Bishop Malone: How will Pope Francis reform the Church?

Bishop Richard Malone of the Diocese of Buffalo weighs in on possible reforms under the leadership of our Holy Father, Pope Francis.

Divine Mercy Novena Begins on Good Friday

While praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet on Good Friday, do so with these intentions:

Day one - pray for all mankind, especially sinners:

"Today bring to Me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me." - from the diary of St. Faustina

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.




Read HERE about the Divine Mercy Sunday Indulgence.

Bishop Malone: Consider Coming Home to the Catholic Church

The Diocese of Buffalo

Catholics Come Home

Yessir, That's My Pope!

I Heard the New Pope Loves Comedy

Now we know where they find Catholics to use in New York Times polls.

President Obama and the Church

"Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he's also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher. And he's also a wonderful teacher. I think it's important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history." --President Obama





"This has not been a fight of our choosing.  We’d rather not be in it.  We’d prefer to concentrate on the noble tasks of healing the sick, teaching our youth, and helping the poor, all now in jeopardy due to this bureaucratic intrusion into the internal life of the church.  And we were doing all of those noble works rather well, I dare say, without these radical new mandates from the government.  The Catholic Church in America has a long tradition of partnership with government and the wider community in the service of the sick, our children, our elders, and the poor at home and abroad.  We’d sure rather be partnering than punching." --Timothy Cardinal Dolan


"Practically, we’re told that the majority of Catholics use artificial contraception. There are properly medical reasons, in some circumstances, for the use of contraceptive pills, as everyone knows. But even if contraceptives were used by a majority of couples only and exclusively to suppress a possible pregnancy, behavior doesn’t determine morality. If it can be shown that a majority of Catholic students cheat on their exams, it is still wrong to cheat on exams. Trimming morality to how we behave guts the Gospel call to conversion of life and rejection of sin." -- Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.


"The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage nevertheless are opposed to a Constitutional amendment to ban it. Religious leadership need not accept such wisdom in counseling their flocks, but they should recognize this wisdom in their politics." --President Obama


"Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation" --President Obama


"I also know that Islam has always been a part of America's story." --President Obama




Did you take the +Ponderings+ poll on President Obama yet?  Click HERE.


Stand up for religious freedom! VISIT THIS SITE

The Copyrighted Catholic

Michael Voris.  You've seen him on +Ponderings+ and elsewhere on the internet.  He's the energetic guy with a whole lot of zeal for the Church and a double blessing of hair on his head.  Never afraid to speak his mind, and always doing so out of his undying love for Christ and His Church, Mr. Voris sometimes ends up in the spotlight himself.  Having been on the receiving end of poor catechesis in his youth, Mr. Voris has apparently made it his life mission to expose cafeteria Catholicism for the evil that it is and to lead the stray sheep back to the fold.  He unapologetically has exposed many issues which he backs with evidence gained by lengthy research and shares the information and sources for others to use in discernment.

On December 15, 2011, the Archdiocese of Detroit released the following statement:

The Church encourages the Christian faithful to promote or sustain a variety of apostolic undertakings but, nevertheless, prohibits any such undertaking from claiming the name Catholic without the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority (see canon 216 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law). For some time, the Archdiocese of Detroit has been in communication with Mr. Michael Voris and his media partner at Real Catholic TV regarding their prominent use of the word "Catholic" in identifying and promoting their public activities disseminated from the enterprise's production facility in Ferndale, Michigan. The Archdiocese has informed Mr. Voris and Real Catholic TV, RealCatholicTV.com, that it does not regard them as being authorized to use the word "Catholic" to identify or promote their public activities. Questions about this matter may be directed to the Archdiocese of Detroit, Department of Communications. Source

Following the release of the statement, there have been heated comments directed toward the Archdiocese and many questions raised.  Canon lawyers have weighed in on both sides and a lot of people have pointed out that some entities use Catholic in their name within the Archdiocese of Detroit, and they are clearly operating in ways contrary to the Catholic faith.  Is the word 'Catholic' copyrighted and just who does and does not have the right to use 'Catholic' in a name?  If some can use Catholic and others cannot, why does it appear that Michael Voris from RealCatholicTV is being called out and others not?  There have been no allegations of wrong-doing made against RealCatholicTV, yet they are being told that they cannot use the word 'Catholic' in their name.  On January 3, 2012 the Archdiocese of Detroit released a follow-up statement:

Subsequent to the release in mid-December, 2011, of a "Statement regarding Real Catholic TV and its name," inquiries have come to the Archdiocesan Department of Communications regarding the timing and need for this particular declaration. The Director of Communications presents this response:

"The Archdiocese of Detroit has been consistent in its statements to and about Real Catholic TV since the fall of 2008. (Regarding RealCatholicTV.com) Due to continued requests made to the Detroit archdiocese for clarification concerning the use of the title Catholic by Real Catholic TV, and to avoid any confusion among the faithful, it was determined a public statement should make clear what has been told to Real Catholic TV, namely, that it does not have the authorization required under Church law to identify or promote itself as Catholic."

Canon Law Commentary In the Light of the Law: blog entries from Dr. Edward Peters, a widely-known lay canon lawyer on the graduate faculty at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

• Canon law and the statement on Real Catholic TV

• Questions and answers on Real Catholic TV statement       Source

Here is the video response to the story from Michael Voris himself:



Lifesitenews.com has interviewed Fr. Mark Gurtner, Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend in Indiana in regard to the matter.  They report on their site:

Speaking as a canon lawyer and not an official of the diocese, Gurtner also said he believes the jurisdiction of the case resides with the Indiana diocese. “It certainly seems to me that canonically Michael Voris would not be the one that this would be imposed on,” he said. “Even though he is the one that regularly appears on (the show) he, in a sense, is really just an employee of (RealCatholicTV.com).” 

“It seems like if the Archdiocese of Detroit is trying to go after (Voris), that’s the wrong person to address this with, that would have to be with the owner of the website or blog,” he added.
“I suppose if this Marc Brammer [owner of RealCatholicTV and Indiana resident] is paying for and running, constructing his blog from our diocese in his home I suppose you could make the argument that we have jurisdiction canonically.” 

When asked by LifeSiteNews what concerns the Detroit Archdiocese had about Voris and RealCatholicTV.com, Detroit Archdiocesan Director of Communications McGrath would not specify any concern other than the use of the word ‘Catholic’. 

Asked if the archdiocese has asked any other group or individual in the archdiocese not to use the name Catholic, McGrath said he couldn’t remember any other cases during his 20 years with the diocese.  “I don’t know. I’ve been here 20 years I can’t say that we’ve never done that in the history of the Archdiocese,” he said. 

Pressed on the point, he said, “I wouldn’t want to say that definitively. But not any that I can recall recently, no.”

What a tangled web and I can't help feeling that I am caught up in it.  Afterall, this is +Catholic Ponderings+ and I cannot tell which, if any, canon law I may or may not be breaking.  I suppose I should just be thankful to not be under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Detroit.  In my opinion, Michael Voris has shined a light on something or someone somewhere and a certain Archbishop didn't like it.  He can tell Mr. Voris to put his lamp under the basket, but I will not.  I don't always agree with Mr. Voris but I love his tenacity.  I can think of a lot of "Catholic" people, universities, and leaders who bear the Catholic trademark, but a nagging inner voice tells me they have clearly ventured into the realm of small 'c' catholicism.

Missal Revision: Music Changes

Also, be sure to check out THIS SITE.  You can sample new chants for the Mass.  God is always good and change can be good, too!

CCHD Collection This Weekend at a Parish Near You

I thought that I had discussed the CCHD collection for the last time with my last entry, yet this video which just landed in my inbox changed my mind. I will not summarize the concerns about the CCHD but you may follow the story by reading previous posts on this page.

Watch this video produced by Real Catholic TV.

Automatic Holy Water Dispenser?

Folks, this is not a joke but I wish it was. I've posted some funny videos in the past here, here and here but the one below makes me a bit sad. Hat tip to Crescat.


Holy Water Dispenser by DiagonalView

Now go watch the ones I linked above and have some fun.

'Religion of Peace' Attempts to Exterminate Catholicism in the Middle East

What of those Christians in Iraq? Are there any left?

Pope Benedict XVI announced in September 2009 that there will be a Synod of Bishops in the Middle East to address the current crisis in the region. The eastern 'lung' of the Church is on a ventilator and most people in the world are turning a blind eye. Under the guise of political correctness, many world leaders, including Mr. Obama, are more concerned about avoiding 'hurt feelings' among the Muslim world, than the bodies of Christian martyrs piling up.



Below, an appeal from the Bishops and Priests in Iraq:


(Click to enlarge)

What now? A new documentary has been produced by the Charity and Justice organization. Part one is available and here is a description of An Open Door:

The most important aspect of this documentary is to show Iraqi Catholics in their true light, conveying to the world that Catholics in the Middle East are neither terrorists nor refugees. They are people – individuals with a deep faith, rich heritage, and courage. Episode One covers health, with episodes on spirituality, education, contributions of Iraqi Catholics, and employment to follow.

For Catholics to to stay in Iraq, to thrive, and foster positive relations with their Muslim neighbors, and for those who have already migrated due to persecution or poverty to stay connected to their religion and roots, the global Catholic community must work together to provide the opportunities that will enable Iraqi Catholics to shed their refugee status, and become fully participating Iraqi citizens once again.

This will occur through the construction of Catholic schools and hospitals, and development of industry. This is something Iraqis long for and are ready to work for, and a gift for which Iraqi Catholics will be forever grateful to those who can help them.

View part one of An Open Door below:

Wanted: Men to Answer the Call and Families to Support Them

USCCB Vocations and Priestly Formation

Just who was 'Jane Roe'? Meet Miss Norma McCorvey

Facts about Miss McCorvey:

• She became Catholic in 1998
• She NEVER had an abortion
• She was a token in a legal game as part of Roe v. Wade
  
• She now speaks out against abortion
• She is the mother of three daughters and is now a grandparent
• She is in South Bend to speak out against abortion right now
  
• She seeks to help women who have had an abortion heal
  

In prayerful remembrance of our brothers and sisters who have been lost from abortion…We do not condemn those who felt they had to do this; rather, we weep with them now…and we pray for the day when the most frail and vulnerable lives will enjoy the same protections the rest of us do.

Stress Relief

Pray and then watch the streaming video from Fr. Z.

Modern Vow of Silence

One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church

A little something I put together a year ago - many of you may have not seen it yet. Enjoy.

Divine Mercy Sunday April 19, 2009 - Indulgences

Harry asked for a blog entry addressing the indulgences attached to Divine Mercy Sunday and I am more than happy to oblige. Following is the Decree on Indulgences attached to devotions in honour of Divine Mercy from the Vatican.

APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY

DECREE

Indulgences attached to devotions in honour of Divine Mercy

"O God, your mercy knows no bounds and the treasure of your goodness is infinite..." (Prayer after the "Te Deum" Hymn) and "O God, you reveal your almighty power above all by showing mercy and forgiveness..." (Prayer for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time), in these prayers Holy Mother Church humbly and faithfully sings of Divine Mercy. Indeed, God's great patience with the human race in general and with each individual person shines out in a special way when sins and moral failures are forgiven by Almighty God Himself and the guilty are readmitted in a fatherlike way to his friendship, which they deservedly lost.

Duty of honouring Divine Mercy

The faithful with deep spiritual affection are drawn to commemorate the mysteries of divine pardon and to celebrate them devoutly. They clearly understand the supreme benefit, indeed the duty, that the People of God have to praise Divine Mercy with special prayers and, at the same time, they realize that by gratefully performing the works required and satisfying the necessary conditions, they can obtain spiritual benefits that derive from the Treasury of the Church. "The paschal mystery is the culmination of this revealing and effecting of mercy, which is able to justify man, to restore justice in the sense of that salvific order which God willed from the beginning in man, and through man, in the world" (Encyclical Letter Dives in misericordia, n. 7).

It is God's Mercy that grants supernatural sorrow and resolution to amend

Indeed, Divine Mercy knows how to pardon even the most serious sins, and in doing so it moves the faithful to perceive a supernatural, not merely psychological, sorrow for their sins so that, ever with the help of divine grace, they may make a firm resolution not to sin any more. Such spiritual dispositions undeniably follow upon the forgiveness of mortal sin when the faithful fruitfully receive the sacrament of Penance or repent of their sin with an act of perfect charity and perfect contrition, with the resolution to receive the Sacrament of Penance as soon as they can. Indeed, Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in the parable of the Prodigal Son that the sinner must confess his misery to God saying: "Father I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Lk 15,18-19), realizing that this is a work of God, "for [he] was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found" (Lk 15,32).

Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday

And so with provident pastoral sensitivity and in order to impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these precepts and teachings of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, moved by the consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the Second Sunday of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these gifts of grace and gave this Sunday the name, "Divine Mercy Sunday" (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Decree Misericors et miserator, 5 May 2000).

The Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter narrates the wonderful things Christ the Lord accomplished on the day of the Resurrection during his first public appearance: "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you'. When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the discples were glad to see the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you'. And then he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'" (Jn 20,19-23).

Plenary Indulgence

To ensure that the faithful would observe this day with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence, as will be explained below, so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbour, and after they have obtained God's pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters.

Pardon of others who sin against us

Thus the faithful will more closely conform to the spirit of the Gospel, receiving in their hearts the renewal that the Second Vatican Council explained and introduced: "Mindful of the words of the Lord: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another' (Jn 13,35), Christians can yearn for nothing more ardently than to serve the men of this age with an ever growing generosity and success.... It is the Father's will that we should recognize Christ our brother in the persons of all men and love them with an effective love, in word and in deed (Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et spes, n. 93).

Three conditions for the plenary indulgence

And so the Supreme Pontiff, motivated by an ardent desire to foster in Christians this devotion to Divine Mercy as much as possible in the hope of offering great spiritual fruit to the faithful, in the Audience granted on 13 June 2002, to those Responsible for the Apostolic Penitentiary, granted the following Indulgences:

a plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!");

A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.

For those who cannot go to church or the seriously ill

In addition, sailors working on the vast expanse of the sea; the countless brothers and sisters, whom the disasters of war, political events, local violence and other such causes have been driven out of their homeland; the sick and those who nurse them, and all who for a just cause cannot leave their homes or who carry out an activity for the community which cannot be postponed, may obtain a plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday, if totally detesting any sin, as has been said before, and with the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual conditions, will recite the Our Father and the Creed before a devout image of Our Merciful Lord Jesus and, in addition, pray a devout invocation to the Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you).

If it is impossible that people do even this, on the same day they may obtain the Plenary Indulgence if with a spiritual intention they are united with those carrying out the prescribed practice for obtaining the Indulgence in the usual way and offer to the Merciful Lord a prayer and the sufferings of their illness and the difficulties of their lives, with the resolution to accomplish as soon as possible the three conditions prescribed to obtain the plenary indulgence.

Duty of priests: inform parishioners, hear confessions, lead prayers

Priests who exercise pastoral ministry, especially parish priests, should inform the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church's salutary provision. They should promptly and generously be willing to hear their confessions. On Divine Mercy Sunday, after celebrating Mass or Vespers, or during devotions in honour of Divine Mercy, with the dignity that is in accord with the rite, they should lead the recitation of the prayers that have been given above. Finally, since "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5,7), when they instruct their people, priests should gently encourage the faithful to practise works of charity or mercy as often as they can, following the example of, and in obeying the commandment of Jesus Christ, as is listed for the second general concession of indulgence in the "Enchiridion Indulgentiarum".

This Decree has perpetual force, any provision to the contrary notwithstanding.

Archbishop Luigi De Magistris,
Tit. Archbishop of Nova
Major Pro-Penitentiary

Fr Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M. Conv.,
Regent

* To learn more about the Divine Mercy Chaplet, visit the EWTN website or Divine Mercy Sunday.com
* To better understand indulgences, read this Primer on Indulgences.
* Watch and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet in song below:

The Impossible Dream?

A lovely montage assembled by John and dedicated to our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. What a wild bunch of sheep the poor man has been saddled with. ;) Enjoy.

If the 'Modernists' Had Their Way: Mr. Bean and the Creed

Below is a spoof, not of the Apostles Creed, but of those who think they know better than the Church; the dissenters who say she is too old fashioned, not loving enough, not inclusive enough. After learning that the Diocese of Rochester recently installed a temporary labyrinth in their Cathedral, I wonder if Bishop Matthew Clark would perhaps prefer his female priestesses hand out leaflets with an altered Nicene Creed at the Holy Mass. This coupled with a 'super-soaker' filled with holy water should be a great inspiration to the average dissident. We wouldn't want anyone to be uncomfortable, would we? ;) Watch the video, laugh and then pray.



"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths." (2 Tim 4:3-4)

On Sin and How to Get to Heaven

19 For I through the law died to the law, that I might live in God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the law, the Christ died to no purpose.
-- Galatians 2:19

Brothers and sisters, we are saved by grace alone. It is by the grace of Jesus Christ we are saved. There is absolutely nothing we can do to 'earn our way to heaven'.

Did you go to confession over the past weekend? What are you doing to accept or reject God's forgiveness?

_________________________________

For further study, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church on Salvation and Justification:

See Article Four

AND

654 The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life. This new life is above all justification that reinstates us in God's grace, "so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Justification consists in both victory over the death caused by sin and a new participation in grace. It brings about filial adoption so that men become Christ's brethren, as Jesus himself called his disciples after his Resurrection: "Go and tell my brethren." We are brethren not by nature, but by the gift of grace, because that adoptive filiation gains us a real share in the life of the only Son, which was fully revealed in his Resurrection.