BEING PRO-LIFE IS LOGICAL

I have been following the pro-abortion arguments for decades.  I have yet to hear one that is logical.  Many are simply emotional arguments that cannot be backed up by any logic.  

Consider the following carefully:

You are conceived as a result of sexual intercourse. What other beginning can a life have?
Making it to your 'second trimester' is nothing more than a mark on the calendar. When your heart begins to beat, when your brain begins to create brain waves ... those are just a part of your development, just as puberty or loosing your baby teeth are.

THERE IS NO POINT IN TIME WHEN WE CAN SAY THAT A LIFE HAS SUDDENLY BECOME THE LIFE OF A HUMAN PERSON. The only times that there are any changes in our actual being is, firstly, at conception, and secondly, at the moment of death.

Between conception and death all we have is growth and decay of the same entity. Since there is no change prior to death other than conception, the only logical point in a life when said life becomes the life of a human person is CONCEPTION. Everything else is merely growth and decay.

Lord have mercy on us!

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED GOD DURING THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION?

Every now and then we a privileged by God as He draws us into His closer presence.

After Adoration tonight we celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Ordinary Form).  My mind began to wander during the Prayer of Consecration.  To help bring myself back to the reality of the miracle taking place right before me I began to picture our Lord spilling His blood as He hung on the cross.

OUR SOULS ARE WORTH THAT MUCH???

The love of God became especially real to me at that moment, as the priest consecrated the wine and it became the Blood of Jesus.
He suffered and died for us so that we may escape eternal suffering in hell.  Our sins require that as a punishment, but God's love caused Him to pay the price for us.
Jesus also had to become God Incarnate so that He could remain present with us on the altars of the Church until the end of time.

And there I was about to receive His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity!
I suddenly felt so "real", so in-tune with the reality of God's eternal presence.

God Himself was placed on my tongue.  God not only entered my spiritually, as at Baptism, He also entered my physically.  And not just me alone.  Tonight He entered each individual assisting at Mass.

Image from http://veneremurcernui.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/holy-sacrifice-of-the-mass-freeing-souls-from-purgatory.jpg

Thank you Lord!

Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family.
Amen.

Which Church did Jesus establish with his authority?

Link:
Which Church did Jesus establish with his authority?

I found the above to be a wonderful way of helping others to understand the Catholic Church.

From - http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3268695418_af3c7553df_o.jpg

3-Minute Retreats - Daily Online Prayer - Loyola Press

3-Minute Retreats - Daily Online Prayer - Loyola Press

This is a great way to begin your time on the Internet.  
There is a lot of evil on the web, but we are soldiers of Christ.  We need to stay connected to Jesus and His Church.  Divine Office (dot org) is another great spot!   (http://divineoffice.org)

Is Catholicism Pagan? | Catholic Answers

Here's a good source of information if you are ever looking for the truth behind the fallacy that  Christianity came from paganism.

Is Catholicism Pagan? | Catholic Answers

DAILY 3-MINUTE RETREAT COURESY OF LOYOLA PRESS.

Now this is a link for a great way to start, or to refresh, your day:

3-Minute Retreats

 3-Minute Retreats.

I have found them to be short, thoughtful ... and challenging.
Please take advantage of this online opportunity.

3

 

-Minute Retreats

SO MANY PEOPLE DYING DAILY ... WHAT IS THEIR ETERNAL DESTINATION?

Today there was a horrific collision between a city bus and a passenger train about a half an hour north of me.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-bus-train-crash-kills-6-in-commuting-horror-1.1858868


For the last year or two, as I listen to/read the news, my mind keeps turning to the immortal souls of those who die.  Everyday we have tragedies and people dying natural deaths.

Obviously we are concerned about those who are mourning their deaths, but far more important than that is whether or not they died in a state of grace! 

 Jesus gave many warnings about how hard it is to enter the kingdom of heaven.  We need to enter through the narrow gate.  He warns, through the parable of the ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom, that those who do not stay prepared (in the parable by bringing enough oil for their lamps) that he will 'not know them'. Matthew 25:1-13:
[1] Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. [2] And five of them were foolish, and five wise. [3] But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them: [4] But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. [5] And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
[6] And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him. [7] Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. [8] And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. [9] The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. [10] Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.
[11] But at last come also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. [12] But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not. [13] Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.[ Douay-Rheims Bible]
 Jesus separates the 'lambs' from the 'goats' per their deeds.  For the 'goats' there is no entrance into heaven.  (Matthew 25:31-46)

The Holy Spirit, speaking through His holy Catholic Church, has warned us that to die in a state of mortal sin means a decent into hell ... for eternity.
[ In order for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions:

• Mortal sin is a sin of grave matter
• Mortal sin is committed with full knowledge of the sinner
• Mortal sin is committed with deliberate consent of the sinner ]

 We, of course, have no idea the condition of any person at the moment of death.  We cannot even comprehend the limitlessness of God's Mercy and His Justice ... and His Love.  

Even if our spiritual leaders fail to mention it.  Even though the media never goes near the idea.  Even though it makes us uncomfortable to consider that any individual may be choosing hell over eternity with God, WE MUST REMEMBER THE SOULS OF EVERYONE WHO DIES.  

Never, ever, assume that someone is going to heaven.  We only know for sure that the saints are in heaven.  
For everyone who is destined for heaven, unless they are already pure in every way, they have to head to purgatory for to be purified from the stains of their sins.

We need to pray, pray and pray.

(From http://kbpipes.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/purgatory.jpg)

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Have mercy, dear Jesus, on all the poor souls in purgatory, and especially for
(Mention the name[s] here...)
Grant them (him/her) eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon them (him/her).
Amen. 

See also: purgatory.ca

Catholics are on the "winning team"!

The 'meat' of the video starts at the 40 second mark  (+/-).

The Catholic Church was instituted by God Himself.  The world may strive to lead people one way, but in the end the world will never triumph over the Church

Being on the winning team, let us all act the part.  Be brave and speak out to the world.  Speak with charity and with Truth.  
Let us arm ourselves with knowledge (now readily available via the Internet).  Pray for wisdom.  When it is necessary to defend God's teachings as revealed through the Catholic Church let's all be prepared and do so with love and wisdom.

God be with you! 

Originally Posted on the Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

(Image from:  http://0.tqn.com/d/catholicism/1/7/P/0/-/-/Exaltation_of_the_Holy_Cross.png)

Here's a great link with more information on "The Triumph of the Cross" AKA "The Exaltation of the Holy Cross":

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

By Scott P. Richert, About.com Guide

Homosexual? Maybe you can help send souls to heaven

Watch this for a genuinely Catholic look at homosexuality.

The Catholic Church has a long history of recognizing "the victim soul".

[ If the video doesn't load you can also find it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0sILSapUUc#t=15 ]

Abortion as a "woman's rights" issue?

Abortion is a question of woman's rights?

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F8iwED6jEheXRjbU_2_P_aHqifld-noWDoEfQ_p7yKzRZnfGjLrPHuS6nJ9Fhre8N11ANXdOyE1E3uW6iPfuO-6bVJweImbj0qnB6ZZrG5yGc8CaJYh0cZO-TvFsw-CTN1mjcGM2Eg/s1600/fetus-facepalm_www-zaaap_-net_.jpg

 Of the many serious problems I see with the 'pro-choice' arguments, this is one of the silliest ideas.  But it is being drummed into us year after year.  Abortion is a HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE.

 The mother carries the baby, but the father and the baby are also involved.

 How can we, as a civilized society, ever condone the taking of an innocent life if there is the remotest chance that that life is a the life of a human person?

 Every abortion results in a death.  It makes no difference whether or not it takes place in a hospital or a back alley.  At least one life is lost.

 If you consider yourself pro-choice how can you be 100% certain that the life of the fetus is not the life of a human person.  I mean 100%.

 Here in Canada in a criminal trial guilt must be proved 'beyond a reasonable doubt' for a conviction.  (Even if convicted there is no death penalty.)  If it can not be proven 'beyond a reasonable doubt' that a fetus, at any stage of development, is not a human person, how can a mother pass a death sentence?

  People can find reasons to doubt the fetus's humanity and and come to believe their person-hood to be unlikely, but that idea  can never be proved absolutely.

 Think about our development.  There are only two major events in our lives.  Birth is not one of the two.

First we are conceived.  Then there follows years of development and decay until our natural death.

 The person conceived during sexual intercourse is the exact same person that will die, say, 80 years and nine months later.

 Pregnancy.  Many people are affected.  The mother carrying the life in her womb is most heavily affected.  

 Abortion.  Many people are affected.  The mother going through the ordeal (which is NOT "health car") is heavily affected, but the only person loosing a life (if the procedure goes as planned) is the life inside the mother. 

 How does the pro-choice movement make any logical sense to anyone?  It sure is a mystery to me.  Logically it is nonsense.  But politically it gets votes.  Do people like to be 'pro-choice' so that they can be 'modern' and think like the rest of the crowd?  That's the only way that I can see this mess staying around for so many decades.

Salvation "outside" the Catholic Church.

Just a quick post before I'm off to work.

I was just reading Father Z's blog, "What does the Prayer Really Say?", on the topic of

Pope Francis on the possibility of salvation for atheists

 I find analogies to be of great assistance in coming to understand and explain various concepts.  That's why I love Jesus' parables.  After Fr. Z's post I came across this comment by Father Martin Fox:

Suppose you stand at the threshold of a room. You know there is another door to the room–you must cross the room to the other door–that other door is “Salvation” and that room is “life.”
To be Catholic is to have the maximum light in the room. All the alternatives involve far less light–or, if you don’t mind a change in the metaphor, to have far fewer helps.
The point is, that even with the fullest light, there is no guarantee you will make it. On the other hand, even with a little light, you can make it. Yet having more light is a good thing.

One of the greatest advantages of being Catholic:  we have the maximum amount of light as we pass through this world.  Unfortunately most of us don't bother to turn the light up very brightly, or we sometimes turn away from what the light shows us.  That is called "sin".

Let's learn all we can about the Faith that has been passed down through Apostolic Succession and preserved by the Catholic Church.  Especially when we have the resources of the Internet and the ability to check things out with our priests and with priests with an online presence.

Dominus vobiscum, Reg.

The Season of Pentecost has begun ... Come Holy Ghost!

Veni Sancte Spiritus

VENI, Sancte Spiritus, et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium. Veni, pater pauperum, veni, dator munerum veni, lumen cordium. Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium. In labore requies, in aestu temperies in fletu solatium. O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium. Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium. Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium. Da tuis fidelibus, in te confidentibus, sacrum septenarium. Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium, Amen, Alleluia.

COME, Holy Ghost, send down those beams, which sweetly flow in silent streams from Thy bright throne above. O come, Thou Father of the poor; O come, Thou source of all our store, come, fill our hearts with love. O Thou, of comforters the best, O Thou, the soul's delightful guest, the pilgrim's sweet relief. Rest art Thou in our toil, most sweet refreshment in the noonday heat; and solace in our grief. O blessed Light of life Thou art; fill with Thy light the inmost heart of those who hope in Thee. Without Thy Godhead nothing can, have any price or worth in man, nothing can harmless be. Lord, wash our sinful stains away, refresh from heaven our barren clay, our wounds and bruises heal. To Thy sweet yoke our stiff necks bow, warm with Thy fire our hearts of snow, our wandering feet recall. Grant to Thy faithful, dearest Lord, whose only hope is Thy sure word, the sevenfold gifts of grace. Grant us in life Thy grace that we, in peace may die and ever be, in joy before Thy face. Amen. Alleluia.

44 Years of State-approved Baby Killing in Canada!

May God have mercy on us.
We are becoming a very perverse and lost people.  Our lack of respect for, and value of, human life is horrendous.  Let us continually pray for the end of abortion around the globe.  Here in Canada occasionally there are a few glimmers of hope, but it seems hopeless.  There is no federal party that will respect ALL Canadians.  Our trust must be in the Lord our God.

Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.
I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.
I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all,
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/qt/End_Abortion.htm

We Need A Law:

"And of course, Canada’s own Stephen Harper, recently referred to in the Ottawa Citizen as the “de facto leader of Canada’s pro-choice movement,” responded to the revelation that 491 babies had been born alive and subsequently died after abortion procedures in Canada between 2000 and 2009 by ignoring the issue entirely."

--Jonathon Van Maren

Why love God?

Why love God?  Because He loved us first and even became one of us to give all and die as a mortal.

Image from http://uploads0.wikipaintings.org/images/jacopo-bellini/the-crucifixion.jpg


I must say, the longer I am a Catholic the more I am "blown away" (as said 'back in the day'...) by what our Lord has done for us, especially through the Church He established.

Not only did he create the entire universe and time itself, he chose to become one of us for our salvation.  God has never been an angel.  He has never been any of the other heavenly hosts.  But he became a human being, and after his death his human body was glorified and ascended into heaven.  The Word of God has a human body in heaven.

Can you imagine that?  God himself thinks so highly of us, who he created in his image, that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity sits on his throne with his crucified then glorified human body!

God condescended to become a humble man, born of a virgin, and mixed with us sinners.

Although sinless, he took our sins upon him and suffered and died for us. He died for us sinners.  Wow.

In 1996, at the age of 38, I came home to the Catholic Church.  I grew up as an Anglican and in university I had a lot of contact with evangelical Christians.  What I began to realize was that Jesus did not leave us a bible.  He established a Church.  He left the deposit of faith with his Church.  
This Church is a Church that teaches with Divine Authority.  There is no 'wiggle room' in the Church established by God!
His Church wrote the books of the New Testament and eventually, through the Holy Spirit, compiled the Canon of Scripture.

The early Christians had the Jewish scriptures and the oral teachings of the Apostles.   The written teachings and the oral teachings/traditions are what the Holy Spirit uses to communicate Truth to the Body of Christ.  Never scripture alone.  That idea is a somewhat 'modern' invention, largely thanks to a former disobedient priest named Martin Luther.

Since we have both the Scriptures and Tradition the Holy Spirit has taught us more.
We now know that God crowned a mere human as the Queen of heaven.  
Oh how God loves us!!! 

Image from:  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmM7-6ffKfgmG7h-DF_wi_F0S7q-uko_D1iSfHN-phPQbRKabw0Yeoh6jBaix7nhk5wPDFbriVz0k0Gz48eb4ff4UJOCCrMFVUGopkiwcrkN-4xr8Cuv2y1bVk-DLYzsNzEFTmOPi0Ls/s1600/CoronationMary.jpg

Through Apostolic succession, this Church, the Body of Christ, has as its earthly head the successor of Peter, the Pope.  Jesus did not leave us alone.  Through the succession of his Apostles the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is still offered every day on all Catholic and Orthodox altars.  Jesus is still present in his Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity here on earth.

God gave the power to his Apostles and their successors to forgive sins.

When I assist at Mass I witness a genuine miracle.  A time where God intervenes with nature.  Mere bread and wine, through the power of the Holy Spirit and by the actions and words of the successors of the Apostles, become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Saviour.  We are "re-present" and the one sacrifice that Jesus made for us at Calvary.

Image from my computer; originally from somewhere on the Internet ...

We have so much to be thankful for.  So many reasons to love God with all our hearts, souls, and with all our actions.
The saints learned to hate sin ... to prefer death to committing even one mortal sin.

Let us remember daily to direct all our thoughts, words and actions heavenward.

To start your day you can use the 'morning offering' that I've been using for years:

Most Holy and adorable Trinity, One God in three Persons, I adore You with the most profound humility.  I praise you and give you thanks for the favours you have bestowed on me.
Your goodness has brought me safely to the beginning of this day.

Behold, O Lord, I offer you my whole being, together with such crosses and contradictions as I may meet with in the course of this day.
Give them, O Lord, Your blessing.  May Your Divine Love animate them, and may they tend to the greater honour and glory of your Holy Name.   

   [One of the things I love about this prayer is the line "May Your Divine Love animate them".]

God be with you!

Dominus vobiscum, Reg. 

Ascension Thursday

Image from:    https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzNc1PRGQc2YnkfiA6S-ItRblc7LutJscOfewBbb0us7UvAm-Va-JnqB2f6IAnETzfUVs51uNGpq-J1Rp8wA1p9QkUhWBzgDwtvyp-6N0ziDx6FUrYhOskZcPtfd0xvmfev7ZBVb9wZeO/s1600/ascension_of_jesus.jpg

Scott P. Richert has a good overview of this great feast:

Ascension of Our Lord 

 

From Mr. Richert's post:

 The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter, is the final act of our redemption that Christ began on Good Friday. On this day, the risen Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven (Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11).

 And:

History:

.

.

.

 Christ's bodily Ascension foreshadows our own entrance into Heaven not simply as souls, after our death, but as glorified bodies, after the resurrection of the dead at the Final Judgment. In redeeming mankind, Christ not only offered salvation to our souls but began the restoration of the material world itself to the glory that God intended before Adam's fall.

Saint Joseph the Worker

May 1

Saint Joseph the Worker

Optional Memorial

Today is the optional memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker. Through Joseph, we honor the dignity of work and strive to see work as a key theme in the Christian life. 

“Glorious Saint Joseph,
pattern of all who are devoted to toil,
obtain for me the grace to toil in the
spirit of penance, in order thereby to
atone for my many sins; to toil
conscientiously, putting devotion to
duty before my own inclinations;

to labour with thankfulness and joy,
deeming it an honour to employ and to
develop, by my labour, the gifts that I
have received from Almighty God;

to work with order, peace, moderation,
and patience, without ever shrinking
from weariness and difficulties;…”

~Prayer to Saint Joseph

Catholic Ejaculations or Aspirations

Short Ejaculations

These short "mini-prayers," also called "aspirations" or "invocations," are to be said throughout the day to keep our minds focused on Heavenly things and to consecrate our efforts. It is good to adopt one of these as your own so that in times of stress, words that can focus your attention back to the holy come easily. These are all indulgenced prayers.

• Domine Iesu Christe, Filius Dei, miserere me peccatorem! (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!) Variations: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner!"; "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!"; "O God, be merciful to me a sinner!". This prayer is known as the "Jesus Prayer." It is the cry of the publican of Luke 18:13.
• Sit nomen Dómini benedíctum! (Blessed be the Name of the Lord!) This prayer is a reparation for blasphemy. If one hears someone take the Name of the Lord in vain, it is good to say this prayer. The response to this prayer is "ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum!" ("from this time forth for evermore!") or "per ómnia saecula saeculórum" ("unto ages of ages").
• We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee; because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. (Roman Breviary)
• May the Holy Trinity be blessed. (Roman Missal)
• Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ commands!
• O Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us, inflame our hearts with love for Thee.
• O Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee.
• O Heart of Jesus, all for Thee.
• Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
• My God and my all.
• O God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (Luke 18:13)
• Grant that I may praise thee, O sacred Virgin; give me strength against thine enemies. (Roman Breviary)
• Teach me to do Thy will, because Thou art my God. (Psalm 142:10)
• O Lord, increase our faith. (Luke 17:5)
• O Lord, may we be of one mind in truth and of one heart in charity.
• O Lord, save us, we are perishing. (Matthew 8:25)
• My Lord and my God. (John 20:28)
• Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. (Roman Missal)
• Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
• Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, assist me in my last agony. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, may I sleep and rest in peace with you. (Roman Ritual)
• May the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised and adored forever.
• Stay with us, O Lord. (Luke 24:29)
• Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.
• My Mother, my Hope.
• Send, O Lord, labourers into Thy harvest. (see Matthew 9:38)
• May the Virgin Mary together with her loving Child bless us. (Roman Breviary)
• Hail, O Cross, our only hope. (Roman Breviary)
• All you holy men and women of God, intercede for us. (Roman Ritual)
• Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. (Roman Ritual)
• Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. (Luke. 23:46; Psalm 30:6)
• Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them everlasting rest. (Roman Missal)
• Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us. (Roman Ritual)
• Holy Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, intercede for us. (Roman Breviary)
• Holy Mary, pray for us. (Roman Ritual)
• Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)
• Blessed be God!
• All for thee, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!
• Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine! (Roman Ritual)
• My Jesus, mercy!
• Thanks be to God! (Deo gratias!)
• O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
• Hail Mary! (Ave Maria!)
• Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee!
• Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come!
• Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love!
• Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us!
• From all sin deliver me, O Lord!
• As the Lord wills!
• Thy will be done! (Fiat voluntas tua!)