A Treasure To Be Shared

For those of us who are privileged to serve in the sanctuary, to serve Jesus and his priest, the recent words of Pope Leo resonate deeply. Being so close to the sacred actions of Liturgy, how can we not be completely captivated by the Lord? Is the opportunity to serve in the sanctuary not a sublime gift to be treasured beyond Sunday throughout the week? Of course it is! We are loved by Jesus - each one of us! We hope and pray that our actions are grafted to the action of Jesus in the Mass. The Holy Father spoke recently at a gathering of French altar servers in Rome. A few phrases stand out. Dear Altar Servers, the celebration of the Mass saves us today! It saves the world today! It is the most important event in the life of the Christian and in the life of the Church, for it is the encounter where God gives Himself to us in love, again and again. In that paragraph is a flood of inspiration! "The Mass saves us today!" Therein the temple of the Lord, kneeling in the sanctuary,...

St. Matthew 9:27-31 | And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, “See that no one knows it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. The Dialogues of (Pope) St. Gregory the Great Peter (a deacon of the Church). Because fit occasion is now offered, desirous I am to know what the reason was, that when our Saviour restored sight unto two blind men, and commanded them to tell nobody; yet they, after their departure, made him known throughout all that country. For had the only-begotten Son of God, who is co-eternal to his Father and the Holy Ghost, a desire herein to do that which he could not perform : to wit...

In recalling the liturgical commemoration of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated today, Friday, 22 August, the Pope has invited us to celebrate Mary's queenship by praying and fasting for peace (VATICAN NEWS). Most holy and immaculate Virgin, Mother of Jesus and our cherished Mother, thou art exalted as Queen of Peace. With ardent affection in our hearts, we do salute and honour thee under this esteemed title. We beseech thy intercession to safeguard us and all mankind from malice and strife, and to guide our hearts unto the paths of peace and righteousness which thy Son did teach and exemplify.

https://www.newmanreader.org/works/idea/article9.html And here we see what is meant by the poet's maxim, "A little learning is a dangerous thing." Not that knowledge, little or much, if it be real knowledge, is dangerous; but that many a man considers a mere hazy view of many things to be real knowledge, whereas it does but mislead, just as a short-sighted man sees only so far as to be led by his uncertain sight over the precipice. | Saint John Henry Newman There are Catholics who routinely push themselves into the political religious margins. That is, they identify as left or right, liberal or conservative. There are Catholic scholars who look down on their fellow Catholics who may not fit their "Trad" (right) mentality or their "Progressive" (left) mould. One of the many beautiful aspects of being attached to an Ordinariate community is the ability to sit with Christ in the Sacred Liturgy and rest in Him in its beauty, whether attending a Said Mass o...

Renovatio a renewing, renewal renovation  (n.) c. 1400, renovacyoun , in theology, "spiritual rebirth wrought by the Holy Spirit," also in a general sense, "rebuilding, reconstruction; a making new after decay, destruction, or impairment," from Old French renovacion (13c.) and directly from Latin renovationem (nominative renovatio ) "a renewing, renewal; a rest," noun of action from past-participle stem of renovare "renew, restore," from re- "again" (see re-) + novare "make new," from novus "new". To renew is not to reduce (in value, in beauty, or in influence). Anyone with the skill to renew fine wooden furniture or restore a priceless painting understands that preservation of the original is essential to the process of restoration, which necessarily retains the full integrity of the original artist's work.  Renewal requires care and the preservation of the finest details. Without such dedication, colossal mist...

Anglican representatives in Rome for the beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV Probably the greatest tragedy of the (Anglican) church throughout its long and checkered history has been its constant tendency to conform to the prevailing culture instead of developing a Christian counter-culture. John Stott The recent election of Cherry Vann to the See of Wales presents yet another challenge to Anglican unity. The Church of Nigeria, Anglican, has cut all ties with the Church of Wales over the Vann decision. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac You can go your own way Go your own way You can call it Another lonely day You can go your own way Go your own way Last gasp? 75% of the Anglican Communion rejects the direction taken in the last four decades by the Church of England, the Episcopal Church of America, and the Anglican Church of Canada. The Anglican Communion is rent from head to toe and is gasping for air. St Matthew 7:16-20 The Anglican Communion began its drift into conformity w...

St Luke 5:1-11 | While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all that were with him...

O ALMIGHTY and merciful God, we beseech Thee to safeguard those most susceptible to injury and to bestow upon us the grace to shield the innocent within our midst and afar. This we implore through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. O LORD God, grant us the grace to manifest Thy presence unto those in dire need of Thy mercy, particularly they who endure the afflictions of melancholy, identity tribulations, and anxious woes. May those who dwell in sinful unions be led unto the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, in whose sacred name we beseech Thee. Amen. MOST merciful Father, do Thou abide with those who are led astray by vile men; bestow upon us the grace to aid in the liberation of those ensnared in dire circumstances. This we ask of Thee through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Dear Readers, in the wake of the much desired announcement of Saint John Henry being declared a Doctor of the Church, the 38th Doctor, that is, it is important to hear the saintly Newman in his own words. Various voices are already attempting to claim Newman as their own, to further a liberal agenda, or to condemn Newman as the progenitor of what is, to some minds, the accursed Second Vatican Council, as if his great mind's contribution of the development of doctrine is grounds for dismissing a council that many (most?...) have yet to properly digest and distinguish from the "media council" criticized by Pope Benedict XVI. This ongoing debate underscores the complexity of Newman's theological contributions and the ways in which they intersect with contemporary issues in the Church. As scholars continue to explore his works, it becomes increasingly clear that his insights might offer a path to reconcile differing viewpoints within the Church. This blogger, along with m...

Cartoonish or Cultivated? Are Latin Rite Catholics—bishops, priests, and laypeople—ignoring the signs? Many voices are being continuously raised warning Latin Rite Catholics to repent of their superficial faith, and turn to God—who remains the same yesterday and today—and stop polluting the temple with profane music, irreverent conduct, and worldly philosophies. These calls for renewal urge the faithful to embrace a deeper, more authentic relationship with God. By fostering genuine worship and a commitment to spiritual growth, parishes can reclaim an authentic Catholic identity and inspire a transformative faith among its members. St John 2:13-17 | The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned t...