Christian Faith

"Christian faith is never just spiritual and inward, never just a subjective or a personal and private relationship with Christ and his word, but is entirely concrete and ecclesial."

-Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, in Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith.

Christ Our Great High Priest

"According to Leviticus 16 the Jewish high priest sacrificed two victims for sin, then entered the holy of holies, and sprinkled the throne of mercy with the blood of the victims. This final action was the decisive one for the expiation of sins. The death of Christ on the cross corresponds to the immolation of the two victims by the high priest, and the ascension of Christ corresponds to the high priest’s entrance into the holy of holies as well as to the sprinkling of the throne of mercy with the blood of victims. In the eyes of the writer of this Letter [Hebrews], then, the climactic moment in the mystery of salvation is not the immolation of Christ on Golgotha but his glorious exaltation and entrance into the heavenly sanctuary where God greets him as high priest, ‘living for ever to intercede for all.’ Our heavenly high priest constantly prays to God for the Church. He is always offering and interceding, just as on Calvary he offered ‘through the eternal spirit.’"

-Andre Feuillet in his book The Priesthood of Christ and His Ministers.

Professor Quote

"Celebration of the liturgy is the climax of what it means to live in a covenant with the Almighty!"

-Dr. Hahn

Traditional Mass Never Went Away

Genoa, Nov. 28 [Source] Responding to rumors that Pope Benedict XVI will soon issue a motu proprio encouraging broader use of the pre-conciliar liturgy, the Archdiocese of Genoa, Italy, has posted a detailed notice assuring the faithful that the traditional liturgy was not abolished by the Second Vatican Council.

The notice, published on the web site of the Genoa archdiocese on November 27, does not specifically confirm the widespread reports that a motu proprio is imminent. However, after saying that "misleading comments that are in circulation" call for a response, the statement emphasizes that the Pope has the authority to issue new liturgical norms. In order to preserve full communion within the Church, all Catholics should follow those norms, the statement adds.

Regarding the traditional liturgy, the Genoa archdiocese states: "The Second Vatican Council did not abolish or ask for the abolition of the Mass of Pius V." Rather, the Council sought a reform of that liturgy.

The statement goes on to say that the traditional liturgy (the Mass of St. Pius V) and the post-conciliar "Mass of Paul VI" are "two valid expressions of the same Catholic faith." It is seriously wrong, the archdiocese says, to suggest that these two liturgical approaches are somehow in opposition to each other.

Echoing a theme that Pope Benedict XVI raised in his pre-Christmas speech to the Roman Curia, the Genoa archdiocese emphasizes the development of the liturgy should be seen as organic, with the decisions of one Roman Pontiff always interpreted in light of previous papal statements. Similarly, the statement continues, the actions of different Popes "and those of the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council, must not be presented as if they were in conflict."

The statement from the Genoa archdiocese seems to be an effort to prepare the faithful for the appearance of the motu proprio, deflecting the criticism that Pope Benedict intends a repudiation of the liturgy of Vatican II.

Istanbul, Not Constantinople

With the Pope visiting Turkey this week all the talk has been about the muslims reaction and the Pope's visit to the Blue Mosque.

In my opinion, that isn't the most exciting part of the trip. For me, it would be the historic meeting on Wednesday with Patriarch Bartholomew I. Bartholomew has been a key player in the ecumenical movement between the East and the West. If it wasn't for the Russian Patriarch, who knows what would have happened between Bartholomew and JP II.

I really feel that if Orthodox churches start coming back home to Rome, then Protestants will be following quickly behind.

Let us continue to pray for Pope Benedict's safety and also for his meeting with Bartholomew!

For news on the meeting, go to this site.
Hat tip to Mike Aquilina for the website.

Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers in the U.S.! And many blessings to the rest!

This is my first Thanksgiving as a Catholic and I am very thankful for it.

Being my first Catholic Thanksgiving, is there anything special I should do? Like, leave a seat open for Elijah? ;-)

Digging Up Dead Dominicans

The remains of Dominican friars dating back five centuries have been uncovered during the excavations of a prestigious shopping centre development.

Apologetics Advice From Origen

Therefore "'the infant in [Elizabeth's] womb leapt, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. She cried out in a loud voice and said, 'Blessed are you among women.'" At this point we ought to refute the heretics' usual objections; otherwise some simpler people might be deceived. Someone or other gave vent to his madness and claimed that the Savior had repudiated Mary because she had been joined to Joseph after his birth. This is what he said. I hope he knows what the state of his mind was when he said it. If heretics ever raise an objection like this to you, answer them and say, "Elizabeth surely was filled with the Holy Spirit when she said, 'Blessed are you among women.' If the Holy Spirit called Mary 'blessed,' how could the Savior repudiate her?" Furthermore, they assert that Mary had marital relations after the birth of Jesus. But they have no source of proof. For the children who were called Joseph's were not born of Mary. There is no passage in Scripture that mentions this.

-Origen, in his 7th Homily on the Gospel of Luke.

A Saint Who Loves His Mother!

I am currently writing a paper on Mary's Queenship for my Mariology class (as is evidenced by my most recent posts) and I came across this great quote.

In the very first homily of St. John Damascene, he said of Mary:

"We serve thee today, O Queen. Yes, Queen I say, and I repeat it again and again. O virginal Mother of God, we cling to thee as we would to an immovable anchor, and to thee we consecrate ourselves entirely in mind and soul and body."

It's no wonder he's a saint!
I pray that all priests (and all Christians) would so honor Our Blessed Mother in the order of grace!

Our Lady Of America

"It is the United States that is to lead the world to peace, the peace of Christ, the peace that He brought with Him from heaven," Sister Mary Ephrem quoted The Virgin as saying:

"Dear children, unless the United States accepts and carries out faithfully the mandate given to it by heaven to lead the world to peace, there will come upon it and all nations a great havoc of war and incredible suffering. If, however, the United States is faithful to this mandate from heaven and yet fails in the pursuit of peace because the rest of the world will not accept or cooperate, then the United States will not be burdened with the punishment about to fall.

Weep, then, dear children, weep with your mother over the sins of men… Intercede with me before the throne of mercy, for sin is overwhelming the world and punishment is not far away.

It is the darkest hour, but if men will come to me, my Immaculate heart will make it bright again with the mercy which my Son will rain down through my hands. Help me save those who will not save themselves. Help me bring once again the sunshine of God's peace upon the world.

If my desires are not fulfilled much suffering will come to this land. My faithful one, if my warnings are taken seriously and enough of my children strive constantly and faithfully to renew and reform themselves in their inward and outward lives, then there will be no nuclear war. What happens to the world depends upon those who live in it. There must be much more good than evil prevailing in order to prevent the holocaust that is so near approaching. Yet I tell you, my daughter, even should such a destruction happen because there were not enough souls who took my warning seriously, there will remain a remnant, untouched by the chaos who, having been faithful in following me and spreading my warnings, will gradually inhabit the earth again with their dedicated and holy lives."