6. l am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains."( John12:24 ). Mortification, being an old practice by early Christian mystics, is killing the self- centered self so that we can be other-centered like Christ. Purgation is a constant self-denial in order to lead us to the next ladder: Illumination 

 

7. Illumination. The next step mentioned by our Lord, after "deny yourself" is ""Carry your cross" In the Gospel according to St. Luke, he added the word "daily". Carrying ones cross is not only once but daily. But how can carrying ones' cross a path to illumination? In the first letter of St. John chapter 2 verse 10 says :"If we love others, we live in the light". Our daily cross pertains to our responsibilities. Your cross can be your spouse, your cross can be your parents who are elderly and ill, your cross can be your incorrigible son or your cross can be your workers in the company. Nonetheless, we are called to carry them. It means to love them. Not to hate them. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the lord will save his people."' ( Luke 4:18-19 ). The Jubilee year's essence is love of the poor. The jubilee year is meant to alleviate the sufferings of the poor. (Diakonia) 

 

8. The vow of poverty of the religious is practiced by detachment from worldly goods and pleasures. But this is a medium to be free or available in serving the poor. It does not mean becoming miserable by having a home like a dog cage. Or the poverty here is not practicing detachment to be attached to exclusive relationship with the powerful and influential elite class. Poverty is more of an attitude. It does not mean automatically that rich people is evil or categorized with oppressors and the poor is the superman. Wrong. There are so many rich people who are altruistic and there are poor people who are self-centered and lacking in discipline. But of course, there are poor people who are happy in serving God and the Church. Despite of their lack of material blessings. 

 

9. What we are emphasizing here is authentic poverty which the Lord pleases is not simplistic acceptance of our poor condition but working hard to develop ones' lifestyle which is comfortable for everyone. It is not appropriate for the children of God to live in shanties; it is not appropriate for the children of God to be jobless. And therefore, We are inviting the poor to help themselves by disciplining themselves. Limit population growth. The well-off should share with the poor. Correct graft and corruption. And correct unjust structures. These are the correct attitude of the Anawim ( the poor in spirit mentioned by St. Matthew chapter 5 ). These are the crosses we need to carry. 

 

10. We have mentioned already the two ladder to heaven : Purgation and illumination We go now to the third ladder: Union. In the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola particularly on Contemplation to obtain the love of God, he pointed out that love is an exchange of gifts; the lover and the beloved are continuously sharing whatever they have and accepting whatever is given. Our Lord God is so good to us; he gave His only begotten Son to us( John 3:16). Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His body and blood on the cross for our salvation and continuously giving Himself through His Real Presence in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass plus the material and spiritual blessings which we receive every day. Now the question is, What now can we offer to God in return? Love is simultaneously exchange of self in order to accomplish union and the best we can give to God is to do His will not ours. We remember here the motto of our predecessor His Holiness Pope Michael of happy memory, " Fiat voluntas tua" ( Thy will be done). The best gift we can give to God is to do His will not ours. 

 

11. Hence, the life of prayer is very necessary for all seriously following the Lord. In as much as in prayer, action and prayer meets. This is what we call Discernment. In our continuous prayer, we can clearly identify the voice of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the devil. In our continuous prayer we can hear clearly the voice of God speaking to us. 

 

12. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest form of prayer. Because it is the unbloody sacrifice of Christ on the cross at the Calvary. It is on the crucifixion our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the will of the Father. Whenever we pray the Holy Mass, we institute the Crucifixion on our Altar. We offer Christ and Christ himself is offering on our behalf through the person of the priest. 

 

13. At the reading of the epistle and of the Holy Gospel, the Lord is revealing himself to us as a loving father ready to embrace us; at the offertory we respond to that very love in union with Christ. And in the Holy Communion, God the Trinity and man becomes one. At the consecration, The bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ and we His people who received His body and blood become the body and blood of Christ. 

 

14. As we come to the conclusion of this letter, we invite you to change your attire. Remove the old garment of sinfulness and dressed-up the garment of Christ-like character of obedience to the will of the Father through obedience to the Pope and to bishops in communion with him. 

 

15. The modern world do not need instructors but people filled with the Holy Spirit; persons filled with Christ-like attitude. By so doing, we transform the world into Christ. 

 

 

APRIL 20, 2025 

 

Gratias Agamus Domino Deo Nostro! 

 

The Holy week ends in the Resurrection not in the sepulchre; The life of our Lord Jesus Christ ends in triumph neither in failure nor in disappointment. It only follows that the life of every Christian ends in success, in victory. Even though we do not exactly receive yet what we are praying for, it does not mean our prayers are unheard of; it does not mean God has forgotten US or abandoned US instead our success is only delayed success. We shall manifest what we are praying for in due time. There is only a delay. But it does not mean God is 

not working. We only need to trust in the Lord and believe His promises. 

 

Our country and the world might be passing through a moment of darkness but it does not mean it is forever darkness. Remember that change is permanence. Today might be dark; but tomorrow can be sunlight. We need to be patient as we wait for God's right timing. Always remember the early morning of Easter Sunday. Do not forget the moment of "Encuentro" which we have witnessed. Do not forget the moment the Lord has done great things for you and He shall repeat it once more. In His right time, you shall receive your prayers. Just learn to wait while trusting God's perfect timing. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Said the Lord. We are very sure that He will keep His promises. What you cannot do, He shall do it for you. Look at the huge stone which was used to cover the tomb, it was already removed by the angel before the women came early Sunday morning. What is impossible for you, the Lord makes it possible for you. Cling to Him. 

 

A Blessed Easter ! 

 

In Christ,

 

MICHAEL II, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, POPE 

 

 

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Holy Week and Easter: Heaven’s Treasures Unlocked

 

Holy Week and Easter are sacred times in which we are especially called to offer praise, glory, and thanks to our loving and merciful Redeemer. Indulgence prayers are simple spiritual exercises that promote pious worship and improve the state of one's soul. In doing so, they remit temporal punishments for sin, offer consolation in distress, and foster Christian love. The following passages are quoted from the Indulgence Breviary by Father Bonifaz Schneider (Munich, 1907) to give insight into the nature of indulgences and the ecclesiastical treasury of indulgences in this holy time – Holy Week and the Easter festival.

“God has made the humble and zealous partakers of His power and desires to accomplish great things through them. Even if the number of devout and pious souls is small, those who are spiritually united daily and at least say a few prayers and perform spiritual exercises, Christ—our most loving Redeemer and Friend—is, according to His promise (Mt. 18:20), in our midst, even though we are physically separated and often completely unknown to one another. Through prayer and devotion, we seek for ourselves and the poor souls the fruits of His bitter Passion, of the holy indulgences, daily—if we can—with repentance and penance, in love and gratitude. Truly great things God wants to work through us! The effect of the indulgences gained extends over time and the earth, bringing joy in Purgatory and Heaven.

An indulgence, in the ecclesiastical sense, is the remission by the Holy Church, outside of the Sacrament of Penance, of those temporal punishments for sin which, even after the guilt of the sin has been forgiven, we must still undergo either on earth or after death in the place of purification. Indulgences are the fruits of the exceedingly bitter suffering and death of our Savior and the merits of His saints. From this overflowing treasure of Jesus' merits, the Holy Church, as its guardian, gives us the means to pay our debt to divine justice.

For sin brings two bitter consequences: guilt and punishment. The guilt, along with the eternal punishment, is forgiven us in the holy Sacrament of Penance, but not the temporal punishment. For our countless sins and offences, God must be properly satisfied. This truth is deeply rooted in every soul, and thus every human soul is urged toward repentance and penance. However, no human being, not even for the slightest sin, can offer full satisfaction to the infinite majesty of God, whose infinite greatness we can never fully grasp in this life. That is why the infinite love of Jesus, the Son of God, wanted to do this for us. The divine Savior wants us to unite our always limited satisfaction with His infinite merits and offer them to God.

About the particular merits of indulgence prayers, Father Faber writes in his book Growth of the Soul (p. 323): As we unite with pious souls in indulgence prayer, “we enter more deeply into the communion of saints and into the life of the Church. We spiritualize our minds and enliven our faith to a high degree. Indulgence prayers also guide us to pray in the manner and for the intentions that the Church desires – and thus accomplish several purposes at once, for as we pray these prayers, we not only pray, but also honor the Church's power of the keys; we honor Jesus, His Mother, and the saints; we are freed from temporal punishments for sin or, more importantly, we assist the departed and thereby glorify God.”

Some think they cannot obtain a (plenary) indulgence. But anyone who at least makes an earnest effort is assured of God's help. Whoever seriously strives, at least for a time, to avoid sin with the help of our loving Redeemer, and prays at least a few indulgence prayers for the poor souls, will soon see that this is a wonderful means to be cleansed ever more from sin and to guard against it. Whoever diligently and seriously strives to gain indulgences becomes better precisely through that.

However, whoever remains in a state of mortal sin, who does not wish to convert, who refuses to renounce certain gravely sinful tendencies or occasions of sin – such a person cannot gain an indulgence. But whoever earnestly strives to convert, to improve, and has good will, can—with God's help and serious cooperation—be saved. Even if you have the misfortune of falling again, if you repent the sin immediately with perfect contrition, that is, out of love for God who is the highest and most lovable good, or out of love for our suffering Savior, or out of childlike love for the best Father, and if you plead for forgiveness and resolve to confess the sin, you too can gain indulgences! This is the intention behind the condition found with every indulgence prayer: “Whoever says this prayer devoutly and at least with a contrite heart may...”

On this occasion, let us emphasize the importance of perfect contrition for Christian life. Frequently practicing this makes the soul more familiar with it—practice makes perfect—and helps the soul more easily perform this spiritual act, and shed the hesitation that unfortunately prevents so many Christians from regularly making perfect contrition, as though it were something overly difficult. This hesitation or negligence is the reason why many people live in the state of grave sin and thereby endanger their soul’s salvation. Yet God’s mercy makes it easy, even after the gravest fall, to immediately rise again and regain the state of sanctifying grace through perfect contrition, the resolution to avoid sin, and at least the readiness to confess the sin in the next confession.

Father Thaler writes (Practical Handbook, 1904, p. 140): “For partial indulgences, confession is generally not required, but it states corde saltem contrito (at least with a contrite heart), more precisely, with a heart reconciled with God. These words refer to the state of grace, meaning that those who are already in the state of grace are not obligated to make a new act of contrition; but whoever has committed a mortal sin must first reconcile with God through an act of perfect contrition.”

The condition for a plenary indulgence also includes being free from all voluntary attachment even to venial sin. Usually, a worthy and contrite reception of the holy sacraments is also required, including confession, even if one is not aware of any grave sin since the last confession.”

Regarding the reception of the sacraments, Pope Michael I has issued the following accommodations (January 25, 2007):

“Usual Conditions for a Plenary Indulgence

Because the enemy has usurped our churches We commute the usual conditions required for gaining plenary indulgences as follows:

1) Instead of visiting a church, place yourself in the presence of God, as if you were in church and say the required prayers.

2) We commute the requirement of Confession for those who are unable to confess to an Examination of Conscience with an Act of Contrition and ten minutes meditation on the horrors of sin, which offends Almighty God.

3) We commute the requirement of Holy Communion to a Spiritual Communion with a prayer that the day, when we can again receive the Blessed Sacrament may come soon.

4) The intentions of the Supreme Pontiff are: the exaltation of Holy Mother Church, the extirpation (overcoming) of heresies, propagation of the Faith, the conversion of sinners and peace among Christian nations. Unless specific prayers are prescribed for the Pope's intentions, any vocal prayers may be used.”

Below are some examples of indulgences that can be gained during Lent and Easter, as found in the Indulgence Breviary by Father Bonifaz Schneider. Where applicable, observe Pope Michael I’s alternative instructions regarding church visits, confession, and communion.

Friday of Passion Week (Friday of Sorrows):

Whoever, in honor of the Sorrowful Mother of God, holds a “Holy Hour” can gain a Plenary Indulgence once a year; (besides confession, communion, and the “hour,” nothing further is required). [Clement XII, February 4, 1736]

Holy Thursday:

Whoever today devoutly performs a spiritual exercise for one hour in remembrance of the institution of the Most Holy Sacrament, can gain a Plenary Indulgence, provided they confess and receive communion today or within the following week. [Pius IX, June 18, 1876] This devotion may also be carried out at home.

Whoever today and also on the following two days performs any hour-long devotion for the souls of the departed, can gain 7 years and 7 quarantines (i.e., 40 days of strict ecclesiastical penance) for each of those days.

Good Friday:

Whoever, after midday, commemorates the death of our Redeemer for three hours—regardless of location—by meditating on the Seven Last Words, or reciting Psalms, hymns, or other prayers, may, if they have already confessed and received communion the previous day or do so during Easter week, gain a Plenary Indulgence. One must also visit a church.

Anyone who performs this devotion for some time on each Friday of the month can gain a Plenary Indulgence on the last Friday of that month, by praying for the intentions of the Holy Father. [Pius VII, February 14, 1815]

Furthermore, between Good Friday (starting three hours before sunset) and Holy Saturday (around 9 or 10 a.m.), whoever “keeps company” with the Mother of God “in her sorrows” for at least half an hour through prayers, devotions, etc., can, on the day they go to Easter confession and communion, gain a Plenary Indulgence. [Pius VII, June 18, 1822]

Visiting the Holy Sepulchre: By visiting the Holy Sepulchre (or in spiritual form, per the conditions), one can gain 10 years and 10 quarantines if they have the firm resolution to confess and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (applicable also on Holy Thursday).

Easter Sunday:

Whoever has the pious habit of steadfastly teaching the catechism (e.g., clergy, teachers, parents) or learning it (children and adults) may gain a Plenary Indulgence today, if they also pray for the exaltation of the Church, etc. (according to the intention of the Holy Father).

Whoever regularly attends the explanation of the Gospel on Sundays and Feast Days (each time earning 7 years and 7 quarantines!), may gain a Plenary Indulgence today through confession and communion. [Benedict XIV, July 31, 1756 and Pius VI, December 12, 1784]

Sundays After Easter:

On the Saturday before the second Sunday after Easter (May 3rd, 2025), the Novena in honor of St. Joseph begins with the prayer “The Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph.” A Plenary Indulgence may be gained on the Feast of St. Joseph (Solemnity of the Patronage of St. Joseph, 3^rd Sunday after Easter, May 11^th, 2025) by praying the “Seven Sorrows,” and 300 days of indulgence can be gained daily during the novena.

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The Raccolta is a comprehensive collection of useful prayers and indulgences. Such prayer books encourage regular and frequent spiritual practice. It is highly recommended to acquire such a booklet for daily use.

Father Bonifaz Schneider expressed the wish that his booklet might bring help to many souls: “May God’s blessing—on which all growth alone depends—rest upon this book! May it bring blessing, healing, and peace to the soul of everyone who uses it with penitence and a pure heart.”

Hopefully, this brief contribution will encourage some to remain steadfast in prayer and thereby grow in love for God, “that makes us embark on the road to heaven and to continue, even when the going gets tough. May God help us to acquire this holy love that will make us Saints.” [Pope Michael, July 19, 2012, Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul]

 

-Sis. Simone G. Seyringer