Vol 10 Issue 20 ~ Editor: Rev. Fr. Courtney Edward KrierMay 20, 2017 ~ Saint Bernardine of Siena
1. Is the Chair of Peter Vacant? An Argument for Sedevacantism
2. Fifth Sunday after Easter
3. Saint Godric
4. Family and Marriage
5. Articles and notices
Dear Reader:
Sunday will be the day the children receive their First Holy Communion in our parish. Being the month of May, it seems appropriate that the children understand the great mystery of Christ’s desire to be with mankind. This was first accomplished through the Incarnation, where the Son of God took the form of a man in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary the moment Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38). But it is secondly done through the Transubstantiation, when Our Lord Jesus Christ changes bread and wine into His Body and Blood at the moment the priest says: This is my bodyand This is the chalice of my blood, of the new and everlasting covenant which shall be shed for you and for many unto the forgiveness of sins(Missale Romanum; cf. Matt. 26:26ff, Mark 14:22ff, Luke 22:19ff and 1 Cor. 11:24.) The singular privilege of Mary to be the Mother of God (Theotokos-God bearer) is a role that cannot be repeated; but that Mary bore within her the Son of God is a privilege each Communicant is able to participate in as the reception of the Body of Christ places Christ within our body and we become Christophers—Christ carriers. It is not a union for naught, but it is a participation in the Redemptive act that unites one to Christ and His Sacrifice and bringing salvation to the participant as the Son is beloved by the Father and sits at the right hand of the Father. Therefore it is necessary the receiving holy Communion is participating in holy Mass. Catholics do not want to forget the simple explanation they learned of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, a Sacrament and a Sacrifice in which, under the appearances of bread and wine the Lord Jesus Christ is contained, offered and received. There is no possibility of having one without the other as Sacramental—only a non-Catholic taking the host in the mouth would not be partaking in the Sacramental aspect and would have Christ within but not participating in the Sacrifice that obtains the forgiveness of sins and unites one to Christ, that is, it would not avail to his salvation. A Catholic who receives unworthily would, desecrating the Sacrament, receive it to condemnation as Saint Paul says to the Corinthians: For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. (1 Cor. 11:29) As, again, one thinks of Mary and her purity, her Immaculate Conception, and being full of grace that prepares her for the reception of Christ to be made flesh in her womb, communicants must also, then, prepare their souls for the reception of Christ to be placed on their tongue, that they are in grace, that their souls be as pure as humanly possible. May the children worthily receive Christ and partake fully in the Holy Eucharist as a pledge of their future glory.
As always, enjoy the readings and commentaries provided for your benefit. —The Editor
___________________
Is the Chair of Peter Vacant?
An Argument for Sedevacantism
by Rev. Courtney Edward Krier
First Contradiction: The Authority of the Pope, to obey or not to obey?
(cont.)
The book, The Silent Church, by Fathers Lino Gussoni and Aristede Brunello, New York, Veritas Publishers 1954, had exposed to the Catholics in America what was happening to Catholics under Communist rule. But any mention of Communism being condemned by the Church or any warnings against Communism ceased under Angelo Roncalli. In Mater et Magistra (May 15,1961), he did write: Unrestricted competition in the liberal sense, and the Marxist creed of class warfare; are clearly contrary to Christian teaching and the nature of man. (Par. 23) But the phraseology contrasts extremes, not principles. And his social encyclical was followed two years later with another, Pacem in terris (April 11, 1963) which was basically a revision of the first, but that left out a rejection of Marxism and gave the green light to support Socialists:
The principles We have set out in this document take their rise from the very nature of things. They derive, for the most part, from the consideration of man’s natural rights. Thus the putting of these principles into effect frequently involves extensive co-operation between Catholics and those Christians who are separated from this Apostolic See. It even involves the cooperation of Catholics with men who may not be Christians but who nevertheless are reasonable men, and men of natural moral integrity. “In such circumstances they must, of course, bear themselves as Catholics, and do nothing to compromise religion and morality. Yet at the same time they should show themselves animated by a spirit of understanding and unselfishness, ready to co-operate loyally in achieving objects which are good in themselves, or conducive to good.” (Mater et Magistra, par. 239)
It is always perfectly justifiable to distinguish between error as such and the person who falls into error—even in the case of men who err regarding the truth or are led astray as a result of their inadequate knowledge, in matters either of religion or of the highest ethical standards. A man who has fallen into error does not cease to be a man. He never forfeits his personal dignity; and that is something that must always be taken into account. Besides, there exists in man’s very nature an undying capacity to break through the barriers of error and seek the road to truth. God, in His great providence, is ever present with His aid. Today, maybe, a man lacks faith and turns aside into error; tomorrow, perhaps, illumined by God’s light, he may indeed embrace the truth.
Catholics who, in order to achieve some external good, collaborate with unbelievers or with those who through error lack the fullness of faith in Christ, may possibly provide the occasion or even the incentive for their conversion to the truth.
Again it is perfectly legitimate to make a clear distinction between a false philosophy of the nature, origin and purpose of men and the world, and economic, social, cultural, and political undertakings, even when such undertakings draw their origin and inspiration from that philosophy. True, the philosophic formula does not change once it has been set down in precise terms, but the undertakings clearly cannot avoid being influenced to a certain extent by the changing conditions in which they have to operate. Besides, who can deny the possible existence of good and commendable elements in these undertakings, elements which do indeed conform to the dictates of right reason, and are an expression of man’s lawful aspirations?
It may sometimes happen, therefore, that meetings arranged for some practical end—though hitherto they were thought to be altogether useless—may in fact be fruitful at the present time, or at least offer prospects of success. But whether or not the moment for such cooperation has arrived, and the manner and degree of such co-operation in the attainment of economic, social, cultural and political advantages—these are matters for prudence to decide; prudence, the queen of all the virtues which rule the lives of men both as individuals and in society.
As far as Catholics are concerned, the decision rests primarily with those who take a leading part in the life of the community, and in these specific fields. They must, however, act in accordance with the principles of the natural law, and observe the Church’s social teaching and the directives of ecclesiastical authority. For it must not be forgotten that the Church has the right and duty not only to safeguard her teaching on faith and morals, but also to exercise her authority over her sons by intervening in their external affairs whenever a judgment has to be made concerning the practical application of this teaching. (Par. 157-160)
The final paragraph seems to direct one toward Church decisions, but Angelo Roncalli never issued any condemnation against the Communists and the understanding was immediately recognizable when the Communists gained a million votes in the 1963 election, while the Catholic supported political party lost 750,000 votes. It was also now visible that there was a struggle in the Church. On April 4, 1959, Alfredo Ottaviani—with the approval of Angelo Roncalli, renewed the condemnation of those supporting the Communists and Socialists. Yet only a month later, Civilta Cattolica, the Jesuit Magazine which received direct review and approval from the Pope, published that it was possible to support the Communists and Socialists (Civilta Cattolica, Anno 110, Vol. II, p.449, May 30, 1959). The Communists recognized the writing of both Mater and Magistra and Pacem in terris as opening the doors to their idealism and were quick to point it out to those who would still claim the Church opposed them.
Even deeper, what was a Catholic, who had recognized the struggle the Church waged against Freemasonry and the perpetual condemnations by the Popes against such an anti-Catholic Organization that had worked to destroy the Church, what was a Catholic, who had studied the philosophy of the Freemasons, to understand when Angelo Roncalli writes:
6. . . . The Father [i.e., the Grand Architect] of the universe has inscribed them in man’s nature, and that is where we must look for them; there and nowhere else.
[Fraternity]
7. These laws clearly indicate how a man must behave toward his fellows in society, and how the mutual relationships between the members of a State and its officials are to be conducted. They show too what principles must govern the relations between States; and finally, what should be the relations between individuals or States on the one hand, and the world-wide community of nations on the other. Men’s common interests make it imperative that at long last a world-wide community of nations be established. . . .
[Rights of Man]
11. But first We must speak of man’s rights. Man has the right to live. He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services. In consequence, he has the right to be looked after in the event of ill-health; disability stemming from his work; widowhood; old age; enforced unemployment; or whenever through no fault of his own he is deprived of the means of livelihood.
[Liberty]
12. Moreover, man has a natural right to be respected. He has a right to his good name. He has a right to freedom in investigating the truth, and—within the limits of the moral order and the common good—to freedom of speech and publication, and to freedom to pursue whatever profession he may choose. He has the right, also, to be accurately informed about public events.
[Equality]
13. He has the natural right to share in the benefits of culture, and hence to receive a good general education, and a technical or professional training consistent with the degree of educational development in his own country. Furthermore, a system must be devised for affording gifted members of society the opportunity of engaging in more advanced studies, with a view to their occupying, as far as possible, positions of responsibility in society in keeping with their natural talent and acquired skill. . . .
[Favoring Communism and Naturalism as opposed to Catholic State with man’s salvation as cornerstone]
53. Men, both as individuals and as intermediate groups, are required to make their own specific contributions to the general welfare. The main consequence of this is that they must harmonize their own interests with the needs of others, and offer their goods and services as their rulers shall direct—assuming, of course, that justice is maintained and the authorities are acting within the limits of their competence. Those who have authority in the State must exercise that authority in a way which is not only morally irreproachable, but also best calculated to ensure or promote the State’s welfare.
54. The attainment of the common good is the sole reason for the existence of civil authorities. In working for the common good, therefore, the authorities must obviously respect its nature, and at the same time adjust their legislation to meet the requirements of the given situation.
[Green light to support Communists]
67. For the rest, it is not possible to give a general ruling on the most suitable form of government, or the ways in which civil authorities can most effectively fulfill their legislative, administrative, and judicial functions.
68. In determining what form a particular government shall take, and the way in which it shall function, a major consideration will be the prevailing circumstances and the condition of the people; and these are things which vary in different places and at different times.
We think, however, that it is in keeping with human nature for the State to be given a form which embodies a threefold division of public office properly corresponding to the three main functions of public authority. In such a State a precise legal framework is provided, not only for the official functions of government, but also for the mutual relations between citizens and public officials. This will obviously afford sure protection to citizens, both in the safeguarding of their rights and in the fulfilment of their duties.
69. If, however, this juridical and political structure is to realize its potential benefits, it is absolutely essential that public officials do their utmost to solve the problems that arise; and they must do so by using policies and techniques which it is within their competence to implement, and which suit the actual condition of the State. It is also essential that, despite constantly changing conditions, legislators never disregard the moral law or constitutional provision, nor act at variance with the exigencies of the common good. And as justice must be the guiding principle in the administration of the State, and executives must thoroughly understand the law and carefully weigh all attendant circumstances, so too in the courts: justice must be administered impartially, and judges must be wholly incorrupt and uninfluenced by the solicitations of interested parties. The good order of society also requires that individuals and subsidiary groups within the State be effectively protected by law in the affirmation of their rights and the performance of their duties, both in their relations with each other and with government officials.
Elisa Carrillo, studying the change of the Vatican from anti-Communism to pro-Communism, writes:
On April 10, 1963, Pope John issued the second of his controversial encyclicals, Pacem in Terris, addressed to all men of good will. Pacem in Terris drew a distinction between historical movements that had economic, social, or political ends and “the false philosophical teachings” which had originally animated those movements. The pope declared that ‘those movements, insofar as they conform to the dictates of right reason, contain elements that are positive and deserving of approval.” The world press interpreted “historical movements” as Marxist movements, and thus Pope John could be said to endorse collaboration with both the Socialist and Communist parties. For an Italian Catholic electorate brought up on anti-communism, this was a startling reversal of the Church’s position. And insofar as the encyclical called for an end to the arms race, the pope seemed to be blessing the Soviet Union’s efforts to bring about disarmament. (Elisa Carrillo, The Italian Catholic Church and Communism, 1943-1963 in The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 77, No. 4 (Oct., 1991), pp. 644-657.)
Angelo Roncalli would die less than two months later on June 3, 1963, with Italy now under the influence of the Communists. His policy to join anti-Catholics instead of opposing them saw the assassination, under the direction of John F. Kennedy, of the Catholic anti-Communist Ngo Dinh Diem on November 2. Yet, John F. Kennedy would, himself, die the same way less than three weeks later on November 22. For many Catholics it was clear that the bulwark against anti-Catholic forces, the Catholic Hierarchy, had joined the anti-Catholic forces. This was particularly relevant to Catholics who had served in the military or suffered because of the Communists.
(To be continued)
————————–
The Ecclesiastical Year (1880)
In thanks for the redemption the Church sings at the Introit: Declare the voice of joy, and let it be heard, allel.: declare it even to the ends of the earth: the Lord hath delivered his people. (Isai. xlvii. 20.) Allel. allel. Shout with joy to God, all the earth: sing ye a psalm to his name, give glory to his praise. (Ps. lxv.) Glory etc.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, from whom all good things proceed: grant to Thy suppliants, that by Thy inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by Thy guidance may perform the same. Through etc.
EPISTLE. (James i. 22-27.) Dearly Beloved, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass: for he beheld himself and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was. But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless, and widows in their tribulation, and to keep one’s self unspotted from the world.
EXPLANATION. True piety, as St. James here says, consists not only in knowing and recognizing the word of God, but in living according to its precepts and teachings; in subduing the tongue, the most dangerous and injurious of all our members; in being charitable to the poor and destitute, and in contemning the world, its false principles, foolish customs and scandalous example, against which we should guard, that we may not become infected and polluted by them. Test thyself, whether thy life be of this kind.
ASPIRATION. O Jesus! Director of the soul! Give me the grace of true piety as defined by St. James.
GOSPEL. (John xvi. 23-30.) At this time, Jesus saith to his disciples: Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto, you have not asked anything in my name. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken to you in proverbs. The hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs, but will show you plainly of the Father. In that day, you shall ask in my name: and I say not to you that I will ask the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now we know that thou knowest all things, and thou needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou comest forth from God.
Why does God wish us to ask of Him?
…
[Message clipped] View entire message