Rorate Caeli

Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ the King




Latin:

IESU dulcissime, Redemptor humani generis, respice nos ante conspectum tuum humillime provolutos. Tui sumus, tui esse volumus; quo autem tibi coniuncti firmius esse possimus, en hodie sacratissimo Cordi tuo se quisque nostrum sponte dedicat. Te quidem multi novere nunquam; te, spretis mandatis tuis, multi repudiarunt. Miserere utrorumque, benignissime Iesu, atque ad sanctum Cor tuum rape universos.

Rex esto, Domine, nec fidelium tantum qui nullo tempore discessere a te, sed etiam prodigorum filiorum qui te reliquerunt; fac hos, ut domum paternam cito repetant, ne miseria et fame pereant.

Rex esto eorum, quos aut opinionum error deceptos habet, aut discordia separatos, eosque ad portum veritatis atque ad unitatem fidei revoca, ut brevi fiat unum ovile et unus pastor.

Largire, Domine, Ecclesiae tuae securam cum incolumitate libertatem; largire cunctis gentibus tranquillitatem ordinis; perfice, ut ab utroque terrae vertice una resonet vox: Sit laus divino Cordi, per quod nobis parta salus: ipsi gloria et honor in saecula! Amen.

English:

MOST sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thee. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known Thee; many, too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.

Be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give tranquility of order to all nations; make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to It be glory and honor for ever! Amen.


Latin and English texts from Thesaurus Precum Latinarum. Image from In illo tempore.

Lex orandi, lex credendi

From an interview with Msgr. James P. Moroney on the new translation of the 1970 / 2002 Missal:
Msgr. Moroney, can you explain the Latin principle, Lex orandi, lex credendi?

Both the Roman Missal and the instruction Liturgiam authenticam tell us that the Roman Rite is perhaps best defined by the rites and prayers of the Sacred Liturgy. This is a simple application of the ancient principle lex orandi, lex credendi, or, the practice of our prayer is the practice of our belief. How we pray best defines what we believe. This is one of the reasons why an accurate translation of liturgical texts is so essential to the life of the Church. We will never have a clear idea of what we believe until we have a clear idea of the texts we have prayed in the Sacred Liturgy for over a millennium
From the context of the interview it seems that the monsignor is implying that the texts of the Novus Ordo represent the millenial liturgy of the Roman Church -- a strange claim that is rather widespread. Nevertheless, the idea in the highlighted passage is, in itself, correct. Here's hoping that those who read it will realize its implications...
Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society (fifth posting of souls)


Below, please find the fifth posting of enrolled souls of the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society. And, above, a kind reader created this document, printed it and hung it on his wall as a reminder to pray. I hope the quality is sufficient for those of you who wish to print and do the same. Please pray for these souls with a prayer provided below as well as for the now 10 holy priests who are praying the Traditional Latin Mass either weekly or monthly for the success of the Society and the repose of the enrolled souls.

A reminder on how to enroll souls: please email me at my address found in my profile on the right and submit as follows: "name, state, country." If you want to enroll entire families, simply write in the email: "The Jones family, Rome, Italy". Individual names are preferred. Be greedy -- send in as many as you wish and forward this posting to friends as well.

Also, if you run a blog or website, please consider letting your readers know about the Society as well by posting a link or short write-up. God knows there aren't enough people praying for these souls -- let's all join together and get the word out.

Please pray for the enrolled souls and the holy priests of the Society:

"For all the souls enrolled in the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the Faithful departed rest in peace. Amen."

Then ...

Eternal God,
please bless our priests,
who are selflessly saying Masses for this Society.
Make them more greatly aware of the grace
that You pour out through them
when they minister the sacraments,
and help them to fall more deeply in love with You
after each and every Mass that they celebrate.
Please strengthen our priests,
who shepherd Your flock,
when they are in doubt of their faith,
that they may be examples of Your Truth
and guide us always on the path to You.
We ask these things of You, our Eternal Priest.
Amen.

Enrolled Souls of the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society:

Mrs Loretta Lie, Hong Kong SAR, China
Fr. Richard Lewnau, Detroit, Michigan (USA)
Fr. Francis Skalski, Detroit, Michigan (USA)
John Fox, Surrey, England
The Velasco Family, Philippines
The Rejesus Family, Philippines
Howard Gover, Vermont, USA
The Dang Family, Alberta, Canada
Donald Joseph Clifford,Ohio, USA
Luiza Buranelli Constantino - Sao Paulo, Brazil
João Néias Constantino - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Augusta Carniato de Mello - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Antonio Fernandes de Mello - Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Buranelli Family - Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Mello Family - Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Constantino Family - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Rufino Palillo, Quezon Province, Philippines
Severina Mancenido, Quezon Province, Philippines
Mateo Palillo, Quezon Province, Philippines
Monsignor Oreste Bunino, Turin, Italy
Reverend Pietro Longo, Cavoretto, Italy
Reverend Paolo Barrera, Turin, Italy
Alda Gianetti Marro, Turin, Italy
Giulio Masserano, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mauro Di Giulio, Turin, Italy
Leocadio Mancenido, Quezon Province, Philippines
Basilio Palillo, Quezon Province, Philippines
Antonia Daya, Quezon Province, Philippines
Andrea Abejar, Quezon Province, Philippines
Felicitas Mancenido, Quezon Province, Philippines
Tranquilina Casareo, Quezon Province, Philippines
Carmileen Oblena, Quezon Province, Philippines
Gertrudes Casareo, Quezon Province, Philippines
Isagani Taino, Philippines
Pio Sarmiento, Philippines
Lorenzo Palillo, Quezon Province, Philippines
Fructuoso Ewican, Cebu, Philippines
Guillermo Ewican, Cebu, Philippines
Gabriel Ewican, Cebu, Philippines
Rosario Roca, Philippines
Manuel Roca, Sr., Philippines
Myra Rojas, Philippines
Mauro Lobaton, Philippines
Lucila Abejar, Philippines
The Clifford Families,Ohio, USA
The Mauceri Family,Ohio,USA
The Marcelli Families,Ohio, USA
The Morgan Family, Ohio, USA
Diane Nandell, Iowa, USA
Gaetano Portelli - N.J. - USA
Angelina Portelli - N.J. - USA
Joseph Portelli - N.J. - USA
Francesco Mastrogiovanni - N.J. - USA
Giuseppina Mastrogiovanni - N.J. - USA
Andrew P. Soter - N.J. - USA
Lillian A. Soter - N.J. - USA
Jennie Faris - N.J. - USA
Kamil Faris - N.J. - USA
Mary Ged - N.J. - USA
Charles Ged - N.J. - USA
Frances McGrogan - N.J. - USA
Samuel Tahmoosh - N.J. - USA
Joseph N. Barbary - N.J. - USA
Antoinette Frederick - Md. - USA
Nemesio Mangila, Zamboanga City, Philippines
Rodrigo Agarrado, Metro Manila, Philippines
Darlene Maney, California, USA
Joseph Sankey, Plymouth , England
Catherine Alleway, Plymouth , England
Richard William Gigg, Somerset , England
Lynette Fitzpatrick, Sydney , Australia
Anna Thich Thi Huynh,Binh Dinh,Viet Nam
Billie Howard, Washington, USA
Mike, Wales, UK
Kate, Wales, UK
Luke, Wales, UK
Tomos, Wales, UK
Aidan, Wales, UK
Angela, Wales, UK
Peter, Wales, UK
Dominic, Wales, UK
Tracy, Wales, UK
Aaron, England, UK
Marcus, England, UK
Kasia, England, UK
Alcuin, England, UK
Lisa, England, UK
Sam, England UK
Lizzy-Kate, England, UK
Martin, Afgahnistan
Fae, England, UK
Helen, Wales, UK
Adrian, Wales, UK
Greg, England, UK
Theresa, Wales, UK
Denis, Wales, UK
Nicola, Wales UK
Nathan, Wales, UK
Daniel, Wales, UK
Ceris, Wales, UK
Migliaccio, New York, USA
Grandcha Keith, Wales, UK
Grandad Jack, England ,UK
Nana Simmons, Wales, UK
Nana Dean, England, UK
Grandad Dean, England, UK
Nana Coyne, England, UK
Grandad Coyne, England, UK
Uncle Mike, England, UK
Aunty Irene, England, UK
Uncle Gordon Wallace, England, UK
Adrain Porwal, England UK
The Myers family, USA
Maria Jude Vandermoore, CA USA
Maria Josepeh Vandermoore, CA USA
Gabriela Salas, Costa Rica
Mary Liuni, NY, USA
Michael Liuni, NY, USA
Fr. Michael Moriarty, Kansas, USA
Darrel H. Vinette, Kansas, USA
Helen T. Vinette, Kansas, USA
Robert L. Vinette, Kansas, USA
Rex V. Tarwater, Kansas USA
Katheryn S. Tarwater, Kansas USA
Robert C. Thornton, Kansas, USA
M. Veta Thornton, Kansas USA
Walter Vinette, Kansas USA
Gertrude Lloyd, Kansas USA
Loretta Bergeron, Kansas, USA
Eugene Dinet, Kansas, USA
Emanuel Marcovitch, Kansas, USA
Michael Griffith, Kansas, USA
Lawrence Bjorklund, Kansas, USA
Mary Ruth Harrington, Kansas, USA
Clair Harrington, Kansas, USA
Abott Walter Coggin, O.S.B.
Father Anselm Biggs, O.S.B.,
Departed Monks of Belmont Abbey, North Carolina
The Departed Sisters of Sacred Heart Convent, Belmont, North Carolina
Louis Roncone, Pennsylvania, United States
Maria G. Roncone, Pennsylvania, United States
George Mauro, Pennsylvania, United States
Evelyn Mauro, Pennsylvania, United States
George Mauro, Georgia, United States
Armand Roncone, Florida, United States
Ida Phillips, Florida, United States
Eric Witner, Florida, United States
Olga Witner, Florida, United States
Charles Grogan, Florida, United States
Louis Roncone, Florida, United States
Anthony Mariano, Ohio, United States
Nicholas Giuliani, Pennsylvania, United States
Regis Goehmann, Pennsylvania, United States
Vivian Goehmann, Pennsylvania, United States
Ann Barletta, Pennsylvania, United States
Gerry Trageser, Florida, United States
Edward Mancini, Pennsylvania, United States
Phyllis Mancini, Pennsylvania, United States
Elizabeth Mancini, Pennsylvania, United States
Silverio & Gaetana Migliaccio

And please remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter.

Msgr. Brunero Gherardini on the SSPX

On September 29, 2010, Messa in Latino published an article from the pen of Msgr. Brunero Gherardini, containing various reflections on the Vatican - SSPX dialogue. The following is a private and unofficial translation made by some friends of Rorate.



On the Future of the Fraternity of St. Pius X

Monsignor Brunero Gherardini has been so kind as to give us the following reflections on how he sees the future of the SSPX.

During a friendly colloquium some friends asked me how I look at the future of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X upon the conclusion of the talks taking place between the Fraternity and the Holy See. We talked a long time on this subject and were of divided opinions. Therefore, I would also like to express my own opinions in writing, in the hope – if this be not presumptuous of me, God forbid! – that this may benefit not only friends, but also the (two) parties of the dialogue.

First of all I would emphasize that nobody is “a prophet or the son of a prophet.” The future lies in the hands of God. Sometimes it is possible to predict it, at least to some extent. Other times it escapes us completely. We must also take into consideration the two parties finally working on a solution to the now long-standing problem of the “Lefebvrists,” who, up till now, have remained duly silent regarding the discussions, in a laudable and exemplary manner. This silence, however, is of no help to us in foreseeing possible developments.


However, “voices” have also been heard – and not a few at that. The facts on which they base their conjectures remain unknown. I will therefore examine some of the opinions expressed on the aforementioned occasion, and afterwards I will express my own.


1
– There were those who judged in a positive way a recent invitation to “come out of the bunker in which the Fraternity – in order to defend the Faith from the attacks of the Neo-modernists – had barricaded itself during the post-conciliar period.” It was easy to show the precariousness of such an opinion. That the Fraternity for some decades has been in a bunker is evident; unfortunately, it is there still. However, it is not evident if it entered there of its own accord or if it was made to do so by someone else, or urged by events themselves. It seems to me – if we wish to speak of a bunker – that it was Mons. Lefebvre who led his Fraternity there on that day, the 30th of June, when, after two official warnings and one formal admonition to withdraw from his projected “schismatic” act, he ordained to the episcopate four of his priests. This was a bunker, but not one of schism properly so called, because even if he “refused to submit to the Supreme Pontiff” (CIC 751/2), there was no malicious intent and no intention to create an “anti-church.” The act was instead determined by love of the Church and a sort of pressing “necessity” for the continuity of genuine Catholic Tradition, which had been seriously compromised by post-conciliar Neo-modernism. But a bunker it was: it was a bunker of disobedience touching the limits of defiance, a deadlock with no way out in view. Not a bunker for safeguarding compromised values.




Ordinations in Econe, 2009




It is hard to understand why “in order to defend the Faith against the attacks of Neo-modernism,” it was really necessary to “barricade oneself in a bunker,” that is to say: give way to the Modernist heresy and let it flood in. No, because the inundation by heresy was constantly opposed. The Fraternity above all attends to the formation of priests, this being their special task, even if carried out in a position of canonical condemnation, and therefore outside the official ranks, with, however, the consciousness of working for Christ and for His Church, the holy, catholic, apostolic and Roman Church. Above all, they have founded and are directing seminaries, promoting and sustaining theological debates – often with a remarkably high profile – publishing books of relevant ecclesiological value, and rendering an account of themselves by means of internal and external newsletters. And all of this is done openly, thus demonstrating– though regrettably from the margins – the force with which the Church can exercise her mission of universal evangelization. The effects of the active Lefebvrist presence may be considered modest and in fact not very conspicuous for two reasons:

the canonically irregular condition in which it operates,

and its dimensions; as is said: “la mosca tira il calcio che può” (“the fly lifts whatever foot it can”).

However, I am profoundly convinced that it is just for this reason that we must thank the Fraternity: in the context of a secularization which has now reached the frontiers of a post-Christian era—an era which does not hide its antipathy for them—they have held and still hold high the torch of Faith and Tradition.



2 – During the debate which was mentioned at the beginning, someone referred to a conference during which the Fraternity was asked to have more confidence in the contemporary ecclesial world, if necessary resorting to some compromises, because the “salus animarum” demands– as a Lefebvrist has said – that we take this risk. Yes, but certainly not the risk of “compromising” our own or others’ eternal salvation.


It is probable that his words do not convey the [speaker’s] intentions. Or that the true weight of his words is not known. Compromise is something we should avoid in matters of the Faith. And the Fraternity reminds us – as does each authentic follower of Christ – that the “Yes yes, no, no” of Matthew 5:37 (James 5:12) is the only reply to be made when asked to compromise. The cited text continues: “for whatever is more than this is from the Evil One”: this involves even and especially compromise, at least when compromise means a renunciation of one’s own moral principles and one’s own raison d’être.


To tell the truth, when the discussions between the Holy See and the Fraternity started, I too heard a rumor of a possible compromise. That is to say, of an unworthy kind of conduct, which the Holy See itself would probably be the first to shy away from. A compromise on anything which does not involve the profession of the authentic Faith is possible and even plausible. However, that is never the case as far as non-negotiable values are concerned. Moreover, this would be a contradiction in terms, inasmuch as the compromise itself is the object of a “negotium” and one that carries a risk: the risk of the shipwreck of the Faith. The very idea that the Holy See could propose and accept such a compromise is repugnant to me; the Holy See would gain much less than “a mess of pottage” and would assume the responsibility for inflicting a grave wrong. It is also repugnant to me to think that the Fraternity, having taken as the standard of its very existence the Faith without compromises, should then slip on a banana peel by renouncing its raison d’être.


I add that, to judge by some indications, it may not be wholly unfounded to say that the methodology being employed by both sides does not seem to permit a very large perspective. It is the methodology of point, counter-point: Vatican II “yes,” Vatican II “no,” or at the most “yes, but ….” This requires that on one side or on the other, or on both, one’s guard is lowered. Is this an unconditional surrender? For the Fraternity to place itself in the hands of the Church would be the only really true Christian behavior, if there did not exist the reason for which [the Fraternity] exists and which made it "secede to the Aventine" (so to speak -- CAP), namely Vatican II which – especially in some of its documents – is, according to the letter, opposed to that which the Fraternity believes in and that for which it labors. With such a methodology, there is no middle way in sight. It is either capitulation or compromise.


Such a fundamental outcome could be avoided if one would follow another methodology. The “punctum dolens” of all the controversial issues is called Tradition. Each side calls attention to it constantly, while simultaneously having a totally different conception of it. Papa Wojtyla declared officially in 1988 that the Fraternity had a notion of Tradition that was “incomplete and contradictory.” One would, therefore, have to demonstrate the reason for such an incompleteness and contradiction. But what is most urgent is the necessity for both parties to arrive at a common concept (of what Tradition is - CAP), a concept which can be shared bilaterally. Such a concept would then become the instrument by which all the other problems could be solved. There is no theological or ecclesiological problem which could not be unlocked with this key. If, though, the dialogue were to continue with each side keeping to its own point of departure, then there will either be a dialogue between the deaf, or – in order to demonstrate that they have not dialogued in vain – they would give free access to compromise. This would be the outcome especially if the Fraternity were to accept the term “apparent contrasts,” apparent because they do not involve dissensions of a dogmatic character but only ever-changing interpretations of historical facts. Then the Fraternity would declare its own demise, because they would have wretchedly substituted their Tradition, which is that of the Apostles, with the flimsy, inconsistent, and heterogeneous notion of the “living Tradition” of the Neo-modernists.



3
– In our amiable colloquium we discussed one last question, expressing more hope than concretely founded expectations: the future of the Fraternity. This very subject has recently been treated by the web-site “Cordialiter” with an idyllic anticipation of the happy tomorrows awaiting the Fraternity: a new canonical status (new? yes, new, because up to now there has never been one); the beginning of the end of Modernism; [Fraternity] priories overrun by the faithful; the Fraternity transformed into an “autonomous super-diocese.” For my part, I too expect great things from the hoped-for settlement being worked out, with my feet, though, a bit more firmly on the ground.


I try to look at things in a more acute way in order to see what could happen tomorrow. The specialty of the Fraternity, as has already been said, is the formation of young men for the priesthood and the care of priestly vocations. Therefore, they should not open themselves up to fields of endeavor other than seminaries, this being their true “theater of operations.” In both their own and others’seminaries, more than anywhere else, the nature and purpose of the Fraternity can be given expression.


Under which canonical profile? It is not easy to foresee. However, it seems to me that since they are a priestly fraternity this ought to suggest a canonical arrangement like a “priestly society” placed under the supreme governance of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Otherwise, the fact that it already has four bishops could suggest as a solution a “Prelature,” with a juridical configuration that the Holy See, at an opportune time, could determine more precisely. This does not seem to me to be the principal problem. More important is undoubtedly both the settlement within the Church of this contentious issue, scarcely comprehensible at a time when dialogue is undertaken with everyone, as well as the emancipation of a force hitherto confined to the idea and the ideal of Tradition, so that it may operate not from a bunker but in the light of the sun and as a living and authentic expression of the Church.


Sept. 27, 2010

Brunero Gherardini

Baltimore Anglicans becoming Catholic -- but are they already more "Catholic" than most Catholics?


Wonderful news from the Baltimore Sun, where it is being reported that the Mount Calvary Episcopal Church in Baltimore on Sunday "became the first congregation in Maryland to vote to break ties with the Episcopal Church and take steps to join the Roman Catholic Church."

According to the paper of record in the oldest Archdiocese in the country: "The small Anglo Catholic parish ... was feeling increasingly alienated from the Episcopal Church as it accepted priests who did not believe in what most of the congregation saw as the foundations of the faith ... The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland issued a statement Monday about the vote, but both the bishop and the rector, the Rev. Jason Catania, declined to be interviewed. A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Sean Caine, said the Catholic Church would welcome the congregation."


As you will see by these photos -- in them what appears to be a thorough sensus Catholicus -- these current Protestants look very traditionally Catholic. In fact, they look more Catholic than most Novus Ordo Catholics.


That begs two questions:

1.) How will these traditional Anglicans, especially the soon-to-be priests, feel when they begin to mix and mingle with the typical Novus Ordo priest, many of whom, at least in terms of liturgy and orthodoxy, are more entrenched in Protestantism than the Protestants? [this shunning of traditional priests already happens with many FSSP priests, so no need to pretend it's not a problem] and ...

2.) What does it say about the state of the Roman Catholic Church when Protestants have a Catholic identity tenfold greater than the average Novus Ordo "Catholic community"?

And, please, remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter and to send me your list of souls to be enrolled in the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society (button on the right for more info).

Tiara out, miter in -- once more.

Rinascimento Sacro reports that for today's Angelus, the papal coat of arms with tiara from Ars Regia that had occasioned so much discussion since its first appearance on October 10, was replaced with the coat of arms with miter:


Noting that some of the vestments made for Pope Benedict XVI have the tiara and not the miter with his coat of arms, Rinascimento Sacro's report -- which has photos of some of these magnificent vestments -- states that these will likely be redone as well in order to remove the tiara.

Dhimmitude

Sandro Magister has drawn attention to the L'Osservatore Romano's publication on Friday of an eviscerated Italian version of the summary of the speech of Bishop Raboula Antoine Beylouni during the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops. (Rorate reproduced that speech two days ago.) According to Magister this speech's published form was heavily censored on the order of the Vatican Secretariat of State.

Below is the full text of the speech in English, with the equivalent portions removed by the Secretariat of State in bold:


For several years in Lebanon we have had a national committee for Islamic-Christian dialogue. There was also an episcopal commission from the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon entrusted with Islamic-Christian dialogue. It was recently suppressed to give more importance to the other committee, also because because it had not produced any results.

Sometimes dialogue occurs here and there, in the Arab countries, such as in Qatar, where the Emir himself invites, at his expense, personalities from different countries and from the three religions: Christian, Muslim and Jewish. In Lebanon the Télélumiere and Noursat networks, and other television networks, sometimes broadcast programs on Islamic-Christian dialogue. Often a topic is chosen, and each side explains or interprets according to their religion. These programs are usually very instructive.

With my intervention, I wished to draw attention on the points that make these encounters difficult and often ineffective. It should be clear that we are not discussing dogma. But even the subjects of a practical and social order are difficult to discuss when the Koran or the Sunna discusses them.
Here are some difficulties which we have faced:

- The Koran inculcates in the Muslim pride in being the only true and complete religion, taught by the greatest prophet, because he was the last one. The Muslim is part of the privileged nation, and speaks the language of God, the language of Paradise, the Arabic language. This is why, he comes to dialogue with a sense of superiority, and with the certitude of being victorious.

The Koran, supposedly written by God Himself, from beginning to end, gives the same value to all that is written: dogma that supercedes all law or practice.

In the Koran, men and women are not equal, not even in marriage itself where the man takes several wives and can divorce at his pleasure; nor in the heritage where man takes double; nor in the testifying before judges where the voice of one man is equal to the voice of two women, etc...

The Koran allows the Muslim to hide the truth from the Christian, and to speak and act contrary to how he thinks and believes.

In the Koran, there are contradictory verses which annul others, which gives the Muslim the possibility of using one or the other to his advantage, and therefore he can tell the Christian that he is humble and pious and believes in God, just as he can treat him as impious, apostate and idolatrous.

The Koran gives the Muslim the right to judge Christians and to kill them for the Jihad (the holy war). It commands the imposition of religion through force, with the sword. The history of invasions bears witness to this. This is why the Muslims do not recognize religious freedom, for themselves or for others. And it isn’t surprising to see all the Arab countries and Muslims refusing the whole of the “Human Rights” instituted by the United Nations.

Faced with all these interdictions and other similar attitudes should one suppress dialogue? Of course not. But
the themes that can be discussed should be chosen carefully, and capable and well-trained Christians chosen as well, as well as those who are courageous and pious, wise and prudent... who tell the truth with clarity and conviction...

We sometimes deplore certain dialogues on TV, where the Christian speaker isn’t up to the task, and does not give the Christian religion all its beauty and spirituality, which scandalizes the viewers. Worse yet, when sometimes there are clergyman speakers who, in dialogue to win over Muslims call Mohammed the prophet and add the Muslim invocation, known and constantly repeated: “Salla lahou alayhi was sallam”. (In ordering this sentence to be censored, is the Vatican Secretariat of State implying that it is acceptable for Christian representatives to call Mohammed the prophet and to use the aforesaid invocation -- which invokes peace and blessings upon Mohammed? Just asking. CAP)

Finally I would like to suggest the following:

Like the Koran spoke well of the Virgin Mary, insisting on her perpetual virginity and miraculous and unique conception in giving us Christ; just as Muslims take her greatly into consideration and ask for her intercession, we should turn to her for all dialogue and all encounters with the Muslims. Being the Mother of us all, she will guide us in our relations with the Muslims to show them the true face of Her Son Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind.

If it pleased God that the Feast of the Annunciation was declared a national feast day in Lebanon for Christians and Muslims, may it also become a national feast day in other Arab countries.

(H/t: Messa in Latino)

Synod Assembly for Mid-East proposes adaptation and renewal of the Eastern liturgies

The Vatican website has published a "provisional, off-the-record and unofficial English version" of the 44 Propositions hammered out by the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops. As has been the practice for past assemblies of the Synod of Bishops, these propositions are expected to form the basis of a post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation.
The proposition for the liturgy reads as follows:

Propositio 39
Liturgy

The biblical and theological wealth of the Eastern liturgies is at the spiritual service of the universal Church. Nonetheless, it would be useful and important to renew the liturgical texts and celebrations, where necessary, so as to answer better the needs and expectations of the faithful. This renewal must be based on an ever deeper knowledge of tradition and
be adapted to contemporary language and categories.

A mere statement of intent that will soon be forgotten, or seed of major reforms? Will the Pope's Apostolic Exhortation adopt this, or quietly ignore this? In peace let us pray to the Lord...

Michelin/Rand McNally

Yes, most of you have probably already read this article published by our friends at The Remnant ("Actions Speak Louder than Words: New revelations regarding relations between the Vatican and the SSPX").

We nevertheless recommend it, with reservations; and, if you have already read it, read it anew.

Courage

The following is the Vatican's summary of the written intervention during the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, of the Syrian Catholic bishop Msgr. Raboula Antoine Beylouni, Titular Archbishop of Mardin of the Syrians, Curia Bishop of Antioch of the Syrians. His intervention is an impassioned cry not only against Islamist oppression, but also against the Islamophile syncretism and near-apostasy of some of his fellow Christians. Let us pray that this man will not be martyred for his convictions. Emphases mine. CAP.

For several years in Lebanon we have had a national committee for Islamic-Christian dialogue. There was also an episcopal commission from the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon entrusted with Islamic-Christian dialogue. It was recently suppressed to give more importance to the other committee, also because because it had not produced any results.

Sometimes dialogue occurs here and there, in the Arab countries, such as in Qatar, where the Emir himself invites, at his expense, personalities from different countries and from the three religions: Christian, Muslim and Jewish. In Lebanon the Télélumiere and Noursat networks, and other television networks, sometimes broadcast programs on Islamic-Christian dialogue. Often a topic is chosen, and each side explains or interprets according to their religion. These programs are usually very instructive.

With my intervention, I wished to draw attention on the points that make these encounters difficult and often ineffective. It should be clear that we are not discussing dogma. But even the subjects of a practical and social order are difficult to discuss when the Koran or the Sunna discusses them. Here are some difficulties which we have faced:

- The Koran inculcates in the Muslim pride in being the only true and complete religion, taught by the greatest prophet, because he was the last one. The Muslim is part of the privileged nation, and speaks the language of God, the language of Paradise, the Arabic language. This is why, he comes to dialogue with a sense of superiority, and with the certitude of being victorious.

The Koran, supposedly written by God Himself, from beginning to end, gives the same value to all that is written: dogma that supercedes all law or practice.

In the Koran, men and women are not equal, not even in marriage itself where the man takes several wives and can divorce at his pleasure; nor in the heritage where man takes double; nor in the testifying before judges where the voice of one man is equal to the voice of two women, etc...

The Koran allows the Muslim to hide the truth from the Christian, and to speak and act contrary to how he thinks and believes.

In the Koran, there are contradictory verses which annul others, which gives the Muslim the possibility of using one or the other to his advantage, and therefore he can tell the Christian that he is humble and pious and believes in God, just as he can treat him as impious, apostate and idolatrous.

The Koran gives the Muslim the right to judge Christians and to kill them for the Jihad (the holy war). It commands the imposition of religion through force, with the sword. The history of invasions bears witness to this. This is why the Muslims do not recognize religious freedom, for themselves or for others. And it isn’t surprising to see all the Arab countries and Muslims refusing the whole of the “Human Rights” instituted by the United Nations.

Faced with all these interdictions and other similar attitudes should one suppress dialogue? Of course not. But the themes that can be discussed should be chosen carefully, and capable and well-trained Christians chosen as well, as well as those who are courageous and pious, wise and prudent... who tell the truth with clarity and conviction...

We sometimes deplore certain dialogues on TV, where the Christian speaker isn’t up to the task, and does not give the Christian religion all its beauty and spirituality, which scandalizes the viewers. Worse yet, when sometimes there are clergyman speakers who, in dialogue to win over Muslims call Mohammed the prophet and add the Muslim invocation, known and constantly repeated: “Salla lahou alayhi was sallam”.

Finally I would like to suggest the following:

Like the Koran spoke well of the Virgin Mary, insisting on her perpetual virginity and miraculous and unique conception in giving us Christ; just as Muslims take her greatly into consideration and ask for her intercession, we should turn to her for all dialogue and all encounters with the Muslims. Being the Mother of us all, she will guide us in our relations with the Muslims to show them the true face of Her Son Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind.

If it pleased God that the Feast of the Annunciation was declared a national feast day in Lebanon for Christians and Muslims, may it also become a national feast day in other Arab countries.

Catholic Orthodoxy: Antidote Against the Culture of Death

Inside the Vatican's Newsflash Letter # 63 for this year has made available the full text of Cardinal-designate Raymond Burke's speech of October 9, 2010 to the World Prayer Congress for Life. Previously, the text was available only in PDF format.
(I've taken the liberty of correcting minor typos in the text. Emphases in bold are mine. CAP)

WORLD PRAYER CONGRESS FOR LIFE
ISTITUTO PATRISTICO «AUGUSTINIANUM»
Via Paolo VI, 25, 00193 ROMA

October 9, 2010

CATHOLIC ORTHODOXY; ANTIDOTE AGAINST THE CULTURE OF DEATH

By Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura





Introduction

It is clear that we are presently experiencing a period of intense and critical struggle in the advancement of the culture of life in the world. Many governments and international organizations openly and aggressively follow a secularist, anti-life and anti-family agenda. Even though religious language may be used and the name of God invoked, programs and policies are proposed for the people without respect for God and His Law, in the words of the Venerable Pope John Paul II, "as if God did not exist" (Pope John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles laici, "On the Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World," 30 December 1988, no. 34).

Now more than ever, the world needs the consistent witness to the truth, expressed in the Sacred Scriptures and in Tradition, which is the condition of the possibility of a culture which respects fully the gift of human life and its origin in procreation, that is, in the cooperation of man and woman with God through the conjugal union and through education in the home which they have formed by marriage.

In his Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, "On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth," given on June 29th of 2009, Pope Benedict XVI teaches us that the development for which God has created man is achieved through the establishment of the culture of life:

"Hence charity and truth confront us with an altogether new and creative challenge, one that is certainly vast and complex. It is about broadening the scope of reason and making it capable of knowing and directing these powerful new forces [in the development of peoples], animating them within the perspective of that "civilization of love" whose seed God has planted in every people, in every culture (Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, "On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth," 29 June 2009, no. 33).

Our tireless promotion of the culture of life, in accord with the truth announced in the Magisterium of the Church, in fact, responds to the deepest longing in every man, and in every society. It anticipates and prepares "a new heaven and a new earth," which Our Lord Jesus Christ will inaugurate at His Final Coming (Rv 21:1).

Fundamental Presuppositions


A first fundamental presupposition of my presentation is the truth that the struggle against total secularization, which is, by definition, opposed to human life and to the family, is full of hope. It is, by no means, futile, that is, ultimately destined to failure. The fundamental presupposition is the victory of life, which Our Lord Jesus Christ, has already won.

Christ animates the Church in time with the grace of His victory over sin and death, until the victory reaches its consummation, at His Final Coming, in the Heavenly Jerusalem. Notwithstanding the grave situation, in our world, of the attack on innocent and defenseless human life and on the integrity of marriage as the union of man and woman in a bond of lifelong, faithful and procreative love, there remains a strong voice in defense of our littlest and most vulnerable brothers and sisters, without boundary or exception, and of the truth about the marital union as it was constituted by God at the Creation. The Christian voice, the voice of Christ, transmitted by the Apostles, remains strong in our world. The voice of men and women of good will, who recognize and obey the law of God written upon their hearts, remains strong in our world.

Living in a totally secularized culture, we must open our eyes to see that many recognize the human bankruptcy of our culture and are looking with hope to the Church for the inspiration and strength to claim anew the God-fearing and Christian foundations of every human society. God has created us to choose life; God the Son Incarnate has won the victory of life for us, the victory over sin and everlasting death (cf. Dt 30:19; Jn 10:10).

We, therefore, must never give up in the struggle to advance a culture founded on the choice of life, which God has written upon our hearts, and the victory of life, which Christ has won in our human nature. In fact, we witness every day the commitment of God-fearing brothers and sisters who advance the cause of life and the family in their homes, in their local communities, in their homelands, and in the world.

A second fundamental presupposition of my presentation is the essential relationship of the respect for human life and the respect for the integrity of marriage and the family. The attack on the innocent and defenseless life of the unborn has its origin in an erroneous view of human sexuality, which attempts to eliminate, by mechanical or chemical means, the essentially procreative nature of the conjugal act. The error maintains that the artificially altered conjugal act retains its integrity. The claim is that the act remains unitive or loving, even though the procreative nature of the act has been radically violated. In fact, it is not unitive, for one or both of the partners withholds an essential part of the gift of self, which is the essence of the conjugal union.

The so-called "contraceptive mentality" is essentially anti-life. Many forms of so-called contraception are, in fact, abortifacient, that is, they destroy, at its beginning, a life which has already been conceived.

The manipulation of the conjugal act, as the Servant of God Pope Paul VI prophetically observed, has led to many forms of violence to marriage and family life (cf. Pope Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Humanae Vitae, "On the Proper Regulation of the Propagation of Offspring," 25 July 1968, no. 17). Through the spread of the contraceptive mentality, especially among the young, human sexuality is no longer seen as the gift of God, which draws a man and a woman together, in a bond of lifelong and faithful love, crowned by the gift of new human life, but, rather, as a tool for personal gratification. Once sexual union is no longer seen to be, by its very nature, procreative, human sexuality is abused in ways that are profoundly harmful and indeed destructive of individuals and of society itself. One has only to think of the devastation which is daily wrought in our world by the multi-million dollar industry of pornography. Essential to the advancement of the culture of life is the proclamation of the truth about the conjugal union, in its fullness, and the correction of the contraceptive thinking which fears life, which fears procreation.

It is instructive to note that Pope Benedict XVI, in his Encyclical Letter on the Church's social doctrine, makes special reference to Pope Paul VI's Encyclical Letter Humanae Vitae, underscoring its importance "for delineating the fully human meaning of the development that the Church proposes" (Caritas in Veritate, no. 15). Pope Benedict XVI makes clear that the teaching in Humanae vitae was not simply a matter of "individual morality," declaring:

"Humanae Vitae indicates the strong links between life ethics and social ethics, ushering in a new area of magisterial teaching that has gradually been articulated in a series of documents, most recently John Paul II's Encyclical Evangelium Vitae (Caritas in Veritate, no. 15)."

His Holiness reminds us of the essential part which a right understanding of our sexuality has in true human development.

In treating the whole question of procreation, he underscores the critical nature of the right understanding of human sexuality, marriage and the family. He declares:
"The Church, in her concern for man's authentic development, urges him to have full respect for human values in the exercise of his sexuality. It cannot be reduced merely to pleasure or entertainment, nor can sex education be reduced to technical instruction aimed solely at protecting the interested parties from possible disease or the 'risk' of procreation. This would be to impoverish and disregard the deeper meaning of sexuality, a meaning which needs to be acknowledged and responsibly appropriated not only by individuals but also by the community (Caritas in Veritate, no. 44).

The respect for the integrity of the conjugal act is essential to the advancement of the culture of life. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, it is necessary "once more to hold up to future generations the beauty of marriage and the family, and the fact that these institutions correspond to the deepest needs and dignity of the person” (Caritas in Veritate, no. 44). Correspondingly, he notes that "States are called to enact policies promoting the centrality and integrity of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman, the primary vital cell of society, and to assume responsibility for its economic and fiscal needs, while respecting its essentially relational character” (Caritas in Veritate, no. 44).

The Magisterium and the Promotion of the Culture of Life

The relationship of the Magisterium to our eternal salvation lies at the very foundation of our life in Christ. In a world which prizes, above all else, individualism and self-determination, the Christian is easily tempted to view the Magisterium in relationship to his individualism and self-pursuit. In other words, he is tempted to relativize the authority of the Magisterium. The phenomenon today is popularly known as “cafeteria Catholicism.”

The service of the Bishop, as true shepherd of the flock, is essential, indeed irreplaceable. The Venerable Pope John Paul II, in his Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis, “On the Bishop, Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World,” promulgated on October 16, 2003, the 25th anniversary of his election to the See of Saint Peter, recalled the Rite of Ordination of a Bishop and, specifically, the imposition of the Book of the Gospels “on the head of the Bishop-elect,” during the Prayer of Consecration, which contains the form of the Sacrament, observing:

"This gesture indicates, on the one hand, that the Word embraces and watches over the Bishop’sministry and, on the other, that the Bishop’s life is to be completely submitted to the Word of God in his daily commitment of preaching the Gospel in all patience and sound doctrine (cf. 2 Tim. 4) (Pope John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores Gregis, “On the Bishop, Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World,” 16 October 2003, n. 28).

A bit earlier in the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, he stressed that “the proclamation of Christ always takes first place and that the Bishop is the first preacher of the Gospel by his words and by the witness of his life.” He then reminded Bishops to “be aware of the challenges of the present hour and have the courage to face them” (n. 26).

The entire content of our faith, what Saint Paul in his First and Second Letters to Timothy calls the deposit of faith, is found in Sacred Scripture and Tradition (1 Tm 6:20; and 2 Tm 1:12-14). The faith, in its integrity, has been entrusted to the Church by Christ through the ministry of the Apostles. The deposit of faith is the teaching of the Apostles and the living of that teaching in the life of prayer and the sacramental life, and the witness of the teaching in the moral life. The foundation is the sound doctrine which finds its highest expression in the Sacraments, above all the Holy Eucharist, and which is witnessed in the holiness of life of the believer (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 84).

The responsibility for the deposit of the faith and its transmission in every age belongs “to the living teaching office of the Church alone” (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, “On Divine Revelation,” 18 November 1965, n. 10). The “living teaching office” or Magisterium of the Church, exercised by the Roman Pontiff and the Bishops in communion with him, has its authority from our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ has conferred upon the Apostles, with Peter as their Head, and their successors, the Bishops, with the Successor of Peter, as their head, the authority to teach authentically (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 85).

The Roman Pontiff and the Bishops are servants of Christ and of His holy Word. The Magisterium “teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication, and expounds it faithfully” (Dei Verbum, n. 10). The Roman Pontiff and the Bishops in communion with him teach only what is contained in the deposit of faith as divinely revealed truth (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 86).

The Magisterium, in obedience to Christ and by the power of the particular grace of the Holy Spirit, interprets the Word of God, contained in the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition, in matters of both faith and morals. The Roman Pontiff and the Bishops in communion with him define the dogmas of the faith, that is, the truths contained in the deposit of faith and “truths having a necessary connection with these” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 88).

With regard to morals, the Magisterium presents faithfully the Decalogue and the requirements of the life of the virtues. The teaching office would fail in its God-given mission, if it did not apply the living Tradition to the circumstances of daily life in Christ. The Venerable Pope John Paul II exhorted Bishops to exercise the Magisterium regarding the moral life with these words:
"The rules that the Church sets forth reflect the divine Commandments, which find their crown and synthesis in the Gospel command of love. The end to which every divine rule tends is the greater good of human beings. … Nor must we forget that the Ten Commandments have a firm foundation in human nature itself, and thus the goods which they defend have universal validity. This is particularly true of goods such as human life, which must be defended from conception until its end in natural death; the freedom of individuals and of nations, social justice and the structures needed to achieve it. (Pastores Gregis, n. 29).

In a culture beset by what our Holy Father, in his homily on the morning of the beginning of the conclave in which he was elected Successor of Saint Peter, called the “dictatorship of relativism,” the Bishop, as Chief Teacher of the faith and morals in the Diocese, carries an especially heavy and constant burden in providing the sound teaching which safeguards and promotes the good of all the faithful, especially those who cannot take care of or defend themselves (“dittatura del relativiso”: “Initium Conclavis,” Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 97 [2005], p. 687).

Catechesis is a most fundamental responsibility which the Bishop exercises on behalf of the good of the faithful entrusted to his care, ultimately, of their eternal salvation. Pope John Paul II reminded Bishops that they fulfill their responsibility by the first proclamation of the faith, or kerygma, “which is always needed for bringing about the obedience of faith, but is all the more urgent today, in times marked by indifference and by religious ignorance on the part of many Christians” (Pastores Gregis, n. 29). United to the kerygma is the catechesis of those who have embraced the faith and strive to be obedient to the faith. Pope John Paul II declared: “It is therefore the duty of every Bishop to give real priority in his particular Church to active and effective catechesis. He must demonstrate his personal concern through direct interventions aimed at promoting and preserving an authentic passion for catechesis” (Pastores Gregis, n. 29).

As Pope John Paul II reminded the Bishops, in the just-quoted exhortation, the Magisterium includes also the precepts of the natural law written by God upon the human heart, the requirements of conduct inherent in man’s very nature and in the order of the world, God’s creation. Obedience to the demands of the natural law is necessary for salvation, and, therefore, the teaching of the natural law is within the authority of the Magisterium and part of its solemn responsibility. “In recalling the prescriptions of the natural law, the Magisterium of the Church exercises an essential part of its prophetic office of proclaiming to men who they truly are and reminding them of what they should be before God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2036). When Bishops and faithful obediently submit themselves in mind and heart to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, the perennial truth of the faith shines forth in the whole Church for the building up of the Body of Christ and the transformation of the world.

The response of both Bishop and the faithful to the exercise of the teaching authority of Christ is obedience, for they recognize in the truths proclaimed, regarding faith and morals, the infallible guide to their salvation in Christ Who said to His Apostles: “He who hears you, hears Me” (Lk 10:16). The words of our Lord are unmistakable in their meaning for us.

Obedience to the Magisterium is a virtue and is attained through the practice of such obedience. When the shepherds of the flock are obedient to the Magisterium, entrusted to their exercise, then the members of the flock grow in obedience and proceed, with Christ, along the way of salvation. If the shepherd is not obedient, the flock easily gives way to confusion and error. The shepherd must be especially attentive to the assaults of Satan who knows that, if he can strike the shepherd, the work of scattering the flock will be made easy (cf. Zec 13:7).

In his Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio, “On the Relationship between Faith and Reason,” the Venerable Pope John Paul II reminded us that the Magisterium is bound strictly to Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, while, at the same time, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture are handed on from one generation to the next through the obedience to the Magisterium. Pope John Paul II declared:
"The 'supreme rule of her faith' derives from the unity which the Spirit has created between Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church in a reciprocity which means that none of the three can survive without the others (Fides et Ratio, n. 55)."

The faith is living. The faith is received through the action of the Holy Spirit dwelling within the soul, and it is expressed by the purifying and strengthening action of the Holy Spirit Who inspires man to put the faith into practice.

The disposition of mind and heart to believe all that God has revealed to us and to do all that He asks of us is the obedience of faith. The obedience of faith is the fitting response to the revelation of God, which has its fullness in Our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Heb 11:8). Obedience to the Magisterium, the guardian and teacher of the faith, is the fundamental disposition of the baptized and confirmed Catholic (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 142-143).

The Blessed Virgin Mary lived perfectly the obedience of faith. At the Visitation, Elizabeth, her cousin, described Mary’s identity as Mother of the Redeemer with the words: “Blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). Mary’s response to the announcement of the Archangel Gabriel expressed perfectly the disposition of total obedience, which marked her soul: “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:37-38). Mary’s response is the model of our daily response to God’s will in our lives, which the Church’s Magisterium teaches to us. The last words of our Blessed Mother, recorded in the Gospel, are the summary of her maternal instruction to us. When the wine stewards at the Wedding Feast of Cana approached her, seeking her help, she directed them to the Son of God, her Son, with the counsel: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). Obeying her maternal counsel, the wine stewards witnessed the first miracle during the public ministry of Jesus.

Faith is, first of all, “personal adherence of man to God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 150). When we believe all that God has revealed to us, we place all our trust in Him, in His Providence. Such trust can be placed in God alone. Faith in God the Father and total trust in His promises is clearly faith in Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son, and in the Holy Spirit Who dwells with us always in the Church (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 151-152). Our Lord Jesus Christ makes us one with Him in doing all that the Father asks of us by pouring forth into our souls the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit: the grace of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to know God’s will and to do it with courage. The sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit produces in our souls a sevenfold disposition which may be described as the obedience of faith.

The moral life flows from our faith in God. It is the “obedience of faith” in action. The first tablet of the Ten Commandments governs our right relationship with God, which makes possible our right relationship with others and the world, governed by the second tablet. When we fail morally, we also fail in faith (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 2087-2088). I often recall the words of a sage professor of Canon Law, who taught me the Church’s discipline regarding clerics. More than once, he told the class: “Where there are problems of chastity, there are problems of obedience.” Our rebellion against the moral truth is a rebellion against God and all that He teaches us.

Challenges to the Obedience to the Magisterium


Obedience to the Magisterium is difficult for man in every age. The practice of the “obedience of faith” is difficult to master. The difficulty comes both from within us and from outside of us. We suffer the effects of the sin of our First Parents, which fundamentally was a sin of prideful disobedience, of rebellion against God’s will.

The grace of the Holy Spirit, poured forth into our soul through Baptism, strengthened and increased in our soul through Confirmation, and nourished within our soul through the Holy Eucharist, alone helps us to overcome our inherited tendency to rebellion and disobedience.

From outside of us, Satan never rests in proposing to us the same temptation which he proposed to our First Parents, the temptation to act as if God did not exist, to act as if we are gods. The world around us, the culture in which we live, to the degree that it is has succumbed to Satan’s deceptions, is a source of strong temptation for us. Our culture, in fact, has been described as “godless” both by the Venerable Pope John Paul II and by Pope Benedict XVI. Our culture teaches us to act as if God did not exist. At the same time, it teaches a radical individualism and self-interest which lead us away from the love of God and from the love of one another.

Often the lack of obedience to the Magisterium is not total but selective. Our culture teaches us to believe what is convenient and to reject what is difficult for us or challenges us. Thus, we can easily fall into “cafeteria Catholicism,” a practice of the faith, which picks and chooses what part of the deposit of faith to believe and practice. A most tragic example of the lack of obedience of faith, also on the part of certain Bishops, was the response of many to the Encyclical Letter Humanae Vitae of Pope Paul VI, published on July 25, 1968. The confusion which resulted has led many Catholics into habits of sin in what pertains to the procreation and education of human life.

The lack of integrity in obeying the Magisterium is also seen in the hypocrisy of Catholics who claim to be practicing their faith but who refuse to apply the truth of the faith in their exercise of politics, medicine, business and the other human endeavors. These Catholics claim to hold “personally” to the truth of the faith, for example, regarding the inviolability of innocent and defenseless human life, while, in the political arena or in the practice of medicine, they cooperate in the attack on our unborn brothers and sisters, or on our brothers and sisters who have grown weak under the burden of years, of illness, or of special needs. Their disobedience pertains not to some truth particular to the life of the Church, that is, not to some confessional matter, but to the truth of the divine natural law written on every human heart and, therefore, to be obeyed by all men.

The obedience of faith obliges us in all situations of life, also in situations in which it is most difficult to do what God asks of us. Ultimately, the obedience of faith could require martyrdom. In his Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor, “Regarding Certain Fundamental Questions of the Church’s Moral Teaching” of August 6, 1993, the Venerable Pope John Paul II taught us that there can be no compromise in the obedience to the moral teaching of the Magisterium: “Even in the most difficult situations man must respect the norm of morality so that he can be obedient to God’s holy commandments and consistent with his own dignity as a person. Certainly, maintaining a harmony between freedom and truth occasionally demands uncommon sacrifices, and must be won at a high price: it can even involve martyrdom” (n. 102a).


The Magisterium and Public Life

Regarding the Magisterium and public life, there has developed in many places the false notion that the Christian or any person of faith, in order to be a true citizen of his nation, must bracket his faith life from his public life. According to such a notion, one ends up with Christians, for example, who claim personally to be faithful members of the Church and, therefore, to hold to the demands of the natural moral law, while they sustain and support the right to violate the moral law in its most fundamental tenets.

We find self-professed Catholics, for example, who sustain and support the right of a woman to procure the death of the infant in her womb, or the right of two persons of the same sex to the recognition which the State gives to a man and a woman who have entered into marriage. It is not possible to be a practicing Catholic and to conduct oneself publicly in this manner.

While the Church does not propose the imposition of purely confessional practices on the general population, it must foster the teaching and upholding of the moral law, common to all men, which is at the heart of every true religion. What kind of government would require that its citizens and political leaders act without reference to the fundamental requirements of the moral law?

While true religion teaches the natural moral law, the observance of the moral law is not a confessional practice. It is rather a response to what is inscribed in the depths of every human heart. Religious faith plainly articulates the natural moral law, enabling men of faith to recognize more readily what their own human nature and the nature of things demand of them, and to conform their lives to the truth which they recognize. For that reason, governments, in the past, have acknowledged the importance of religious faith for the life of the nation. The laws of many nations, in fact, aimed to protect the teaching and practice of religious faith for the sake of the common good.

In his Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI reminds us: "The Christian religion and other religions can offer their contribution to development only if God has a place in the public realm, specifically in regard to its cultural, social, economic, and particularly its political dimensions. The Church's social doctrine came into being in order to claim Acitizenship status” for the Christian religion. Denying the right to profess one's religion in public and the right to bring the truths of faith to bear upon public life has negative consequences for true development.... Reason always stands in need of being purified by faith: this also holds true for political reason, which must not consider itself omnipotent. For its part, religion always needs to be purified by reason in order to show its authentically human face. Any breach in this dialogue comes only at an enormous price to human development (Caritas in Veritate, no. 56).

In the present situation of our world, the Christian faith has a critical responsibility to articulate clearly the natural moral law and its demands.

Under the constant influence of a rationalist and secularist philosophy which makes man, instead of God, the ultimate measure of what is right and good, many have become confused about the most basic truths, for example, the inviolable dignity of innocent human life, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death, and the integrity of marriage between one man and one woman as the first and irreplaceable cell of the life of society. If Christians fail to articulate and uphold the natural moral law, then they fail in the fundamental duty of patriotism, of loving their country by serving the common good.

Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that the universal natural moral law Aprovides a sound basis for all cultural, religious and political dialogue, and it ensures that the multi-faceted pluralism of cultural diversity does not detach itself from the common quest for truth, goodness and God” (Caritas in Veritate, no. 59). Referring to the fundamental moral defect of our culture, that is, "a conscience that can no longer distinguish what is human,” Pope Benedict XVI declares: "God reveals man to himself; reason and faith work hand in hand to demonstrate to us what is good, provided we want to see it; the natural law, in which creative Reason shines forth, reveals our greatness, but also our wretchedness insofar as we fail to recognize the call to moral truth” (Caritas in Veritate, no. 75).

The Scandal of Disobedience to the Magisterium

Recognizing the responsibility of Christians and of all men of good will to enunciate and uphold the natural moral law, we also recognize the scandal which is given when Christians fail to uphold the moral law in public life. When those who profess to be Christian, at the same time, favor and promote policies and laws which permit the destruction of innocent and defenseless human life, and which violate the integrity of marriage and the family, then citizens, in general, are confused and led into error about the basic tenets of the moral law. In our time, there is a great hesitation to speak about scandal, as if, in some way, it is only a phenomenon among persons of small or unenlightened mind, and, therefore, a tool of such persons to condemn others rashly and wrongly.

Certainly, there is such a thing as pharisaical scandal, that is, a malicious interpretation of the morally good or, at least, morally indifferent actions of another. The term comes from the supposed scandal which Our Lord Jesus caused to the Pharisees by, for instance, healing the man born blind on the Sabbath (cf. Jn 9:13-34).

But there is also true scandal, that is, the leading of others, by our words, actions and failures to act, into confusion and error, and, therefore, into sin. Our Lord was unequivocal in his condemnation of those whowould confuse or lead others into sin by their actions and their failures to act. In teaching His disciples about temptations, He declared: "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin (Lk 17:1-2).

It is clear that Our Lord taught as a primary responsibility, with the gravest of consequences, the avoidance of scandal, namely, of any act or failure to act which could lead another into sin. Our Lord's words are nothing less than vehement.

To ignore the fact that Catholics in public life, for example, who persistently violate the moral law regarding the inviolability of innocent human life or the integrity of the marital union, lead many into confusion or even error regarding the most fundamental teachings of the moral law, in fact, contributes to the confusion and error, redounding to the gravest harm to our brothers and sisters, and, therefore, to the whole nation. The perennial discipline of the Church, for that reason among other reasons, has prohibited the giving of Holy Communion and the granting of a Church funeral to those who persist, after admonition, in the grave violation of the moral law (Code of Canon Law, cann. 915; and 1184, § 1, 31).

It is said that these disciplines which the Church has consistently observed down the centuries presume to pass a judgment on the eternal salvation of a soul, which judgment belongs to God alone, and, therefore, they should be abandoned. On the contrary, these disciplines are not a judgment on the eternal salvation of the soul in question. They are simply the acknowledgment of an objective truth, namely, that the public actions of the soul are in grave violation of the moral law, to his own grave harm and to the grave harm of all who are confused or led into error by his actions. The Church confides every soul to the mercy of God, which is great beyond all our imagining, but that does not excuse her from proclaiming the truth of the moral law, also by applying her age-old disciplines, for the sake of the salvation of all.

When a person has publicly espoused and cooperated in gravely sinful acts, leading many into confusion and error about fundamental questions of respect for human life and the integrity of marriage and the family, his repentance of such actions must also be public. The person in question bears a heavy responsibility for the grave scandal which he has caused. The responsibility is especially heavy for political leaders. The repair of such scandal begins with the public acknowledgment of his own error and the public declaration of his adherence to the moral law. The soul which recognizes the gravity of what he has done will, in fact, understand immediately the need to make public reparation.

If there has always been the danger of giving scandal to others by public and seriously sinful actions or failures to act, that danger is heightened in our own time. Because of the confusion about the moral law, which is found in public discourse, in general, and is even embodied in laws and judicial pronouncements, the Christian is held to an even higher standard of clarity in enunciating and upholding the moral law.


It is particularly insidious that our society which is so profoundly confused about the most basic goods also believes that scandal is a thing of the past. One sees the hand of the Father of Lies at work in the disregard for the situation of scandal or in the ridicule and even censure of those who experience scandal. Teaching about the relationship of human ecology to environmental ecology, Pope Benedict XVI underscores a contradiction in "the overall moral tenor of society," which leads us and especially our youth into serious confusion and error: " If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology. It is contradictory to insist that future generations respect the natural environment when our educational systems and laws do not help them to respect themselves. The book of nature is one and indivisible: it takes in not only the environment but also life, sexuality, marriage, the family, social relations: in a word, integral human development. Our duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others. It would be wrong to uphold one set of duties while trampling on the other (Caritas in Veritate, no. 51).

One of the ironies of the present situation is that the person who experiences scandal at the gravely sinful public actions of a fellow Catholic is accused of a lack of charity and of causing division within the unity of the Church. In a society whose thinking is governed by the "dictatorship of relativism" and in which political correctness and human respect are the ultimate criteria of what is to be done and what is to be avoided, the notion of leading someone into moral error makes little sense. What causes wonderment in such a society is the fact that someone fails to observe political correctness and, thereby, seems to be disruptive of the so-called peace of society.

Lying or failing to tell the truth, however, is never a sign of charity. A unity which is not founded on the truth of the moral law is not the unity of the Church. The Church's unity is founded on speaking the truth with love. The person who experiences scandal at public actions of Catholics, which are gravely contrary to the moral law, not only does not destroy unity but invites the Church to repair what is clearly a serious breach in Her life. Were he not to experience scandal at the public support of attacks on human life and the family, his conscience would be uninformed or dulled about the most sacred realities.


The Common Good and the Promotion of the Culture of Life

Finally, in advancing the culture of life, we must be clear about the objective meaning of the common good. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council described the common good as "the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily" (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, "On the Church in the Modern World," 7 December 1965, no. 26).

The fulfillment of individuals and societies is not some subjective determination by those, for example, who are in power. It is the fulfillment which is written in the very nature of man, in nature itself. It is the fulfillment for which God has created us and our world, not the fulfillment which, at any given time, we may find attractive or useful. It is interesting to note that the English word, fulfillment, translates the Latin word, perfectio, that is, the perfection of the individual or group, according to man's proper nature and end.


In advancing the culture of life, we must be clear about the objective nature of the common good and of the perfection which it makes possible. Not everyone who uses the term, common good, understands its true meaning. A well-known European Catholic theologian, commenting on the Commencement Address of United States President Barack Obama at Notre Dame University on May 17th of 2009, declared: "In fact, the speech to the University of Notre Dame seems strewn with references taken from the Christian tradition. There is, for example, an expression which frequently returns, 'common ground,' which corresponds to a fundamental concept of the social teaching of the Church, that of the common good" (Georges Cottier, O.P., "La politica, la morale e il peccato originale," 30 Giorni, 2009, no. 5, p. 33).

The common good refers to an objective perfection which is not defined by common agreement among some of us. The common good is defined by creation itself as it has come from the hand of the Creator. Not only does the notion of common ground not correspond to the reality of the common good, it can well be antithetical to it, for instance, should there be common agreement in society to accept as good for society what is, in reality, always and everywhere evil.

In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, the common good "is the good of 'all of us', made up of individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute society" (Caritas in veritate, no. 7). The common good corresponds "to the real needs of our neighbors"; it is an act of charity which each Christian is to exercise "in a manner corresponding to his vocation and according to the degree of influence he wields in the pólis" (Caritas in Veritate, no. 7). Pope Benedict XVI consoles and urges us onward in seeking the common good:
"God's love calls us to move beyond the limited and the ephemeral, it gives us the courage to continue seeking and working for the benefit of all, even if this cannot be achieved immediately and if what we are able to achieve, alongside political authorities and those working in the field of economics, is always less than we might wish. God gives us the strength to fight and to suffer for love of the common good, because he is our All, our greatest hope" (Caritas in Veritate, no. 78).

Conclusion


Let us, obedient to the Magisterium, engage with new enthusiasm and new energy in the struggle to advance the culture of life in our world. The struggle is fierce, and the contrary forces are many and clever. But the victory has already been won, and the Victor never fails to accompany us in the struggle, for he is faithful to His promise to us: "[A]nd lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28:20).

The obedience to the Magisterium is alone the way to participate in the victory of eternal life, and the service of the Bishops is irreplaceable in leading us all to an ever purer and stronger obedience. There is no other way to salvation than hearing God’s Word and putting it into practice with all our being. We know that, if we speak the truth and live the truth, Who is Christ the Lord of heaven and earth, we will foster a culture of life in our world, a culture in which the common good is safeguarded and fostered for all, without boundary or exception.

The Letter to the Hebrews which teaches us, in a particular way, the “obedience of faith” reminds us that our Lord Himself “learned obedience from what He suffered” and thus became the source of eternal life, of eternal salvation, for us all. We ask for the obedience of Christ each time we pray to God the Father in the words which our Savior Himself taught to us: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church, commenting on these words of the Lord’s Prayer, assures us that we, inspired by prayer, Christ’s prayer in us, can do what is impossible for us, on our own, but becomes possible for us in Christ, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from His glorious pierced Heart: How much more reason have we sinful creatures to learn obedience – we who in Him have become children of adoption. We ask our Father to unite our will to His Son’s, in order to fulfill His will, His plan of salvation for the life of the world. We are radically incapable of this, but united with Jesus and with the power of His Holy Spirit, we can surrender our will to Him and decide to choose what His Son has always chosen: to do what is pleasing to the Father (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2825).

Let us confide ourselves and our world to the prayers of the Mother of God. Through her ceaseless maternal care, she will not fail to bring us and our world to the truth, to her Divine Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. I conclude by making my own the prayer with which Pope Benedict XVI concluded his Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate:


"May the Virgin Mary proclaimed Mother of the Church by Paul VI and honored by Christians as the Mirror of Justice and the Queen of Peace protect us and obtain for us, through her heavenly intercession, the strength, hope and joy necessary to continue to dedicate ourselves with generosity to the task of bringing about the development of the whole man and of all men" (Caritas in Veritate, no. 79)."

+ Raymond Leo Burke
Archbishop Emeritus of Saint Louis
Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society (fourth posting of souls)

Below please find the fourth posting of enrolled souls of the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society -- the longest posting yet. Please pray for these souls with a prayer provided below as well as for the now nine holy priests who are praying the Traditional Latin Mass either weekly or monthly for the success of the Society and the repose of the enrolled souls.

A reminder on how to enroll souls: please email me at cpaulitz@yahoo.com and submit as follows: "name, state, country." If you want to enroll entire families, simply write in the email: "The Jones family." Individual names are preferred. Be greedy -- send in as many as you wish and forward this posting to friends as well. Spread the word!

Not to digress too much, and not to complain, but the names are increasing weekly and, unfortunately, the formatting is getting less and less conforming with the above instructions. If you could please stick to those guidelines, I would greatly appreciate it -- and it would make this process much less time intensive. Thank you!

Please pray for the enrolled souls and the holy priests of the Society:

"For all the souls enrolled in the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the Faithful departed rest in peace. Amen."

Then ...

Eternal God,
please bless our priests,
who are selflessly saying Masses for this Society.
Make them more greatly aware of the grace
that You pour out through them
when they minister the sacraments,
and help them to fall more deeply in love with You
after each and every Mass that they celebrate.
Please strengthen our priests,
who shepherd Your flock,
when they are in doubt of their faith,
that they may be examples of Your Truth
and guide us always on the path to You.
We ask these things of You, our Eternal Priest.
Amen.

Enrolled Souls of the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society:

The Patino Family, Cebu City, Philippines
Mark Patino Kansas City, KS
The Brooks Family, Kansas City, KS
The Paluh Family
The Abate Family
The Drumm Family
La familia de Ariel Botello de Argentina
Msgr. Melencio de Vera, Philippines
Rev Fr Kelly, St Bede's Jarrow England
Rev Fr Meynell St Bede's Jarrow England
Re Fr T Wilson St Bede's Jarrow England
Rev Canon H Mackin St Bede's Jarrow England
Rev Fr M McDonnell St Bede's Jarrow England
Rev Fr M McBrien St Mary's Jarrow England
Mr T Brennan Jarrow England
Claude, Countess of Kinnoull, California,
Fr. Joseph Laczkovits, California, USA
Fr, William Farrell, California, USA
Fr. Emeric Doman, Orat. California, USA
Shirley Dean Strangis, Pennsylvania USA
Alina M. Mount, Florida, U.S.A.
Juan A. Perez-Balboa, Florida, U.S.A.
Juana B. Perez-Balboa, Florida, U.S.A.
Jorge E. Perez, California, U.S.A.
Mary-Jo Mount, Florida, U.S.A.
Rita Mount, Kansas, U.S.A.
Corrinne Firestone, Kansas, U.S.A.
All Deceased Relatives, Ancestors and Benefactors of Fr. Maurus B. Mount, O.S.B., Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
The Deceased Monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
The Deceased Oblates and Benefactors of Saint Vincent Archabbey, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
The Deceased Parishioners of Saint Vincent Parish, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
The Deceased Parishioners of Immaculate Conception Parish, Florida, U.S.A.
Barbara McGavin, Florida, U.S.A.
Sally Kees, Florida, U.S.A.
Rev. Michael Flannery, Florida, U.S.A.
His Holiness John Paul II and all Deceased Pontiffs, Rome, Italy
Florence Richards, Pennsylvania, USA
Fr. Thomas Marinak, New York, USA
Fr. John Thenen, New York, USA
The Leininger Family, New York, USA
The Adams family, New York, USA
The Hummel family, Texas, USA
The Schneider family, Illinois, USA
The Barraclough family, Illinois, USA
The Haynes family, Georgia, USA
The Olson family, Texas, USA
The Owens family, Texas, USA
The DeSaart family, Illinois, USA
The Albright family, Texas, USA
The Williams family, Texas, USA
The Branch family, Texas, USA
The Adams family, Texas, USAJames Dimitroff Indiana USA
Dorothy Rarity Indiana USA
Joseph Galus Indiana USA
Christopher James Indiana USA
Vera James Indiana USA
Judith Hilterman Indiana USA
Theodore Wiatrowski Indiana USA
Joan Listermann Illinois USA
Lee Listermann Illinois USA
Frances Jacobson Illinois USA
The family of LaVada Johnson, Texas, USA
Robert and Edith Calovich, Kansas, USA
Kay Kyle, British Columbia, Canada
Rose and Hector McPhail, Ontario Canada
Raymond Sorell, Kansas, USA
Rita Sorell, Kansas, USA
Joe Sorell, Kansas, USA
Lea Sorell, Kansas, USA
Blanche Sorell, Kansas, USA
Rosanne Fox, Kansas, USA
Helen Girard, Kansas, USA
Levi Desilet, Kansas USA
Zepherine Desilet, Kansas, USA
Santo Catanese, Kansas, USA
Marie Catanese, Kansas, USA
Frances Chizek, Kansas, USA
Edward Derousseau, Kansas, USA
Eugenie Derousseau, Kansas, USA
Bernard McMahon, RI, USA
Julia McMahon, RI, USA
John McMahon, RI, USA
Margaret A. Sullivan, RI, USA
Mary S. Caulfield, RI, USA
Peg Guild, RI, USA
Charles Guild, RI, USA
Louise Goggin, RI, USA
Thomas Goggin, RI, USA
Virginia Goggin, RI, USA
David Zeilstra, RI, USA
Joseph McMahon, RI, USA
Marion McMahon, RI, USA
Eileen McMahon, RI, USA
Richard McMahon, RI, USA
Eugenia McMahon, RI, USA
Frances Clement, RI, USA
Irving Clement, RI, USA
Katherine Palmer, NY, USA
William Palmer, NY, USA
Agnes Saul, CT, USA
John Saul, CT, USA
Chester Caulfield, RI, USA
Peter Derosier, RI, USA
Richard Vasseur, RI, USA
Mary O'Halloran, RI, USA
Ann M. O'Halloran, RI, USA
Gertrude and Leo No lan
Margaret and Thomas Nolan
Winifred Eckland
Winnifred and Bartholomew Halpin
Ward and Audrey Nolan
Raynond Nolan
Genevra Nolan
Marion Nolan
Larry Touhy
Winifred and Les Harbert
Gertrlude and Larry Morand
Bob Moran
Larry Morand
Larry Paradice
Joe and Lulcille Chamness
Joby Chammnes
John and Ruby Halpin
Maxine and Ray Robins
Roy Overturf
Patricia Boyette
Florence and Frank Halpi
Kathren and Nor Hughes
Margaret Ward
Exilda and Barney Hulges
Fr.Harrry Marchosky
Fr. Albe McGrath
Tom nd Ellen Nolan
Ronnie Nolan
Msgr Patrick Shear
Fr. James McGovern
George Kasser
Dot and Ray Johnson
Buzzy Johnson
Bonnie and Crosby Doe
Peter and Norma Santoro
Michael Santoro
Anna Santoro
Jannet Mannie
Shapiro Twins
Babies Maria and Peter Halpin
Brian Santoro
Sean Halpin
John Michael Halpin
The Steimer Family, Pennsylvania, USA
The Latorre Family, Pennsylvania, USA
Francis Andrew Krupa, FL, USA,
Richard Krupa, USA
Frances Perrucca, CO, USA
Katie True,CO,USA
Clara Geiger, FL
Jim and Patty Agnew, FL
Frank and Anne Keane, CO
Caroline Zaweckis, CO
Josephs Halpin
Frs. Ren, Tonner, Joyce, Conneally S.J.
Fr. Harrington
Fr. James Nevin
Abbot Parker O.Praem
Fr. Carrol Barbour
Jon Dawn
Julie and Brian Hale
Lucille and Don O'Leary
Jim Kelly
Fr. Gerald Barnes
Msgr McMulllen
Fr.Ara
John Nolan
Etta Nolan
Francis Nolan
Elsa Dobbs
Bob Strong
Patricia Boyett
Mr. Wooley
Hartman Family
Don Snieder
Carol Englebrit
Bob Gallaher
Dick Richards
Amidee Richards
Rudolph Masciantonio, Sr., Pennsylvania, USA
Mildred Masciantonio, Pennsylvania, USA
Marlene Masciantonio Easley Christensen, Pennsylvania, USA
Caroline Baldino, Pennsylvania, USA
Maria Baldino, Pennsylvania, USA
Ferdinando Baldino, Pennsylvania, USA
Theresa Baldino, Pennsylvania, USA
James Baldino, Pennsylvania, USA
Carmela Masciantonio, Pennsylvania, USA
Venanzio Masciantonio, Pennsylvania, USA
Leo Spencer, Pennsylvania, USA
Dorothy Imbriglia, Pennsylvania, USA
Amelia Pero, Pennsylvania, USA
Armand Tursi, Pennsylvania, USA
Joseph Locala, Pennsylvania, USA
Rita Cavallaro, Pennsylvania, USA
Marie D'Ambrosio, Pennsylvania, USA
Ralph and Doris Baldino, Pennsylvania, USA
The Masciantonio, Baldino, Cavallaro, Tursi families, Pennsylvania, USA
Mary O'Sullivan Cork Ireland
Catherine OSullovan Cork Ireland
Michael and Nancy OSullivan Clare Ireland
John LO'Sullivan Cork Ireland
John O'Sullivan sen Cork,. Ireland
Julia O'Sullivan
Tim O'Connor Ottawa Canada
Timothy O'ConnorOttawa Canada
Patrick Leamy and Mary Jersey Island
Donal McCarthy Cork Ireland
Eleanor Jane Lupher, Texas, USA
Fr Lawrence T. Dark CSC, Louisiana USA
Gus Kafant, North Carolina, USA
Ronald Zukowski, Chicago, USA
Jack Schubert, Missouri, USA
Loyd Schubert Oklahoma, USA
Emma Schubert, Oklahoma,USA
Lena Schubert , Oklahoma, USA
Marvin Bean, Kansas, USA
Rose and Joe Schubert, USA
Mary and Billie George Brown Oklahoma, USA
Hugh and Elizabeth Reavis, Oklahoma USA
Earl Reavis, Oklahoma USA
Dan Heyburn, Oklahoma USA
Barbara Joe Williams Oklahoma USA
Bobby Garwood, Oklahoma USA
Troy Thulin Sr., Oklahoma, USA
Troy Lee Thulin Oklahoma, USA
Susan Grahm Oklahoma USA
Mrs. June Peters, Kansas, USA
Knop Family, Iowa, USA
John Senior KANSAS, USA
Frank Nelik, KANSAS, USA
Priscilla Senior, Kansas USA
Frank Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Rose Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Anthony Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Pearl Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Peter Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Violet Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Daniel Piroli, Pennsylvania, United States
Sarah Piroli, Pennsylvania, United States
Angelina Mano, Pennsylvania, United States
James Piroli, Pennsylvania, United States
Rose Marie Piroli, Pennsylvania, United States
Vera Piroli, Pennsylvania, United States
James Silvestri, Pennsylvania, United States
Patsy Dascenzo, Florida, United States
Angelina Dascenzo, Pennsylvania, United States
Joseph Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
James Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Lee DeCarlo, Michigan, United States
Carmella DeCarlo, Michigan, United States
John Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Josephine Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Louis Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
Jewel Wilson, Pennsylvania, United States
George Rubino, Pennsylvania, United States
Marian Rubino, Pennsylvania, United States
Louis Todora, Pennsylvania, United States
Mary Todora, Pennsylvania, United States
Frances Todora, Pennsylvania, United States
Vincent Carducci, Pennsylvania, United States
Carl Lasky, Pennsylvania, United States
Michael Sankey, Manila, Philippines
Ireneo and Concepción Consolacion Ferraris, Manila, Philippines
Madarang Family, Manila, Philippines
Clemente and Ida Madarang, Manila, Philippines
Ramirez Family, Manila, Philippines
Manolo and Niraly Joyce Mendoza, Manila, Philippines
Peter Turiano, Manila, Philippines
Anthony Bench, Manila, Philippines
John Bench, Manila, Philippines
Dennis Maimai, Manila, Philippines
Jimenez Family, Manila, Philippines
Go Family, Manila, Philippines
Delia Go, Manila, Philippines
Sierra Veluz, Manila, Philippines
George & Marie Marshall, California, USA
Darryl Tormanen, California, USA
Mary Fossum, California, USA
Frank & Carolyn Bonnet, California, USA
Leonard Erhart, California, USA
Shirley Brown, California, USA
John Vandermoore, CA, USA
Kitty Vandermoore, CA, USA
Tito Salas, Costa Rica
Rod Villanueva, CA, USA
Derek Antonio, CA, USA
Celud Aquino, CA, USA
John Halog, CA, USA
Gracia Family, USA
Robert Allen Thornton, Tennessee, United States
Shirley Anne Thornton, née Rogers, Tennessee, United States
The Orbea Family
The Viecelli Family

And please remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter.