Montreal: Tomb of Saint André Bessette

It was an honor to attend his canonization in the Vatican in 2010 and to pray at his tomb in Montreal. His place of burial is a special place - a votive chapel containing some 10,000 lights and votive candles.

Read of his holy life: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Bessette.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

North American Capital of Beautiful Churches: Montreal


Drive through Montreal and you will see the most beautiful little churches on the continent. But be quick about it because many are now closing and being sold or given away to the municipality or others.

We have scourged ourselves through our own use of contraception, sterilization and abortion. And so we become a barren people. Surprised? We reap what we sow.

Where is the Faith? Our vocations? Our empty pews? What of our divorce? And our lack of marriages?

Sin bears no good fruit.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Know the San Jose Articles

Subversive international campaigns have been falsely claiming that abortion has become a human right and that all governments are duty bound to support it.

Help stop them and support this effort: www.sanjosearticles.com.

Catholic Quebec: the Faith Lives!


Quebec, the crown jewel of North American Catholicism; then came collapse with the sixties cultural revolution. Consider being a missioner in Quebec. Is this your vocation? There is always great joy in doing the Lord's work.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Extremely Rare Image of the Pope's Office

This rare image was taken at the end of the reign of Pius XII, by his personal physician, Dr. Galeazzi-Lisi. Mons. Jacques-Paul Martin can be seen with Madre Pascalina, covering her face. Today Pope Benedict has his desk on the other side of the room, facing this wall.

Padre Fiorenzo Angelini at the Bombing of Rome in 1943

He is still living today, the last Roman cardinal, born in the Vrbs in 1916:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorenzo_Angelini.

Pope and Future Pope at Bombing of Rome in 1943

Mons. Montini, later Paulus VI, can be seen on the right.

Statue of Venerable Pius XII in St. Peter's Basilica


Erected after his passing by the cardinals whom he created.

Catholic Slovenia


Thanks, Rok!

My eyes fill with tears as I hear this.

Reminds me of all the times I heard this tune in the Vatican Basilica, while staring at Petrus Romanus.

Prayer Request

My grandmother, Gloria Laraine with her mother, Gladys Steele. Please pray for them. Grandma, born in Oil City, Pennsylvania, was a convert to the Catholic Faith in 1945. Her mother, born in Victoria, British Columbia, was of Irish Protestant stock. Both were born into an Irish Protestant family with a very deep-seated anti-Catholic bias.

Anello Tirchio

During the Council, on Dec. 8, the Pope gave the Council Fathers each a ring such as this. In my humble opinion, ugly and cheap, but after all, it was the sixties.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The New Cardinals in 1965: Ma Che Cavallo!

Here you can see Dante having to bear this deplorable sixties gothic, poor guy.

Meglio la pianeta e basta.

Rome Quotes

"Psychologically healthy women are never happy about having killed their babies; there is a real post-abortion syndrome."

-Paul Marx, PhD

Bugnini Holy Week



It was the SSPX which from its earlier years has always been squarely behind the promotion of the "1962" Roman Missal. Perhaps this was not so wise. On this blog I have never referred to the Classical Rite/Usus Antiquior/Gregorian Rite/Tridentine Rite/Extraordinary Form as the "1962 Missale Romanum." Why? Because this Bugnini-ized 1962 edition is problematic thanks to its Holy Week section.

Kneeling for the Papal Blessing

The Church is the generator and tender of culture. Always kneel for the papal blessing. I do, even though very few maintain this practice today. The "New Order" [Novus Ordo] came along and instructed people to break with this Latin rite tradition. It was a harmful change, that came at a really bad time. The change bought us no points with the modern world. You will see old people in Italy today, from force of habit, still genuflecting when they receive the final blessing at Holy Mass and this is an inspiration.

What It Was Like Having a Pro-Life President

Not so long ago, eh?

This is why Christians vote pro-life. This is why Christians do not vote for pro-death politicians.

Full proclamation from the White House:

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2004
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

As Americans, we are led by the power of our conscience and the history of our country to defend and promote the dignity and rights of all people. Each person, however frail or defenseless, has a place and a purpose in this world. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we celebrate the gift of life and our commitment to building a society of compassion and humanity.

Today, the principles of human dignity enshrined in the Declaration of Independence - that all persons are created equal and possess the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - continue to guide us. In November, I signed into law the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, reaffirming our commitment to protecting innocent life and to a basic standard of humanity - the duty of the strong to defend the weak. My Administration encourages adoption and supports abstinence education, crisis pregnancy programs, parental notification laws, and other measures to help us continue to build a culture of life. By working together, we will provide hope to the weakest among us and achieve a more compassionate and merciful world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 18, 2004, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies in our homes and places of worship and to reaffirm our commitment to respecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Friday, February 17, 2012

For Custom Web Design

Consider this fine Catholic lady who does great work: www.envoymedia.ca.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

LifeCanada: A National Movement for Life


A Canadian led educational movement dedicated to advancing the culture of life and ending the greatest human rights abuse of our day, legal abortion.

Celebrate the new website with an online donation: www.lifecanada.org.

"Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights - for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture - is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination."

-John Paul II (Christifideles Laici, 38).

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Rome Quotes

"Most Americans, most Catholics, and (one can safely say) most bishops, priests, and religious are not aware of the abortifacient character of most types of 'contraception'."

-Fr. Paul Marx, OSB

Rome Quotes

"In every nation pro-lifers want to see stronger leadership from clergy and bishops on life issues. They are really begging for that leadership."

-Archbishop Adam Exner

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Archbishop Loris Capovilla: Ordained Priest in 1940 and Still Living Today



Born in 1915, here he can be seen next to Paul in 1963.

He was Pope John's private secretary. He is still living today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loris_Francesco_Capovilla

How It's Done: Scripture Quote on Government Building



"Great is truth and mighty above all things; it endureth and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for ever more; the more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel."

Very nice to see this lovely building, overlooking the majestic Ottawa River, a key landmark and recognized symbol of Canada's Capital. Evidently it was here that the pacemaker was invented, as well as the remote-controlled arm used on the space shuttle.