A Novena of Prayer to the Holy Spirit: Day 8 (Audio)

Posted on 6 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Let us, upon our knees, pray in a special way to God the Holy Spirit during this time between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost.

This is one way to pray.  I invite the readership to join in.

MANNER OF PRAYING THE NOVENA

Each day the meditation and prayer for the particular day is said, followed by 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and 7 Glory be to the Father, followed by the Act of Consecration and the Prayer for the Seven Gifts.

EIGHTH DAY OF THE NOVENA

Bend the stubborn heart and will,
melt the frozen, warm the chill.
Guide the steps that go astray!

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written “all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands.” It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: “Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen.

(Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father 7 TIMES. Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts)

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY GHOST

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice, and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, and looking at His five wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, “Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST

O Lord Jesus Christ, who before ascending into Heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, Dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples, and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.

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Two interesting facts about the late Maya Angelou.

Posted on 5 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

At Fishwrap, Michael Sean Winters has reminded us that the late writer Maya Angelou once recounted to Family Circle Magazine that, as a pregnant teen, she chose to keep her baby instead of opting for abortion. HERE  Kudos to MSW for that link to the moving account.

Later in life, Maya Angelou defend life again when she used her gun to fend off a home invasion.

She recounted to TIME  that she likes “to have guns around”. HERE

In response to a question about whether she “inherited” her “mother’s fondness for guns,” Angelou replied, “Well, I do like to have guns around, I don’t like to carry them. But I like — if somebody is going to come into my house and I have not put out the welcome mat, I want to stop them.”

Maya’s mom also had a fondness for guns, it seems.

“I was in my house… in North Carolina. It was fall…I heard the rhythm of someone walking on the leaves and they came to my door. And somebody actually turned the knob. So I said, “Stand back! Stand four feet back because I’m going to shoot now!” Boom! Boom! The police came by and said, ‘Ms. Angelou, the shots came from inside the house.’ I said, ‘Well, I don’t know how that happened.’”

There is a video of the interview. HERE  The remarks occur about about 3:00.  The interviewer is pretty shocked, and the video was edited a bit.

I don’t care for her poetry very much, but what a great voice and laugh that woman had.  Fantastic.  I’ll bet having a meal with her would have been a tremendous experience.

In any event, I am so glad that Maya Angelou had an equalizer and was able to avoid being harmed in a home invasion.  She was a defender of life, that of her baby and her own as well.

I hope that all my readers here of the fairer sex can defend themselves, prudently but decisively if – quod Deus avertat – necessary.

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ACTION ITEM! Still time to sign up for women’s ordination MOOS!

Posted on 5 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Some folks who are Catholics for the Ordination of Women (C.O.W.s) are now offering their MOOS to the general public.

Not tweets… MOOS!

Exciting!

I saw at, where else, the National Schismatic Reporter (aka The Fishwrap) that MOOS are yours for the asking!

Our old pals Phyllis Zagano and Rev. Mr. Ditewig are diligently peddling their dubious notion that women should be ordained deacons.

No, no!  Wait!

You’ll be pleased to learn that they are hosting a free online seminar, which is apparently a “Massive Online Open Seminar”!

Perhaps you, dear readers, could give them a little help? Yes, there’s still time! Click HERE and follow the links to their MOOS.  They will have a discussion board, too.

If you sign up, I suspect that you might not be allowed actually to participate, and they will use your registration as a statistic in their favor.  But… hey!  Then we can say that – in a spirit of openness – we helped them, right?

Still time to sign up: Online seminar on women deacons!  Make this MOOS massive!

After you follow the Fishwrap link, be sure to click the correct button at the school’s site.  Here’s a helpful screenshot.

I read one of the little booklets on the topic referenced on The Fishwrap‘s page.  It was an experience.  It was like – how to put this – walking through one of those halls of mirrors that are all different shapes: the images you get have some relation to truth, but … not really.

Alternatively, you could spend your time reading this:

Deaconesses: An Historical Study by A. G. Martimort. This is about the best you can get right now in the English language on the issue. I suspect that more will be forthcoming, even from the Holy See. I would not be at all surprised if, before too very long (in Church-time) there could be something along the lines of Diaconorum ordinis… or maybe Ordinatio diaconalis.  I would very much like it to be from Pope Francis, who has no time for the ordination of women.

After all, what a shame it would be were women to clericalized, which, these days, is about as bad as you can get!  As Pope Francis himself put it:

“Women in the Church must be valued, not clericalized!”

CLICK TO BUY

Mooderation… um… Mudderation… the queue is switch ON.

UPDATE:

Card. Müller, Prefect of the CDF, also has a book:

Priesthood and Diaconate: The Recipient of the Sacrament of Holy Orders from the Perspective of Creation Theology and Christology

UPDATE:

Everyone… please click on that image of Deaconesses, above, and then click that you want the book for Kindle. Please?

You might have to scroll down a little and look on the right.

And if you don’t yet have a Kindle, order one!  I use mine all the time.  I read now more than ever and that was a lot.

CLICK ME!

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TEOTWAWKI! Well… maybe not…

Posted on 5 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

All of a sudden BAM! Power goes off.

After all this stuff I’ve been reading, I started thinking about my BOB.

Then I heard my UPS beeping and saw that my phone is still functional. Thus, not the EMP. Today is probably not SHTF day.

I figure that liberals are attacking in a new way.

At least I can keep my eye on the blog!

Perhaps I’ll go the range… or a movie.

Do you have a UPS backing up your important gear?

Use the link and shop around.

Click

Disasters always happen to someone else…. until they happen to you.

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A Novena of Prayer to the Holy Spirit: Day 7 (Audio)

Posted on 5 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Let us, upon our knees, pray in a special way to God the Holy Spirit during this time between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost.

This is one way to pray.  I invite the readership to join in.

MANNER OF PRAYING THE NOVENA

Each day the meditation and prayer for the particular day is said, followed by 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and 7 Glory be to the Father, followed by the Act of Consecration and the Prayer for the Seven Gifts.

SEVENTH DAY OF THE NOVENA

Heal our wounds–our strength renew;
On our dryness pour Thy dew,
Wash the stains of guilt away.

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. “Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth.”

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long.

(Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father 7 TIMES. Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts)

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY GHOST

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice, and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, and looking at His five wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, “Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST

O Lord Jesus Christ, who before ascending into Heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, Dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples, and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.

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Mass ‘Ad orientem’. It just makes sense.

Posted on 4 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I saw something good at St. Peter’s List which in turn offered something from Fr. Kirby at Vultus Christi.  Read the whole thing over there but… and this is from a priest’s perspective:

10 Advantages of [having Mass] Ad Orientem

1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is experienced as having a theocentric direction and focus.

2. The faithful are spared the tiresome clerocentrism that has so overtaken the celebration of Holy Mass in the past forty years.

3. It has once again become evident that the Canon of the Mass (Prex Eucharistica) is addressed to the Father, by the priest, in the name of all.

4. The sacrificial character of the Mass is wonderfully expressed and affirmed.

5. Almost imperceptibly one discovers the rightness of praying silently at certain moments, of reciting certain parts of the Mass softly, and of cantillating others.

6. It affords the priest celebrant the boon of a holy modesty.

7. I find myself more and more identified with Christ, Eternal High Priest and Hostia perpetua, in the liturgy of the heavenly sanctuary, beyond the veil, before the Face of the Father.

8. During the Canon of the Mass I am graced with a profound recollection.

9. The people have become more reverent in their demeanour.

10. The entire celebration of Holy Mass has gained in reverence, attention, and devotion.

This isn’t hard.

That was from a priest’s perspective.  The advantages for the priest will surely have a knock-on effect for the congregation.

That said, what are the advantages for the congregation?

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged ,
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Baker ordered by state to bake cake for same-sex reception

Posted on 4 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From the NY Daily News:

Colorado baker ordered to serve gay couples vows to stop making wedding cakes

This takes the cake.
A Colorado baker has pledged to stop making wedding cakes after his state’s Civil Rights Commission ordered him to start baking for same-sex couples.
Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, was willing to go to court to defend his decision to refuse service to two grooms who walked into his shop last year looking for a way to celebrate their marriage.
Phillips’ crusade turned out to be a giant failure after the Commission unanimously ruled that he had violated civil rights law by discriminating against the couple.
The devout Christian is retaliating by refusing to make wedding cakes altogether.
“We would close down the bakery before we would complicate our beliefs,” Phillips told CBS Denver.
The man said that he would be happy to make cakes for an LGBT person’s birthday party. But he believes making a wedding cake would be equivalent to participating in the ceremony.
“My issue is that I don’t want to be forced to participate in a same-sex wedding,” Phillips said.
The grooms at the center of the controversy, David Mullins and Charlie Craig, tied the knot in Massachusetts. They wanted to order a cake for a reception in Colorado.
Phillips isn’t too worried about his business shutting down—he says business is booming at Masterpiece Cakeshop. His brownies and cookies are reportedly flying off the counters, snatched up by people who agree with his stance on gay marriage.
But [get this…] for the next few months, he’ll have to submit quarterly reports about who he refuses to serve. He’ll also have to give his employees anti-discrimination training.
Same-sex marriage is legal in nineteen states, plus Washington D.C. But in Colorado, marriage is still defined as a union between a man and a woman.
Phillips’ attorney says they are considering appealing the Commission’s ruling.

John 16:2.

Posted in One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, Sin That Cries To Heaven, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , , , ,
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A Novena of Prayer to the Holy Spirit: Day 6 (Audio)

Posted on 4 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Let us, upon our knees, pray in a special way to God the Holy Spirit during this time between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost.

This is one way to pray.  I invite the readership to join in.

MANNER OF PRAYING THE NOVENA

Each day the meditation and prayer for the particular day is said, followed by 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and 7 Glory be to the Father, followed by the Act of Consecration and the Prayer for the Seven Gifts.

SIXTH DAY OF THE NOVENA

If Thou take Thy grace away,
nothing pure in man will stay,
All his good is turn’d to ill.

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. BY faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to “walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen.

(Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father 7 TIMES. Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts)

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY GHOST

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice, and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, and looking at His five wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, “Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST

O Lord Jesus Christ, who before ascending into Heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, Dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples, and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.

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POTUS’ Period

Posted on 3 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Pres. Obama released 5 terrorists for 1 U.S. soldier, now accused of desertion, held by Taliban terrorists (not by a nation).

He said:

“Whatever those circumstances may turn out to be we still get an American soldier back if he’s held in captivity,” he said during remarks in Warsaw. “Period. Full stop.”

However, on other occasions he said:

“If you like your current insurance, you keep that insurance. Period, end of story.“

 

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Of unlikely martyrs and unlikely converts

Posted on 3 June 2014 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I draw your attention to a DVD/movie I saw recently: Jerzy Popieluszko: Messenger of Truth – A Polish Martyr and 21st Century Hero.  I get a message that the DVD isn’t available at the moment, but when it is again, consider it.  I found it informative and moving, especially as a priest.  An amazing man in a horrific time.  I hope we will see his like when it is out turn.

This dovetails well with the next item, from CWN and Phil Lawler:

A happy epilogue for the Cold War

One of the most enduring visual images of the Cold War—one of the early signs that the Soviet empire was doomed—was the sight of General Wojciech Jaruzelski, the Polish strongman, literally shaking as he addressed the enormous crowd that gathered to greet St. John Paul II on his triumphant return to his homeland.

Make no mistake about it; Jaruzelski was a formidable enemy of the Catholic Church. With his Soviet comrades watching over his shoulder, he launched a harsh crackdown on the Solidarity movement. He was responsible for the imprisonment of hundreds of human-rights activists. He probably gave the order for troops to fire on striking workers, killing several; he may well have approved the brutal murder of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, the “Solidarity priest” who was bludgeoned to death in 1984. But Jaruzelski was also a realist, and when the Pope arrived in Poland, the general knew in his heart that he was overmatched. As indeed he was—not only by the man, but by the spiritual force the Pontiff represented.

General Jaruzelski lost the battle for Poland, of course. But for years he kept fighting another battle: to justify his leadership, to rationalize the decisions he made while he held power. Shortly before his death last week he surrendered that battle as well. Before he lost consciousness, Reuters reports, Jaruzelski “asked a Catholic priest to administer the last rites.” No longer an atheist, no longer an enemy; Wojciech Jaruzelski died a Catholic.

God’s ways are not our ways.  Our strength is not His strength.  He chooses the least likely to do great things.  His timeline is a mystery.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Modern Martyrs, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged , , ,
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