July 2024: Olive Tree
July 2024: Olive Tree
Volume IX/Issue 3/July 2024
From The Editorial Desk
Most Parents are Quite Pleased When a Child Wants to go to The Library, but Libraries are no Longer Sacred Ground in Today's War for the Souls of our Children
Public libraries and school libraries have both become battlegrounds in this war. Satan understands that old principle of “garbage in, garbage out” and wants to make sure that young minds have sufficient doses of garbage. His success can be measured by today's high suicide rate and the massive market for antidepressants.
For several years now, alarmed parents have been standing bold in board meetings, courageously reading back to the board members some of the filth found in their libraries. One telling incident illustrates the confusion.
In one meeting, a parent was reading an excerpt of sexual perversity from a book available in the library. She was stopped by a board member, embarrassed that children might be watching the live video feed of the proceedings. Yet the book was an approved offering in the library.
So, how can it happen that the parents are blindsided by this smut fed to their children? Even board members responsible for these libraries sometimes appear to be surprised.
The answer to that question is complex and it did not happen overnight. During the 19th century of rapid growth in this country, schools were established around a central board of trustees. They were responsible for the budget, selecting teachers and staff, and providing adequate facilities.
During the 20th century, people settled into the cities and education became more complex. Universities grew up to answer the need for technological and scientific specialties.
But Satan was not sitting on his hands. He had birthed the lie of evolution, which grew up to foster many evil offspring. One was the concept that God was no longer needed, since science had all of the answers.
If God was no longer in control, then someone else had to be. People began to believe that central control by the government was the easiest answer. Society was separated into the worker bees, governed by an all-wise elite class. This central control has come to have many names; communism, socialism, collectivism, central planning, etc.
So, how have the kids fared in this transition? In lock-step, control of the classroom has been largely given to these central planners. State and federal departments of education hand down curriculum and testing standards. More and more, local taxes have gone to the central planners, who openly state that the children belong to them rather than the parents.
And Satan must be reacting with glee to what has been happening in the decades after God was taken out of the universities.
God-fearing parents are waking up to realize that they are playing against a stacked deck. They are shocked at the disdain of the public school staff for the parent’s desire to raise their children with a biblical worldview.
Parents are discovering that they are no longer dealing with a “public” school, but a school largely owned by the government. And it is a government that assumes that it owns the souls of its citizens.
The struggles over the contents and programs of the local libraries are simply the tip of the iceberg. Local citizens are finding they have little control over whether pornographic material is on their library shelves or whether homosexuals are allowed to present their drag queen “art” in their facilities.
Sometimes, library boards mistakenly choose library staff only for their academic credentials and pay little attention to their moral worldview. They end up discovering that they have simply hired highly competent adversaries who will scream about the evils of banning books whenever they are questioned. They will usually argue that they are exercising their constitutional right to free speech when they put the filth on the library shelves.
Some parents are finding favorable judges when the question is taken to court. But those who decide to come out publicly against this beast must realize how big it is. Activists in the educational field have been taught sophisticated grooming techniques designed to destroy all Christian faith. What they replace it with is an evolutionist worldview of despair without purpose or hope. The children are taught that they exist as an accident in an uncaring cosmos.
One of Satan's generals in this war, Emily Drabinsky, made a revealing statement when she was elected head of the 50,000 member American Library Association (ALA). She tweeted, “I just cannot believe that a Marxist lesbian[,] who believes that collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world[,] is the president-elect of @ALALibrary.” Many public libraries rely on this American Library Association to recommend books that they carry on their shelves. All the more reason that parents should approach library use with caution. Many of those leaders are committed to promoting political servitude as well as moral corruption.
We cannot protect our children forever from the filth of the world, but we can give them an alternative view with God's unforgettable truth in God’s Word and proclaimed and taught by the Catholic Church.
News Brief
CARTOCETO, Italy (LifeSiteNews) — Two homosexual activists are due to receive a “blessing” from a Catholic priest following their civil union ceremony later this year, with the longtime cohabiting pair also intending to adopt a child.
A July 7 report by an Italian daily highlighted the upcoming plans for the state and ecclesial approval of the homosexual lifestyle of Hector Pautasso and Filippo Sanchi. The pair, 34 and 37 respectively, have been living together for seven years and will contract a civil union on September 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
According to Italian media, Pautasso and Sanchi will be “blessed” by a Catholic priest in addition to receiving their legal civil union. The two will receive a “religious blessing” from the priest Don Giuseppe Cavoli, “delegated by Bishop Andrea Anreozzi [sic],” wrote il Resto del Carlino.
Andreozzi is the bishop of the Diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola, having been appointed by Pope Francis in May 2023.
Pautasso and Sanchi are described as “very active” members of the local LGBT groups, taking part in “pride” marches in the area. At the recent Fano LGBT march, Fr. Cavoli was also present – an aspect that the homosexual pair welcomed given that he is designated by the bishop as the diocesan commissioner of “pastoral care of Lgbtqia+.”
They intend to adopt a child. However, the pair decried as “absurd” Italy’s adoption laws that stipulate that a child adopted is legally only the child of the one who adopted him, and not of the person to whom the adoptee is civilly “united.” The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual civil unions and the adoption of children by homosexuals are “gravely immoral.”
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(LifeSiteNews) — An executive for a luxury car manufacturer who threw her newborn daughter out an apartment window because she feared motherhood would ruin her career has been sentenced to just seven-and-a-half years in prison.
Although tried for murder, Katarina Jovanovic, 28, from Lauffen am Neckar, Germany, was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter at Heilbronn District Court on July 3, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
Jovanovic, age 28, who had served as an attorney for world-famous car manufacturer Porsche and who had reportedly kept her pregnancy a secret, gave birth in her apartment on September 12, 2023, and then “dropped” the infant from a window about 12 feet onto the pavement below.
A horrified passerby alerted the police after discovering the baby – whose skull had been shattered from the fall – on the tarmac beneath Jovanovic’s window.
“The accused was not prepared to put her life plans, especially her professional advancement, on hold for a child,” prosecutor Mareike Hafendoerfer told the court. “That was her decision when the baby was born, and as a result, the criteria for a murder conviction are fulfilled.”
Jovanovic’s defense attorneys countered that she was at most guilty of manslaughter because she had “accidentally dropped” the baby out the window minutes after having given birth to her child.
“When she suddenly held the bloody baby in her hands, she was in an exceptional psychological situation,” her attorney, Malte Hoech, explained. “It was an accident, she dropped the baby.”
“How the child ended up over the windowsill remains to be determined,” added Hoech.
This gut-wrenching infant murder at the hands of her mother is far from being an isolated incident.
The baby boy was discovered by a neighbor who had heard whimpering and went to investigate. She found the baby boy naked with his umbilical cord still attached, lying on the ground next to the garbage area for the building.
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TUALATIN, Oregon (LifeSiteNews) — Tibetan Buddhist monks instructed Catholics in their religious practices and led them in non-Christian chants at a Catholic church in Oregon.
On June 26, 2024, five Buddhist monks were invited to Resurrection Catholic Parish in Tualatin, Oregon. According to the parish pastor, Father Bill Moisant, the monks, whom he does not name, came from the Gaden Shartse Monastery in southern India and are followers of the Dalai Lama. Photographs show that two of them gave a small group of primarily elderly Catholics a presentation on Buddhist “meditation” and led a prayer session in the nave of the church.
A concerned parishioner who attended the event and provided LifeSiteNews with photographs and video footage decried that the Buddhist monks carried out their instruction, chants, and prayers in the sanctuary before the altar and near the tabernacle. He also lamented the false characterization of Christ expressed in the course of the event and an apparent disrespect for the sufferings of Christ.
“Our Lord was compared to Buddha as a great teacher, a theologically inaccurate and offensive statement,” he told LifeSiteNews via email.
“The presentation emphasized Buddhist meditation techniques to escape suffering, seemingly ignoring Christ’s suffering and death on the Cross.”
The witness reported that parishioners engaged with the monks without expressing concerns about conflicts between Buddhist practices and the Catholic faith. He was similarly concerned that that session ended with a Buddhist prayer and offering of intentions, which he felt was a “further blurring” of “the lines between Catholic and Buddhist practices.”
“This was much more than an interfaith dialogue, this was a non-Catholic prayer session in a Catholic Church,” the parishioner continued. “It’s a matter of both location and substance.”
“When the Q&A sessions came, parishioners were asking more questions on how to conduct this in their daily lives.”
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(LifeSiteNews) — Oklahoma will become the second state to return Biblical principles to public education this year, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters announced.
CNN reported that, effective immediately, all Sooner State public schools will be required to teach the Bible and the Ten Commandments in grades 5-12 because the Bible is, in Walters’s view, “one of the most foundational documents used for the Constitution and the birth of our country,” and essential for the “history of this country,” a “complete understanding of Western civilization,” and an “understanding of the basis of our legal system.”
“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” he explained. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation. This is not merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country.”
Interfaith Alliance, a group of “people of diverse faiths and beliefs” who purport to oppose “religious and political extremism” and “impos(ing) beliefs on others,” blasted the move as “blatant religious coercion.” But Walters told the Family Research Council’s Washington Watch that the requirement is simply a return to more classical American education norms.
“Until the 1960s, if you walked into a schoolhouse, you were going to see the Bible,” he said. “You were going to hear teaching from the Bible, (and) you were going to hear a lot of literary references to the Bible as well. It’s the number one bestselling book in American history (…) if that doesn’t qualify for a piece of literature that should be in the classroom, I don’t know what book would qualify.”
Supporters argue that such religious content is integral to emphasizing the role of faith in America’s formation and fortunes dating back to the nation’s founding, and do not constitute an impermissible “establishment of religion.”
The phrase “separation of church and state,” frequently invoked in opposition to religious content on public grounds, comes not from the Declaration of Independence or U.S. Constitution but from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association on January 1, 1802, reassuring the group of his belief that “religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only & not opinions.”
“I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State,” Jefferson said in the correspondence.
When taken literally, “separation of church and state” is accurate shorthand for one of the practical effects of the First Amendment: recognizing that the church and the state are two distinct entities, and neither may control the affairs of the other. Today, however, left-wing activists claim that it means religious ideas and values cannot in any way inform, influence, or be recognized by government, and that any expression of faith on government time, on government land, or with government resources is illegal, no matter how benign or voluntary. That interpretation is without basis in the words or actions of America’s Founding Fathers, who viewed religion as vital to America’s success and worthy of being recognized in public education.
Oklahoma’s announcement follows Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signing a law last month to require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in Louisiana public classrooms.
Serving the Brethren
In Matt. 25:31-46 Jesus deals with our attitude towards our fellow brothers and sisters in need. That need may be spiritual or physical. Here we see that some inherit the kingdom because they served them as unto the Lord. Their service was so much in secret that their left hand did not know what their right hand was doing (Matt. 6:3). So much so, that when the Lord reminds them of the good that they did, they do not even remember it! (Matt. 25:38).
Jesus also taught here that any service that we do to the least of His brothers is considered as service done to Him (Matt. 25:40). It is significant that He speaks of the least here, for our tendency is to serve the most important believers and to ignore the poor and the despised! Those who are occupied with eating and drinking, buying and selling, and building and planting for themselves alone, will certainly be left behind when Jesus is revealed (Lk. 17:28,34).
Only those whose service for the Lord involved a loving concern to serve the brethren, will be taken. In another passage, Jesus spoke of another group of people - who are a contrast to this group. These are the ones who remember all the good things that they have done in the name of the Lord. They are also at the judgment seat, and they remind the Lord that they have expelled demons, preached, healed the sick in Jesus' name, etc. But they are rejected by the Lord, even though they did all these things, because they lacked the very first requirement of a hidden life of holiness before God. They were taken up with the greatness of their gifts. It is interesting to see the contrast.
Those who healed the sick are cast out (Matt. 7:22,23). But those who merely visited the sick inherit the kingdom! (Matt. 25:34,36). God does not ask us to heal the sick if we have not been given the 'talent' of the gift of healing. But we can visit the sick and encourage them and bless them in the name of the Lord. We shall then find that we are ready for Christ's kingdom, while many who healed the sick are aent into everlasting fire! To serve others in this way, we have to be willing to be inconvenienced.
Those who never want their daily plans to be disturbed by interruption from needy people, will certainly be left behind. We have to sacrifice time, money, and above all, our own plans and our will, if we are to serve others in the name of the Lord. Selfishness is so rooted in our flesh that even when we have cleansed ourselves of the sins of lusting with our eyes, anger and covetousness, it is still possible to live just for ourselves. There can be a holiness, like the holiness of the Pharisees, which is occupied only with ourselves, and which does not deliver us from self-centeredness. This is a counterfeit of true holiness; yet it is easy to be deceived by it.
Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us... Forgive us... Deliver us..." (Matt. 6:11-13). A sanctification that does not give us a concern for others who are still in their sins and need, is a worthless counterfeit that is fit for only being thrown into the garbage bin.
We need to re-orient our way of thinking ('renew our mind' Rom. 12:2) so that we put ourselves 'in the shoes of others' and try and understand what they are going through. This is Christ-like thoughtfulness that prepares us to inherit the coming kingdom. One who thinks only of his own and his family's need, however 'holy' he may be, is only deceiving himself if he thinks that he will inherit the kingdom.
Crowning
What are we supposed to do about Blasphemy?
A new scandal excites the Austrian Vatican II sect, generating much attention and coverage full of entertainment for journalist, mass-media and the public: Sacrilege, emotions, feminism and the “Catholic Church”. What happened? Celebrating the 100th anniversary of consecration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in April 1924, the diocesan bishop of Linz decided to commission a feminist artist to produce a sculpture for the steeple chapel.
It came as it had to – a group of traditionalists was deeply disturbed by the sculpture, although being accustomed to displays of all sorts of blasphemous, brutal, bloodthirsty, pornographic or disgusting works appraised by clerics, politicians and the public broadcaster over decades. The sculpture, a female figure denuded beneath the breast in seated posture with legs spread wide in birth position, has a halo around the head and is called “crowning”. The diocese announced, that the sculpture and their project “DonnaStage” critically reflects traditionally held and merely “imagined” views of the Nativity and the Holy Family. Because the Holy Family served as example for people to follow for generations, there is need for new visions including diverse genders and family constellations today.
After the bishopric ignored all phone calls, emails and letters, the group of traditionalist organized and handed a petition with over 12,000 signatures to the diocese, demanding the removal of the sculpture or at least place warnings signs before the site to protect children and worshippers. In the aftermath of all these futile efforts the diocese unwavering remained silent. Then, on a Monday morning, an angry man beheaded the sculpture. As a result, the feminist artist gets more money of the church tax to restore the sculpture, the public broadcaster warns of intolerance and hate but at least abstains from showing the genitals of the figure in the afternoon news now, the diocese protects the sculpture behind a glass cabinet but still refuses to add waring sings, and the angry man is now afraid of a criminal complaint for vandalism.
Surely, it hurts to witness the destruction of Church property after the takeover of Vatican II sect. A cathedral represents Catholic identity, a physical confession of faith and glory to the Lord. This is also true for the Cathedral in Linz. After cornerstone ceremony in 1862, the construction of the “New Cathedral” was the largest building project in Europe of its time, a technical and organizational masterpiece. Bishop Franz Joseph Rudigier initiated this project, which was completely financed by donations of worshippers, and is the largest church building in Austria today.
After taking over the Church property, the Vatican II sect did, what every conqueror does: destroy or appropriate and repurpose the new possessions. New in this situation is, that apart from warnings and condemnation of modernism, freemasonry and communism, nobody of the competing fractions announced war, victory or defeat. The Church history is essentially a constant fight against enemies, heretics and schismatics, whereby heretics and schismatics form only subgroups of enemies of the Church. Usually, when enemies came into power, they brutally sanctioned the Catholic Church and no member was in danger not noticing what is going on, as very often the new regime imposed deadly penalties for confessors. Also new: the enemy – Vatican II sect – claims the title “Catholic Church”.
Nevertheless, the traditionalist group fighting against the sculpture, knows exactly with whom they are dealing with. In their petition they write: “… ultimately we can see from this that both Bishop Scheuer and Cathedral Prelate Strasser are not Catholics, but Freemasons and Satanists. They do not love God and the Blessed Mother, but serve the devil and hate God and Mary. Dear brothers and sisters, please sign the petition and turn away from such churches and wolves in sheep's clothing. They do not love God, but hate the truth.”
Obviously, the mainstream culture in Europe is satanic and the Vatican II sect celebrates blasphemy. We witness a constant stream of “art” on display in St. Peter´s Basilica, Cathedrals all over Europe, and “renovation” works. How are Catholics supposed to deal with this? The traditionalists form groups within the Vatican II sect. I think that hardly anyone formally quits membership of the Vatican II sect, while at the same time, they denounce the leadership and some follow religious leaders even outside the sect, like FSSPX or the newly excommunicated “Archbishop” Viganó. Besides verbal combat in various contexts, like social media, some move on to protests or even actions like stealing the “Pachamama” figure from a church in Rome or the incident described above.
But this is not how Catholics fight. Firstly, Catholics know, that these afflictions came about because of our sins and the unwillingness to repent, as Our Lady explained to the children of Fatima. Secondly, Catholics fight against evil in union with the Pope. Thirdly, only the Church, can cure the world and that by spiritual means. C. J. Woollen points out, that this is displayed first of all by the pronouncements of the Vicar of Christ in defense of Catholic principles. There is also a specific general exorcism “against Satan and the rebellious angels”. The official acts of the Church must be supplemented by the efforts of the faithful, who are members of it. “It is a heroic Church, Head and members, that will decide the issue, and the victory will be Christ´s. Though the conflict between good and evil must go on to the end of the world …”
In “The Truth About the Devil”, which contains the exorcism prayer mentioned above, Fr. Dominic Szymansk, O. F. M., writes: “The faults of a community are not secret to anyone. The bad fruit is visible to all, but many fail to see the tree on which it grows, and to recognize the demon as the originator of the evil. The blindness means success to the enemy of salvation. Many a soul would lead a much holier life if the demon were recognized as the source of sin; and sinners would not be proud of their vices if they knew that they were following the devil, and that he was an actual reality and not a vague enigma, existing only in human fantasy.” I think, in today´s situation, it is not so hard to see the influence of the devil everywhere, but to find the source of Holy Water to break the diabolical power.
Lastly it shall not go unmentioned, that the scandalous sculpture of the Cathedral in Linz also mocks “the woman in labor to give birth” of Apocalypse chapter 12. This biblical figure represents the Church and she is in labor to give birth to a Pope. Pope Michael I. writes on the occasion of His 25th Anniversary of His Papacy: “We as Pope stood between the porch and the altar praying to Almighty God, because for over two decades We possessed the Office of Priesthood, but not the Priestly Order, which would allow Us to approach the altar and offer up the adorable sacrifice on behalf of the people.” To overcome the result of the prolonged interregnum since the death of Pius XII., a great apostasy, Pope Michael I. warns of false solutions, where people get diverted, protest and fight against side issues. He called for obedience, and to follow the example of the Christians of the first centuries. “They were faithful citizens, obeying in all things lawful the civil government. Instead of fighting the evil laws, they sought to learn the Law of the Gospel and follow this faithfully in their lives. […] The Church remains in terrible crisis. It is time for all of us to come to Her defense. It is time for all of us to storm heaven with prayer and serious penance, begging God to flood the world with His grace.”
References:
Woollen, C. J.: A Schizophrenic Generation. In: Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Volume 46, 1945, pp. 176, (accessed here: https://www.scribd.com/document/30307545/A-Schizophernic-Generation)
Szymanski, Dominic, Fr. O. F. M.: The Truth About the Devil. (accessed here: https://www.scribd.com/document/260608309/Truth-About-the-Devil)
Pope Michael I.: 25th Anniversary. (accessed here: https://www.scribd.com/document/271743616/25th-Anniversary)
Reports with images of the “Crowning”-sculpture in the New Cathedral, Linz / Austria (in German language):
https://report24.news/feministische-kunst-im-mariendom-linz-fuer-kritiker-abscheulich-und-entwuerdigend/
Frequently Asked Questions
For answers to more frequently asked questions, click here: https://www.vaticaninexile.com/frequently_asked_questions.php
The Pope Speaks
Devictus Vincit
Josef Cardinal Mindszenty alone was the valid cardinal left in the Catholic Church after the Catholic Church was entirely hijacked in 1958 after the death of Pope Pius XII by Masonry and communist.
Who was Cardinal Mindszenty?
He was born in Csehimindszet, Hungary on March 29, 1892. He was ordained a priest in June 12, 1915 by Bishop Janos Mikes. He was consecrated bishop on March 25, 1944 by Jusztinian Gyorgy Seredi and served as Bishop of Veszprem from 1944 to 1945 and sooner Archbishop of Esztergom from October 2,1945 to December 19, 1973.
The Communist gained control of Hungary in 1948 and Mindszenty opposed communism and communist persecution of the Catholic Church through confiscation of churches, parochial schools and lands. As a result, Mindszenty was arrested on December 28, 1948 and was tortured and given life sentence in 1949 Kangaroo court. Pope Pius XII and Cardinal Francis Dominic Spellman condemned this promulgation of judgement. Even the United Nations Resolution condemned this.
Cardinal Mindszenty was freed after eight years of imprisonment in 1956 Hungarian Revolution. He was granted political asylum by the US embassy in Budapest and stayed there for 15 years. He left Budapest on September 29,1971 by the order of Anti- pope Paul VI. And due to Vatican Ostpolitik, Mindszenty was deprived of being Primate of Hungary and declared the see vacant on February 5,1974. For Cardinal Mindszenty this was the greatest cross had to bear in his life. He could not accept the betrayal of Anti-Pope Paul VI in favor of Ostpolitik to communist.
Mindszenty died in Exile in Vienna, Austria on May 6, 1975 at the age of 83. Mindszenty was buried in the Basilica of Esztergom in Hungary in 1991. Last 2019, Anti-pope Jorge Bergoglio declared him Venerable.
Look at the hypocrisy of the conciliar church masquerading as Roman Catholic Church! The Conciliar Anti-Pope John XXIII and Paul VI made an agreement with communist party we called Ostpolitik. This Ostpolitik is a complete denial of Catholic principles of faith and social doctrine and because of this many true Catholic suffered martyrdom at the hands of communist and now the Conciliar Anti-Pope Bergoglio declared Mindszenty Venerable. The Holy Scripture is very clear on this. The Lord Jesus Christ said to the disciples, " you shall be persecuted and get killed and those who killed you will be recognized as serving God ! ."( John 16: 2). The Lord Jesus Christ criticized the scribes and Pharisees " ...your ancestors killed the prophets and later on built a monument for them. " ( Cf. Matthew 23: 29- 31 ).
The life of Cardinal Mindszenty, the last valid cardinal of Roman Catholic Church until 1975 , reminds us of the continuing abomination of the Conciliar Church as a result of the Vatican Two, it's continuing alliances with communist China. That's why " Come out of her, my people" ( Revelation 18:4 ). Come out to false church and be a Catholic!
Yes, they defeated Cardinal Mindszenty but it doesn't mean Mindszenty was a looser. Actually, Mindszenty was victorious. He did not give up his Catholic faith. Devictus Vincit! My dear friends, we might be defeated by the enemies of faith but never quit. Like the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be victorious.
Christus Vincit. Christus regnat. Christus imperat!
Books to feed your faith!
The Three Days of Darkness
$5.95
Day of wrath and doom impending. David's word with Sibyl's blending, Heaven and earth in ashes ending. We open with the Dies Irae, because it applies to the Three Days of Darkness. Pope Saint Gregory the Great says in his Regula Pastoralis: “Let them be told how the Prophet Sophonias holds out over them the stroke of divine reproof, when he says: 'Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, great and horrible . . . . That day is a day of wrath, a day of darkness and obscurity, a day of clouds and whirlwinds, a day of the trumpet and alarm against all the fenced cities and against all the high corners.'” 1 Note this verse inspired the Dies Irae. The purpose of this book is to provide all of the prophecies that relate to the Three Days of Darkness. These are placed in a chronological order similar to that employed by Father Culleton is his two books, Antichrist and The Prophets and Our Times. They are provided without comment so that you can study the prophecies themselves. Some of the prophecies may appear out of place, but they will make sense as you move forward. It is strongly recommended that you make notes as you proceed forward with this book. In this way you can sort things out for yourself. Padre Pio predicted the Three Days of Darkness. So does Sacred Scripture, which calls it the Day of the Lord. Even Jesus Himself referred to the Three Days of Darkness in the Gospels. This book considers the many Catholic prophecies on the Three Days of Darkness.
The Seven Last Words of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross
$4.00
The original of this little work was written by Cardinal Bellarmine towards the close of his life, when he had retired to the House of his Order at San Andrea. It was intended primarily for religious, but the thoughts it embodies should help many to follow the author in his faithful imitation of Christ Crucified. In the attempt to give the gist of St. Robert's work in a few pages, much condensation and much omission was necessary. This will account, in some measure, for the abrupt transition of thought noticeable in a few places.
We present this small treatise to pious persons, entreating them to peruse it. Long ago the Holy Ghost said: “It is a holy and wholesome thing to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins.” (II Macabees 12:46) Our Lord shed tears in seeing the tomb of Lazarus, and the Church, well acquainted with the feelings of her Divine Founder, is incessently recommending charity for the Souls suffering in Purgatory. One of her eminent doctors, St. Thomas of Aquinas, has said that: “Of all prayers, the most meritorious, the most acceptable to God are prayers for the dead, because they imply all the works of charity, both corporal and spiritual.” But there are many people unconscious of the fact that charity for the “Poor Souls” is profitable to the living as well as to the dead. It is the teaching of the most learned theologians, viz: St. Alphonsus Ligori, Sylvius, Robert Bellarmine, Bonacina, and Suarez. “It is true,” says St. Alphonsus, “they are unable to pray or merit anything for themselves, yet, when they pray for others, they are heard by God.” Let us refer to Bellarmine: “The Souls in Purgatory,” says he, “can pray for those, who address to them their petitions, and obtain from God help, forgiveness, assistance against temptations, and, all favors, both temporal and spiritual, which they may need.” Many Saints have experienced this wonderful assistance. St. Catherine of Bologna assured her Sisters that: “She obtained many favors by the prayers of the holy Souls in Purgatory, which she had asked in vain, through the intercession of the Saints.” St. Theresa affirms that: “She always obtained the favors which she asked from God, through the intercession of the Poor Souls.” We read also in the book of St. Bridget's Revelations that: “Being one day conducted by an Angel into Purgatory, she heard a soul say: “Oh Lord, vouchsafe to reward those who assist us! Return hundredfold blessings to those who help us and introduce us into the light of Heaven.” St. Leonard of Port Maurice emphatically affirms that: “The blessed Souls, delivered by our prayers, will come down from Heaven to assist us in our temporal and spiritual affairs.” The Venerable Cure d' Ars, replying to a priest said: “If one knew what we may obtain from God by the intercession of the Poor Souls, they would not be so much abandoned. Let us pray a great deal for them, they will pray for us.” Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque had a special devotion for the Souls in Purgatory and has often accepted the charge of suffering for them. “Would that you knew,” she said, “how my soul was replenished with joy, when speaking to those Souls, and seeing them immersed in glory as in a deep ocean. As I requested them to pray for you, they replied: “An ungrateful soul is not to be found in Heaven!” No, we cannot be deceived! If we have an ardent charity, a sincere piety, a true devotedness for the Poor Souls, we will be favored with their protection. Let us try it! When we are in trouble, when we long for a favor, let us perform some pious or charitable work for the relief of the “Poor Souls.” They will be grateful, they will plead for us, and present our requests to the Eternal Father, Who loves them. May God bless this humble work! May He deign to enkindle generous hearts with zeal for the “Poor Souls.” "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt., V., 7.)
In the writings of St. Margaret Mary we find the following exhortation: “In union with the divine Heart of Jesus make a short pilgrimage to Purgatory at night. Offer Him all your activities of the day and ask Him to apply His merits to the suffering souls. At the same time implore them to obtain for you the grace to live and die in the love and friendship of this divine Heart. May He never find in you any resistance to His holy will, nor any wish to thwart His designs in your regard. Fortunate will you be, if you succeed in obtaining deliverance for some of these imprisoned souls, for you will gain as many friends in heaven.” This pious practice which St. Margaret Mary recommended to her novices for the octave of All Souls, was introduced to the members of the Arch-confraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the year 1885. Since then many of the faithful have made this pilgrimage daily. Our world-wide Arch-confraternity, therefore, would seem to have been chosen by divine Providence to obtain comfort and deliverance for many souls in Purgatory. In a letter of recommendation, given on January 5, 1884, his Eminence, Cardinal Monaco la Valette, Vicar General of His Holiness, sanctioned the propagation of the “Daily Pilgrimage to Purgatory”. On October 8 of the following year, his successor, Cardinal Parochi deigned not only to honour us with a letter of approbation, but also delivered a splendid sermon on this practice in the church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Rome, in which it had been introduced. May it please the divine Heart of Jesus to use this booklet as a means of spreading this work of sympathetic love for the Poor Souls everywhere. May this most benevolent of hearts extend to all who in any way assist in its circulation, the fullness of His graces and blessings. It is short ..…. A “Daily Pilgrimage” …… It is requires little more of your time than an ordinary prayer, a religious thought, or a devout ejaculation. It is easy ..…. It can be practised by any one without effort, regardless of age or state of life, at any time, and in any place. It is comforting .….. No more is required than to descend in spirit for a few moments into Purgatory; to petition God to send light, relief and peace to the holy souls: to relieve them of their sufferings, and to hasten the hour of their deliverance. It is holy …... It is in accordance with the wishes of the Sacred Heart; it increases His honour. He is our companion on this pilgrimage. We share in his love, and receive from Him light, relief and peace for the suffering souls. It is generous ……. It offers to the Sacred Heart every meritorious deed performed in the course of a day; prayers, mortifications, good works, alms, suffrages of every kind, and places them at His disposal on behalf of the Poor Souls. It is inexhaustible .….. It implores Our Lord and Saviour to apply to them the infinite merits of His Life. His Passion and Death, and also those of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and all The Saints. It is efficacious.…. If only you knew with what ardent desire these holy souls long for this new “remedy” which has such efficacy to relieve their sufferings. For this is what St Margaret Mary calls the devotion to the Sacred Heart.
Catholic Books In Exile
A Catholic Viewpoint on the Four Temperaments
Creation Moments
One of the big problems in a secular humanistic culture dominated by materialism and evolutionism is that not only does it seek to lie about biblical and creation truth, and to ridicule those who believe, but it supports a constant barrage of propaganda against the spiritual life. Yet, modern science is actually pointing more and more to the reality of spirituality!
Certainly the world, the flesh, and the devil – the three realms of evil that we must deal with in this life – want to keep people from stepping out and growing in a life of faith. And thus we are bombarded by the propaganda of evolution which seeks to shipwreck biblical faith. This is why we need to keep countering the lies with truth! And there is an overwhelming amount of evidence for the biblical record, though the world may try to sweep it away.
In Psalm 27:13 we read, “I had fainted (despaired) unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” We must remember that God is good, and He has a purpose that is thoroughly good! We must step out in faith, believing that whatever need we have to understand will follow sooner or later. Biblical methodology is that faith comes first. “But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6).
And if we are people who have trouble understanding God’s goodness and love toward us as His children, it should be helpful to simply say, “Okay, I believe it, and I will just rest in that biblical truth!” And then a deep understanding, that may well be inarticulate, will develop. That’s what the Bible teaches. That’s how it works.
Indeed, our faith in the trustworthiness of God’s Word is the first step in believing what the Bible says about origins. A greater understanding of biblical creation then follows as we look at the many lines of scientific support for biblical creation. Equipping believers with evidence that Jesus is both our Creator and Savior should be the mission of the Church. With God’s blessing, we intend to keep on doing that until the glorious day that Jesus returns.
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Spiders Help Make the Sun
The instruments that scientists are using to develop fusion energy continue to become more complex and powerful. They are trying to generate the energies needed to cause hydrogen to fuse into helium. This is the same process thought to be going on in the sun. Once the fusion process is started, it will continue on its own as long as hydrogen is available, quickly generating much more energy than was used to start the process. Hydrogen fuel is easily and cheaply generated from seawater.
Scientists have been using lasers to generate the power needed to start the fusion process. In current experimental devices, the hydrogen fuel is held in a hollow glass sphere that is about as big around as a human hair. The sphere must be suspended in mid-air. To reach the 90 million degrees needed to start fusion, 24 lasers with 12-trillion-watt beams are aimed at the sphere.
What do you suppose scientists use to suspend the sphere? They thought of using strands of glass, but then they remembered something even stronger, yet thinner: spider silk. Spider silk has the added benefit of being sticky, so it easily holds the sphere in place.
Despite the impressive technology of fusion experiments, humans often find that they cannot create better materials than those found in nature. God freely gave His creatures a sophisticated array of materials for life. He has just as freely given His Son, Jesus Christ, unto death for the forgiveness of your sins.
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Wild Medicine
Is it possible that your pharmacist could be a chimpanzee? That’s not such a silly question. Naturalists are discovering that many animals use a variety of plants and other items to treat their illnesses. Animals often know about the medicinal properties of plants when modern medicine has yet to learn about them.
Recently naturalists noticed that one of the monkeys in the African preserve under their care had become lethargic, lost her appetite and obviously had a severe gastric upset. A few hours after she became sick, she started munching on a native shrub that is not a normal part of the monkey’s diet. She chewed the plant, swallowed the bitter juice and spit out the pulp. By the next afternoon, her symptoms were gone and she was feeling better. After a little research, scientists discovered that local tribes use juices from the same plant to treat intestinal upset and loss of appetite.
Studies of the juices of a root that bears rub into their coats show that the bears are using an effective insecticide. Scientists have observed elephants, monkeys, birds and bears eating a variety of things that were not a normal part of their diet, only to discover that the things being eaten had medicinal properties. Most amazing is that the animals know how best to take their medicine. If a leaf is best swallowed whole to kill intestinal parasites, it will be swallowed unchewed!
Who other than the Great Physician Himself could have taught the animals this medicine?
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Did A Women Write Genesis?
For thousands of years, theories that reject the Word of God have followed cultural fashion. It was inevitable, then, that some “biblical scholar” would invent a theory that a woman wrote some important part of Scripture that has been traditionally assigned to a man.
Historical critic Harold Bloom, who teaches at Yale, has proposed that the mythological “J” source of Genesis was a woman. He says she made up the stories of the creation, Noah and Abraham, and invented an impulsive, violent and “impish” divinity. Bloom’s evidence? The account of Eve’s creation is six times longer than the account of Adam’s creation.
Some Christians have been shaken up needlessly by this so-called “scholarship.” Historical criticism rejects the Bible as the Word of God. It says the Bible is man-made and a result of the natural evolution of religion. There is no room in historical criticism for divine revelation. As a result, historical critics cannot arrive at theories that support the Bible as God’s revelation except by accident. Second, the claimed sources of the Old Testament, such as the “J” source, have never been found and are purely imaginary.
As Christians, we should not be intimidated by such claims of “scholarship.” All this scholarship does is discard the God of Scripture and His Word, replacing the true God with imaginary gods and authors. And, as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, “We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.”
Catechism Catch-Up
The Sacrament of Penance
Matthew 9:3-8 "And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth. And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And he arose, and went into his house. And the multitude seeing it, feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men."
John 20:19-23 "Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."
"The tears of the penitents are wine for the angels." -- St. Bernard
The Sacrament of Penance -- also known as "Confession" is such a gift! It can be very hard to do -- it can be intimidating, and feel embarrassing -- but once absolution is given, you will walk out of that confessional feeling like a trillion bucks. Christ, in His most Holy Wisdom, gave us this precious Sacrament to literally and truly bestow His grace upon us through His priests as a means of forgiving us and assuring us of His mercy and love for us. This psychological benefit of "feeling assured" and "clean again" stems not only from the supernatural fruits of the Sacrament, but from our human nature and our need to purge ourselves of those things that plague our consciences. Christ, the Great Physician, knows us well and knows that "confession is good for the soul," in both a supernatural and psychological sense. As G.K. Chesterton wrote:
"When a Catholic comes from confession, he does truly, by definition, step out into that dawn of his own beginning... in that brief ritual God has really remade him in His own image. He may be grey and gouty; but he is only five minutes old."
There are many people who've been terrified to go to Confession; all I can say is be a brave soldier and buck up and "just do it." Christ Himself wants this of you, so just resolve to do the right thing. Millions of Catholics over the course of 2,000 years have braved the "little dark box" (at least metaphorically; though Confession has been around since Day 1, the Confessional is a 7th. century Irish gift to the Church); you can, too. Priests have heard it all, trust me, and nothing you say can ever be repeated to anyone in any way that could identify you -- not to the police, not to another priest, not to anyone under any circumstances -- even court orders, even if something is revealed that could pose a danger to someone, etc. In fact, a priest is excommunicated if he were to violate the "Seal of Confession"!
And if you're worried because you're "new at this," that's okay! It's okay to be nervous! It's okay to be afraid because this is something new and different to you. And it's okay to tell the priest how you feel. Just let him know it's your first Confession; he will put you at ease and help you through it and be so glad you've come to receive the graces our Lord wants to pour out on you!
It's not as scary as it seems to so many people. Really. But if you're still afraid, take a deep breath, pray for strength, go to Confession and receive His wonderful mercy! You will not regret it, I promise you!
If you've just been validly baptized, you don't need Confession, because Baptism wipes away all guilt of sin (and the temporal effects of sin, by the way). If, however, you were validly baptized years ago and are just now coming to this Sacrament for the first time, or if you're a Catholic who's been away from the Church for years, you might want to schedule an appointment with your priest to make what's known as a "General Confession," which includes sins of one's entire life, since it might take a bit longer than usual (general Confessions are also often made before before marriage or ordination). Normally, though, a person who's raised Catholic makes his first Confession right before he receives his first Holy Communion, usually at around the age of seven.
[By Vox Clamantis ("the voice of one crying out"). This article was edited for use for Traditionalcatechism.com. You can view "Vox Clamantis" online articles at Fisheaster.com. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by "Vox Clamantis" at Fisheater.com are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the teaching of the true Catholic Church.]
(If you fill you have a calling to the priesthood and would like to contact us about it, please contact us on our contact page or go to our religious vocation page at the VIE Website for direction, guidance, and questions.)
Living Catholic:
To Learn More Principles For Life Go To: Resources: Principles of Life
- Your prayers and support are asked for the House of Prayer in Topeka Kansas.
- Your prayers and support are asked for in a practical way for our domestic missionary work: for traveling expenses to offer mass in other states as Society of Saints Paul And Silas (SSPS) missionary priest travel. Can you help?
- Your prayers and support are asked to help a priest acquire a reliable vehicle to serve a rural mission.
- Please pray for the health of Deacon Stephen and his dear wife.
- Be sure to keep St. Helen Catholic Mission in your prayers. Why not go on over to the site now and see what they have to offer and how you might be able to help!
- Please continue to pray for the repose of the soul of the Holy Father, Pope Michael I.
- We are all praying especially for you, too. May you correspond with every grace of God!
- In what other needs or intentions may we pray for you? Let us know at vaticaninexile@gmail.com
- Let us remember that the Church runs on prayer. Without your prayers, God will not work in hearts and souls to bring them to a knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4)
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