Is Mary the Mediatrix of ALL GRACES?

Jesus and Mary - the New Adam and New Eve

applying graces to humanity

Is Mary the Mediatrix of All Graces? This a two-part question. First, is Mary a "mediatrix"? (the Latin suffix -tor denotes masculine agency and the Latin -trix denotes feminine agency - like waiter and waitress - Mediator and Mediatrix)? Second, if she is a mediatrix, is she the mediatrix of all graces?

Is Mary a Mediatrix?
Before addressing this title, let it be confirmed at the outset that Mary's mediation does not violate the words of Saint Paul regarding the mediating priesthood of Jesus Christ, when he writes:

“For there is one God: and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5, D-R)

Christ is the one mediator between God and men because He is both full God and fully human. Since He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to God, He alone can redeem mankind from sin.

However, Saint Luke records that the Holy Simeon prophesied to Mary that she too would suffer with Her divine Son:

“And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35).

The Fathers of the Church identify the "piercing sword" in Mary's soul as the moment when Mary beheld her dying Son on the cross, even more, when she held his cold, lifeless body in her arms.

Her quiet and maternal presence with Christ's high priestly sacrifice envelops her into the sacrifice of Christ in a unique way. Consider this, the Son of God acquired His flesh and blood from her flesh and blood. Jesus could die for us, because she gave to Him a body.

Jesus and Mary at the cross are the redemptive Adam and Eve. Eve once looked up to a tree in order to seize its fruit unlawfully. Now, Mary as the New Eve, beholds the tree on which hangs the "Fruit of her womb." She does not claim rights over this Fruit, but willingly offers It to the Father. The New Adam hangs suspended on the wood for every sinner. The New Eve stands by in sorrow.

Mary's mediation is based on her intimate union and consent to the Passion and Death of Christ. Moreover, we find in Scripture that Jesus comes to the world through Mary, literally. St Elizabeth and her baby St John the Baptist are filled with the Holy Spirit when St Elizabeth hears the voice of Mary. Jesus works His first miracle at Cana at Mary's request. Furthermore, Mary is present at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the Apostles. Just as Mary's voice was the instrument that carried grace to Saint Elizabeth, so Mary is the personal instrument by which grace flows to us from Christ. St Bernard of Clairvaux called her the "aqueduct of grace."

The Liturgical Feast: Mediatrix of All Graces
In 1921, Pope Benedict XV, responding to petitions from the bishops of Belgium, established the annual feast day of "Mary Mediatrix of All Graces." This feast was included in the Missale Romanum under the title "Omnium Gratiarum Mediatricis" for the date May 31. If you have a pre-conciliar Latin Missal, you can usually find it there (look under Missae pro aliquibus locis). Two of my missals include the feast.

The first reading for this feast is Isaiah 55:1-3, 5 and the Gradual is the famous passage from Ecclesiasticus: “I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. ” (Sirach 24:24–25) The Gospel reading for the feast is the Marian passion account from John 19:25-27.

Pope Benedict XV's inclusion of a feast for "Mary Mediatrix of All of Graces" popularized doctrine. By the beginning of the Second Vatican Council (1962), there was a push among the bishops to formally declare the Blessed Virgin Mary as the "Mediatrix of All Graces." This attempt was eventually recast and she was instead declared "Mother of the Church," a softer title, but beautiful all the same. "Mother of the Church" was was preferred since it defined the truth in a more ecclesiastical way.

You can find this definition of "Mother of the Church" in Chapter 8 of Lumen Gentium. Nevertheless, Lumen Gentium 8 does refer to the Immaculate Mary as "Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix and Mediatrix." Notably, the qualifier "of All Graces" was not included in the final text of Lumen Gentium even though it was proposed.

Did Pope Benedict XV go to far?

So then, it is a matter of faith that our Blessed Mother is a "Mediatrix"...but is she the "Mediatrix of All Graces"? Most Catholics have no problem with the title "Mediatrix" though I do notice that some Catholics flinch when they hear "Mediatrix of All Graces." Did Pope Benedict XV go too far in adding "of All Graces"?

The full title including "all graces" is controversial. Some protest that Mary could not possibly be the mediatrix of all the graces in the Old Testament since she did not yet exist. Moreover, could she have been the mediatrix of all graces while she was still on earth? Did she only become the mediatrix of all graces after Pentecost or perhaps only after her glorious Assumption? Even still, is she currently the mediatrix both of actual graces and sacramental grace? That is, does the grace of baptism and the Holy Eucharist also flow through her hands?

Two Difficult Questions regarding "of all graces"

These questions, essentially, raise two difficult questions:

1) When did Mary become the mediatrix of all graces. From all time? At the Immaculate Conception? Crucifixion? Pentecost? Assumption?

2) When we say "all graces" do we mean "each and every grace" or "all kinds of grace" or "all actual graces"?

I will reveal my hand at the beginning. I take the extreme position. I insist that she is the mediatrix of every single grace ever given to humanity, from Adam to the last moment of time. It is true that she didn't yet exist, but she is nevertheless the mediatrix of all these graces.

The New Adam as Mediator. The New Eve as Mediatrix.

How can one say such a thing? The argument depends on Our Lady's ancient status as the New Eve and upon Christ's status as the New Adam. All grace is absolutely mediated through Christ since he is fully God and fully man. He is the mediator of humanity necessarily and absolutely. Yet, He mediates this grace to humanity by virtue of His Incarnation, His Death, and through the Holy Spirit.

Now then, Mary as the New Eve was the instrument of the Incarnation, and she held the primary role at the Crucifixion and at the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. So we discover that Scripture links her with these three moment of Christ's absolute mediation.

We also know that all the graces of the Old Testament were mediated in anticipation of Christ's Incarnation and Death. Since Mary's flesh and cooperation are necessary for the Incarnation and Death of Christ, these graces are also mediated with her role in mind. This is why Pope Pius IX says that the decree of Christ's predestination is one and the same with that of Mary.

So the graces of the Old Testament were mediated in light of her, though not actually dispensed by her. Here we distinguish the term "mediating" from the term "dispensing." The Immaculate Mary has always been the Mediatrix of All Graces, but she became the Dispensatrix of All Graces at her glorious Assumption.

One could take an even more extreme and say that Mary became the Dispensatrix of every grace from the moment of her Immaculate Conception. This would necessitate that from her first moment, she had an enormous infusion of knowledge even while still in the womb of Saint Anne. I'm not so sure this happened, though I wouldn't fault anyone for holding it. It seems that Saint Alphonsus Liguori may have held this position, though I can't quite make it out (I'd be grateful if any Alphonsists could help me out on this point.)

What about Scripture?

We do know that the sanctification and confirmation in grace of Saint John the Baptist while still in his mother's womb occurred through the mediation of Mary's audible voice. “For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. ” (Luke 1:44, D-R)

Both the Latin and Greek liturgies apply Ecclesiasticus 24 as a prophecy of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It reads: “I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. ” (Sirach 24:24–25) Mary is the "Mother of Fair Love" and "in [her] is all grace." Here then is an Old Testament prophecy of Mary's title as Mediatrix of All Graces.

As discussed above, Our Lady's presence at the Lord's Conception, Nativity, Life, Death, Ascension, and then Pentecost reveal her mediating office under Christ.

Does Mary mediate Sacramental Grace?

As for sacramental grace, Saint Cyril of Alexandria, when addressing the Fathers of the Council of Ephesus (AD 431) stated that the grace of baptism, confirmation, and Holy Orders flow through Mary to the Church.

Just think about the seven sacraments and you'll that this makes sense:

1. Baptism removes the stain of Eve (Mary is the New Eve), gives us the Holy Spirit (the Spouse of Mary), and unites us to the death and resurrection of Christ (Mary mediates under the cross)
2. Confirmation is the sacrament that confers the grace of Pentecost to each us. Mary is the Spouse of the Spirit and she was present at Pentecost
3. Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. This flesh and blood of the Eternal Logos were derived from the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. No human Mother? No Body and Blood.
4. Penance is the application of Christ's merit and blood to the sinner. Mary's mediating presence under the Cross confirms her role in this sacrament.
5. Extreme Unction is the sacrament that prepares the believer for death. Christ gave Mary dominion over the "hour of death" and over Purgatory by her desire to die a human death even though she remained without sin. She desired to die in order to be conformed more perfectly to Christ. This is also foretold by Siracides: “I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord. ” (Sirach 24:45)
6. Holy Orders is the mystery of the priesthood, and Christ became the High Priest of Humanity by virtue of His Incarnation. However, Mary was absolutely necessary for His assumption of the human nature. No Mother? No Incarnation? Again, Mary's presence at the Cross also affirms her role here, since Christ manifestly exercised His priesthood on the Cross.
7. Holy Matrimony was raised to the dignity of a sacrament at the Wedding of Cana. Christ's miracle and blessing at the Wedding of Cana occurred through the direct mediation of Mary. Thus, she too is the mediatrix of the sacramental grace of Holy Matrimony.

So then, it's easy to see that Scripture links Mary to all seven of the sacraments. While some oppose the position that Mary is the mediatrix of sacramental grace, I see every reason to affirm that she is the mediatrix of sacramental grace.

In summary, then, we have confirmed the following:

1. Mary's mediation does not conflict with Christ's mediation but is the highest form of sub-mediation under Christ. She is the aqueduct that channels the infinite grace and merits of Christ.
2. Pope Benedict XV institute a liturgical feast of Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces
3. Mary's universal mediation is entailed by her title New Eve. Christ is the New Adam and his redemptive work is universal. Consequently, Mary's sub-mediation is universal.
4. All graces, even those of the Old Testament are mediated through the ministry of the New Adam and the New Eve. Although, Mary did not yet exist, the graces prior to the New Testament were granted in expectation of a New Adam and a New Eve - Jesus and Mary.
5. Even sacramental graces are mediated and applied by the Immaculate Mary. Sacred Scripture shows that the graces and gifts associated with each sacrament (e.g. the pouring of out Holy Spirit in Confirmation) were accomplished through Mary (e.g. when Elizabeth and John the Baptist were filled with the Holy Spirit).

For more information, see also:

• Mary as Mediatrix in Church Fathers (Saint Cyril)
• Why Do Titles of Mary End with the "-trix" Suffix (as in Mediatrix
• Who Crushes Satan's Head in Genesis 3:15? (Mary or Jesus?)

What Are Rogation Days? (Mon/Tues/Wed before Ascension Thursday)

"Beating of the Bounds"

A Traditional Catholic Rogation Custom

Traditionally, the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Thursday are the Rogation Days. The "Greater Rogation" occurs on Saint Mark's feast (April 25) and the "Lesser Rogations" fall on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Thursday (thanks to Fr Wolfe for clarifying this for me).

Rogation days (from Latin rogare - "to ask") are solemn processions to invoke God's mercy. These have been generally neglected since the 1960s. These three days of prayer go back to the fifth century. They are a laudable custom and worthy of resurrection.

Throughout the centuries, Catholics observed the Rogation days by:

• fasting in preparation to celebrate the Ascension
• priests blessing fields and crops
• violet penitential vestments
• "beating the bounds," the tradition in which priests and laity proceed around the boundary of their parish (we did this in Anglican seminary - lots of fun for the children)

Fun Fact: In England, Rogation Sunday, is called Chestnut Sunday. You'll have to find a high church Anglican to get the reason why. Since I used to be one, I'll tell you. In England, chestnuts trees bloom in May - the time in which Rogation Sunday falls.

Get yourself a Latin Missal (1962):

Clapping in Mass? An Analogy

My friend Brent Stubbs has a great post on why clapping in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (or giving a "thank you" roll-call to all the liturgical "ministers") is inappropriate. A good rule of thumb - if a certain act is deemed "inappropriate" for your wedding or your daughter's wedding (e.g. puppets, clowns, rock music, liturgical dancing, rainbow vestments, chewing gum, whispering, applause), then it's definitely not suitable for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which is a re-presentation of the Holy Sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The Holy Father says as much. The Holy Mass is the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.

Here's a preview from Brent's post: 

Imagine at the end of a wedding there was applause, but the applause was not for the bride and groom. Instead, the priest asked the solo violinist who did a great job during the wedding to come up to the front and everyone applauds him, followed by applause for the ring bearer, flower girl and a rousing round of high-fives for the groomsmen who did such a good job standing still. By this time the new bride and groom are slouching their heads but the priest, in dramatic fashion, pronounces a blessing, the music starts and they all process out--unsure as to what they are now celebrating or even celebrated (two groomsman are still doing a fist bump for the extraordinary job they did).

Please go read his post Liturgical No-No: Applause in Mass

Recommend book on the Holy Mass:

Habemus Appam! (1961 Roman Breviary iPhone App)

Want to pray the traditional pre-Vatican 2 Roman Breviary in Latin? There's app for that. I'll have to add this to the "Top Ten Catholic iPhone Apps."

The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have launched what we've all wanted for awhile - an iPhone app for the 1961 Latin Breviary. It looks like the page that I visit daily: divinumofficium.com. There is likely some sort of partnership here. 

The best part is that the app is FREE: Brevarium Meum. The rub is that you need the latest iPhone software (4.0). 

It's exciting to watch the website, blogs, and apps light up for the Extraordinary Form in every regard.

Alright. Time to get off the computer and pray Prime. HT: Amanda Crouch from my parish.

PS: Fr Z has reviewed the app here.

Highly recommended book from the Franciscans of the Immaculate:

Papal Latin Mass in Constantinople (Pope St John I)

Pope John I

reigned gloriously 523–526

May 27 commemorates Pope Saint John I - the first pope to change his name (his birth name was the name of the pagan god Mercury).

Saint John I is notable in that he visited Constantinople as Pope as was immediately greeted by the Emperor and Patriarch as their superior. In fact, the Byzantine Emperor asked to for a second coronation from the hands of the Pope. Moreover, the Patriarch of Constantinople allowed the holy Pope to celebrate a pontifical Latin Mass in the Hagia Sophia - the cathedral church of Constantinople. The date was Easter Day, 19 April, 526.

An interesting fact in the history of East/West relations.

Prayer Beads and the Saint Bede the Venerable

Saint Bede the Venerable (d. 733)

Although Mary the Mother of God had not yet given the 15 Mysteries of the Holy Rosary (Our Lady's Psalter) to Saint Dominic, prayer beads were being used by Christians as early as the eighth century.

Today, in the old calendar, is the feast of Saint Bede the Venerable (d. 733). Saint Bede attests that churches and public places in France and England had prayer beads available for the faithful to use.

Source: O'Reilly, Bernard. True Men as We Need Them: A Book of Instruction for Men in the World. New York: P.J. Kennedy and Sons. (1878) p. 217.

6 Reasons to Keep Meatless Fridays

Six reasons to keep Meatless Fridays:

1. The tradition of eating fish and not beast flesh (now beef, pork, poultry) goes back to Noah's Ark where for the 40 day flood, they ate only fish and not beasts.
2. The mystical institution of Friday penance is Luke 5:35 "The days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them: then shall they fast in those days." Christ was "taken away" from us on Friday and so we fast on "those days," i.e. on Fridays. Every Sunday is a "little Easter," which means that every Friday is a "little Good Friday." If you're going to party on Sunday, you need to do penance on Friday.
3. The Friday abstinence from meat goes back to the Apostles. The first-century document Didache records that the earliest Christians observed fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays: “But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day {Wednesday} and the Parasceve {Friday}."
4. Saint Thomas Aquinas says that abstaining from beast flesh and animal products inhibits your libido and reduces lust. See Summa theologiae II-II q. 147, a. 8 for more details!
5. A pejoritive slur for Catholics is "fisheater" or alternatively "mackerel snapper." Wear these slurs as badges of honor. Eat fish on Fridays.
6. Christ expects us to fast. In Matthew 6:17-8, Jesus says "But when you fast." He does not say, "But if you fast." So then, why not try to work in a penance related to food every week? If you don't make it a habit, you'll never do it. Friday penance is the time-honored practice. It's hard and it will be inconvenient when you have to go with the cheese nachos instead of the hot-dog at the baseball game...but it's worth it.
   

If you get discouraged, just think of Saint John the Baptist. He ate locusts!

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

PS: The image-header at the top of this blog "Canterbury Tales" is called "Fish Friday." It shows Franciscans and Dominicans happily eating large amounts of fish and wine as they keep their "strict fast."

Radio Show: Conversion to the Catholic Faith

Tomorrow morning, I'll be on the Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick syndicated through EWTN Radio talking about my conversion from the Anglican ministry to the Catholic Church. 

We'll begin at 8:40am Eastern time or (7:40am Central time) Friday morning (May 27) on EWTN Radio.

What is a Properly Said Hail Mary Worth? (Francisco Suarez)

Francisco Suarez (1548-1617)

The holy and pious theologian Francisco Suarez (1548-1617) was so deeply aware of the value of the Hail Mary, that he said that he would gladly give all his learning for the price of one Hail Mary that had been said properly. This is a very consoling conviction for those of us who do not possess the great intellect of Suarez.

Please pray the Holy Rosary every day, and the Three Hail Mary's morning and evening.

Did Christ Wrongly Predict His Second Coming? (No, and here's why)

The Sack of Jerusalem in AD 70

In the comments on the previous post, I had to go after someone who made the old accusation that Saint Paul and the first century Church were gravely disappointed by the fact that Christ did not return in their lifetime, as Christ had promised.

Liberal scholars, beginning in the 17th century, but especially Germans in the 19th century began to promote the wrong belief that Christ was an eschatological and charismatic leader. Incorrectly, they claim that He was a pacifist, who nevertheless prophesied the judgment of God on Israel and Rome through His miraculous return. These heretics then say that the sudden crucifixion of Christ complicated this claim and so His followers had to scramble and create a new theology to justify His death. So then, these heretics claims that the disciples created the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ, who then became a "cosmic Christ" who would come again to judge the living and the dead. The Jesus legend, they say, expanded to epic proportions.

The common teaching of this false modernist theology is the belief that Jesus was a "failed charismatic prophet," and that early Christian theology is an attempted response to patch up the failure.

Incidentally, "Modernism" is the heresy that denies the supernatural realm, and instead seeks to find natural explanations of supernatural claims. The most commonly heard example is this: "Jesus didn't really multiply loaves and fishes. What really happened is that everyone brought their lunches and shared with those who didn't bring a lunch. It was a 'miracle' of love that Christ provoked in their hearts." If you've ever heard this sermon (I have), then you've experienced the condemned heresy of "modernism."

So then, the fully robust modernist and heretical perspective on Christ holds the following narrative as the historical and naturalist account of what really happened. The following story is also behind the so-called "historical Jesus" movement:

1. Christ was a charismatic prophet and Jewish reformer who appealed to the Messianic desires of first century Judaism
2. Through political intrigue, this Jesus was unexpectedly crucified on Passover at the height of His popularity
3. His devoted followers and supporters were disappointed by this reversal of fortune. Unable to deal with His sudden downfall, they created an alternate narrative that Jesus had "risen" and thus His prophecies of global peace, political revolution, and divine reconciliation still remained true but only in a spiritual sense.
4. These first generation Christians, convinced of His resurrection, waited for His quick return, but it never happened. They were disillusioned and disappointed.
5. The "institutional Church" was an ad hoc response to this crisis and organized the faithful into a religion that assumed the newly concocted theology of "resurrection." The original hope for His parousia or "second coming" was downplayed by the Church and delayed indefinitely. The "Church," not the "Second Coming" became primary for the next generation of Christians.
6. This "institutional Church" became more and more hierarchical and hardened. The charismatic origins gave way to "sacraments" and "rules" until it was finally co-opted by Constantine and the Roman Empire as a new mechanism for imperial unity.
7. This Roman imperial inteference led to what we know as "Roman Catholicism."

This is the assumed "scholarly" account of the origins of Catholic Christianity.

So how do we Catholics cut through all this?

First, let's examine the claim that Jesus would come again and judge Israel within the first century. This assertion is based on a wrong reading of Matthew 24 - often called the "little apocalypse." Christ describes the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. In this context He solemnly pronounces:

“Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.” (Matthew 24:34)

So then, modernist Bible scholars point at this verse and say, "Aha! You see. Christ was wrong. He said this would happen before 'this generation' shall pass away and He was flat wrong."

But was He wrong? Of course not. He is the Son of God and beheld the beatific vision and experienced infused knowledge. Christ refers here specifically to the destruction of Jerusalem. When did the sack of Jerusalem happen? All historians unanimously agree that Jerusalem was sacked and the Jewish Temple thoroughly destroyed by the Romans under Titus in the year AD 70. The sack of Jerusalem is described by sacred and secular authors.

When did Jesus prophecy the destruction of Jerusalem? He did this in AD 33. In the Bible, a "generation" is forty years. So Jesus was perfectly accurate in his prophecy. Christ promised that "this generation shall not pass" before Jerusalem was destroyed, and behold it happened within the 40 year limit of His prophecy - in AD 70 (70 - 33 = 37 years).

Heretical biblical scholars do an injustice Sacred Scripture. The early Christians may have hoped for the Second Coming, but their prophetic expectation was that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed. In fact, history reveals that the earliest Christians left Jerusalem just before the Romans sacked the city. How did they know to leave? They simply obeyed the prophetic warning of Christ preserved in Matthew 24:

“When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house.” (Matthew 24:15–17, D-R)

So when the Christians saw this, they left Jerusalem and went to the mountains. They were saved. The non-Christian Jews were slain by the Romans. The fact that Christians left Jerusalem shows that they interpreted this prophecy, not as an an end times prophecy, but as a prophecy uttered against Jerusalem particularly.

I hope this helps Catholics understand the Catholic perspective on Matthew 24 and equips them to answer the assumed "scholarly" position that Christ was a failed eschatological prophet, or even the claim that Saint Paul was "disappointed" by the "failed prophecy" of Christ. Lamentably, this false reading presumes the modernist error of naturalism and requires a shallow reading of Sacred Scripture.

ad Jesum per Mariam,

Taylor Marshall

PS: Incidentally, all this is very important in understanding why the Catholic Church is "Roman," and it is the topic of my third book. I'm finishing up the book right now and hope to have it back from editors by the end of summer. It discusses the significance of Jerusalem and Rome in Jewish prophecy and in the theology of the early Church. It will show that Christianity "being Roman" is a biblical mandated by the Old Testament, by Christ Himself, and by the New Testament.

Here are the first two volumes: One on the Old Testament origins of Catholicism (The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity) and the other on Saint Paul and Catholicism (The Catholic Perspective on Paul: Paul and the Origins of Catholic Christianity).

   

Thoughts: My Five Year Catholic Anniversary

On this day, five years ago I exchanged my Anglican clerical collar for a layman's necktie. It was the best decision that I have ever made. His Excellency Bishop Kevin Vann of Fort Worth received my wife, myself, and our children into the one, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. On this day in 2006, we entered into full communion with the earthly Vicar of Christ - His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

It's been a blessing to be a Catholic. My only regret is that we did not become Catholic earlier. 

To all Protestant readers and to all Protestant clergyman who are "counting the cost" and agonizing over becoming Catholic, I say go for it! It's tough, but well worth it. In the grand scheme of things, it's the right decision and it will speed you along to a greater love and devotion for Christ. In short, it is the God appointed ark that will deliver you from the flood of sin and destruction.

The Holy Eucharist is the pearl of great price. It's worth selling and sacrificing everything for it. Confession is the most consoling gift of Christ this side of death. What I've learned about my Blessed Mother Mary has softened my heart, and led me to revere the sorrowful passion of our Crucified Lord. The gift of Confirmation and the spiritual gifts it provides bring me strength when ridiculed and mocked. The teachings of the Popes, and the examples of the great saints. The church fasts and the ascetical tradition. The just condemnation of contraception and all the beautiful children that have flowered from the holy sacrament of matrimony. The good and holy priests. The example of pious friends. This is what it means to be Catholic. I would not exchange it for the entire world. It is my life. It is my vocation. It is my marriage. It is my family. I pray that it shall likewise be my death.

Special gratitude is due to my wife Joy for joining me on this miraculous journey and to William Cardinal Baum, Bishop Vann of Forth Worth, Bishop Conley of Denver, Father Jim Hart, Mark Adams, Mark Muholland, and my godfather Robert Barham.

God be with you. The Marshalls will be feasting tonight!

The Rapture and the Latin Vulgate

The predicted "rapture" didn't happen. Surprise!

My sister was married yesterday evening (Deo gratias), and the constant joke at the reception last night was that it was a good thing that that the "rapture" didn't happen. Or alternatively: "Wouldn't it be funny if the rapture happened during the wedding, and only the minister were left behind!"

One lady at the reception remarked that if the "rapture" did happen, then at least she'd be on the dance floor when it happened." And since some people recognize me as being "religious," they wanted to know my take on the "rapture" prediction: "Do you think it's true? Is it soon?"

Of course, the standard Catholic response is: "We Catholics don't believe in the rapture." The "rapture" is a term created by 19th century Protestant dispensationalists who held that God would 'rapture' all faithful Christians from the earth before the tribulation period of the Antichrist.

See the distasteful film Left Behind starring Kirk Cameron for more details.

If I'm feeling cheeky, my provocative response is: "Yeah, I believe in the rapture. It happened a little less than 2,000 years ago, and only one person was raptured: the Immaculate Mary Mother of God was technically 'raptured' when she was assumed body and soul into Heaven." Evangelical replies to this response vary...

Now it must be stated that we Catholics don't believe in a secret "rapture" of the faithful before the beginning of the Antichrist's Great Tribulation. In fact, saints and mystics have prophesied that the greatest saints and martyrs of the Catholic Church will be those who persevere under the terrible reign of the Antichrist. Their faithfulness to Christ and their martyrdoms will be even greater than the Maccabees, greater than the Apostles, and greater than the great Roman martyrs. 

It will be an era of glory for the Church as these great witnesses stand faithful against the Antichrist and his Satanic kingdom. There is no "eject" button for the faithful. We stay down here and fight the spiritual battle unto the greater glory of God.

I apologize for the rambling post, but I want to quickly address the word "rapture," since it is now being used in America as a synonym for end times, eschaton, last days, and/or apocalypse. For most Americans, the term "rapture" has become the word for denoting the apocalypse.

I think that we Catholics can use this as an opportunity to remind others about the true nature of the apocalypse as taught in the Bible. Christ told us to take up our cross, and this also applies to the last days. We won't be raptured before of the tribulation. The Bible doesn't teach this anywhere.

We won't leave the battlefield before the battle begins. We have to be prepared. We have to be faithful to the Apostolic Faith. Many will abandon the true Faith. Many will follow false version of the true Faith. We must have a profound and living relationship with Christ, and appeal to the strength of His Blood. We must remain fast to the Holy Eucharist and revere our priests. Frequent confession is essential. We must pray the Holy Rosary daily and meditate on the mysteries of the life, passion, and glories of Christ and His Blessed Mother. We must read the lives of the saints and ask for their intercessions with Christ the King. It will be the greatest spiritual war since the fall of the Lucifer and the apostate angels. We must invoke the grace of our Confirmation to stand firm against spiritual adversity. 

Now then, regarding the word "rapture." It's best to avoid the word altogether, because it carries so much dispensationalist baggage. But if you must, know that there is a very small bit of truth to it. After Jesus Christ vanquishes the Antichrist and the last day comes, Saint Paul writes that we will be lifted up into the air to meet Christ the King coming with all His saints and angels. Here is what Saint Paul teaches:

“For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with commandment and with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God: and the dead who are in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left (i.e. those who were not martyred by the Antichrist), shall be taken up together with them {simul rapiemur cum illis} in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air: and so shall we be always with the Lord. ” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–16, D-R)

Here the Latin Vulgate describes the exaltation and assumption of the Catholic Church on the Last Day with the verb rapiemur. Rapiemur is the first person plural future passive form of rapere, meaning to "carry off, seize, or drag away." It's perfect passive form is raptus from which we derive the English word "rapture." To be "raptured" is to be taken up. It can be positive, as with Christ exalting His Church. It can be negative, like an eagle seizing a fish from the sea.

All this would be difficult to explain at a wedding reception or over a martini at cocktail party. So, if you feel confident, go with it. Otherwise, stick to the traditional Catholic language of "apocalypse" or "last days."

All Holy Martyrs, pray for us!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Saint Bernardine in Ten Easy Points

St Francis, Our Lady, Our Lord, St Bernardine

Today is the feast day of Saint Bernardine of Sienna (1380–1444), one of the greatest Franciscan priests of all time.

1. Bernardine was the son of the governor of Sienna, but he was raised by his aunt.
2. At the age of 20, Bernardine returned the favor and nursed his bedridden aunt until her death.
3. After his beloved aunt died, Bernardine became a Franciscan at the age 22 in the year 1402.
4. He was the most famous preacher of his age. Crowds swelled around him wherever he went. Since the church's could not hold the crowds, he would preach outside.
5. He is the Apostle of the Holy Name. At the end of ever sermon, he would hold a wooden plaque with the Holy Name of Jesus on it. The faithful would venerate and kiss the plaque in fulfillment of Philippians 2:10, "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth."
6. He always traveled on foot and considered riding a horse to be contrary to Franciscan poverty. In his last year of life he was compelled to ride a donkey, because he could not walk (this same thing happened in the case with Saint Francis).
7. Italy at this time had become infected with the vice of sodomy, and Saint Bernardine made this the frequent topic of his sermons. He said: "Whenever you hear sodomy mentioned, each and every one of you spit on the ground and clean your mouth out as well. If they don't want to change their ways by any other means, maybe they will change when they're made fools of. Spit hard! Maybe the water of your spit will extinguish their fire."
8. Our saint was accused of heresy, but vindicated and defended by Pope Martin V.
9. The number of Franciscan Observants increased more than tenfold during his career. He also likely wrote the Statutes for the Observants in 1440.
10. He died on a preaching tour on 20 May 1444 at Aquila. Miracles occurred immediately at his tomb. He was canonized only six years later by Nicolas V in 1450.

One last thing, San Bernardino in California is named after him.

Saint Bernardine of Sienna, pray for us!

The Three Mary's at the Empty Tomb (Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer)

Sacred Scripture states that there were "three Mary's" who visited the empty tomb on Easter morning.

Mark 16:1 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and {Mary} Salome went to the tomb to anoint Jesus.

In the Eastern Church, these three Mary's are called the Holy Myrrhbearers.

Catholic tradition holds that the "three Mary's" are the French Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer ("Saint Marys of the Sea"). When the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem began to fiercely persecute the Christian in Jerusalem, their attention focused on the three women who claimed to be eye-witnesses of the empty tomb: Mary Salome, Mary Mother of James, and Mary Magdalene.

As long as these three women lived, anyone could consult them about the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb. These three courageous women stood in opposition to the claims if the High Priest in Jerusalem. No doubt, these women continued to visit the empty tomb and lead others to it.

So the Jews wanted to get rid of them.

These three Mary's, along with Joseph of Arimathea (another resurrection witness) set sail (or were set adrift by the Jews) into the Mediterranean Sea.

One tradition recounts that they carried with them the relics of Saint Anne, the mother of the Mother of God. Saint Martha and Saint Lazarus (the man raised by Jesus Christ) were also aboard the boat. It appears that all the "usual suspects" that served as living witnesses to the power of Christ were sent away into the sea.

They landed on the coast of France and the location is now called Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Saints Mary's of the Sea.

Blessed King Charlemagne found the relics of Saint Anne in this region on Easter Sunday in AD 792. I've written about this discovery here: Discovery of Saint Anne's Relics.

Holy Myrrhbearers, pray for us!

Origin of Sacred Chrism (Pope Saint Fabian)

His Holiness Pope Saint Fabian

Pope from AD 236-250

Pope Saint Fabian taught that Christ directly taught His Apostles in what way they were to mix and prepare the Holy Chrism used in Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and in the consecration of altars.

Pope Fabian writes: "Our predecessors received from the Apostles and delivered to us that our Saviour Jesus Christ, after having made the Last Supper with his Apostles and washed their feet, taught them how to prepare the Holy Chrism" (Pope Saint Fabian, Second Epistle to the Bishops of the East, para. 54.)

Moreover, Pope Saint Innocent I, who reigned from AD 401 to 417, taught that Sacred Chrism should be conferred on the crown (top) of the head in Baptism and on the forehead at Confirmation.

Pope Innocent I also said that Sacred Chrism was the essential matter for the sacrament of Confirmation (Saint Innocent I, Ep. ad Decent.). No Chrism? No sacrament. (Catechism of the Catholic Church para. 1320 also confirms that Sacred Chrism is essential.)

This is an important teaching, as many heretics have denied the Apostolic origins of Sacred Chrism. As Catholics, we must hold firm to the teaching of these early sainted popes. 

Being "anointed" is one of the most prominent biblical themes of the Old Testament. It's simply unthinkable that Jesus Christ would have not instituted the means by which Christians would become incorporated into Him through the anointing with Chrism.

Blessed John Paul II: Don't Delay Infant Baptism!

Blessed John Paul II admonished Christian parents in 1980 that they should not delay baptizing their newborn infants. The Holy Father said that infants should be baptized immediately if the child appears in danger of death. Otherwise, the infant should be baptized "within the first weeks after birth." Here's the full quote:

Accordingly, if the child is in danger of death, it is to be baptized without delay. Otherwise, as a rule an infant should be baptized within the first weeks after birth (Blessed John Paul II, Instruction on Holy Baptism, October 20, 1980).

Moreover, the current "Order for Baptizing Infants," states that the baptism of infants should occur within the "first few weeks" after birth (Praenotanda, no. 8, par. 1, p. 17).

It's worth noting that our current Pontiff, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, was baptized on the very same day as his birth! No delay whatsoever.

Pope Eugene IV (reigned 1431-1447) taught that infants should be baptized within the first "forty days" after birth.

The urgency of infant baptism is reemphasized by the Catechism of the Council of Trent which teaches the same:

The faithful are earnestly to be exhorted to take care that their children be brought to the church, as soon as it can be done with safety, to receive solemn Baptism. Since infant children have no other means of salvation except Baptism, we may easily understand how grievously those persons sin who permit them to remain without the grace of the Sacrament longer than necessity may require, particularly at an age so tender as to be exposed to numberless dangers of death.

Here's a YouTube video of the baptism of my new baby Blaise Christopher born on May 12, 2011 and baptized on May 14. He was baptized about 56 hours after birth in the old 1962 Latin rite - Deo gratias!. The video also features the "Churching of Women" for my wife in which she is blessed and consecrated to Jesus and Mary. The video has notes and explanations along the way in case you've never seen the old pre-Vatican II baptism:

Also, here is a great recorded mp3 homily on baptism and the need to baptize babies sooner rather than later: "The Importance and Urgency of Holy Baptism."

While you're at it, check out this excellent sermon on the need for the sacrament of Confirmation: On Confirmation. It explains how Saint Vincent Ferrer prophesied that during the reign of the Antichrist, those without the sacrament of Confirmation will lose their faith and apostatize.

Christ's Holy Image of Edessa (and is it really the Shroud of Turin?)

Russian copy of the Holy Image of Edessa

Most Catholics know of the Holy Shroud of Turin, the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, and the Miraculous Veil of Saint Veronica. These three images are each acheiropoietos (Greek: Αχειροποίητος, meaning "not-made-by-hands). Their origins are miraculous, that is, not painted by human hand.

However, the world knows of an alleged fourth acheiropoietos image, the Holy Mandylion of Edessa. This image is venerated in the East and not well known in the West except for that it is sometimes incorporated into images of Saint Jude Thaddeus the Apostle. Saint Jude is often depicted as bearing a version of the Holy Mandylion around his neck - as you can see in the painting to to the left. Unfortunately, later paintings make it appear that Saint Jude is wearing a join medal around his neck. It should be the Holy Mandylion, as depicted above at the beginning of the post.

According to tradition, King Abgar of Edessa wrote a letter to our Lord Jesus Christ, asking Christ to cure him. King Abgar received an letter in reply from Jesus declining the invitation, but promising a future visit by one of his Apostles (who turns out to be Saint Jude Thaddeus).

Eusebius of Caesarea, writing in the 300s, recounts the story for us. He claims that the original letters are still preserved in the city of Edessa. In this version, Christ sends Saint Jude Thaddeus to heal the king.

However, a later version of the legend from the 6th century (Acts of Thaddeus) recounts that the image was a sidon (Greek for burial shround) and that it was folded tetradiplon (Greek "tetra" = four and "diplon" = twofold). So then, it was a shroud folded twice and then fourfold. Oddly enough, the Holy Shroud of Turin has the exact same fourfold pattern:

This miraculous sidon was given to the King of Edessa along with the letter of Christ. The King was then healed. The letters and Holy Mandylion/Shroud were kept as prized treasures.

Saint John Damascene also described the Holy Image of Edessa as a large garment and not as a small napkin.

Where is the Holy Mandylion now?

Evagrius Scholasticus, writing about AD 600, reports that a miraculous image of Christ's face was processed around the city of Edessa before the attack of the Persians in 544. The citizens of Edessa attributed their deliverance to the miraculous power of Christ's image.

At the Seventh Ecumenical Council (AD 787), the bishops defended the veneration of images by teaching that Christ's Himself provided an image for veneration, namely the Holy Image of Edessa!

On August 16, 944, the Holy Image of Edessa was transferred from Edessa to Constantinople. The Eastern Churches consequently keep the feast of the Holy Mandylion on August 16.

The Archdeacon of Constantinople Gregory Referendarius mentioned in his sermon for the occasion that image also bore the "side wound" of Christ. This detail indicates that the image transferred from Edessa to Constantinople in 944 was an image of the entire body of Christ. This has led many to conclude that the image in question is the Holy Shroud of Turin.

In confirmation of this suspicion, the Emperor Constantine VII, who personally inspected the Edessa image in 944, described the image as “extremely faint, more like a moist secretion without pigment or the painter’s art” (Narratio de Imagine Edessena). This detail of a "faint" image" also suggests that it may be the Holy Shroud of Turin.

So then, the Holy Image of Edessa is large, folded over and then fourfold again, and bore a faint image of Christ. Sure sounds like the Shroud of Turin!

If you crop the Shroud of Turin along it's folds, you get this image:

One could see how pilgrims would not be aware that the unfolded parts reveal the entire body of Christ. Instead you just see the face floating in the middle of the shroud. Compare this to the Russian copy at the top of the post and you see the similarity.

In AD 1204, during the Sack of Constantinople, the sacred Image of Edessa was lost...or was it?

There is a copy of a Holy Mandylion (the face of Christ) currently kept in the Pope's private chapel at the Vatican.

Is the Holy Mandylion also the Holy Shroud of Turin?

Some believe that the Holy Mandylion is Holy Shroud of Turin, and that there was a confusion because the Holy Shroud was folded so that only the face of Christ showed (as depicted above).

Clearly, there is a discrepancy here. The original Edessa story recounts an image of Christ made by Christ prior to His crucifixion. Meanwhile, the Holy Shroud of Turin is a full body image of a crucified and resurrected Christ. So then, there are either two images (pre-crucifixion face-mandylion, and the post-crucifixion body-shroud of Turin), or just one image and thus the ancient origin narrative of Edessa about Saint Jude is false. Or maybe Saint Jude did bring an image of Christ to Edessa (the Shroud of Turin) and the story about Christ wiping His face on fabric is the only incorrect part of the original story. (Is the Veronica story being confused here in this ancient legend? Who knows?)

I, personally, don't know how to untangle the accounts. It seems pretty clear to me that what is being called the "Image of Edessa" in AD 944 is the Shroud of Turin since the Edessa Image here is a full body image. It also appears that there is a strong tradition for this image being transported to Edessa through the hands of Saint Jude Thaddeus.

If anyone has useful information, please feel free to share. Know, however, that all comments with a link embedded in them are blacklisted until I confirm them - this way we don't have any sketch links in Canterbury Tales.

Godspeed,

Taylor

Photos: Baptism of our New Baby (and Churching of Women)

Fr. Phil Wolfe FSSP baptizes Blaise Christopher

Torrents of grace were flowing over our family this morning from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Thanks be to God. Our new son Blaise Christopher was baptized into Christ this morning. He didn't make a peep. Quiet and sweet the whole time.

Joy also received the traditional "churching of women," a ritual which thanks God for the mother's safe delivery, charges her to educate her children by word and deed, and blesses her in this maternal vocation. The rite derives from the ancient Jewish liturgy of the "purification of mothers," a rite that the Blessed Virgin Mary received according to Saint Luke (the feast is for Mary's purification at the Temple is still kept on February 2).

After the Churching of Women, Father Wolfe then consecrated Blaise to the Immaculate Mary and enrolled him and everyone into the Miraculous Medal. It was a wonderful morning.

A special thanks to our family, to Blaise's godparents Jordan and Desarae Low, to Father Phil Wolfe, and to the Blessed and Undivided Trinity for entering into the soul of our son.

Blaise receives the Sacred Chrism

Joy receives "Churching of Women"

at the altar rail before a statue 

of the Immaculate Conception

Please say a prayer for the little guy and for us that we might be worthy parents and raise him to love Christ with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength, and his neighbor as well.

ad Jesum per Mariam,

Taylor

PS: It was the most beautiful baptism that I have ever attended. Do you want me to upload a video of it?

Birth of New Marshall Baby! (and a Latin baptism tomorrow)

Photo: Marshall Family, 1 hour after the birth

Deo gratias. Our sixth child was born yesterday.

Blaise Christopher Marshall was born healthy and happy at 1:06am. My bride is also healthy and recovering well. Still, please say a Hail Mary for her.

Baby Blaise will receive the sacrament of baptism in order to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become a new creature in Christ, tomorrow morning after Holy Mass.

The baptism will be the Latin baptism of the 1962 Rituale Romanum with the "salt of wisdom" in the mouth, all the exorcisms, spit on the ears and nostrils, signs of the cross, etc. We'll also have the traditional "Churching of Women" liturgy for Joy.

Please, if you will, say a prayer for little Blaise Christopher. Please pray that he will receive the gift of perseverance and one day die a holy death in the state of grace - as we pray at the end of the baptismal rite:

Take this white robe and keep it spotless until you arrive at the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be rewarded with everlasting life.

and then:

Take this burning candle as a reminder to keep your baptismal innocence. Obey God's commandments, so that when our Lord comes for the joyous wedding feast you may go forth to meet Him with all the saints in the halls of heaven, and be happy with Him forevermore.

Thank you for all the prayers!

ad Jesum per Mariam,

Taylor

Lord Jesus, have mercy.

Saint Blaise, pray for us.

Saint Christopher, pray for us.

Contraception Typo in the Italian YouCat (Youth Catechism)

More and more people are becoming concerned about the new Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YouCat) recently issued by the Holy See. It is published with the title the "YouCat" as an attempt to be youthful and relevant. The project is being overseen by William Cardinal Levada of the CDF and Christoph Cardinal Schönborn of Vienna.

Seven hundred thousand copies were printed in thirteen languages so as to be free gifts to young people attending our Holy Father's World Youth Day in Madrid this summer.

Already 50,000 copies had been printed and sent to market, when it was discovered that a typo occurred in the Italian version of question #420 concerning contraception: “May a Christian couple resort to contraceptive methods?” The Italian answer incorrectly answers, "Yes."

The current English version of the "YouCat" has a differently worded question for #420: "May a Christian married couple regulate the number of children they have?" to which the answer is, "Yes." (* see note below)

So there is clearly a problem in the Italian translation and rumblings that there may be errors also in the German translation. Catholics are shocked that the Holy See didn't proofread the texts before publication. Contraception is a controversial issue among young people, which makes it all the more regrettable that nobody caught this before it went into the "YouCat." Oddly enough, it is the Italian version that is incorrect, and Italian is the language most frequently employed among the Curia. How did this make it through?

HT: Colleen Hamond

* The official Catholic teaching on contraception is summed up clearly by Pope Pius XI  in his Encyclical Casti connubii: “Since, therefore, the conjugal act is destined primarily by nature for the begetting of children, those who in exercising it deliberately frustrate its natural power purpose sin against nature and commit a deed which is shameful and intrinsically vicious.”

Biblical Thoughts on the Ship of Saint Peter

The pope exchanged his Popemobile for the a Pope-mo-boat for his visit to Venice.

A boat has long been associated with the Catholic Church. Peter as Pope is the new Noah or captain of the ship, and the Church is the boat Ark of Noah in the flood of the world's sin. Those within this ship are saved from the storm of God's wrath. We enter this ship through the water flood of baptism - the New Testament sacrament of regeneration.

The image of the "safe boat of Peter" comes from the Gospel story in which Christ protects the boat of Peter in the stormy Sea of Galilee (see Mark 4:35-41). Our first Pope Saint Peter himself uses the the same imagery of Noah's Ark in 1 Peter 3:20-21:

"Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. Whereunto baptism, being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but, the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

So then, the Church on earth is the "barque" or boat captained by Saint Peter. Granted, Peter is not always the perfect captain of the ship (Peter denied three times), but he is still the divinely appointed captain. Even if we Catholics should be scandalized by any Pope in the history of the Church, we would be fools to jump overboard into the stormy seas of the world. Peter is the sign of unity for the Church: "You are Peter and on this Rock I will build by Church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it."

ad Jesum per Mariam cum Petro,
Taylor Marshall

PS: In Catholic churches, the portion of the building in which the laity sit during Holy Mass is called the "nave," which is related to word "navy." It symbolizes the "boat" of the Church in which we safely sit.

St Michael's Apparition on Mount Gargano in AD 490

Today (May 8) marks the commemoration of the apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel over Mount Gargano. Here's the story:

And in the year of our Lord three hundred and ninety, was in the same city of Syponte a man which was named Garganus, which, after some books, had taken that name of the mountain, or else the mountain took the name of the man. And he was right rich, and had a great multitude of sheep and beasts, and as they pastured about the sides of the mountains it happed that a bull left the other beasts, and went upon high on the mountain and returned not home again with the other beasts. Then this rich man, the owner, took a great multitude of servants, and did do seek this bull all about, and at the last he was founden on high on the mountain by the entry of a hole or a cave. And then the master was wroth because he had strayed alone from other beasts, and made one of his servants to shoot an arrow at him. And anon the arrow returned with the wind and smote him that had shot it, wherewith they of the city were troubled with this thing, and went to the bishop and inquired of him what was to be done in this thing, that was so wonderful. And then he commanded them to fast three days and to pray unto God. 

And when this was done Saint Michael appeared to the bishop, saying: Know ye that this man is so hurt by my will. I am Michael the Archangel, which will that this place be worshipped in earth, and will have it surely kept. And therefore I have proved that I am keeper of this place by the demonstrance and showing of this thing. And then anon the bishop and they of the city went with procession unto that place, and durst not enter into it, but made their prayers withoutforth. 

Now then, it seems that the date May 8 does commemorate the day of this vision of Saint Michael, but rather the day on which the Lombards (invoking Saint Michael) conquered the heretical Greeks* at Sipontum on May 8 in AD 663. 

Pope Saint Pius V named today the Apparatio Sancti Michaelis.

*At this time, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius and his Patriarch Cyrus were the masterminds of the monothelite heresy - an evil compromise heresy which attempted to reconcile the monophysite heretics. 

How Saint Helen found the True Cross in Jerusalem

Saint Helen and the True Cross of Christ

In order to squash Christian devotion to Christ in Jerusalem, the pagan Romanserected shrines over the Christian holy sites (in about AD 146). This is well documented both historically and archeologically.

Saint Helen came to Jerusalem in 326 after she had a dream about the true cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. She felt that she had been divinely appointed to find our Lord's life-giving cross.

When she arrived in Jerusalem, the Catholic bishop of Jerusalem, Macarius, told her that the holy sites had been covered by pagan Roman shrines for the previous 180 years. Christians did not visit the sites since they had become the shrines of idols.

Here is what she found:

• Over the cave in Bethlehem where Christ was born was an idol of Adonis.
• Over Calvary where Christ had been crucified was a large marble idol of Venus, the goddess of carnal lust.
• Over the Holy Sepulchre from which Christ had risen from the dead was an idol of Jupiter, king of the false gods.

Saint Helen, in the name of her son the Emperor Constantine, had these pagan monuments torn down and the ground cleared and made ready for Catholic churches. The Christians in Jerusalem rejoiced.

How did Saint Helen find the true cross?

Here's the official tradition:

Then she had thus cleansed the place {from the idol of Venus} where the Cross had stood, Helen caused deep excavations to be made, which resulted in the discovery of three crosses, and, apart from them, the writing which had been nailed on that of the Lord. But which of the crosses had been His was unknown, and was only manifested by a miracle. Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem, after offering solemn prayers to God, touched with each of the three a woman who was afflicted with a grievous disease. The two first had no effect, but at the touch of the third she was immediately healed.

Since the third cross worked miracles, it became manifest that this cross was the true cross of Christ. And this is how Saint Helen found the true cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Interesting Photo: Is Christ in this picture? (Pareidola)

The above photo is a famous example of pareidolia. Pareidolia is the phenomenon in which unexpected images appear in some object. If you've ever laid in a field and identified the clouds as true images and shapes, then you've engaged in pareidolia. Famous examples in Texas relate to a pious Mexican grandmother finding the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on a burned tortilla. 

The famous photo above seems to show the face of Christ floating between a man and a woman. But look again...

...it's not Christ's face, but a young child. The "forehead" of what would be the face, is a white hat and the "nose" is the curved arm. The "eye" is the child's face and the "eyebrow" is the shadow under the hat. Do you see it? The child's hand is the "mustache" and the child's bare knee is the "chin."

Images like Saint Juan Diego's are clearly not examples of pareidolia. The same goes for the Holy Shroud of Turin. Some skeptics hold that so-called miraculous images are mere pareidolia, but clearly this is not mere pareidolia:

Our Lady of Guadalupe is clearly a miraculous image.