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At St. Peter’s Basilica, Mass in the Classical Rite

Brother Maximilian Maria and I are recently returned from Rome. I’ve decided that, poco a poco, I will post some columns on the site showcasing some of the wonderful Roman churches we saw. First though, I would like to give one little snapshot among hundreds of mental photographs from our fortnight in the Eternal City. It is a picture of the encouragement we felt in the presence of young clerics and a few seminarians.

But it would be precipitous to portray this image without first supplying a background. So, let’s go to St. Peter’s…

by Brother André Marie December 19th, 2009

India: Avenging ‘Christian Elephants’?


The Philosopher

In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles. In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.

These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement. They then went on to destroy his house and farms.


Blessed Frère André to be Canonized


The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

In a meeting today with the Prefect of the Congregtion for the Causes of Saints, Archbishop Angelo Amato, Pope Benedict XVI approved twenty-one decrees pertaining to canonizations, beatifications, and declarations of heroic virtue.

Blessed André Bessette, the patron saint of our own Brother André Marie, has had the way cleared for canonization. Still awaited is the date for this ceremony, after which the popular French Canadian beatus will be honored as Saint André of Montreal.


Our Lady of the Expectation, Lady of ‘O’


Sister Maria Philomena, M.I.C.M.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Expectation. This feast has an interesting history that Brother Andre reviewed for us this morning in his morning meditation in our chapel. In Spain, this feast day is Nuestra Senora de la O: Our Lady of the O, the “O” coming from the expression of longing said in the office of the Mozarabic Liturgy. In the Latin Rite, today’s feast comes in the middle of the “O” Antiphons (where we get the words for the hymn Veni, Veni, Emmanuel — in English O Come, O Come Emmanuel).


Another Saint, Just the Stuff of Legend


Brian Kelly

A few weeks ago, the Philosopher made another one of his unpredictable appearances on our website suggesting a proper prayer for those who doubt the existence of certain canonized saints. In this case it was the co-founder of the Trinitarian Order, Saint Felix of Valois. But, one can easily substitute …


Homosexual Activists Censure ‘Gay’


The Philosopher

“That’s so gay!” Not nice. It offends. It shouldn’t be used. So say the folks who coopted the innocent word “gay” and transmogrified it to mean “homosexual.” Now these same folks don’t want others to coopt their coopted word and turn it into a pejorative. But guess what? Humanity looks at homosexuality in pejorative terms, so words like “bugger” and “bad” have their origins in sexual deviancy and, by a natural linguistic evolution, came to connote other morally, physically, or ontologically undesirable things.


The Argentine Church Seeks to Baptize


The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Cardinal Bergoglio and other bishops are ordering that baptism not be withheld from those who are far removed from religious practice. Better a Church of the people than one only of the pure. Ratzinger also thinks this way.

Sandro Magister reports. Excerpt:

Cardinal Bergoglio has explained the meaning …


Christmas Letter & an Apology


Brother André Marie

Now posted on our site is the Christmas Letter that was mailed to our regular supporters on December 3. I hope you enjoy it. If you would like to get these kinds of things in the mail, it’s very easy to get on our mailing list. While you are at it, it would be a very good thing if you would make a donation, or purchase something from our online store so we can afford to send out these mailings.

An explanation is in order for why their was no correspondance from Rome, as I said I might do.


You Might Be in Richmond, N.H., If…


The Philosopher

I was in the Brothers’ Priory earlier today, espying on the activities at their Richmond-based Command Central, and was particularly struck by the reading material available to these religious — specifically, the variety thereof. On the same shelf as Dom Gueranger’s Liturgical Year and Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange’s Three Ages of the Interior Life was Barnacle Parp’s Chain Saw Guide by Walter Hall.


Just an Idea


Brian Kelly

I was considering the awful plight of the homeless in American cities as winter sets in and, as good as soup kitchens are, I was wondering about another strategy that would also help them. First, one must put oneself in their situation to appreciate what I have to say. Imagine …


A Great Sermon on the Dogma


Brother André Marie

Audio Sancto has posted a stunning and arresting sermon on “our” doctrine: Salvation is Only in the Catholic Church. This sermon is preached by a Catholic priest in good standing, one who is not a Slave of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. His direct, no-nonsense approach …


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  • Saint of the Day

    Saint Yvo of Chartres (1115) Saint Yvo was a member of the Order of Saint Augustine. He was made Bishop of Chartres, and was a consultant to King Philip of France. He is responsible in no small part for the Code of Canon Law in ... Read More

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    The Union Jack

    The Union Jack is not the Flag of England! Contrary to popular belief, the Union Flag (or Union Jack) is not England’s flag, but the flag of the “United Kingdom,” consisting of England, Scotland, (Northern) Ireland, and Wales. For this reason, it is  a composite of flags representing those four nations. The true English Flag … …Read More »

Beware of saying: What use is it to hear Mass ? I am none the richer, none the happier, for it; it makes no difference to me whether I have or have not heard Mass. This is the way in which foolish and ungodly persons speak, who have no just idea of what holy Mass really is. Any one who has read this book will have learnt enough of the virtue and excellence of the Mass to make him rejoice in it. Hearing Mass is not only useful for the soul, but for the body as well; the benefit we derive from it is material as well as spiritual. Read More »

Dec 17
Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.

The Versifier

by Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.December 17th, 2009

I cannot run the open mile
It puts me out of breath.
I consider skiing parties
As the close approach of death. Read More »

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Dec 15
Brian Kelly

Santa Lucia

by Brian KellyDecember 15th, 2009

Doing some research two days ago about the celebration of Saint Lucy’s feast day I kept hearing the lively and serene Italian folksong, Santa Lucia, playing over and over again in my memory. It was probably Andrea Bocelli’s voice. Or, perhaps it was Pavarotti, whom I once did have the pleasure of hearing him sing it live, many years ago, in Worcester Massachusetts. Read More »

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Dec 15
Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.

The Heart

by Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.December 15th, 2009

Whence come those anguished works of art,
Those songs of man’s distress? Read More »

Here we have Brother Francis’ personal reflections about his mentor, Father Feeney. Read More »

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Sister entitled her Conference talk, “Towards a Deeper Understanding of the Powers of Life as they Transcend the Material: The Acquisition of Wisdom and The Transmission of Culture.” (To purchase the entire talk on DVD or CD, go to our store site.)

This presentation is a well-organized and systematic application of the heart of Brother Francis course on psychology as it applies to wisdom and culture.

Read More »

How does a Catholic mother instill the Faith in her children? How does she deal with issues of education and discipline, how does she maintain her own faith—and hold her family together Read More »

Dec 8
Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.

Eucharist

by Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.December 08th, 2009

This is the dew which falls from heaven
To bring God’s life to earth. Read More »

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These were the gospel words with which Saint Ignatius won the heart of the student, Francis Xavier. Yesterday was the feast of Saint Francis Xavier, who is Brother Francis’ patron. After Saint Paul, he is considered to be the greatest missionary in the history of the Church. “Go, and set fire to the world,” Saint Ignatius told him as the Castilian and the Basque parted company in Rome four hundred and sixty-five years ago. Xavier was off to Portugal, from where, at the behest of King John III, he would sail to India and evangelize the East Indies. Three million souls would receive baptism from the hands of this son of Loyola during his ten years of missionary life. Read More »

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We come to you  dear Jesus,
For to whom else can we go,
To bring our puerile complaints Read More »

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