Sunrise today was at 0606 and the Tramonta will be at 20:09.
Today the Ave Maria bell changed to the 20:30 cycle yesterday, 28 April. Circumstances didn’t allow me to post.
Welcome registrants:
Madeleine Therese
Gemma_Marie
Wally54
Thanks you NE for switching to Zelle for donations!
I had an interesting experience yesterday, that was a common experience, but an interesting common experience because of the circumstances.
I made a determination to make a renunciation of any and all evil effects of intergenerational masonic influence, which is demonic. Involvement with masonry can “stick” to a family. Demons are legalistic. They claim rights after oaths are taken in the various grades of these masonic organizations. These claims must be broken with formal renunciations. There are texts which express this. It can be done along with the recitation of a minor exorcism by a priest (such as the Minor Exorcism of St Cyprian, which can be done without additional permissions from superiors).
In any event, in the lead up to doing this, I obviously wanted to make a good confession and then say Mass (a layperson would want to go to Mass and receive Communion in the state of grace). These I did yesterday. Later, I was out on an errand. I passed near a church where a seriously disheveled street person was parked, an older man, not unknown in the neighborhood and generally harmless. On seeing me he exploded in screaming all manner of insults with filthy gestures, directed at my being a priest. I kept walking. As I rounded the corner out of sight, I heard a howl like that of some sort of animal. Someone didn’t like my project, I think.
Any priest who has been in Rome for any length of time will have had experiences like this, people saying horrible things, spiting, etc. It’s part of the landscape. In some cases this could be due to mental illness or other factors. In other instances the behavior and what is said is probably due to something else. I add this because this is the first time in the 40 days I have been here that this has happened and it was particularly vile and explosive. Coincidence?
In any event, the renunciation has been effected. I had no special sensation during it. It was aimed at any intergenerational influences from my forebears who may have been involved in one of these demonically driven religions that are “secret” organizations. Of interest was, in the text of the renunciation, the “disconnection” the renunciation was intended to make with physical ailments which are result of curses that are supposed to fall on people in that demonic influence because of the oaths that were made. Principle among the ailments mentioned is something that has been a mortal malady for family members on one side.
The spiritual realm is real. Acts have consequences. Consequences can be generational. Consequences can be physical. If what I did can help both myself and members of my family, close and extended, it’ll have been a good day’s work.
We have SACRAMENTS and the power of Christ acting through his priests.
The Enemy is very good at being an enemy, but in the end he doesn’t stand a chance.
And now the ACTION ITEM! If you have anything in your possession (pun intended) that is a masonic object, symbol, instrument, etc. This includes “Shriners” stuff. You should destroy it by burning or at least breaking and the remains should be put into “living water”, such as a creek or river that is flowing. Any and all of this stuff, no matter from whom you inherited it or found it… gone. Get rid of it. NOW. Furthermore, if you know of masonry in your family tree, or you have been involved, you should do something about it.
NB: I’m NOT saying by that there is surely IS some malevolent attachment. There could be. I was not 100% sure in my case. I decided not to twiddle my thumbs and just did it. Why not?
And …
GO TO CONFESSION!
To think that in S. M sopra Minerva a “versus populo” altar was set up. Looks out of place, no? Am I right?
Today in the Novus Ordo it is the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena. Today, 29 April was her “birthday” in 1380 at the age of 33. In the older calendar, her feast is 30 April.
During her life she carried out a vigorous “apostolate” of letter writing to important people and was a major force in persuading the Pope to return to Rome from Avignon. Speaking of Avignon, please buy wine from the traditional Benedictines of Le Barroux. They have revived the ancient vineyards of the Avignon Popes. There’s a little history in each glass, as it were.
Catherine was dedicated to works of mercy toward the poor. She had a mystical experience, called the “mystical marriage”, which is the frequent subject of medieval and renaissance art.
Catherine had dictated much of her “writings” because for a long while she didn’t know how to write. She eventually did. Her writings are exemplary Tuscan literature of the era.
Her major work is the Dialogue between her soul and God, written mostly in a state of ecstasy.
It is in the Dialogue (ch 124) that we find a passage that I’ve posted several times on this blog, and which should be widely circulated, about how truly disgusting same-sex acts against nature are, how the demons who prompt them and then claim attachment because of them (on the theme of demons attaching), find the acts so contemptible, so offensive to their angelic nature (they are still angels!), will not remain present while they are being committed. One of those posts is HERE.
Catherine is, by the way, a declared Doctor of the Church. When she writes in the Dialogue about something, it is a good idea to pay attention, at the very least.
Catherine’s head is in Siena. Her body is in Rome, in the Dominican church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
You can go behind the altar in the church where the back of the altar’s chamber is op. The faithful pray there, touch the tomb, leave messages of petition
Around the block facing the church is the little chapel which was where St Catherine died.
There are also the relics of martyrs here, which I am guessing come from the time when relics from Santa Prassede were distributed among Roman churches in the 1800’s. Just a guess.
“Cheeeeese!”, sister.
This stone is next to the door going into the little chapel. It is talking directly to you, the reader.
Let’s have your perfect and yet smooth version (If you spot a typo or oddo, let me know):
HUMILEM HANC ET PRIMA SUA FRONTE NEGLECTAM DOMUM
INGREDI ET INVISERE NE DEDIGNERIS VIATOR
UT EIUS MAGNIFICENTIAM AGNOSCAS
EO MAGIS ADMIRANDAM QUO MINUS VISITATAM
NEC TAM ARTIS MINISTERIO QUAM MAGISTERIO SANCTITATIS ILLUSTREM
EA SCILICET DOMUS EST QUAM VIRGO SANCTISSIMA CATHARINA SENENSIS
POST REDITUM QUO IPSA EXCITANTE ET SUADENTE
IN URBE AVENIONENSI ROMAM SE RETULIT IN SEDEM
GREGORIUS VENDECIMUS P. M. ANNO DNI MCCCLXXVI
AB OMNIBUS SAECULI CURIS ABSTRACTA SOLIQUE SUO SPONSO IESU DEDITA TRIENNALI REDDIDIT COMMORATIONE PIISSIMAM
PLURESQUE HIC ALIA SUE REGULA SANTI DOMINICI DICATAS DEO VIRGINES
INTER PRECES ET LACRIMAS BEATORUM DELICIIS DELIBUTAS
AD CAELESTEM VITAM SANCTISSIMIS MORUM EXEMPLIS ERUDIENS
PRIMA FUNDAMENTA LOCAVIT INCLITI MONASTERII
QUOD NUNC NUNC TEMPORIS SUB TITULO SANCTAE CATHERINAE SENENSIS AMPLIOREM IN FORMAM MAIESTATEMQUE EXCITATUM
ROMANAE NOBILITATIS LILIA IN MONTI BALNEOPOLITANI CLIVO VERNANTIA
INTER RELIGIOSAE VITAE SPINAS ILLIBATA CUM FAMA CUSTODIT
HIC DEMUM TRIENNIO ELAPSO REGNANTE URBANO SEXTO ANNO DNI MCCCLXXX
URBI ORBI CAELOQUE CHARISSIMA
SANCTISSIMAMA ANIMAM INTER SPONSI IESU OSCULA EXHALAVIT
IN PAUPERE DOMO SACRIS OMNIBUS VIRGINIBUS
OPULENTISSIMAM RELINQUENS PRAECEPTIS ET MORIBUS SANCTIFICATIS HAEREDITATEM
TANTA HAEC PIETATIS VESTIGIA MORTIS VIM IMMORTALITATE VICTURA
PRONO ANIMI CULTU VENERARE VIATOR ET ABI.
It’s quite lovely.
Yesterday, I was out with The Great Roman™ for some lunch, which featured a couple of starters to share.
Fried anchovies.
Caponata. It has been some time since I’ve made my own caponata. I’ll have to do so when I get “home”. This batch was quite good.
In chessy news, not much to say. There is a tournament going on in Sweden. I see that Peter Svidler defeated Ju Wenjun, the women’s world champ.
Meanwhile, here’s a good one. White to move and mate in 3. Can you find it? If so, how long did it take?
Nice people! Great service!
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
Interested in learning? Try THIS.
Chess is one of those intergenerational games that is the gift of a lifetime. Get out that board and play! GET A BOARD and play!
Since I wrote about Dominicans, above, help the Dominican Sisters in Summit.
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Catherine had dictated much of her “writings” because for a long while she didn’t know how to write. She eventually did. Her writings are exemplary Tuscan literature of the era.
I find it interesting and (as a modern) heartwarming that so darn many of the saints in bygone days, in eras when literacy was uncommon or even rare generally, made the effort to become literate, in order to pursue both their own perfection and ours. I believe that this fact gives the lie to the Protestant canard that the Church wanted to suppress lay knowledge of the Bible and the Fathers, wanted a laity stupid and manipulable.
As far as I know, my parents came of long, long, longstanding Italian and Irish peasant stock entirely Catholic to the bone. I can’t think of a single thing of theirs, or their behavior, that suggests a link to masonic-type connections…but I will reflect on it more.
Father Z, I’m glad you spoke of your “interesting experience”! These cleansings or renunciations are real, as are generational ties. Not much of this is taught to us, but I have been to wonderful teachings over the years by very holy and knowledgeable priests.
I never have had the urge or desire to be a Mason though the tradition is long and strong in my (Protestant) family line.
My father, uncle, cousin, grandfather, step-grandfather, great grandfather and great-great grandfather (and his brother) all were Masons (Scottish Rite & Shriner). My gg-grandfather was even a founding member of a lodge in Georgia ca. 1854.
I think I broke the tradition. (^__^)
And I didn’t keep any of their Masonic rings, aprons, insignia, badges, etc.
— Guy
Would a local priest be able to help us through the renunciation of Masonic ties? What about for family members who are not Catholic? More perilous for them. Would you say there is a line from Masonic to the Mormon church?
The only individual in my family I heard was a mason was my mother’s sister’s husband. Is that a connection in the family tree? I don’t know specifically of any blood relatives. Though I must admit I’ve wondered about all the family dysfunction on both sides.
I just read the Prayer of Release. I had no idea how maleficent this organization is. My deceased aunt and uncle on my dad’s side were in this. I can assume that others were as well.
I have a question for you Father: Are the Odd Fellows organization similar and do we need to say a prayer of release? I couldn’t find one in a google search.
How providential you would decided to make that renunciation a day before one of the second highest “occult ritual” days in the calendar besides Oct 31st. The Church has powerful prayers indeed and a most powerful Saint to counter act any evil that takes place at any time. I also remember sometime ago you reporting a “weird occurrence” of a weasel (?) chewing through 66ft(!) of cable charring itself to a crisp around this time. Strange.
Safe travels back home, Fr Z!
Q to H7
B to any diagonal
Q to E4+
K to B8
Q to B7#
Hmm this masonic thing is something I should look into. My stepfathers father was very involved, a 32nd degree and grand poobah at his lodge ( or whatever the correct title is). A priest I talked to some time ago whom I trust about such things felt that since he is not a blood relation I don’t have anything to worry about but still I wonder.
My (liberal Catholic) uncle recently gave a present to my son who will be ordained soon and my daughter who will enter a religious order also soon. I was wary because he has a lot of African religious art that is strange. Anyway, we opened the box and part of it was nice, Our Lady and I think St. Anthony with the Christ child. It was covered with strange kind of spangly things and smelled terrible like awful incense. My daughter said, “Put it back in the box. Put it back in the box.” So it sits on our front porch as I don’t know what to do with it. I asked my uncle about it and he said it was from Guatemala. I don’t know. It could be perfectly harmless but I feel like it’s not. I would burn it but it’s metal. I don’t like the idea of burying it on our property because I don’t want it there. I don’t want to just throw it away in case it’s blessed and because of the religious art on it. I guess I will ask a priest-friend later today but things like this stress me out a bit.
Sorry, I hope that wasn’t a rabbit hole. My comment is not necessarily about Masons. Just creepy stuff.
Thank you Fr. Z. I hope your post will persuade priests to take this more seriously. It’s a terrible shame … that priests have the tools to be able to help with these kinds of things, but they won’t use them. They don’t believe in them. So good luck if you’re having this kind of trouble because you are on your own.
p.s. A young, traditional priest looked at our item and assured me it was just Latin (Hispanic) influence and not bizarre or creepy. It made me feel a lot better.
Fr. Z, what do you think of the claims that the Masons made changes and spread fake Miraculous Medals and St. Benedict medals? If we are in possession of articles tied to Mason, does exorcism negate the evil intent in them?
Tota: I have not heard those claims. However, if there is any truth to them, then it would not do any harm to check your own medals against a reliable model or image and, if they don’t match, take appropriate steps.