Sermon for Michaelmas 2024: "Prayer to the great champion of God, whose name means 'Who is like God?', is salutary and necessary in today’s world."

Sermon for the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel

by Fr. Richard Cipolla

From the book of Revelation:

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought ,but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 

It is always an occasion of joy for me to celebrate this Mass of St. Michael the Archangel.  For some, this feast is at best quaint, looking back to another time, but with little relevance to today.  

Francis Orders Apostolic visitation of the Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP)

 Communiqué of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter

Fribourg, September 26, 2024

Chatgpt's disturbing "prophecy" of a pontificate in the hands of Satan

The following article originally appeared in Spanish at InfoVaticana.

New technologies and artificial intelligence are here to stay

Faced with the lack of regulation and control, there are more and more voices calling for greater regulation and education on everything that concerns the various artificial intelligence tools that threaten to replace man in many tasks.

Chatgpt is one of the first tools to be born as a result of artificial intelligence. This kind of 'human brain' is a useful tool for many people in their daily lives. To test this tool, we asked it how it would design a pontificate if it were Satan. Pay attention to the answers offered by the artificial intelligence because they are not to be missed:

Announcement: A New Catholic Magazine

Dear Rorate Caeli Readers,

I am proud to announce the second and latest issue of The Corner Cabinet magazine entitled Matrimony.

 

Francis, the Peronist President of Argentina: What Catholics need is for Francis to act as Pope, not as politician - by Abp. Héctor Agüer

THE PRESIDENT OF PERONISM

Archbishop Héctor Agüer

Emeritus of La Plata

Buenos Aires, September 25, 2024

Pope Francis has repeatedly announced that his intention is to visit Argentina; but he will not do so: he knows that he would not do very well here. So, now, he descends to the dirty field of political debates with an unusual speech, of fury, against the libertarian government of President Milei. He never made the slightest allusion to Cristina Kirchner's governments, which plunged the country into poverty and destitution. Neither did he react to the worst government in history: that of the useless and abusive Alberto Fernandez, the hypocrite who boasted of being a feminist and beat his wife. The main source of Francis' speech has been, as other times, the news reached by his friend Juan Grabois.

Announcing “Something for Nothing? An Explanation and Defence of the Scholastic Position on Usury”

Usury is a topic with a long and complex history. While it is typically understood today as the practice of charging excessive interest, this is a far cry from the meaning given to it by ancient and medieval authors, who considered the charging of any interest on a mutuum (a loan of such things as are estimated by weight, number, or measure) to be usury.

Finding a thorough, coherent, and believable explanation for so monumental a difference in outlook has been nearly impossible—until David Hunt’s new work, Something for Nothing? An Explanation and Defence of the Scholastic Position on Usury (number 14 in the Os Justi Studies in Catholic Tradition series). Hunt explains and defends the traditional view that usury is a charge for something that does not exist and is therefore a form of theft. Indeed, usury begets a form of chattel slavery, since charging interest on a mutuum is an attempt to profit by treating the borrower as the lender’s property.

Book Review: "The Tragedy of Orpheus and the Maenads" - by David Lane

A Review by Fr. Richard Cipolla

This review of David Lane’s The Tragedy of Orpheus and the Maenads, a play in  five acts, was written by this writer as a response to Mr. Lane’s kind invitation to do so.  What could have been the result of only sense of obligation became, in my reading of this work, a source of delight.  And for that I am grateful to David Lane.

“Christ is no longer to be spoken about—and can no longer be spoken about”: New essay by Vigilius on Pope Francis in Southeast Asia

Rorate welcomes once again the crystal-clear and profound contribution of Vigilius, pen-name of a German theologian. The original text may be found here; the following translation has been approved by the author.

Pope Francis in the “Tunnel of Friendship”

Vigilius

Pope Francis was completely in his element during his trip to Southeast Asia. This is because he was once again able to engage eagerly in “interreligious dialogue”. If you read the Pope’s now published speeches, this dialogue enjoys an almost sacred status of grandeur, which is fed by impressive moral claims. This is because the essence of the intended dialogue is aimed at unity, fraternity, harmony and concord. Central to the Bergoglian concept of dialogue is the “detection of what connects us”, i.e., everything that brings us together by allowing us to discover what is, in truth, always already identical—as symbolized by the underground “tunnel of friendship” between the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral of the Assumption in Jakarta.

The Latin Mass Returns to Dorchester Abbey: The St Birinus Festival, 30 Oct - 2 Nov 2024

A campaign has been launched to help fundraise for the music of rarely heard liturgies in an extraordinary location.

By kind permission of the Church of England parish of Dorchester on Thames, the St Birinus Festival 2024 will take place at the beautiful mediaeval abbey, once host to the remains of St Birinus and a destination for pilgrims from around the world. St Birinus, along with St Augustine, was responsible for  bringing much of England to Christianity. Just by the abbey runs the River Thame, in whose waters St Birinus baptised the king of Wessex in 636 AD.

The festival will include the singing of the major hours of the feasts of All Saints and All Souls according to the 1962 Roman Missal, which is normally celebrated at the nearby Catholic Church of St Birinus. These ceremonies will be sung with full Gregorian Chant and polyphonic music by the great Renaissance composers such as Victoria, Gabrieli, Palestrina and Byrd.

The newly formed St Birinus Festival Choir will be joined by sackbuts and cornetts, and will be directed by Gareth Wilson, of Girton College Cambridge. A Mass in up to 16 parts by the Venetian composer Andrea Gabrieli will accompany a solemn Pontifical Mass for All Saints on November 1st, at 11am. The celebrant will be Abbot Hugh Allan O.Praem.

Matins of All Souls will also be a unique experience early the next day, with some of the finest music of the Renaissance written specifically for this ceremony. This will be followed by a solemn Requiem with music by Lassus and Byrd.

The festival will also include major musical events in the evenings, such as concerts with the Davey Consort and students of the Royal Academy of Music, both directed by Ryan Wigglesworth, director of music for the BBC Scottish symphony orchestra. Sophie Bevan MBE will also give a masterclass.

The Festival is being organised in order to fundraise for the music at the beautiful Catholic Church in Dorchester on Thames. This neo-gothic gem [of a church] (also dedicated to St Birinus) boasts an Aubertin organ and a regular professional choir (the Davey Consort), as well as a children’s choir with ambitious plans for the future. Donations to support the costs of organising such an event can be made via the following link: https://gofund.me/42c651ff

All details of the festival events and where to get tickets can be found here:  https://thedaveyconsort.co.uk/collections/st-birinus-festival

Papal Scandal in Singapore: The Error of the Equality of Religions -- and the Faith of St. Francis Xavier (De Mattei)

 Pope Francis and the Act of Faith of St. Francis Xavier

 by Roberto de Mattei

Among the most serious errors prevalent today, even in Catholic circles, is the one according to which all religions are equivalent because they all worship one God. This error is most serious because it denies, at its root, the intrinsic truth of the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, Pope Francis' statements at the Catholic Junior College in Singapore last September 13, 2024, are along these lines and, with all due respect to the Pope, are objectively scandalous.

The official Vatican account quotes verbatim these phrases from Francis: "All religions are a path to get to God. They are - I make a comparison - like different languages, different idioms, to get there. But God is God for all. And because God is God for everyone, we are all God's children. "But my God is more important than yours!" Is this true? There is only one God, and we, our religions are languages, paths to get to God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian, but they are different paths. Understood?" Understood? 

Our answer is immediate: no, Holy Father, we have not understood and cannot understand it. Our religion and also the history of the Society of Jesus, to which you belong, teach us otherwise.

Arlington Carmel Saga: the Texas Carmelites become a permanent TLM-celebrating community - by coming under the auspices of the SSPX

 It seems there may be a pause in the sinuous saga of the Discalced Carmelite sisters of Arlington, Texas. After years of strange events and the relentless pursuit of their convent (coincidentally, a huge piece of property right in the middle of one of the fastest growing regions in the US) by the local bishop (Fort Worth) including Vatican intervention in their favor, they seem to have a reasonably stable moment — by becoming the newest community friendly to the Society of Saint Pius X in America.

From the note published by the SSPX US district:

Statement from the Arlington Carmel on Its Association with the SSPX 

 SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

 

"The motto of Pope St. Pius X was: To Restore All Things in Christ. Such is the case for our Community as well, which has prayerfully, over a period of many years, sought to return to Tradition."

Bishop Slattery, RIP

 The Diocese of Tulsa announced His Excellency Edward J. Slattery died yesterday at the age of 84.

Bishop Slattery was the celebrant of the solemn pontifical Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on April 24, 2010. He graciously stepped in after a media firestorm concerning the originally scheduled celebrant, Dario Cardinal Hoyos. The day turned out to be an absolutely glorious one -- standing room only in the largest church in North America. The dozens of clergy, the numerous choirs, the magnificent pipe organ, the beautiful vestments, the joy in all who attended in-person or watched live on EWTN -- it was a traditional Latin Mass that defined the liturgical restoration of its era.

'Surprise' Novus Ordo Masses in Arlington Diocese

 

The decision by Pope Francis and the Dicastery for Divine Worship (DDW) to reignite the liturgical wars by abrogating Summorum Pontificum will be remembered as a monumental, embarrassing blunder by a papacy marked by corruption and scandal. 

Francis in Asia: "All Religions Lead to God." - Pius XI: That is a "false opinion"

Francis speaking in Singapore earlier today:

Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God but God is God for all. 

But my God is more important than your God, is that true?

There is only one God and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.

 pic.twitter.com/TMHRDjEuJ9

— Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 (@MLJHaynes) September 13, 2024

*** 

 On the other hand, Pius XI in Mortalium animos (1928): 

 Never perhaps in the past have we seen, as we see in these our own times, the minds of men so occupied by the desire both of strengthening and of extending to the common welfare of human society that fraternal relationship which binds and unites us together, and which is a consequence of our common origin and nature. For since the nations do not yet fully enjoy the fruits of peace - indeed rather do old and new disagreements in various places break forth into sedition and civic strife - and since on the other hand many disputes which concern the tranquillity and prosperity of nations cannot be settled without the active concurrence and help of those who rule the States and promote their interests, it is easily understood, and the more so because none now dispute the unity of the human race, why many desire that the various nations, inspired by this universal kinship, should daily be more closely united one to another.

 

A similar object is aimed at by some, in those matters which concern the New Law promulgated by Christ our Lord. For since they hold it for certain that men destitute of all religious sense are very rarely to be found, they seem to have founded on that belief a hope that the nations, although they differ among themselves in certain religious matters, will without much difficulty come to agree as brethren in professing certain doctrines, which form as it were a common basis of the spiritual life. For which reason conventions, meetings and addresses are frequently arranged by these persons, at which a large number of listeners are present, and at which all without distinction are invited to join in the discussion, both infidels of every kind, and Christians, even those who have unhappily fallen away from Christ or who with obstinacy and pertinacity deny His divine nature and mission. Certainly such attempts can nowise be approved by Catholics, founded as they are on that false opinion which considers all religions to be more or less good and praiseworthy, since they all in different ways manifest and signify that sense which is inborn in us all, and by which we are led to God and to the obedient acknowledgment of His rule. Not only are those who hold this opinion in error and deceived, but also in distorting the idea of true religion they reject it, and little by little. turn aside to naturalism and atheism, as it is called; from which it clearly follows that one who supports those who hold these theories and attempt to realize them, is altogether abandoning the divinely revealed religion.

Event: 54-Day Rosary Novena in Saint Louis to Defeat Abortion Amendment

Event organized by Catholics in Saint Louis, Missouri:

Dear Fellow Missouri Catholics & People of Good Will:

As you may have heard, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled yesterday [Sep. 10] that Amendment 3 will be on the November 5 ballot.

Amendment 3 would enshrine abortion in the state Constitution. Learn more at Missouri Right to Life PAC.

To ask the Blessed Virgin to defeat 3 and keep abortion out of Missouri, join us at the statue of St. Louis in Forest Park to pray the Rosary for the next 54 days:

Defending the Traditional Mass with Just Arguments -- Theological and Legal - by Father Claude Barthe

Those who devote themselves to the defense of traditional things (liturgy, catechism, resistance to deleterious doctrines) often hesitate to say that we are currently faced with an atypical ecclesial situation. Especially when it comes to the liturgy. Even if they assert that it is not for reasons of sensitivity but of faith that they attend the old liturgy, they feel they can effectively defend their position against the proponents of the new liturgy as a legitimate free choice. It is true that arguments of this kind can work quite well with Catholic opinion in general, for whom liberalism has become an unsurpassable horizon; but the fact that it is permissible to take tactical advantage of this state of mind does not mean it is justifiable.

Paradoxically, they even sometimes twist traditional doctrine to defend it. One example is the extreme reduction of the doctrine of obedience to ecclesiastical authorities and their teachings. Since, in many respects, submission to the authorities is untenable in conscience today, they practically come to affirm that free examination was the common doctrine of the Church, with each person deciding what is Catholic in the name of the “tradition” of which each is ultimately the custodian. Or they proceed to disembowel the doctrine of Roman infallibility by asserting that the First See has frequently issued heterodox doctrines. In other words, the abnormality of what is happening now is transferred to the Church of old.[1] And the anti-modernists become modernists.

We will deal here only with arguments in defense of the traditional Mass. In particular, we would like to consider two that are often used to justify the free option in favor of the traditional missal:

(1) The invocation of the bull Quo primum of 1570, insofar as it states that the missal it promulgates may be used “in perpetuity”. And 

(2) the fact that the Church has always recognized the legitimacy of a diversity of rites.

Pontifical Mass in Montes Claros, Brazil

 

From a reader:

"Our Lady as New Eve": International Theological Conference in Dundee Scotland (and Online), September 12-14

The Marian Franciscans in the UK have organized a magnificent conference on Our Lady, coming up quite soon. For those who cannot attend in person, an online option is available. Details in posters below.