to spend an hour of restful delight [without a crib] singing his lyrics — would certainly require a study and practice of several years.
But to learn enough Latin, just to read out loud from the pages of a book, with a general understanding of the meaning and a crib at hand (on facing pages or previously consulted) can be achieved in forty hours or so of interested application.
To learn anything deeply indeed requires long and studious effort. But there is no need to be put off from beginning an acquaintance with the holy tongue adopted by Divine Providence for the voice of the Church.
Duc in altum! Yes, but you begin in the shallows.
As I read the question, I also ask: how can these times not be involved in the Fatima visions? (Rhetorical question)
About that excuse you hear that Latin is too hard, there are no native speakers of Church Latin to shudder at one’s accent and it’s inconceivable that God will mind. Those in the pews who nitpick at a priest’s (mis)pronunciations had better reorient their attention to the meaning of the words..
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I recall someone once telling me that because the demonic legions are very aware of the law and the authority it grants. They are also aware that there is no official translation into English of Title XI Chapter III approved by Holy Mother Church. As such, the Latin will always be more effective.
[As a matter of fact, I don’t believe there is an official translation. And, yes, the Latin is more effective. It has the additional force of being the official, authoritative language of the Church.]
Well yes, the devil is ramping up his attacks, and it is important to note that by basically outlawing (public Masses) alone he already started that. Regardless of circumstances that is diabolical.
(By saying this I am intending to make neither an argument for or against whether the measures that have been taken in these circumstances are the right ones.)
At the university I work, the only person I am aware of who is actually fluent in Latin is half a Jewish and not Catholic – Norwegian I think (she is also fluent in Hebrew, Greek, and a host of other languages). It is possible to learn Latin, at least where I am, in secular universities as part of Linguistics.
Unnecessary for me as a I am Byzantine so different tradition but for those interested I am sure there are classes available at fairly low expense at community colleges and universities