Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,

et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

Monday, November 2nd is the commemoration of all the faithful departed, commonly known as All Souls Day. On this day we remember and pray for all the faithful who have gone before us. Don't forget to spend some time praying today for all family members, friends, acquaintances, and even those unknown to you for eternal rest in Heaven with Our Lord. Visit a cemetery and pray for those buried there. And, of course, be sure to attend mass. There are indulgences that can be attained for the dead by doing such things.

The New Liturgical Movement has had a few posts on its site in the last week about All Souls Day that are worth reading. First, they have their 5th annual appeal for the clergy to wear black vestments for All Souls celebrations. They also have ideas for living a liturgical life.

Finally, here is the beautiful sequence, Dies Irae, from the Mass for the Dead. The Latin text can be read here. Below the video is a very poetic English translation.

Lo, the Day of Wrath, that day
Shall the world in ashes lay;
David thus and Sibyl say.

Oh, how great shall be the fear,
When at last, as Judge severe,
Christ the Lord shall reappear.

When the trumpet’s wondrous sound,
Ringing through each burial ground,
All shall call the Throne around.

Death and Nature then shall quake
As the Dead from dust awake,
To their Judge reply to make.

Then shall written book be brought,
Showing every deed and thought,
From which judgment will be sought.

So, before the Judge enthroned,
Shall each hidden sin be owned,
Naught of guilt left unatoned.

How shall then my life appear?
Who the Saint my prayer to hear,
When the just himself shall fear?

Thou, O dread and mighty King,
Mercy’s inexhausted Spring,
Now Thy free deliverance bring.

Think, good Jesus, think, I pray,
I it was that caused Thy way,
Cast me not aside that day!

Faint in search of me hast lain,
On the Cross hast suffered pain,
Shall such labor be in vain!

Who just judge of vengeance art,
Thy forgiveness now impart,
Ere the accepted day depart.

Guilty, lo, I groan with fear,
Whilst with shame Thy Throne I near,
Thou, O God, my crying hear!

Who didst bend to Mary’s grief,
Didst accept the contrite thief,
Wilt not grudge me Thy relief.

All unworthy though my prayer,
Yet be Thine the gracious care
That hell’s fire be not my share.

Far from that rejected band,
Mid Thy sheep O bid me stand,
Safely placed at Thy right hand.

When the cursed, at Thy behest,
Go to flames that never rest,
Call me Thou to join the Blest.

Prostrate now in prayer I bend,
Contrite now my breast I rend,
Help me Thou at my last end.

Sad indeed shall be the day
When the guilty, cast away,
Fall into eternal gloom.
Save us. Lord, from such a doom.

In Thy mercy, Jesus blest,
Grant Thy servants endless rest.
Amen.

Sunday Inspiration - All Saints

This Sunday, November 1st, we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. On this day we remember all those Holy men and women who have been exemplary imitators of Christ and servants of Him and His Church, and request their intercession for us to Our Father in Heaven.

Today join in this beautiful prayer, the Collect from the traditional Roman liturgy of All Saints:

Almighty and eternal God,
who givest us to celebrate in one solemnity the merits of all Thy Saints:

we beseech Thee to bestow upon us,

through these countless intercessors,

the longed-for fullness of Thy propitiation.

Through Our Lord,

Amen.

Another wonderful prayer for today is the Litany of the Saints. EWTN has an English version here. Below is a beautful version of the Litany of the Saints sung in Latin:

And finally, just for fun:

USCCB Encourages Action on Health Care Reform

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is encouraging the faithful to speak up about Health Care Reform and the issue of the sanctity of all human life. The Bishops have issued a nationwide bulletin insert, available on their website here.

In this insert, they state,
"Congress is preparing to debate health care reform legislation on the House and Senate floors. Genuine health care reform should protect the life and dignity of all people from the moment of conception until natural death. The U.S. bishops’ conference has concluded that all committee approved bills are seriously deficient on the issues of abortion and conscience, and do not provide adequate access to health care for immigrants and the poor. The bills will have to change or the bishops have pledged to oppose them."

The website linked above also has an easy way for you to email your representatives and senators to let them know that you stand with the Bishops and the Church on these issues. DO THIS! Our Congressional representatives need to know that there are many people who care about life!

Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles

Today is the feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude. Both are said to have spread the faith and become martyrs. I thought a good way of celebrating this feast day would be to read through the epistle attributed to St. Jude. It is a short letter, but contains some great exhortations about keeping the faith.

Here is an excerpt: (verses 20-25)

"But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. On those who waver, have mercy; save others by snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear, abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh.
"To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of his glory, to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen."

Sunday Inspiration

The Gospel for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time:

St. Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say,"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more,"Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, saying to him,"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

From St. Thomas Aquinas' Catena Aurea, a summary of Pope St. Gregory the Great's homily on the Gospel:

The blind man is the human race which, in its first parent, turned from the brightness of the heavenly light and suffered the darkness of its own banishment...As our Savior therefore draws nigh to Jericho, the blind man returns to the light; because when divinity assumed to itself the failing of our flesh, mankind received back the light it had lost. He therefore that knows not the brightness of the eternal light is blind. But if he believes in the Redeemer Who said "I am the Way," he is sitting by the way side; if he has believed, and now earnestly implores that he may receive the light he is sitting by the way side, begging.

They who walked in front of Jesus, signify the crowds of carnal desires, and the tumult of the vices, which, before Christ makes entry to our heart, scatter our thoughts, and torment us in our prayer. But he cried out much more; because the more we are afflicted by the excessive troubling of our thoughts, the more earnestly ought we to persevere in prayer. But when in our prayer we still suffer the thronging images of the senses, we are in a manner hearing Jesus passing by. But when we are earnestly insistent in our prayer, God is held fast in our heart, and the lost light is restored.

It pertains to His Humanity that He passes by, and to His Divinity to be still. And so the Lord when passing by heard the blind man crying out, and standing He gave him sight; for suffering with us in His own humanity He hears with compassion the cries of our blindness; but it is by His Divinity that the light of His grace is poured into our souls. For this however He asks the blind man what he wishes: that He may waken our hearts to prayer.

Christian Unity

In yesterday's Gospel (St. Luke 12:49-53), Our Lord said,

"Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Since Christ's earthly life, not only has the world experienced that division between believers and non-believers, but also within Christ's Church itself.

Our Lord also prayed, however: "I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me." (St. John 17:20-21)

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI is taking this prayer of Jesus very seriously and trying to unify Christian peoples. In the 4 1/2 years of his pontificate, we've witnessed him do many things to try to create more unity in Christitanity. He has made provisions for those who prefer the traditional liturgy. He has held talks with leaders of the Orthodox Church. He has agreed to hold talks with the Society of St. Pius X. And now this week, he paves the way for large numbers of Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church. (A great video explaining this was posted on American Papist. See it here.)

We need to continue to pray for our Pope and pray the prayer of Jesus for unity of all Chrisitan peoples into what St. Irenaeus called "the tradition derived from the Apostles of the greatest, most ancient, and universally known Church, founded and established by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul...the faith decalred to men which through the succession of bishops comes down to our times."

St. Isaac Jogues and Companions

Tomorrow, October 19th, is the Memorial of St. Isaac Jogues and his companions. These 8 men were French Jesuit missionaries to North America in the 17th century. They were all martyred in the 1640's. Read more about St. Isaac Jogues here.

Prayer:
Almighty God, You consecrated the spread of the Faith in North America by the blood of St. Isaac Jogues and his companions who were preaching the Faith to the Indians. Through their intercession let more people everywhere respond to the Good News of salvation. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday Inspiration

This weekend, share your faith with someone. Talk to a friend about the joy you experience at Mass. Invite a family member who has fallen away from their faith to come to Mass with you. Let someone know that you're praying for them.

Maybe you could email them a link to this video from Catholics Come Home:

Feast of St. Gerard Majella

Tomorrow, October 16th, is the feast day of St. Gerard Majella. St. Gerard is the patron of expectant mothers. This Saint has special meaning to my family right now since my wife is expecting our first child.

St. Gerard was a Redemptorist brother who was known for great humility, piety, and charity. He died when he was only 29 years old.

Priests for Life have had a Novena on their website in honor of St. Gerard for the last week. Here is the prayer they offer:

St. Gerard,

You worshiped Jesus as the Lord of Life.

I ask you today to pray

For my special intention.

(Mention your intention here.)

Lift up to Jesus

All those who seek to conceive a child,

All those having difficult pregnancies,

All who have suffered the loss of a child,

And all who lovingly lift up their children to God.

Pray that all of us,

By caring for mothers, fathers, and children

born and unborn

May build a Culture of Life,

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Read more about St. Gerard here.

Prejudice and Catholicism

Fr. Z over at the blog What Does the Prayer Really Say? picked up on a great opinion piece written in the Canadian newspaper, the National Post. The article, titled "The Last Acceptable Prejudice," discusses how easily and quickly people criticize the Catholic Church when anything negative is done by a member of the Church.

It is a great article. Read it here.

Fr. Emil Kapaun, Servant of God

I read a great story today about a priest from Kansas, Fr. Emil Kapaun, who has been recommended by the Secretary of the Army to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service as a chaplain during the Korean War. Here is an excerpt from the article:

"The prisoners of the 8th Cavalry Regiment spoke of how Kapaun, an Army chaplain, continued to look after his men even though he was wounded and sick himself. Risking his own life, Kapaun would sneak out after dark to scrounge food for those too weak to eat, fashion makeshift containers to collect water and wash their soiled clothes.

"Kapaun died at the camp hospital seven months after he was first taken captive by the Chinese in 1950. More than a half-century later, the Army's top civilian leader has recommended that Kapaun, who is also a candidate for sainthood, receive the Medal of Honor."

This type of selflessness and total service to God and His people is such an inspiration. The article goes on to talk about how Fr. Kapaun had served in WWII as a chaplain and when the Korean war began, he "pleaded with his bishop" to allow him to serve again.

Read the full article here.

You can also check out a website dedicated to his cause for canonization here.

Some Interesting Websites

I personally enjoy learning about some of the lesser known facts and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. Below are a few websites that I have found in my searching the internet that include some of these interesting tidbits. If you share a similar interest, check them out!

Dappled Photos: This site includes a plethora of photos and information about the Roman clergy's vestments. Here is one example of their great photos:

Richard Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston 1944-1970

Catholic Hierarchy: On this site, you can trace the episcopal lineage of any bishop. Type in your bishop's name and see who ordained him! It also has other information, such as info about dioceses.

Going right along with that is the site, Apostolic Succession in the Roman Catholic Church. On the homepage of this site, there is an explanation of why most episcopal lineages trace back to one man, Scipione Cardinal Rebiba.

So if you have some spare time, and are interested, check out these sites. They're fun, informative, and might even inspire you to learn more about your Church!

Sunday Inspiration

Miraculous Mass by Simone Martini

For Priests:

Take heed therefore and see what it is of which the ministry is committed to thee by the laying on of the Bishop's hand. Behold thou art made a priest and art consecrated to celebrate. See now that thou do it before God faithfully and devoutly at due time, and shew thyself without blame. Thou hast not lightened thy burden, but art now bound with a straiter bond of discipline, and art pledged to a higher degree of holiness. A priest ought to be adorned with all virtues and to afford to others an example of good life. His conversation must not be with the popular and common ways of men, but with Angels in Heaven or with perfect men on earth.
A priest clad in holy garments taketh Christ's place that he may pray unto God with all supplication and humility for himself and for the whole people. He must always remember the Passion of Christ. He must diligently look upon Christ's footsteps and fervently endeavour himself to follow them. He must bear meekly for God whatsoever ills are brought upon him by others. He must mourn for his own sins, and for the sins committed by others, and may not grow careless of prayer and holy oblation, until he prevail to obtain grace and mercy. When the priest celebrateth, he honoureth God, giveth joy to the Angels, buildeth up the Church, helpeth the living, hath communion with the departed, and maketh himself a partaker of all good things.

-Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Book IV, V


For the lay faithful:

Prayer for receiving Holy Communion:
Almighty, Everlasting God, lo, I draw near to the sacrament of Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. As sick, I approach to the Physician of Life; unclean, to the Fountain of Mercy; blind, to the Light of eternal Brightness; poor and needy, to the Lord of Heaven and earth. I implore Thee, therefore, out of the abundance of Thy boundless mercy, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to heal my sickness, to wash my defilements, to enlighten my blindness, to enrich my poverty, and to clothe my nakedness; that I may receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, with such reverence and humility, such contrition and devotion, such purity and faith, such purpose and intention, as is expedient for the health of my soul. Grant, I beseech Thee, that I may receive not only the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of the Lord, but also the whole grace and virtue of that Sacrament. O most merciful God, grant me so to receive the Body of Thine Only-begotten-Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, which He took of the Virgin Mary, that I may be found worthy to be incorporated into His mystical Body, and accounted among His members. And, O most loving Father, grant that whom now I purpose to receive under a veil I may at last behold with unveiled face, even Thy beloved Son. Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost ever liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

-St. Thomas Aquinas

Mother Teresa on Peace

In all of the news and discussion about President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I have heard many question what Obama has accomplished as compared to other Nobel laureates. Mother Teresa is one that has come up many times. I must admit that I was quite surprised when I heard about Obama's award; I actually thought it was a joke at first. Now, when I read Mother Teresa's speech from when she received the Peace Prize and compare it with Obama's actions, I am totally baffled as to why he was given this honor. Here is a portion of what she had to say:

"I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing - direct murder by the mother herself. And we read in the Scripture, for God says very clearly: Even if a mother could forget her child - I will not forget you - I have carved you in the palm of my hand. We are carved in the palm of His hand, so close to Him that unborn child has been carved in the hand of God. And that is what strikes me most, the beginning of that sentence, that even if a mother could forget something impossible - but even if she could forget - I will not forget you. And today the greatest means - the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion. And we who are standing here - our parents wanted us. We would not be here if our parents would do that to us. Our children, we want them, we love them, but what of the millions. Many people are very, very concerned with the children in India, with the children in Africa where quite a number die, maybe of malnutrition, of hunger and so on, but millions are dying deliberately by the will of the mother. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today. Because if a mother can kill her own child - what is left for me to kill you and you kill me - there is nothing between."

I Confess...

Last Sunday at the parish I attended, the priest preached an excellent homily about confession. He pointed out how Pope John Paul II would go to confession every day. If this man, who many consider to be a saint, felt the need to confess his sins every single day, what about us? The priest, who is quite old, noted how in the last 30 years he has seen a huge drop in the number of people who attend confession regularly. This sacrament, and the grace received through it, is badly needed today. We are all sinners. God is waiting for us to ask for forgiveness.

So...go to confession! And encourage your friends to do the same. Maybe sending them a link to this lighthearted video would help:

Today is a Good Day to Pray!

Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. What a perfect opportunity to get out your rosary and pray!
The Glorious Mysteries:
1. The Resurrection of Our Lord
2. The Ascension of Our Lord
3. The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
4. The Assumption of Our Blessed Mother in Heaven
5. The Coronation of Our Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth

Take 20 minutes out of your day and pray!

God vs. State

There is a battle going on over a Cross in the Mojave National Preserve in the southern California Desert. The Mojave Cross, a 75-year old war memorial, currently has a box covering it due to objections to a religious symbol existing on public land. The Supreme Court will hear the case this week. CNN's website has the story about the Mojave Cross. It is an interesting read and it discusses some other recent Church vs. State cases. Check it out here.

Remember those WWJD wrist bands that everyone was wearing a while back?

Well, I just feel the need to ask the question. What would Jesus do?

Thankfully we have scripture to tell us. So, here we go:

St. Matthew 10:33

"But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven."

UPDATE:

The New York Times published an editorial about this story, available here. In it they argue for the Cross being taken down. For some reason I notice myself disagreeing with the NY Times' editorials fairly often.

Servants of Mary Center for Peace

If you're ever near Cleveland, OH, make sure to make a stop in a place called Windsor, OH. This is the location of the Servants of Mary Center for Peace, a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Rather than have me explain it, I think this video adequately does the job:

Be sure to check out their website here.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

Television and Values

Last week, a cast member of Saturday Night Live said the F-word loud and clear on the air. This week David Letterman was applauded by his audience when he admitted that he had had sexual relationships with women who had worked for his show. This morning I was speaking with a good friend of mine who has two young children and who told me that it is difficult for him to have his children watch television because of the commericals that show images that he does not want his children seeing. The sisters pictured above would not be happy.

The values of our society have changed extremely rapidly and continue to, especially on TV, go down the tube (pun intended). Young people are using words regularly that if I would have used when I was a child, would have caused me to be in serious trouble. Anyone who denies that television, movies, the internet, and music is having a negative impact on our society is fooling themselves.

What can we do about this? Parents need to be responsible. Don't let the TV raise your children. Monitor what they watch and listen to. Talk to them about what they see. Counteract the negative stuff with positive stuff. We can bring values back to our society!

UPDATE:

The National Catholic Register has a good post about this topic here.

October 4th - Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Tomorrow, October 4th, is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. A very popular saint, Francis was the founder of the order that bears his name, the Franciscans. Prior to founding his order, he was at prayer before a crucifix at St. Damian's chapel in Assisi, similar to the one shown above, when he heard a voice speak to him and say, "Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin." St. Francis certainly did that and more.

As stated in the Lives of the Saints:

"Francis of Assisi has captured the heart and imagination of men of all religious persuasions by his love for God and man, as well as all God's creatures, by his simplicity, directness, and single-mindedness, and by the lyrical aspects of his multifaceted life. However, he was far more than an inspired individualist. He was a man possessed of vast spiritual insight and power; a man whose all-consuming love for Christ and redeemed creation burst forth in everything he said and did."

Let us pray the prayer that is attributed to St. Francis that inspires living our faith in all that we do:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

NY Times Editorial on Abortion and Health Care

The New York Times published an editorial on Sept. 30th in which they argue for no restrictions on abortion in the health care plans being considered in Congress.

Read it here.

Here are a few of the more interesting points they make with my comments following:

“In a rational system of medical care, there would be virtually no restrictions on financing abortions. But abortion is not a rational issue, and opponents have succeeded in broadly denying the use of federal dollars to pay for them, except in the case of pregnancies that result from rape or incest or that endanger a woman’s life.”

[I agree with the second statement: Abortion is not a rational issue. It seems to me completely irrational how anyone could argue that the government should pay to have babies killed.]

“These restrictions, which constitute an improper government intrusion into Americans’ private lives…”

[On the contrary, I would argue that the government paying to have a baby killed is definitely an improper government intrusion into Americans’ lives.]


Right now we need to pray and pray often for an end to abortion in our country, especially an end to legal and government subsidized abortions.