At Prayer

What wondrous love....

 What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul. ... when I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul

Cloister walk

About Jim Gaffigan

The comedian, Jim Gaffigan has shocked and dismayed some Catholic fans but they shouldn't be surprised at all.  Haven't we seen this before with Stephen Colbert?  In order to make it big in the entertainment industry people usually have to do  something to signal their bosses and peers that they are in agreement with the ways of Hollywood. This is not new.  Mr. Gaffigan is probably about to make a move up in his career and his Tweet is his way of  letting everyone know that the whole clean comedy Catholic family man shtick is just that, his act to fool the rubes.

Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus....

Pray for us St. Patrick

Lorica of Saint Patrick I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness  Of the Creator of creation.  I arise today  Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,  Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,  Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In obedience of angels, In service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs,  In preachings of the apostles, In faiths of confessors, In innocence of virgins, In deeds of righteous men.  I arise today Through the strength of heaven;  Light of the sun, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind, Depth of the sea,  Stability of the earth, Firmness of the rock.  I arise today Through God's strength to pilot me; God's might to uphold me,  God's wisdom to guide me,  God's eye to look before me,  God's ear to hear me,  God's word to speak for me,  God's hand to guard me,  God's way to lie before me,  God's shield to protect me,  God's hosts to save me  From snares of the devil,  From temptations of vices,  From every one who desires me ill,  Afar and anear,  Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil, Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,  Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry,  Against spells of women and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.  Christ shield me today  Against poison, against burning,  Against drowning, against wounding, So that reward may come to me in abundance. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,  Christ on my right, Christ on my left,  Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,  Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,  Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,  Christ in the eye that sees me,  Christ in the ear that hears me.  I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation St. Patrick (ca. 377)

Christ the King

Giovanni Gasparro, the artist, can't paint realistic looking women or babies  and some of his paintings are downright hideous but his Christ is masculine  which I always appreciate.

O Sion, thy Redeemer praising

Sequentia from the  Festum Sanctissimi Corporis Christi Mass

O Sion, thy Redeemer praising,

Songs of joy to Him upraising,

Laud thy Pastor and thy Guide:

Swell thy notes most high and daring;

For His praise is past declaring,

And thy loftiest powers beside.

‘Tis a theme with praise that gloweth,

For the bread that life bestoweth

Goes this day before us out;

Which, His holy supper taking,

To the brethren twelve His breaking

None hath ever called in doubt.

Full, then, be our praise and sounding,

Modest and with joy abounding

Be our mind’s triumphant state;

For the festal’s prosecution,

When the first blest institution

Of this feast we celebrate.

In the new King’s new libation,

In the new law’s new oblation,

Ends the ancient Paschal rite;

Ancient forms new substance chaseth,

Typic shadows truth displaceth,

Day dispels the gloom of night.

When He did at supper seated,

Christ enjoined to be repeated,

When His love we celebrate:

Thus obeying His dictation,

Blood and wine of our salvation,

We the victim consecrate.

‘Tis for Christian faith asserted,

Bread is into flesh converted,

Into blood the holy wine:

Sight and intellect transcending,

Nature’s laws to marvel bending,

‘Tis confirmed by faith divine.

Under either kind remaining,

Form, not substance, still retaining,

Wondrous things our spirit sees:

Flesh and blood thy palate staining,

Yet still Christ entire remaining,

Under either species.

All untorn for eating given,

Undivided and unriven,

Whole He’s taken and unrent;

Be there one, or crowds surrounding,

He is equally abounding,

Nor, though eaten, ever spent.

Both to good and bad ‘tis broken,

But on each a different token

or of life, or death attends:

Life to good, to bad damnation;

Lo, of one same manducation

How dissimilar the ends.

When the priest the victim breaketh,

See thy faith in no wise shaketh,

Know that every fragment taketh

All that ‘neath the whole there lies:

This in Him no fracture maketh,

‘Tis the figure only breaketh,

Form, or state, no change there taketh

Place in what it signifies.

Bread, that angels eat in heaven,

Now becomes the pilgrim’s leaven,

Bread in truth to children given,

That must ne’er to dogs be thrown.

He, in ancient types disguised,

Was the Isaac sacrificed,

For the feast a lamb devised,

Manna to the Fathers shown.

Bread, whose shepherd-care doth tend us,

Jesu Christ, Thy mercy send us,

Do Thou feed us, Thou defend us,

Lead us where true joys attend us,

In the land where life is given:

Thou all ken and might possessing,

Mercies aye to us largessing,

Make us share Thy cup of blessing,

Heritage and love’s caressing

With the denizens of heaven.

Amen. Alleluia.

Random thoughts and St. Paul

• St. Paul has something to say to you:
  
  1 Cor. 11:26-27.
  As often as you shall eat this Bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until He comes. Therefore whoever eats this Bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Alleluia.
  
• Sometimes it's more interesting to me what the big Catholic news sites and blogs don't mention rather than what they do. When Nellie Gray, the founder of the March for Life died in 2012, most Catholic news sites didn't even mention it. When David Bowie, the rock star died, there were loving tributes everywhere. Even a cardinal felt the need to embarrass himself by Tweeting a quote from Bowie's song Space Oddity. When singer, Chris Cornell killed himself I was surprised to see long posts on multiple blog but so far, I haven't seen anything except Twitter posts about the torture and murder of Bishop Balla in Cameroon.
  
  
• I have come to loathe some of the attorneys and co-workers at my job. They haven't changed. I have. Either my tolerance level has lowered or it's because they have become completely unhinged since the election and are not careful with what they say. I come from a working class family and it is unnerving to hear how much my Harvard and Yale bosses despise normal people. Whenever they have to go on trial outside of the East or West Coasts they moan and groan as if they are going to Calcutta. I over heard two attorneys talking about how they ventured beyond Whole Foods, Trader Joes and their favorite farmer's market and ---gasp--- went to a regular grocery store (Harris Teeter to be exact), as if they went on safari. I think if they went to Walmart or Sav-a-Lot they'd have a stroke. It's like the Floating World of Edo era Japan. The inhabitants have their drivers, their cheap illegal nannies, gardeners and to Hell with everybody else. I guess I need to start looking for another job.
  
  
  
• I read a comment on another blog saying that Christians have lost every social battle for the last 50 years and maybe it's time to give up. I remember wondering what this person was talking about. Most American Christians of all sects have gone along with the moral decline bit by bit and Catholics with the deathly fear that seems to afflict many of us, of looking different have trailed along.
  
  
• I've never liked Mark Shea. This does not improve my already low view of him.
  
  
  
  
• Maureen Mullarkey is not backing down on her opinion of St. Fautsina and Divine Mercy.

O God, our Father, Hear us...

OGod, our Father, hear us.  We plead before You, O Sacred heart of Jesus, for all who tonight in this great city stand in the most need of Your merciful love and protection.

On souls beset by temptation, have mercy.

On those who have fallen into sin, have mercy.

On those who are given up to worldliness and are forgetful of You, have mercy.

On those who are, at this moment, in danger of losing You forever, have mercy.

By Your agony, save them, Jesus.

On those who carry on wicked trades and profit by sin, have mercy.

On those indulging in sinful amusements, have mercy.

On all who are imperiling their souls by self-indulgence and luxury, have mercy.

On all frequenting haunts of sin, have mercy.

By Your scourging, save them, Jesus.

On all who are out tonight, the homeless, the weary, the starving, those tempted to suicide, the intemperate, have mercy.

On those who are out for sin, have mercy.

To those who are out to rescue others, grant help and protection.

For those who work at night, the police, railwaymen, firemen, those engaged on the stage, soldiers and sailors, sentries on duty, editors and journalists, let Your Presence be with them, Jesus.

For the sick, and suffering and all who are enduring any agony of mind and body, comfort them, Jesus.

For all undergoing surgery, strengthen them, Jesus, and help them in body and soul.

For the sleepless and lonely, be near them.

For those in anxiety, nervous or mental distress, calm them.

For the mentally ill, keep them under Your protection.

For those who care for the mentally ill, make them tender-hearted and compassionate.

For night nurses, give faithfulness and sympathy.

For priests and doctors, called out this night, reward them.

By Your crown of thorns, deliver them, Jesus.

For those who this night must suffer bereavement, visit and sustain them.

For those for whom this will be their last night on earth, deepen their contrition and receive their souls.

For those whom sudden death summons before Your Judgement, have mercy.

For those dying alone without priest or sacrament, have mercy.

For the dying who reject the ministry of Holy Church, have mercy.

On those dying unconscious, have mercy.

On those dying blind to their sin, have mercy.

On the souls of unbelievers who are hear death, have mercy.

On those who are trying to turn to You even in their last hour, have mercy.

For those who are afraid to die, turn their heaviness into joy.

For dying priests and religious, have mercy on them and receive them to Yourself.

For the faithful departed, grant them light and peace.

For ourselves in our last hour, grant the pardon of our sins, our negligences and our ignorances.

By Your holy death, deliver us all, O Jesus.

On behalf of those who have said no prayers today, let us say:  Our Father… Hail Mary…

On behalf of those who neglect to praise God and thank Him, let us say: Blessed be God.  Blessed be His holy name.

On behalf of those who blaspheme and neglect the Blessed Sacrament, let us say: Blessed, praised, worshiped and adored be Jesus Christ on His Throne of Glory and in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

The marriage of the Virgin from the Visconti Hours

When I was a child my mother brought this  book home for me. It was the Visconti Hours, an illustrated book of prayers painted for ruler of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti in the 14th century. I spent many hours looking at the pages. The book was published in 1972 and my copy is in pretty good shape except for a cracked spine. 

St. Remigius and St. Clotilda pray for us

I just listened to an inspiring homily that mentioned two saints who didn't take the so called Benedict option.

Bishop Balla, rest in peace...

Western bishops, particularly American ones have a lot of time on their hands. While they are meddling in politics, indulging sinners with abnormal sexual penchants, pursuing dubious theories about the weather and scuffing around for refugee resettlement money, Catholics in places like Cameroon really have more pressing concerns.

Bishop Jean Marie Balla of the Biafa diocese was kidnapped, tortured and murdered. His body was thrown in the Sanaga river. Priests and nuns have been attacked before in Cameroon and the bishop reportedly had reason to believe that at least one of those murders might have been at the hands of government assassins.

Eternal rest grant unto him Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

At prayer

Mass in Wartime

St. Charles Lwanga, pray for us

A photo of the saint taken a year or two before his martyrdom.

The lovely, Obianjuj Ekeocha, the founder and president of Culture of Life in Africa, visited the shrine to the Ugandan martyrs and got to see the prison, torture tree and place where the martyrs were burned.  It's a frightening sight even today. You can see more photos here 

I'll point it out again, a married priesthood will not prevent pedophile cases

The Orthodox have married priests and yet they have  had pedophilia cases. Rabbi's get married and yet although it doesn't make the national news, rabbi's have been arrested for seducing boys and girls.  In order to avoid the mess of a dating pastor some  Baptist congregations never  hire a pastor unless he shows  up to the first interview already married. The situation of the married preacher having sex with women members of the church is such a common story it's the subject of many, many jokes, books and films. Those married preachers have been caught with under-aged boys and girls too.  And don't forget, multiple Protestant denominations have had scandal, misery and financial expense over the Youth Minister.

The pervert who enjoys sex with pre-pubescent children or teenagers is a crafty monster.  He will assume any disguise in order to get access to them. He will marry a woman he has no sexual interest in just to get at her children and in some cases, their friends. He will join organizations that cater to children. The Boy Scouts have paid out big settlements due to  predatory Scout Masters.  Numerous Summer camps have had "trouble" with married and presumed normal, camp counselors molesting the young campers.  A new story about teachers and their students seems to make the headlines every day. Dedicated perverts have sat for years in seminary  classrooms and gotten themselves ordained in order to  hide behind a clerical collar or cassock. . Do you actually think that sex with a woman or even just a farcical marriage can cure perverted sexual desires? Malignant narcissists wouldn't have any qualms about using some woman as an extra layer of disguise. Anyone who thinks that a married priesthood would stop pedophilia is about as pitiful and dangerous as the South African men who cling to the filthy superstition that sex with a virgin will cure AIDS.