The Virgin Mary is an Intrinsic Element of Christianity

In his Apostolic Letter entitled Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI states "the Church's devotedness to the Virgin Mary is an intrinsic element of the Christian Religion." His Holiness even states that we "cannot be Christians without being Marian." Father Stefano Manelli of the Franiciscans of the Immaculate focuses on this passage from Marialis Cultus as a true summary of Catholic teaching regarding Marian devotion.

If a Christian refuses to see God's glorious election in choosing the Blessed Virgin Mary as the perfect Mother of His Divine Son, then that soul does yet see the beautiful plan of human salvation. The incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ for our salvation requires that God the Son have a human mother. It is integral to every single Christian doctrine revealed by God.

I write "refuses" to see the beauty of Marian devotion because it is something that God disperses in the soul through grace. If I person says, "I love Jesus, but I don't love Mary," something disingenuous has occurred. 

The typology of Adam and Eve in relation to Christ and Mary is helpful here. One cannot credit Adam alone for God's curse over the human race. One cannot credit Eve alone. Certainly, Adam was chief and our fall from grace derives chiefly from him.

But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of him who was to come. (Romans 5:13)

So then, Adam is the Peccator and Eve is the Co-peccatrix. Eve's role is relative, but integral.

The same is true for the New Adam and the New Eve. Christ is God. Mary is not. Nevertheless, Mary's role in the Incarnation and her consenting presence at the foot of the cross does not by itself merit human salvation (a finite human person cannot merit the salvation of anyone). Nevertheless, her role in the saving action of Christ is also relative and integral. One cannot imagine the sacrifice of Christ on the cross without her since she is the loving means by which God the Son gained a human body.

If you struggle with devotion to Mary, take the helpful advice of Saint Maximilian Kolbe. He says that we only gain knowledge and understanding of Mary "on our knees." It is something that cannot be learned in a book. This is yet another reason to pray the Rosary daily.

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Do you know the meaning of the words Halloween and Hallowmas?

Halloween is short for All-Hallows-Even. Even or Eve refers to the evening before the day.

Christmas Eve is the night before December 25. Similarly, Hallows Eve is the night before November 1, the Catholic festival of All Saints. This holy day of obligation was known as All Hallows since "hallow" is a more ancient form of "holy." For example, "hallowed by thy name" means "holy is thy name." All Saints = All Hallows. In fact, November 1 was once called "Hallowmas." For those linguists out there, hallowed comes from the Old English word haligra which fell out of use before AD 1500. Those who know German will recognize it's similarity to heiliger.

This time of year introduces several debates. Among conservative Protestants it's "Halloween or no Halloween?" which sometimes becomes "Halloween vs. Reformation Day," the latter being the celebration of the Martin Luther's posting of the 95 Theses on Oct 31. Some Catholics have become rightly concerned with how Hallowe'en has become "so evil." No doubt, the devils have tried to highjack the hallowed day and its hallowed eve. 

There are some Christians who have written off Halloween per se as some sort of diabolical black mass.  This interpretation usually includes a legend of how the Catholic Church conspired with druids to corrupt Europe, or some other nonsense.

To be clear, it's the vigil of a Christian holy day: All Hallows' Eve or All Saints Eve. Has it been corrupted by our culture and consumer market? You bet. However, Christmas has also been derailed by the culture. Does that mean that we're going hand over Christmas? No way! Same goes for Halloween. The Church does not surrender what rightfully belongs to her - she wins it back!

Celebrate to celebrate Hallows Eve, but clarify "We don't celebrate it by glorifying the demonic." Dress your children as saints and be counter-cultural. Be leaven in the lump. Salt in the world. Be hallowed.

Oh, and don't forget All Hallows (Nov 1) is a Holy Day of Obligation. It's a mortal sin not to attend Holy Mass on this day (unless it is lawfully transferred by the bishops).

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Which Catholic Colleges Can I Trust with My Children?

New Campus for Fisher More College - Listed in the Newman Guide

Catholic parents and students have relied on the Cardinal Newman Society for years as they face a very difficult decision: Which Catholic Colleges can I trust?

Parents, in particular, worry that eighteen years of Catholic schooling and parenting might literally be undone in eighteen days of the an Animal House environment readily available to students on most American college campuses. 

One might object, "Well, if the young person were well-trained and catechized, he wouldn't lose his faith in eighteen days." This objection, of course, has substance. However, Pope Pius XI and Catholic tradition has consistently held that college education for Catholics should be, in fact, Catholic. The great Catholic universities across the globe testify to this tradition. Regrettably, fidelity to the Holy Father is no longer consistent.

Moreover, Aristotle and the Catholic tradition hold that the development of the intellect and will is not complete at seven years of age or even at the age of fourteen. Rather, twenty-one is the usual age of personal maturity. In fact, the need of personal experience has led philosophers to push the age of adult maturity back to around thirty years.

So for those parents interested in positioning their students into a Catholic College where their faith and morals will be strengthened, the Newman Society has created a guide.

As Dean of the up and coming Fisher More College in Fort Worth, I am particularly honored to see our College listed and featured. Unlike other academic institutions, Fisher More College places an emphasis on traditional Catholic liturgy and piety (eg, Daily Mass in Extraordinary Form, Rosary, Benediction), as well as training in Latin, philosophy, and theology. The College is also fully accredited.

The Newman Guide says of Fisher More College:

Fisher More’s attraction is clearly its strong curriculum with heavy emphasis on philosophy and theology. But Catholic families will also find a highly traditional liturgical and prayer life that is uncommon even among Newman Guide colleges. The academics and spiritual life combine to provide a thoroughly Catholic experience that aspires to the higher things.

Please click here to see the Newman Guide for Fisher More College.

Also, please visit the official site of Fisher More College by clicking here.

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Video: The Stigmata of St Francis as Different from Stigmata of Padre Pio

Here is a new video version that I made of a recent post on the stigmata of Saint Francis as different from that of Padre Pio. An interesting topic!

Click this link to watch the video and please subscribe.

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Electoral College Tie Could Lead to President Romney...and Biden as VP

If there is a tie in the Electoral College, the House votes for the President and the Senate votes for the Vice President. This means we could possibly see a mixed result: Romney and Biden!

"So if the Democrats continue to control the Senate, and Republicans control the House, and we have an Electoral tie, the results would be a President Mitt Romney and Vice President Joe Biden," Brauer said.

Then we'd have a Mormon and a non-practicing Catholic...

Kyrie eleison (40x).

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Pope Benedict Canonizes a Mohawk Saint - Kateri Tekakwitha

Pope Benedict XVI has canonized Kateri Tekakwitha, known as Lily of the Mohawks, as a Catholic saint. Saint Kateri lived from 1656 – April 17, 1680. She was a consecrated virgin of the Native American Mohawk tribe having lived in president day New York and Montreal.

Born in New York, she survived the smallpox epidemic that ravished her people. Smallpox left her with scars and impaired eyesight. Worst of all, the epidemic left her an orphan.

Catholic saint, virgin and religious laywoman. Born in present-day New York, she survived smallpox and was orphaned as a child, then baptized as a Roman Catholic and settled for the last years of her life at the Jesuit mission village of Kahnawake, south of Montreal in New France.

At age 18, she began to study the Catholic Faith. She was baptized at age 20 on Easter of 1676. Her surviving extended family were opposed to her conversion. This resistance prompted her move to Montreal. Three years after her baptism in 1679, Kateri consecrated her virginity to our Lord Jesus Christ. This made her the first consecrated virgin of the Mohawk. At these time, the Jesuit missionaries had not introduced a formal way for the natives to join religious orders. Hence, unlike most consecrated virgins, Saint Kateri could not be incorporated into a convent.

Saint Kateri entered into physical and spiritual mortifications for the conversion of her people. She died a holy death during Holy Week of 1680 at the age of 23 or 24. Her last words were, "Jesus, I love you."

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, pray for us.

PS: It seems that every Halloween, one of our daughters is Saint Kateri. A great costume for little girls.

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The Variety of Scapulars (Not Only the Brown Scapular)

In the post I'll explain a variety of scapulars and then explain how you can benefit from all of them without having to wear a stack of five scapulars under your shirt.

A scapular is a piece of wool (not plastic or paper - get rid of those fake scapulars) that is worn on around the neck so that it rests on the chest and back. The term derives from the Latin scapula meaning shoulders. Throughout history, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared asking for these to be made and attaching promises to them. The scapular is a badge or  symbol that the person wearing it places a certain confidence in the assistance of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of Christ.

I'm a huge advocate of the Brown Scapular and its promises. Please read my article "Checklist of Popular Marian Devotions."

There are, however, other scapulars approved by the Catholic Church. Let's look at a few of them:

The White Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. However this scapular is white wool, and is associated with the Sons of the Immaculate Heart. The front depicts the image of the burning heart of Mary, out of which grows a lily, and is circled with a wreath of roses.

The Green Scapular of the Immaculate Heart. It is not a true scapular in that it is one single woolen square, not two. This is the only scapular that need not be worn but can be carried. It is common for this scapular to be given to someone you hope to be cured or converted. 

The Trinity Scapular of The Most Blessed Trinity. This is a small white scapular with a red and blue cross. The Order's founder, St. John de Matha, had a vision during his first Mass of two Christian captives, one of whom held a staff with a red and blue cross on top. From this vision St. John knew he was destined to work among captives for their redemption. Tradition also holds that in 1198, an angel wearing a white garment with a blue and red cross appeared to Pope Innocent III.

The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception. It is associated with the Theatines of the Immaculate Conception and was approved by Pope Clement X in 1671. It is now also associated with St. Bernadette and the miraculous apparitions at Lourdes because Our Lady said to the girl, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

The Red Scapular of the Passion. One side bears an image of the Heart of Jesus and the heart of Mary in their traditional representations, the other an image of Jesus on the cross, the instruments of the passion at His feet. The scapular must be made of red wool and the bands connecting the two squares must be red woolen material as well. 

The Black Scapular of the Seven Sorrows. Associated with the Servite Order. It is black wool and has an image of Our Lay of Sorrows on the front piece. 

Now, if you'd like to be enrolled in all these scapulars with their promises and indulgences, you may be uncomfortable wearing a stack of scapulars around your neck.

Some Catholics opt for the Five Fold Scapular which was promoted by St Alphonsus' Redemptorists. It is a combination of five of the most popular scapulars: the Carmelite Brown, Servite Black, Theatine Blue, White Trinity, and Red Passion scapulars (doesn't include the Green).

I have a five-fold scapular and it's uncomfortable. Instead, you can simply be enrolled in these and then have your priest bless a scapular medal. The priest simply makes the sign of the cross over the scapular medal for however many scapulars you want to wear. In this case, he makes the sign of the cross five times. Voila. You're set to go. You can wear one medal and it covers all five scapulars.

Now there are probably readers rolling their eyes and writing this off as POD ("pious and overly devotional"), but if you want to embrace all the gifts being offered, this is a simple way to invest yourself in all five.

       

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The Mormon Romney Tells Some Catholic Jokes at a Catholic Dinner

Video above.

For what it's worth, Romney rang out some zingers against President Obama at last night's Al Smith Dinner - a Catholic dinner. He recited a few Catholic jokes. Speaking of Obama's "you didn't build that" polemic against those who have built business:

Romney, speaking of Christ's promise to Saint Peter and the foundation of the Church, Obama's cynics would have said: "if you've got a Church, you didn't build that."

Another good one: "Romney: I was hoping that President Obama would bring Joe Biden along, because he'll laugh at anything."

Here's the full video if you're interested. 

His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, who was seated between the two contestants, seems to be living it up.

I don't know what it is, but it makes me uncomfortable to see the cardinal seated between the two candidates like that. I get the feeling that the candidates are using the Catholic Church and nobody realizes it. Did anybody else have the same impression? Please leave a comment.

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Saint Luke *Wrote* Hebrews, but Saint Paul *Authored* Hebrews (St Thomas Aquinas)

Unlike the other Epistles of the New Testament, Hebrews does not explicitly cite its author. It does not bear a name. This had led to speculation about its author. Was it written by Paul, Barnabas, Luke...I even once heard someone claim that it was written by the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Like most the Church Fathers and Saint Thomas, I hold that Saint Luke wrote the epistle to the Hebrews, which Saint Paul authored. 

Let me explain. In antiquity men composed important documents through a secretary. The important outline and content were expressed and set down by the author. Next, an amenuensis (Greek for secretary or "personal assistant") would create the document. The author would review the work and then ask for changes or improvements. Finally, the document would be issued.

This, I believe, is precisely how Saint Paul authored the Epistle of Hebrews. The document is essentially the same argument of Galatians, but with much more elaboration and Scriptural support.

I realize that the Epistle to the Hebrews does not explicitly bear the name of Paul, but Catholic tradition holds it to be at least Pauline, even if the Apostle did not personally write it down with his own hand.

Paul seems to have been losing his eyesight (Gal 4:15), and it therefore makes sense that he would author his epistles by using his assistants as secretaries. 

We might assume that Luke the physician performed this duty for Paul in the apostle’s final years, since Paul himself admits, “Luke alone is with me” (2 Tim 4:11). In fact, the style and vocabulary of Paul’s last three epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus) bear some similarities to those books authored by Luke (Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles). Catholic tradition holds that Luke redacted the final version of the anonymous epistle to the Hebrews on Paul’s behalf, a view endorsed by none other than Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Also of note, before the Novus Ordo Missae of the Pope Paul VI, the old Latin Mass always introduced readings from Hebrews as "Lectio Epistolae beatae Pauli Apostoli ad Hebraeos" or "A reading of the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews."

This over one thousand year old liturgical tradition of identifying Paul as the author of Hebrews, cannot be ignored.

Do you enjoy this post? It comes from Dr Taylor Marshall's book The Catholic Perspective on Paul available at amazon.com. Click here for details. Please consider acquiring the whole book.

Contraception and the Presidential Debate between Obama and Romney

My wife and I watched the Presidential debate last night. I was very discouraged about two things in particular. First, I was again shocked how President Obama so confidently touts his endorsement and support of Planned Parenthood as a major "asset" to his political platform. The same was seen last week with VP Joe Biden using scare tactics that Romney/Ryan would take away "womens' rights."

This reveals that President Obama and his administration are not merely tolerant of abortion, but promoters of this great evil calling to Heaven for vengeance. This is not a surprise. Still, it is sad to see that the political climate has become this dark.

Second, all my initial excitement about Romney was deflated by his defense of contraception in the second half of the debate. Also, his claim that he "believes in God" rang hollow for me as a Catholic and a theologian since it is publicly known that the Mormon doctrine of God is radically different from that held by historic Christianity. Mormons are polytheistic in conviction but henotheist in worship. Philosophically and theologically, this is a disaster. It is a reminder that Romney is not a Christian, but rather a heretic. I haven't done the research, but my guess is that Romney would be the first unbaptized President in our nation's history. Scary to think about.

So at the end of the night, you are confronted with two men who are ultimately mistaken in their most fundamental principles. Of course, Romney is the lesser of two evils on account of liberty for the Catholic Church and government funded contraception and abortion.

Still, it's not satisfying.

It leaves me longing for Heaven. 

One last comment. This morning in my spiritual reading, my eyes randomly fell on the following Psalm:

Nolite confidere in principibus, in filiis hominum, in quibus non est salus. (Ps 146 2-3)

"Put not your trust in princes. In the children of men, in whom there is no salvation." (Ps 146 2-3)

God made my smile and he reminded me of the truth of our tough situation. The lesson is that prayer and praise will undo the snares of the devil much more than a President, be he baptized by Rev. Jeremiah Wright or baptized in the Mormon "Church."

Christ the King, have mercy on us.

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.

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Saint Hedwig of Poland

Today is the feast of Saint Hedwig of Andechs, Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and of Greater Poland from 1231 as well as High Duchess consort of Poland from 1232 until 1238.

Our saint came from a noble family. Her sister Gertrude married King Andrew II of Hungary. Her sister Agnes married King Philip II of France, a union that was later declared null in 1200. Her sister Mechtild was the Abbess at the Benedictine Abbey of Kitzingen in Franconia.

Saint Hedwig and Duke Henry I the Bearded (great name, by the way) had six children together. After six children, they entered into Josephite marriage (no relations for the sake piety) and after his death, she entered a Cistercian convent...where her daughter was Abbess. Hence, her Mother Superior was her very own daughter.

She was canonized only 24 years after her death - her sanctity was so well established.

HT: Fr Longua, FSSP for his homily on Saint Hedwig today.

Saint Hedwig pray for us.

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New Video: The Eternal City by Dr Taylor Marshall: New Book Coming Soon!

Above is brief intro-video do the new book: The Eternal City: Rome & the Origins of Catholicism Volume 3. (If you subscribe by email and you don't see the video in your attachment, click the link above to be redirected.)

The first book/volume, The Crucified Rabbi (amazon link), examined how Catholicism arose from divine revelation of Old Testament Judaism. This third book/volume, The Eternal City (amazon link), examines how God decreed for His Catholic Church to literally take over pagan Rome - the greatest Gentile Empire of history. The middle book/volume is about Saint Paul, The Catholic Perspective on Paul (amazon link) - who brings together the two as a Jewish Apostle of the Gentiles. 

Please stay tuned for the new book's release date.

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Pontius Pilate and Pro-Abortion Politicians

In last night's US Vice-Presidential debate, our Vice-President said that he was a faithful Catholic and that he personally believed that life begins at conception. However, he is pro-choice because he doesn't want to impose his belief on other people.

What if Pontius Pilate said: "Me, personally, I believe you are the Messicanic Son of God. But I don't want to impose that belief on the angry mobs outside. Sorry. You're going to die."

Or what if he said, "Me, personally, I believe Americans enslaving Africans is morally evil. But I don't want to impose that belief on America. It's a very emotional topic. Let's allow each plantation owner decide for himself."

Catholic bishops, we are praying for you. These Catholic politicians are your sheep. They, like us, deserve to be taught and governed. When they run astray and make these statements on prime-time TV, we feel defeated. They deceive the Catholic faithful and lead Evangelical Protestants believe that we are all hypocrites. Please be our heroes. Set the record straight.

Saint Ambrose of Milan, pray for us.

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How Arius the Heretic Died in a Bathroom Before Receiving Holy Communion

Arius, the Heretic Who Died of a Wretched Bowel Problem

There heretic Arius is one of the most interesting characters on the stage of history. Every December I write a tribute post to Saint Nicholas about the tradition of Saint Nicholas h-slapping (heretic slapping) Arius at the Council of Nicea in AD 325.

Joseph Reidy, professor of history at Fisher More College, recently turned me on to another great story about Arius the heretic. (By the way, Fisher More College is turning into a fantastic college. If you know of any 18 year olds looking for a traditional Catholic college, please send them our way.) As you know, Arius divided the Church and Empire of the fourth and fifth century by claiming that the Divine Logos, Jesus Christ, was not of the same substance of the Father and not co-eternal with the Father.

Arius was condemned as a heretic but over time, he was able to regain imperial favor. The orthodox enemy of Arius, Saint Athanasius was exiled by the bogus Synod of Tyre in 335, and the Synod of Jerusalem in 336 had the audacity to restore Arius to full communion with the Catholic Church. 

The Byzantine emperor then directed Patriarch Alexander of Constantinople to receive Arius and give him Holy Communion in the city's cathedral. Patriarch Alexander objected and was put between a rock and hard place. So Alexander prayed that Arius might die before the appointed day on which Arius would present himself for Holy Communion and thereby commit sacrilege with the Body of Christ.

The historian Socrates Scholasticus then tells us how on that weekend Arius experienced loose bowels and had to run to a nearby bathroom. There, there heretic's bowels came loose and he died in a most dishonorable way. Here's the account:

It was then Saturday, and Arius was expecting to assemble with the church on the day following: but divine retribution overtook his daring criminalities. For going out of the imperial palace, attended by a crowd of Eusebian partisans like guards, he paraded proudly through the midst of the city, attracting the notice of all the people. As he approached the place called Constantine’s Forum, where the column of porphyry is erected, a terror arising from the remorse of conscience seized Arius, and with the terror a violent relaxation of the bowels: he therefore enquired whether there was a convenient bathroom nearby, and being directed to the back of Constantine’s Forum, he hastened thither. Soon after a faintness came over him, and together with the evacuations his bowels protruded, followed by a copious hemorrhage, and the descent of the smaller intestines: moreover portions of his spleen and liver were brought off in the effusion of blood, so that he almost immediately died. The scene of this catastrophe still is shown at Constantinople, as I have said, behind the shambles in the colonnade: and by persons going by pointing the finger at the place, there is a perpetual remembrance preserved of this extraordinary kind of death. 

The Ecclesiastical Histories of Socrates Scholasticus

Professor Reidy tells me that this bathroom in Constantinople was constantly the butt of jokes who saw the terrible death of Arius as divine retribution. Finally, an Arian supporter, purchased the bathroom and destroyed it.

The moral of the story - don't be a heretic.

Holy Fathers and Saints, pray for us.

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Saint Denis: The Head-Carrying Bishop of Paris

If you're looking for a great All Hallows Eve costume, go with Saint Denis. He's a cephalophore - someone who walked around carrying his decapitated head!

Saint Denis (in Latin and Greek, Dionysius) was the first bishop of Paris. He was martyred under Decian persecution of Christians (after A.D. 250). 

St Denis began to convert and baptize the pagan inhabitants of Paris. The pagan priests were troubled, no doubt, by his success. They had him decapitated on the high hill of Paris, Montmartre, a hill sacred to Mars. The present name Mont Martre seems to refer to the Mount of the Martyr but may have been originally dedicated to the pagan god Mars - Mons Martis.

After decapitation, he walked around with his preaching head. After walking about six miles, he fell down dead. On the site of his collapse was built a shrine in his honor. At the insistance of Saint Genevieve of Paris, the shrine was expanded into a basilica. It was the traditional burial place of Catholic kings of France.

Saint Denis is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He is invoked against demonic possession and, of course, headaches.

Saint Denis of Paris, pray for us.

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How the Blessed Virgin Mary Presented the Rosary to Saint Dominic

In the year 1214 Saint Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, was in anguish because he was failing in his attempt to convert the Albigensian Cathar heretics. St. Dominic attributed this to the deepness and gravity of sinfulness of the heretics and the poor example of Catholics. He went alone in to the forest and wept and prayed continuously for three days to appease the anger of Almighty God. He flogged his body and scourged his flesh. From the fasting, pain, and exhaustion, he passed in to a coma.

Dominic experienced an apparition of Blessed Mother Mary while in the coma, which forever links Saint Dominic and the Rosary. The Immaculate Mary with three angels appeared and asked St. Dominic, "Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?" Dominic's response was Blessed Mary knew better than he because she is a part of our salvation.

Mary responded, "I want you to know that, in this kind of warfare, the battering ram has always been the Angelic Psalter* which is the foundation stone of the New Testament. Therefore if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter."

Shortly after this apparition he preached the Holy Rosary to the unconverted Albigenisan heretics. To modify the Paternoster (150 Our Father's) and in compliance with the instruction in the apparition, the design of the Saint Dominic Rosary came in to being. He set apart fifteen mysteries of the rosary, grouped them in to three sets of five decades each.

The groupings were designated as Joyous Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries and Glorious Mysteries. This design helped the Albigensian heretics to better understand and to imitate the virtuous life of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Immaculate and Blessed Mary.

* The "Angelic Salutation" is the "Hail Mary" prayer and the Psalter is the 150 Psalms. Thus, she wanted 150 Hail Mary's - which is what the Holy Rosary is - 15 decades of Hail Mary's with 15 corresponding mysteries to contemplate.

Two recommended books on the sweet and Immaculate Mary: one by Saint Louis de Montfort, the other by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. You can't go wrong with either...or both!

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Can You Give 1% of 24 Hours to God: The Rosary Challenge

Will you give 1% of 1440 minutes each day to God?

If so, pray the daily Rosary. It only takes 15 minutes - 1% of 24 hours.

There is also a plenary indulgence attached the family Rosary with the usual conditions. If you need tips on praying the family Rosary (something that can seem impossible with young children), please read this:

12 Tips for Praying the Family Rosary daily (Attention Catholic Dads) 

Please pass this on to your friends. The culture war will be won through the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary because it so quickly and easily leads us to our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Did You Know That a Bishop Processed the Holy Eucharist at University of Denver Prior to Presidential Debate?

As you know, there was a Presidential Debate between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney at the campus of the University of Denver on Wednesday October 3.

What you may not know is that His Excellency Bishop James Conley (Auxiliary Bishop of Denver but soon to be Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska) celebrated a Holy Mass for students on the campus of the University of Denver just three days before the debate on September 30. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, His Excellency processed the Blessed Sacrament on campus. While His Excellency did not do a lap around Magnus Arena where the debate would be held, Our Eucharistic Lord nevertheless did reign there on campus.

Where Christ reigns, the demons flee...

The Holy Mass and Eucharistic Procession were not scheduled to coincide with the Presidential Debate on Wednesday. Rather, this is the fourth year that Bishop Conley has celebrated the Holy Mass for the students of the University of Denver during this time of year.

How providential it is that one of America's most stalwart bishops was there to process Christ our King on the campus where just three days later a historical Presidential debate would take place. God works in mysterious ways.

And that is the rest of the story...

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How the Stigmata of St Francis differed from that of St Pio (fleshy nails)

There is something interesting about the stigmata of Saint Francis. His was different than that of Padre Pio. In Saint Francis, the wounds contained fleshy nails. These nails could move within the wounds. Here's the account from the Fioretti:

On the death of St Francis his glorious, the sacred stigmata were seen and kissed, not only by the said Lady Jacopa and her company, but by many citizens of Assisi; among others by a knight of great renown, named Jerome, who had doubted much, and disbelieved them; as St Thomas disbelieved the wounds of Christ.

And to assure himself and others, he boldly, in the presence both of the brethren and of seculars, moved the nails in the hands and feet, and strongly pressed the wound in the side. By which means he was enabled to bear constant witness to the truth of the miracle, swearing on the Gospels that he had seen and touched the glorious, holy stigmata of St Francis, the which were seen and touched also by St Clare and her religious, who were present at his burial.

Here is another description of the wounds and their fleshly nails:

For upon his hands and feet began immediately to appear the figures of the nails, as he had seen them on the Body of Christ crucified, who had appeared to him in the likeness of a seraph. And thus the hands and feet appeared pierced through the midst by the nails, the heads whereof were seen outside the flesh in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, and the points of the nails stood out at the back of the hands, and the feet in such wise that they appeared to be twisted and bent back upon themselves, and the portion thereof that was bent back upon themselves, and the portion thereof that was bent back or twisted stood out free from the flesh, so that one could put a finger through the same as through a ring; and the heads of the nails were round and black. In like manner, on the right side appeared the image of an unhealed wound, as if made by a lance, and still red and bleeding, from which drops of blood often flowed from the holy breast of St Francis, staining his tunic and his drawers.

Clearly, this stigmata of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis was different from that of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.

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Do You Know the Four Properties of a Glorified Resurrected Human Body?

Sacred Scripture and Catholic theology teaches that our glorified resurrected bodies will experience four properties as an outflow of the beatified soul enjoying the vision of God's essence:

1) Impassibility - the glorified body will no longer suffer physical sickness or death, as Saint Paul teaches regarding the glorified body in 1 Corinthians 15:42, "It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption."

2) Subtlety  meaning that we will have a spiritualized nature in the sense of a spiritual body as did our Lord as we learn at 1 Corinthians 15:44: "It is sown a corruptible body, it shall rise a spiritual," i.e. a spirit-like, "body." We see that Christ's glorified body was able to pass through closed doors. 

3) Agility - the glorified body will obey the soul with the greatest ease and speed of movement as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:43: "It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power," that is, according to a gloss, "mobile and living." Saint Thomas Aquinas says, "But mobility can only signify agility in movement. Therefore the glorified bodies will be agile." We discern agility our Resurrected Lord's ability to bilocate and travel great distances in an instant.

4) Clarity - the glorified body will be free from any deformity and will be filled with beauty and radiance as we read at Matthew 13:43: "The just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," and Wisdom 3:7: "The just shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds." Here clarity refers not being "clear" but to being "bright."

St. Thomas Aquinas at Summa Contra Gentiles, IV, 86 summarized: "thus also will his body be raised to the characteristics of heavenly bodies — it will be lightsome (clarity), incapable of suffering (impassible), without difficulty and labor in movement (agility), and most perfectly perfected by its form (subtlety). For this reason, the Apostle speaks of the bodies of the risen as heavenly, referring not to their nature, but to their glory."

It is worth noting that the Virgin Mary has already received her glorified and resurrected body. Hence, she has the four gifts of the resurrection. 

May we persevere so as to receive these remarkable gifts. In case you need extra motivation, here is Saint Thomas Aquinas description of the corruptible bodies of the damned.

Resurrected Christ, have mercy on us.

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