Ember Days & Couples Retreat

This week is the week of the Fall Ember Days...as well as our Diaconate Couples Retreat Weekend!
You can find out about Ember Days HERE

Shorter version is below:

While it is no longer a world-wide Catholic observance, many places still observe Ember Days...
Ember has nothing to do with Ash Wednesday, or burning coals...
Like other words we use in the Church...it has to do with Latin.

The Ember Days take place on Wednesday, Friday & Saturday in a week of each of the four season of the year. They fall after Ash Wednesday, after Whitsunday, and after Sept. 14th, and after Dec. 13th.

Wednesday, Friday & Saturday were particular days of devotion in the early Church: Wednesday as recalling the the betrayal of our Lord, Friday in memory of His Passion, Saturday was later added to these days of prayer and penance as a continuation of Friday, and as far back as the 2nd century they were set apart as Stational days, that is, days of special religious service and fasting.
The Ember Days are a reminder of these ancient days of devotion. Their purpose is to thank God for the fruits of the earth and other gifts of nature, to teach moderation in their use, and to assist the needy. From the time of Pope Gelasius in the fifth century it has been allowed to confer the diaconate & priesthood on the Saturdays of Ember Weeks.

Ant. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for thee.
V./ Lord, Thou hast been our refuge.
R./ From generation to generation.

Let us Pray
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that as year by year we devoutly keep thee holy observances, we may be pleasing to Thee both in body and soul. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN
~ Taken from Blessed Be God (Prayer book)

Water...

Here are two analogies for how I was feeling walking out of the PFE session on Saturday night:

I was trying to take a drink from a fire hose...

OR

I was a beginning swimmer getting thrown into the deep end without a life jacket...

Either way...I was drowning!

I went to bed Sat. night not sure what was going on and how I was going to accomplish all that was being thrown at us...Knowing we would have a full day on Sunday about RCIA as well.
Can I even do this?!? Should I even do this?!? Am I "really" being called or is this just a want?!? It has been a great experience so far, maybe I should just be done and call it good?!?

I know the thoughts in my head were coming from the adversary!

I asked my Guardian Angel to take care of that...As I slept, my Holy Guardian Angel must have been working overtime, because I woke up refreshed, hope-filled and peaceful... Morning Prayer and Holy Mass were excellent and charged me up even more...Man, the words to that last song...Powerful!!!

Sunday's session on RCIA was really informative and positive...

My ride home was peaceful and joy-filled! Just a calmness over me as I drove home and then this came to my mind:

"Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if He wants anything of you,

He will fit you for the work and give you the strength." 

~ St. Philip Neri ~

which brings me to another little quote/saying:
fortes in fide ~ latin for strong in faith

St. Philip Neri...pray for us!

Pray for Dcn. Hansen

It is with sadness that I write this for a great man and mentor for us all...

Dcn Hansen, whom I just saw, but did not get to visit with, as we received admission into our Candidacy for the diaconate has just passed away. Not only are my thoughts and prayers with him and with his family, but I will be working for him to gain a plenary indulgence from the work & prayers I will do below.

I am going to pray this for Deacon Bob Hansen. Feel free to do it as well!
See the end on what you MUST do to complete this for the indulgence (for Dcn Hansen).
More info on other indulgences HERE

9 Days Indulgenced Prayer for Recently Deceased

First Day:
O God, to Whom it belongs always to have mercy and to spare, we humbly beseech Thee for the soul of Thy servant, N., which Thou hast commanded to depart out of this world: that Thou deliver it not into the hands of the enemy, nor forget it unto the end; but command it to be received by Thy holy angels, and conducted into paradise, its true country; that, as in Thee it hath hoped and believed, it may not suffer the pains of hell, but may take possession of eternal joys. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Second Day:
To Thee, O Lord, do we command the soul of Thy servant, N., that being dead to the world s/he may live unto Thee; and whatsoever sins s/he has committed through the frailty of his/her mortal nature, do Thou, by the pardon of Thy most merciful love, wash away. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Third Day:We beseech Thee, O Lord, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant fellowship with Thy saints and elect to the soul of Thy servant, N., whose departure we commemorate, and mayest Thou pour upon it the everlasting dew of Thy mercy. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Fourth Day:
Incline Thine ear, O Lord, unto the prayers in which we suppliantly entreat Thy mercy; and do Thou establish, in a place of peace and rest, the soul of Thy servant, N., whom Thou hast bidden to pass out of this world, and unite him/her to the fellowship of Thy saints. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Fifth Day:
Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant, N., from every bond of sin, that, being raised in the glory of the Resurrection, s/he may be refreshed among Thy saints and elect. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Sixth Day:
We beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy loving kindness, to have mercy on the soul of Thy servant, N., and now, that s/he is released from the contagion of this mortal flesh, to give him/her part in Thine eternal salvation. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Seventh Day:
We implore Thee, O Lord, mercifully to grant companionship with the blessed in heaven to the soul of Thy servant, N., whose death we commemorate. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Eighth Day:
Receive, O Lord, our prayers on behalf of the soul of Thy servant, N., that, if it is still soiled by any earthly stains, it may be purified by Thy merciful forgiveness. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Ninth Day:
Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, this mercy unto Thy servant deceased, that, having in desire kept Thy will, s/he may not suffer in requital of his/her deeds: and as a true faith joined him/her unto the company of Thy faithful here below, so may Thy tender mercy give him/her peace above, among the angel choirs. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her. May s/he rest in peace. AMEN

*A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions at the end of seven or nine days of prayer.
Conditions for Plenary Indulgence:
Do the work while in a state of grace.
Receive sacramental Confession within 20 days of the work (several Plenary Indulgences can be earned per reception)
Receive Eucharistic communion (ONE plenary indulgence per reception)
Pray for the Pope’s intentions (Our Father & Hail Mary, or other appropriate prayer)
Have no attachment to sin (make an Act of the will to love God and despise sin)

Sunday Reading / Reflecting

First class of Leader of Prayer is complete...exciting, informative & edifying!

We covered:
History of LoP along with the Revised Norms for Leader of Prayer for the Diocese of LaCrosse
From Bishop Paul to Bishop Burke and continued with His Excellency, Bishop Callahan! 
Elements of Ritual
Sacred Signs, Symbols & Gestures (What we see, do & how we move...It matters!)
Eucharist as the Celebration of the Paschal Mystery
Common & Ordained Priesthood (Similar but different...Priest, Prophet, King)
Liturgy of the Hours (one of my favorite topics)
Devotions (Theology & Particular Devotions)

The Diocese of La Crosse has an excellent model for learning and transforming people into prayer leaders within their local parishes that really enhances their Catholic Faith and allows them and those they may serve to better glorify God, and (hopefully) bring salvation to others!

It has been a good day of reflecting and reading:

HERE is a post from Fr. Z~ At the very end Fr. Z makes a GREAT plea to all Bishops...
"If I were a Bishop..."
There are some REALLY good bishops out there...let's hope some take him up on his offer/suggestion! 
Let's hope Fr. Z sent this out to some Bishops!!!
If they are good Bishops, they will not take offense to suggestions of help (not judgement or "telling them what to do"), if they are not, then nothing suggested will make a difference anyway...


Good read (& reflection) from Peter Kwasniewski at 1P5
Should Traditional Catholics "Move Past" the Liturgy Debates?

Lots to think, reflect and discern here...

PK's take on serving two masters is interesting...
Novus Ordo & TLM are really not two masters(IMO)...they are (currently) both Rites of the One Holy Catholic & Apostolic Church...thus they serve the same master...Jesus Christ!!!
We are really not serving two masters, we are (or should be) Glorifying God with each...

I do like the statement that N. had..."the Novus Ordo in strict conformity to the rubrics and in the spirit of Tradition."
This is what I have seen/experienced in the NO's I have been fortunate enough to be a part of...It is/can be beautiful and glorifying.

All that said...there is no denying that since the institution of the NO has taken place, there has been a dying of sorts, or hemorrhaging of the body of the Church. We are in trouble from the outside and from within...

This quote:
"...when tradition turns into mere custom, it can quickly lose its standing when challenged."

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From that Article...You may find this brief article, "The Law of Liturgical Entropy" very thought provoking...

...and then that led to this article, "Does Tradition preserve us, or we the Tradition?"

Matthew 16:18

Matthew 16:18
And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)

Office of Readings ~ June 22 ~ John Fischer & Thomas More (2nd Reading)
From a letter written in prison to his daughter, Margaret, by St. Thomas More
Final paragraph from the letter (emphasis mine):
"And therefore, my own good daughter, do not let your mind be troubled over anything that should happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be for the best."


I have reflected a lot on these two things lately...with all the goings on in the church, our country and even locally. It is truly important to know that in the end...God prevails.

Now, that being said, we cannot "stick our head in the sand" and just say, well, God willed that to happen, we should still be taking action and going about our day in the way and vocation God has put us in. But when we find things getting frustrating, anxiety creeping in, things not going our way, it is important to realize that God is in control and WE are not. For that is, many times, the frustrating or anxiety ridden part of what we have...the fact that things are not going the way WE expect them to, or the way WE planned...
Well... "His ways are not our ways" (ref Isaiah 55:8-9)
Remain strong in faith...fortis in fide!

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For those that would like to think that the Pope is NOT the Pope...this is commonly called sedevacantism (dangerous territory, I might add).
I would think that this really comes from a place of pride...again...dangerous territory!
Article HERE

This is worth another read as well...
What is Truth?

Good Stuff...

HERE is the pdf of the Document! This is good stuff!!!
Below are some comments/articles about it!

LifeSite ~ Cdl Burke, Bp Schneider issue ‘declaration of truths’ to correct rampant ‘doctrinal confusion’ in Church

Rorate Caeli  For the Record: Declaration of the truths relating to some of the most common errors in the life of the Church of our time.

OnePeterFive ~ Newly Released "Declaration of Truths" Reads like a Neo-Syllabus of Errors

Bishop Strickland...

One of the "good ones" that is out there speaking the Truth!
Tweeting the truth and articles that need to be shared!!!
If you are on Twitter...Follow @Bishopoftyler (Bishop J. Strickland)

What is truth? (Quid est Veritas?)

Question asked by Pilate to Jesus Christ...

The perfect answer...by the perfect man, Jesus Christ:

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6)

Quid est Veritas? Article HERE

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Also...this timely and needed article by Msgr. Charles Pope
"True Reform Will Come ~ If You and I Remain Steadfast" ~ HERE

A KEY POINT & TAKE-AWAY from this article that I think is worth noting is this:
Remain Steadfast...
We are such an "instant society" that we can hardly hold our attention for long...
We do not really play the long-game...
Of interesting note...Neither did the Apostles...
As stated in the article:
After Jesus told them all that one would betray Him, they inquired about it and then quickly changed the conversation to which one of them was the greatest.
Classic distraction technique utilized by the evil one!!! We puny humans can hardly hold our attention on one thing for very long...That is satan's goto fault within us! He is playing the long-game (although he will not win) and gaining many souls.

Look around...pay attention, see what the top 3 items/stories people are "worked-up" over today and then check that again in 3-4 weeks... Lucky if one still remains...

We are part of the Body of Christ...the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church! What does she tell us? What is the #1 precept of the Church?

You shall attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation (& hopefully, able to receive the Eucharist)...
...this is what grounds us and brings us back to the focus we should have...our eternal salvation and that of our loved ones and who we are responsible for!

Monthly Confession, The Divine Office / Liturgy of the Hours, Daily Prayers (our conversation w/ God), Daily Scripture Reading (God's conversation w/ us), Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Daily Examine, other various devotions, etc.

Think about all the things Holy Mother Church has for us to remain grounded and steadfast, if we would only heed her advice!

Rogation Days...

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week are called Rogation Days.
HERE is something about it from fisheaters.
HERE is something about it from new advent.

Below is taken from my prayer book, Blessed Be God (bold is mine).

Rogation Days
In the 5th century, St. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienne, appointed three days of public prayer and procession for his diocese in consequence of certain great calamities, such as fire, earthquakes, and other scourges which were devastating his country. During these processions, Litanies were recited to appease the anger of God. This custom later became universal, and the three days before Ascension were set aside by the Church as the time for these public prayers. Even before St. Mamertus, it was customary in Rome to have a procession of this kind on St. Mark's day, April 25th, which procession became known as the Greater Litanies. The three days before Ascension are called Rogation Days, or days of intercession. At the present time these are days of special prayer for the coming harvest. The Litany of the Saints is most appropriate for these days.

Ant. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you; for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
V. He heard my voice from His holy temple.
R. And my cry before Him came into His ears.

Let us Pray
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we, who in our affliction confide in Thy loving kindness, may be ever defended by Thy protection against all adversity. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

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Litany of the Saints (Video-Latin / Video-English)
Have a blessed week & use the Rogation Days...PRAY with strong BELIEF and FAITH that what you ask for, you will be granted. These are days of intercession, so interceed!

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This Thursday, May 30th (The "real" Ascension)... USA celebrates it on the following Sunday, but we should acknowledge that it is really on Thursday...

Ascension Day
Ant. God is ascended in jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of trumpet. Alleluia.
V. The Lord is in Sina, in the holy place. Alleluia.
R. Ascending on high, He hath led captivity captive. Alleluia!

Let us Pray
Grand, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we who believe Thine only-begotten Son, our Redeemer, to have this day ascended into heaven, may ourselves dwell in spirit amid heavenly things. Through the same Christ our Lord. AMEN