The sede is vacante February 28, 2013
Posted by Tantumblogo in abdication of duty, Admin, Basics, episcopate, Papa, sadness.comments closed
How very sad. I can’t help feeling a little bit abandoned. All the reasonings aside, this was the most voluntariy papal abdication in history. I pray God may be merciful to us. I fear He won’t.
The abdication of Pope Celestine V led directly to the election of Boniface VIII. The conflict between Boniface VIII and the tyranical French king Philip “the Fair” led to that Pope’s death, the pursuant dominance of the corrupt French group of cardinals, the election of a Gallican Pope, and the Babylonian Exile of the Papacy for 70 years in Frogland Avignon. That in turn precipitated the Great Schism, and the next abdication, made by Gregory XII, in order to end that terrible division in the Church. But the lack of leadership and, frankly, sanctity, evidenced by so many in the Church – especially the hierarchy – led to a huge falling away from the incredible heights of piety attained in the 12th and 13th centuries, and led to general greed, debauchery, and failure to exercise even a minimal care for souls on the part of so many priests and bishops. There was a hugely widespread collapse in discipline, because, frankly, with an ongoing schism and 2 or 3 claimants to the Papal Throne, those who cared about the Church may not have the time to focus on elementary things like discipline. That massive failure, and the attending corruption, led directly to the protestant revolt and the permanent cleaving of Christendom and the unleashing of all manner of destructive ideas that continue to assualt the Faith and, most likely, send millions to their doom. There is a rather straight line from that abdication by Celestine V to all that followed it. Even today. Some might see in that a huge chastisement. I certainly see nothing positive in it. That is the vision I had yesterday, and it was so intense even my body rebelled against me for a minute. (Fatima+Akita+Quito)^2, times 10.
Is a great chastisement in the offing for this abdication? I have no idea, but I know we have great reason to pray for the conclave and the next Pope. Pray God gives us the Pope we need, not what the Church and world, perhaps, deserve. On a purely human level, I find much to fear, but I am sustained by Grace. And pray that I may continue to be.
God please give us a great, powerful, zealous, determined Saint-Pope.
Yes, that would do nicely. And let’s see this again:
How about Cardinal Burke takes the name Pope Pius XV? I know that would skip XIII and XIV, but both Pius’ with multiples of V were incredibly effective, saintly popes! How about it?
Thank you, Pope Benedict, for what you did. I selfishly wish there was some way you could stay and do more!
I think the sombrero is the most awesome hat ever invented.
A meditation for our present situation February 28, 2013
Posted by Tantumblogo in Basics, episcopate, General Catholic, Papa, religious, sadness, Saints, scandals.comments closed
As the Pope left the balcony at Castel Gandolfo today, leaving behind a Chair that will be officially vacant in a little over an hour, and with the culture growing increasingly hateful of anything Christian and specifically Catholic, I thought these words from St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri very apropos. This from the excellent Laudamus Te TLM magazine, which, if you haven’t ordered yet, you really should:
Let us not lose courage, but keep our eyes ever fixed on the Crucified One, because from Him we shall draw strength to endure the evils of this life not only with patience, but even with joy and gladness, as the Saints have done: Ye shall draw waters in joy from the fountains of the Savior, that is, says St. Bonaventure, from the wounds of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Saint exhorts us ever to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus dying on the cross, if we would live always united to God. Devortion, says St. Thomas, consists in being ready to accomplish in ourselves whatever God demands of us. [And God has seen fit that we live in very trying times. We must keep our focus on the Cross]
It is not enough to give a hasty glance, a few times in the year, at the Passion of Jesus Christ; we must often think of it, and every day turn our eyes to the pain which the Lord suffered for love of us. [For love of us. That we might be saved] And what were the pains He suffered? The Apostle Paul says: He endured such contradiction. The contradiction which Jesus Christ endured from His enemies was such as to make Him, as it had been foretold by the Prophet, the vilest of men, and the man of sorrows, until He died of agony, and overwhelmed with insults, upon a gibbet belonging to the most reprobate. [Anything we suffer, our Savior has already suffered far, far worse. If you think the difficulties in the Church right now pain you, how do they pain Him?] And why did Jesus Christ embrace this load of pains and insults? That ye might not be weary and faint in your minds; that seeing how much a God has been willing to endure, in order to give us an example of patience, we might be patient, and endure all to be delivered from our sins. [I pray this Lenten meditation may be helpful to you]
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May God bless you and be merciful to you, Holy Father.
Dr. Jay Boyd has a new book February 28, 2013
Posted by Tantumblogo in abdication of duty, Abortion, awesomeness, Basics, contraception, Domestic Church, family, General Catholic, scandals, secularism, self-serving.comments closed
Dr. Jay Boyd has been a good friend of this blog, and I enjoy very much reading hers, as well. I’ve linked to it a fair number of times, probably not as often as I should have! She has a new book out on Natural Family Planning. It’s called Natural Family Planning: Trojan Horse in the Catholic Bedroom, a nice play on Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand’s classic title. I haven’t read it – yet – but here is the description from Amazon:
What’s wrong with Natural Family Planning? Taking a Catholic perspective on the subject, Dr. Jay Boyd explains that the use of NFP to avoid pregnancy is often promoted as “God’s family planning”. But is using NFP to prevent pregnancy really trusting God? If we take control of spacing births, how can be sure this is “God’s plan”, and that the children came “in God’s time”? [And how can people be really sure they aren’t interjecting their own preferences into their decisions made regarding family planning? How many Catholics using NFP have GOOD spiritual advisers who they review this decision with to check for elements of self-interest?] And most people fail to “read the fine print” that says that NFP is to be used only when a couple has serious reasons for avoiding pregnancy. [A very grave reason, is how it used to be defined, and really still is.] The reason many people think of NFP as “Catholic birth control” is because that’s how it is used by many well-meaning couples. [And that is how it is promoted by many NFP advocates and certainly many in the Catholic media – I’ve even heard Teresa Tomeo and Pia de Sollenni talk about using NFP to have NO kids, using it for the entirety of the fecund period of a couple’s life] Claiming that a couple using NFP is “open to life” while they abstain from sex during the woman’s fertile period in order to intentionally avoid pregnancy – well…that’s a contradiction in terms. It can easily be argued that using NFP to avoid pregnancy is an expression of a lack of trust in God’s will and provision. It’s an active effort on the part of the couple to second-guess God’s timing for the family’s new members. Dr. Boyd takes a close, objective look at NFP from the standpoint of the teaching of the Catholic Church. She examines the basic problems with NFP, along with its philosophical underpinnings; and she delves into the important concepts of marital chastity and trust in Divine Providence.
Wow. This sounds like a great book, a hugely important book. I’ve written on NFP a fair number or times, taking a rather critical view of how NFP is promoted and practiced by many Catholics, and I’ve never failed to attract umbrage from those who think I’m a great blue meanie for having the temerity to question their decisions. But, in reality, I’m concerned, very concerned, about the souls of those who use NFP, of making them aware that what has been presented to them as a wonderful, fully Catholic method of birth control may well be imbued with the same contraceptive mentality as those who use actual contraception, and that their use may not be as “fully Catholic” as they think it is. That’s not to say that NFP can never be used, but that there are very strict limitations on its rightful, moral use, and I fear many Catholics are perhaps acting more from self-interest than dispassionate, reasoned analysis of their situation.
Only God knows, but it is very important to make people aware of ALL the aspects of the moral use of NFP, and not simply rely on the promotional materials that are out there.
I am very gratified that Dr. Boyd has written this book. Now, for my free copy…….
First Friday at the Carmelites February 28, 2013
Posted by Tantumblogo in awesomeness, Basics, Dallas Diocese, Eucharist, General Catholic, Glory, Grace, Interior Life, Lent, religious, sanctity, Tradition, Virtue.comments closed
It seems it’s been forever since there’s been a First Friday at the Carmelite Chapel in Dallas! I think there’s only been two in the past 6 or 7 months. I missed it. I am grateful that it’s back! All details below – First Friday March 1/2:
1) All Night Vigil this Friday, March 1 – details below & in flyer
(2) Stations of the Cross at the Carmelite Monastery at 5:00 PM on March 1, March 8, March 15 and March 22
(3) Devotions to The Holy Face and Benediction on Sunday,
March 3 at 3:30 PM
All Night Vigil – Adoration First Friday, March 1
Discalced Carmelite Nuns Invite YOU!!
Starts Friday night – come as early as 4 PM
stay 30 minutes, one hour or all night
Vigil ends just before 7 AM Mass
on Saturday, March 2
First Mass (TLM) 8:00 PM
Food & Drink available in the room next to the chapel.
Please help yourself!
2nd Mass (TLM) 3:00 AM
Leave your personal prayer requests
The Nuns will storm heaven!
All details here———->>>>>>> Allnightcarmelites_march_april_2013
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