A Treasure To Be Shared

Does the weakening of Catholics' testimony to Christ stem solely from the Second Vatican Council? Council teaching was susceptible to manipulation by rival groups, each keen to assert their claim to magisterial power, given that it was established during a period of revolt. Easy scapegoat. Three tales concerning Annibale Bugnini, the president of the consilium tasked with revitalizing the holy liturgy and the poster child for conspiracy theories, are frequently shared by opponents of the liturgical reform. Some versions even claim that Paul VI was a Freemason or that an impostor took his place. Archbishop Bugnini was a Freemason who attempted to deceive Pope St. Paul VI and compromise the Liturgy. In order to appease Protestants, Bugnini purportedly changed the Catholic liturgy by deleting aspects that were essential to Catholic identity. This assertion is sometimes connected to a comment that Bugnini is said to have made about getting rid of everything that Protestants would find ...

A PENITENTIAL OFFICE for the BLESSING of ASHES EXAUDI NOS Psalm 69.17, 1     HEAR me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is comfortable: turn thee unto me according to the multitude of thy mercies. Ps. Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul. Glory be… Hear me… The Celebrant now turns to the people and says: BRETHREN, it has been the custom in the Church from ancient times to observe with great devotion the days of our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection, and to prepare for the same by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided also a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for holy Baptism. It was also a time when such persons as had, by reason of notorious sins, been separated from the body of the faithful, were reconciled and restored to the fellowship of the Church by penitence and forgiveness. Thereby the whole Church was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution contained in the Gospel of our Saviour, and ...

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...