August 2008 Archives

Ven. Pope Pius IX, 1867

After St. Dominic had founded the Order of Preachers, it was his desire to put an end to the errors of the Albigensians. Moved by divine inspiration, he began to implore the help of the Immaculate Mother of God, to whom alone it has been given to wipe out all the heresies in the universe, and he preached the Rosary as an infallible protection against heresies and vices. The devotion spread among the faithful in a wonderful way. In fact, later on many of them, but especially the Friars Preachers, following in the footsteps of their holy father and Founder, did their utmost to make the Rosary known, for they had seen the benefits and favors it had lavished on the whole Christian world. They also endeavored to make this devotion more pleasing to the Mother of God. This is the origin of the pious association known as "The Perpetual Rosary," founded in Bologna at the beginning of the seventeenth century, thanks to the zeal of the members of the Order of Friars Preachers, as was reported to us. Every member was to take his turn reciting the Rosary at the different hours of the day and night, as a perpetual homage addressed to the Mother of God.

As Catholic bishops and priests languish in Communist Chinese prisons today, it is worth recalling a turning point in history when the Roman Pontiff sold his silence, and the silence of the Church, to the Communists. In 1962, Pope John XXIII sent Cardinal Tisserant, the Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, to sign an agreement with a KGB agent, Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Nikodim. It took place at Metz, France, in August 1962, and was reported in the the local newspaper. The agreement obtained the presence of Russian Orthodox bishops at Vatican II at the price of the Council's silence on Communism.

For the best source of information on the Catholic Church in China, visit The Cardinal Kung Foundation.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for Pope Benedict, and for all of our brethren who suffer at the hands of Communists.

It is good to remember on the feast of the great St. Dominic, August 4, how he preached the Holy Rosary and offered penances for the conversion of sinners (earlier article). Here is another excerpt from The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis Marie de Montfort.

-------------------------

One day [St. Dominic] had to preach at Notre Dame in Paris, and it happened to be the feast of St. John the Evangelist. He was in a little chapel behind the high alter prayerfully preparing his sermon by saying the Rosary, as he always did, when Our Lady appeared to him and said:

"Dominic, even though what you have planned to say may be very good, I am bringing you a much better sermon."

Saint Dominic took in his hands the book Our Lady proffered, read the sermon carefully and when he had understood it and meditated on it, he gave thanks to the Blessed Mother.

When the time came, he went up into the pulpit and, in spite of the feast day, made no mention of Saint John other than to say that he had been found worthy to be the guardian of the Queen of Heaven. The congregation was made up of theologians and other eminent people who were used to hearing unusual and polished discourses; but Saint Dominic told them that it was not his wish to give them a learned discourse, wise in the eyes of the world, but that he would speak in the simplicity of the Holy Spirit and with His forcefulness.

So he began preaching the Holy Rosary and explained the Hail Mary word by word as he would to a group of children and used the very simple illustrations which were in the book Our Lady had given him.

Does the return of the Latin Mass signal a return to Tradition? No, according to Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, there can be no return. Below is an excerpt from his 1987 book Principles of Catholic Theology (Ignatius Press, pp. 390-391), in which he advocates, not a return, but a "demolition of the bastions."

Does this mean that the Council itself must be revoked? Certainly not. It means only that the real reception of the Council has not yet even begun. What devastated the Church in the decade after the Council was not the Council but the refusal to accept it. This becomes clear precisely in the history of the influence of Gaudium et spes. What was identified with the Council was, for the most part, the expression of an attitude that did not coincide with the statements to be found in the text itself, although it is recognizable as a tendency in its development and in some of its individual formulations. The task is not, therefore, to suppress the Council but to discover the real Council and to deepen its true intention in the light of present experience. That means that there can be no return to the Syllabus, which may have marked the first stage in the confrontation with liberalism and a newly conceived Marxism but cannot be the last stage. In the long run, neither embrace nor ghetto can solve for Christians the problem of the modern world. The fact is, as Hans Urs von Balthasar pointed out as early as 1952, that the "demolition of the bastions" is a long-overdue task.

From The Little Catechism of the Curé of Ars (Tan Books)

All good works together are not of equal value with the sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men, and the holy Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison; it is the sacrifice that man makes of his life to God; the Mass is the sacrifice that God makes to man of His Body and of His Blood. Oh, how great is a priest! if he understood himself he would die. God obeys him; he speaks two words, and Our Lord comes down from Heaven at his voice, and shuts Himself up in a little Host. God looks upon the altar. “That is My well- beloved Son’ He says, “in whom I am well- pleased.” He can refuse nothing to the merits of the offering of this Victim. If we had faith, we should see God hidden in the priest like a light behind a glass, like wine mingled with water.

...If someone said to us, “At such an hour a dead person is to be raised to life,” we should run very quickly to see it. But is not the Consecration, which changes bread and wine into the Body and Blood of God, a much greater miracle than to raise a dead person to life? We ought always to devote at least a quarter of an hour to preparing ourselves to hear Mass well; we ought to annihilate ourselves before God, after the example of His profound annihilation in the Sacrament of the Eucharist; and we should make our examination of conscience, for we must be in a state of grace to be able to assist properly at Mass. If we knew the value of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or rather if we had faith, we should be much more zealous to assist at it.

We are in the process of starting a Latin prayer group in the Trenton, New Jersey, area, as the Holy Father exhorted the laity to learn the Church's prayers in Latin. We will most likely be meeting at the Emmaus House, which is the home of the Rider University Catholic ministry in Lawrenceville. If you know of anyone who is interested in attending or contributing suggestions, kindly give them my contact information.

Pax tecum,
Anna M. Roberts
609.915.7224

For any folks in the Hudson Valley, NY area, I'm pleased to forward
the following announcement:

=`=`=`=`=`=` =`=`=`=`

The Tridentine Latin Mass is now scheduled for 12:00 Noon every
Sunday at St. Sylvia's Church, Tivoli, NY. The Celebrant is Msgr.
Joachim J. Olendzki.

He has recently been assigned to St. Sylvia's, and, together with Fr.
Thomas Curley, Pastor of St. Christopher' s, Red Hook, they are trying
to restore tradition and reverence in all the Masses in the two
churches.

The Tridentine Noon Mass at St. Sylvia's has only been said twice so
far; the first time (7/20), I was the only person there besides the
Celebrant.

Last Sunday (7/27), there were 7 people there including me. I am
hoping to increase support for this fledgling TLM so we don't lose
it. Please come if you can.

Directions to St. Sylvia's: Tivoli is a hamlet village of Red Hook;
you go North on Rt. 9 into Rhinebeck, turn right (north) on Rt. 9G.
Proceed on Rt. 9G north, past three traffic lights. Turn left on
Broadway into Tivoli. St. Sylvia's is at 104 Broadway (on left side
of the street). A large church parking lot is just across the street
from the church.

Please tell all your traditional friends about this Mass.

Thank you and God Bless.

Mike Yannette

(Latin Mass Network, in defense of Tradition, publishes articles critical of modern thinking, some of which may have given the impression that we are leading an attack against the Papacy. This is most definitely untrue. And while we could settle this with a defense of the doctrines regarding the papacy, it seemed better to present and affirm these words from the heart of a great pastor of souls.)

“To love the Pope, it is sufficient to reflect who he is. The Pope is the guardian of dogma and morals; he is the depository of the principles which ensure the integrity of the family, the grandeur of nations, the sanctity of souls. He is the councilor of princes and peoples; he is the chief under whose sway none feels tyrannized, because he represents God Himself. He is par excellence the father who unites in himself all that is loving, tender and divine. It seems incredible, and yet it is a sad fact, that there are priests to whom this recommendation must be made, but We are nonetheless in Our times under the hard, the unhappy necessity to say to priests: Love the Pope!
“And how must the Pope be loved? Not in word alone, but in deed and truth. When we love someone, we seek to conform ourselves in everything to his thoughts, to execute his will, to interpret his desires. And if Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, ‘If anyone love me, he will keep my word,’ to show our love for the Pope we must obey him.
“And this is why, when we love the Pope, we do not dispute whether he commands or requires a thing, or seek to know where the strict obligation of obedience lies, or in what matter we must obey; when we love the Pope we do not say that he has not yet spoken clearly - as if he were required to speak his will in every man’s ear, and to utter it not only by word of mouth but in letters and other public documents as well. Nor do we cast doubt on his orders, alleging the pretext which comes easily to the man who does not want to obey, that it is not the Pope who is commanding, but some one in his entourage. We do not limit the field in which he can and ought to exercise his authority; we do not oppose to the Pope’s authority that of other persons - no matter how learned - who differ from the Pope. For whatever may be their learning, they are not holy, for where there is holiness there cannot be disagreement with the Pope.”

Dear friends of the Latin Mass,

There is going to be a Latin Mass parish in Quincy, Illinois. Diocese of Spingfield. His Grace, George J. Lucas D. D. Bishop.

This Church will be under the care of the Fraternity of St. Peter, and will be called the Shrine of St. Rose of Lima, a church that was closed in 2006. the first Mass should be in Nov 2008. Father Deviller will be the first rector and will be coming from Rome to take the post over.

If you are in the area of Quincy, we are having a Sunday low mass, at St. Joseph's Church there, and being said by Rev. Lewis Schlangen at 10:30am. this will contine until Nov, when the shrine opens this fall.

We are asking fo donations to help with the installations of the 3 altars and railing. Your donations can be made out to the Latin Mass Society of Quincy. P.O. Box 3006, Quincy, Ill. 62305 all donations are tax deductable.

Paul K. Geers
president of the Latin Mass Society of Quincy

The following churches are offering the Traditional Latin Mass for the feast of the Assumption, this Friday, August 15:

Connecticut:

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, Missa Cantata, 5:30 pm. directions

The music at St. Mary's features Toccata avanti la Messa della Madonna (Girolamo Frescobaldi, 1583-1643),Missa de Beata Virgine (Gregor Aichinger, c.1565-1628), Gregorian Mass of the Assumption: Signum magnum, Ave Maria (Tomás Luis de Victoria, 1548-1611), Ave maris stella (Claudio Monteverdi, 1567-1643), Ricercare dopo il Credo (per la Messa "In Festis Beatae Mariae Virginis") (Frescobaldi)

St. Bridget of Kildare, Moodus, CT, Missa Cantata, 10 am. directions

The music at St. Bridget's will include a Gregorian Mass and chant sung by the schola, the Gregorian Ave Maris Stella with organ verses by Jehan Titelouze, and the Ave Maria of Saint-Saëns sung by visiting vocal artist Lorna Mulvaney.

Church of St. Mary, 544 Main St., New Britain, 5:30 pm

New York

Immaculate Conception Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY, low Mass, 5 pm. directions

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the Bronx, 8:30 am. directions

Church of Our Saviour, 38th and Park Avenue, New York, NY, low Mass, 12:05 pm.

Church of the Holy Innocents, W. 37th St. between 7th Ave. and Broadway, New York, NY, 6:15 pm.

New Jersey

St. Anthony of Padua Chapel, West Orange, NJ, 9:00 a.m. Low Mass; 7:00 p.m. Missa Cantata. directions

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, 32 W. Franklin Ave., Pequannock, 7 am, 8 am, 12 noon, 7 pm.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Newark, 7:00 p.m. Low Mass

Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, 5:30 p.m. Missa Cantata

The music at Holy Rosary Church will include Missa Te Deum Laudamus by Lorenzo Perosi, Ave Maria by Saint Saens, and Ave Maris Stella by Grieg sung by the choir; Gregorian chant sung by the schola; and Ave Maria by Giulio Caccini, Panis Angelicus by Cesar Franck, and La Vergine degli Angeli by Giuseppe Verdi from La Forza del Destino sung by visiting soprano Paula Scalera.

Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Broadway and Market St., Camden, Solemn Mass, 7:00 pm.

The musical selections are as follows: The Ordinary of the Mass is the Messa della Cappella (1641), by Claudio Monteverdi. Other selections: Canzon XII a 8, Giovanni Gabrielli; Sonata Sopra "Sancta Maria", C. Monteverdi; Venite Populi and Sonata #12 in C major, K 263, W.A. Mozart; Pulchra est amica mea, Palestrina-Bassano; Ave Maria, Harold Boatrite; Hymns - Repeat My Soul, Walter Greatorex and Sing We of the Blessed Mother, Timothy McDonnell. The sermonist of the Mass is Father John Zuhlsdorf, a renowned commentator and the author of the Blog, "What does the Prayer Really Say."

The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny

This sounds like so much fun!

Received the following invitation:

We would also like to inform you that St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, is offering a chant camp for children of all ages to learn about singing and reading music, and in particular Gregorian chant. The camp will take place from Monday August 18 to Friday August 22, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm each day. No prior musical experience is required, and there is no charge for the camp. For further information and to register for the chant camp, please contact David Hughes, St. Mary's organist and choirmaster: 203-866-5546 x 115 or music@stmarynorwalk.net.

St Hugh of Cluny Blogspot kindly sent us this information and is so helpful in keeping us up to date about developments in the Latin Mass Community.

Solemn High Traditional Latin Mass of the Assumption at the Camden (NJ) Cathedral, 7:00 PM, Friday, August 15, 2008

In honor of Our Lady's Assumption Mater Ecclesiae Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Camden invites you to attend the Solemn High Mass of the Assumption celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Broadway and Market Sts., Camden, NJ on Friday, August 15, 2008 at 7:00 PM. Father Robert C. Pasley, KHS, is the Rector of Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ and a member of the Advisory Council of the Latin Liturgy Association, Inc., Philadelphia Chapter. This choral Mass is the Eighth Annual Mass of Thanksgiving that Mater Ecclesiae offers at the Camden cathedral. Those who have attended in past years know how beautiful and inspiring it is. Please make every effort to attend and to spread the word about this Mass. Thank you very much.

Please note that Camden cathedral is less than a block from the Rand Transportation Center and Broadway Station of the PATCO High Speed Line, the River Line, and numerous bus lines from Center City Philadelphia and New Jersey. Free protected parking is available right beside the cathedral.

Per Virginem Matrem concedat nobis Dominus salutem et pacem!

Dr. Rudoph Masciantonio
Chairman, Philadelphia Chapter, Latin Liturgy Association, Inc.
Rudolphus9@aol.com
429 S. 20th St. #A
Philadelphia, PA 19146
215 732-6431
www.latinliturgy.com

Friday, 15 August, 12 noon:

There will be a Gregorian Rite or Traditional Latin Mass, for the Solemnity of the Assumption at Holy
Family Catholic Church, Clemmons, NC. This will be a Solemn High Mass.
Fr. Kowalksi will be the priest; Fr. Robert Ferguson, FSSP, will be
deacon; and Fr. Christopher Davis will be Subdeacon. Our schola will
sing from the Liber Usualis.

[His Excellency Bishop Matano, of Vermont, sayng the First Latin Mass in 40 years there on the Feast of the Assumption August 2007, with my 2 favorite altar boys seen on either end.]

We've had a couple of inquiries about learning to serve and after canvassing all my friends and checking the internet this is what I came up with. We invite more resources in the com boxes.

1. Altar Boy Responses, written and verbal.

I just stumbled upon this and really like this- for one thing it is free and for another you can book mark it and your son can study it a little bit at a time. There is a Real Player recording of the response that your son can listen to.

I have absolutely no idea who the website owner is so I'm not endorsing everything on what looks like an extensive website but this looked like a nice set up to me.

2. Learning to Serve by Fr. Charles Carmody. This hardcover book looks wonderful and like it would make a very nice gift for a young man learning to serve at Mass. And the price is a very reasonable $11.95

3. The always excellent Fraternity of St Peter has a 40 minute video about learning to serve the Latin Mass.

4. By Angelus Press: Learning to Serve Low Mass by Fr. William O'Brien and serving Low Mass is always a good place to start.

5. Also by Angelus Press the reprinted: "Know Your Mass" in a comic book format which I understand is excellent.

We'll try to make this and any incoming information available on the website in a permanent format so send in your suggestions.
Thanks,
Mary

Fr. Zuhlsdorf:

I’m not a blogger, but occasionally check your site. That being said, I’m presumptious in requesting a favor for the Extraordinary Form congregants here in Toronto. I’d like to inform them about the following:

1) The FSSP is established in the city; I have temporary residence at Holy Cross Church, 291 Cosburn Ave, East York. Masses will continue at Shomberg and Scarborough, with the assistance of Fr. Liam Gavigan.

2) Daily Mass will be offered at Holy Cross Church 291 Cosburn Ave, East York, beginning this Monday, August 11. The schedule will be posted in the FSSP Apostolate bulletin, and eventually here at Holy Cross, which may be found online or by contacting the rectory. This week’s schedule of Low Masses is:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: NOON
Tuesday 7:00 PM
Thursday 7:00 AM (This week only; beginning next week Thursday’s Mass will regulary be at 7pm.)

My thanks to you, Father.

In Christo,
Fr. Howard Venette FSSP

On this vigil of the Assumption of Our Lady, I thought I'd publish a beautiful prayer to Her that nobody says anymore - probably because nobody believes it anymore. It's taken from the 1957 Raccolta, possibly composed by Pope Pius IX (readers help me on this).

St Mary's Church
206 Cherry Rd NE
Massillon, OH 44646

330-833-8501

4th Sunday of the month at 5PM

Next 2 scheduled Masses are August 24th and September 28th at 5 PM.

A priest from the Fraternity of St Peter from Vienna, OH comes to say the Mass

St Sylvia's Church
108 Broadway
Tivoli, NY 12583

845-757-2442

12 Noon on Sundays

Directions:

Directions to St. Sylvia's: Tivoli is a hamlet village of Red Hook;
you go North on Rt. 9 into Rhinebeck, turn right (north) on Rt. 9G.
Proceed on Rt. 9G north, past three traffic lights. Turn left on
Broadway into Tivoli. St. Sylvia's is at 104 Broadway (on left side
of the street). A large church parking lot is just across the street
from the church.

St Anthony of Padua
32832 St. Anthony's Way
San Antonio, FL 33576

353-588-3081

Fr. Palka can be reached at FatherrPalka@gmail.com

Sunday 9 AM

Diocese of Biloxi

Annunciation Church
5370 Kiln - DeLisle Road
Kiln, Mississippi 39556

Every Saturday: 6.00 p.m

(Mass of Sunday Obligation)

Start Date: 4 August, 2008

Tel.: (228) 255-1800

Fax: (228) 255-1894

E-mail: annunciationkiln@earthlink.net

St. Stephen Church
900 West Garden Street
Pensacola, Florida 32501

Fr. Hector Pérez, S.T.D., Celebrant and Parish Priest

Every Sunday: 10.30 a.m.

Start Date: 7 September, 2008

Tel.: (850) 432-9362

It was my joy to scan-in the life of St. Hyacinth as the Saint of the Day for August 17. It was the first time I had read about this miracle worker from Poland who received the habit from St. Dominic. He entered into glory in 1257 at age 72 after walking across Asia to win souls! He converted multitudes, walked on water and raised the dead.

Here are a few excerpts from the account of his life. Notice how St. Hyacinth was beholden to the old theology. He actually believed that souls would perish for not knowing about Jesus Christ. His mortifications are unheard of today. And his grasp of ecumenism and the "seeds of truth" concept were greatly lacking, as he simply destroyed idols. Today, we know better. We no longer send the missionaries to convert the lost. We no longer fast but 2 days a year, and we join in dialogue with idolators. What happened? St. Hyacinth, pray for us.

"His zeal was too active for him to allow himself any rest whilst he saw souls perishing eternally in the ignorance of the true God;"

"His fasts were almost perpetual, and on all Fridays and vigils on bread and water; the bare ground was his bed, and sometimes in the open fields; neither hunger, thirst, weariness, rains, extreme cold, or dangers could ever abate his ardor to gain a soul to Christ."

"Seeing one day an assembly of idolaters on their knees before a great tree in an island in the river Boristhenes, commonly called the Nieper, he walked over the water to them, and easily prevailed with them, after the sight of such a miracle, to destoy their idols, fell the great oak, and embrace the faith."

Should a priest be required to use the new missal, or more, to concelebrate the Novus Ordo with his bishop? Does it go against charity and respect for the Holy Father for a priest, or anyone, for that matter, to avoid the new Mass entirely (assuming that one fulfills his Sunday obligation)?

Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos wants to see concelebration, but doesn't say it is the law. Fr. Berg says it has never been required of FSSP priests. Finally, Cardinal Ottaviani reminds us of the theological note of the new missal.

While trying to derive some wisdom from St. Basil, I came upon one sentence of his that seemed to strongly parallel our circumstances today. As the Saint wrote, "even though liberty be granted us," it made me think of the liberty granted the Mass in Summorum Pontificum. Was St. Basil's conclusion that liberty would signal the end of the crisis? Unfortunately, no. St. Basil, Pray for Us!

"Only one offense is now vigorously punished, an accurate observance of our fathers' traditions. For this cause the pious are driven from their countries and transported into the deserts. The people are in lamentation.... Joy and spiritual cheerfulness are no more; our feasts are turned into mourning; our houses of prayer are shut up; our altars are deprived of spiritual worship. No longer are there Christians assembling, teachers presiding, saving instructions, celebrations, hymns by night, or that blessed exultation of souls, which arises from communion and fellowship of spiritual gifts.... The ears of the simple are led astray, and have become accustomed to heretical profaneness. The infants of the Church are fed on the words of impiety. For what can they do? Baptisms are in Arian hands; the care of travelers, visitation of the sick, consolation of mourners; succors of the distressed.... Which all, being performed by them, become a bond to the people... so that in a little while, even though liberty be granted us, no hope will remain that they, who are encompassed by so lasting a deceit, should be brought back again to the acknowledgment of the truth."

St Barnabas
113 E Division Street
Mazomanie, WI 53560

608-795-4321

It seems that someone with the spirit of St. Hyacinth did some idol smashing in Australia recently. According to the article on CathNews.com, some enlightened priest had a 3-ft tall Buddha in his church, and somebody took it out and smashed it! This is reminiscent of St. Hyacinth, whom we featured four days ago, in an article and in the "Saint of the Day" (Aug. 17). What a coincidence.

The Saints would rejoice, right? Well not all. For example, Cardinal Ratzinger, in 2002 before his elevation to the Throne, wrote in his book God and the World: Believing and Living in Our Time: “There were in fact Christian hotheads and fanatics who destroyed temples, who were unable to see paganism as anything more than idolatry that had to be radically eliminated.” (p. 373) Maybe St. Hyacinth, as well as St. Francis Xavier and St. Benedict, were just fanatics who would know better, had they enjoyed the enlightenment of our time.

To learn more about devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary go:

Read more
Read more
Read more

On this feast of the great St. Louis, King of France (August 25th), it is good to remember that the right ordering of society is for the government to be subject to the Church, so as to be subject to Christ the King. That this is undone today is a sign that the Good God is punishing us.

Pope Pius IX addressed several issues regarding government in his Syllabus of Errors (see below). The hierarchy today has thrown off the guidance of this venerable pontiff, saying, "there can be no return to the Syllabus." What is the right ordering of society? Will Christendom be restored? St. Louis, Pray for Us!

19. The Church is not a true and perfect society, entirely free- nor is she endowed with proper and perpetual rights of her own, conferred upon her by her Divine Founder; but it appertains to the civil power to define what are the rights of the Church, and the limits within which she may exercise those rights. -- Allocution "Singulari quadam," Dec. 9, 1854, etc.

20. The ecclesiastical power ought not to exercise its authority without the permission and assent of the civil government. -- Allocution "Meminit unusquisque," Sept. 30, 1861.

21. The Church has not the power of defining dogmatically that the religion of the Catholic Church is the only true religion. -- Damnatio "Multiplices inter," June 10, 1851.

27. The sacred ministers of the Church and the Roman pontiff are to be absolutely excluded from every charge and dominion over temporal affairs. -- Allocution "Maxima quidem," June 9, 1862.

39. The State, as being the origin and source of all rights, is endowed with a certain right not circumscribed by any limits. -- Allocution "Maxima quidem," June 9, 1862.

77. In the present day it is no longer expedient that the Catholic religion should be held as the only religion of the State, to the exclusion of all other forms of worship. -- Allocution "Nemo vestrum," July 26, 1855.

On the feast of the seven joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aug. 27, read more here), it is fitting to look at yet more of the benefits of her Holy Rosary. The following is excerpted from St.Louis Marie's Secret of the Rosary, a chapter called "Twenty-Seventh Rose."

For this feast of St. Augustine, August 28, a prayer taken from a 1959 Maryknoll missal:

O MOST HOLY, O most benign, O noble and glorious Virgin Mary, who was worthy to bear in your sacred womb the Creator of all and at your virginal breast to nourish him whose true, real, and most holy body and blood I, an unworthy sinner, have just now dared to receive: I humbly ask you to intercede with him for me, a sinner; that whatsoever, by ignorance or neglect, accident or irreverence, I have left undone or have done amiss, in this unspeakably holy sacrifice, may be pardoned through your prayers to the same our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Which pope taught the following?

We now come to another and most fruitful cause of the evils which at present afflict the Church and which We so bitterly deplore; We mean indifferentism, or that fatal opinion everywhere diffused by the craft of the wicked, that men can by the profession of any faith obtain the eternal salvation of their souls, provided their life conforms to justice and probity. But in a question so clear and evident it will undoubtedly be easy for Us to pluck up from amid the people confided to your care so pernicious an error. The apostle warns us of it: “One God, one faith, one baptism. “ Let them tremble then who imagine that every creed leads by an easy path to the port of felicity; and reflect seriously on the testimony of our Savior Himself, that those are against Christ who are not with Christ, and that they miserably scatter by the fact that they gather not with Him, and that consequently they will perish eternally without any doubt, if they do not hold to the Catholic Faith, and preserve it entire and without alteration. Let them hear Saint Jerome himself, relating that, at the epoch when the Church was divided into three parties, he, faithful to what had been decided, incessantly repeated to all who endeavored to win him over: “Whoso is united to the chair of Peter is with me.” In vain did they attempt to create an illusion by saying that he himself was regenerated in water; for Saint Augustine answers precisely: “The branch lopped off has the shape of the vine; but what avails the form if it have not the root?”

We just received the following prayer request from Sam Orsot. The current predictions for Hurricane Gustav are to hit Louisiana Monday afternoon as a category 4 or 5 storm (more info here). St. Louis, pray for Louisiana.

"Please pray for us inhabitants of the Gulf Coast. Please if you have a blog, post asking for prayers. 3 years after Katrina and Rita, we are still rebuilding. We need help. Pray please for Cameron, Lake Charles, New Orleans, etc. We need prayers."