Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
Our Lenten pilgrimage comes to its end this evening, as we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This celebration commemerates the institution of the Eucharist, the source and summit of Church life. Unlike most Protestants, the Catholic and Orthodox (and others of the Apostolic Tradition) believe that God is really there, wholly present in the consecrated bread and wine. […]
» Read moreOn this anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I thought I’d tackle the question “are there non-Catholic saints?” Seems like a simple question. First off, what’s a saint exactly? We turn to our trusty Catechism once more and find the following: 823 “The Church . . . is held, as a matter of faith, to be […]
» Read moreA copy of this icon, called “Christ the Bridegroom”, hangs in my office above my desk. In the Eastern Catholic (and Orthodox) tradition, this icon is associated with the Office known as Bridegroom Matins. Bridegroom Matins is a service held the first three or four evenings of Holy Week, and it commemorates the last days in the earthly life of […]
» Read moreThis weekend, Holy Week begins with the Sunday of Lord’s triumphal entry into Jersusalem – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. Although Good Friday is coming – the Passion and Death are coming – for the moment, this moment, joy resounds as our King arrives in His city. In most parishes throughout the world, the principal Mass is celebrated by […]
» Read moreOur Lenten pilgrimage is nearing its end; this is the last Friday before Good Friday, and we can see Palm Sunday just around the corner. On the old calendar, today is the Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this guise, Mary is known as the Mother of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa, or just Dolorosa). Though this […]
» Read moreVia the inestimable Fr. Z comes a Communiqué from the SSPX asking for prayers: Communiqué from the General House of the Society of Saint Pius X Since the meeting on March 16, 2012, with Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, has […]
» Read moreThis afternoon at Mass, the priest took the rather unusual step of preaching the Pope’s homily from his Mass in Cuba. He said that although it was intended as a call to arms for those suffering under the Cuban-Castro-Communist regime, it might just as well be a wake-up call to us here in the United States. Here’s the part he […]
» Read moreTwo men considering a religious vocation were having a conversation. “What is similar about the Jesuit and Dominican Orders?” the one asked. The second replied, “Well, they were both founded by Spaniards — St. Dominic for the Dominicans, and St. Ignatius of Loyola for the Jesuits. They were also both founded to combat heresy — the Dominicans to fight the […]
» Read moreThe mercy of God is a scandal – Christ offers His infinite mercy to every worst kind of sinner, excluding no one. This eternal upwelling of mercy overflows, cascading upon the whole of the human race. It extends to murderers. It extends to rapists. It extends to thieves, and liars, and stalkers, and vandals. It extends to tax collectors and […]
» Read moreOn his current trip to Mexico and Cuba, Pope Benedict XVI has been spotted using a cane to steady himself. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, after all the Pope at 85 is one of the longest-lived Popes in history – though he still has a long way to go if he wants to catch up to Leo XIII! Would […]
» Read moreThis evening our Lenten pilgrimage enters into a new phase. Traditionally, this Sunday marks the beginning of Passiontide, when we walk with Christ on the way to Jerusalem. Since the liturgical changes of the 1970s, this is no longer celebrated as a sort of sub-season of Lent. Even so, the character of these two weeks is subtly different from the […]
» Read moreLISTEN, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father, that by the toil of obedience thou may return to Him from whom by the sloth of disobedience thou hast gone away. (Beginning of the Rule of Saint Benedict) Although it […]
» Read morePope Benedict XVI has proclaimed a “Year of Faith” to run from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013. Pastoral guidelines have been published that call for prayer, celebrations, pilgrimages, catechetical events, missions, and new forms of evangelization. The Pope calls us to profess the faith, celebrate the faith, and witness to the faith. Faith grows when it is lived […]
» Read moreThe Holy Father continues to woo the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). Monsignor Nicola Bux, a consultor to the CDF and confidant of the Pope, has written an open letter to Bishop Bernard Fellay, the Superior of the SSPX, and to the Society’s priests. It seems to have the Pope’s intentions behind it. This can only be described as […]
» Read moreIt’s no secret, I suppose, that I’m something of an anglophile. So please forgive this foray into Great Britain. This year, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee – 60 years on the British throne. Today, her Majesty addressed parliament, saying in part, As today, it was my privilege to address you during my Silver and Golden Jubilees. Many of […]
» Read moreThe way to reconciliation with those you have wronged is not to stalk them, track them down, and gloat. I don’t know much, but that much I’ve figured out. If this sounds like something you may have done, please know that I forgive you, but I will not engage with you. Now stop. My other three readers may enjoy a […]
» Read moreHere’s an insight into how my mind works. As I was walking in to work this morning, commuter coffee mug firmly in hand, I had a great insight: the reason we call coffee “joe” is because it gets us through our morning, much as Saint Joseph got his foster-son Jesus through the “morning” of his life. I know. Apologies all […]
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