Three Ages of the Interior Life in Relation to the Jewish Temple

The great saints and masters of the mystical life in the Catholic tradition often speak of the three ages of the spiritual life. These stages correspond to the three areas of Solomon's Temple:

1) Purgative (outer court)
2) Illuminative (holy place)
3) Unitive (holy of holies)

1) The purgative way is when a Christian truly examines his life and seeks to root out sin and seek personal sanctity. This entails frequenting the sacraments (especially Holy Communion and Penance), beginning a life of penance and charitable deeds, a growing hatred for venial sins, a love for Scripture (particularly the Psalms), an awareness of predominant faults, a purification of the intellect and will.

2) The illuminative way begins with a "dark night of the senses" (not the dark night of the soul), which leads to a passive purification of the senses. This journey includes a growth in the virtues, particularly the virtues of humility and charity. The soul has great confidence and hope in God. True devotion to Mary develops. Infused prayer begins.

3) The unitive way is the stage of Christian perfection and begins with the dark night of the soul. The soul now willingly suffers for God and loves God in all circumstances. The soul delights in spiritual childhood and simplicity as we see in St Therese and other great saints. These souls practice heroic virtue, which are the kind of virtues that we find in the canonized saints. Those in the unitive way accept divine abandonment and love Christ crucified. They practice reparation for the sins of others that wound Christ. They experience mystical union and other mysteries that cannot be explained.

These three ages of the mystical life are found in Solomon's temple.

1) The stage of purification is the outer court where the altar of fire is found and also the basin for cleansing. Here, water and fire purify those who approach the temple of God's presence.

2) The stage of illumination is the holy place within the Temple were the hallowed lamp stands giving light. Also present there is the altar of incense representing true and fruitful mental prayer and infused prayer. There is found the bread of presence which signifies a love for the Eucharist.

3) The stage of union is the holy of holies which is dark, black cubic room cut off from the eyes of most men. There is the ark of the covenant and the propitiatory. Here is the presence of God. Here is divine intimacy.

As Catholics, we should seek to be near to God. The old temple gives a simple plan. Begin with years of purification. Prayer. Penance. Daily examination of conscience.

PS: According to Saint Isidore and Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, a priest must be in the unitive way before he should allow himself to be consecrated as a bishop. Also a man must first be in the illuminative way before being ordained a priest. You will find similar things said by the Saint Denys the Areopagite.


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How Charlemagne Discovered the Relics of Saint Anne the Mother of Mary

Saint Anne holding her daughter the Virgin Mary

I love Saint Anne (she is my wife's patron) and I love Charlemagne (our dog is named Charlemagne). So the following story is especially dear to me. It's also one of the best relics story of all time.

On Easter AD 792, Charlemagne discovered the relics of Saint Anne with the help of a deaf handicapped boy. It's a wonderful tale for this feast day of Saint Anne.

Below is the account, preserved in the correspondence of Pope Saint Leo III, concerning the discovery of the relics of Saint Anne in the presence of the Emperor Charlemagne.

Fourteen years after Our Lord’s death, Saint Mary Magdalen, Saint Martha, Saint Lazarus, and the others of the little band of Christians who were piled into a boat without sails or oars and pushed out to sea to perish — in the persecution of the Christians by the Jews of Jerusalem — were careful to carry with them the tenderly loved body of Our Lady’s mother. They feared lest it be profaned in the destruction, which Jesus had told them was to come upon Jerusalem. When, by the power of God, their boat sur vived and finally drifted to the shores of France, the little company of saints buried Saint Anne’s body in a cave, in a place called Apt, in the south of France. The church, which was later built over the spot, fell into decay because of wars and religious persecutions, and as the centuries passed, the place of Saint Anne’s tomb was forgotten.

The long years of peace, which Charlemagne’s wise rule gave to southern France, enabled the people to build a magnificent new church on the site of the old chapel at Apt. Extraordinary and painstaking labor went into the building of the great structure, and when the day of its consecration arrived [Easter Sunday, 792 A.D.], the beloved Charlemagne, little suspecting what was in store for him, declared himself happy indeed to have jour neyed so many miles to be present for the holy occasion. At the most solemn part of the ceremonies, a boy of fourteen, blind, deaf and dumb from birth — and usually quiet and impassive — to the amaze ment of those who knew him, completely distracted the at tention of the entire congrega tion by becoming suddenly tremendously excited. He rose from his seat, walked up the aisle to the altar steps, and to the consternation of the whole church, struck his stick re soundingly again and again upon a single step.

His embarrassed family tried to lead him out, but he would not budge. He contin ued frantically to pound the step, straining with his poor muted senses to impart a knowledge sealed hopelessly within him. The eyes of the people turned upon the em peror, and he, apparently in spired by God, took the matter into his own hands. He called for workmen to remove the steps.

A subterranean passage was revealed directly below the spot, which the boy’s stick had indicated. Into this pas sage the blind lad jumped, to be followed by the emperor, the priests, and the workmen.

They made their way in the dim light of candles, and when, farther along the pas sage, they came upon a wall that blocked further ad vance, the boy signed that this also should be removed. When the wall fell, there was brought to view still another long, dark corridor. At the end of this, the searchers found a crypt, upon which, to their profound wonderment, a vigil lamp, alight and burning in a little walled recess, cast a heavenly radiance.

As Charlemagne and his afflicted small guide, with their companions, stood be fore the lamp, its light went out. And at the same moment, the boy, blind and deaf and dumb from birth, felt sight and hearing and speech flood into his young eyes, his ears, and his tongue.

“It is she! It is she!” he cried out. The great emperor, not knowing what he meant, nevertheless repeated the words after him. The call was taken up by the crowds in the church above, as the people sank to their knees, bowed in the realization of the presence of something celestial and holy.

The crypt at last was opened, and a casket was found within it. In the casket was a winding sheet, and in the sheet were relics, and upon the relics was an inscrip tion that read, “Here lies the body of Saint Anne, mother of the glorious Virgin Mary.” The winding sheet, it was noted, was of eastern design and texture.

Charlemagne, over whelmed, venerated with pro found gratitude the relics of the mother of Heaven’s Queen. He remained a long time in prayer. The priests and the people, awed by the graces given them in such abundance and by the choice of their countryside for such a heavenly manifestation, for three days spoke but rarely, and then in whispers.

The emperor had an exact and detailed account of the miraculous finding drawn up by a notary and sent to Pope Saint Leo III, with an accom panying letter from himself. These documents and the pope’s reply are preserved to this day. Many papal bulls have attested, over and over again, to the genuineness of Saint Anne’s relics at Apt.

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Saint James and His Mysterious Visit from Our Lady

According to tradition, the Apostle Saint James the Greater (brother of Saint John the Evangelist) was sent by Saint Peter to Spain to evangelize the Gentiles of that province. While praying by the banks of the Ebro at Saragossa, the Holy Mother of God bilocated and appeared to the Apostle. She instructed him to build a church there, which he did.

When did this miracule occur? Tradition places Saint James in Spain for about 5 years in the latter half of the AD 30s. Local tradition identifies the date as Saturday January 2, AD 40 on the Julian Calendar. It's an established fact that Saint James the Greater was martyred in Jerusalem around AD 44. This entails that the traditional date is within a reasonable range both for Saint James to travel to Spain and to return to Jerusalem by AD 44.

Why did Saint James the Greater receive this great privilege of the first Marian apparition? Christ chose Saint James to be His first Apostolic martyr. It seems then that this vision was meant to strengthen and console Saint James. In fact, Maria Agreda states that Saint James was allowed a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary as he was being martyred and that she personally escorted Saint James' soul to the judgment seat of Christ.

In this light, Saint James the Greater is very much like the 20th century martyr Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe who consecrated his life to Jesus through Mary and found strength there to offer his body in the oblation of martyrdom. The feast of Saint James is July 25.

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Why Am I Catholic?

Gus Lloyd and I will be discussing "Why Am I Catholic" and other topics today (July 25, 2012) on SiriusXM Radio 129 (The Catholic Channel) at 9am Eastern (8am Central).

I apologize for the late notice.

Why Does God Allow Misfortune to Fall on Us?

Saint Claude de la Colombiere 

Once when St Teresa of Avila was traveling, her cart tipped, spilling her into a muddy stream. Soaked and irritated, Teresa looked to heaven and cried, "God, if this is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few of them!"

How often we feel this way? We try to serve God and difficulties arise.

• You're a Catholic mother pregnant with your fifth child and you suffer for months with morning sickness. "I'm trying to serve you God! Can't you give me some slack?"
• You're driving to daily Mass and you get in a wreck. 
• You wait in line for confession for 30 minutes and then the priest announces that confessions are over. The priest must go.
• You're little children are finally being good at Mass when an old lady criticizes one of them for letting her jacket fall on the floor.
• You're late for Mass and you cannot find your keys.
• You try to pray at Holy Mass, but your three year old is being disruptive so it's off to the "room of tears."

Perhaps it's more mundane:

• You're trying to fix something for a friend and your tool breaks before you finish.
• Your computer crashes before you save a critical document.
• Your air conditioning unit breaks in August. 
• You cannot sleep on account of poison ivy.
• You're trying to respond to email and you lose your internet connection.
• You're prepare a wonderful meal only to find that your guest is diabetic or allergic to what you made.

These are the frustrations of our life. What is the meaning of these tiny troubles. Saint Claude de la Colombiere sums it up nicely:

Our whole lives are made up of incidents of this kind, occurring ceaselessly from one minute to another and producing a hose of involuntary feelings of dislike and aversion, envy, fear, and impatience to trouble the serenity of our minds. We let an incautious word slip out and wish we had not said it; someone says something we find offensive; we have to wait a long time to be served when we are in a hurry; we are irritated by a child's boisterousness; a boring acquaintance buttonholes us in a the street, a car splashes us with mud; the weather spoils our outing; our work is not going as well as we could wish; a tool breaks at a critical moment; we get our clothes torn or stained--these are not occasions for practicing heroic virtue but they can be means of acquiring it if we wish.

Saint Claude continues:

If we were careful to offer all these petty annoyances to God and accept them as being ordered by His providence we would soon be in a position to support the greatest misfortunes that can happen to us, besides at the same time insensibly drawing close to intimate union with God.

God is sovereign and He orchestrates these annoyances so that we might grow in virtue on earth and glory in Heaven. This is a hard teaching. It's much easier to blog about than it is to pray about when one is in the midst of frustration, sickness, or pain.

Saint Paul said it best when he compared the discipline of God the Father to the discipline of earthly fathers:

And you have forgotten the consolation which speaketh to you, as unto children, saying: My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord: neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked by him. For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth: and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons. For what son is there whom the father doth not correct? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Moreover, we have had fathers of our flesh for instructors, and we reverenced them. Shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits and live? (Hebrews 12:5–9, D-R)

Since we know that God loves us more than we love ourselves, we should trust His will. When hardships come, Saint Claude instructs us not to fall into self-pity, but to fall "at the feet of the Saviour and implore His grace to bear your trial with fortitude and patience. A man who has been badly wounded does not, if he is wise chase after his assailant, but makes straight for a doctor who may save his life."

Again, these are hard teachings. They cannot be simply learned, but they must be absorbed over time. Two recommended books on the subject (you can get both for about $10):

Saint Alphonsus' Uniformity to God's Will

and

Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence by Fr Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and Saint Claude

You won't be sorry to have read these books over and over again.

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Clapping in the Liturgy? Pope Benedict weighs in...

"Whenever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment."

 Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy, 198.

 As St. Pope Pius X said when he was received with applause upon entering St. Peter's Basilica:

"It is not fitting to applaud the servant in the house of his Master." Saint Pius X was such a great man. It's too bad that he's been forgotten. Just say no to clapping in Mass.

 HT: Ross Earl Hoffman


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What does the Holy Name of Mary Mean? Saints Jerome and Bonaventure tell us

According to tradition, God Himself named the infant girl who would become the Mother of God. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to Saint Joachim and instructed him to name the girl "Mary." The Greek Mariam is usually thought to derive from the Hebrew Miriam, which means "bitterness."

Saint Bonaventure observes that Mary's name in in Hebrew is "bitter sea" (mara = bitter; yam = sea), in Latin it means "seas" and in Aramaic (the domestic language of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) it means "Lady" or "Sovereign."


Saint Bonaventure writes: "This most holy, sweet and worthy name was 'eminently fitted to so holy, sweet and worthy a virgin. For Mary means a bitter sea, star of the sea, the illuminated or illuminatrix. Mary is interpreted Lady. Mary is a bitter sea to the demons; to men She is the Star of the sea; to the Angels She is illuminatrix, and to all creatures She is Lady."

I like the Aramaic version the best: Lady or Sovereign. Saint Jerome, with his linguistic exposure to the Christian East noted this Aramaic interpretation of "Lady" for Mary as most appropriate.

In Aramaic or Syriac, the word Mar means Lord. In that tradition, both saints and bishops are given the title Mar. Incidentally, this is why the Church founded in India by Saint Thomas is called the Mar Thoma Church. Mar is akin to Dominus in Latin or Lord or Sir in English. Mary's name then is a regal title and this best expresses the message of Saint Gabriel to Saint Joachim and Saint Anne.

The Aramaic Mariam as Lady corresponds to Madonna in Italian (My Lady), Notre Dame in French (Our Lady). Hence, the Queenship of Mary is contained in her name.

"The name of Mary is a name of salvation for those who are regenerated; it is the insignia of virtue, the honor of chastity, the sacrifice agreeable to God, the virtue of hospitality, the school of sanctity, a name altogether maternal." - Saint Peter Chrysologus d. 450

Feast Day of the Name of Mary: September 12

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The Batman Massacre and the Art Gallery of Your Soul

Our prayers and condolences extend to all who were murdered, injured, or who lost loved ones and friends last night in the Colorado massacre during the screening of the latest Batman movie.

I'm sure that many editorials will spill out about the levels of violence in the media. There will also be articles crying for gun control. I'd like to talk instead about the purpose of art. Film makers claim to be making art. This also allows us to examine film from the point of view of philosophy.

Three years ago, I wrote a post entitled: Is it fun to watch people die? or "On Being an Inglorious Bastard". The post examined whether films like Inglorious Badards with their gratuitous violence and sadism were good shows to watch. I still haven't seen the movie (I've never seen a Quentin Tarantino film).

That post three years ago asked the question: Why is America so obsessed with death? We'll pay money to watch two hours of slaughter. And the Batman movies are even darker than ever. Clowns shooting each other in the head? The Joker mutilating people? This isn't good for us! This is not good art. It is ugly. It mutilates the soul so that we cannot think rightly. Do you want to think rightly and clearly - then remove the distorted input. Bad art influences how we see other human persons. We should live by the words of Saint Irenaeus about glory:

Gloria Dei vivens homo.

"Man fully alive is the glory of God."

Good art is about man most fully alive in God.

Art produces images in the soul. Your soul is capable of being an art gallery. What kind of art do you hang there in your private gallery. The art gallery of your soul can be beautiful or it can be gruesome and pornographic. 

Take a moment and examine the art gallery of your soul: Is it pure? Is it beautiful? Is it redemptive? Does it draw you close to Christ? Would others find it beautiful and inspiring. 

If can choose, do not let evil images enter your soul. It's dangerous. And please don't let your children see them. There was a six year old and a nine year old at the midnight showing of Dark Knight in which those people were murdered, for crying out loud! What were children doing there in such a violent and gruesome movie?

The man who killed so many in the movie theatre during the Batman movie was allegedly dressed like the bad guy in the movie. This young man's mind was, no doubt, filled with evil images. He even dressed himself up as an evil image. His soul was a gallery of terror. That is how he saw the world and he eventually transformed that fantasy world into reality.

You don't have a to be a Philosophy major to realize that the watching the violent deaths of people (even if it is cinematic) is not good for the human soul. 

So fill your soul with something beautiful. Watch a sunset. Hold a baby. Enjoy a nice meal with your family. Listen to some Gregorian chant. Decorate the art gallery of your soul with a beautiful collection. As Saint Paul commanded us:

“For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatsoever lovely, whatsoever of good fame, if there be any virtue, if any praise of discipline: think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8, D-R)

If you decorate your soul with such art, it will inspire you and others to great things.

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Nietzsche's Comments on Martin Luther and Priestly Celibacy

"Father" Martin Luther as the father of a natural family

Below is a quote from Nietzsche - no friend to Catholicism. However, Nietzsche did make a profound connection regarding priestly celibacy. Celibacy signifies to the laity that the priest belongs to them equally - that there is no other lay person (ie, a wife or children) who has a special (or even sacramental) right to his soul. This is especially important in the context of sacramental confession:

He [Luther] gave back to the priest sexual intercourse with women; but three quarters of the reverence of which the common people, especially the women among the common people, are capable, rests on the faith that a person who is an exception at this point will be an exception in other respects as well...Luther having give woman to the priest, had to take away from him auricular confession; that was right psychologically. With that development the Christian priesthood was fundamentally abolished, because his most profound utility had always been that he was a holy ear, a silent well, a grave for secrets. 

- Friedrich Nietzsche, Die fröhliche Wissenschaft, 5.358

I highly recommend Christian Cochini's book The Apostolic Origins of Celibacy (Ignatius) if you are interested in working through this topic of clerical celibacy.

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Photo: Who Knew that the Bad Thief was Fat?

While at the Art Institute in Chicago, I saw this depiction of the crucifixion in which the bad thief was depicted as rather hefty. Perhaps he was a thief and a glutton. The painting is by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Apparently, he was acquainted with Martin Luther - come to think of it - maybe the plump man is Luther!

From an artistic point of view, the bad thief sinks to the earth, whereas Our Lord is almost in flight toward Heaven.

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Video: Cardinal Burke on the Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form

This is a fantastic interview with His Eminence Cardinal Burke about the beauty of the Latin Mass as it gives great glory to God and disposes the faithful to quiet and simple prayer. The video also contains nice footage from the Cardinal's Mass. 

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Why is Rome - Not Jerusalem - the Center of Catholicism? (Video)

I'm finishing on my third book in the Origins of Catholicism series (amazon link). The third and last book is entitled: "The Eternal City: Rome and the Origins of Catholicism."

While filming the Journey Home episode with Marcus Grodi in the studios, we also did a radio program that spends time covering the topics of my new book: Why is Rome (Not Jerusalem) the Center of Catholicism?

Here's a YouTube video of us doing the radio show and talking about the biblical and theological reasons for Roman supremacy in the Church. It's better than an mp3:

I hope you benefit from it. And look for the new book, The Eternal City, in October.

Click here if you have problem seeing the video.

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Saint Therese of Lisieux's Daily Prayer for Priests

We live in a time that calls for priests who are, as Saint John Fisher prayed, "strong and mighty pillars that may suffer and endure great labors" in Church. Below is my favorite prayer for priests from one of our favorite saints:

The Daily Prayer For Priests by St. Therese of the Child Jesus

O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;

for your unfaithful and tepid priests;

for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.

for your tempted priests;

for your lonely and desolate priests;

For your young priests;

for your dying priests;

for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.

But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:

the priest who baptized me;

the priests who absolved me from my sins;

the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;

the priests who taught and instructed me;

all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way (especially …).

O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,

and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

And here is another of my favorite prayers for priests, this one by Saint Charles Borromeo:

O Holy Mother of God, pray for the priests your Son has chosen to serve the Church. Help them, by your intercession, to be holy, zealous, and chaste. Make them models of virtue in the service of God's people. Help them be pious in meditation, efficacious in preaching, and zealous in the daily offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Help them administer the Sacraments with love and joy. Amen.

Don't forget to pray for priests every day, and pray for them to receive special graces as they receive the chalice at the Holy Mass.

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Do Anglicans Have a Valid Eucharist?

Thomas Cranmer - the Greatest Rascal Archbishop of England

I received an email from Harry after the EWTN The Journey Home interview on July 2 asking this same question: Do Anglicans have a valid Mass?

Here's the short answer: No, Anglicans or Episcopalians (the tradition deriving from Henry VIII's Church of England) do not have a valid Eucharist. This question was settled by His Holiness Pope Leo XIII in his papal bull Apostolicae Curae on the nullity of Anglican orders, issued 18 September, 1896.

There are two reasons for the nullity of Anglican Holy Orders. After explaining these two reasons, I'll respond to the objection that Anglicans/Episcopalians have since "revitalized" their Apostolic Succession through the intervention of schismatic bishops of the Old Catholic/Orthodox/Polish National Catholic communities.

There are two reasons for the invalidity of Anglican Orders and Eucharist:

First Reason Against Anglican Eucharist: Invalid Form of Priestly Ordination

In 1550, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (a convinced Protestant) changed the ordination rite for bishops, priests, and deacons. Sacerdotal language was removed and the Roman form was abolished. Without valid bishops, you don't have valid priests. Without valid priests, you don't have valid Eucharists. If you don't have valid Eucharists, you don't have the Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Here's the timeline for understanding the decline of the Catholic priesthood in England:

1533 King Henry VIII entered into formal schism with the Catholic Church

1535 King Henry VIII punishes Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More with martyrdom

1547 King Henry VIII died

After the king's death, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (a Catholic bishop who had been secretly married) immediately began Protestantizing the Church of England that King Henry VIII had severed from Rome.

In 1547, Peter Martyr Vermigli (a former Augustinian priest who married and became Protestant) and Bernardino Ochino (a former Franciscan priest who married and became Protestant) were both invited to England by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, and given a pension of forty marks by the crown. 

In 1548 the Protestantized Vermigli was appointed Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford. 

In 1549 Vermigli took part in a great disputation on the Eucharist. Here, Luther's doctrine of sacramental union of the bread and Christ (sometimes called consubstantiation) was publicly denied. Vermigli instead endorsed the Calvinistic teaching that the Real Presence of Christ was conditioned by the subjective faith of the recipient. For Vermigli, Christ was not objectively present in the Eucharist at all. 

In 1549, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer rejected the Latin Mass. Thomas Cranmer invited the arch-Protestant Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr Vermigli to advise him in the liturgies of the Church of England. Cranmer composed his own vernacular liturgies. The Mass came to be called the service of "Holy Communion."

In 1550, Cranmer changed the Ordinal - the Ordination rite for the Church of England. This is the official date by which Holy Orders ceased in England.

1553-1558 Queen Mary restored Catholicism to England (along with valid clergy and all seven valid sacraments). Mary had Archbishop Cranmer burned at the stake as a heretic.

1559 Queen Elizabeth I re-issued Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer with it's faulty ordination rites and liturgies.

It is clear to all that the liturgy influenced and produced by Vermigli, Bucer, Ochino, and Cranmer was a flat out rejection of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. These are the same liturgies officially adopted by Anglicans to this day. While there have been modifications over time (eg 1928 BCP and the Scottish BCPs), they are essentially the same rites with the same theology.

Second Reason Against Anglican Eucharist: Invalid Form of Priestly Intent

The 39 Articles are still the doctrinal formulary of Anglicanism. It is a public document. All clergy in the Church of England had to swear to the 39 Articles which officially rejected transubstantiation. American Episcopalians claim that they don't necessarily make this vow, but it's assumed since the document is appended to the ordination rite. The Anglican formulary which all Anglican clerics affirmed reads:

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions. {Here they vainly claim that "transubstantiation" overthrows the sacrament - that's rather strong language!}

The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is Faith. 

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped. {Notice this forbids the use of tabernacles, monstrances, and Eucharistic processions}

This is a public document expressing the beliefs of Anglicans. It thereby expresses the intent of the minister when he confects the sacrament. Many Anglican priests reject this doctrine of the 39 Articles (they call themselves Anglo-Catholics), but that doesn't much matter. A public document containing a public heresy must be publicly repudiated and disavowed. Yet, if one were to do this, he would not longer be Anglican. He'd be an independent Catholic claiming to have Holy Orders. Until an Anglican priest makes this public disavowal of heresy, he is still submitting to it and cooperating with it. Moreover, most Anglo-Catholic priests tolerate these public errors as espoused by their bishops and brother clergy.

A real Catholic would perceive the words of the 39 Articles as a grave and public crime against the Kingship of Christ. The 39 Articles are a blasphemous denial of transubstantiation and also of the revered doctrine that the Eucharist should be reserved or lifted up. A real Catholic would publicly recant of these errors. Anglo-Catholics, instead, wink at the Anglican error regarding the most Blessed Sacrament and pretend that they have everything in common with Catholic priests. The truth is that the Book of Common Prayer was built and structured to frame the Calvinistic theology of Cranmer, Bucer, and Vermigli. A false theology that holds that Christ is not objectively present in the Blessed Sacrament.

What about the claim of a "revitalized" Anglican Apostolic Succession?

Now then, there are Anglo-Catholic priests that have received valid ordinations by dissenting Catholic bishops and who openly profess belief in transubstantiation. Is their Mass valid? Perhaps. Yet many of these priests openly concelebrate with "women priests" or allow "women deacons" to serve their liturgies. This alone reveals that they do not believe in the Catholic doctrine of the priesthood and Eucharist. The orthodox doctrine of Holy Order prohibits the ordination of women to any degree of Holy Orders (even to the ministerial diaconate). 

Those Anglo-Catholics who do not compromise by serving alongside women clerics are still living a double life. Even if a man were validly ordained and had proper intent to consecrate and sacrifice, his willingness to consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ apart from the Holy Father in Rome renders every consecration as an act of schism. While the Mass is itself valid and glorifying to God, it is still a sacrilege for the priest who celebrates it. Think of a Catholic priest. If the priest is in mortal sin, he commits sacrilege, but his Mass is valid.

The Catholic priesthood and the Eucharist were never meant to be severed apart from the Pope and the local Catholic bishop. As Saint Ignatius of Antioch said, where the Catholic bishop is, there is the Catholic Church.

Summary

The Church of England officially denied the sacerdotal and sacrificial priesthood of the Catholic Church including her belief in transubstantiation. This is seen today in the Anglican belief that women can be validly ordained. This entails that Anglicanism does not and never has enjoyed a valid priesthood. Even if there are rare exceptions, it would be objectively evil for such priests to celebrate the Mass while being in schism with the Holy Father of Rome.

Consolation for Anglican Clergy
Having been an Anglican clergyman, I was uncomfortable with the teach of Apostolicae Curae and it's conclusion that Anglican Orders were utterly null and void. Pope Leo XIII offers these comforting words to those Anglican clerics who make the difficult and burdensome decision to repudiate their ministry and enter in to the Catholic Church. The Pope promises that they will receive a special hope and reward on the Last Day. This is the beautiful conclusion to Apostolicae Curae:

39. We wish to direct our exhortation and our desires in a special way to those who are ministers of religion in their respective communities. They are men who from their very office take precedence in learning and authority, and who have at heart the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Let them be the first in joyfully submitting to the divine call and obey it, and furnish a glorious example to others. 

Assuredly, with an exceeding great joy, their Mother, the Church, will welcome them, and will cherish with all her love and care those whom the strength of their generous souls has, amidst many trials and difficulties, led back to her bosom. Nor could words express the recognition which this devoted courage will win for them from the assemblies of the brethren throughout the Catholic world, or what hope or confidence it will merit for them before Christ as their Judge, or what reward it will obtain from Him in the heavenly kingdom! And we, ourselves, in every lawful way, shall continue to promote their reconciliation with the Church in which individuals and masses, as we ardently desire, may find so much for their imitation. In the meantime, by the tender mercy of the Lord our God, we ask and beseech all to strive faithfully to follow in the path of divine grace and truth.

May our separated Anglican brothers and sisters find a comfortable home in the bosom of Holy Mother the Church. We should pray and fast for them to receive these special graces. Moreover, we should be kind and patient as they come into the Catholic Church.

ad Jesum per Mariam,

Taylor Marshall, PhD

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Audio: Life and Martyrdom of Saint John Fisher

This week (July 8-11), I have the honor of addressing the priestly Society of Saint John Fisher at Chicago's Mundelein Seminary. 

Below is a free 45 minute audio about the life and death of Saint John Fisher - the only Catholic bishop that remained faithful to the Pope against King Henry VIII of England. He is a wonderful saint for our times.

Right click the link below to to save the audio lecture to your computer or iPhone/iPod:

"Saint John Fisher - Life and Martyrdom" by Taylor Marshall 

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How did Jews at the time of Joseph of Mary know that the Messiah wasnear?

How did Jews at the time of Joseph of Mary know that the Messiah was near? There are 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about the coming of the Messiah (all 300 Old Testament prophecies are listed in the back of my book The Crucified Rabbi with their New Testament fulfillments - a feature worth the price of the book).

However, there are two prophecies in particular that notified the Jews of the first century that the Messiah was very close if not already present. The first is the prophecies of Daniel 2 and 7. These predict the coming of the Son of Man during the "fourth pagan kingdom" that would rule over Jerusalem. Rome was that the fourth kingdom that began to rule Judea in 63 BC. This would signal that the Messianic age was about to begin. This video further explains the Old Testament chronology of Daniel leading up to Christ:

The other important prophecy that was well known was one from Genesis. In Genesis chapter 49:

“The sceptre shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations. Tying his foal to the vineyard, and his ass, O my son, to the vine. He shall wash his robe in wine, and his garment in the blood of the grape.” (Genesis 49:10–11, D-R)

Here the Holy Spirit tells us that the sceptre (rule or self-sovereignty) of Israel will not be taken away from Judah till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of the nations. Here also is the reference to the foal and the ass which Christ rode on Palm Sunday. This Bible verse caused such hysteria on Palm Sunday because the people realized the signification - Jesus Christ was he that is to be sent and the expectation of the nations. The next reference to wine and the blood refers to the Eucharist and the Passion, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem did not understand this meaning.

In summary, the Jews at the time of Mary and Joseph and just before know that the coming of the Romans signified the coming of the Messiah. They read this Genesis and Daniel.

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St. Thomas More's Prayer when imprisoned in the Tower of London

Give me the grace, Good Lord:
To set the world at naught.
To set the mind firmly on You and not to hang upon the words of men's mouths.
To be content to be solitary.
Not to long for worldly pleasures.
Little by little utterly to cast off the world and rid my mind of all its business.
Not to long to hear of earthly things, but that the hearing of worldly fancies may be displeasing to me.
Gladly to be thinking of God, piteously to call for His help.
To lean into the comfort of God.
Busily to labor to love Him.
To know my own vileness and wretchedness.
To humble myself under the mighty hand of God.
To bewail my sins and, for the purging of them, patiently to suffer adversity.
Gladly to bear my purgatory here.
To be joyful in tribulations.
To walk the narrow way that leads to life.
To have the last thing in remembrance.
To have ever before my eyes my death that is ever at hand.
To make death no stranger to me.
To foresee and consider the everlasting fire of Hell.
To pray for pardon before the judge comes.
To have continually in mind the passion that Christ suffered for me.
For His benefits unceasingly to give Him thanks.
To buy the time again that I have lost.
To abstain from vain conversations.
To shun foolish mirth and gladness.
To cut off unnecessary recreations.
Of worldly substance, friends, liberty, life and all, to set the loss at naught, for the winning of Christ.
To think my worst enemies my best friends, for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favor as they did him with their malice and hatred.
These minds are more to be desired of every man than all the treasures of all the princes and kings, Christian and heathen, were it gathered and laid together all in one heap. Amen.

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Saint Peter's Words For Christians During Persecutions

When we consider that several secular nations are now assigning to themselves all power and authority over healthcare (our bodies) and education (our minds), one cannot but wonder whether we are entering into a time of persecution. If so, we should not be afraid. Saint Peter, our first Pope, had these words to say to our fathers in faith and our brother in Christ of the first century:

“And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good? But if also you suffer any thing for justice’ sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear: and be not troubled. But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you. But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience: that whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better doing well (if such be the will of God) to suffer than doing ill.” (1 Peter 3:13–17, D-R)

Most notably, Saint Peter encourages us to keep our hearts and lips pure.

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This Saint was a 15 year old Bishop

July 5.--ST. PETER OF LUXEMBURG. PETER OF LUXEMBURG, descended both by his father and mother from the noblest families in Europe, was born in Lorraine, in the year 1369. When but a schoolboy, twelve years of age, he went to London as a hostage for his brother, the Count of St. Pol, who had been taken prisoner. The English were so won by Peter's holy example that they released him at the end of the year, taking his word for the ransom. Richard II. now invited him to remain at the English court; but Peter returned to Paris, determined to have no master but Christ. At the early age of fifteen he was appointed, on account of his prudence and sanctity, Bishop of Metz, and made his public entry into his see barefoot and riding an ass. He governed his diocese with ail the zeal and prudence of maturity, and divided his revenues in three parts--for the Church, the poor, and his household. His charities often left him personally destitute, and he had but twenty pence left when he died. Created Cardinal of St. George, his austerities in the midst of a court were so severe that he was ordered to moderate them. Peter replied, "I shall always be an unprofitable servant, but I can at least obey." Ten months after his promotion he fell sick of a fever, and lingered for some time in a sinking condition, his holiness increasing as he drew near his end. St. Peter, it was believed, never stained his soul by mortal sin; yet as he grew in grace his holy hatred of self became more and more intense. At length, when he had received the last sacraments, he forced his attendants each in turn to scourge him for his faults, and then lay silent till he died. But God was pleased to glorify His servant. Among other miracles is the following: On July 5, 1432, a child about twelve years old was killed by falling from a high tower, in the palace of Avignon, upon a sharp rock. The father, distracted with grief, picked up the scattered pieces of the skull and brains, and carried them in a sack, with the mutilated body of his son, to St. Peter's shrine, and with many tears be- sought the Saint's intercession. After a while the child returned to life, and was placed upon the altar for all to witness. In honor of this miracle the city of Avignon chose St. Peter as its patron Saint. He died in 1387, aged eighteen years. Reflection.--St. Peter teaches us how, by self-denial, rank, riches, the highest dignities, and all this world can give, may serve to make a Saint.

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About the Pope's Secret Cardinals in pectore

The Pope is allowed to name secret cardinals or cardinals in pectore (Latin for "in the breast"), since only the Pope knows in his heart.

During the reign of Pope Martin V, cardinals were created without publishing their names until later, termed creati et reservati in pectore. Nevertheless, these were officially cardinals from the moment of their secret appointment. This entails that there are and could be cardinals out there who do not even know that they are cardinals!

However, in pectore cardinals can only function as cardinals when their appointment is made public. The practice is used today in order to protect hierarchs from hostile situations or tyrants (as is the case in China).

When political conditions change, the Pope then makes the appointment public. The secret cardinal would then rank in precedence with those raised to the cardinalate at the time of his secret in pectore appointment. However, if a pope dies before revealing a secret in pectore cardinal, the cardinalate expires.

We know that Pope Blessed John Paul II elevated at least four in pectore cardinals[1], but we only know the identity of three:

1. Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei, Bishop of Shanghai, People's Republic of China - made cardinal 1979, revealed 1991, died 2000.
2. Marian Jaworski, Archbishop of Lviv, Ukraine - made cardinal 1998, revealed 2001.
3. Jānis Pujāts, Archbishop of Riga, Latvia - made cardinal 1998, revealed 2001.

The fourth cardinal was created in 2003, but was never revealed. This would mean that this cardinal's tenure expired at the death of the Holy Father.

Question: Does Pope Benedict XVI have any rumored in pectore cardinals?

[1] "His Holiness John Paul II Short Biography." Holy See Press Office. 30 June 2005.

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The Four Sins that Cry to Heaven (America Has Failed Four for Four)

According to the Holy Spirit speaking through the Holy Scriptures, there are four sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance.

From the Douay Catholic Catechism of 1649

CHAPTER XX - The sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance

Q. 925. HOW many such sins are there?

A. Four.

Q. 926. What is the first of them?

A. Wilful murder, which is a voluntary and unjust taking away another’s life.

Q. 927. How show you the depravity of this sin?

A. Out of Gen. iv. 10. Where it is said to Cain “What hast thou done? the voice of the blood of thy brother crieth to me from the earth: now, therefore shalt thou be cursed upon the earth.” And Matt. xxvi 52, “All that take the sword, shall perish with the sword.”

Q. 928. What is the second?

A. The sin of Sodom, or carnal sin against nature, which is a voluntary shedding of the seed of nature, out of the due use of marriage, or lust with a different sex.

Q. 929. What is the scripture proof of this?

A. Out of Gen. xix. 13. where we read of the Sodomites, and their sin. “We will destroy this place because the cry of them hath increased before our Lord, who hath sent us to destroy them,” (and they were burnt with fire from heaven.)

Q. 930. What is the third?

A. Oppressing of the poor, which is a cruel, tyrannical, and unjust dealing with inferiors.

Q. 931. What other proof have you of that?

A. Out of Exod. xxii. 21. “Ye shall not hurt the widow and the fatherless: If you do hurt them, they will cry unto me, and I will hear them cry, and my fury shall take indignation, and I will strike thee with the sword.” And out of Isa. x. 1, 2. “Wo to them that make unjust laws, that they might oppress the poor in judgment, and do violence to the cause of the humble of my people.”

Q. 932. What is the fourth?

A. To defraud working men of their wages, which is to lessen, or detain it from them.

Q. 933. What proof have you of it?

A. Out of Eccl. xxxiv. 37. “He that sheddeth blood and he that defraudeth the hired man, are brethren,” and out of James v. 4. “Behold the hire of the workmen that have reaped your fields, which is defrauded by you, crieth, and their cry hath entered into the ears of the Lord God of Sabbath.”

What would the report card of the United States look like? It looks like we are failing four out four. And it's not that we are simply committing these sins, we are approving of these sins and mandating these sins.

The US is the primary exporter of abortion to the world, not to mention the crimes in this regard within our own borders. That innocent bloodshed if there ever were.

The sin of Sodom includes not only sodomy, but also contraception in the "voluntary shedding of the seed of nature."

The third is the oppressing of the poor, orphan, and widow, and the fourth is defrauding laborers. The USA has its own poverty problem. The inflation of currency defrauds laborers - especially the retired who depend on lifesavings which are gradually devalued. And we could also speak of the exportation of jobs oversees and the slave labor arrangements in China that make our Walmart purchases all the cheaper.

Only one of these four sins is required to call to Heaven for "vengeance." Yet we have all four crying against us in the Heavenly court. We'll need a lot more than comic book Avengers this summer to escape the vengeance of the just and loving God who vindicates the murdered, abused, and afflicted. 

HT: Fr Phil Wolfe for preaching on this last Sunday.

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The Importance of 1 Corinthians in the Catholic vs. Gnostic Debate of the Second Century

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

During the second century, the Catholic Church continued in its battle against the Gnostic sects. The Gnostics believed that human salvation was accomplished through secret knowledge. They gained their name from Greek word "gnosis" meaning "knowledge."

Saint Irenaeus was a Greek and bishop of Lyons. He was reputed to be a disciple of Saint Polycarp.

The battleground text between the Catholics and the Gnostics was Saint Paul's 1 Corinthians. This is the most often quoted epistle in debates with the Gnostics. 1 Corinthians 15:50 is the most controversial verse, as it reads:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God: neither shall corruption possess incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:50, D-R)

The Gnostics claimed that this verse "proved" that Christ did not have a true physical body, that the Eucharist could not then be His true body, and that there would be no final resurrection at the end of the world.

Notice that heretics often appeal to Sacred Scripture, and especially to Saint Paul.

The Gnostics believed that "Christ" and the historical Jesus were two separate realities that united at Christ's baptism. The "Christ," they said, became united to the historical man Jesus. For them, the the spiritual Christ, not the man, is the focus of Saint Paul's theology.

The reply of Saint Irenaeus (and the Catholic Church throughout time) is to always study Scripture in context. Heretics always lift singular verses from context and argue from them. This is not the Catholic way. Catholic theologians read Scripture in the context of Scripture and in the context of Tradition. It's a much broader approach to theology.

The answer to the Gnostics, then, is to look at 1 Cor 15 with a wider lens. In the same chapter, we find:

“And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain: and your faith is also vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, D-R)

And if the Gnostic should claim that Paul is only referring to the "spiritual Christ," one need only to refer to Romans:

“Who was predestinated the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead:” (Romans 1:4, D-R)

The Catholic Church is catholic both because she is universal, but also because she holds to the Faith wholly and entirely - kata holos.

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Taylor Marshall on EWTN's Journey Home TONIGHT July 2 at 8pm Eastern (7pm Central)

I'm really excited about tonight's all new "Journey Home" show with Marcus Grodi at 8pm Eastern (7pm Central) on EWTN. (EWTN is the Catholic cable channel that is standard in almost all television cable packages - if you have cable - you have it.)

I appeared on EWTN's Journey Home in 2007 shortly after my conversion to the Catholic Church. This is an all new interview - sort of a "thoughts on conversion to Catholicism five years later." Marcus and I talk about why I chose not to become a Catholic priest after leaving the Anglican ministry, the state of Anglicanism, the liturgy and Latin Mass, the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in salvation, and many other topics. Personally, I enjoyed this interview much more than the original "Journey Home" that aired in 2007. I hope you'll watch and leave some feedback. I tried to answer many personal questions that I get on a weekly and monthly basis.

Please tune in. I'd really appreciate it.

to Jesus through Mary,

Taylor

PS: This show will rerun: 

Monday July 2 8am Eastern Time

Tuesday July 3 1am Eastern Time

Tuesday July 3 9am Eastern Time

Friday July 6 5am Eastern Time

Saturday 11pm Eastern Time