In Search of
The Authentic Life
“Pater Meus Servat Vineam”
A week before Christmas, when no one has the time to analyze this…nothing is left to chance…it is all by design…everything that is happening now in the world is connected and it is all the result of…sin…
Special thanks to New Advent for links to the above articles. Please go there for ongoing coverage.
[Edited since posting.]
I tried to make the “Advent” button to the right>>> as noticeable as possible. Did I succeed? Have you clicked on it? This takes you to the “Advent” category of the blog (if button is not there, please click “Advent” just above^^^). I would like to turn your attention to the posts on Fr. Alfred Delp, martyred in Germany under the Nazis. Advent was an important theme for him and his writings are particularly relevant at this time in history. He talks about the need for “calling voices,” which could not be more appropriate for the time we are living in right now. Please have a look!
The 5 points below were written for printing and distribution in churches or elsewhere. I have been printing this for years and it has gone through many drafts-this one I completed just today. You will see I had to be sensitive about the “Santa” issue, only because we all know there’s some “Karen” somewhere who will complain that we traumatized her child. My answer would be, “Any child who can read should not still believe a fat guy can fit down a chimney or a reindeer can fly!” One of these days, talking against Santa will be considered hate speech.
Please consider printing the PDF below and see if you can distribute it this coming Sunday or during the week before Christmas (I realize it’s a bit late getting it out, but better late than never and you can think of it as an Advent Spiritual Work of Mercy!). Of course, there are a number of other ways to share, so be creative! Here goes…
1) GIFT-GIVING: Since we want to remember that Christmas is about the birth of Our Lord, and not about luxuries, it is a good idea to keep presents to a minimum and not allow them to be extravagant. For parents, a nice idea is to give the children three presents, representing the three gifts given to the Christ Child by the magi: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Relatives may also be asked to buy only one gift per child. This way, the children will not be too overwhelmed. There will also be less clutter in the home!
2) DECORATING: To keep the emphasis on Christ, it is important to keep decorations to a religious, not a secular, nature. Since Christmas is a profound holyday, when we celebrate the Incarnation of God Himself, everything we do should be in keeping with this deep and awesome truth. This extends to the cards we send and even the wrapping paper we use.
3) THE CHRISTMAS TREE: The holy and reverent atmosphere we wish to create will also extend to the Christmas tree. Choosing ornaments relating to the religious celebration of Christmas can be easily done. Balls and ornaments featuring the nativity scene or the Madonna and Child can be found quite readily. Musical themes, candles and of course, angels, would all be good choices. This is not to suggest that pictures of loved ones, sentimental items or that ornament your child made at school, should be excluded. It’s the spirit of the tree that matters.
4) THE TRUTH ABOUT A CERTAIN CHARACTER: A character based on a holy man, Saint Nicholas, has become a challenger to Christ on this most holy of days. Children's minds are consumed by this idea and the materialism associated with it, instead of the real and far more incredible gift of God's Son. Telling our children the truth includes the following benefits:
the emphasis will be on the real Person of Christ rather than a fictional character
children will know that their presents come from their loving parents
the intellectual development of children will not be impeded by being encouraged to believe a story that goes against reason
the trust that children have in their parents will not be undermined when they come to realize the truth-the disappointment and hurt that is often felt at that time will not be experienced
5) SEASON OF ADVENT: Advent is a time of preparation, similar to Lent. We can encourage penance, as we do in Lent, or we could also focus on works of charity, which can be a wonderful activity for the whole family. This is also a great time to learn Christmas hymns (that you don't know all the words to) and to read and meditate upon the Incarnation. Also, down-scaling Christmas preparations can be a good idea if they've been too stressful in the past. It is wise to be mindful of the simplicity of the first Christmas. If the stable in Bethlehem is our starting point and our mindset, we cannot go wrong!
The good Christian name “John” is well-represented this month, as we honor 5 saints by this name: one the beloved of Christ, 2 Doctors of the Church, one visionary and one priestly professor. We also honor 5 Doctors of the Church: in addition to the 2 Johns, we have 2 Peters and St. Ambrose. December also contains the Ember Days, adding further to the preparation of Advent through prayer and penance. These are loosely concerned with the seasons, so there are many ways to be creative with children, combining the Ember Days, the coming season of winter and Christmas. It is wonderful to teach our children these traditions, so they will develop a love for the Catholic Faith and its many-faceted riches.
As for our themes this month, it is not difficult to combine the Divine Infancy with the Immaculate Conception. Mother and Child are inseparable, as the beautiful painting above shows. The Child Jesus points us toward His Nativity and the time of spiritual preparation for this joyful celebration. The sinless Virgin Mother serves to glorify the Infant Himself. There are many ways we can creatively celebrate both Mother and Child. One possibility is to participate in pro-life activities-there are so many ways to do this and to use one’s unique gifts. We may have done this 2 months ago in October, but the unborn ceaselessly need our help. If you do not have much time, you can always pray and offer up for them. Only 3 days after Christmas, we honor the Holy Innocents, further encouragement to remember God’s precious little ones this month as we prepare to celebrate His birth.
Here are some notable feasts from both the old and new calendars of the Roman Rite…
3-First Friday / St. Francis Xavier
4-First Saturday / St. John Damascene, Doctor of the Church, Author Fount of Knowledge / St. Peter Chrysologus, Doctor of the Church, Author of many great sermons / St. Barbara, Martyr
5-2nd Sunday of Advent (purple candle)
6-St. Nicholas
7-St. Ambrose, Doctor of the Church, Author De Virginibus
8-IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY (obligation)
9-St. Juan (John) Diego, Seer of Our Lady of Guadalupe
10-OUR LADY OF LORETO
12-Gaudete Sunday (pink candle) / OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
13-St. Lucy / St. Odilia, Martyrs, Patronesses of the eyes (Odilia’s feast is non-standard)
14-St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, Author Dark Night of the Soul
15-Ember Wednesday in Advent (trad meat at one meal)
17-Ember Friday in Advent
18-Ember Saturday in Advent (trad meat at one meal)
19-4th Sunday of Advent (purple candle)
21-St. Thomas, Apostle / St. Peter Canisius, Doctor of the Church, Author Summa of Christian Doctrine
23-St. John of Kanty, Priest, Professor of Sacred Scripture
24-VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY
25-NATIVITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (obligation)
26-THE HOLY FAMILY / St. Stephen, Protomartyr
27-St. John the Evangelist
28-The Holy Innocents
The stunning painting above is “Virgin with Angels” by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. This is an ornament which can be purchased here.
The Sacrament of Penance, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia:
“Penance is a sacrament of the New Law instituted by Christ in which forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is granted through the priest's absolution to those who with true sorrow, confess their sins and promise to satisfy for the same. It is called a sacrament, not simply a function or ceremony, because it is an outward sign instituted by Christ to impart grace to the soul.”
Click on the link above for a rather exhaustive study of this topic. Contemplating and learning more about this great gift of Holy Church, is an appropriate way to begin the Season of Advent, a new Liturgical Year. In a culture that approaches the Birth of Our Lord with nothing but materialism, never giving sin a second thought, how much more should we do so…not only for our own benefit, but to make reparation to Him.
Having celebrated the American holiday of Thanksgiving last week, and having made a recent confession, my mind has been turned to a sense of gratitude for the Sacrament of Penance…especially after having witnessed the unthinkable last year, its prohibition in many places. In a land where there is still plenty, let us remain grateful for all the Church offers and not lose sight that it is the spiritual riches which are most important.
Several weeks ago, I decided to confess at a local church I had not been to for a while. I knew some churches were still abandoning the confessionals due to Covid, but I hoped for the best. I got a sinking feeling when I saw 2 tables decked out with hand sanitizer and blue tape over the holy water fonts. At least there were no dividers in the pews. I forged on to find there were 2 priests doing face-to-face confessions only. I was disappointed, complained to one of them (he was stunned and not very friendly), and left. I will also tell you, there were no lines for these confessions. The church was almost empty.
The following week, I tried another local church, known for being conservative. Jackpot! There was one priest hearing normal confession and the line was quite long. Give the people what they want and they will come! The more traditional churches will probably thrive in the coming days and the more “modern” will just dry up, like their fonts. I was also very happy to see several young people and children confessing. I felt I was home, where I belong and with my people. I am deeply thankful to God that this can still be found in the New York area.
Some final thoughts: We all have difficulty sometimes in the spiritual life. If you have been away from confession and have a fear of going, please just give it over to Our Blessed Lord, place it in His hands and know that He can do what you cannot. He can overcome all things. With His strength you can face a difficult confession, get through it and come out the other side unbelievably joyful! It’s the best Christmas present you could give yourself…and those you love, because being happy and at peace is the best gift you could give to them. Maybe you are the kind of person who stays away due to scrupulosity. Maybe you feel you must re-confess things or the whole process is too overwhelming for you. Again, please take this to Our Lord and He will fix it. Ask in His Name for help and you WILL receive it!
John 14:14
“Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat eis. Requiéscant in pace. Amen.”
When combining Holy Church’s old and new calendars, we see the following features for the month of November…
The month has begun in the midst of the Triduum of Death, reminding us of the brevity of this life and the glory which awaits the Children of God. I recall hearing the following lyrics in early childhood-I think it made some impression on me:
What a wonderful month that begins contemplating the Church Triumphant and ends in expectation of the Birth of Our Savior!
The Triduum concludes with All Souls Day, reminding us that for most, there will be a cleansing of suffering. Therefore, this month is dedicated to the souls still undergoing this suffering, the Church Penitent, with special indulgences given. We celebrate 3 Doctors of the Church, 2 of whom are called “great.” We have another saint honored with this title, Saint Gertrude the Great. She was given this title by Pope Benedict XIV to distinguish her from her abbess superior, another Saint Gertrude. We can presume this pope found her mystical writings to be worthy of this title. Gertrude the Great is also invoked for the holy souls, whom she was dedicated to-it is fitting that her feast is in November. On the 21st in the new calendar, we honor Christ, King of the Universe. We celebrated Christ the King on October 31st in the old. Let us be the Church Militant, showing our acknowledgment of Christ’s rule over us, won by His Blood, at this critical moment in history. On the same day, we have Our Lady’s Presentation as an infant, not to be confused with her Purification (or Our Lord’s Presentation).
Here are some notable feasts for the remainder of this month and below is a follow-up from the previous post on Holy Souls devotions…
10-Pope St. Leo the Great, Doctor of the Church, Author The Tome
13-St. Frances “Mother” Cabrini, Founder Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 20th Century Saint
15-St. Albert the Great, Doctor of the Church, Patron of scientists, Author On Cleaving to God
16-St. Gertrude the Great
18-Dedication of Basilicas of Sts. Peter & Paul
21-CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE / PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
22-St. Cecilia, Patroness of music
23-St. Felicitas, Martyr, invoked in Canon of Mass
24-St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, Author Dark Night of the Soul
28-First Sunday of Advent
30-St. Andrew, Apostle
From the above article…
“Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican tribunal dealing with matters of conscience, said the indulgences traditionally obtained [for departed souls] during the first week of November [11/1-8] can be gained throughout the entire month of November…Indulgences are granted when a Catholic visits a cemetery to pray for the dead, goes to confession, attends Mass and receives the Eucharist and prays for the intentions of the Pope.”
What the article left out about the obtaining of a plenary indulgence: one must be in a state of grace when the indulgenced act is performed, must be detached from sin and must perform all criteria within 20 days before or after.
Amen.
The above Holy Hour was taken from the most recent edition of…
This monthly booklet is published by Sophia Institute Press and is a wonderful Catholic guide and missal for the Tridentine Mass. The page above contains glowing comments by the likes of Cardinal Burke, Archbishop Vigano, Bishop Schneider and Bishop Strickland. (So you know its good.) My only beef with it, as a sustainability proponent, is that it uses too much paper, as the entire mass (quite conveniently) is repeated for each Sunday. This was my husband’s idea to subscribe, after hearing about it online. In spite of all the tree destruction, I am starting to really like my Benedictus and rely on it. Each one comes with a beautiful prayer card which can be used as a bookmark, and the price is only $5.00 a month! Please see the above link for further details.
As for the Holy Hour above, it is not indicated what the source is. It seems to be an opening prayer for an hour before the Most Blessed Sacrament. I suppose the rest of the hour could be performed in silent meditation or organized prayer. I am not aware of an indulgence attached to it, though there may be. It is quite beautiful. I was not able to find it elsewhere on the internet. If you would like a good copy or the source, please contact Sophia Institute Press.
In addition to Benedictus, this company publishes all sorts of other things, including a very interesting series of catechetical documents from antiquity…
From the website…
“From as early as the 9th century, scores of faithful priests, bishops, popes, saints, and Church councils have published succinct, reliable summaries of Catholic doctrine: catechisms…Now, for the first time ever, dozens of historic catechisms are being unearthed and painstakingly restored. They are being reformatted for publication and presented to you in this gorgeous 20-volume, cross-indexed collection. The catechisms of several Popes and Church Councils are included; such as the world-renowned Catechism of the Council of Trent, those of the Synods of Maynooth and Baltimore, and the catechism of Pope St. Pius X. Here also are those classical handbooks of Catholic doctrine authored by the great Saints and Doctors of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Peter Canisius, and St. Robert Bellarmine. The many historical catechisms of Catholic doctrine featured in this series include both titles that are well known, as well as some that have not been printed or read in centuries. Originating from regions as diverse as Italy, France, Germany, Spain, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and North America, the many catechisms contained in this series demonstrate the remarkable universality of the Catholic Faith as never before.”
Well, they’ve got me sold. That’s why I just bought the first 4 volumes and subscribed to the series, at $25.00 every 3 months. I always say as a prepper, you can never have enough good, hardcover Catholic books. Who knows how long these will be available in the current climate?
Wishing you blessings in this month of November and the coming Season of Advent.
[Edited since posting.]
The above text is from the “Communion” of the Tridentine Mass for All Souls Day. The rainbow photo was taken by my son at a lake in New Jersey on All Hallows Eve. The photo below it is from the All Souls Day Mass at one of the churches we attend on Long Island. You can see the beautiful and rare black vestments. Though this Mass is solemn, we are also joyful that upon its celebration, many souls likely ascend to Heaven from their stay in the fires of Purgatory…a place of refreshment, light, peace and unspeakable joy!
How can we honor and assist the Holy Souls this month? Here are a few suggestions:
1) A partial indulgence may be obtained by visiting a cemetery with mental prayer for the Holy Souls. There is a similar plenary, which has been extended by the Vatican-will discuss this in another post.
2) A partial indulgence may be obtained by recitation of the Office of the Dead.
3) A partial indulgence may be obtained by recitation of the De Profundis.
4) Remember the Holy Souls in daily family prayer, litanies, the Rosary, etc. Attend weekday Mass for the Holy Souls.
5) Perform a Holy Hour for the Holy Souls, either at home or organized at your church with pastoral permission (we will be posting one soon).
6) Obtain one of the plenary indulgences for the Year of Saint Joseph.
Wishing you blessings during this month of November…stay tuned for Part II…
Marie Kondo, famed home organizer, tells you to ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” Here’s a different question…
You may not know I have been blogging since about 2008. The original URL and title was “futurecatholic.net”. This URL still exists and directs to this current site. You also may not know that what you thought was gone from the internet may still be accessible at Wayback Machine. It’s hard to lose your past these days. My writing included more “conspiracy” stuff back then and when I started this site, I decided I should be less controversial. Since Covid, it doesn’t matter anymore. We now must all choose a side. So…I don’t care if you go back and look at it. Have fun with that!
Anyway, the point was, I posed the question above on the old site and got some flack for it. I recall someone saying this was too perfectionistic. Well, my only response to that is…
Matthew 5:48
Gonna argue with Him? For about the past 6 months, I’ve been purging and organizing my house. If you think I must be close to done, you think wrong, my friend! I do hope to step up the productivity in the coming months because it’s going way too slow. So far, I have worked mostly on books, papers, clothing and records (those things you used to spin and they would make music). Each type of item presents its own challenges, both emotionally and spiritually.
First of all, why purge at all? 10 reasons:
1) Your home will be more spacious and much easier to clean.
2) You will be better prepared if you need to suddenly move.
3) You will become more organized in the process, which is key to preparedness.
4) You will be letting go of things, helping you to confront emotional issues.
5) You will probably be ridding your family of sinful influences (and receiving graces for it!).
6) You will be giving to the needy.
7) You will be reducing pests.
8) De-cluttering your main residence can help you stock a remote location.
9) You can teach family members to do the same (and this can be great family-time as well!).*
10) You can bring in some income if you can sell some of it.
11) Bonus Reason: You will have more room for your important prepper supplies.
There are a few above points I’d like to expound upon…
#2: Moving-It is now time to begin creating our holy refuges, prophesied about by the mystics. If you don’t see why, pray on it and look around with a new set of eyes-this has been a long time coming. We can expect anything and everything from this point forward, as the New World Order advances its war on humanity and the Church. For a variety of reasons, you may find yourself needing to move suddenly. Being prepared to show your home and having less to pack will be much to your advantage.
#4: Letting Go-Many people never de-clutter because they do not want to deal with the memories and emotions that will come up. They may not even be consciously aware of this. The result is living in continued dysfunction and unfairly passing it all on to your children. This can create enormous stress and expense for them, on top of having to deal with death issues and selling a house. The fact is, those emotions belong to you. Dealing with them is part of your life journey and there is healing in the process. This summer, I finally went through my son’s baby clothes. It was hard. I cried. Much of it was still in good condition and we gave it to our local Saint Vincent de Paul thrift store. Physically holding the clothes in my hands, washing them, folding them one last time and sending them off to be worn by a new baby…it was a “letting go” ritual. It was something I needed to do and I feel so enriched by it. This is the kind of life experience that makes you are deeper, more sensitive person. And it helps you go on in a healthier state. As you continue to go through things, you will get stronger and come out the other side transformed. (Let me just say, if you super have trouble getting rid of something, that’s okay!-as long as its the exception and not the rule.)
#5: Sinful Influences-This one brings us to our question above, “Could it exist in Heaven?” What really happened on the Cross? When we die, we will see above all, that this life was not a joke. In this “Age of Separation” upon us, we must begin to see with greater clarity, the true corruption of the world. The world is regarding us more and more as enemies. It must go both ways. Let the separation begin. If we wait until these “precious” things are wrenched from our hands, we will have squandered any grace that could have been obtained by voluntarily letting go. We must secure mercy at this hour. We must make ourselves worthy to inherit the new world after all the dust settles. “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”
This issue came up heavily when I was going through my records. In my youth, they meant everything to me. I would not have been able to conceive that one day I would be tossing them in the trash. I held myself to about the hardest standard, discarding those with only one offensive song or an immodest image. If the good is tethered to the evil, it must be cast into the fire with it. We can allow nothing corrupt to harm the little ones who will take refuge with us. The new world must be pure before God’s Heavenly Throne. After trashing most of them, I was left with folk, classical, “ambient” and some benign pop music. I was amazed how easy it was. After doing the baby clothes, I feel I can do anything. Another thing-corrupt items must be thrown out, no matter how valuable they are. Passing on the evil does no good. This is the kind of thing that separates the men from the boys in the spiritual realm.
#7: Pests-Didn’t know we had mice in the attic. Now I do.
#8: Remote Location-If you have a summer house or another property, some of the items you find may do well in that location. For a summer house, that extra veggie peeler or old vacuum could be useful and help save money. If you rent another property, you may wish to store some things there in a locked area.
When considering what to do with possessions you no longer need, it can help to think outside the box. For instance, I traded some of my books at a local used bookstore. The 2 books I wound up getting were on traditional woodworking and organic gardening. K-ching! Books I can really use going forward (and they are good hardcover ones). As for my experience purging piles of papers, we actually have a new usable chair in the dining room and it is so refreshing to be able to find something quickly and easily in my files. There are countless resources and systems out there now for de-cluttering. Half the battle is getting started, then you just need to incorporate it into your routine. If you’re really having difficulty, as with everything else, pray on it!
*Unless you’ve got hoarders in your family, in which case it will be “Dysfunctional Family Thanksgiving on steroids.”
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The month of October is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary, given by Our Lady to Saint Dominic in the year 1214. More recently, October has also been dedicated to the sanctity of human life, particularly the most vulnerable who have lost their rights in this post-Christendom society. May the Lord have mercy upon us.
As Catholics, the obvious practice for this month, would be the recitation of the Rosary for the intentions of the unborn and all others in danger (and the list is growing). It is wonderful to take this opportunity as a family, perhaps praying it daily this month, to educate your children on life issues and show them from a young age, how precious every life is. The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on the 7th and her Divine Maternity is celebrated on the 11th! Here we can see a juxtaposition with these 2 dedications. Of course, we also have the 40 Days for Life Fall 2021 Campaign, which began September 22nd and runs until the end of the month. A common aspect of this international bi-annual campaign, is prayer at the abortion clinics. Please consider taking part.
October begins by honoring Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, the “Little Flower.” She is the sole Doctor of the Church this month, an extraordinary achievement for one who passed from this life at the tender age of 24. We also honor two 20th century popes.
This October ends with the traditional Feast of Christ the King, as the Triduum of Death begins on All Hallows Eve. He is the great Victor over death! Here are some of the notable feasts of this month…
10/1-First Friday / St. Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church, author Story of A Soul
10/2-First Saturday / Holy Guardian Angels
10/3-St. Therese of Lisieux (trad) / Respect Life Sunday
10/4-St. Francis of Assisi, Founder Franciscans
10/5-St. Faustina Kowalska, Seer of the Divine Mercy
10/7-OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
10/11-DIVINE MATERNITY OF OUR LADY / Pope St. John XXIII, 20th Century Saint
10/16-St. Margaret Mary, Seer of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
10/17-St. Margaret Mary (trad)
10/18-St. Luke, Evangelist
10/22-Pope St. John Paul II, 20th Century Saint
10/24-St. Raphael the Archangel
10/28-Sts. Simon & Jude, Apostles
10/31-FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING / All Hallows Eve
A personal note: The day after my dear father-in-law passed last week, we were getting together his suit for the funeral home. Someone found a beautiful pair of wooden Rosary beads to place in his hands, and put them on a desk. I was worried they would be forgotten, so I took them and placed them around the hanger of his suit jacket. At that point, I just broke up…the wake was this past Sunday…it was wonderful to see the beads in his hands and a peaceful look on his face, after so much suffering. Above him, attached to the inner top of the casket, was a large Rosary made out of tiny red roses, the crucifix hanging above his head. It was very dignified and very Catholic, just like him. My mother-in-law and I prayed the Glorious Mysteries in the front row, before his body. It was deeply consoling to meditate upon the Resurrection and the rest of the Mysteries. It was also an intimate and precious moment with my mother-in-law, that I will always hold in my heart. Such are the riches of the Most Holy Rosary, that Holy Church reminds us of this month. It may seem a chore at times to pray it, but like confession, you come out of it feeling bright and much better for it. I can say with certainty, that no one will ever regret praying the Holy Rosary!
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