In the months since ABC canceled her show, Roseanne, last May, Roseanne Barr has put forth several explanations for her termination. Although the firing came in response to outrage over Barr’s racist tweet linking former Obama administration official Valerie Jarrett, who is black, to the Muslim Brotherhood and Planet of the Apes, the Jewish comedian has cited anti-Semitism and her views defending Israel. She has also previously claimed to have not known that Jarrett is black. MORE

Fides quarens intellectum. Faith seeking understanding.           

Ever since Satan deceived Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit under the pretext of becoming as gods (Genesis 3:5, “You shall be as gods knowing good and evil.”) Man has been struggling to find himself, until Jesus Christ came into this world to give him back his spiritual rebirth.

The Benedictus, given in Luke 1:68-79, is one of the three great canticles in the opening chapters of this Gospel, the other two being the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis . The Benedictus was the song of thanksgiving uttered by Zachary on the occasion of the birth of his son, St. Johnthe Baptist. It is Jewish in form, but Christian in sentiment. The local colouring and nationalistic character of the first half are so noticeable that Loisy has conjectured that it existed previously as a simple psalm, which Zachary adapted, his additions being, he contends, easily discernible. (Revue d’hist. et de lit. relig., May-June, 1903, p. 289). There are, however, grave objections to this view, and an opposite theory has been put forth that the Benedictus was composed with special reference to the names of Elizabeth, Zachary, and John, for Elizabeth, Jusjurandum quod juravit ; Zachary, Memorari (testamenti sui sancti ); and John, Ad faciendam misericordiam .

Vol 12 Issue 10 ~ Editor: Rev. Fr. Courtney Edward Krier
March 9, 2019 ~ Saint Frances of Rome

1.      What is the Sacrament of Confirmation
2.      First Sunday in Lent
3.      Forty Holy Martyrs
4.      Family and Marriage
5.      Articles and notices

Dear Reader:

Last week the life of Saint Joseph according to the Gospels was begun and I wish to continue this week.

God is the Author of the truths of faith and the truths learned by reason unaided by revelation. There can be no contradiction between the two.

The Catholic Church historically observes the disciplines of fasting and abstinence at various times each year. For Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one’s intake of food, while abstinence refers to refraining from meat (or another type of food). The Catholic Church teaches that all people are obliged by God to perform some penance for their sins, and that these acts of penance are both personal and corporeal. The purpose of fasting is spiritual focus, self-discipline, imitation of Christ, and performing penance. Bodily fasting is meaningless unless it is joined with a spiritual fast from sin. St. Basil gives the following exhortation regarding fasting:

“Let us fast an acceptable and very pleasing fast to the Lord. True fast is the estrangement from evil, temperance of tongue, abstinence from anger, separation from desires, slander, falsehood and perjury. Privation of these is true fasting.”