A Treasure To Be Shared

James Tissot | Jesus Stilling The Tempest O ETERNAL and everliving God, Who doth cherish them that tread the path of humility and steadfast charity, we beseech Thee, grant unto us, who seek to serve Thee in the concord of Thy company, a measure of Thy saving wisdom, that we may be sustained in the true Faith; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty God, loving Father, shield Thy humble servants from all manner of assault. Grant to us an abundance of Thy grace that we may confront each tribulation with valour and charity. May every thought be conformed to Thy sacred truth, and may our every action glorify Thy holy name. This we beseech Thee, most merciful Father, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who doth behold and know the very hearts of all men, grant unto Thy humble servant a mind both clear and steadfastly purposed towards Thee, that Thy divine intent may be made manifest for the salvation of souls; through the same Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Barque of St. Peter as a constellation. Coelum Stellatum Christianum (1627) by Julius Schiller [ Read Time: 7 minutes ] Most Anglicans and Catholics have little or no opinion about the Personal Ordinariate because Ordinariate communities exist off their radar. Similarly so, Eastern Rite Catholics are often a mystery to Latin Rite Catholics. People curious about the Ordinariate often learn about it through internet searches or word of mouth. Expanding access to diocesan information systems could help reach current and former Anglicans, Episcopalians, and those with Methodist backgrounds, for whom the Ordinariate is intended. Many cradle Catholics are discovering in the Ordinariates a Catholicism that is rich in wisdom, beautiful rituals, and devotions that accompany worshippers into a deeper communion with Jesus Christ and His Church. Sadly, from time to time, we in the Personal Ordinariates learn of accusations by diocesan priests and laity of sheep-stealing when dio...

Almighty and eternal God, our light and salvation, vouchsafe to grant unto us, poor sinners, the consolation of a certain knowledge of Thy love and protection; we humbly beseech Thee, grant this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Spes, Esperanza, Espoir, Speranza, Mieć nadzieję, Ελπίδα, Pag-asa, Надеяться, 希望, आशा, Tumaini The person who experiences consolation never gives up in the face of difficulties because he or she always experiences a peace that is stronger than any trial. | Pope Francis We cannot come to a conclusion about the state of our soul from its suffering or its rejoicing…Consolation indicates, certainly, that the soul has taken a step in the spiritual life, but desolation may be a sign that it is even nearer to the summit. | Jennie Ewing,  The Four Consolations of the Holy Spirit Hope is a lush garden wherein peace resides. Without the nurturing water of God's grace, the edges grow rigid and turn into a wall, casting shadows. The heart risks becoming hardened and lifeless, leaving one paralyzed and lost as negativity creeps in. Weeds of irrationality take over, choking the flowers. In a recent article, Jenny Ewing at Catholic Exchange (2SEPT2020) provides a brief but beautifu...

St Matthew 5:43-48 | “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Division, antagonism, jealousy, rage, and revenge seem to dominate these days. Do the media contribute in any meaningful way to fostering a balanced perspective, a perspective that enables people to understand the issues without simplifying information into mere propaganda? St John 13:34-35 | " A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have l...

Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, S.D.B., Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life. Homily from 8th day of Novemdiales Masses for Pope Francis  [edited for length] Dearest Sisters and Brothers, St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori teaches that praying for the dead is the greatest work of charity. When we help our neighbors materially, we share ephemeral goods, but when we pray for them we do so with eternal goods. In a similar way lived the Holy Curé of Ars, universal patron of priests. [...] On this third Sunday of Easter everything invites rejoicing, exultation. The reason is given by the Risen Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit. St. Athanasius affirms that the risen Jesus Christ makes man's life a continuous feast. And that is why the Apostles - and Peter first among them - are not afraid of imprisonment, nor of threats, nor of being persecuted again. And in fact they boldly and frankly declare, “Of these things we ar...

Saint Charbel, a Maronite hermit, is a most reliable intercessor. Following Our Lady, he is recognized for having the most recorded miracles, with 29,000 registered. Charbel Makhlouf, O.L.M. (born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf), May 8, 1828 – December 24, 1898, was a Lebanese Maronite monk and priest celebrated for his holiness and dedication to uniting Christians, Muslims, and Druze. He was a member of the Baladite order. His feast day is commemorated on July 24 in the Latin Church and the third Sunday of July in the Maronite Church. His body remains incorrupt. O Lord, in Thy Saints infinitely Holy and Glorified, Thou didst inspire Charbel, that blessed monk, to lead a hermit's life most perfect. We render thanks unto Thee for granting him the grace and strength to sunder himself from this world, that the heroic virtues of poverty, obedience, and chastity could triumph in his hermitage. We beseech Thee to bestow upon us the grace of loving and serving Thee, following his hallowed exampl...

Are you thirsty for solid Catholic content? Do you seek to raise your children in a vibrant Catholic culture that helps them become faithful adults? Are your hungry for truth, goodness and beauty? Are you tired of parish programs that waste resources and do little to feed the soul? Are you seeking to learn how you can help build up the Body of Christ? Introducing Brian Holdsworth. If you haven't watched this articulate, insightful and faithful fellow share a thoroughly Catholic understanding of the Faith, then you are invited to start by watching one of his videos. Visit Mr. Holdsworth's main site at:  https://www.brianholdsworth.ca/ Brian Holdsworth, a Catholic convert, resides in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife and seven children. His videos are rich with genuine Catholic content, revealing a deep faith. Far from being just another "influencer" or social media personality, he is a true man of God, passionately advocating for truth, goodness, and beauty within the C...

Was there a shift in how humans understand themselves, their place in the world, and their relationship to the divine or the transcendent? Axial Age is a term coined by the German philosopher Karl Jaspers. It refers to broad changes in religious and philosophical thought that occurred in a variety of locations from about the 8th to the 3rd century BC.  According to Jaspers, during this period, universalizing modes of thought appeared in Persia, India, China, the Levant, and the Greco-Roman world, in a striking parallel development, without any obvious admixture between these disparate cultures. - Wikipedia Ancient Greece: philosophers like Thales questioned the nature of reality, while Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle developed ethical and metaphysical systems. Ancient Israel: the development of monotheism, with Yahweh as a transcendent creator God, and a focus on ethical conduct and individual relationship with God. Ancient India: the rise of Hinduism with its emphasis on karma, reb...

Photo: Nicole Garmston Proverbs 12:10 | A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. Richard M. Blaylock, PhD, writes (edited for length): On Compassion and Cruelty: A Brief Reflection on Proverbs 12:10 On the one hand, the verse states that a righteous person is one who is so filled with compassion that his care extends even beyond the bounds of human society. Not only does he care for those within his household, but he even concerns himself with the state of his cattle. Here, I would argue that the reference to the righteous caring for “his beasts” is intended to serve a primarily rhetorical function: it highlights (in contrast to the wicked) the depths of the righteous person’s compassion. While it does have a bearing on how people should treat animals, the verse is really a call for readers to examine whether or not their lives are marked by generous compassion because such generous compassion is inseparable from true righteousness. On...

(CNS photo/Vatican Media) Lights, smoke, an elevated platform, guitars, drums, keyboards, and a large crowd facing the performers. A religious service or a rock concert? Candles, incense (... maybe), an elevated platform, guitars, drums, keyboards, and a large congregation facing the clergy. Same question. 'Praise and worship' is a label borrowed from evangelical and charismatic Protestant lexicons. The Catholic understands that God desires to be worshipped and praised in the Divine Liturgy. In the Mass, the Catholic can say, "I was gathered into the offering of the Son to the Father. I participated in the self-offering of God today." God has revealed to us how He wants to be worshipped. Jesus established the model for Catholic worship (St. Matthew 26:17-30). The Latin Rite liturgy has expanded or contracted over the centuries. Universal adjustments were modest until the Bugnini Concilium (1964 - 1969) instituted considerable revisions. A later council of ten faithful...