Saturday, March 31, 2007

Anger


Anger- A very human emotion- can sometimes over take us, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ even expressed this anger toward the panhandlers and traders doing business transactions in the temple

Anger is natural and everyone needs to blow off some steam every now and again, most people have found constructive ways to exhaust their anger.

A Few ( and I use few loosely) unlucky souls have a very tough time with anger. It over powers them, Devours their soul, affects their family, friends, and their own health.

St. Jerome Pictured Here, would be such an angry person, he would beat himself with rocks as penance for his anger, he loved Christ so much.

What are some of the ways you handle your Anger? How can we prevent anger from being an Obstacle to Loving Christ?


"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid."
JOHN 14:27

Friday, March 30, 2007

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Actions Speak Louder Than Words


In my journey back home, I feel this Lenten season has been a fruitful one. My heart is really back where it should be,

In my faith rejuvenation I have come to better understand "walking the walk" in everyday life, maybe my adolescent brain could not fully comprehend the full way of the life of a Catholic man.

Anyone who has spoken to me about the way I drive will tell you that I am an angry driver, since my return to faith I have by the grace of God been a better driver to all, like wise at work or wherever I am I want to be known for my kindness and compassion.

Today further instances in my life of the actions of a Christian man

  • A Kind parishioner came up as we were walking in for Mass and Benediction this evening and handed us a full CD Set of the Lenten Mission by Fr. Isaac Mary Relyea - Gone through 2 discs so far and its great! Thank you and God Bless I will pass these on for sure!!!
  • After The Perfect Sacrifice of the Mass was over I was greeted by another Christian and he wanted to welcome my family to the parish and community. Its awesome to feel that welcome, Thank you I will pray that God affirms these virtues in me. It turns out he has to drive 25-30min to assist at mass too!


It is by our actions that others will find truth

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

World Youth Day

Ah, World Youth Day....

The first WYD I attended was in 1993 Denver CO As a Supple 10 Year old boy, in the crowd with all those people, it was interesting to say the least, but I had a great time with my Family and knowing that I was in the presence of the John Paul the Great was awesome.
Some Stand Out Memory's:

  • The last night at Mile High Stadium When the pope flew In, I was as close as anyone could get without a Press/Security Badge, Front row Center pressed against the fence. It was cool for a 10 yr old.
  • On my way back to find my parents/family after using the restroom I some how got lost in all the people, Next thing I knew a "Police" Man Grabbed me by my shoulder and started trying to lead me back to my parents- I do think I had the stub in my hand so it wasn't so hard for him- looking more closely at his badge/uniform I noticed that he was USA SECRET SERVICE. Scared the crap out of me.
I would not attend my next world youth day till the Jubilee year of 2000.

This was awesome, Mostly because of the fact that it was in the eternal city. Oddly enough I did not want to go at first and I can't honestly recall what I thought were good reasons why at this time.



Memory's
  • Since I was a bit older now, I remember having conversations with everyone everywhere, about faith, the Church, history, family.. you name it we talked about it but you truly felt the Holy Ghost come upon the whole city.
  • The Vatican, The other Basilicas/Cathedral's of Rome, Walking through the Holy Door's of Each.
  • The Heat- On the final walk to Tor Vergata The heat soared if i recall it was around 119 Degrees (F), Firetrucks spraying water on everyone.. just Unlimited free bottled water, and ambulances taking someone every 20 Min.
  • The Holy Father Speaking to us that night at Tor Vergata, People giving their hearts to their faith (Mostly)
As I am now even older I am debating whether to attend WYD 2008 In Sydney AU, Part of me that enjoyed it so much wants to go. The Traditionalist in me has some reserves about it, knowing that not everyone will give the proper respect.

Respect is a big thing for me, and the Lack of it that I find at most Novus ordo mass' today is appalling. Thats something for another Post.

Any Input is Most Graciously accepted.

Act of Hope
O my God, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

SSPX Responds To the coming motu proprio

Full Letter Here: http://www.sspx.org/superior_generals_ltrs/supgen_70.htm

Excerpts:

If we closely consider the arguments advanced this time, especially by the French episcopate, but also at Rome and in Germany, one notices that the bishops in fact are afraid of this Mass. Even Rome is being extremely careful not to disavow Paul VI's reform while outlining the possibility of a return to the old Mass. The progressivists' fear is such that it is necessary [for Rome] to go to great lengths and to argue forcefully for broadening the permission for priests' to celebrate the Tridentine Mass. Certainly, that also explains why we have not yet received either thanks or a response to our letter from the Sovereign Pontiff or even the Vatican.

6. Ecumenism, liberalism, and this spirit of the world that defiles the Bride of Christ are still the principles animating the Conciliar Church. These principles kill the spirit of God, the Christian spirit. We must understand more than ever the roots of the crisis in order to keep ourselves from rushing blindly into the new situation that would be created by the motu proprio. Before thinking of the measures that will need to be taken for our canonical regularization, an in-depth discussion of these questions is indispensable. We hope that Rome at last understands our demand to see any discussions preceded by what we call our preliminaries or preconditions, one of which would be met by the motu proprio. For thirty years we have refused to take the poison; it is for this reason that we have been rejected, and it is still the condition (more or less hidden) that Rome imposes for accepting us. Ecumenism, religious liberty, and collegiality remain the points of contention over which we will not budge.

7. What we have been saying up to this point is just speculation. The concrete circumstances, that is, the actual terms of the motu proprio, may require other distinctions and clarifications.


Sounds like some things need to be ironed out before they are fully united back with the church,
but I'm glad they are keeping the lines of communication open.

It (the motu proprio) must be coming soon as this letter dated Feb 25th Was just Received today and I'm less than 50 Miles from where it was mailed

Keep Watch and Keep praying

The Conversion Of Scott Hahn

For Download...

must have torrent client

http://www.mininova.org/get/636971

Poetry

WHAT I LIVE FOR

I live for those who love me, whose hearts are kind and true, For the heaven that smiles above me, And awaits my Spirit too; For the human ties that bind me, for the task by God assigned me, For the bright hopes left behind me, And the good that I can do.

I live to learn their story who've suffered for my sake, To emulate their glory, And to follow in their wake; bards, patriots, martyrs, sages, The noble of all ages, Whose deeds crowd history's pages And time's great volume make.

I, live to hold communion with all that is divine, To feel there is a union 'Twixt Nature's heart and mine; To profit by affliction, Reap truths from fields of fiction, Grow wiser from conviction, And fulfill each grand design.

I live to hail that season, By gifted minds foretold, when men Shall rule by reason, And not alone by gold; when man to man united, And every wrong thing righted, The whole world shall be lighted As Eden was of old.

I live for those Who love me, For those who know me true, For the Heaven that Smiles above me, And awaits my spirit, too; For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that I can do.

By George Linnaeus

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Requiem Mass...what is good for the soul?



On reflection of my grandmother this evening, I was focusing in on her Funeral Mass, a few things bothered me and I'm not just trying to be picky here




  • Minimal Holy Water
    • For some reason I was expecting holy water to be sprinkled on everyone during the procession and after... maybe I was fabricating this one in my head, My later talks with a different priest said this was not common practice....but I just expected more
  • Sloppy Accord
    • The Priest started mass with the sign of the cross in the back of the church with the body in the back, after the procession in, he started to say the sign of the cross again but halted to an "Let us Pray"
    • Priest tried to do some eulogizing at mass in a round about way but not proper for a Catholic Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
  • Rushed a Burial Site
    • The burial site ritual, was lacking. Father seemed to be in a hurry to eat back at the church hall.
Since I have been attending Tridentine Mass I was curious what was the Requieum Mass and what could have been?

Requiem Mass

Some Key note differences-
  • The Requiem Mass, also known formally (in Latin) as the Missa pro defunctis or Missa defunctorum, is a wholly different ritual form and texts.
  • Its theme is a prayer for the salvation of the souls of the departed, and it is used both at services immediately preceding a burial, and on occasions of more general remembrance.
  • This use of the word requiem comes from the opening words of the introit: Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. (Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.)
  • The requiem Mass differs from the ordinary Mass in omitting certain joyful passages such as the Gloria, Credo, and Alleluia, and by the addition of the sequence Dies Iræ.
  • The Dies irae was rendered optional in the Requiem in 1967 and was omitted from the revised Mass altogether in 1969; at the same time, the Alleluia was added to funerals outside Lent.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

This Is my Story

Hello WELCOME,

I am the lost lamb, This first post will tell you my history and how I came to be speaking to you.
So if you have some time feel free to listen to my story....

I am 22, grew up in a Mexican Catholic home.. My mom and dad were separated for Many years(11-13 or something of the sorts), I lived with my Mexican grandparents growing up and my Mother, Of course all my aunts and uncles had a say in raising me too, such is life in a Mexican family.

One of the 2 Churches in my Small Kansas Town

Grades K-7 were spent attending Catholic School in my small Kansas town, Mass every Day, Instructions by nuns, Max Class size was 24. It was during these formative years attending Mass, Receiving my First Holy Communion, Confession... that I felt a "Call" to the Church... as a young altar boy, this call was interpreted to be to the priesthood... so ever since i can remember I didn't play with GI-Joe's I played "Mass" and had my family attend and I would do everything the priest did.. I had "Corporals", "Chalices" "Eucharist" etc... and it went on for quite sometime... Be as it may.. My father and my mother reconciled when I started 8th Grade... we moved to the big city and of course satan wanted to devour this fresh lamb out from the pasture.. and he did.. slowly but surely, My mass attendance went down... my prayer time went down... my interest in things worldly went up... but many may say that this is the nature of an adolescent but I disagree. I would say satan's biggest battle was won when i chose to attend Catholic High School...I was the Most corrupt there... and the priests, faculty and other staff effectively at the time snuffed out any last lingering interest in the priest hood.

"Catholic" High School

So lets fast forward a bit from freshman year at "Catholic" high school as it breaks my heart to think about how they broke my soul- Today I am a 22 year old full time father and husband of two, I have been civilly married now for 4 years and love my two boys, even though we are both Catholic my wife and I did not get married in the church and have not been living as good Catholics.

The Most Gracious Holy Spirit

This all changed about 2 weeks ago, with my Grandmother whom raised me ill in the hospital, and our prayers for her increasing, and us just being us... My wife mentioned after an angry tirade at me that the only time she felt good anymore was on the few occasions we went to mass, I said lets go more often, and as if by the holy spirit filled me right then with all the vigor and passion for my Church once again, and again I heard God Calling me to Serve him..

But now this confused me, as I felt the calling as before but now I know its not to the priest hood, I am a married man so what am I being Called to? At this time I thought it might be the Deaconate and I inquired as to what it would take to accomplish that, suffice to say that based on my age alone I am not old enough to enter the Permanent Deaconate. (Its been awhile since I haven't been able to do something biased on age)
.

Well about a week ago my ill grandmother passed away and at her Requiem mass a few things happened..
This Novus Ordo mass was just not worthy of my grandmothers soul. I have not been to a Novus ordo mass since, not because I dont agree with it, am I am not a SSPX member but a Roman Catholic so the Novus order must be a valid rite, but the personal interpretation by parish priests must be stopped. Her mass was just rushed, sloppy, and irreverent of her soul let alone Christ in the Eucharist. Be that as it may, her death and her mass has just pushed me to the next level.

I am Back and I am here to support my Faith with a vengeance and Im bringing my entire family with me, The wife and I have started the motion to get our marriage convalidated in the church so that we may fully participate in the sacraments and get back to living in a state of grace. We are increasing our use in sacramentals and have stopped committing other heresy's that we have been doing.

Please pray for us in this journey back home!

Pax Christi