Ut in Omnibus Glorificetur Deus

So that God may be glorified in all things. Motto of the Benedictines

Brief Intermission

A few days intermission while we go off and visit Andrew at La Salette. I hope to bring back some good pictures and videos to post next week of the La Salette Homecoming. We will ask St. Christopher for some help getting around all of this crazy weather.

A Limerick

Josh Hickman can march to Pretoria;
It gives him a sense of euphoria.
Like stout hearted men
He does left, right, and then
Keeps high-stepping onward to gloria.

J. Betz (one of Joshua's fine teachers)

Sermon Posted (in side links) and Sunday Miscellany

I have not written a family update for a bit, so here it goes. We are on the opposite side of our third round of chicken pox. The lucky third round winners were Therese, Joshua and Sophia. In addition, it appears we have a new cough starting. Well, it is difficult to say if it is a new cough or some mutation of the old cough that's been grinding throats since Christmas. The Whooping Cough should certainly be gone by now but it is difficult to discern when one illness is finished and another has taken its place.

We are praying for some stability in health so that Dad, Mom and the boys can head out to La Salette at the end of the week for Andrew's homecoming and teacher conferences. Incidentally, there will be no sermon posted next Sunday provided, health and weather permitting, we can make the trip.

The boys and girls are all doing well in school. Chris and Joseph sang in the schola at Mass today, and despite the small size of the boy's schola, they are sounding better each time thanks to the patience and effort of their director. Christopher is packaging organic lettuce seeds as a little side project to raise some extra money. Amanda and Meghan are knitting scarfs.

The big February event is Confirmation. Both Christopher and Amanda will be receiving Confirmation on February 9th. In addition to Confirmations this year, Therese will have her First Holy Communion in a couple of months and, as Meghan did last year, Amanda will receive her Solemn First Communion at the Dominican girl's school at the end of the school year.

So for now, we have school, work, bitter cold, recurring illness and a craving for fresh garden vegetables. In other words, it is a typical winter in the Adirondacks. But a little hardship (and what hardship compared to those truly suffering in the world?!) fortifies the spirit and keeps us vigilant. We are indeed busy, but as St. Teresa of Avila said, "Jacob did not cease to be a Saint because he had to attend to his flocks." Please God, we are fulfilling our parental vocations to His desire.

-Albert
+Third Sunday after Epiphany

A New Dawn for Catholic Tradition? Watch and Pray!

Press release
of the Superior General of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X

The excommunication of the bishops consecrated by His Grace Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, on June 30, 1988, which had been declared by the Congregation for Bishops in a decree dated July 1, 1988, and which we had always contested, has been withdrawn by another decree mandated by Benedict XVI and issued by the same Congregation on January 21, 2009.

We express our filial gratitude to the Holy Father for this gesture which, beyond the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, will benefit the whole Church. Our Society wishes to be always more able to help the pope to remedy the unprecedented crisis which presently shakes the Catholic world, and which Pope John Paul II had designated as a state of “silent apostasy.”

Besides our gratitude towards the Holy Father and towards all those who helped him to make this courageous act, we are pleased that the decree of January 21 considers as necessary “talks” with the Holy See, talks which will enable the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X to explain the fundamental doctrinal reasons which it believes to be at the origin of the present difficulties of the Church.

In this new atmosphere, we have the firm hope to obtain soon the recognition of the rights of Catholic Tradition

Menzingen, January 24, 2009
+Bernard Fellay

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a testament to the power of the rosary and the benevolence of the Blessed Mother of God. Not long ago, the Society held a worldwide rosary crusade for the freeing of the Traditional Mass which yielded approximately 2 million rosaries. Within six months of that crusade, the Holy Father issued his Motu Proprio liberalizing the Traditional Mass and vindicating those who held firmly to it by declaring officially that it had never been abrogated. That rosary crusade was re-launched prior to this Christmas for the intention of the nullification of the excommunication on the Society bishops, thereby furthering the reconciliation of the Church to her Tradition. This new crusade yielded about 1.8 million rosaries and today we rejoice in its fruits. Viva Il Papa!

Happy Name Day, Emma

Today is the name day of our Goddaughter Emerentia. May our Lord Jesus Christ shine down his blessing and favor upon her.

"At Rome, the holy virgin and martyr, St. Emerentiana. Being yet a catechumen, she was stoned to death by the heathens while praying at the tomb of St. Agnes, her foster sister."
-From the Roman Martyrology

Yes we ...

I cannot bring myself to complete the three word phrase in the subject line immortalized by the current President of the United States. It reminds me of a similar four word phrase in the childrens book The Little Engine That Could, a story so endearing to the minds of three-year-olds, with language tailored accordingly. The similarity is probably not accidental.

How often did we hear this trite and ambiguous (ambiguous and misleading like 'choice' and 'change') "Yes we ..." mantra chanted by multitudes of minds several times the age of three over the last year? I even now see it used in business presentations like some new clever catch-phrase of the times.

To quote my Confirmation saint and great patron St. Paul: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child." It is time we as a nation and as adults put away childish things, because these are serious and dangerous times in which we live. The "choices" made today will have dire consequences on our children and future generations.

-Albert
+Feast of St. Vincent, Martyr

Feast of St. Agnes

The picture above was taken in Rome today courtesy of Orbis Catholicus on this feast day of St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr. The lamb in white flowers represents virginity while the lamb in red represents martyrdom.

At Rome, the passion of St. Agnes, virgin, who under Symphronius, governor of the city, was thrown into the fire, but after it was extinguished by her prayers, she was slain with the sword. Of her, St. Jerome writes: "Agnes is praised in the writings and by the tongues of all nations, especially in the churches. She overcame the weakness of her age, conquered the cruelty of the tyrant, and consecrated her chastity to martyrdom."

(from the Roman Martyrology)

-Albert

The Audacity of Truth

"Thus the empire of our Redeemer embraces all men. To use the words of Our immortal predecessor, Pope Leo XIII: "His empire includes not only Catholic nations, not only baptized persons who, though of right belonging to the Church, have been led astray by error, or have been cut off from her by schism, but also all those who are outside the Christian faith; so that truly the whole of mankind is subject to the power of Jesus Christ." Nor is there any difference in this matter between the individual and the family or the State; for all men, whether collectively or individually, are under the dominion of Christ. In him is the salvation of the individual, in him is the salvation of society. "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved." He is the author of happiness and true prosperity for every man and for every nation. "For a nation is happy when its citizens are happy. What else is a nation but a number of men living in concord?" If, therefore, the rulers of nations wish to preserve their authority, to promote and increase the prosperity of their countries, they will not neglect the public duty of reverence and obedience to the rule of Christ. What We said at the beginning of Our Pontificate concerning the decline of public authority, and the lack of respect for the same, is equally true at the present day. "With God and Jesus Christ," we said, "excluded from political life, with authority derived not from God but from man, the very basis of that authority has been taken away, because the chief reason of the distinction between ruler and subject has been eliminated. The result is that human society is tottering to its fall, because it has no longer a secure and solid foundation."

When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony."

Excerpt from the Encyclical Quas Primas (On the Feast of Christ the King) by Pope Pius XI, 11 December 1925

Please pray for our nation.

- Albert

Fr. Campbell's First Mass (and Sermon posted)

Fr. Benjamin Campbell celebrated his first Mass at St. Therese's today. He is a graduate of our little St. Therese's Academy and has family in the area. Father Hewko gave the sermon. Along with the pictures below, I would have scanned and posted his ordination card but our printer/scanner decided that today was the day to give up the ghost. Father's first post will be in St. Mary's, Kansas. Let us pray for Father Campbell and pray for all priests.



Fr. Campbell gives a first blessing

Isabella asked: "Mom, did you take your baby out?"

This one is for you, Matt :)

-Albert

+Second Sunday after Epiphany

Lead Kindly Light (The Poem/Hymn)

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path, Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Savior, lead me home in childlike faith, home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life.

By Cardinal John Henry Newman

Te Deum for Patrick

A little seven year old boy named Patrick attends Blessed Virgin Mary Academy down in Syracuse. Last week, Patrick complained of a sharp pain in his head and shortly fell limp in his father's arms. After being rushed to the hospital, it was discovered that Patrick had a brain aneurysm that hemmorhaged. A hole was drilled into his skull to relieve pressure and he went in for serious surgery a few days ago. Prayers were fervent and God granted a successful surgery. The last I heard, Patrick was expected to regain consciousness within a day of the surgery. It is still uncertain what damage was done and what the recovery process will be. Please keep Patrick and his family in your prayers. I post a performance of Charpentier's Te Deum in thanksgiving for a successful surgery.



-Albert
+Feast of St. Marcellus I, Pope and Martyr

Lead Kindly Light (Part 2)

After graduating from High School, I spent two years in a community college pursuing an Associate's Degree in Computer Science before transferring to university. While there, I took a philosophy and literature course from an older professor who happened to be a Catholic. He did not preach the Catholic faith in class obviously, but there was something clearly different about him, how he held himself, his dignity, the clarity of his thought. He witnessed his faith with his life. He was integral. Unlike other Catholics I had met growing up, he was someone who believed and whose faith governed his life and conduct.

When it came time to choose a topic for my first term paper, a list was distributed and I happened to select John Henry Newman's The Idea of a University. I had no idea who John Henry Newman was and, thinking about it now, I cannot fathom what drew me to that particular treatise. I would later discover that John Henry Newman was a famous 19th century Anglican convert to the Catholic Church who would become a respected cardinal in the same.

Newman's Apologia Pro Vita Sua is a classic work of Catholic apologetics, detailing his journey as a protestant churchman to the Catholic faith and providing answer to the critics that he left behind. His Development of Christian Doctrine, written while an Anglican, would cause the few remaining scales to fall from his eyes that were keeping him from conversion. His famous quotation "to be deep in history is to cease to be protestant" is a truth that so many do not realize because they do not know history, or have been taught a revisionist history hostile to religion in general and the Catholic Church in particular.

The writings of Cardinal Newman are a wellspring of learning, inspiration and beauty. He authored many sermons, works of Christian history, and poetry. His magnificent poem The Dream of Gerontius, describing a soul's journey after death, would later be composed as an Oratorio by the English composer Edward Elgar.

The introduction to Cardinal Newman through his Idea of a University would be another little light on my own journey. While I was nowhere near a conversion at that time, I believe that old misconceptions and prejudices began to breakdown and a scale or two fell from my eyes.

Through this same professor, I was introduced to another author whose first-hand account of life in a communist gulag would make another important impression. I will write more on him in a future post.

-Albert
+Feast of St. Hilary, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor

Lead Kindly Light (Part 1)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had several little influences over the period of about twelve years that led me home to the Catholic Church. The first that I can remember was a trip to St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC while I was in High School. Just about anyone is sure to be mesmerized by the grandeur of St. Patrick's, but even beyond that, I sensed something that I had never sensed before and it stuck with me. Only much later after my conversion would I realize that what I sensed was the True Presence of Our Blessed Savior in the Tabernacle. I believe there was a whisper from that Tabernacle, and my poor confused soul heard it and tucked it away as a pearl of great price. It was a Grace, and many, many more would follow. Had I not been reared by loving parents and with some religious background as a protestant that at least showed me who my savior was, I wonder how disposed I would have been to hear this Voice and those that would follow. May God open all eyes and hearts as he has opened mine, one who has deserved it the least.

-Albert
+Octave Day of the Epiphany

Feast of the Holy Family (and Sermon Posted)

Who was subject to whom? A God to men. God, I repeat, to Whom the angels are subject: Whom principalities and powers obey: was subject to Mary; and not alone to Mary, but to Joseph also, because of Mary. Admire and revere both the one and the other, and choose which you admire the more: the most sweet condescension of the Son, or the sublime dignity of the Mother. For either am I at a loss for words: for both are wondrous. For that God should obey a woman is humility without compare; and that a woman should have rule over God dignity without equal. In praise of virgins is it joyfully proclaimed: that they follow the lamb withersoever he goeth. Of what praise shall you esteem her worthy who also goeth before Him? -St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Fr. Hewko's Sunday Sermon on the family and the importance of praying the rosary is available for download.

Updates

I sit here on another Sunday morning spent at home instead of Mass. I'm home with Mary Catherine who still has a few uncrusted Chicken Pox blisters. Sickness has overtaken the family lately. We have pretty much recovered from the Whooping Cough that hit 8 of the children. We are nearing the end of recovery for the 5th case of Chicken Pox and anxiously awaiting the next round. There are still four children that we are waiting on.

I have much to say about the immunization issue regarding Pertussis, and since I rarely say much on this blog, Al will be happy I've finally written something. :)

I've been questioning the use of all immunizations and the quality control of the government over the manufacturers for several years now. Still, I weighed the risks of the vaccine with the chance of the child contracting the illness. For example, Hepatitis B can only be contracted through intimate relations or blood transfusions. Why on earth do they give that vaccine hours after a baby is born?! Certainly a newborn, healthy baby is not at all in the risk group, so I've always refused that vaccine. There are also several vaccines that have been derived from the cells of an aborted fetus. For ethical reasons, I have declined these. Scientists have the ability to produce these vaccines from other means, but they have not so far, or they are not readily available.

However, Pertussis is a very real illness that still makes it's rounds, so I chose to have that vaccine, even considering the risks involved (autism, just to name one). Well, when 8 out of 9 (Andrew was not home) vaccinated children contract the illness, I would call that vaccine completely ineffective, not the 85% effective that they tell you. The heath department has had no answers for me and appears to just want to ignore the issue. I'm disappointed, but certainly not surprised.

I've now joined the anti-vaccination camp. I am no longer willing to put my children at risk from these vaccines full of mercury, formaldehyde and much more, if I cannot be assured of the efficacy of them. Considering the health department will only use ONE case of the pertussis from our family in their statistics, it is a very, very flawed system just from a scientific, statistical standpoint.

I realize that vaccines have saved many lives, but, unfortunately, they have also taken many. Until the benefits again out weigh the risks and I can be certain that the statistics are valid, I'm not willing to take those risks with my young children.

Coming down off my soapbox:
~Leslie

Truth and Beauty

The windows of the Gothic cathedral and the emphasis on light as it flooded these enormous and majestic buildings are perhaps its most salient characteristic. It makes sense, then, that the architect would have appreciated the theological significance of light. Saint Augustine had conceived of human beings' acquisition of knowledge in terms of divine illumination: God enlightens the mind with knowledge. This idea of God pouring light into the minds of men proved a potent metaphor for architects in the Gothic tradition, in which physical light was meant to evoke thoughts of its divine source.

Quoted from How The Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas Woods, Jr., Ph.D.

A Surprise Christmas Gift

I've been eyeing an icon of the Blessed Mother in our parish bookstore for awhile now. Apparently, the children noticed. When I arrived home Monday morning from the trip out to La Salette Academy, they gave me the icon as a surprise Christmas gift purchased with their own pooled money. I love the gift, but am moved even more by the thoughtfulness.

P.S. That picture above is what I look like after a marathon drive from Illinois and the first "all nighter" that I have pulled probably since I was in college. I am getting way too old for that!

12th Day of Christmas - The Epiphany of Our Lord

Happy Feast of the Epiphany and... Happy Birthday to my Mother and belated Happy Birthday to my Mother-In-Law!

Therese Marie's Birthday

Therese's Birthday is January 3rd but, since Andrew and I will be on the road, we celebrated a day early:

Happy New Year and Another Sermon Posted

Happy New Year to everyone! The sermon for the last day of the Christmas Octave is posted. I won't have a sermon to post this Sunday as I will be on the road to Illinois to return Andrew to school for the next trimester. God love you.