Give thanks for your Freedom... while we still have it...

This was posted yesterday, and I can not believe what our brothers and sisters in the Lord are suffering.  They are descending into what was once the experience of the early Christians in Rome, well watch the clip:


It is important that we pray for the strength and safety, and the assistance of the Guardian Angels for these our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  What if such a situation arose here in America? In Denver?  Would we have the courage and love to step forward to defend the Lord's people? 

And what now, while the world slides deeper into sin, will you do nothing?  Marijuana is now legal and contraception has become so addictive to many people who live a life of promiscuity?  Do we do anything for them now?   Guns can be fought very readily with other guns, but only virtue can combat sin in a nation without a prolific experience of guns. Do you and I have the courage to take up that virtue and to reject and fight sinfulness wherever we find it?  Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against sin and temptation.  Get in the fight....

We are blessed with Fr. Michael Gass!

As you may know, Fr. Michael Gass refocused our community on the Divine Eucaharistic presence of our Lord when he arrived here.  Be sure to thank him this week, as Bishop Poprocki, is now agreeing, and implicitly honoring, the actions of Fr. Michael when he restored Jesus to the center of our worship. 

Infiltration by well-meaning people?

I am currently going through a few videos that have been here in the Parish Religious Education Center for some time.  Interesting as there is a video series known as"The 3rd Millenium: Vatican II - The Civilization of Love."  As I watch these I am truly saddened at these videos which came out in the mid 1980s.

The video on "The Liturgy" actually tried to prove that the Church was trying to dissassemble to Traditional Latin Mass and the liturgical actions of centuries of Christian belief.  At one point, the commentator actually says (something to the effect of), "The question is not why have we turned the altars around, but why were they up against a wall in the first place."  This is an unfortunate and gravely mistaken reading of the Documents of Vatican II.  It is quite clear as one reads the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy or Sacrosanctum Concilium that this is not something which the Council sought to do.  It is not even mentioned.  In fact, recently a blogger known as Matt Fradd noted this in one of his columns.  Yet in this video the deceptively make it sound as if this were almost the expressed desire  of the Catholic Church.   Moreover, it goes on to basically make the case the Liturgy, and in particular the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is reducible to a mere "meal which Jesus left us."  Lastly, it laments that we can be comfortable with a "human jesus, but a divine Jesus makes us uncomfortable."

These elements of the video make it clear that the Catholic Faith is not about receving the Gift of Faith from God, the objective revelation and teaching of Jesus handed on in the Church.  Rather, the producers of this video seek to have us only worship what we understand.  We should, it seem, not seek the mystery of God, the intimate life of God, but we should be happy enough with only that which we can handle.  What a sad version of Catholicism this creates.

Over and over again this same video admits that "the Mystery" of God is removed from the Liturgy.  Yet, this is the very nature of what Jesus came to reveal for us in the Mystery of the Holy Trinity.  The very interior and intimate life of God is what we are invited into in the Sacrament of Baptism.  Now, according to this video, with the New Order of Mass after Vatican II we seem to have no need of mystery in Liturgy. A more false notion could not be found.

As if this weren't bad enough, the next video I reviewed in this series is proposing to show Mary in a "new light."  There are many subtleties in this presentation that may be beyond most average Catholics, however for myself as a trained theologian there are many distinctions that must be made which are not and presumptions which are spoken that are not clear.  Beyond that, it should suffice to point out that the Nun who presents this presentation on Mary is the one about whom Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, the head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith, criticized the LCWR (the Leadership Conference of Women Religious - which is a leadership group that heads the many of the congregations of nuns in America) because they honored this dissenting theologian. 

As I continue to review these videos, I can't help but notice it is for videos like this, which are published by a company called "Parish Video Library", that so many Catholics, either in leadership roles or in the pews, who heard and accepted these views were and are the reason that so many Catholics no longer believe the Catholic Faith or erroneously hold positions which are contrary to the Catholic Faith.  It is so much easier for us as human beings for us to convince ourselves that we understand the faith when it makes sense to us or is easier for us to follow, rather than understand that the gift of Catholic Faith and challenge which it offers us in our human lives.  Becoming a Saint is not possible by any other means than by the cross of faith and abandonment to God's teaching for mankind in the Holy Catholic Church.  May we not seek the way that is wide and easy, but the narrow way that is the way of sacrifice and obedience to Christ.

"My sheep know MY voice"

The writers of the following article are WRONG on the Catholic practice of praying the Rosary.  They also erroneously call the only Church Jesus established (the Catholic Church) "heretics".  As well, they mistakenly seem to implicate all of the successors of the apostles (the bishops of the Holy Catholic Church) as "false teachers" - which maybe the case in some rare instances, but not ALL.  Moreover, they refer to "the Catholic's angry God" - WHICH IS NOT THE CASE!  Nevertheless, with so many people considering going to see "The Son of God," one wonders if it should not be approached with more caution.

THIS IS HOLLYWOOD AFTER ALL!

The Bible is far more profound in its text than in any interpretation of man - this is precisely why we have Scripture reading as the secondary focus of EVERY MASS, the first being "the bread of life which came down from heaven (see Jn 6:1-66)." It is also the reason the Catholic Church approves translations for her children, so that we may get the most faithful texts - which any scholar of Greek or Hebrew could tell you. 

Nevertheless, consider the main point of this article: namely, the movie "The Son of God" may NOT be what you think it is.

http://thelasthiker.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/the-son-of-god-movie-is-not-what-we-think-do-you-know-the-voice-of-your-master/

For further witness, consider this article written by an apparently Protestant author (for the teaching about being covered over by Christ's grace at the end): http://blogs.christianpost.com/abandoned-to-christ/movie-review-son-of-god-is-most-certainly-not-the-son-of-god-20297/

As Catholics, we must be leery of following false Christs. Many have come, and many more will before the end.  Be attentive!

Your life will change...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I want to announce and encourage you to mark you calendar now for Notre Dame's Parish Lenten Mission.  After so many centuries of wisdom and great Saints who came from the Dominican Order, Notre Dame has asked the Order to send us a priest who would come to share the Wisdom and Love of God for us.

Fr. Chris Saliga currently serves as assistant novice master for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph.  He has previously served in campus ministry at Aquinas House at Dartmouth College and as university chaplain at Walsh University; he has served as postulant director and assistant novice master for the Dominican Vicariate of Eastern African; and he has served as health care chaplain and ethicist with the Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York, Saint Catherine of Siena Priory.

He has taught philosophical bioethics at Walsh University; he has taught courses on human freedom and human happiness for the Waterman Institute at Dartmouth College; he has facilitated ethical reflections grounded in natural law for interested Medical Students at Dartmouth College; he has taught various clinical rotations for Franciscan University of Steubenville Department of Nursing; he has served on the Hospital for Special Surgery Ethics Committee; and he has served on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Akron.

He has presented on a variety of topics in health care ethics and spirituality at various hospitals, universities, and churches; he has written on select topics in health care ethics and spirituality; and he has led numerous retreats, days of recollection, and missions in schools, religious communities, and parishes.

Father Chris is a military veteran having served as a United States Army combat medic and a paratrooper, and later as a United States Navy nurse corps officer with both active Naval and reserve Marine Corps branches.   

Fr. Chris comes very highly recommended, and I pray that you will join the Parish in looking forward to  hearing his message of God love in a Mission that will be focused on the theme:

The Cross: Our Lenten Journey to Eternal Life.  This will take place from Saturday March 22nd until Wednesday March 26th.  Fr. Saliga will preach all Sunday Masses (including the Sat. evening mass), he will preach each morning at the morning masses, and then offer a reflection each night beginning on Sunday Mar. 23rd until Wednesday Mar. 26th at 7pm.  Come and consider the love and mercy of God for each of our human souls and bodies! 

To learn a little more about Fr. Chris, here is an explanation of some of the things he has done:

VIEW DISCRETION ADVISED & prayers for True Men of Christ.

This post has ADULT CONTENT! PLEASE BE ADVISED! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.

Do you know a true man of God?  What does he look like?  Certainly he serves Christ above all else, in his family, in his relationships, in his priesthood (whether as an ordained priest or as a lay man who offers spiritual sacrifices to God), but how would know.  A few months back a horrific display of the lusts and rebelliousness of mankind against God took place when self-proclaimed Feminists took to the streets of Argentina to attack the Cathedral there.  While the Bishop prayed with others for these people, some men took up arms (literally) to defend the Church and the Holy Eucharist inside.  Pray for these men of Argentina, pray for the women in this video, pray for Holy Mother Church who now is being beset on all sides from the vicious and bold attacks of mankind that has forgotten the Love of God:




Before you read further, please watch the above video, if you have not.

Michael Voris over at ChurchMilitant.TV had this to say:


We must ask ourselves: could we have done this as well?  Could we defend the Holy Eucharist from those who would seek to desecrate it.  And, perhaps more necessarily, do we know others and associate with others who are able to do this as well?  For our parish, the Men's Group meets on the First Wednesday of each month at 8:30pm.  The Daughters of Jerusalem Women's Group meets on the 4th Wednesday of most every month.  The Militia Immaculata meets on the 1st Wednesday from 7pm-8pm.  Consider joining others as we learn, encourage and live our Holy Catholic Faith.  The time may be coming when we will need each other to fight and endure persecution.

To all the Married "Peeps", and those on the way...

Are you married?  Are you looking to be?  For your consideration:

Why bother with a Catholic University!?!?!

Because you get amazing creativity and hilariousness like this:



My alma mater, Franciscan University of the Steubenville!  I would recommend it for any young Catholic seeking to be serious in their Faith!

Before logging on to the internet

Found here: http://wdtprs.com/blog/a-prayer-before-connecting-to-the-internet/, Fr. Z has done a great service to all of us at his blog, by offering this prayer before you log onto the internet:

A prayer before logging onto the internet:
Almighty and eternal God, who created us in Thine image and bade us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful, especially in the divine person of Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor, during our journeys through the internet we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. Through Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Not much more can be said about this....

Other than, please God may it be so:

Do you understand the historic significance of this?

Dear Fellow Parishioners and fellow Catholics everywhere, Pray. Pray for our country. Pray for our president. You may be a person who believes that "gay marriage" should be legal; heck, you may even be for abortion. But understand this: our country has been hijacked from the Christian principles it once stood on. This can be seen in this article posted a few days ago. If you don't have the time, then the jist is this: recently Satanists have unveiled their plans for a Satanic Monument in Oklahoma.

And this comes from society where the mindset is no longer concerned with the only Living and True God who has sent His only begotten Son for the sake of our salvation. This can be seen particularly in our president who holds a syncretistic view of America. And particularly, that our current American President proclaimed these amazing words:

In the American Imagination, the hallmark of our nation has been its Christian underpinnings, which quickly were established as NOT CATHOLIC by society as a whole. Then, and thus where we are now, the Protestant mindset is now waning. Certainly, this is of a piece with Protestant Christianity: If one does not like or agree with something, then they should reject it and change it to what makes them more comfortable. I have heard this from various Catholics who have been told strange things from clergy members - including that HELL no longer exists or that no one is likely there. This kind of erosion is what Satan loves. Yes, Satan and the Hell which he directs are very much real. Satan knows that we Catholics can not be outright changed once we have accepted and decided to serve Christ. But he also knows that if we slowly begin to slack on the grandeur and demands of the Christian Life, then he already has a claw on us. Even WORSE, that we lead one of Christ's little ones astray, "for it would be better if we had a millstone tied to our neck and we were thrown in the sea (Lk 17:2)." To quote G.K. Chesterton, "The Christian life [and here read Catholic, as ONLY it is the fulness of Christianity] has not been tried and found wanting; it has been tried and found difficult." Yes, to claim the title of "Catholic" today and to live up to its demands is NOT for the weak, it is only for those of great courage and faith. Thanks be to God that all of us who are weak will be granted the grace of courage and faith to do this, if we accept it, and become the Saints God intends for us to be!

Consider,as well, our own nearby Christian sisters, dedicated to Christ our Lord and to his service. The Little Sisters of the Poor will NOT (PLEASE GOD) give up the fight against the imposition of so-called "Obamacare" because it violates the basic teaching of what the suffering and wounded Christ died for so that mankind might know him and the way for our Salvation from Sin. In case, you have not heard (or don't have time to read the link): the Little Sisters of the Poor have been wantonly attacked by our own American Government. Thank God for the Becketfund.org that is defending them and proving that Catholics, true Catholics, do NOT back down from the encroachment of this world on our belief in Christ. These Little Sisters of the Poor have been told by the current Administration that it is "no big deal" to sign a waiver which allows them to let another company provide their employees with access to abortion and contraception. This, my dear brothers and sisters, IS the new "PINCH OF INCENSE" that so many of our early Christian brothers and sisters would NOT put on a fire before a statue of the Emperor (seen by the Romans to be a God). They understand well that to do so would be to violate their belief in Jesus Christ as the only true Lord of Life. Their Trinitarian Faith, belief in the Holy Trinity that Jesus came to reveal (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), allowed them to endure what seemed like "no big deal" - the pinch of incense before the idol - and to be faithful to Christ even in what seemed like a small thing. Though, in fact, it was an immense rejection of the Only Living and True God.

Mark these words: the Church is now sinking into persecution. Are you ready to prepare for fidelity to Christ, for as he himself taught us, "he who is faithful in small things, will be faithful in big things." Pray for me, as I pray for all of you, that we ALL may be faithful to him who has given us New Life in the waters of Baptism. I pray persecution is not upon us, but I don't think it can be avoided now - mind you, this is only ONE man's opinion (namely mine!). A showdown seems to be coming in the life of every Faithful Catholic. Pray that we might have an Elijah to help us be faithful against Baal!