A Treasure To Be Shared

The Legend of the Sand Dollar There's a pretty little legend That I would like to tell Of the birth and death of Jesus Found in this lowly shell If you examine closely, You'll see that you find here Four nail holes and a fifth one Made by a Roman's Spear. On one side the Easter Lily, Its center is the star That appeared unto the shepherds And led them from afar. The Christmas poinsettia Etched on the other side Reminds us of His birthday Our Happy Christmastide. Now break the centre open And here you will release The five white doves awaiting To spread Good Will and Peace. This simple little symbol, Christ left for you and me To help us spread His Gospel Through all eternity. Anonymous https://newmanrosaryguild.blogspot.com/2021/05/walsingham-chaplet-of-five-wounds.html

Cross Roads As we transition from Gesimatide into Lent, perhaps a brief visit with the fundamental requirement of receptivity to God's influence in our lives, and our commitment to collaborating with God to bring about the Kingdom, may provide a useful focus for the days ahead. St Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Let us address approaches into the heart of God. That is, how can we better open ourselves to God's grace, His life, His truth, His love, His transforming Presence? Three Avenues - Liturgical, Works, Devotional Let us look at three ways in which we may be mindful of the Lord's invitation to accept His loving embrace for our formation in holiness and the salvation of souls. Liturgical Avenue St Luke 24:30-35 When (Jesus) was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanis...

In the Ordinariates, we are fortunate to have clear guidance on the language of worship. Anyone who has attended Divine Worship will recognize the traditional ‘thee/thou’ language woven throughout the sacred Liturgy. This elevated style helps focus our hearts and minds on the worship of God, offering a tone that is both intimate and reverent, perfectly suited for communication between creature and Creator. Let's take a brief look at the instruction concerning the concluding doxology that accompanies prayers. Notice the respect given to the language used in the Roman Missal, the book of the typical diocesan or Ordinary Form liturgy. Notice, too, how the language of the Ordinariate Form liturgy complements the language of the Roman Missal. 5. Regarding “Ever One God” in the Divine Worship Collects In May 2020, the Congregation for Divine Worship wrote to the English-speaking conferences of bishops regarding the concluding doxology of the Collects in the Roman Missal. Specifically, th...

A friend's encounter with a member of non-Catholic eastern church has reminded this blogger that there is considerable animosity toward Catholics. Granted, one or two or a hundred people do not represent the entirety of a given community. Nevertheless, the experience was puzzling and somewhat unpleasant for him and consistent with those who have had similar experiences. This blogger has observed similar interactions between Novus Ordo attendees and traditionalist Catholics. If experience is any kind of a confirmation, Rad Trads tend to create religious silos of folk whose attitudes and behaviour run from bearish to bullish. How can someone steer clear of conversations with people who hold resentment toward the Catholic Church or a different form of the Mass? How can one avoid insecurities that might harm unity in the community? Should we simply keep to ourselves and stay away from all discussions with non-Catholics? People searching for the Church founded by Jesus Christ often face...

There are enough Catholic Germans who think with the Church (sentire cum Ecclesia) in spite of media reports of many of the German brethren behaving like heathen. Back in 2023, Neuer Anfang, New Beginning, a group of faithful Catholics, challenged the heterodox Synodal Way (Der Synodale Weg). Where such faithful groups exist, there is hope. https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/europe/group-of-faithful-in-germany-rejects-synodal-way-we-want-to-remain-catholic https://neueranfang.online/ Saint Boniface: pray for them! According to the 8th-century Vita Bonifatii auctore Willibaldo , Saint Boniface of Wessex, an Anglo-Saxon missionary, and his companions cut down Thor's Oak, a tree worshipped by the German population. The oak’s wood was reportedly used to construct a church on the site, dedicated to Saint Peter. Boniface, known as the Apostle of Germany, earned this title for his significant role in the Christianization of the region. "For 10 years (725–735) Boniface was active in Thur...

Reverent liturgy, including well-prepared homilies firmly rooted in biblical wisdom made accessible. We really and truly meet Jesus and the saints in the sacred Liturgy. Rendered beautifully, mindful of the connection between the earthly and the heavenly Liturgy, we are formed by the Eucharistic Jesus for an eternity with him. Confession: supply formation to assist the examination of conscience, refinement of judgement, clarity of purpose, development of virtue, and dependence on God's grace. God provides the medicine of mercy through Holy Mother Church to help us grow in holiness. We need what the Holy Ghost provides: perspective. Without the grace of God, we can flounder in scrupulosity or wander in indifference. The Light of God is necessary for us to remain vigilant and ready to repent of our sins. If we become full of ourselves, there is no room for God in our lives. Fellowship and a rich devotional life: study and discussion groups that support formation for mission, evangel...

Photograph: ARD1 It’s been said that many people, especially younger generations, are joining the Church in significant numbers across Europe, America, and elsewhere. Seekers and converts have a clear idea of what the Church should be, thanks to their access to reliable online resources. But do they discover genuine substance and authenticity when they step into a typical diocesan parish? https://www.catholicregister.org/item/3353-archdiocese-of-paris-convenes-council-in-response-to-historic-rise-in-catechumens Catholic Light or Catholic Lite? Younger Catholics and Catholics-to-be are interested in finding the Jesus known by the saints, not some Pop-Tart religion where Jesus is reduced to a social justice warrior cast in the image of modern ideologues. Seekers are not interested in the politicized religion of the Jesuits. If online videos and everyday conversations are any indication, they’re drawn to the Church of Aquinas, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, Palestrina and chan...