Sunday, February 28, 2010

Donations: Many Thanks to Everybody!

"And the poor should thank God for giving them somebody to supply their wants."

-Pope St. Clement (martyred in 101 A.D.).

Thank you to everybody.

In this money-mad, insubordinate and pleasure-crazed world some really generous souls have given to support this blog and this generosity is a grace from the Holy Ghost and is much appreciated.

The Lord reward you always!

Every time I pray before the August Sacrament of the altar in Rome know that I pray for you, your family, vocation and private intentions. 

You know who you are: be blessed!

On every count I am under obligation to return thanks to Him and to you in the holiness of prayer.

Thank you in the name of the one true God (to Whom be glory for ever, Amen). 

First Century Christians Slam Abortion and Infanticide

"Practice no magic, sorcery, abortion, or infanticide."

-The Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles/The Lord's Teaching to the Gentiles by the Apostles).

Back When Bishops Were Prophets: Most Reverend George J. Rehring on Euthanasia and Abortion in the Year 1941

"The family, flaunting the natural and divine positive law, is more intent on the enjoyment of comforts, pleasures, and luxuries than on the performance of its duties. 

Marriage is lowered from the dignity of a sacrament to a merely human institution.  Legalized promiscuity and polygamy are everywhere spreading their deadly virus.  The primary purpose of wedlock is subordinated to selfish love of ease, to personal preferences, to mere lustful gratification. 

Animality has superseded rationality.  Children, where they are tolerated, are indoctrinated with materialism and hedonism.  Human life has been stripped of its sacred character. 

Euthanasia, or mercy-killing, has found supporters in many places.  The rights of the unborn child, through a process of rationalization, in certain circumstances are declared forfeited."

-Most Reverend George J. Rehring, D.D., Titular Bishop of Lunda, Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati in AD 1941.

Bernini's Dominican Altar at Rome's Ss. Dominic and Sixtus

A pity to see this historic altar no longer used.

It ought to be dressed with candles and linens.

Dominican rite for students!

Will One Among Us Be the Next Pope?

Who would have known?

He first arrived in Rome at Stazione Termini in 1946 and in 1948 returned to Poland and in 1978 made a glorious return to Rome.

While in Rome he lived at the Belgian College. 

Here he is depicted as the least in this photo with the rector and student priests.

Angelo the Barbone of Rione Monti

Rome has many famous faces and when this poor fellow passed away in October of 2009 it was in the newspapers.

Angelo was the famous homeless man who walked the streets of the neighborhood of Monti for years.

Always polite he would greet you: "Come va lei?"

Pray for the repose of the soul of Angelo Pagotto. 

Baroque Vestments in Baroque Church: St. Philip Neri in Pianeta

Baroque: ever manifesting anew the power of the spiritual.

An ecstatic, mystical spirit.

A union of heart and head that appeals to the masses as well as to the educated.

For the glory of God, sanctification of men and the adornment of human life.

Così mi piace.

Death of Italy's Palm Trees: the Punteruolo Rosso

Take a look around Italy this year and you will see that everywhere the palm trees are dying.

Sadly, this is from a parasite that arrived recently from Africa: the punteruolo rosso.

This has proven to be a scandal in the media as the government has done nothing to stop it and has taken no step at prevention in the allocation of funds to help save at least the more prominent palms.

Catholic Culture: the Outdoor Street Altar Shrine

Rome used to have lots of these, but today they are gone.

Naples still has lots of them.

In fact, this is the last one of this kind in Rome that I know of.

Dutchess Brady in Rome

Mrs. Brady in the end used to attend Holy Mass with the Irish Augustinians here at St. Patrick's (this is also where Edda Mussolini went, too, in the end before her death in 1995).

Would be nice to see somebody write a book on the life of this papal dutchess.

Catholic TV: Eternal Word Television Network

See here: http://www.ewtn.com/.

FYI:
Airing in March on EWTN
Live from Denton, Nebraska
Consecration of the Chapel
of FSSP Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
Wednesday, March 3 at at 11 AM ET

A Unique Witness & the Joy It Carries

In today's world everybody has everything, yet nobody is happy.

Then there is the nun.

"I now rejoice...and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church."

-Colossians 1:24.

Catholic Culture: What a Catafalque Looks Like

Of course there are many different designs, styles and candle arrangements.  In this example it is for a deceased priest.

A catafalque is simply a temporary pall-covered coffin-shaped structure used at Requiem Masses celebrated after burial (or sometimes for eminent persons to hold the remains in funerals). 

Catholic Culture: Abbey Beer

"If it is not beer made by monks, it is not beer, basta."

-Christopher

Canon Law Conference in America

Canon Law Conference for Canonists and Civil Attorneys
August 3-4, 2010
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
La Crosse, Wisconsin

See here: http://www.guadalupeshrine.org/Conferences/2010/CanonLaw/downloads/Canon_Law_Conference_brochure-email.pdf

And here:
http://www.guadalupeshrine.org/

Friday, February 26, 2010

Seek and Find Christ Everywhere

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.”

-Saint Augustine

The Olympic Motto in Latin: Citius, Altius, Fortius

Citius, Altius, Fortius (Swifter, Higher, Stronger).

Read Fun Theology: Early Christian Writings (from Penguin Classics)

It is not true that theology is "dry" or "boring," when you read this book.

In fact, this book is great even for high school or junior high kids.

Buy it, read it, love it and it will change your life forever - know first and second century Christianity!


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Nuns in the Vatican

The sister on the far left is American.

Support them here:



Rome Divine Liturgy for the Deceased: Fr. Adrian Ckuj (RIP)

February 21, 2009.

Roman Basilica of Santa Sofia.

What is Wrong With this Picture?

In the background is one of the most historic altars in  Rome.

In the forground is one of the most historic floors in Rome, with airplane carpet on lumber.

What is the problem?  Postmodernism.

Oh, everything is a discourse; everything is fluid; distrust of received notions; history is interpretation; non-conformity with past principles; sample everything; Ulysses by James Joyce; etc. 


Tomb of Amleto Giovanni Cardinal Cicognani, S.T.D., J.U.D., Titular Archbishop of Laodicea and Apostolic Delegate to the United States

Seeing the tomb of such a holy cardinal one can almost hear Tu Es Petrus by B. Goller.

Pray for us, you holy saint.

"Gladly we have imparted to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls."

-1 Thessalonians 2:8

Entombed inside the Roman Basilica of San Clemente.


Missae Pro Defunctis for Fr. Adrian Ckuj

Fr. Ckuj (1970-2009) was a wonderful priest from Australia who worked some years in Rome and was much loved by everyone. 

This evening at the Rome parish of Santissima Trinita' his Rome friends gathered for a Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul.  May his memory be eternal!

Monday, February 22, 2010

February 22, 2010: Peter in Tiara

Today many pooh-pooh the tiara.  The world will always be indignantly against it.  But the world is about stocks and shares and no rules and having a good time.

Today is already 2010 and young hearts are astir for a new appreciation for what the tiara is a modern symbol of - it is a symbol for Church unity.

Liking the tiara is a must.  Teach your kids about it. 

It is old-fashioned, yes, but also new-fangled.  The pandemonium of the sixties cultural revolution said no to the tiara, but we say yes to it today. 

The stockade is the Church.  What came in the wake of the revolution was a time of low ebb for the Church, but that is past and now all is up. 

Februarius XXII: Cathedra Petri

Begirt with glory every 22nd of February for centuries with tiara, cope, ring, pectoral cross, stole, amice and alb.

Tiara: Symbol of Christian Unity

Pope John Paul II, in his address to the World Council of Churches in Geneva on June 12, 1984, stated that the Catholic Church "is convinced that in the ministry of the Bishop of Rome It has preserved the visible pole and guarantee of unity in full fidelity to the apostolic tradition and to the faith of the Fathers."

-Primacy of the Bishop of Rome and the Ecumenical Dialogue by Rev. Adriano Garuti, O.F.M.

Traditional Nuns Habit

This photo was taken today in the Vatican City.

I went to high school with the sweet sister in the black habit.  Even while in high school everyone knew that this was her call.  Laus Deo!

Tiara and Keys

Set as Desktop Background.

Spouse of Christ

Trick question: "How does one enrage raving hippies?"

Contemptuously the world views this vocation.  At the same time the motion picture industry loves the habit and so do we!

Funny how it makes the hippies giddy (lol!).

Paul VI on Protestants in His First Encyclical

"Do not some of them say that if it were not for the primacy of the Pope, the reunion of the separated churches with the Catholic Church would be easy?  We beg the separated brethren to consider the inconsistency of this position, not only in that, without the Pope the Catholic Church would no longer be Catholic, but also because, without the supreme, efficacious and decisive pastoral office of Peter the unity of the Church of Christ would utterly collapse."

-Ecclesiam Suam.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

BENEDICTVS PP. XVI

Benedicto PP. XVI

Summo Pontifici et universali Patri,

pax, vita et salus perpetua!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat!

Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Benedicto decimo sexto.

Dominus conservet eum et vivificet eum et beatum faciat eum in terra et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.

Fr. Adrian Ckuj: May His Memory Be Eternal!

He was one of the finest priests in Rome.

One year ago he passed away: please remember him in your prayers.

Catholic Ukraine

Loyalty to the Holy and Apostolic See of Peter.