New Saints and Blesseds

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Acquaint yourself with the new Saints and Blesseds from 2013 by clicking here.

I am so happy to see that Madre Lupita is now a Saint of the Universal Church.  I sincerely request her intercession for the conversion of the government of the USA and the spiritual resolve of the Church in the USA.

Camille Paglia

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Sometimes it takes Balaam's ass to tell the truth.  Sometimes it takes a lesbian atheist feminist scholar to take a stab at it:

Camille Paglia: 

A Feminist Defense of Masculine Virtues:

The cultural critic on why ignoring the biological differences between men and women risks undermining Western civilization itself.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303997604579240022857012920

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Romanian Christmas Carol

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One of my very favourite Christmas carols, one of the gorgeous Romanian colinde, sung by the tenor Roberto Alagna:

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Advent 4

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Prayer of St. Nicholas of Flüe

My Lord and my God, 
take from me everything that distances me from you. 

My Lord and my God, 
give me everything that brings me closer to you. 

My Lord and my God, 
detach me from myself to give my all to you. 

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Romania's Painted Churches

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It is no secret that I am deeply drawn by the Romanian Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches.  The theology, the liturgy, the chant, the religious folksongs ... all of them speak to me perhaps even more profoundly having survived the Communist horror.

Where Latin rite churches of the West hold their treasures within the buildings for the most part, the Romanian painted churches adorn the exterior walls with magnificent scenes depicting the living faith of the Church.  Below is a photo from a Smithsonian magazine article ("Scripture Alfresco") showing a Romanian Orthodox nun walking by a church in Sucevița Monastery.  Enjoy ... and marvel.

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Advent and Christmas Music

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You are invited to listen to RADIO WALSINGHAM ONLINE for splendid Advent and Christmas music from round about the world.

Advent Blessings to All !

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Coptic Hymn: Intercession of the Saints

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  Coptic Orthodox Church, Divine Liturgy of St. Basil

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Slaying Unfettered Consumerism

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I was pleased to see Joe Weisenthal's blog post "The Pope Just Published One Of The Most Powerful Critiques Of Modern Capitalism That You Will Ever Read" at  Business Insider which focuses on the Pope's economic critique of 'unfettered consumerism' among other economic considerations in Pope Francis' just released Apostolic Exhortation.  

It is important to understand what the Pope is teaching without recourse to pundits and entertainers: Click here for the article which includes a link to the full text of the Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium.

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Ikon Weeping in Hawaii

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I always pay attention to ikons that weep myrrh.  The meaning is always the same: Repent.  Yes, the myrrh is a blessing, and, yes, people are frequently healed through the miracle.  However, for the faithful the message to all is a call from God to repent. Almost always such a miracle is sent as a warning from Heaven for all to return to the Most High God.

The ikon weeping at the Russian Orthodox parish in Hawaii is one of which you may not have heard, but its significance at this time is striking.  Click here to be taken to a story with video about the ikon.

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Pope Francis of the Poor

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In today's Houston Chronicle (one of the last major newspapers still in existence in the USA) there are several positive Catholic articles today, and one in particular from AP regards our Pope Francis and his care of the poor:

When he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was known to sneak out at night and break bread with the homeless, sit with them on the street and eat with them, as part of his aim to share the plight of the poor and let them know someone cared. That's not so easy to do now that he's pope. 

But Francis is still providing one-on-one doses of emergency assistance to the poor, sick and aged through a trusted archbishop. Konrad Krajewski is the Vatican Almoner, a centuries-old job of handing out alms — and Francis has ramped up the job to make it a hands-on extension of his own personal charity.

Pope Francis of the Poor ...  The remainder of the article may be read by clicking here.

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Short and to the Point

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A brief letter appeared in the New York Times from Bridget Kurt that expresses the feelings of many regarding Pope Francis' off the cough remarks.  Click here to read.

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N.S.A. Report Outlined Goals for More Power

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Click this link to learn more of l'Affaire N.S.A.  

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Dirksen: Rejoice, ye pure in heart

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Feast of Christ the King

   Richard Wayne Dirksen: 'Rejoice, ye pure in heart'

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Organ: Christ is the King, O Friends Rejoice

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To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King!

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Dr. Farrell on JFK's Murder

Dr. Joseph Farrell's wide ranging interests stretch from the writings of St. Photios to the secret technologies of the Nazi Empire, and from the lies and deceits of the Banksters of Wall Street and the City of London to far more esoteric interests.  His take on the sad anniversary of the orchestrated murder of President John F. Kennedy is one the average person is unlikely to encounter through the mainstream media, but the points he raises and the questions asked (as well as the advice given) are all closer to my own point of view than the ridiculous rehearsal of the findings of the Warren Commission one is likely to see in print or view on the major television networks.  For that reason, I am reprinting his blog post below and hope that you, dear reader, will find it food for thought.  Dr. Farrell writes:

"Today is the 50th anniversary of the conspiratorial murder of President John F. Kennedy during his open motorcade through Dallas, TX. It is perhaps fitting that the date of the perfidy in 1963 fell on a Friday, and that today, the 50th anniversary of the deed, is also a Friday. For me, it is a bitter memory… I remember where I was when I was a six year old boy, and first heard the news. I was home sick from school, sipping on chicken noodle soup my mother had just cooked, and had just finished watching the old tv game show and was a few minutes into the old soap opera, As the World Turns, when the CBS announcer broke into the program with the flash news from Dallas… and the rest of the day was spent watching in disbelief.

"The murder of President Kennedy announced a half century of the theater of blood, a surreal bizarrerie which to contemplate can only leave one – if one is truly honest and paying attention to the details – with a sense that everything is connected to it. 

"It ushered in a new era of the political murder, as Senator Robert Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, HRH Princess Dianna, Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme, Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro, and many others, were added to the list of suspicious deaths and bizarre murders. There were serious attempts on the lives of Presidents de Gaulle, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan. On and on one could go. 

"It ushered in an era of unbelievable scandals, each of which, to the attentive eye, had connections with all the others: the Watergate fiasco, Iran-Contra, Mena Arkansas, the BCCI banking scandal, the collapse of Franklin Bank, Penn Square, the Savings and Loan Scandal, Nugan Hand Bank in Australia. There were the Ruby Ridge and Waco Sieges (remember Janet “it’s for the children” Reno?). There were the strange allegations of voting fraud via computerized voting, “Votescam”… a trial run in Reno’s home county of Dade county, Florida. 

"There was the Oklahoma City bombing and the strange disappearance of suspects, the suppression of the State of Oklahoma’s own investigation and grand jury, the quick demolition of the Murrah Building and the destruction of evidence, the allegations of retired USAF brigadier general Benton Partin that showed clear evidence of demolition charges in the building; there were the 1993 WTC attacks. 

"There was the Baader-Meinhof gang in Europe, the Saville scandal in the United Kingdom with allegations stretching back to the Heath government; there was the Franklin scandal in the USA; there was the P2-G affair in Italy, the murder of Roberto Calvi at London’s Blackfriars Bridge; there were the bizarre school shootings from Columbine to Sandy Hook with Batman murders in the theater; Anders Brevik in Norway and the Oslo bombing; there has been all of this and so much more besides, and, of course, the defining “JFK” event of more recent times: 9/11.

"For these reasons alone, the conspiratorial murder of JFK still matters. But there are other reasons, deeper and more disturbing reasons, that it still matters. Ask most Americans, and, I suspect, most Canadians, Australians, British, French, Spanish, Italians, Russians, Germans, if they think JFK was murdered by the “lone nut” Oswald, or by a conspiracy, and I suspect one will find that most people think it was a conspiracy. 

"But ask the talking heads of the American media on the left or right, and you will hear answers that basically parrot the Warren Report. The same for 9/11… most people I encounter at least entertain a suspicion or a doubt about the official 9/11 story, and yet, one cannot ever hear of any alternative theory on the mainstream Amerikan media without, at some point, hearing the words or phrase “conspiracy theory” uttered in context, to cast the pall of suspicion over anyone or any theory contrary to the official fable. 

"It is intriguing and interesting, that the hardened ideological positions both of the left and of the right major media in the USSA, are united on this one point: the Warren Report was right; everyone else is wrong. (And that means, even the Congressional committees that concluded differently).

"It matters because, even though the talking heads on the media know their position is nonsense, and know that most people know that it’s nonsense, but yet the theater and the fable are continued. And the reason why is simple: the same forces that murdered the president are still running the show today (see the litany of connected scandals in paragraph two above). And those same people own or exert extraordinary influence within the major media and publishing houses to this day, in spite of the dwindling audience for their operas(why have Salieri when you can have Mozart?) It matters because their methods are still the same: lies, fraud, deception, deceit, theft, broken promises, and murder.

"It matters because lies, fraud, deception, theft, broken promises, have never worked as organizing principles for a civil and open society. So today, if you’re in the JFK conspiracy camp, send a message to the purveyors of the official fable: turn them off – television, radio, movies – turn them all off, cancel that subscription to the major newspaper that will produce all the op-ed and “looking back” pieces in defense of the fable, and read a book about the subject instead.

"See you on the flip side."

Joseph P. Farrell, DPhil (OXON)

Remembering the Murder 

of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy: 

Why It Matters

First Hearing of Da Vinci Instrument

The Viola Organista realised by Sławomir Zubrzycki :

A Collect of Saint Joseph

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OF THE GUARDIAN OF THE REDEEMER

ASSIST us, O Lord, we beseech thee, 

by the merits of thy beloved SAINT JOSEPH, 

the most chaste Spouse of thy most holy Mother 

and the very terror of demons: 

that those things which of our own power we cannot obtain, 

may through his fatherly intercession 

be granted unto us for thy tender mercies' sake: 

Who livest and reignest with the Father, 

in the unity of the Holy Ghost, 

ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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"Thank you, Mr. Obama"

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I have received a letter from my health insurance provider here in the USA telling me that my policy has been cancelled and that I should go to healthcare.gov to find new insurance through the Obamacare website.

My response is to share the following YouTube video:

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St. Luke 21: 5-19

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21: 5 And some saying of the temple, that it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said: 6 These things which you see, the days will come in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down. 

7 And they asked him, saying: Master, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when they shall begin to come to pass? 8 Who said: Take heed you be not seduced; for many will come in my name, saying, I am he; and the time is at hand: go ye not therefore after them. 

9 And when you shall hear of wars and seditions, be not terrified: these things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet presently. 10 Then he said to them: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there shall be great earthquakes in divers places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there shall be great signs. 

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands upon you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, dragging you before kings and governors, for my name's sake. 13 And it shall happen unto you for a testimony. 

14 Lay it up therefore into your hearts, not to meditate before how you shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay. 

16 And you shall be betrayed by your parents and brethren, and kinsmen and friends; and some of you they will put to death. 17 And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake. 18 But a hair of your head shall not perish. 19 In your patience you shall possess your souls.

The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Luke 21:5-19 

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

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A Litany to the Lord Jesus Christ in union with Our Lady of Sorrows

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An Anglo-Catholic litany

Be merciful, O Lord, to us sinners, and at the pleading of thy mother, sorrowing in thine agony and sharing in thy bitter cup, O Jesus mercy.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Be merciful O Lord, to us sinners and at the pleading of thy mother, suffering in thy sufferings and bruised with thy stripes, O Jesus mercy.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Be merciful, O Lord, to us sinners, and at the pleading of thy mother, who saw thee crowned with thorns and robed with shame, O Jesus mercy.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Be merciful, O Lord, to us sinners, and at the pleading of thy mother, whose love unvanquished trod thy way of sorrows, O Jesus mercy.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Be merciful, O Lord, to us sinners, and at the pleading of thy mother, whose soul was pierced beneath thy Cross, O Jesus mercy.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Eric Milner-White

"Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, have mercy on me."

Saint Margaret Clitherow

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Let All The World In Every Corner Sing

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Of the Ordinariates

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Friends and members of the Ordinariates and other interested parties will want to read David Clayton's splendid post published on his blog The Way of Beauty.  

Click here for his blog.

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The Foresight of Cardinal Wojtyła

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“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. 

I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully. 

We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the antichrist. 

The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously…”

Cardinal Wojtyła

(Pope John Paul II)

Eucharistic Congress, 1976

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From "Faith and Future" by Cardinal Ratzinger

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"We have arrived, then, at the present day and find ourselves looking toward tomorrow. Today, likewise, the future of the Church can and will issue from those whose roots are deep and who live from the pure fullness of their faith. It will not issue from those who accommodate themselves merely to the passing moment or from those who merely criticize others and assume that they themselves are infallible measuring rods; nor will it issue from those who take the easier road, who sidestep the passion of faith, declaring false and obsolete, tyrannous and legalistic, all that makes demands upon men, that hurts them and compels them to sacrifice themselves. 

"To put this more positively: the future of the Church, once again as always, will be reshaped by saints, by men, that is, whose minds probe deeper than the slogans of the day, who see more than others see, because their lives embrace a wider reality. Unselfishness, which makes men free, is attained only through the patience of small daily acts of self-denial. By this daily passion, which alone reveals to a man in how many ways he is enslaved by his own ego, by this daily passion and by it alone, a man’s eyes are slowly opened. 

"He sees only to the extent that he has lived and suffered. If today we are scarcely able any longer to become aware of God, that is because we find it so easy to evade ourselves, to flee from the depths of our being by means of the narcotic of some pleasure or other. Thus our own interior depths remain closed to us. If it is true that a man can see only with his heart, then how blind we all are! 

"How does all of this affect the problem we are examining? It means that the big talk of those who prophesy a Church without God and without faith is all empty chatter. We have no need of a Church that celebrates the cult of action in political prayers. It is utterly superfluous. Therefore, it will destroy itself. 

"What will remain is the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church that believes in the God who has become man and promises us life beyond death. The kind of priest who is no more than a social worker can be replaced by the psychotherapist and other specialists; but the priest who is no specialist, who does not stand on the sidelines, watching the game, giving official advice, but in the name of God places himself at the disposal men, who is beside them in their sorrows, in their joys, in their hope and in their fear, such a priest will certainly be needed in the future. 

"Let us go a step farther. From the crisis of today the Church of tomorrow will emerge—a Church that has lost much. She will become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning. She will no longer be able to inhabit many of the edifices she built in prosperity. As the number of her adherents diminishes, so will she lose many  of her social privileges. In contrast to an earlier age, she will be seen much more as a voluntary society, entered only by free decision.  

"As a small society, she will make much bigger demands on the initiative of her individual members. Undoubtedly she will discover new forms of ministry and will ordain to the priesthood approved Christians who pursue some profession. In many smaller congregations or in self-contained social groups, pastoral care will normally be provided in this fashion. 

"Alongside this, the full-time ministry of the priesthood will be indispensable as formerly. But in all of the changes at which one might guess, the Church will find her essence afresh and with full conviction in that which was always at her center: faith in the triune God, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, in the presence of the Spirit until the end of the world. 

"In faith and prayer she will again recognize her true center and experience the sacraments again as the worship of God and not as a subject for liturgical scholarship. The Church will be a more spiritual Church, not presuming upon a political mandate, flirting as little with the Left as with the Right. 

"It will be hard going for the Church, for the process of crystalization and clarification will cost her much valuable energy. It will make her poor and cause her to become the Church secret. And so it seems certain to me that the Church is facing very hard times. The real crisis has scarcely begun. We will have to count on terrific upheavals. 

"But I am equally certain about what will remain at the end: not the Church of the political cult, which is dead already with Gobel, but the Church of faith. She may well no longer be the dominant social power to the extent that she was until recently; but she will enjoy a fresh blossoming and be seen as man’s home, where he will find life and hope beyond death." 

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger 

(Pope Benedict XVI) 

Faith and The Future 

Ignatius Press

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Health Care in the USA

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Caring for the sick and infirm is a Christian's concern.  

Considering the situation in the USA, I think when a government lies to its people about health care, Christians should evaluate their participation in both the government and its plans.  

"Should a Christian be involved in health insurance?" is a question few even bother to consider. Is government directed health insurance what God would want us to do in answering the call to care for each other? Can we look to the government as fulfilling our responsibilities when we know the government lies with impugnity?

Perhaps it is a good time in the USA to reconsider all of this and look at alternatives like the Amish method of health care, the old Lodge doctors once known in the USA, or Christian MediShare which has been growing quickly since its method is Biblical and it is an "out" written into the Obamacare law... for now.

Even if you live in the States and have adequate health coverage, do look at what Christian Care provider MediShare is doing.   Two similar ministries doing roughly the same thing and also exempt through the Obamacare law are Samaritan Ministries and Christian Health Ministries and both deserve consideration as a model for how this is done or as an option my American readers may wish to pursue.

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Listening Pleasure

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For a splendid listening experience,
do listen to RADIO WALSINGHAM ONLINE by clicking here.

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Must see / Must read

The Syrian rebels supported by the USA and Saudi Arabia have engaged in horrific crimes against Syria's Christian population.  If you are a U.S. American, why does your Obama government and the McCain Republicans support terrorists in Syria who kill Christian women, children, and men?   

Read the link: click here.

Signs of the Times: Repent

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The holy ikon of the Archangel Michael has begun weeping on Rhodes.  All such mystical events involving Holy Michael Archangel are very significant.  

The meaning can be debated, but such an event always calls the Faithful who follow the Lord Jesus Christ to repent of their sins, return to the Lord with all their heart, and to pray and intercede for a world in grave danger:

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Next they came for the Mormons ....

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An example of a very common theme in the USA's current political climate (which can be characterised as 'Weimar Republic Redux':  

"Why is the Obama government targeting (fill in the blank) Church?"  

This time it is the Mormons who are being attacked and that may explain why Evangelical leaders have been making their way to Salt Lake City to speak for the first time with the LDS Church.  'Come, brethren, let us reason together...' or at least commiserate ... or better yet join forces against a common threat.

So here is a post that looks at the Obama government's attacks on the LDS Church's canneries where they prepare food in state of the art facilities for those in disasters:  http://federalistpress.com/is-obama-targeting-lds-canneries.php

Remember, little children, no matter what happens in life, Turn to Jesus!

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U.S. Spying on the Church

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Some time ago a friend in Rome told me that she believed the U.S. government had been spying on all employees of the Vatican and all operations in the Vatican. I thought it sounded like the stuff of a Dan Brown novel and paid no attention to it.  I suppose now that I should have paid more attention: click here.

Unfortunately, the U.S. federal government seems to be interested in spying on everyone everywhere (including you and me), and that prurient, paranoid interest apparently extends to spying on the Holy Father, the Conclave, and the Vatican in general.  See this Reuters article by clicking here.

The Snowden revelations have shown us an out-of-control U.S. government pressing its listening ear to the lives of each one of us like a Hoover vaccum cleaner sucking up everything it comes across.  

I suspect that it is not just the Catholic Church being spied upon — though the U.S. government under President Obama seems to take a particular interest in thumbing its nose at the Catholic Church. Rather I imagine the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lambeth Palace have been sifted through by the NSA all the way down to each local parish church.  Methodists, Lutherans, Orthodox, Reformed, Evangelicals, and Baptists have likely fallen under the same scrutiny.  

Even those who worship in non-denominational churches should realise that they are being watched by the U.S. government as well. It seems that the operational directive of the U.S. federal government is that each person and each organisation is a potential enemy or a potential asset (provided one has the right blackmail).  

The bottom line is that we believers in Jesus must wake from our slumber and arise without regard for the man-made separations between us. We must remind the NSA and the U.S. federal government of that much loved Democratic dogma "the separation of the Church and State". In other words, 'Get you and your government and your spies out of our churches, and stop spying on us NOW.'

If you are a citizen of the U.S., you could call your Senators and your Member of the House of Representatives... but, of course, they have been spied on by the NSA and the Obama Government as well... should one expect them to do anything to stop the surveillance state when the intelligence agencies could bring out every skeleton from every closet and aim that information at each elected official?  ... 

The mind boggles at the scale of this, but there must be someone willing to stand and demand an end to the spying upon the Church ... someone in that venerable Congress of the land of the 'free' and the home of the 'brave' ...

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Beauty and the House of God

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I have been thinking a great deal about the visual component of Christian worship and Christian churches.  Near to me there is an old Episcopalian parish church which speaks from the outside that it is "church".  It looks like a church.  The windows are filled with stained glass, and one can easily discern the outlines of angels in those windows.  And the interior is filled with a restrained Anglican beauty that tells the story of the Scriptures and that points toward heaven.  

Also, nearby is a Catholic Church where the new main church speaks the language of temples and banks from the outside.  The portico is handsome if a bit sterile, but inside there is sheer madness.  At the front of the cavernous room stands a wooden table way off centre apparently intending to be an altar.  The walls are bare except for narrow, long green coloured cloth hangings with occasional stripe of darker green.  The only crucifix is the processional crucifix.  Take it away and it could be almost anything.  Visually, it indicates not so much heaven but a governmental auditorium where the furnishings up front on the stage aren't quite in proper place.  There is no tabernacle.  There is no eternal flame of the Presence.   I avoid entering this building as I would avoid the plague.

Next to this modern monstrosity is the original church used as a Chapel and for daily services.  It is beautiful.  It is clearly a church.  Inside it is a place where heaven invades earth.  God's story and His story in His saints are clearly spelled out all about the Church.  And in the very heart of the Chapel is the Tabernacle where the Living Bread which came down from Heaven abides.  There also that Eternal Flame burning and indicating that the real and true Sacramental Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ is present.  This chapel does not so much point heavenward as Heaven opens up in its midst because the Lord Jesus Christ is present.

There are those whose minds have been schooled by secularists, Modernists, and Marxians who could neither comprehend the beauty of this Catholic Chapel nor what is signified by all of its appointments.  But the average person with limited schooling would recognise clearly that this is a House of God — which reminds me of an Anglican priest who once preached that whatever we preach from the pulpit is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ unless it can be comprehended by and taken to heart by an illiterate mother of seven children living without electricity or running water.  A very provocative thought.  Judging from the homeless women sitting in this Catholic Chapel staring at the Altar or at the statue of an angel or simply looking up... these women know that this is God's House and that the Lord Jesus is present.  They could have walked into the modern church.... but they don't.  They come here.  And they visit with Jesus.

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A post worth reading for Catholics and others who think the House of God should be more than a hall or auditorium may be found on another website at the following link: click here.

Our Lady of Kibeho warned

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Our Lady of Kibeho (Mother of the Word) gave to Marie-Claire -- a Church approved visionary -- the following message on March 27, 1982 which still speaks to the state of every nation in the world right now this very moment:

“If I am now turning to the parish of Kibeho it does not mean I am concerned only for Kibeho or for the diocese of Butare or for Rwanda, or for the whole of Africa. 

“The world is bad. The world rushes toward its ruin. It’s about to fall into an abyss. The world is in rebellion against God. Many sins are committed. There is no love and no peace. If you don’t repent and convert your hearts, all will fall into an abyss.”

Turn to Jesus. +

Worthy Prayers from the Prayer Book Tradition

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O GOD, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth: deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 

ETERNAL GOD, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen. 

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Radio Walsingham Online

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RADIO WALSINGHAM ONLINE:  listen 24/7 anywhere you have an internet connection, and you will hear the most beautiful music of our Christian faith.

Be sure to tell others about the beautiful music on RADIO WALSINGHAM.  If you would like to listen without commercials, it is very easy to become a VIP member of www.live365.com for not very much money.  I cannot imagine a day without the God-filled classical and ancient music on RADIO WALSINGHAM ONLINE, and I hope you will listen and find your faith renewed and encouraged through this apostolate of renewal for Catholic Culture.

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Church of England Prayer for Pope Francis

Click here for the direct link to the Church of England website with this prayer.

Prayer for Pope Francis

Almighty God,

shepherd of souls,

we pray for Francis chosen to be Pope:

Guide him by your Spirit,

give him grace to lead people in prayer and zeal

and to follow in the footsteps

of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.

Amen.

Muslims, Our Lady, and exorcism

There is such an interesting article on Muslims,  St. Mary the Virgin and exorcism in AsiaNews.it that I had to share it with those who check in on this blog:  click here please.

A Parish in Chicago to Recommend

The conductor and composer Tim Woods has written to say that he is now the Music Director at St. Thomas More Parish in Chicago (81st and California).  He is the composer of the glorious Byzantine Requiem, recordings of which are available from the Ecclesia Choir and Lincoln Chamber Productions website —  you really need to get the Byzantine Requiem CD!  If you are in Chicago or are simply visiting do pay a visit to the parish.  I will let Tim Woods tell you about the parish in his own words:

I'm letting you know this because, if you appreciate fine Catholic liturgy, and want to experience excellent chant and polyphony in the context of the English Mass (not easy to find), you might want to pay us a visit. We sing proper antiphons, chant settings of the ordinary, and solid hymns. The priest celebrates "ad orientum" and the altar area has been made to look quite beautiful.  The Mass schedule is Sat at 4:30pm, and Sun. at 7:30am, and 10:30am, with a Mass in Spanish at 9am. 

If you are looking for a choir to sing in, look no further! Just give me a call and we can set up an audition. In this day and age when people no longer just go to the parish closest to them, you owe it to yourself to come and see what St. Thomas More is doing. It is possible to attend a beautiful Mass in English which is faithful to the rubrics of the Missal. Come find out what Vatican II really promulgated as far as Mass in the vernacular. Come find out the real meaning of the word "Eucharist", or thanksgiving. Come find out what it really means to worship. Thanks for reading this, Tim Woods.

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H.L Mencken on Church Architecture

It may seem odd to quote H.L. Mencken, but even Balaam's ass was made to prophesy.  Upon reading one should immediately think of the "new cathedral" in Los Angeles, California which has all the charm of a grim air hanger for the souls of the damned.   

So here is a quote worth considering even if it be a slight reworking of the original :

“When men really begin to build churches 

that look like cargo terminals, 

 there will be no religion any more, 

just Rotary. 

And when they begin to live in houses 

as coldly structural as step-ladders 

they will cease to be men, 

and become mere rats in cages.”

— H.L. Mencken

The original follows from the conclusion of Mencken's "The New Architecture": "[w]hen men really begin to build churches like the Bush Terminal [a recently upgraded cargo terminus, in Brooklyn] there will be no religion any more, just Rotary. And when they begin to live in houses as coldly structural as step-ladders they will cease to be men, and become mere rats in cages."

Chesterton on Eugenics

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G.K. Chesterton's reply to a pamphlet on eugenics by Congressman Frank O. Smith of Maryland: 

"Mr. Smith is an American, and Eugenics is chiefly a denial of the Declaration of Independence. 

It urges that so far from all men being born equal, numbers of them ought not to be born at all. 

And so far as them being entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, they are to be forbidden a form of liberty and happiness that the maddest inquisitor never dreamed of meddling with before. 

 You can find the full essay in "The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton, vol. 30."

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Prayer for the U.S.A.

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Mighty God, you permitted our nation to live with no one ruling over us but you. Our presidents and government were never to reign and rule as monarchs, and our people were never again to be subjects to any mortal authority. You called us to be responsible citizens of a brave and free people whose gift of liberty was to be a shining light for all people throughout the world. But, merciful Lord, we have lost our way. Those raised to authority forget they are the servants of the People. They forget of the account they must give to you for the position of leadership you have permitted them to have. And our people grow fearful and disheartened.

Give us a clear vision of true hope in you, and give us grace to repent of our failures as a people and a nation. Stretch out your arm and remove from authority all who deceive or abuse the people of this land. Raise up the just and wise to take their place. Send forth your Spirit as a mighty wind to blow through our nation and each person till evil has no perch or foothold left. Deliver us from our past arrogance and pride, and make of us a people who are wise stewards of all your gifts to us.

Of your tender mercies, guide us to cherish the life of each one of us and to defend that Liberty without which there is no reason for our nation to exist. Make us courageous in our just pursuits and virtuous in our care of those who need our aid, and please give our nation a second chance to live up to our promise and always and everywhere praise your Holy Name, O Father, Son, and Paraclete, one God in glory everlasting. Amen.

This prayer was written by Vincent W. Uher III.  
You are welcome to reprint it under Creative Commons 3.0-Attribution U.S.

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Wisdom from Richard of S. Victor

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Do you see that only Truth leads and brings one to this mountain?  Truth leads; Truth is that which guides; I gladly follow Truth; I do not hold suspect such a guide.  Truth knows to lead; Truth does not know how to mislead.  But what is Truth?  

What do you say, good Teacher, teacher Christ, what is Truth?  'I am,' he says, 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life' (John 14:6).  Therefore let one who wishes to ascend to the mountain follow Truth.  Follow Christ, whoever you are who wish to ascend this mountain.  

We have learned from the teaching of the Evangelist: 'Then Jesus took his disciples, viz., Peter, James, and John, and led them into a high mountain apart' (Matt. 17:1).  Thus the disciples of Jesus are led above and apart, that they may take possession of this high mountain.  It is a steep way, a secret way unknown to many, which leads to the summit of this mountain.  

I think only those run without error, only those arrive without impediment, who follow Christ, who are led by Truth.  Whoever hastens to high things, you go in security if Truth goes before you.  Without it you labor in vain.  As Truth does not wish to deceive, so it is not able to be deceived.  If you do not wish to err, follow Christ."

Richard of Saint Victor

Pray for Pope Francis

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Visitation Hymn

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Lo, how she brings Life with her

Concealed beneath her heart,

Eve’s daughter, brave and chosen,

God’s partner to his art.

Her will knit with divine will

Desires his Word be done.

For God she weaves within her

The body of their Son.

Elisabeth her cousin

A child will bring to birth –

God’s answer to her longing,

A prophet for the Earth.

“Peace be with you,” said Mary.

Her cousin’s babe did dance

The merry steps of best man:

The Bridegroom’s here, at last.

Elisabeth cried out then,

“The child within me leapt!

When he heard your sweet greeting,

With joy my baby stepped.”

She spoke full of the Spirit,

With insight from the Lord,

“How is it you come to me

The Mother of my Lord?”

The Mother of her Lord, Yes!
Great Mary, Anna’s child,

A daughter born to Israel,

A virgin undefiled,

She sang out as a woman

Brought up on Hannah’s song,

“O praise, my soul, God’s greatness.

Rejoice, our Lord is strong.”

All ages call her blessed

Just as she once foretold.

Blest is she amongst women,

Her Child blest from of old.

Blest is she who believes God

Who carries God’s true Word.

Her Son both God and human

Fulfils great Gabriel’s word.

Our Saviour, God of mercy,

Remembers Abraham’s fold.

Praise God who casts down tyrants.

Rejoice! Our God is bold.

So sing we with blest Mary

To magnify the Lord

Who raised up his handmaiden.

Oh, holy is the Lord!

Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher

This may be sung to the tunes: Far Off Lands

Wie lieblich ist der Maien 

or to the new tune Ein Kerem 

The Visitation by Brigid Marlin

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At a Wedding Feast in Cana

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At a wedding feast in Cana

Jesus, Mary, and their friends

joined to celebrate a marriage-

covenant which on Love depends.

And the party it went on

till the bowls of wine were gone.

Mary nudged her Son Christ Jesus,

urged him to step up and please us.

"Dearest woman, let's have no show.
You know well it's not my time."
Mary smiled and told the servants,
"Follow all his words sublime.
Do whatever he may say.
It's the way he'll save the day."
And the servants did her bidding
and to Jesus all were listening.

Jesus guided all their actions
and turned water into wine.
How amazing this great wonder
his first miracle and sign!
It was not to raise the dead
or to heal as it is said,
but to keep a party going --
this his first and wondrous showing.

Let us hearken then to Mary
and do all that Christ shall say.
Heal the sick and feed the hungry,
love the living of each day.
Walk on water when we must,
make disciples of the lost.
Raise the dead and banish demons.
Preach and teach through all the seasons.

Praise and worship to the Father
Laud and glory to the Son,
For the Holy Spirit muster
songs of joy on every tongue.
With Our Lady walk the way
leading to Christ's glorious day
when the faithful rise to meet him
and rejoicing we will greet him!

Words: © 1998 by Vincent Uher

Music: Genevan Psalm 42 (Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People)

Meter: 8787 7788

For Christmastide and other feasts

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All glory be to God on high!

Peace, laud, and joy be our reply

To angels singing in the sky.

Praise Jesus Christ, true light from light.

Tender his love and great his might,

Christ Jesus, Saviour, our delight.

O Word and Widsom, thee we name,

Jesus the infant, God the same.

Praise and all worship to thy Name.

Son of blest Mary, spotless Lamb,

High Priest most holy, Great I AM,

Receive our lives into thy hand.

Praise God for Joseph, sainted man,

Brave Guardian of God’s saving plan,

Protector of the God-made-man.

Praise God for Mary Mother true,

Faithful to Jesus her life through,

Mother of God, our Mother too.

Lord Jesus Christ, most holy Lord,

With thy blest Spirit be adored

In God’s own glory here outpoured.

Joy not to hear thine infant cries!

Hope of the simple and the wise!

Love from all souls to thee arise!

© 2008 by Vincent Uher

TUNE: OLD 113th (O Mensch, bewein), 

Strassburger Kirchenamt, 1525

88.88.88