Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Friday, January 26, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
Rome Quotes
"If is far, indeed, from our intention to repudiate all that the genius of the time begets; nay, rather, whatever the search for truth attains, or the effort after good achieves, will always be welcome by us, for it increases the patrimony of doctrine and enlarges the limits of public prosperity."
-Leo XIII
-Leo XIII
In Memoriam: King Louis XVI of France Last Will and Testament
Louis XVI came to power after the death of his grandfather, Louis XV, in 1775. Louis XVI’s reign was marked by attempts to reform France in accordance with Enlightenment ideals and a financial crisis that contributed to discontent among France’s middle and lower classes. This discontent eventually culminated in revolution with Louis XVI’s reign ending on August 10, 1792. A few days later he was imprisoned at the Temple with his family. The National Convention eventually tried him for high treason, found him guilty, and sentenced him to death. Prior to his execution by guillotine on 21 January 1793, he wrote his will. It is provided below, almost verbatim:
In the name of the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; This Day, the 25th day of Dec. 1792, I, Louis, the XVIth of that name, King of France, having been for more than Four Months shut up with my Family in the Tower of the Temple at Paris, by those who were my Subjects, and deprived of every kind of communication with my Family since the 11th of this month; and being moreover involved in a Trial, of which, from the passions of Mankind it is impossible to foresee the event, and for which neither pretext nor precedent can be found in any existing Law; having no Witness of my thoughts but God, and no one but Him to whom I can address myself, I here declare, in His presence, my last Will and Sentiments. I leave my soul to God, my Creator. I entreat him in mercy to receive it, and not to judge it according to its defects, but according to those of our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered himself up a sacrifice to God, his father, for us men, however, hardened we might be, and confess myself to be among the first.
I pity with all my heart, our brethren who may be in error; but I presume not to judge them, nor do I love them less in Jesus Christ, agreeable to the instructions of Christian charity. I pray God to pardon all my sins which I have endeavoured scrupulously to recollect; and I detest and humiliate myself in his presence. Deprived of the assistance of a Catholic Priest, I entreat of God to receive the confession which I have made to him, and particularly my profound repentance of having signed my name, although strongly against my will, to instruments which may be contrary to the faith and discipline of the Catholic Church, to which I have in my heart continued sincerely attached. I pray God to receive my firm resolution, should he grant me life, to avail myself, as soon as I can, of the Ministry of a Catholic Priest, to confess all my sins, & to receive the sacrament of repentance.
I beseech all those whom by inadvertence I may have offended (for I do not recollect ever knowingly to have committed an offence against any one), or those to whom I may have given a bad example, or occasion for scandal, to pardon me the evil which they think I may have done them.
I beseech all those who have Charity to unite their Prayers to my own, to obtain from God the pardon of my Sins. I pardon, with my whole heart, those who have made themselves my enemies, without my having given them any cause; and I pray to God, that he will pardon them, as well as those who, by a false zeal, or by a zeal ill-understood, having done me much evil.
I commend to God, my Wife, my Children, my Sister, my Aunts, my Brothers, and all those who are attached to me by the ties of Blood, or in any other manner whatsoever. I especially implore God to cast the Eyes of his Mercy upon my Wife, my Children, and my Sister, who have for so long a time suffered with me—to support them by his Grace, should they happen to lose me, so long as they shall remain in this perishable World.
I commend my Children to my Wife: I have never doubted her maternal tenderness for them. I commend to her to make them good Christians, and honest; to induce them to consider the Grandeurs of this World (should they be condemned to make trial of them) as no other than dangerous and perishable possessions; and to turn their view to the only solid and durable Glory of Eternity.
I beseech my Sister to be pleased to continue her tenderness to my Children, and to supply to them the place of a Mother, should they have the misfortune to lose their own.
I beseech my Wife to forgive all those evils which she suffers for me, and the uneasiness which I may have given her in the course of our union; as she may be assured, that I retain nothing in my mind respecting her, should she imagine that she has any reason to reproach herself with respect to me. I earnestly recommended to my Children, after what they owe to God, which they ought to consider as prior to every thing else, to remain always united among themselves, submissive and obedient to their Mother, and grateful to her for all the pains she takes for them, and in memory of me. I beseech them to consider my Sister as a second Mother.
I recommend to my Son, should he have the misfortune to become a King, to reflect that he owes himself entirely to the happiness of his Fellow-Citizens; that he ought to forget all hatred and resentment, and especially all which has a reference to the misfortune and miseries which I experience; that he cannot effect the happiness of his People, but by reigning according to the Laws; but that, at the same time, a King cannot make those respected, or do the good which is in his heart, unless he possess the necessary authority; and that otherwise being confined in his operations, & commanding no respect, he is more hurtful than useful.
I commend to the care of my son, all those persons, who were attached to me, as far as his circumstances permit; and to consider this as a sacred debt contracted by me towards the children or relations of those who have perished in my behalf, and those also who are rendered miserable on my account. I know there are several persons who were attached to me, that have not conducted themselves as they ought, and who have even been ungrateful, but I pardon them (in moments of disorder the imagination is heated, and we are sometimes not masters of ourselves). I request my son would only consider this distress.
I wish it were in my power to prove here my grateful acknowledgments to those who have testified towards me a sincere and disinterested attachment. If on the one hand I have been deeply afflicted at the ingratitude and disloyalty of those whom I have constantly distinguished by favours, I have on the other hand had the consolation to experience the attachment and voluntary interest of many in my favour. I entreat these to accept my warmest acknowledgements.
In the present state of affairs, I should be fearful of involving my friends in embarrassments, were I to speak more explicitly; but I most earnestly enjoin my son to embrace every opportunity of finding them out.
I should, however, conceive, that I calumniated the sentiments of the nation, were I not openly to recommend to my son Messrs. de Chamilly and Hue, whose sincere attachment to me has induced them to shut themselves up with me in this sorrowful abode, and who have been in danger of becoming the unhappy victims of that attachment. I also commend to him Clery, with whose attention I have every reason to be satisfied since he has been with me, as he is the person who has remained with me to the end. I beseech the gentlemen of the Commons to deliver to him my effects, my books, my watch, and the other little articles of my property, which have been deposited with the Council of the Commons.
I pardon also most heartily those who guarded me, the ill-usage and restraint which they thought it their duty to adopt towards me. I have found some tender and compassionate friends; may they enjoy in their hearts that tranquility which their mode of thinking always bestows.
I request Messrs. Malsherbes, Tronchet, and de Seze, to receive my utmost acknowledgements and expression of gratitude, for the care and anxieties they have sustained on my account.
I conclude by declaring before God, and at the eve of appearing before him, that I reproach no one with the crimes they have committed against me.
LOUIS
Friday, January 19, 2018
Rome Quotes
"A professor encouraged us to meditate for 5 minutes each day before Our Lord with 5 words: “I am loved by Jesus.” Today, I noticed a detail of one of our side altars after taking my professors advice: “Dilectus Deo,” (“Loved by God”). That’s the beauty of Sacred Art, Sacred Scripture, Sacred Liturgy: it can say so much, by the grace of God."
-Jacob
-Jacob
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Announcing: FSSP Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 2018
Do not miss out on our third FSSP Holy Land Pilgrimage in a year.
Back by poplar demand -- this time it will include Jordan.
The tour departs after Thanksgiving and extends into Advent.
See here for details: WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS.
Where to Purchase the Best Traditional Catholic Coloring Books
See here for the best.
I highly recommend you purchase these for the kids in your family:
Nine Ways of Being Accessory to Another's Sin
By counsel.
By command.
By consent.
By provocation.
By praise or flattery.
By concealment.
By partaking.
By silence.
By defense of the ill done.
By command.
By consent.
By provocation.
By praise or flattery.
By concealment.
By partaking.
By silence.
By defense of the ill done.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Sunday, January 14, 2018
FSSP Spiritual Highlights of France Tour 2018
Do not miss the truly rare opportunity to visit this very special place -- one of the last Gregorian Chant monasteries left in Europe.
Be a part of living history!
MY HERO: EDWARD P. "ED" HAIDER
My Uncle Ed has passed at age 96. A fine Catholic man of German stock. In your charity kindly offer a prayer for the repose of his soul. He was a WWII warrior who was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism and multiple Purple Hearts. Paratrooper, 82nd Airborne Division, X Battalion. The Nazis shot him in Sicily, but he survived, by Divine Providence. A great man has passed before us. Requiem!
See HERE.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Registration is now OPEN!
The organizers of the BC Sacred Music Symposium are very pleased to announce that early registration for the symposium is now open through the end of February 2018. You can find the registration link as well as some additional information about everything that's included in your registration on the symposium page on the host parish website: www.stsjoachimandann.
Hope to see many of you there!
Thank you in advance!
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
When Knights Surrender Their Swords, Beasts Shall Devour Maidens
“Oh sword of truth
Fly swift and sure
That evil die
and good endure!“
“A knight fears neither demon nor man; neither is he afraid of death since he longs to die.“
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
“A knight fears neither demon nor man; neither is he afraid of death since he longs to die.“
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Best of Mexico City
Every tour to Mexico City is a bit different, making each experience totally unique.
Because we strive for the BEST possible tour, we are always looking for new ideas, inside tips and fresh recommendations from the locals.
Our good priest friend living in Mexico City, Fr. Ken Fryar, FSSP offered us this great advice for Catholic pilgrims to see 3 "off the beaten path" sites while visiting Mexico City on pilgrimage.
1. One is the Church of the Fifth Apparition (Santuario de la Quinta Aparición Guadalupana, aka Santa Maria Tulpetlac). Although a very simple building, this church was built over the house of Juan Diego's uncle, Juan Bernardino, whom Our Lady also appeared to. Under the altar is a "healing" well, a fount of special water.
2. The Virrienato Museum (Museo Nacional del Virreinato) is located in Tepotzotlán, about 40 km northeast of Mexico City. Located in an old monastery, it is worth a visit. The Jesuits built this complex in the 1580s, giving pilgrims a rare glimpse of how they set up their mission centers at that time, with a strong focus on education. To see everything requires a good amount of time. Objects to see include art, altarpieces and colonial artifacts.
3. The third one is the house of Juan Diego (Santuario El Cerrito Casa de San Juan Diego), located in Cuautitlán, on the edge of the greater Mexico City urban area. Juan Diego lived here with his wife Maria Lucia until she died in 1529. The excavations of the one-room mud house still exist and have been preserved under the old church for all to see. Next door is a new church that is not so nice to see, but that is another matter!
Thank you, Fr. Fryar for these great tips! We will do our best to incorporate them into future tour itineraries.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Know the History of the Crusades
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm
Save the Date: January 2019 Holy Land Pilgrimage!
Do not miss out on seeing the holiest place on earth.
January is a great time to visit for ideal weather.
Stay tuned for details.
January is a great time to visit for ideal weather.
Stay tuned for details.
Before and After of the Recent Conrad Schmitt "Restoration" of Assumption Church in Saint Paul (USA)
This was my childhood parish. Built in the 1870s. The Sonnen family has been involved here since before the current church was built. Our family weddings and funerals have been here.
A common recurring nightmare I have had in recent years is waking up and seeing the interior of this church harmed.
Unfortunately, the interior has been painted as if it is a new church. None of the statues needed to be touched. Everything is too dark.
The Latin quote from the breviary: "Assumpta Est Maria in Coelum" (see top photo) was painted over. Why? Is there still an animus against Latin? Why?
Also, the new, dark stencil work in the sanctuary takes away from the altar, which is supposed to be showcased properly, as it was before. Why did they not restore the original stencil work of the stars in the blue ceiling? That would have been a nice touch.
The original structural form of the sanctuary was "wreckovated" in the mid-1980s under former pastor Fr. Fred Mertz (who died in 2010). I would like to have seen the sanctuary floor-plan restored according to the design genius of the original architect. It was not.
The massive 1980s protrusion of sanctuary floor reaching out to the nave is sloppy, was poorly conceived and is in embarrassingly bad taste (especially considering this is a heritage neo-Romaesque church).
Part of the problem is in the hideous light-colored wood floor that was installed recently. No one has liked it. I even preferred the old blue carpet to it. Also, no one likes the odd CSJ icon that put in the back of the church about ten years ago, replacing the pieta' of our lady, kept in the shadows and folds of that quiet corner.
The sanctuary holy oils aumbry box should also have been restored (it disappeared in recent years -- Bill, please finish your work on it and return it). And the altar stone should have been placed back in the old high altar (it has been kept in the sacristy vestment closet since the 1980s).
Further items should also have been restored, such as the east entrance confessional that was taken out recently and currently stored in the bell tower. Also, the original oak crosses, kept today in the original schoolhouse, should have been restored to the Stations of the Cross. I also think the Pieta' and Good Shepherd statues should also be restored to the front of the church.
Restore Our Men to the Faith
Restoration of Catholic Manhood
Pray for a restoration of Catholic manhood. #whywehomeschool
I totally support the homeschool movement. Throughout history many great ones have been homeschooled.
Recent history has shown that as soon as we send our kids off to school parents surrender their parental rights. The loss has been devastating.
Traditional Catholic Pilgrimage to Poland 2018
Limited seating. Terrific once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage experience.
More info here: http://oc-travel.com/poland-august/
Catholic Travel Mugs
See here for our 2018 tours!
http://oc-travel.com/upcoming-tours/
60th Anniversary of the Death of Venerable Pius XII
Join the Sodalitas Pastor Angelicus, a fine organization supporting his cause for eventual canonization!
http://sipastorangelicvs.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Friday, January 5, 2018
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