We continue what be began in our last number, a three-part study of spiritual childhood by Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. (1877-1964).
St. Teresa of the Child Jesus reminds us that the principal virtues of the child of God are those in which are reproduced in an eminent degree the innate qualities of the child, minus his defects. Consequently the way of spiritual childhood will teach us to be supernaturally ourselves minus our defects.
Brother Thomas Mary wrote an article many years ago that deserves wider circulation and attention. It’s called, simply, “Doctrinal Summary” — an accurate name, as the piece summarizes Father Feeney’s doctrinal stance, but a too modest name to arouse readers’ attention. Please consider this an invitation to read Brother …
(This is dedicated to Heidi Beirich, director of “research” at the Southern Poverty Law Center, whose intelligent, nuanced writing style I attempt to imitate.)
The radical mercenary leftist fundraisers at the Southern Poverty Law Center are busily spewing out their trademark caterwauling again. Yes, the enemies of free speech and Christian social order are howling about the frenzied maniacs ready to escort Adolf Hitler himself down Main Street, U.S.A.
MERRIMACK, N.H. (TMC Press Release) – The Virginia-based Young America’s Foundation recently recommended the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts as one of the nation’s top conservative colleges in its sixth annual “Top Conservative Colleges” list.
Commenting on the list, Young America’s Foundation President Ron Robinson explained, “Given the liberal bias in higher education today, it is critical that we make these recommendations.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day
I just read on the New Advent website the Catholic Encyclopedia’s excellent account of the life of Erin’s great apostle. I would highly recommend it if you can spare fifteen minutes today. I can’t think of anything I’ve read elsewhere over the years about the saint that …
That’s the motion that was debated last week in London, at an event hosted by the Spectator and held at the Royal Geographical Society. And guess what — “the 700-strong sell-out audience voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion”!
Excerpt from The Catholic Herald:
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, author Piers Paul Read and Dom Anthony Sutch, former headmaster of Downside, spoke for the motion.
Anime cartoons and their characters are a huge cultic phenomenon, the most popular of all escapist media venues. It is very addictive and very dangerous, to the soul and the mind. I don’t post weird stories, but this blog by Zoe Romanowski from Inside Catholic, along with another, even …
One of the commentators on the relevant CWN article expressed it well: “It’s past time someone said this. Too often ecumenism is taken to mean the weakening of the teachings of the Church and the addition of non-Catholic ritual and beliefs.” A-m-e-n-!
Past time is better than no time — or, “better late than never.” All the scandal that has transpired, and is ongoing, in the name of ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue should cease at these words of Cardinal Levada defining its purpose (or “final cause” to you Aristotelians out there): “Union with the Catholic Church is the goal of ecumenism.”
Our 2010 conference will be held on October 8 and 9 at Saint Benedict Center in Richmond, New Hampshire.
The information currently available is as follows:
Theme: “The Romance of Wisdom”
Cost: $100 for both days (Friday and Saturday). This includes meals. Single days without meals: $40.
Note: This year, Friday and Saturday will both be full days. There will be eight speakers giving presentations in addition to the master of ceremonies, our Prior, Brother Andre Marie.
Archbishop Alberto Bottari de Castello, apostolic nuncio to Japan, has a very perceptive insight into the subversive effects Buddhist doctrine has on the soul of a suffering devotee confronting hopelessness. From Sandro Magister’s latest column: “Why Life is Worth So Little in Prosperous Japan.”
“The Japanese do not have a personal …
[March 5, 2010 - Rome Reports (with hat tip to Rorate Caeli)]
Benedict XVI has formed a commission to investigate if Our Lady truly appeared in Medjugorje, a small town in Bosnia.
The commission is part of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Cardinal Camillo Ruini will preside over the commission. Ruini is the pope’s former vicar of Rome’s diocese. Ruini goal will be to explain to the pope what’s happening at the sanctuary which has become the third most visited in Europe.
Allegedly, at least 6 people have witnessed the Virgins apparitions there since 1981.
The spoken word lends itself to a more passionate presentation. That is why more people are directly converted upon hearing a good sermon than from reading a good book. In his Letter to the Romans, a written word, Saint Paul does says that “Faith cometh by hearing.” Undoubtedly the apostle converted more souls directly by his preaching than by his Letters.
Now that I have seemed to diminish the importance of the written word, let me give you an “on the contrary” viewpoint. The written word reaches more people and has the potential of lasting to the end of the world. Indirectly, therefore, on account of its permanence and reproducibility, the written word has a greater potential to convert a greater number of souls than the spoken. Korea is an interesting study on its own. Missionaries came to Korea in the sixteenth century and preached the Faith, but the leaders of this people were originally converted by reading Catholic books, which they had discovered in China. It was after reading these books that they sent an emissary to Rome to ask for missionaries.
It is a wonderful thing that, at least in the early and medieval Church, there were usually scribes that wrote down the sermons delivered by preachers. Did you know, for instance, that St. Thomas’ Summa was compiled from his lectures? Yes, he did edit the written text, but were it not for his students and secretaries, there may never have been a Summa Theologica. St. Augustine, likewise, had secretaries who transcribed his daily sermons. Father Migne, a great French scholar, compiled volumes with all the existing sermons of the early fathers, both from the East and the West. He effectively put the wisdom of the fathers at our fingertips. So, when you read the sermons of the saints, you are doubly blessed. You can savor both their wisdom and the fiery zeal.
“Be not affrighted: you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen: he is not here” — Mark XVI:6.
I hope, my dear Christians, that, as Christ is risen, you have, in this holy paschal time, gone to confession, and have risen from your sins. Read More »
(From the Housetops is indebted to Father Martin, the superior of the Franciscans of the Immaculate in New Bedford, Massachusetts, for his permission to publish the following conference of St. Maximilian Kolbe in our magazine. It has been transcribed exactly as it appears in the book Roman Conferences of St. Maximilian Kolbe, published by the Academy of the Immaculate.) (The Editor) Read More »
(St. Leo the Great D. 461)
The Voice of Peter
The truths that belong to this day’s solemnity are truly well known to you, Dearly Beloved, and you have frequently been instructed in them. But just as this visible light delights in the healthy eye, so the heart that is healed there comes to joy without end from the Birth of the Savior, which we must not pass over in silence, though it can never be spoken of in a manner that is worthy of it. Read More »
I. The Coming of the Holy Ghost with the Gift of Tongues foretells the Unity of the Church throughout all peoples.
This is a solemn day for us, because of the Coming of the Holy Ghost; the fiftieth day from the Lord’s Resurrection, seven days multiplied by seven. But multiplying seven by seven we have forty-nine. One is then added: that we may be reminded of unity. Read More »
Peace Be To You, The Mystical Body
Jesus stood in the midst of them, and saith to them: Peace be to you
I. The Heresy of the Manicheans. Read More »
In Mary we praise that which places her above all others, that is, fruitfulness of offspring together with virginity. For never has it been known in this world that anyone was at the same time mother and virgin. Read More »
Given to the People in the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the Holy Day of the Resurrection
1. It has been my custom, beloved brethren, to speak to you on many of the Gospel readings, by means of a sermon I had already dictated for you. But since I have been unable, because of the weakness of my throat, to read to you myself what I had prepared, I notice that some among you listen somewhat indifferently. Read More »
Given to the People in the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the day of the Nativity of Our Lord.
1. Because by the Divine Bounty we are on this day thrice to celebrate the sacred mysteries of the Mass, we cannot therefore speak at length on the Gospel lesson. But the Birth of Our Redeemer Himself demands of us that we say something for the occasion, however briefly. Read More »
Our Saviour, dearly Beloved, was born this day. Let us rejoice. Read More »
I. The Coming of the Holy Ghost with the Gift of Tongues foretells the Unity of the Church throughout all peoples.
This is a solemn day for us, because of the Coming of the Holy Ghost; the fiftieth day from the Lord’s Resurrection, seven days multiplied by seven. But multiplying seven by seven we have forty-nine. Read More »
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