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Wednesday 28 May 2014

God's Precious Infants Pro-Life Pilgrimage in Walsingham

Over the last May Bank Holiday Weekend.

A wonderful group of people.........



God bless Anne, Ann, Carole, Dennis, Edward, Brother Jacob and all the others..

God bless Catholic Walsingham......

One moment of glory



Meeting Archbishop Athanasius Schneider in Dublin some time ago. What a great treat! Thank God, I have lost some weight!!!!

But, the real reason for this post is to recommend his book.










Just for the heck of it...


So much for false "ecumenism" or relativism


Acts 17:22-18:1 (Revised Standard Version)


Acts 17:22-18:1

Revised Standard Version (RSV)
22 So Paul, standing in the middle of the Are-op′agus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive 
that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects 
of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What 
therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world 
and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man,25 
nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all 
men life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one every nation of men to live on 
all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, 
27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is 
not far from each one of us, 28 for
‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
               as even some of your poets have said,
‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, 
a representation by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, 
but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which 
he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has 
given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, 
“We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from among them. 34 But some men 
joined him and believed, among them Dionys′ius the Are-op′agite and a woman named 
Dam′aris and others with them.


Two notes for us to think about from this reading of today: one, God does not treat the pagans the same after the
Incarnation as before. Now that they have access to the Truth, God will judge as noted above.

Two, sometimes, we just need to walk away from those who will not listen.

Confused about Ascension Thursday Sunday?

From the Knoxville Latin Mass bulletin, a short and good explanation of the TLM Mass and permissions for the Ascension Sunday Liturgy:

KNOXVILLE LATIN MASS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER



"ASCENSION THURSDAYSUNDAY?
The Ascension of Our Lord has historically been celebrated on the 40th day of Eastertide--that is, on Thursdayof the sixth week of the Easter season. This remains the date of the Ascension on the universal Church calendar and for its celebration in the Vatican, but most U.S. dioceses have transferred the OF observance of the Ascension to the following Sunday. And the EF calendar also makes provision for the celebration of first class feasts as "external solemnities" on the nearest or following Sunday; the Vatican has indicated that this is quite appropriate in agreement with local (national or diocesan) church calendars.  Note: In the extraordinary form, however, the Feast of the Ascension itself remains on Thursday (so the Mass and Divine Office of the Ascension can be celebrated then), even if for the spiritual benefit of the faithful the Mass of the Ascension is offered for them on the following Sunday (as in our case).

Thanks to Henry....

CatholicLisa on a roll

http://www.catholicleague.org/pubs-washington-d-c-contacted/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=catholiclisa

Not a good news day

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/05/28/belgium-euthanasia-deaths-skyrocket-as-doctors-now-kill-five-people-every-day/

True and I have met some--see my homeless series earlier this year...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/28/-sp-struggle-housing-americas-mental-health-care-crisis-care

Thanks to CatholicBandita for the heads-up

http://liveactionnews.org/feminists-for-nonviolent-choices-excluded-from-peace-parade-for-being-pro-life/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=catholiclisa

Here is one person who did not get a job because of this

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/28/brown-hitsshaheen-obamacare-employer-mandate/#.U4X8Y-tQlzg.twitter

The employer told me she had to cut back on her employees because of the fines of Obamacare, and although she wanted to hire me, she could not.

Social engineering, folks...

Wonderful Mass for Pro-Life


Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Bishop Sherrington celebrates national Mass for pro-life groups

Last night I was in in Bedford representing SPUC at a national Mass for the work of pro-life organisations at The Church of The Holy Child and St Joseph. The principal celebrant was His Lordship Rt Rev John Sherrington, auxiliary bishop of Westminster, who also preached on the abortion crisis in Britain and on the work of the various groups labouring in the pro-life movement. He thanked Dr Sue Sarsfield, chairman of Bedford SPUC, which co-organized the event with the Keepers of the missionary image of Our Lady of Guadelupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe is known worldwide as the Protectress of the unborn.

Dr Sarsfield is pictured above introducing the event with Our Lady of Guadalupe's missionary image to the right and welcoming the many pro-life groups invited and present at this lovely event so beautifully supported by the parish, including a fine youth choir. After Mass Bishop Sherrington joined the congregation for a cup of tea and a bite to eat and I took the opportunity of thanking him for coming to celebrate the Mass and for his inspiring homily. Thanks are due also to Canon Seamas Keenan, the parish priest, for hosting the Mass, and who provides in his church the national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I was joined by Christopher Langley, a well-known pro-life leader in Luton, in saying the bidding prayers, and Ed Smith, of the Alliance of Pro-Life Students said the first reading. Other pro-life groups represented included leaders of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants and the Catholic Medical Association. The Knights of St Columba, of which I am proud to be a member, were also there in force.

The missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is now going on mission to Leeds where it will be welcomed by the Helpers of God's Precious Infants. Let me know if you would like the missionary image to come to your area and I will pass on the message to the Bedford organizers.

Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk 

Sad, sad, sad

http://www.churchmilitant.tv/daily/?today=2014-05-27

Worth watching.

Light and Darkness

Christ was born, in the middle of the night. Christ was resurrected either just before dawn or at dawn. Light and darkness mean something in the Scriptures and in Western tradition. One of the things which modern books and films have done is blur the age-old definitions of light and dark.

Now, those who are supposedly good use spells, violence, lying to get so-called good ends.

The bad wizards or knights or soldiers do not look any different than the good ones.

As distinctions are blurred, the real reason for warfare or fighting is blurred.

There is really only one war in this world and it is the war between those minions of satan and the children of God, those who follow Christ and are obedient to His Word.

Those who receive the Body and Blood of Christ have life within them. Those who do not need that life.

But, distinctions cannot be blurred.

Sadly, institutions we use to trust have blurred these distinctions. Traditional morality is no longer held by Washington, or London, or Paris. What was important in the past, the noble fight for real goodness has been perverted to a fight simply for power and for comfort.

Please so not be confused and do not let your children be confused. Goodness is not the same as sin. Light from Christ is not the same as the darkness of sin and death.

There is only One Light and He is Christ.

Do not let yourselves be confused.


John 8:12

Douay-Rheims 
12 Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life

On The Holy Spirit in The Church

That God has promised and has given His Holy Spirit to the Catholic Church forms part of our faith. As Catholics, we know that the fullness of Truth is found in the Church founded by Christ.

We do not doubt that the Holy Spirit guides and guards us.

But, here is the catch. People must be willing to be open to the Holy Spirit. They must be willing to pray and listen.

Two friends of mine have tremendous gifts of discernment. They share with me many movements of God in the world. I can trust them because they are absolutely orthodox and obedient to Mother Church.

That is my guide to trusting people. If I see that someone is not following the Church's teaching on an issue, such as contraception or ssm, I cannot trust that person's discernment.

A friend asked if someone could go to the "independent" so-called Catholic Church across the river, where Latin Mass is said by a priest who is not under the bishop.

I answered emphatically, "No."

If one removes one's self from the mainline Church, one is no longer protected by God. Why?

The obedient are protected.

I know several saints. Most of them are in Europe. These are women who pray and have conformed their minds to the mind of Christ.

I can trust them. And, if they make a mistake, they repent immediately.

Signs of obedience are signs of holiness.

Do not let go of the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

IPad and IPhone Hacker Demands Money

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/10857715/iPhones-frozen-by-hackers-demanding-ransom.html

The Church Is Not Utopia


Oh to be in Oleanna,
That's where I'd like to be
Than to be in Norway
And bear the chains of slavery.

Little roasted piggies
Rush around the city streets
Inquiring so politely
If a slice of ham you'd like to eat.

Beer as sweet as Muncheners
Springs from the ground and flows away
The cows all like to milk themselves
And the hens lay eggs ten times a day.


In 1852, a famous violist Ole Bull decided to set up a utopia in Pennsylvania by buying 11,000 acres and offering it free to pioneers.  The entire project failed because the violinist knew nothing of farming and the land was totally unsuitable. The project failed. More can be read here. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/places/4278/ole_bull%27s_new_norway/472266

Too many Catholics see the Church as some sort of experiment of utopia. It is not a millennialist dream of another time of Christendom or a time of triumphant in a material manner. 

The Church is an institution created by Christ to impart grace to the members and guide them to heaven. Heaven is the real goal, not any type of utopia on earth. A Catholic needs to be concentrating on becoming a saint and not on becoming involved in utopian, or other theories of neo-triumphalism.

Liberation Theology was condemned for making Christ into a militant, materialistic Messiah, in the mode of Marxist utopian theories. This theology departed from the idea of the Kingdom of God as within each one of the baptized Catholics, and not something without, not something physically set-up as a utopia.

Do not waste time dreaming of greater days to come. Pray for those who are persecuted and pray to persevere until the end.

We shall not see the return to an Catholic utopias.