Recta Ratio

Fortunate, indeed, are the clients of this most compassionate Mother; for nor only does she succor them in this world, but even in purgatory they are helped and comforted by her protection. And as in that prison poor souls are in the greatest need of assistance, since in their torments they cannot help themselves, our Mother of mercy does proportionately more to relieve them. St. Bernardine of Siena says, “that in that prison, where souls that are spouses of Jesus Christ are detained, Mary has a certain dominion and plenitude of power, not only to relieve them, but even to deliver them from their pains.”

And, first, with respect to the relief she gives. The same saint in applying those words of Ecclesiasticus, “I have walked in the waves of the sea,” adds, “that it is by visiting and relieving the necessities and torments of her clients, who are her children.” He then says “that the pains of purgatory are called waves, because they are transitory, unlike the pains of hell, which never end; and they are called waves of the sea, because they are so bitter. The clients of Mary, thus suffering, are often visited and relieved by her.” “See, therefore,” says Novarinus, “of what consequence it is to be the servant of this good Lady, for her servants she never forgets when they are suffering in those flames; for though Mary relieves all suffering souls in purgatory, yet she always obtains far greater indulgence and relief for her own clients.”

The divine Mother once addressed these words to St. Bridget: “I am the Mother of all souls in purgatory; for all the pains that they have deserved for their sins are every hour, as long as they remain there, in some way mitigated by my prayers.” The compassionate Mother even condescends to go herself occasionally into that holy prison, to visit and comfort her suffering children. St. Bonaventure, applying to Mary the words of Ecclesiasticus, “I have penetrated into the bottom of the deep,” says, “the deep, that is, purgatory, to relieve by my presence the holy souls detained there.” “Oh, how courteous and benign is the most blessed Virgin,” says St. Vincent Ferrer, “to those who suffer in purgatory! through her they constantly receive comfort and refreshment.”

And what other consolation have they in their sufferings than Mary, and the relief they receive from this Mother of mercy? St. Bridget once heard Jesus say to His holy Mother, “thou art My Mother, the Mother of mercy, and the consolation of souls in purgatory.” The Blessed Virgin herself told the saint, “that as a poor sick person, bedridden, suffering, and abandoned, is relieved by words of encouragement and consolation, so are the souls in purgatory consoled and relieved by only hearing her name.” The mere name of Mary, that name of hope and salvation, which is frequently invoked by her beloved children in their prison, is a great source of comfort to them; “for,” says Novarinus, “that loving Mother no sooner hears them call upon her than she offers her prayers to God, and these prayers, as a heavenly dew, immediately refresh them in their burning pains.”

Mary not only consoles and relieves her clients in purgatory, but she delivers them by her prayers. Gerson says, “that on the day of her assumption into heaven purgatory was entirely emptied.” Novarinus confirms this, saying, “that it is maintained by many grave authors, that when Mary was going to heaven, she asked as a favor from her Son to take all the souls then in purgatory with her.” “And from that time forward,” says Gerson, “Mary had the privilege of delivering her servants.” St. Bernardine of Siena also positively asserts “that the Blessed Virgin has the power of delivering souls from purgatory, but particularly those of her clients, by her prayers, and by applying her merits for them.” Novarinus says, “that by the merits of Mary, not only are the pains of those souls lessened, but the time of their sufferings is shortened through her intercession.” She has only to ask, and all is done.

St. Peter Damian relates, “that a lady named Marozia appeared after her death to her godmother, and told her that on the feast of the Assumption she, together with a multitude exceeding the population of Rome, had been delivered by Mary from purgatory.” Denis the Carthusian says, “that on the feasts of the Nativity and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Mary does the same thing; for on those days, accompanied by choirs of angels, she visits that prison and delivers very many souls from their torments.” Novarinus says, “that he can easily believe that on all her own solemn feasts she delivers many souls from their sufferings.”

The promise made by our blessed Lady to Pope John XXII, is well known. She appeared to him, and ordered him to make known to all that on the Saturday after their death she would deliver from purgatory all who wore the Carmelite scapular. This, as Father Crasset relates, was proclaimed by the same Pontiff in a Bull, which was afterwards confirmed by Alexander V., and this latter, in a Bull of the year 1613, says “that Christian people may piously believe that the Blessed Virgin will help them after death by her continual intercession, her merits, and special protection; and that on Saturdays, the day consecrated by the Church to her, she will in a more particular manner help the souls of the brethren of the Confraternity of Our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel who have departed this life in a state of grace, provided they have worn the habit, observed the chastity of their state, and recited her office: or, if they could not recite it, if they have observed the fasts of the Church, and abstained from meat on all Wednesdays except Christmas-day.” In the solemn office of our blessed Lady of Mount Carmel we read that it is piously believed that the Blessed Virgin comforts the brethren of this confraternity in purgatory with maternal love, and that by her intercession she soon delivers them, and takes them to heaven.

Why should we not hope for the same graces and favors, it we are devout clients of this good Mother? And if we serve her with more special love, why can we not hope to go to heaven immediately after death, without even going to purgatory? This really took place in the case of Blessed Godfrey, to whom Mary sent the following message, by Brother Abondo: “Tell Brother Godfrey to endeavor to advance rapidly in virtue, and thus he will belong to my Son and to me: and when his soul departs, I will not allow it to go to purgatory, but will take it and offer it to my Son.”

Finally, if we wish to relieve the holy souls in purgatory, let us do so by imploring the aid of our blessed Lady in all our prayers, and especially by offering the Rosary for them, as that relieves them greatly.

Prayer

O Queen of heaven and earth! O Mother of the Lord of the world! O Mary, of all creatures the greatest, the most exalted, and the most amiable! it is true that there are many in this world who neither know thee nor love thee; but in heaven there are many millions of angels and blessed spirits, who love and praise thee continually. Even in the world, how many happy souls are there not who burn with thy love, and live enamoured of thy goodness! Oh, that I could love thee, O Lady worthy of all love! Oh that I could always remember to serve thee, to praise thee, to honor thee, and engage all to love thee! Thou hast attracted the love of God, whom, by thy beauty, thou hast, so to say, torn from the bosom of His Eternal Father, and engaged to become man, and be thy Son. And shall I, a poor worm of the earth, not be enamoured of thee? No, my most sweet Mother, I also will love thee much, and will do all that I can to make others love thee also. Accept, then, O Mary, the desire that I have to love thee, and help me to execute it. I know how favorably thy lovers are looked upon by God. He, after his own glory, desires nothing more than thine, and to see thee honored and loved by all. From thee, O Lady, do I expect all; through thee the remission of my sins, through thee perseverance. Thou must assist me at death, and deliver me from purgatory; and finally, thou must lead me to heaven. All this thy lovers hope from thee, and are not deceived. I who love thee with so much affection and above all other things after God, hope for the same favors.

(From The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori)

Labels: Restorationists

Monday will be the day I post my traditional slew of Thanksgiving posts. Otherwise, blogging will be non-existent through next weekend.

This year, I am going to post links to the recipes for the Thanksgiving feast, rather than just list the menu. And if I can find some images to go with the recipes, I'll post them, too.

Labels: Annual Cycles

O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy Divine Son Jesus shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and in particular that one amongst them all which would be the last to depart out of those pains, that it may come to praise Thee in Thy glory and bless Thee forever.
Amen.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
Amen.

Labels: Restorationists

Cardinal George will be the President of the USCCB for the next year. And Bishop Serratelli takes over the liturgy position from the abhorent Bishop Trautman. That's the good news.

The bad news is that Archbishop Burke lost his committee chairmanship, and that Cardinal O'Malley has one.

Labels: Restorationists

Pray for a good result as Ecclesia Dei is working on guidelines for the interpretation of Summorum Pontificum.

Father Zuhlsdorf points out that the content of these guidelines will be the subject of pressure from the various enemies of tradition.

Pray for a good outcome.

Labels: Restorationists

First, this that I saw when I looked more closely at the Immaculate Conception parish bulletin:

Father Richard Cipolla of Saint Mary Parish, Stamford, will celebrate Mass according to the Tridentine Rite, or as it is now called, the Extraordinary Roman Rite, on Sunday, November 18th, at 6:00 PM. All are invited to attend this Mass. Seminarians from Holy Apostles Seminary will provide the Chant for the Mass.

I have met Father Cipolla, and have heard him say Mass several times, and am very impressed with his work.

Secondly, I found out that the Society of Saint Hugh of Cluny, which supports the Stamford TLM, in much the same way that the St. Gregory Society supports the Sacred Heart, New Haven Mass, and the Saint John Cantius Society supports the Chicago TLM, is supporting this venture in Waterbury.

In Connecticut, at least, the response to Summorum Pontificum has been excellent, with both public and private Masses spreading nicely. Here in Boston, the response has been one additional TLM on First Friday evenings. That's it. I haven't heard about any private Masses becoming available here.

I hope this Waterbury Mass has a large turnout, and becomes a permanent and weekly part of the parish life in that part of Connecticut. And I hope this spirit spreads to us here in Boston, too.

Labels: Restorationists

At times, it seems that new TLMs are springing up so quickly, it is hard to keep track. I have reported on new Masses at St. Columbkill's in Brighton (First Friday evenings), and in Portsmouth, NH, and Burlington, Vt, as well as a Saturday morning Mass at the seminary in Cromwell, Ct.

Here is a notice that was forwarded to me regarding a parish experimenting with the Usus Antiquor this coming Sunday night, November 18th at 6pm in Waterbury, Ct. The Parish is Immaculate Conception.

Latin Mass is at the Immaculate, on Nov. 18, at 6p.m.
There will be a coffee hour to greet all and see the
future interest. I know there will be a beautiful
choir...most of the mass in Latin is sung. This should
be a wonderful evening. I hope many will attend.
Anyone truly interested, would you mind to pass their
name on to me...

Looking at the bulletin, it appears that this will be a sung High Mass.

This sounds as if the parish is testing to see if there is interest. Connecticut, unlike we poor benighted folk here in Massachusetts, has a number of TLMs already, one in New Haven at Sacred Heart, one in Stamford at St. Mary's, and one in New Britain at St. Mary's. And I belive there is one in Bridgeport, as well. These are every Sunday Masses. There is also the Mass in Cromwell at the Seminary. We in Massachusetts are still struggling with just Mary Immaculate of Lourdes in Newton, very hard to get to on time via public transportation, and the Saint Benedict Center in Still River, MA (forget about public transportation, it doesn't exist there).

So I would encourage people in the area to attend this Mass, Sunday at 6pm, to encourage the pastor to foster this as a regular part of the schedule.

Labels: Restorationists

Continue to pray for those poor, but blessed souls in Purgatory.

You may be just as in need of prayers one day yourself.

Memento Mori!

Labels: Restorationists

But I will only have to travel to New York to see him.

OK. Next April, I'll manage a day in New York.

Labels: Restorationists

Your Inner European is Irish!

Sprited and boisterous! You drink everyone under the table.

Labels: Recta Ratio Housekeeping

Abigail Adams

General George S. Patton

Labels: Annual Cycles

Today is also a day to mark the services of the British soldier, to whom I wrote a tribute, too.

How Tommy Atkins got his name.

Labels: Annual Cycles

My tribute to those who have served.

Thank you for your sacrifices!

Labels: Annual Cycles

At eleven minutes after the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, World War I ended.

It was a war entered into by most of Europe with jubilation 4 years before. The astonishing slaughter of the trenches in pointless battles at Verdun, Ypres, the Somme, the Argonne, the Marne, and Gallipoli turned the jubilation into bleak despair as Europe's generals could think of nothing better than to have an entire generation slaughtered and maimed, marched into machine-gun fire and left to hang on the barbed wire of no-man's land, while their governments ginned up what popular enthusiasm they could by proclaiming it a war to end all wars.

World War I ended Europe's dominance of the world.

It's outcome abruptly ended the rule of the Romanovs, Habsburgs, and Hohenzollerns.

It brought the menace of communism to reality in Russia.

It made the rise of Nazism in Germany possible.

It butchered innocence and optimism along with millions of young men.

The airplane, the tank, and the submarine for the first time became significant instruments of war.

Europe no longer had the self-confidence, or the money, to maintain colonial empires after the war, so most of mankind was swiftly cut adrift into the modern world without proper guidance in how to cope in it.

It brought the US and Russia to the fore of world power.

But the battle of attrition of that war wasn't properly concluded. The peace that was imposed was so mild, yet seemingly so harsh, that Germany was both motivated to, and able to attack again in 30 years, bringing on even greater human catastrophe, and dimming Europe's star, perhaps forever.

The day that ended that nightmare of a war has been commemorated solemnly ever since.

When I was a child there were still many World War I veterans alive. But, as Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy sang, "The old men still answer the call/But year after year, the numbers get fewer/Someday no one will march there at all." Today the youngest veteran of World War I is in his late 90s and very few people have contact with anyone who fought that grievous, bloody, pitiless war. Sadly, World War I has become a forgotten war.

The subsequent history of mankind has made a mock of the claim that "The Great War" would end all wars.

On a personal note, my grandfather and 2 of his brothers enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Connaught Rangers (formerly the 88th Regiment of Foot) in 1915. My grandfather was a gas casualty at Ypres, but survived the war. He died in 1936, 28 years before I was born.
At eleven minutes after the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, World War I ended.

It was a war entered into by most of Europe with jubilation 4 years before. The astonishing slaughter of the trenches in pointless battles at Verdun, Ypres, the Somme, the Argonne, the Marne, and Gallipoli turned the jubilation into bleak despair as Europe's generals could think of nothing better than to have an entire generation slaughtered and maimed, marched into machine-gun fire and left to hang on the barbed wire of no-man's land, while their governments ginned up what popular enthusiasm they could by proclaiming it a war to end all wars.

World War I ended Europe's dominance of the world.

It's outcome abruptly ended the rule of the Romanovs, Habsburgs, and Hohenzollerns.

It brought the menace of communism to reality in Russia.

It made the rise of Nazism in Germany possible.

It butchered innocence and optimism along with millions of young men.

The airplane, the tank, and the submarine for the first time became significant instruments of war.

Europe no longer had the self-confidence, or the money, to maintain colonial empires after the war, so most of mankind was swiftly cut adrift into the modern world without proper guidance in how to cope in it.

It brought the US and Russia to the fore of world power.

But the battle of attrition of that war wasn't properly concluded. The peace that was imposed was so mild, yet seemingly so harsh, that Germany was both motivated to, and able to attack again in 30 years, bringing on even greater human catastrophe, and dimming Europe's star, perhaps forever.

The day that ended that nightmare of a war has been commemorated solemnly ever since.

When I was a child there were still many World War I veterans alive. But, as Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy sang, "The old men still answer the call/But year after year, the numbers get fewer/Someday no one will march there at all." Today the youngest veteran of World War I is in his late 90s and very few people have contact with anyone who fought that grievous, bloody, pitiless war. Sadly, World War I has become a forgotten war.

The subsequent history of mankind has made a mock of the claim that "The Great War" would end all wars.

On a personal note, my grandfather and 2 of his brothers enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Connaught Rangers (formerly the 88th Regiment of Foot) in 1915. My grandfather was a gas casualty at Ypres, but survived the war. He died in 1936, 28 years before I was born.

Labels: Annual Cycles

Today the Church celebrates Saint Martin of Tours, one of the most important saints in western Christendom.

Martin was born in Pannonia around 325, and entered the Roman army's elite cavalry at an early age. Encountering a beggar while was stationed at Amiens, he divided his cloak with him. According to legend, the beggar revealed himself to be Christ himself.

Shortly after age 20, he was baptized and left the army, becoming an exorcist under the direction of Saint Hilary of Poitiers. He lived as a hermit on the island of Gallinaria, and returned to Gaul where he founded a monastery at Liguge, the first important monastery in the West. His monastery followed the Rule of Saint Basil.

In 371, he was forcibly carried off to become bishop of Tours. He had hidden from the delegation from Tours, but his hiding place, it is said, was revealed by a goose, hence the custom of eating goose on Martinmas.

He ruled the see of Tours for 26 years. In that time, he made numerous conversions in Berry, Touraine, Anjou, Beauce, Dauphiny, Paris, Luxembourg, Trier, and Sennonais. Wherever he went, he cast down idols, built churches, and left priests and monks to carry out his work.

In 397, worn out, he lay dying at Candes. His followers begged him to live. He struggled to say, "If God finds that I can still be of use to His people, I do not at all refuse to work and to struggle longer." He died with his face turned to Heaven.

He became almost immediately, the most popular saint in Chistendom. In France alone, 4,000 churches are dedicated to him, and over 500 villages are named for him.

Martinmas in Europe corresponds to the traditional time for slaughtering animals not intended to be kept alive through the winter. It also signals the time that the new vintage of wine is ready for drinking. Fresh beef and Beaujolais Noveau have traditionally meant feasting in Europe. So Martinmas has traditionally been a jolly time, a last opportunity to enjoy God's bounty before the fast of Advent starts.

Labels: Restorationists