By Michelle Tsai - Posted Monday, April 23, 2007, at 6:59 PM ET

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Pope says hell and damnation are real and eternal

From: The Australian
March 28, 2007

HELL is a place where sinners really do burn in an everlasting fire, and not just a religious symbol designed to galvanise the faithful, Pope Benedict XVI has said.

Click here to read the full article

Click here for Catholic News' article on the subject

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Pope Benedict XVI visited a Rome juvenile detention center -- says Discipline, freedom lead to true happiness. Read here

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Failure is not an option

There is a military slogan I have embraced, Failure is not an option!. During the Lenten season it becomes even more intensified and important to me. Again we are reminded, Lent is the time to keep focused on the suffering of Our Blessed Savior. Dutifully we comply with our obligation to give up drinking, smoking, snacks, desserts, candy, the list of vices go on. Obviously these self denials have the dual effect, the focus on Christ's enormous suffering and His death on the cross and our own benefit of better health. Recently remembering a friend telling me several years ago how instead of taking away, she adds. Curiously, I asked for an explanation, the answer came quickly. Try adding, another kind or helpful gesture for someone who might not be your usual favorite choice. Add, volunteering your time visiting the sick or shut ins at the local hospital or nursing home. Add, another rosary today. Add, another Mass this week. Add a bit more to the collection basket. Totally unaware of my friend's plan, my sister, a fallen away Catholic, happens to retain the Lenten practices with the same idea. But the sound of the words are slightly different. She just happened to mention to me casually, that she'd rather, give, than give up. Again, I had to stop and think of the depth of the statement. Only this time I didn't need an explanation. Now another simple bumper sticker to keep firmly in mind. "I'd rather give, than give up" and "Failure is not an option". For a more meaningful Lent, you might want to add some new bumper stickers.

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CNA (Catholic News Agency) reports that Fish will now be served at KFC. "This is the first time KFC has ever served fish nationally, and we believe that the new sandwich could make it easier and more affordable for Catholics to observe the tenets of their faith," KFC President Greg Dedrick wrote in a letter to the Pope earlier this month. For more information, read the article at CNA.

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Debunking the Global Warming hype - Australia's Cardinal Pell "Keeping a cool head amid warming hysteria" for a refresing view.
The Cardinal writes that "We have been subjected to a lot of nonsense about climate disasters, as some zealots have been presenting extreme scenarios to frighten us."

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Big Brother is watching, so better do what he says. Just one more example of placing Caesar over God.

Big Brother dishes up mealtime regulations for students - but how did "sexual orientation" get on the menu? Poster in a Catholic School cafeteria states that discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited. Literally "cafeteria Catholics."

Read the full story here, courtesy of AngelQueen.org, a leading voice in the fight "for Purity and Tradition in Catholicism".

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Catholics called to build a better world, one cup of coffee at a time 2/2/2007 -- Source: Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

BALTIMORE, Md. (Catholic Online) - Catholics can build a better, more just world one cup of coffee at a time through helping ensure farmers earn a fair price for the labor, according to the U.S. Catholic Church's official international relief and development agency. Click here for the full story.

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The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA)
AS I SEE IT by SUZANNE DOLLER

Embryonic research destroys life for its stem cells

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Stem Cell Research and Enhancement Act of 2007 by a vote of 253-174. The bill, which now moves to the Senate, would provide funding for embryonic stem cell research -- research, which implicit in its practice, destroys a living embryo for the sake of its stem cells.

The human embryo fits the scientific definition of human life, from its DNA to the number of chromosomes which define the species. The human embryo is not potential life, it is life in its earliest development -- the first of many transitional stages that constitute the life continuum of the human person.

Unfortunately, the dehumanization of the living embryo into a sub-human entity appears necessary by societal standards to justify embryonic exploitation and destruction under the guise of the "common good." This is a falsification of truth which has been repeated many times against vulnerable populations throughout history -- all with tragic results.

As is widely known, human embryonic stem cell research is still speculative, yielding no substantive results to date. Adult stem cell research has been proven successful with actual patient treatment in over 70 different disease processes, and coupled with the emergence of new sources for stem cell harvesting (most recently from amniotic fluid), the future of adult stem cell research should be limitless.

Unfortunately scientists involved with adult stem cell research are having difficulty obtaining funding for research and development despite their success. The promotion of embryonic research has funneled private money away from the only successful and ethical means of obtaining stem cells, into an unproven area where results admittedly may be decades away if at all. Now Congress is asking taxpayers to do the same.

When and if embryonic stem cell research produces results, the application of the stem cell treatment to an actual patient is even more controversial. Transplanting stem cells or tissue generated from an embryo to a patient will always carry the risk of rejection, since like organ transplantation, the cells are derived from another person. In order to transplant bio-identical cells without the risk of rejection, somatic cell nuclear transfer or cloning must take place for successful treatment. The newly created human clone is made from an enucleated donor egg and the individual's genetic material.

The monumental ethical problems arising from cloned human life need not be discussed here. Adult stem cell treatment avoids the moral quagmire of cloning by using the patient's own stem cells, which are not likely to be rejected. Although cloning is not addressed in this specific legislation, a related bill allowing federal funding for therapeutic cloning will quickly follow if funding for embryonic stem cell research is approved.

For people of faith having difficulty gaining moral clarity about stem cell research, please consider these next few comments. Human life begins at fertilization. God breathes life into a soul at the moment of its creation. The sacred humanity of the embryo and all human life is innate from its beginning.

If you agree with these statements, I humbly submit that you cannot agree with the prospect of destroying human embryos for research or for any other reason. Any ethical issues regarding the current status for frozen human embryos should always be decided for the beneficence of that individual embryonic life, not for the convenience or improvement of another.

IT IS ALWAYS interesting to note that some who support embryonic stem cell research for humanitarian reasons extend none of the same "good will" to those at the very beginning of life and often times to those at the very end of it. How we treat our fellow man does say a lot about us. How we treat the smallest and most vulnerable among us will define our greatness as a people and a nation.

Please let senators know that you are opposed to funding the destruction of human embryos for their stem cells in favor of the proven successes of adult stem cell research.

SUZANNE DOLLER, a registered nurse, writes from Carlisle.

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Biggest story of our time: our self-extinction
December 24, 2006
BY MARK STEYN Sun-Times Columnist

Suppose for a moment that the birth in Bethlehem that Christians celebrate this week never happened --that it is, as the secularists would have it, mere mumbo jumbo, superstition, a myth. In other words, consider it not as an event but as a narrative. You want to launch a big new global movement from scratch. So what do you use?

The birth of a child.

If Christianity is just a myth, then it is, so to speak, an immaculately conceived one. On the one hand, what could be more powerless than a newborn babe? On the other, without a newborn babe, man is ultimately powerless. For, without new life, there can be no civilization, no society, no nothing.

Click here for the full article by Mark Steyn in the Chicago Sun-Times

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Anti-Abortion Protestors Win Suit With City of York

Click here to read the story of this victory for Life, on our local Harrisburg Station, WHP 580 Talk Radio

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Pelosi and her Politics: Silence the Churches

Nancy Pelosi hasn't been Speaker of the House for two weeks yet and there is already proposed legislation which would be the most significant encroachment ever into the affairs and ability of churches and other organizations to communicate. Click here for rest of the story

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Latin Rite Community in Poland

On 3rd January 2007, Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of Rzeszow in Poland, Rev. Kazimierz Gorny, issued a Decree on the formation of Latin Rite Community (Duszpasterstwo Tradycji Lacinskiej) in the Diocese of Rzeszow. The Bishop, having considered the humble request of the faithful whishing to participate in the Holy Eucharist according to the Traditional Roman Rite, with a view to their spiritual benefit and well-being, has decided as written in the preceding sentence. The Community shall follow the Rules & Regulations containing the mode of operation and the members� goals to be implemented. The activity of the Community shall include without limitation

(i) intellectual care through defence of catholic values in the public domain, discussion sessions, scientific conferences;

(ii) spiritual care through dissemination of traditional piety and prayer, Gregorian Chant, receiving sacraments according to the Traditional Rite;

(iii) liturgical service through the preparation of the Holy Mass celebration according to the Traditional Roman Rite and thereto-related indispensable education.

Membership of the Latin Rite Community shall require filing a request including obligation to respect and be guided by the a/m Rules & Regulations in everyday life.
Rev. Krzysztof Tyburowski Ph. D. was appointed the first chaplain of the Community.
Bishop Ordinary, Kazimierz Gorny, gave his blessing to the Community and all involved in the formation thereof.
Original story in Polish: http://rzeszow.tradycja.org/
Source: AngelQueen.org

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Lafayette Diocese introduces Tridentine Mass

Latin Masses returned to the Lafayette [Louisiana] Roman Catholic Diocese on Sunday, Jan. 14, when the Rev. Jerome Frey celebrated the initial Latin Tridentine service at St. Peter's Church in Carencro.

Bishop Michael Jarrell authorized the monthly celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass within the Lafayette Diocese.

Latin-English missalettes are made available for those who attend to use to follow the service, which is conducted in Latin.

Beginning in February, the services will be offered at 1 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month.

Source: The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA, 1/15/07

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Some excerpts from 2 article in the January 13, 2007 The Herald-Journal, Spartanburg, SC, titled " Latin Mass isn't DEAD" by KIM KIMZEY, Staff Writer

"You don't change the traditional Mass around. It changes you." according to Father Lawrence McInerny, pastor of the Stella Maris parish on Sullivan's Island.

"A whole generation has grown up with that not a part of their heritage, and they're curious about it," [Father] McCafferty said. "There's such a thirst among young people, they're looking for things that are timeless and ancient and beautiful."

and "Traditional Service Rises in Popularity with Younger Worshippers" by JOEY REISTROFFER, for The Herald-Journal

"He's facing God," she said. "We are all offering ourselves, with the priest, to God." During the Latin Mass, Aimee said, "the prayers are so engaging, you feel a strong spiritual connection to God in heaven."

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This is a tender, loving story. It is fictitious, yet somewhat consoling about the mystery of God's ways.

A mystery of God's love: When you're down to nothing, God is up to something." She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: "How is my little boy ? Is he going to be all right ? When can I see him ?" The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it." Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer ? Doesn't God care any more ? Where were you, God, when my son needed you ?" The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son ? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university." Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. "Would you like a lock of his hair ?" the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could." Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep. It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said : "Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I Love You". I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD ! And guess what, Mom ? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom ? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him ?' "God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool ? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery ! How about that ? Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

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ENGLISH SPEAKING WRITERS AND INTELLECTUALS SIGN DECLARATION SUPPORTING ANY PAPAL INITIATIVE TO ALLOW THE FREER USE OF THE 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM

(Source: The New Liturgical Movement )

We, Catholic laity and clergy, predominantly of various English-speaking lands, express our hope and desire to see the form of liturgy used prior to and during the Second Vatican Council given, again, greater freedom of use in the life of the Catholic Church and we express our enthusiastic support for any papal initiative to the same end. We join in spirit as well with those figures of yesteryear who, in 1971, successfully petitioned the Holy See for the continued use of the classical Roman liturgy, deemed by them and by us as a spiritual and cultural treasure of inestimable value. Today in a similar spirit of love for the Church and her rich liturgical tradition, we unite our own voices with those heard in the recent past: with those of Agatha Christie, Cyril Connolly, Kenneth Clark, Graham Greene, Cecil Day Lewis, Malcolm Muggeridge and Iris Murdoch. Moreover, we join with the likes of such esteemed individuals as Evelyn Waugh in expressing our profound attachment to this liturgical treasure of Church. As such, we wish to voice our support for the possible initiative of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, which is thought to allow for the wider usage of the classical Roman liturgy in the hope that: 1. Pastorally, the "rightful aspirations" (cf. Ecclesia Dei adflicta) of Catholics attached to the classical form of the Roman liturgy might be more freely and readily realized in the Latin rite; 2. The ancient liturgical usages of the West might be fostered as living forms of worship in the Church, enjoying full right of citizenship in the same � the classical Roman rite as well as the ancient liturgical rites and uses of the religious orders and primatial sees which formed a part of the living, organic and legitimate liturgical diversity of the Church until recent times. Finally, we believe that the presence of the classical form of the Roman liturgy in broader ecclesial and parish life will positively contribute to the ongoing efforts to implement the liturgical reforms promulgated by the Second Vatican Council as delineated in Sacrosanctum Concilium, and as envisioned by the Fathers of the aforesaid Council. Saturday, January 6th Feast of the Epiphany Signed:

Matthew Alderman, Intern Architect and Liturgical Artist (USA)

Dr. Deri Bal�zs, Head of the department of Latin (E�tv�s Lor�nd University), Director of the Institute for Ancient Studies, Editor-in-chief of the Hungarian Church Music Review (Budapest)

James Bogle, Esq., Barrister (London, UK)

Daniel J. Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief, Crisis in Education (USA)

Christian Champion, Department of History (McGill University, Canada)

Fr. Richard G. Cipolla, Ph.D., D. Phil.(Oxon), Chairman, Classics Department. (Brunswick School, Greenwich, CT, USA)

Stephen M. Collins, Musician (USA)

L�szl� Dobszay, Writer, Professor (Liszt Ferenc Music Academy, Budapest)

Colin B. Donovan, STL (USA)

Fr. Lawrence Donnelly (Canada)

Jane Errera, M.A., Musician and Speaker (USA)

Fr. Timothy Finigan, MA, STL, Lecturer, Founder of the Association of Priests for the Gospel of Life (UK)

Fr. Gregoire J. Fluet, Ph.D, K.H.S, V.F., Vice-President, Holy Apostles College and Seminary, Cromwell, Connecticut, Pastor (St. Bridget of Kildare Church, Moodus, CT, USA)

Dr. Michael P. Foley, Assistant Professor of Patristics (Baylor University, USA)

Michael Gilchrist, Editor, AD2000 (Australia)

J. Richard Haefer, Professor of Music (Arizona State University, USA)

Rev. Dr. Laurence Paul Hemming (Heythrop College, University of London, UK)

Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, Author and Speaker (USA)

Fr. Thomas Kocik, Author (USA)

Fr. Matthew L. Lamb, Professor of Theology (Ave Maria University, USA)

Philip Lawler, Editor, Catholic World News (USA)

Michael Lawrence, Musician and Writer (USA)

Joseph Mansfield, M.Ed, President of TennSoft LLC (Retired) (USA)

Roger McCaffrey, Catholic publisher (USA)

Dr. Dennis Q. McInerney, Professor (Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, USA)

Dr. Stephen McInerney, Lecturer/English Literature (Campion College, Australia)

Fr. Aidan Nichols, OP, John Paul II Lecturer in Roman Catholic Theology (Oxford University, UK)

Dr. Susan Frank Parsons, President, Society for the Study of Christian Ethics (UK), Co-Founder of the Society of St Catherine of Siena (UK)

Joseph Pearce, Writer, Professor of Literature (Ave Maria University, USA)

Michael Procter, MA LRAM ARCM FRSA, Editor and publisher of Sacred Polyphony, Director of the International Academy of Sacred Music (Venice)

Dr. John C. Rao (D.Phil., Oxford), Associate Professor of History (St. John's University); Chairman, The Roman Forum (USA)

Dr. Alcuin Reid, Liturgical Scholar and Author (UK)

Daniel W. Sexton, Attorney at law (USA)

Dr. Joseph Shaw, Fellow in Philosophy (St Benet's Hall, Oxford University, UK)

Dr. Barry Spurr, Senior Lecturer in English (University of Sydney, Australia)

Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz, Freelance writer in the Catholic media (USA)

Shawn R. Tribe, Writer (Canada)

Edward S. Turner III, CIO IVES Group (USA)

Paul M. Weber, Assistant Professor of Music (Franciscan University of Steubenville, USA)

Fr. Samuel F. Weber, O.S.B., (Wake Forest University Divinity School, USA)

Amy Welborn, Catholic Author (USA)

Fr. Joseph Wilson (USA)

Kieron Wood, Barrister-at-Law (Dublin, Ireland)

Dr. Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ludwig von Mises Institute (USA)

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Ecclesia Dei Commission finalizes Latin Mass document and canonical structure for Society of St. Pius X

Read about it in Brian Mershon's column in the Wanderer - click here

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  Be a part of 

The Socci Manifesto

The Socci Manifesto is a document issued by some European intellectuals in support of the efforts of Pope Benedict XVI to foster frequent celebration of the traditional Latin Mass.  The Manifesto, printed below, emphasizes the historical and cultural values of the traditional Latin Mass.

To express your support for the Manifesto:

1. Send an email to lettere@ilfoglio.it, using the subject line: The Socci Manifesto (Edictum Antonii Socci):

2. In the email, compose your own text or use this one:  "We express our praise for the decision of Benedict XVI to cancel the prohibition of the ancient Mass in latin according to the Missal of Saint Pius V, a great legacy of our culture, which must be saved and rediscovered."  For the suggested text in Latin, see below*.

3. In the email, indicate your Name, Profession (optional), City (optional), and Country of residence.

These emails may ultimately be given to the Holy Father himself.

* Nos apertis verbis assentimur Benedicto XVI, quod interdictum de prisca missa, iuxta Sancti Pii missale celebranda, quae missa quasi copiosum cultus humani patrimonium tuenda est et consideranda, abolere statuerit."

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The Socci Manifesto as translated from the original Italian by Rorate Caeli

I wish to launch an appeal to the world of culture.

In support of a decision of Benedict XVI.

The announcement was given by Cardinal Arturo Medina Estevez, a member of the Ecclesia Dei commission which met to discuss the liberalization of the Latin Mass. The prelate said, "The publication of the Motu Proprio by the Pope which will liberalize the celebration of the Latin Mass according to the Missal of Saint Pius V is close." It is an extraordinarily important event for the Church and even for the culture and history of our civilization. Historically, lay intellectuals were actually those to realize more and better the disaster, the actual cultural destruction, represented by the "prohibition" of the liturgy of Saint Pius V and the disappearance of Latin as sacred language of the Catholic Church.

When, 40 years ago -- in contravention to the documents of the Council -- the prohibition of the ancient liturgy of the Church (that which had been celebrated even during the Council) was imposed, there was a great and meritorious protest by very important intellectuals who considered this decision as an attack on the roots of our Christian Civilization (the liturgy has always been a center and a fountain of the most sublime art). Two appeals were published in defense of the Mass of Saint Pius V, in 1966 and 1971. These are some of the names which undersigned them: Jorge Lu�s Borges, Giorgio De Chirico, Elena Croce, W. H. Auden, the directors Bresson and Dreyer, Augusto Del Noce, Julien Green, Jacques Maritain (who indeed was the favorite intellectual of Paul VI, the one to whom the Pope had given the letter to intellectuals at the end of the Council), Eugenio Montale, Cristina Campo, Fran� ois Mauriac, Salvatore Quasimodo, Evelyn Waugh, Maria Zambrano, El�mire Zolla, Gabriel Marcel, Salvador De Madariaga, Gianfranco Contini, Giacomo Devoto, Giovanni Macchia, Massimo Pallottino, Ettore Paratore, Giorgio Bassani, Mario Luzi, Guido Piovene, Andr�s Segovia, Harold Acton, Agatha Christie, Graham Greene, and many others, incuding the editor of the �Times�, William Rees-Mogg.

They are largely lay intellectuals because the cultural and spiritual value of the ancient Latin liturgy is a legacy of all, as is the Sistine Chapel, as is the Gregorian [chant], as the great cathedrals, Gothic sculpture, the Basilica of Saint Peter also are. Even more so today, when our entire European Civilization risks to cut off and deny its own roots.

Curiously, even "progressive Catholics", who made the dialogue with the world and with modern culture their banner, did not give any regard and fought for forty years to keep this incredible prohibition. An unprecedented arbitrariness. In April 2005, at the eve of the election of Benedict XVI, it was a lay writer, Guido Ceronetti, who writes, in La Repubblica, an open letter to the new Pope, in which he asked "that the sinister suffocating gag on the Latin voice of the Mass be removed". When he was a cardinal, Ratzinger declared that the prohibition of the Mass of Saint Pius V was unprecedented: "throughout her history, has never abolished nor forbidden orthodox liturgical forms, which would be quite alien to the very spirit of the Church". In one of his books, he retold dramatically how he had viewed the publication of the missal of Paul VI: "I was dismayed by the prohibition of the old missal, since nothing of the sort had ever happened in the entire history of the liturgy. The impression was even given that what was happening was quite normal," but, Ratzinger wrote, "the prohibition of the missal that was now decreed, a missal that had known continuous growth over the centuries, starting with the sacramentaries of the ancient Church, introduced a breach into the history of the liturgy whose consequences could only be tragic ... the old building was demolished, and another was built."

The effects were disastrous. The road to incredible abuses in the liturgy was opened. Ratzinger writes, "I am convinced that the crisis in the Church that we are experiencing today is to a large extent due to the disintegration of the liturgy, which at times has even come to be conceived of etsi Deus non daretur: in that it is a matter of indifference whether or not God exists and whether or not He speaks to us and hears us. But when the community of faith, the world-wide unity of the Church and her history, and the mystery of the living Christ are no longer visible in the liturgy, where else, then, is the Church to become visible in her spiritual essence?"

That same Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, who prepares to cancel the prohibition, will find opposition even inside the Church (already pre-announced by the French bishops) and he deserves an answer from the world of culture which, forty years ago, made its voice heard. I ask intellectuals and whomever may wish to do so to sign this synthetc manifesto:

"We express our praise for the decision of Benedict XVI to cancel the prohibition of the ancient Mass in Latin according to the Missal of Saint Pius V, a great legacy of our culture, which must be saved and rediscovered."

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FRENCH INTELLECTUALS SIGN A "TRIDENTINE MANIFESTO

"This morning, Le Figaro brings an open letter, signed by dozens of some the most influential French intellectuals, in support of the Holy Father's efforts to free the Traditional Mass.

"Quoting Sacrosanctum Concilium, the letter reminds the French public opinion that Vatican II stated that "holy Mother Church holds all lawfully acknowledged rites to be of equal right and dignity; that she wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way."

"The letter goes on to quote Cardinal Ratzinger, other Vatican II documents, and always making a vigorous and effective defense of the Mass. Just Beautiful."
posted by Al Trovato December 16, 2006 on Rorate Coeli

Click for the names of the brave men and women that signed the letter:

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 Ecclesia Dei commission discusses papal document

Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez confirmed that he expects Pope Benedict XVI to release, in the near future, a papal document that will broaden access to the traditional Latin Mass 

"Vatican insiders expect that the papal document, widely expected to take the form of a motu proprio, will give priests permission to use the Tridentine rite-- the liturgical form used throughout the Roman Catholic Church prior to Vatican II-- without requiring the explicit permission of the local bishop. "

Vatican, Dec. 12, 2006 (CWNews.com)

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Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz, Diocese of Lincoln, NE courageously ex-communicated of members of Call to Action and other groups.  After 10 years, the Vatican has upheld the ex-communications.  His fidelity caused him to be marginalized by the majority of his fellow bishops because he did not act "collegially" with the USCCB.

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Rev. John Trigilio, Jr., PhD, ThD

Selections from Fr. John Trigilio's response to a Commonweal editorial:

"As President of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy (a 31 year old national association of 700 priests and deacons) and as a pastor and a diocesan priest ordained for more than 18 years, I personally and professionally repudiate the premise contained in your recent editorial (Tomorrow's Priests)."  Read on

Just a few of Fr. Trigilio's refreshing comments ...

"If the ultra-reformers (those who feel V2 did not go far enough) were truly collaborative, they would not be the ones who bully and harass the elderly woman who chooses to kneel for Communion. Paradoxically, the same bullies are too timid to refuse Communion to politicians who openly support abortion. "

"Seminarians do not need administrative or managerial skills or training. They need orthodox theological and sound philosophical education within the context of solid spiritual formation founded on prayer and proper celebration of the sacraments, especially the Holy Mass."

"Sentire cum ecclesiae (think with the church) and ubi Petrus ibi ecclesia (where Peter is, there is the church) are our best roadmaps."

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"... He knows at this moment how we are to stand to all eternity, what pains we are to endure, or what bliss we shall enjoy.", thus wrote Fr. Frederick Faber in "Growth in Holiness".  Father recommends these "5 simple truths":

1.  �That His  service is our most important, if not our sole, work.
2.  �That the spirit in which we serve Him should be entirely without reserve.
3.  �That our ruling passion should be horror of sin, even venial sin, and unworthy imperfections. ... Have we even heartily prayed for an increased hatred of sin?
4.  �That we should avoid, as if it were sacrilege, any slovenliness in our dealings with God.
5.  �That the only one fact of any especial importance to us is whether we are honestly serving God or not.�

�There is fear and trembling in the courts of Almighty God, in His infinite Purity and infinite Sanctity.�

-  Frederick Faber, Growth in Holiness or The Progress of the Spiritual Life.  John Murphy & Co.  Baltimore.

 

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The Catholic Faith is strong among our Mexican brethren

Our Lady of Guadalupe and a vow of sacrifice -- "It's a sacrifice that brought thousands of devout Mexican Catholics out to 5 a.m. mass for the last 12 days at St. Agnes de Bohemia Parish in Little Village -- marking the anniversary of what believers say is the Virgin Mary's appearance in 1531 to Indian Juan Diego in the Mexican town of Tepeyac." -- Esther J. Cepeda Staff Reporter, Chicago Sun- Times.

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"Germans see crossed signals on prayer with Muslims."  By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor. Reuters.  Monday, December 11, 2006; 1:19 PM (courtesy of The Washington Post)

"Benedict prayed silently alongside a Muslim but not aloud with him, a distinction adults can understand but children cannot."  Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne, who week banned little Catholics from praying with Muslim classmates, saying "Catholic children will be confused if they also say a prayer with Muslims, who have a different view of God."

 

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And Then There Were Three: The Light of Orthodoxy Flickers in Turkey

- by Dr. Robert Moynihan: Istanbul, Turkey - Day 2, November 27, 2006

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G R E A T   N E W S ! ! !

Vatican, Nov. 19 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has ruled that the phrase pro multis should be rendered as "for many" in all new translations of the Eucharistic Prayer...

Critics of the current translation have argued, since it first appeared, that rendering pro multis as "for all" not only distorts the meaning of the Latin original, but also conveys the impression that all men are saved, regardless of their relationship with Christ and his Church. The more natural translation, "for many," more accurately suggests that while Christ's redemptive suffering makes salvation available to all, it does not follow that all men are saved. (CWNews.com)

Cardinal Arinze wrote that "... the believer is invited to accept in faith the gift that is being offered and to receive the supernatural life that is given to those who participate in this mystery, living it out in their lives as well so as to be numbered among the �many� to whom the text refers."

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Canon  915: Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.  Code of Canon Law

Some articles of interest on Canon 915:

Cardinal McCarrick and the Concealing of Rome's Position on Denying Communion 10/24/2006 9:50:00 PM By John-Henry Westen - lifesitenews.net  Source:  Catholic Citizens of Illinois.org  (warning - open at your own risk - picture of John Kerry inside)

Our Catholic bishops: Called to lead - Judie Brown 11/2/05 - source:  RenewAmerica.us

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