I has the weirdest feeling tonight the Feast of the Passion of John the Baptist. I saw the old priest in the red of the martyrs and it was as though his robes were blood. I felt John the Baptists anger concern at what is happening in the Church and it was as though he cried out, 'Has my blood been wasted?' John the Baptist died because he spoke the Truth to Power. We should remember this.
Poor St. John. He could have kept his head had he mercifully minded his own business and left God to read Herod's heart. No Jesuits in his time to teach him discernment, dialogue and accompaniment. He would have been far too rigorous and judgmental for today's enlightened, evolved Church.
I bought up as many medals, Rosaries and Folders as i could get my hands on when Joey passed on..I bought them to give away! As soon as people knew u would do your purgatory on Earth no one wanted them..They never listened to the promise that Our Lord would work Prodigies and Miracles through these..Why am i saying this..well they cost me a lot. The only way i have been able to get them in others hands is to sell them..as no one will take one ..I even had people throw them in the Garbage..Yikes..So in selling them only people who want them get them..I have had these for over two years ..They are Authentic ..Someone on e-bay is selling false ones very cheap. If u want a medal, Rosary, or folder contact me on here as i have quite a few of each.
I saw something which has me thinking at mass yesterday at The Redemptorist Monastery in Clonard. It is a very,very holy place and I love to sit in front of the shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Though I have to say the priests generally are so Liberal at times I have to resist the strong urge to run for the door when they start preaching heresy once again. Yesterday the priest preached to a Gospel which focused on the Pharisees. He said that by Pharisees scriptures means those who are Conservatives. He went on to say that while Conservatives may be good people they refuse change and that this is a huge problem for a Church which is trying to bring about wide ranging change. In other words it was basically a Church political speech. A put down. This was bad enough but I noticed who should show up to listen but the Rector of the monastery, he never ever turns up this early especially not as someone who is simply a member of the congregation. I put two and two together and understood, this attack speech was pre planned. I am sure if I went to many masses there this week I would be served up the same thing. They, the liberal/ modernists have decided to go on the offensive in support of Pope Francis and his comrades. Sigh. I don;t go to mass to be attacked like this, it is more than a little bit irritating publically being called a Pharisee like this and then to be patronised and told that being a Pharisee isn't the worst thing in the world. To make it worse to realise that it is our own Pope who started this attack dog thing rolling. But patience and Charity are a requirement, not an option for the Christian. But I understand more than ever it is the lay people who will save the Church. I am afraid it is not going to happen unless we make waves, we act. But how? What? Much to pray about here. It takes shrewdness here. No good protesting for protesting's sake. Effective action. But what? mmmmm
I think this is different than anything that Church has faced before Padraig. In my opinion I don't think any of us can save the Church. It is beyond human saving at this point. It must be wiped clean by God. That is not to say that we shouldn't do all we can to save souls and show the blind what the truth is, but if we are thinking we can turn things around somehow it doesn't appear that way to me. It would be like the Apostles getting together and saying "How can we stop the Crucifixion?" At this point I think it is not about winning, but how we conduct ourselves during the trial that matters.
We must become saints. That's all we must do. Shouldn't be hard if we give up sin. This video must be doing the rounds on some larger sites.It's picked up nearly 3000 views in the last month.
I'm beginning to think all those in "organizational" authority are being "infected". I'd probably be sent for "re-education" if I suggested that, as scripture says, the rocks will cry out (if no one else does) and that the earth and the cosmos (being in the Divine Will) is announcing its own disgust with personal sin covering creation and is demonstrating that God exists as does His Universal order with its laws....rather than just re-acting to the ozone level!! Pope Francis to World Leaders: 'Listen to the Cry of the Earth' Pope Francis, who has a strong belief in the science of climate change, called upon world leaders on Wednesday to "listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor, who suffer most because of the unbalanced ecology." Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew I, the head of the Orthodox Christian Church, will issue a joint message to commemorate the annual "World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation" on Friday, the Associated Pressreported. ...... In 2015, the Pope designated Sept. 1 as "a precious opportunity to renew our personal participation in this vocation as custodians of creation," framing the preservation of the environment as a moral responsibility. Similarly, Bartholomew—who backed Francis' 2015 encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si—once said: "There has never been so much turmoil on our planet, but there has never been greater opportunity for communication, cooperation and dialogue. Basic human rights such as access to water, clean air and sufficient food should be available to everyone without distinction or discrimination. We are convinced that we cannot separate our concern for human dignity, human rights or social justice from the concern for ecological preservation and sustainability." Pope Francis has long pressed for strong climate action. https://www.ecowatch.com/pope-francis-climate-change-2479496671.html Inviting true individual reparation for what can be handled on a personal level....which should be a shepherd's first responsibility.....or inviting a new all-encompassing new world totalitarian control...."for the sake of charity"?? Could there just possibly be a neglect of what is occurring in one's own back yard excused by directing eyes elsewhere??
Padraig, I, too, go to a Redemptorist Church sometimes for Mass, Novena, and to venerate the Miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I have noticed the same awful conflicts there as well. When I first started going, there was a young priest dedicated to the Rosary, and he was on fire for the Lord. About a month ago he spoke about giving the big problem he was having to the Blessed Mother. He said it was not resolved on the same day, but it would definitely be resolved in time. I have not seen him since. I missed a Wednesday, however. There are about a dozen priests in that monastery, so he could be on a rotation. But I feel that the pastors want priests who "fit in" to the new agenda. A month ago in my parish, on a Sunday Mass, the Prayer of the Faithful was directed against the rigid people. The wording was something akin to "That the rigid would not be rigid anymore, Let us pray to the Lord." Can't remember the exact wording but that almost flew past me.
I sometimes have an unnerving feeling that one day I will stand before the Judgement Seat of God and He will ask me what good I did. To which I will reply, 'I prayed'. At which He will raise His eyebrows and say... '...and'. On the other hand Padre Pio used to say, 'I was only a poor friar who liked to pray'. Which always cheers me up when I think about it. It seems such a pity to let these devils take over things without lifting a hand. Sigh.. But I will wait on God, He can tap me on the shoulder if He wants me to do something more. Things are so bad though. The poor old ship, the Church ,is sinking fast.
The Redemptorists seem to have gone very badly. But most Religious orders seem to have sunk without trace. The Dominicans, The Jesuits, you name it. There are exceptions of course, but they are very notable exceptions. Heaven help any poor priest or nun who tries o swim against the tide; they would eat them.
Funnily enough the Regular Diocesan Clergy do not seem as far gone as the Religious Orders. I have no idea why this might be so, but it is.
In many ways our hands are tied, Padraig. I share your concerns about your particular judgment. I also agree with you that God will show us what He wants us to do. I was walking around yesterday and like you noticed how many people were so unhappy. Almost all of them. I felt as though the Lord wants me to pray for those I meet or pass each day. I know there are no accidents or coincidences and that He has a plan. St. John Henry Newman has been quoted as saying, concerning God: "He may hide my future from me, He may make my spirits sink. Still, He knows what He is about, therefore I will trust Him." You know, when we are buffeted and denigrated, it is in union with the Lord Jesus, who went through it all before us. "Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world."
Pope Francis just said "Pope Francis to World Leaders: 'Listen to the Cry of the Earth' Now what the heck is that? Shouldn't it be, the Wrath of God? I am baffled.
I hear what you're saying Padraig. I feel the same way. I hope my last post didn't give the impression that we could be lackadaisical. I think we do need to try to fix things, but we should also realize that it probably isn't going to happen until God allows it. God calls us all to do different things. Perhaps He is calling you to do something additional. Though I think having this site out there is very important. There are those though that God calls to do larger things that are more visible in the world like St. Joan of Arc or the Apostles. As far as what we must do though, I think prayer, sacrifice and performing our small daily duties with love for God are enough. Our Lady the greatest of all saints was a simple housewife who raised her Son. She never gave great rousing speeches or performed miracles (during her life). Yet she lived a perfect life of heroic virtue and earned more grace than all of the other saints combined (or so I have read). Somehow God takes the small and humble and utilizes them for His own ends. Even if they seemingly do "nothing important" in their lives. The key I think is just making ourselves available to God to use as He wishes. The more we make ourselves his tools the more He can use us. The only real thing we can give him is our will and our love. And that is all He really wants.
