Volume V/Issue 4/July 2020

What Can We Learn About Living the Christian Way of Life From the Good Thief

Saint Alphonsus quotes Arnold of Chartres saying this about the Good Thief: "He believed, he repented, he confesses, he preached, he loved, he trusted, he prayed." 

Let us begin: "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned." (Mark 16:10) The Good Thief had Baptism of Desire. We begin by believing all that God teaches us through His holy Church without exception or reservation.

John the Baptist said: "Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2) A footnote in the Bible says: "Penance: Which word, according to the use of the scriptures and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exercises."

He confesses by saying: "Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil." (Luke 23:40-41)

"Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33) We have a duty as Christians to show forth the glory of God. We do not do this mainly by word, but by living the Christian way of life twenty four hours a day, seven days a aweek. "But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you." (I Peter 3:15) When people see the joy that comes from living the Christian way of life, they may ask us where our joy comes from, and we must be ready to give a simple answer.

By his confession, the Good Thief also preached: "but this man hath done no evil."

He also loved, he loved Jesus for Who Jesus is and showed this love by his confession and preaching.

He trusted and prayed: "And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom." (Luke 23:42) By making his prayer of petition to Jesus, he trusted Jesus to care for him and his trust was rewarded far more than possibly he suspected: "And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)

Let us imitate the Good Thief through our whole lives. Let us look forward and begin this imitation now, for like the Good Thief, we may have not begun well. However, let us remember what the holy Cure of Ars says: "Not all the saints began well, but they ended well." Let us also remember Scripture: "For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee; and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Corinthians 6:2) Now is the time to begin imitating the last hours of the Good Thief.

Let us begin by believing all that Jesus teaches us through His holy Church as we confess in the Apostle's Creed, which is a summary of our Faith. Christianity is not a cafeteria where we can pick and choose what we believe, but a way life, which we either adopt wholly or we rejected it. Jesus sent out His Apostles with the following command: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." (Matthew 28:20)

Let us also repent of our sins. Saint John reminds us (I John 1:10): "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." And Saint Paul: "For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Repentance means not just acknowleding our sin, but following the advice of Jesus: "Go, and now sin no more." (John 8:11) Repentance includes conversion, which is a complete change of customs and habits from our lax and sinful ways to a life of virtue.

And let us confess and preach. We do this mainly by living the Christian way of life, for actions speak louder than words. God will open opportunties to say a good word to someone, so let us watch for these opportunties.

Saint Peter (I Peter 4:8): "But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins." Charity means love of God na dlove of our neighbor for the love of God. Let us also remember "God is love." (I John 4:8) We are called to love as God loves.

We must place our trust in Almighty God, surrendering our lives completely and without reserve into His hands. "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever." (Psalms 54:23) Saint Peter (I Peter 5:7): "Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you." Let us imitate Jesus in His Passion, when he told His Father: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46.

And finally let us pray, and let our prayer come from the heart. We are not told how the Good Thief prayed after his conversation with Jesus, but we can be assured that he did. Consider that he prayed while suffering death on the cross, just as our Savior was suffering at the same time. Our cross are miniscule, when compared to the Cross of Christ. Let us remember that there are four ends of prayer, adoration, contrition, petition and thanksgiving. Let us also remember that adoration comes first. We adore God for Who He is. Then we ask His forgiveness of our sins. Only after this should we ask Him for anything, petition should not be our main type of prayer. Let us thank God for everything He sends us, for even tribulations are a blessing, which we do not yet understand.
 

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The Pope Speaks: July 2020

Thirtieth Anniversary

Thirty years ago fourteen people were in a small town in north east Kansas. What brought these people together was the election of a Pope. The world had been notified of this election, which had been talked about for over a decade and a half in various quarters.

A brief history of this effort is in order. In May of 1976 three priests met with Archbishop Lefebvre to ask him to help with electing a Pope. One of the priests had already approached all of the conservative Cardinals about this proposition, but had been turned away. Bishop Thuc in 1981 consecrated three priests as bishops for the sole purpose of preserving the order of bishop until someone could be restored to the Office of Bishop of Rome, who in turn could reorganize bishops and priests and restores the Offices of Bishop of the new dioceses he would have to erect, due to the apostasy. The new Diocesan Bishops in turn would designate either Pastors or Missionaries. Bishop Peter Martin Thuc wrote in February of 1982: "Therefore, in so far as I am a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, I judge that the See of the Catholic Church in Rome to be vacant; and it is necessary for me, as bishop, to do all that is needed so that the Catholic Church in Rome endures for the eternal salvation of souls." In the references he refers to the Bull Unam Sanctam in support of this. Unam Sanctam declares: "Indeed we declare, say, pronounce, and define that it is altogether necessary to salvation for every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff." Since a living breathing Pope is a necessary means of salvation so we can obey him, the clergy under Canon 682 (1917 Code) are obliged to provide us with a Pope. The idea of the election of a Pope was common knowledge among Traditionalists at this time, so much so, that the District Superior for one of the American Districts sent out a letter against this idea. Thuc was betrayed when two priests, who had been consecrated bishops, usurped the authority of Bishop of Rome and separated the United States into two Dioceses and appointed themselves, one to the east of the Mississippi and the other to the west.

In spite of these failures a few Catholics remained faithful to the Church, while Traditionalism drifted further away from the Catholic Church, which it claimed to defend. The goal of Traditionalism was to restore 1950's Catholicism, which was merely a whited sepulcher. (Matthew 23:37) What Traditionalists didn't stop and consider is that 1950's Catholicism led to 1960's apostasy at Vatican 2 and in its perfidious spirit.

"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that cleaveth to me, saith the Lord of hosts: strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn my hand to the little ones." (Zacharias 13:7) Jesus quoted this before His passion warning the Apostles that they would all desert Him. (Matthew 26:31) Jesus, the Shepherd, was struck with His Crucifixion and the Sheep, the Apostles were scattered. Vatican 2 saw the Shepherd, the Vicar of Christ, struck, and the Sheep, the Bishops scattered. The lambs, the faithful, were deserted by their Pastors, who had scattered away from the Church in to apostasy.

These people who gathered in mid July had one thing in common, they had all left the Traditionalist Movement in order to stay with the Catholic Church. The Traditionalist Movement had no true unity in 1990, as it still has no unity today, although the lines are drawn slightly differently. Without a Shepherd, a living, breathing Pope, the sheep and lambs will remain scattered. None of the main positions of the Traditionalists truly has a Pope. Obviously Sedevacantism, which says there is no Pope, has no Pope. Sedeoccupantism, which claims Francis as Pope, resists him, really doesn't have a Pope. For them, when Rome speaks, is it Rome that has spoken, the debate is on about whether or not what has come is Traditional or flows from the Spirit of Vatican 2. Sedeprivationism, which awaits Francis' conversion like the Sedeoccupantists claims that Francis is really only a Pope-elect until his conversion, his heresies being an obstacle to accepting election. Pope Leo XIII wrote in Satis Cognitum, on Church unity: "But the Episcopal order is rightly judged to be in communion with Peter, as Christ commanded, if it be subject to and obeys Peter; otherwise it necessarily becomes a lawless and disorderly crowd." Indeed Traditionalism is just such a lawless and disorderly crowd.

In the fall of 1987, the movement to elect a Pope became stirred up in the United States, and then spread into Europe. It is not known how many were supporting the idea, but many well known among Traditionalists supported the idea. Even Malachi Martin showed interest. Articles were written and circulated throughout the world among the sedevacantists. Meetings were held among interested people, when possible. Finally two people decided a book needed to be written in May of 1989.

However, also in the fall of 1987 a new proposition arose, Joseph Cardinal Siri had been elected in the 1963 conclave and in both 1978 conclaves, but forced not to accept election, becoming therefore a pope-elect. A man elected Pope between the time he has the necessary votes and he either accepts or rejects election is a pope-elect with no authority until he accepts. Until the pope-elect rejects the election, another election cannot be made. Therefore this proposition invalidates Paul VI and Vatican II, as no decree had been approved under John XXIII. This theory also invalidates John Paul I, John Paul II the Great Deceiver and their successors. After Siri died on May 2, 1989, the proposition was amended to include the 1958 conclave and it was claimed he had accepted election, but was forced not to be proclaimed Pope. On October 26, 1958 white smoke rose. United Press International announced that Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani had been elected Pope. Then the smoke turned black and the Vatican Press Service announced no Pope had been elected. On October 28, Angelo Roncalli appeared as the second man to claim to be John XXIII, the first from the Western Schism. All we are certain of is that something occurred on October 26th, 1958, which clouds the election of Roncalli two days later, thus placing doubt on Vatican II and all that followed.

About the time Siri and any claim he had to the Papacy died on May 2nd, 1989, two people began writing a book to call for an election. On January 25, 1990, Will the Catholic Church Survive the Twentieth Century? was published, calling for the election of a Pope. It was sent around the world to all sedevacantists listed in Radko Jansky's Traditionalist Catholic Directory. Instead of the desired effect to rally support for the election of a Pope, instead those who supported an election started going away, much like the Gospel about the great supper, where those invited made excuses. (Luke 14:16ff) Letters were written and phone calls made to encourage people to participate and a summons was sent out in early May. More excuses were made. Some wanted delay, but had no good reason to delay. We had already waited over three decades, ten times longer than the second longest interregnum in history. Why should we wait longer? The Church had been reduced to a handful so small a little child can name them. (Isaias 10:19) The Second Council of Lyons declared: "We learn from the past how heavy are the losses sustained by the Roman church in a long vacancy, how perilous it is; we see this all too clearly when we wisely consider the crises undergone." (Paragraph 2, 1247AD)

Finally eleven people assembled by July 15, 1990. Two arrived that day advocating delay, but had no reason for asking for delay. They left for their motel in the evening stating that they would consider whether to vote on the next day or not. They left a message on the phone at the place of election, that they had decided not to participate. Another departed that morning before voting. Eight assembled, and six voted, the other two being too young to vote. Shortly after the election was completed three men arrived, who had supported an election to see if we had proceeded. They never indicated any desire for holding off the election and knew exactly how long it would take to travel to the place of the election. Why put off the trip to the last minute?

On July 16, 1990, We were elected as Pope, taking the name of Michael. At the time We already knew there would be little support for the Papacy, as Traditionalists apparently don't really want a Pope they must obey, but as someone observed would rather be their own little popes of their own little churches.

Traditionalists appeal to epikeia to justify their actions. The story that is told to demonstrate this principle is this. In a walled city, the mayor has ordered that the gate not be opened without his permission. The mayor is gone. A fire breaks out inside the walls of the city, threatening to kill the inhabitants. And so the officials decide to throw the gates open to save the people. Thus the story ends. Traditionalists threw the gates open and left the Church. Rather than forming a bucket brigade to put out the fire, they went out and started founding their own little cities, their own little churches. They left the fire to practically burn down the city, leaving few stragglers, who wanted to come back and rebuild the city.

These stragglers assembled and tried to summon the other former citizens back to begin rebuilding the city. Few even showed any interest, and it remains this way today. Indeed this has been prophesied. The prophet Isaias wrote: "And they that remain of the trees of his forest shall be so few, that they shall easily be numbered, and a child shall write them down." (Isaias 10:19) And Jesus said (Luke 18:7-8): "And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: and will he have patience in their regard? I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?"

As Pope We have noticed that the desire to restore a lax form of Catholicism remains deep in the heart of almost all, who have come to be with the Church for a time. In 1997 We first quoted Saint Augustine, because We want to bring fervor to these worldly people: "A man who progresses during prosperity has to await times of adversity before he can learn what progress he has made. When he is rich in the goods of this world, he may be certain that he places no stock in them; but when they are taken from him, he then discovers if they had a hold on him, for generally, when we have them we think that we don't love them, but when we don't have them, then we discover that we yearn for them. The criterion is this-if we do not grieve when our goods are absent, then only can we be certain that we did not set our heart on them when they were present." Then We wrote: "Maybe some of us need a good fire to show us how materialistic we are. However, We would prefer that all would voluntarily detach from materialism rather than require God to remove our material goods by force to get the point across. But, if you do not want to detach voluntarily We shall pray that God gives you a fire or flood or some other natural event, because this is far better than losing your soul."

We penned a Prayer for the Restoration of the Mass:

"The prophet Daniel prophesied, and in the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fail: and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation." (Daniel 9:27) "And strength was given him against the continual sacrifice, because of sins: and truth shall be cast down on the ground." (Daniel 8:12) These terrible prophecies have come to pass. We long to again participate in the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass and receive Thy Body and Blood in Holy Communion. We promise to learn the truths of the Faith, which have been cast down on the ground and to turn away from sin, which has given Antichrist power against the continual sacrifice and to return to Thee, as Isaias bids us. We promise with the help of Thy grace to do all in our power to remove any obstacle in ourselves to the worthy reception of Thy Sacred Body and Blood in the Most Holy Eucharist. Until this holy day comes, when our desire can be fulfilled in participation at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, We desire to receive Thee spiritually, who cannot receive Thee sacramentally. Amen"

Indeed the prophecy of Daniel has been fulfilled: "And when they shall have fallen they shall be relieved with a small help: and many shall be joined to them deceitfully." (Daniel 11:34) Saint John (I John 2:19) tells us: "They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us; but that they may be manifest, that they are not all of us."

On the day of the election after we returned to Our home, one of the electors said: "Maybe all we did is save the Apostolic Succession." And indeed, the Pope truly possesses Apostolicity, that is the mission of the Apostles, the authority of Saint Peter and the right to receive the Order of Bishop to accompany the Office of Bishop of Rome.

of the virtues necessary in the Papacy is perserverance. We are the third longest reigning Pope in history after Peter (34 or 37 years) and Pius IX (31½ years). No Antipope reigned for thirty years, the longest reigning Antipope being John Paul II the Great Deceiver (26½ years).

We live in trying times and much could be said on this. We ask for your prayers and your help to spread the true Faith to the world as We enter Our thirty-first year.

With Our Apostolic Blessing and prayers,
Michael, by the grace of God, Pope

 

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Saints from East and West

July 19 - Saint Macrina.

The Monastic Macrina, Sister of Sainted-Hierarchs Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, was born in Cappadocia at the beginning of the fourth century. Her mother, Emilia, saw in a dream an Angel, naming her yet unborn one Thekla, in honour of the holy First-Martyress Thekla. Saint Emilia fulfilled the will of God and named her daughter Thekla. Another daughter that was born they named Macrina, in honour of a grandmother who suffered during the time of persecution against Christians under the emperor Maximian Galerius.

Besides Macrina, in her family were nine other children. Saint Emila herself guided the upbringing and education of her elder daughter. She taught her reading and writing in the Scriptural books and Psalms of David, selecting those examples from the Sacred books which instructed of a pious and God-pleasing life. Saint Emilia trained her daughter to attend church services and make private prayers. Macrina was likewise taught the proper knowledge of domestic governance and various handicrafts. She was never left idle and did not participate in childish games or amusements.

When Macrina grew up, her parents betrothed her to a certain pious youth, but the bridegroom soon died. Many young men sought marriage with her, but Macrina refused them all, having chosen the life of a virgin and not wanting to be unfaithful to the memory of her dead fiancee. The Monastic Macrina lived in the home of her parents, helping them fulfill the household tasks as an overseer together with the servants, and she carefully followed after the upbringing of her younger brothers and sisters. After the death of her father she became the chief support for the family.

When all the children grew up and left the parental home, Saint Macrina convinced her mother, Saint Emilia, to leave the world, to set their slaves free, and to settle in a women's monastery. Several of their servants followed their example. Having taken monastic vows, they lived together as one family, they prayed together, they worked together, they possessed everything in common, and in this manner of life nothing distinguished one from another.

After the death of her mother, Saint Macrina guided the sisters of the monastery. She enjoyed the deep respect of all who knew her. Strictness towards herself and temperance in everything were characteristic of the saint over the course of all her life. She slept on boards and had no possessions. Saint Macrina was granted a gift of wonderworking. There was an instance (told by the sisters of the monastery to Saint Gregory of Nyssa after the death of Saint Macrina), when she healed a girl of an eye affliction. Through the prayers of the saint, at her monastery in times of famine there was no shortage of wheat, necessary for the use of the sisters.

Saint Macrina died in the year 380, after a final sigh of exalting prayers of thanks to the Lord for having received of Him blessings over all the course of her life. She was buried in the same grave with her parents.

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July 18 - St. Camillus de Lellis.

Camillus de Lellis was born in 1550 at Bocchianico in the Abruzzi, when his mother was nearly sixty. He grew to be a very big man - 6 feet 6 inches tall and the rest in proportion - and when he was seventeen he went off with his father to fight with the Venetians against the Turks; but soon he had contracted that painful and repulsive disease in his leg that was to afflict him for the rest of his life.

In 1571 he was admitted to the San Giacomo hospital for incurables at Rome, as a patient and servant; after nine months he was dismissed, for his quarrelsomeness among other things, and he returned to active service in the Turkish war. Though Camillus habitually referred to himself as a great sinner, his worst disorder was an addiction to gambling that continually reduced him to want and shame. In the autumn of 1574 he gambled away his savings, his arms, everything down to the proverbial shirt, which was stripped off his back in the streets of Naples.

The indigence to which he had reduced himself, and the memory of a vow he had made in a fit of remorse to join the Franciscans, caused him to accept work as a labourer on the new Capuchin buildings at Manfredonia, and there a moving exhortation which the guardian of the friars one day made him completed his conversion. Ruminating on it as he rode upon his business, he at length fell on his knees, and with tears deplored his past unthinking life, and cried to Heaven for mercy. This happened on Candlemas day in the year 1575, the twenty-fifth of his age; and from that time he never interrupted his penitential course. He entered the novitiate of the Capuchins, but could not be admitted to profession on account of the disease in his leg. He therefore returned to the hospital of San Giacomo and devoted himself to the service of the sick. The administrators, having been witnesses to his charity and ability, after some time appointed him superintendent of the hospital.

In those days the spiritual and physical conditions in hospitals were such as it is now difficult to credit, conditions largely due to the necessity of employing any staff that could be got, even criminals. Camillus, grieving to see the unscrupulousness and slackness of hired servants in attending the sick, formed a project of associating for that office some of the attendants who desired to devote themselves to it out of a motive of charity. He found several persons so disposed, but met with great obstacles in the execution of his design, particularly from that jealousy and suspicion that are so often provoked by disinterested reformers. To make himself more useful in spiritually assisting the sick, he resolved, with the approval of his confessor, Saint Philip Neri, to receive holy orders, and was ordained by the vicegerent of Rome, Thomas Goldwell, Bishop of Saint Asaph, the exiled last bishop of the old English hierarchy. A certain gentleman of Rome named Fermo Calvi gave him an annuity as his title of ordination. Camillus decided to sever connection with San Giacomo and start on his own, though to do so was contrary to the advice of Saint Philip; so with two companions he laid the foundations of his congregation: he prescribed certain short rules, and they went every day to the great hospital of the Holy Ghost, where they served the sick with so much affection and diligence that it was visible to all who saw them that they considered Christ Himself as lying sick or wounded in his members.

They made the beds of the patients, paid them every office of charity, and by their exhortations disposed them for the last sacraments and a happy death. The founder had powerful adversaries and great difficulties to struggle with, but by confidence in God he conquered them all. In 1585 he hired a larger house, and the success of his undertaking encouraged him to extend his activities: so he ordained that the members of his congregation should bind themselves to serve persons infected with the plague, prisoners, and those who lie dying in private houses; later, in 1595 and 1601, some of his religious were sent with the troops fighting in Hungary and Croatia, thus forming the first recorded "military field ambulance." Nothing can deprive Henry Dunant of his honour for the part he played in the foundation of the International Red Cross; but the memory should not be lost of those who before him concerned themselves with the wounded in battle, who include Saint Camillus de Lellis as well as Florence Nightingale.

In 1588 Camillus was invited to Naples, and with twelve companions founded there a new house. Certain galleys having the plague on board were forbidden to enter the harbour, so the Ministers of the Sick (for that was the name they took) went on board, and attended them: on which occasion two of their number died of the pestilence, and were the first martyrs of charity in this institute. Saint Camillus showed a like charity in Rome when a pestilential fever swept off great numbers, and again when that city was visited by a violent famine. In 1591 Gregory XIV erected this congregation into a religious order, for perpetually serving the sick. They are now reckoned as clerks regular, are about equally divided between priests and lay-brothers, and follow their original work of nursing all sick persons without distinction, privately or in hospitals, or elsewhere. The founder was, as has already been said, himself afflicted with many corporal sufferings: the disease in his leg for forty-six years; a rupture for thirty-eight years; two sores in the sole of one of his feet, which gave him great pain; and, for a long time before he died, a distaste for food and inability to retain it. Under this complication of infirmities he would not suffer anyone to wait on him, but sent all his brethren to serve others. When he was not able to stand he would creep out of his bed, even in the night, and crawl from one patient to another to see if they wanted anything. Among many evils and dangers which the zeal of Saint Camillus prevented, his attention to the care of the dying soon made him discover that in hospitals many were buried alive. Hence he ordered his religious to continue the prayers for souls yet in their agony for at least a quarter of an hour after they seemed to have drawn their last breath, and not to suffer their faces to be covered so soon as was usual, lest those who were not dead should be smothered. Saint Camillus saw the foundation of fifteen houses of his brothers and eight hospitals, and Almighty God acknowledged his zeal and selflessness by the spirit of prophecy and the gift of miracles, and by many heavenly communications and favours.

The saint laid down the canonical leadership of his order in 1607. But he assisted at the general chapter in Rome in 1613, and after it, with the new superior general, visited the houses, giving them his last exhortations. At Genoa he was extremely ill. He recovered so as to be able to finish the visitation of his hospitals, but soon relapsed, and his life was now despaired of. He received viaticum from the hands of Cardinal Ginnasi, and when he received the last anointing he made a moving exhortation to his brethren; he expired on July 14, 1614, being sixty-four years old. Saint Camillus de Lellis was canonized in 1746, and was, with St John of God, declared patron of the sick by Pope Leo XIII, and of nurses and nursing associations by Pope Pius XI.

 

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Books to feed your faith!

 Alma Mae's Summer Squash Bread

  

German Cucumber Salad 
 

Prep: 20 minutes
Ready In: 8 hours

"A traditional German favorite that I have loved since I was a child. This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. Substitute cider vinegar for a different flavor. I prefer to leave the skins on the cucumbers for more texture and flavor, but they can also be peeled prior to slicing if desired. Flavor is best when marinated for several hours before serving."

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1/2 onion, sliced thin (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions
Spread cucumbers and onion on a platter; season with salt and let rest for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture.
Stir sour cream, sugar, vinegar, dill, and parsley together in a large bowl.
Fold cucumber and onion slices into the sour cream mixture.
Refrigerate 8 hours to over night; garnish with paprika to serve.

 

Video sermons and instructions: Timeless timely truths for living the Faith

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RETHINKING JUNK DNA

Catechism Catch-Up  

The Third Commandment Lesson 8

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Living Catholic:

How can I develop a forgiving spirit?

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When you’ve been wronged, becoming bitter toward your offender feels like a way to get revenge. However, this response actually harms you more than it harms your offender, because to be bitter is to be in bondage to hatred and wrath. You will experience the destructive consequences of bitterness until you choose to walk in the freedom of forgiveness.