Rome Quotes

"Do good while you still have time."

-St. Bosco

The Genius of Man: the Miracle of the Automobile

Saint Agnes

As a kid I knew an elderly lady, named Agnes, who said I was the first baby she ever held.  When she was born, she once explained, her father said she was as cute as a lamb and so he named her Agnes.  I always remember that story.   

Rome Quotes

"Rome brings out the worst in people.  If you have any weakness - physical, mental, or moral - the climate, the way of life, or something about the city will accentuate it.  I make no claims to be a diagnostician, but I have seen it happen any number of times.  People find that a physical illness, such as diabetes or arthritis, gets worse there.  Normally fine women go completely berserk over some Italian papagallo, or Lothario, and it takes a real jolt to bring them back to their senses.  Anyone would agree that Rome has a strange effect on visitors if they witnessed - as I have - the antics of movie starts, the caperings of elderly men on vacation away from home, and the dear old ladies who are giving romance one last fling in Europe.  I have known at least a half-dozen men and women, including members of the clergy, who have become mentally disturbed while in Rome.  Obviously, the many fine Americans living in Rome and loving the Eternal City are witnesses to the fact that for many men and women the Roman atmosphere presents no problem.  Saints have been made in Rome, too, and holy people today walk the ancient streets.  But the ratio of saints sinners, I have a strong suspicion, is a bit out of balance."

-American Pastor in Rome, by James Cunningham. 

Euthanasia: Killing the Sick & Vulnerable

Catholic Men of Action Groups: Holy Ardor of Truth

Photo: Minneapolis, USA.

"How may Catholics, who are perpetually surrounded by the snares of liberalism, guard themselves securely against its dangers?  By the organization of all good Catholics, be their number great or small: they should become known to each other, meet each other, unite together in every locality - every city, town or village, should have a nucleus of Catholic men of action.  Such an organization will attract the undecided, give courage to the hesitating and counteract the influence of hostile or indifferent surroundings.  If you number only a dozen men of spirit, no matter. Found societies, especially of young men.  Put yourselves in correspondence with older societies in your neighborhood, or even at a distance.  Link your associations together - association with association - as the Roman legions used to form the military tortoise, by uniting shield with shield over their heads.  Thus united, be your number ever so small, lift on high the banner of a sound, pure and uncompromising doctrine, without disguise, without attenuation, yielding not an inch to the enemy.  Uncompromising courage is always noble, commands sympathy, and wins over the chivalric.  To see a man battered by the floods, yet standing firm as a rock, upright and immovable, is an inspiring sight!  Above all, give good example, give good example always. What  you preach, do!  You will soon see how easily you force people to respect you; when you have gained their admiration, their sympathy will soon follow.  Proselytes will be forthcoming.  If Catholics only understood what a brilliant secular apostolate they could exercise by being open, straightforward, uncompromising practical  Catholics, in word and deed, liberalism and heresy would die a quick death."

-El Liberalismo es Pecado by Fr. Felix Sarda y Salvany, c. 1886.

Summer in Rome Pilgrimage

This will be a really exciting tour.

Daily TLM. 

With open afternoons for those who wish to spend time on the beach.

10 nights in Rome.  See the Urbs like you have never seen it before.

Fr. Ashley of Vancouver lived in Rome for some years and knows the city well.  

Mass in the Vatican on June 29, one of the greatest feasts of the year, Sts. Peter and Paul. 

Day trip to Umbria and another to the Shrine and burial place of St. Maria Goretti, for the festivities on her feast day.

See the itinerary.  Limited seating.  Register now.  Contact me with questions.

Do not miss this rare opportunity.  

What Every Priest Needs

At least one or two quality pure linen starched handmade palls...

Get one for your favorite priest here...

http://stjosephspalls.blogspot.ca/

Consecration Bell

The cathedral version.  Play it loud.

Catholic Treasures in Antique Shops

Yours truly sometimes frequents antique shops in the hope of finding one or two Catholic treasures.  I encourage others to do the same.  Rescue these works of Christian art and devotion.  The belong in good Catholic homes. 

Art of Catholic Statue Making from Quebec

Sunday School

Teaching kids about the lives the saints is one of the most important instructions that can go on in a Sunday School. 

Original Antique and Modern Reproduction Chalice

Movie: Life of Pius XII (in Italian)

When to Take Christmas Decorations Down?

In the Catholic tradition, Christmas decorations are usually put up for 40 days.

From Christmas Eve until the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feb. 2. 

Of course decorations are gradually taken down, as the tree dies and the Christmas flowers or pine bows wilt, etc.

It is nice to leave the manger scene up until the end.

In many countries, such as Italy, while not every family had a Christmas tree, every family had its own Christmas manger scene.  A creche with figurines.  A nice tradition.  Each year new figurines can be added.  The carpenter in the family can build the creche.

Photo taken in Cloverdale, Canada.     

The Use of a Hand Missal at Mass

"The Missal, or Mass Book, contains all the prayers said by the priest during the Holy Sacrifice.  Most of these prayers are very ancient, coming down from the first ages of the Church.  Mass is celebrated in Latin, not because this is essential, but because it secures uniformity of worship in all parts of the world; because modern languages are constantly changing in form and meaning; because Latin has come down to us from antiquity, thus showing the antiquity of the Mass, and reminding us that the faithful of today are assisting at the same divine service as the Christians of the first centuries.  There can be no objection to the use of Latin by the priest: first, because the prayers he says are addressed to God; and secondly, because the people may follow what he is saying through the translations in their prayers books, or better in their Missals.  From a literary and devotional viewpoint the Missal is one of the most beautiful books in the world; for its contents are made up of a great variety of the most excellent passages from the Old and New Testaments of Holy Scripture, and of most appropriate and elevating prayers composted by saints, doctors and liturgists of the Church.  The Missal also embraces in outline the chief mysteries and doctrines of our holy faith, and is therefore a treasury of religious and moral instruction." 

-The Catholic  Sunday Missal, c. 1934

Pilgrimage Experience in Great Britain

Rome Quotes

"Pilgrimages may be defined as journeys made to some place with the purpose of venerating it, or in order to ask there for supernatural aid, or to discharge some religious obligation."

-Catholic Encyclopedia

Annual Chartres Pilgrimage

Attende Domine - Catholic Hymns, Gregorian Chant

Model Catholic Univeristy

What It's Like to be a Monk in Italy

Modern Dalmatic and Tunicle of a Bishop

Circa 1950s. 

Cathedral Ciborium

Extra large, to hold hundreds of hosts. 

Preaching Stoles

Made in Poland: Modern Gothic Chalice

Dalmatic and Tunicle of a Bishop

Made of very light silk.  

Worn over the rochet and under the chasuble. 

Simple Chalice

Traditional Chalice

Ciborium

Death with Dignity Euthanasia Debate

In Nativitate Domini Holy Cards: Given by the Vatican to Benefactors/Faithful

Eleemosynarius Summi Pontificis: Apostolic Almoner of His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff

What Apparel on an Amice Looks Like

Made in Mexico: Modern Spanish Baroque Chalice

1920s Chalice

Rome Quotes

"Whether we call it 'The Modern Attack' or 'Anti-Christ' it is all one; there is a clear issue now joined between the retention of Catholic morals, tradition and authority on the one side, and the active effort to destroy them on the other.  The modern attack will not tolerate us.  It will attempt to destroy us.  Nor can we tolerate it.  We must attempt to destroy it as being the fully equipped and ardent enemy of the Truth by which men live.  The duel is to the death." 

-Hilaire Belloc

Best Catholic Hymnal Available

Evil of Freemasonry/Shriners

Last month I had a guy at the airport, a Mason, invite me to ask to join the Masons.  Yesterday I saw a book for sale on Masonry.  A few days ago I heard a girl mention on the phone a prominent friend was a Mason.  Last summer I saw a billboard on the highway inviting people to become Masons.  Last year I saw two Masons promoting Masonry in a public place, one at a street festival and the other at a shopping mall.  There is a Masonic temple across the street from a church I frequent.  Masonry is still here.  I took these photos last summer at a parade ruined by these men, who it seems show up at most every parade in North America.  By the way, Masons will tell you the Catholic Church changed her position in the 1960s and now accepts Freemasonry, which is bogus.

Know the facts:

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13human.htm

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13ms3.htm

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13ms1.htm

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13ms4.htm

 

Catholic Response to Mad Homosexualist Attack on Civilization

THE IDEOLOGY OF HOMOSEXUALITY
(pp. 609-612)

Extract from the newly published and expanded memoirs of our favorite Italian Cardinal, the Lion of Bologna, Cardinal Giacomo Biffi.

"The ideology of homosexuality – as often happens to ideologies when they become aggressive and end up being politically triumphant – becomes a threat to our legitimate autonomy of thought: those who do not share it risk condemnation to a kind of cultural and social marginalization.

The attacks on freedom of thought start with language. Those who do not resign themselves to accept "homophilia" (the theoretical appreciation of homosexual relations) are charged with "homophobia" (etymologically, the "fear of homosexuality"). This must be very clear: those who are made strong by the inspired word and live in the "fear of God" are not afraid of anything, except perhaps the stupidity toward which, Bonhoeffer said, we are defenseless. We are now even charged sometimes with the incredibly arbitrary accusation of "racism": a word that, among other things, has nothing to do with this issue, and in any case is completely extraneous to our doctrine and our history.

The essential problem that presents itself is this: is it still permitted in our days to be faithful and consistent disciples of the teaching of Christ (which for millennia has inspired and enriched the whole of Western civilization), or must we prepare ourselves for a new form of persecution, promoted by homosexual activists, by their ideological accomplices, and even by those whose task it should be to defend the intellectual freedom of all, including Christians?

There is one question that we ask in particular of the theologians, biblicists, and pastoralists. Why on earth, in this climate of almost obsessive exaltation of Sacred Scripture, is the Pauline passage of Romans 1:21-32 never cited by anyone? Why on earth is there not a little more concern to make it known to believers and nonbelievers, in spite of its evident timeliness?"

-Giacomo Biffi, "Memorie e digressioni di un italiano cardinale," new expanded edition, Cantagalli, Siena, 2010, euro 25.00.

Rome Quotes

"Had this movement [Arianism] for rejecting the full divinity of Our Lord gained the victory, all our civilization would have been other than it has been from that day to this.  We all know what happens when an attempt to simplify and rationalize the mysteries of the Faith succeeds in any society.  We have before us the now ending experiment of the Reformation, and the aged but still very vigorous Mohammedan heresy, which may perhaps appear with renewed vigor in the future.  Such rationalistic efforts against the creed produce a gradual social degradation following on the loss of that direct link between human nature and God which is provided by the Incarnation.  Human dignity is lessened.  The authority of Our Lord is weakened.  He appears more and more as a man - perhaps a myth.  The substance of Christian life is diluted.  It wanes.  What began as Unitarianism ends as Paganism." 

-Hilaire Belloc (in 1938)

Where to Order Beautiful New Vestments

http://www.saintbedestudio.bizland.com/

1940s Vestments

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

You can purchase these posters of the image in the gift shop at the church of St. Alphonsus in Rome, where the original image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is venerated.

S. Maria de Perpetuo Succursu

Vetus Imago Miraculis Clara Venerata Romae in Ecclesia S. Alphonsi

Lawn Statues

A fine public witness. 

Getting the Word Out

God bless those who put this sign up every year.

Seen in the town of Mission, Canada. 

Christian Art

Chilliwack, Canada. 

New Brewery Founded in 2012 By Monks in Norcia (Near Rome)

Pilgrimage To Lourdes (1948)

Excellent Video to Share

Mother Teresa at National Prayer Breakfast

Register Early: Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage to Rome (October 19 - 29, 2015)

For more information, see here.  

Announcing: 2015 Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage to Rome

 Mass at Tomb of St. Cecilia in Rome with Fr. Z (Oct. 2014).

We invite you to join us on a grace filled pilgrimage to Rome, following in the footsteps of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.

Our good friend of many years, Fr. Z, has graciously agreed to be chaplain.

Join us as we gather again in Rome with clergy and laymen from across the globe to participate in this truly universal annual gathering in celebration of the 2007 Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. 

We have excellent, highly qualified guides, a tour escort to accompany the group, a possible behind the scenes tour in the Vatican, VIP catacomb tour, private Scavi tour, private Vatican Museums tour, private Ancient Rome tour, excellent meals, accommodations in a religious guesthouse from the 1600s in the center of Rome, private bus transportation, adequate free time for rest and shopping, day trip outside Rome to Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict.

Don't miss out.  Limited seating.  Small group.     

Video from last year of the pilgrimage: http://vimeo.com/115840175.

For full itinerary, see here.

For questions, contact John or Natalie directly: info (at) oc-travel.com.

Photo credit: MV Studios.

Orbis Catholicus TRAVEL PROMO

Many thanks to MV Studios!

I highly recommend them for any video project. 

They can be reached here: www.mvstudios.ca.

Hope everyone likes the new video...let us know what you think!

OC-Travel Pilgrims in St. Peter's Basilica

Rome Quotes

"The enemy which the Faith now has to meet, and which may be called 'The Modern Attack,' is a wholesale assault upon the fundamentals of the Faith - upon the very existence of the Faith.  And the enemy now advancing against us is increasingly conscious of the fact that there can be no question of neutrality.  The forces now opposed to the Faith design to destroy.  The battle is henceforward engaged upon a definite line of cleavage, involving the survival or destruction of the Catholic Church.  And all - not a portion - of its philosophy."

-Hilaire Belloc

Attn. Pastors: Best Pew Book Available - St. Isaac Jogues Missal & Hymnal

The best I have ever seen.  Anywhere.  In the world.  Period.  Pastors, acquire these for your parish in bulk.  Be amazed.  And enjoy.  The vitality of the Classical Rite is as fresh as ever.  It is a religious revolution.  The eagerness of that revolution carries on the young and curious and inspires them.  The celebrant in the photos graduated from the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary at the Lateran Archbasilica, and is a good friend and fine priest! 

See here:   http://www.ccwatershed.org/jogues/.

And the explanatory video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36pZJOZHjqM#t=96.

Gothic Aspergillum

Liturgical Banners

German Vestments

Would be nice to see somebody make these again. 

Pope Benedict with Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

Thank you, Summer!

The great Cardinal Agagianian, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, with his collaborators at the Council in 1965. 

Orbis Catholicus - Liturgia et mores Curiae Romanae [A. D. 2014]

Aspergillum

Liturgical implement used to sprinkle holy water. 

Ablution Cup

A covered finger-bowl and towel like this is kept next to the tabernacle for priests who help to distribute Holy Communion to reverently dip their fingers in after they distribute the Communion. 

A Riveting True Story of Hope

The Drop Box.

Amazing work done by heroic laymen.

God be praised.  

http://www.thedropboxfilm.ca/

God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage: A Fine Series to Teach Marriage Prep

Darby's Story: Life is a Precious Gift

Extraordinary Form in the Holy Land

When you worship in the Holy Land, you witness the splendor of the many liturgical rites.  It is always a life-changing event to pray in these sacred places and to hear the chants of the many different liturgies.  FYI: We are putting together an EF trip to the Holy Land in early 2016.  Stay tuned.  This same priest will be our chaplain.  Thanks, Fr. Pablo!