Salma Hayek’s husband has pledged 113 million to rebuilding ND. I pray that Salma Hayek’s anti catholic views do not have a voice in the restoration of ND. Her religious views: ( she regects her Catholic upbringing.) “Don’t call her an atheist, though. She just isn’t into organized religion. She said: I don’t believe in the institution. I still believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in God.3 This isn’t the only time Hayek has offended Catholics.4 Her role in the satirical Catholic film, Dogma, wasn’t a hit among the faithful either, with its portrayal of petty deities, drunken angels, and Alanis Morrissette as God.5” https://hollowverse.com/salma-hayek/
In the end a building is only a building. It falls to fire and is rebuilt. A single human soul is worth a billion times more, for Christ died to ransom it and when it falls into the Eternal Fire it is never rebuilt. That is the true sadness. People weep for that which is made of human stone and do not weep for poor souls that fall into hell. The true sadness of Notre Dame is that few French Souls who entered Notre Dame believed in what it was built for. Who it was built for.
A good summation: Signs of hope amid the flames Through the intercession of the Mother of God, may this tragedy remind us of Notre-Dame’s true purpose. First commissioned by King Louis VII in 1163, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris took nearly 200 years to build. Since its completion in 1345, it has stood as a monument to the glory of French, European, and Western civilizations. Twelve million visitors or more are drawn to the Cathedral every year to admire its Gothic architecture, flying buttresses, and majestic rose windows. But, in just a few shocking hours, the shrine was almost completely destroyed. Its near obliteration in a fire yesterday is front page news the world over. It was devastating to watch the live video of the billowing smoke, searing flames, and collapsing spire. Though the worst has been avoided, as it now appears the stone vault and interior remain largely intact (along with the two bell towers of the Cathedral’s iconic facade), the world still mourns the damage done, the full measure of which is yet to be determined. As the eyes of the world turned to Paris yesterday in concern for the survival of a monument of unique importance in the history of art and architecture, what did they see? The world was looking at a cross. A burning cross at the center of Paris for the Notre-Dame Cathedral is cruciform in shape. Let us pray that what rises from the ashes of this tragedy is a recognition that the heritage of France, Europe and the West is cruciform, for Notre-Dame is a monument in stone to the Christian Faith that built these civilizations. One can readily see in the fire a metaphor for the state of the Faith in Europe in this increasingly secular age. But after the Cross comes Resurrection—and yesterday provided signs of hope. The first sign came in the immediate concern expressed for the Blessed Sacrament. That the tabernacle was emptied and Our Lord’s Real Presence in the Eucharist was saved from harm is a consolation. The priests and firefighters who facilitated this reminded the world that the whole purpose for the construction of Notre-Dame in the first place was to be a worthy dwelling place for God. I am reminded of Cordelia’s conversation with Charles in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. She tells him about the closing of the chapel at their family estate after the funeral of her mother and explains having to watch the priest empty the tabernacle, leaving its golden door ajar. “I suppose none of this makes sense to you, Charles, poor agnostic.” she said. “I stayed there till he was gone, and then, suddenly, there wasn’t any chapel any more, just an oddly decorated room.” Indeed, without the Blessed Sacrament the Notre-Dame Cathedral would be just an odd-looking building in the heart of a cosmopolitan city. It is the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist that makes it a church. It was to provide a worthy dwelling place for the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist that inspired our ancestors in the Faith to spend their lives building such a glorious edifice. That same faith was on display yesterday when the Blessed Sacrament was rescued. The second sign of hope was the concern given to also saving one of Christendom’s most cherished relics—the Crown of Thorns. When King Saint Louis IX acquired this instrument of Our Lord’s Passion and brought it to Paris in 1239, he removed his own crown and royal robes to walk barefoot behind the relic as it was carried in procession through the city streets. That same faith was on display yesterday when the Crown of Thorns was saved amid and through the flames. Finally, the “living stones” of the Church took to the streets of Paris to remind us that the Church is more that just stones but is Christ’s Mystical Body on Earth. It was deeply moving to see the crowds kneeling in prayer in the shadow of Notre-Dame singing the Ave Maria. Why were their tears in the eyes of so many Parisians? Were they crying simply over damage done to a building of grand art and architecture? Or were they crying over something more? Perhaps it was over the lost Catholic identity of their nation symbolized in the flames engulfing Notre-Dame. And when the French President, Emmanuel Macron, made a solemn promise to rebuild the Cathedral, it should be asked, why? Why bother with such an investment of time, money, and effort? It only makes sense if it is for the same reason it was built in the first place. It must be rebuilt for the glory of Jesus Christ and His Mother. The beauty and meaning of Notre-Dame lies in the religious beliefs, principles, and culture that inspired its construction. The same faith that inspired its builders 800 years ago was on full display yesterday in the uplifting sounds of the Ave Maria being sung by the crowds on the streets of Paris. Through the intercession of the Mother of God, may this tragedy remind us of Notre-Dame’s true purpose. And may we see this wonder restored along with Faith that built it.
For those who were concerned: Organ Also Survives ....... Paris officials said the world famous 18th century organ that boasts 8,000 pipes also appeared to have survived, along with other treasures inside the cathedral, after a plan to safeguard heritage was quickly put into action. https://apnews.com/abf11681d6164918982e5cbca0957548 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Billionaires Pledge To Help Rebuild https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/...tion=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage
The hero who saved the Crown of Thorns: Fire brigade chaplain entered flaming Notre Dame to recover holy relic - three years after he bravely helped Bataclan terror victims Jean-Marc Fournier saved the Crown of Thorns from the blazing Notre Dame Paris Fire Brigade chaplain also rescued the Blessed Sacrament from cathedral Father Fournier described as a 'hero' for 'showing no fear' and saving the relics In 2015 he also rushed inside the Bataclan where Islamic State militants killed 89 By PETER ALLEN IN PARIS and CHRIS DYER FOR MAILONLINE A French priest who helped the wounded in the Bataclan terror attack on Paris and who survived an ambush in Afghanistan also emerged as a hero of the Notre Dame fire today. Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade, rushed straight for the relics housed in the cathedral to rescue the Blessed Sacrament and the Crown of Thorns relics from the blazing building on Monday night. It was feared that both religious artefacts would be lost as flames engulfed the medieval building, but Father Fournier made sure they were taken to safety. Four years ago he also comforted the wounded after the worst terrorist attack on Paris this century when 89 people were massacred at the Eagles of Death Metal concert in 2015. +4 +4 ________________________________________________________ A HERO priest who helped comfort those wounded in the 2015 Paris terror attack risked his life by running into the Notre Dame blaze to rescue Jesus Christ's Crown of Thorns. Jean-Marc Fournier, Chaplain of the Paris Firefighters, said he had been among those to enter Paris' 850-year-old cathedral as it was consumed by flames. He also saved the Blessed Sacrament as emergency services formed a "human chain" to pull other historic relics from the burning structure, which was finally extinguished today after eight hours. In a glimmer of hope, Paris' Mayor Anne Hidalgo said cops and rescuers linked-up to save some of the artworks and religious relics - including the crown and tunic of Saint Louis just days before Easter. She added: "The Crown of Thorns, the tunic of Saint Louis and several other major works are now in a safe place." Etienne Loraillere, an editor for France’s KTO Catholic television network, said Father Fournier "went with the firefighters into Notre Dame Cathedral to save the Crown of Thorns and the Blessed Sacrament". 'ABSOLUTE HERO' This was confirmed by an emergency services source who said: "Father Fournier is an absolute hero. "He showed no fear at all as he made straight for the relics inside the Cathedral, and made sure they were saved. He deals with life and death every day, and shows no fear." Father Fournier rushed inside the Bataclan music venue in Paris on November 13 2015, when ISIS murdered 89 people using guns and explosives. The modest chaplain prayed over the dead, and comforted those who were injured or had lost loved ones. "I gave collective absolution, as the Catholic Church authorises me," father Fournier said at the time. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8871835/notre-dame-fire-jesus-crown-of-thorns-saved-treasures-at-risk/
Jesus Christ’s Crown of Thorns and the Tunic of St. Louis Rescued from Inferno at Notre Dame Cathedral St. Louis first carried Jesus Christ’s Crown of Thorns into the Sainte-Chapelle for the first time in 1238. The Crown of Thorns is not stored at Notre Dame Cathedral. On the First Friday of the month, the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, guardians of the relic at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, present the Crown of Thorns for adoration at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. On Monday Notre Dame Cathedral was engulfed in flames. The Crown of Thorns was rescued from the burning Cathedral. Some Notre-Dame treasures saved by French firefightershttp://u.afp.com/JNgo Two irreplaceable artifacts have been rescued -- the Crown of Thorns, a relic of the passion of Christ and the tunic allegedly worn by Saint Louis https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/20...rescued-from-inferno-at-notre-dame-cathedral/
Rose windows of Notre Dame are safe but fate of other treasures is unclear Posted 6:52 am, April 16, 2019, by CNN Wire Service | https://fox6now.com/2019/04/16/rose...-safe-but-fate-of-other-treasures-is-unclear/ PARIS, France — The cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is home to scores of priceless artifacts, artwork and relics collected over the centuries, each with their own story. As a devastating fire tore through the revered Gothic cathedral on Monday, toppling its spire, many feared these treasures might be lost forever. A “forest” of wooden latticework fueled the blaze which consumed the building’s roof, whose framework dates back to the 13th century, according to Msgr. Patrick Chauvet, the cathedral’s rector. Shown is one of three famous stained glass windows from Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The Paris Fire Brigade tweeted that the cathedral’s stone construction has been “saved,” as have the “main works of art.” As more information emerges, what has been rescued from Notre Dame is becoming apparent. Yet many details, such as possible water damage from the operation to save the building, are still unclear. What was saved • The Crown of Thorns, which some believe was placed on the head of Jesus and which the cathedral calls its “most precious and most venerated relic,” was rescued from the fire, according to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. • Hidalgo confirmed the Tunic of Saint Louis and other “major” works were also saved. • The facade and twin bell towers, the tallest structures in Paris until the completion of the Eiffel Tower in the late 19th century, survived the blaze. The master organ is used for public services. The North tower was completed in 1240 and the South tower in 1250. • The cathedral’s main bell, Emanuelle, lives in the South tower. It has marked significant moments in French history, such as the end of World War II, as well as holidays and special occasions. • The Rose windows are a trio of immense round stained-glass windows over the cathedral’s three main portals that date back to the 13th century. The Archbishop of Paris said all three have been saved, reports CNN affiliate BFM TV. • The original Great Organ, one of the world’s most famous musical instruments, dates back to medieval times. Over the years, organ makers renovated the instrument and added onto it, but it still contained pipes from the Middle Ages before Monday’s fire. The position of titular organist, or head organist, carries great prestige in France and around the world. The Archbishop of Paris confirmed the organ is safe, reports CNN affiliate BFM TV. Fate of other artifacts unconfirmed “We managed to protect the most precious treasures in a safe place,” a Paris City Hall spokesperson told CNN. However it has not been confirmed whether individual items such as a fragment of the True Cross and one of the Holy Nails were saved. • There were also numerous sculptures, statues and paintings inside the cathedral depicting Biblical scenes and saints. One series of 76 paintings, each nearly four meters tall, commemorates the New Testament’s Acts of the Apostles, including the crucifixion of St. Peter and the conversion of St. Paul. The works were completed between 1630 and 1707 by the members or associates of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Another painting is from a series by Jean Jouvenet depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. All six from the series used to be in the cathedral. They were moved to the Louvre in the 1860s, and only “The Visitation” was returned to Notre Dame. A portrait from 1648 of St. Thomas Aquinas also graced the cathedral’s interiors. • It is not yet clear how much damage there is to the cathedral’s exterior, where a menagerie of menacing gargoyles and chimeras stand guard and a system of flying buttresses support the outside walls. A Paris police source told CNN that part of the vault has collapsed in the central nave, and architects are checking whether the structure is stable. • The cathedral also has an archaeological crypt under the courtyard. It was created to protect 19th-century relics that were discovered during excavations in 1965. It opened to the public in 1980
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019...n-about-who-started-notre-dame-cathedral-fire The Internet Erupts With Speculation About Who Started The Notre Dame Cathedral Fire Update 2: Ever careful to watch for false-flags and conspiracy theory concerns, video is emerging of a Gilets-Jaunes in black clothes at one of the two towers half an hour after the start of the fire at Notre-Dame... https://twitter.com/sotiridi/status...n-about-who-started-notre-dame-cathedral-fire One definite way to disenfranchise the yellow vests - as they crush French autocracy - would be to set them up as the fall-guys for this national disaster. Surely that is not possible! * * * Update 1: A silver lining - if that's possible: a Catholic priest was today hailed a hero as it emerged he entered the Notre-Dame last night during the height of the inferno to rescue precious cathedral relics including the Crown of Thorns. The hallowed artefact, which symbolises the wreath of thorns placed on the head of Jesus Christ at his crucifixion, was stored in the cathedral's treasury and was brought to Paris by French King Louis IX in 1238. Jean-Marc Fournier, Chaplain of Paris Fire Brigade, was also said to have saved the Blessed Sacrament last night from the 850-year-old Gothic masterpiece. * * * Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz stressed early indications suggest the fire was accidental, as he added: "Nothing indicates a deliberate act.” But, as Michael Snyder details below, now that the initial shock of the fire has subsided, the Internet is buzzing with speculation about the origin of the fire. In the end, there are only two options. Either this was an accident, or someone intentionally started the fire. And if the fire was intentionally started, obviously someone had a motive for doing so. Time columnist Christopher J. Hale set off a firestorm of speculation when he tweeted that a friend who works at the cathedral told him “cathedral staff said the fire was intentionally set”… Hale deleted the tweet just a few minutes later. Was he lying about what he had been told? Coming from a professional journalist, that doesn’t seem likely. Instead, it is much more likely that Hale quickly figured out that he said something that he wasn’t supposed to say. A YouTube video that purportedly contains audio of Muslims celebrating the fire at the Notre Dame cathedral has also sparked a lot of speculation. But at this point there doesn’t appear to be any way to verify the authenticity of the video. But what we do know is that all of this comes at a time when churches all over France are being attacked. On March 17th, the second largest church in France erupted in flames, and police later ruled that it was not an accident… While Notre Dame is undoubtedly the most well-known landmark to be affected, Paris’ second largest church, Saint-Sulpice, briefly burst into flames on March 17, the fire damaging doors and stained glass windows on the building’s exterior. Police later reported that the incident had not been an accident. Overall, a dozen Catholic churches were either set on fire or greatly vandalized during one seven day stretch last month… A dozen Catholic churches have been desecrated across France over the period of one week in an egregious case of anti-Christian vandalism. The recent spate of church profanations has puzzled both police and ecclesiastical leaders, who have mostly remained silent as the violations have spread up and down France. Last Sunday, marauders set fire to the church of Saint-Sulpice — one of Paris’ largest and most important churches — shortly after the twelve-o’clock Mass. And some of the vandalism that was reported during that seven day period was deeply, deeply disturbing… In Nimes (department of the Gard), near the border with Spain, the church of Notre-Dame des Enfants was desecrated in a particularly odious way, with vandals painting a cross with human excrement, looting the main altar and the tabernacle, and stealing the consecrated hosts, which were discovered later among piles of garbage. Likewise, the church of Notre-Dame in Dijon, in the east of the country, suffered the sacking of the high altar and the hosts were also taken from the tabernacle, scattered on the ground, and trampled. Could it be possible that there is a connection between those attacks and the fire that just erupted at the Notre Dame cathedral? That is a question that any decent investigator would be asking at this point. We also know that anti-Christian and anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise in France. Just check out these numbers… The number of anti-Semitic attacks (541) rose 74 percent from 2017-2018 while anti-Muslim attacks numbered just 100, the lowest since 2010. Meanwhile in the same period, there were 1063 anti-Christian attacks, a slight increase on the previous year. Needless to say, radical Islamists are responsible for most of the attacks against Christians and Jews, and the number of Muslims living in the Paris area has greatly increased in recent years… According to reports, the number of Jews fleeing France for their safety has dramatically increased since 2000. In one Paris suburb alone – Seine-Saint-Denis – 40 percent of the population is Muslim while 400,000 illegal immigrants also live there. But in this politically-correct era, we aren’t supposed to talk about attacks against Christians, and this is especially true if those attacks are conducted by radical Islamists. On Monday, even anchors at Fox News had apparently been instructed that any speculation about who started the Notre Dame cathedral fire must be immediately shut down. These days there is very little difference between Fox News and the other major news networks, and that is very unfortunate. On another note, I also find it very interesting that at one point on Monday a YouTube algorithm linked the fire at the Notre Dame cathedral with the 9/11 attacks… A YouTube feature designed to combat misinformation offered some of its own during a major news event Monday: It linked the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The company blamed the mixup on its algorithms. It removed the links on all Notre Dame fire posts after the issue was flagged. In this day and age, the “spin” is often more important than the actual events themselves. In the coming days, a tremendous effort will be made to get us to feel a certain way about the Notre Dame cathedral fire. But what would be so wrong with allowing us to think for ourselves and allowing us to come to our own conclusions? The Internet was one of the last bastions for global free speech, but now the heavy hand of censorship is descending, and our ability to freely discuss global events is eroding a little bit more with each passing day.
Pakistani Migrant Faces Trial for Smashing Historic Church Holding Tombs of French Kings LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images CHRIS TOMLINSON16 Apr 2019257 A 41-year-old Pakistani migrant will face trial after vandalising the Saint-Denis Basilica, the home of the tombs of many French Kings including Charles Martel. The Pakistani origin male, who had arrived in France only two months ago, will stand trial in Bobigny next month, accused of causing serious damage to the main organ of the basilica as well as smashing stained glass windows in an apparent attack that took place in March, Le Parisien reports. While in court for his initial hearing, the Pakistani, who does not speak any French, said through a translator: “I do not know how I am concerned with this case.” When asked if he would like time to prepare his defence, he told the court he did not understand the French justice system. Christian Basilica in Paris No-Go Suburbs Heavily Vandalised https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/03/09/basilica-paris-no-go-suburbs-heavily-vandalised/ … 123 7:59 AM - Mar 9, 2019 Christian Basilica in Paris No-Go Suburbs Heavily Vandalised The over 800-year-old Basilica of Saint-Denis was heavily vandalised with vandals smashing stained glass windows. breitbart.com According to the court, the man had already been accused of vandalism of property in February and that his DNA had been found in the basilica by investigators which led to his arrest. The migrant claimed ignorance of the judicial process which forced the judge to question whether or not he was purposely trying to not understand what was occurring. As a result, the judge delayed the trial until May 10th and ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the Pakistani national. When the incident occurred in March, the damage to the organ was said to be extensiveby Saadia Tamelikecht, head of the departmental unit of architecture and heritage of the heavily migrant-populated Seine-Saint-Denis suburbs. Far-Left Activists, Illegal Migrants Storm Basilica Holding The Tombs of French Kings http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/03/20/far-left-activists-migrants-basilica-housing-tombs-french-kings/ … 71 5:26 AM - Mar 20, 2018 Far-Left Activists and Migrants Invade Basilica Housing Tombs of French Kings Far-left activists and illegal migrants invaded the Basilica of Saint-Denis on Sunday to protest a new asylum law. The vandalism also came just over a year after the basilica was stormed by pro-migrant activists alongside illegal migrants to protest the French government’s reforms to asylum laws, with police having to forcibly remove them after around an hour of occupation. Vandalism of churches across France has become a major issue, with nine churches across the country vandalised in just 11 days in February. Some of the damage had included thefts, while others featured grotesque acts such as the smearing of faeces on the walls of a church in Nîmes. View image on Twitter Paris' historic Saint-Sulpice church briefly catches fire, nobody hurt https://reut.rs/2TOYkhP Just last month the second largest church in Paris was damaged by fire, which police have said was deliberately started. Dramatic images from the scene showed flames pouring out of a “massive” porch door and stained glass window, although fortunately the Paris Pompiers were able to put out the blaze before it spread to the rest of the building. In the aftermath of the attack on the church, French right-wing leader Laurent Wauquiez hit out at the mainstream media for ignoring the story of church attacks in France, remarking that the amount of coverage the stories got was “tiny”, reports London’s The Times. On Monday, another tragedy struck one of France’s most iconic cathedrals as the roof of the Notre-Dame cathedral caught fire, causing widespread damage to the building. Firefighters said the blaze had been successfully extinguished Tuesday morning, but images coming from Paris show the extent of damage to the historic fabric of the building — both the total destruction of the Medieval wooden roof, but also the collapse of parts of the stone vaulted ceiling. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...mashing-french-basilica-housing-former-kings/
The Pollution of the Lavabos in Notre-Dame de Paris Posted on April 15, 2019 by Baron Bodissey 3 The following article is poignant in light of what happened today at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris.* Daniel Hamiche is a French Catholic journalist and writer. In a brief post from 2018 he quotes Le Parisien in his discussion about the deliberate contamination of holy water in the stoups (a stoup is a basin or font of holy water that worshippers dip their fingers in, commonly known as a lavabo by American Catholics): Stoups of the Notre-Dame cathedral polluted By Daniel Hamiche August 12, 2018 I prefer to use the word ‘pollution’ rather than ‘poisoning’, which was even put in the quotation marks by Le Parisien. It is rather common that imbeciles or villains pollute the stoups in churches — in my own parish one Sunday, a couple of years ago, I had to clean a stoup whose sacred water was dyed red… An act of vandalism? Of malice? Vengeance of a pagan? Bad schoolboy joke? The mystery is still there… This Saturday morning, a team of police from the police station of the 4th arrondissement [of Paris] arrived at the île de la Cité, at Notre-Dame de Paris, after mass. To investigate. On Friday [August 10th] Catholic tourists, who came to gather together at Notre-Dame [the verb “to gather” here has the connotation of “worshipping”, or praying together since it is also used for going together to someone’s grave to pay respect, or meditate], were allegedly poisoned by… holy water! “They complained about burning around their faces after crossing themselves with the water from the stoups, at the entrance of the church, according to the police source. They also suffered from headaches. A Church representative, worried, went to the police station of the 4th arrondissement, responsible for the area [where Notre-Dame is located], in order to report the events. To elucidate the facts. To protect his flock. […] In the alleys, a priest, in his alb confirms the incident: “It was above all very smelly, the water.” And, while looking towards the sky: “What can you do! It’s unfortunately an evil act. They want to poison the world!” […] Finally, after an investigation, the fine bloodhounds from the police station of the 4th arrondissement concluded the absence of danger. No complaint was filed, and no official investigation was opened. In Notre-Dame, it was decided, per security measures, to empty the water from the stoups and to bleach them! The stone basins have been completely cleaned and filled with fresh water. https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/04/the-pollution-of-the-lavabos-in-notre-dame-de-paris/
"I will allow convents and churches to be destroyed". The Holy Week just begun. This is what Saint Faustina saw during Eucharistic adoration and considering The Way of the Cross. When I came for adoration, an inner recollection took hold of me immediately, and I saw the Lord Jesus tied to a pillar, stripped of His clothes, and the scourging began immediately. I saw four men who took turns at striking the Lord with scourges. My heart almost stopped at the sight of these tortures. The Lord said to me, I suffer even greater pain than that which you see. And Jesus gave me to know for what sins He subjected Himself to the scourging: these are sins of impurity. Oh, how dreadful was Jesus‟ moral suffering during the scourging! Then Jesus said to me, Look and see the human race in its present condition. In an instant, I saw horrible things: the executioners left Jesus, and other people started scourging Him; they seized the scourges and struck the Lord Mercilessly. These were priests, religious men and women, and high dignitaries of the Church, which surprised me greatly. There were lay people of all ages and walks of life. All vented their malice on the innocent Jesus. Seeing this, my heart fell as if into a mortal agony. And while the executioners had been scourging Him, Jesus had been silent and looking into the distance; but when those other souls I mentioned scourged Him, Jesus closed His eyes, and a soft but most painful moan escaped from His Heart. And Jesus gave me to know in detail the gravity of the malice of the ungrateful souls: You see, this is a torture greater than My death. Then my lips too fell silent, and I began to experience the agony of death, and I felt that no one would comfort me or snatch me from that state but the One who had put me into it. (445) Towards the end of the Way of the Cross which I was making, the Lord Jesus began to complain about the souls of religious and priests, about the lack of love in chosen souls. I will allow convents and churches to be destroyed. I answered, “Jesus, but there are so many souls praising You in convents.” The Lord answered, That praise wounds My Heart, because love has been banished from convents. Souls without love and without devotion, souls full of egoism and self-love, souls full of pride and arrogance, souls full of deceit and hypocrisy, lukewarm souls who have just enough warmth to keep them alive: My Heart cannot bear this. All the graces that I pour out upon them flow off them as off the face of a rock. I cannot stand them, because they are neither good or bad. I called convents into being to sanctify the world through them. It is from them that a powerful flame of love and sacrifice should burst forth. And if they do not repent and become enkindled by their first love, I will deliver them over to the fate of this world…… How can they sit on the promised throne of judgment to judge the world, when their guilt is greater than the guilt of the world? There is neither penance nor atonement. O heart, which received Me in the morning and at noon are all ablaze with hatred against Me, hatred of all sorts! O heart especially chosen by Me, were you chosen for this, to give Me more pain? The great sins of the world are superficial wounds on My Heart, but the sins of a chosen soul pierce My Heart through and through……. When I tried to intercede for them, I could find nothing with which to excuse them and, being at the time unable to think of anything in their defense, my heart was seized with pain, and I wept bitterly. Then the Lord looked at me kindly and comforted me with these words: Do not cry. There are still a great number of souls who love Me very much, but My Heart desires to be loved by all and, because My love is great, that is why I warn and chastise them. (1702-1703)
http://www.theamericanmirror.com/mystery-man-in-muslim-garb-moves-swiftly-at-notre-dame-cathedral-where-no-workers-present MYSTERY: TV camera catches man in Notre Dame cathedral as fire rages April 15, 2019 Who was the man caught by a TV camera walking on the exterior of Notre Dame cathedral today? https://twitter.com/therealcornett/status/1117966167040249856 “No workers present at the time that the Notre Dame Cathedral fire started……So who is this guy dressed in Muslim garb??” a Twitter user wondered. A man in a light colored robe and and head covering could be seen moving swiftly from left to right across the screen and then behind a column as the fire burned in the background. Fox News host Shepard Smith had on Philippe Karsenty, whom Smith identified as a “French elected official,” to discuss what he was seeing in Paris. “The church was there 850 years,” Karsenty said just moments into the phone appearance. “Even the Nazis didn’t dare to destroy it,” he said. “And you need to know for the past year we’ve had churches desecrated each and every week all over France. “So of course you will hear the story about the political correctness that will probably tell you it was an accident,” he said before Smith jumped in. “Sir, sir sir,” he said sternly, “we’re not going to speculate here of the cause of something of which we do not know.” “If you know something, we’d love to hear it,” Smith said. “I’m just telling you something, we need to be ready,” Karsenty continued before Smith cut him off again, saying “We’re not doing that here. Not now, not on my watch.” Smith then dispatched his guest.
875 Catholic Churches in France Were Vandalized in 2018 by Radical Secularists and Muslims According to the UK Sun 875 French churches were vandalized just last year. CHURCHES across France have been set on fire and poo smeared on walls as the country’s Christian heritage is said to be under attack from “militant secularism”. Recent incidents have included a fire in Saint-Sulpice church in Paris, human poo daubed on a wall in Notre-Dame-des-Enfacts in Nimes, and an organ vandalised at Saint-Denis basilica outside Paris. Some politicians have claimed the country’s Christian heritage is under threat from petty criminals encouraged by “militant secularism”. Figures released by French police showed that 875 of France’s 42,258 churches were vandalised last year. A further 129 churches reported thefts from the premises. The interior ministry said that 59 cemeteries were also vandalised. The churches were vandalized by radical leftists and Muslims. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/20...d-in-2018-by-radical-secularists-and-muslims/ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Message to Luz de Maria April 4, 2019: I call you to pray for France, which suffers invasion.
Apr. 15, 2019 | http://www.ncregister.com/blog/MHartog/temple As We Weep Over Notre Dame, We Hope in the Temple ‘Raised Up in Three Days’ The songs of the many faithful who gathered tonight near the Cathedral already mix with those of the Holy Week, a few days away from the commemoration of the Passion of Christ. Solène Tadié “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) How not to think about this timely gospel passage as we helplessly watch the orange flames rise from the roof above the rose window of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame? On the day after Palm Sunday and the first day of Holy Week, those words are resonating in the minds of so many people in Paris and all over the world tonight. Notre-Dame is not only the highest symbol of Catholicism in France. It is part of our world heritage. It is the very soul of the French that these flames have wounded. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame made Paris the rightful capital of France. From Nerval to Gustave Doré, Claude Monet, Victor Hugo, Charles Péguy, or even Walt Disney, it has been a muse for the greatest minds of the past 850 years of history. There, on Christmas in 1886, poet and dramatist Paul Claudel had a lightning conversion at the base of the iconic statue of the Virgin with Child, giving rise to a series of literary masterpieces that will make an eternal mark on French heritage. “The whole French culture, not only religious, is burning tonight. It is the whole history of France which is burning. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame is the most emblematic monument of our whole country,” said Catholic French writer Bernard Lecomte while providing comments for various national media. It is hard not to see in such heartbreaking images a symbol of the deep wounds affecting the Church of France. One month after the arson of historic Saint-Sulpice Church in Paris, while the wave of desecration and vandalism against churches in the country remains unprecedented, such event seems to arouse a vast awareness among the population. Sadness and incredulity are unanimous. The whole country is weeping, believers as well as non-believers. It is a new proof, if one was needed, of the unifying power of Christian culture through the universality of its beauty and of its message of love. The songs of the many faithful who gathered tonight near the Cathedral already mix with those of the Holy Week, a few days away from the commemoration of the Passion of Christ. But as our voices are gathered in a unique song of pain, we must not lose sight of the very essence of the Christian faith. At the approach of Easter, let us connect with renewed strength to the hope of the resurrection of Christ. Let us entrust the Church of France and the whole country to the Lord, as we respond to Notre-Dame Rector Patrick Chauvet’s call to keep faith in the future and become cathedral builders yet again. Solène Tadié is the Register's Europe Correspondent. Originally from France, she is currently based in Rome, Italy. *** Google translate: "How can we not be upset by the emotion, the dignity, the unity of a nation around its Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Paris? After the tears come joy, for Mary will always be the most beautiful. After the sadness comes hope because Mary will always be the strongest. + RS"
I was thinking the same thing. With this being the 4th church to catch fire since January in France alone...Seems very significant to me pertaining to replacing anything man-made with Christ coming again! Given the prophesy of Rome burning, guess it's not quite time for that yet. At the start of Holy Week yet. I must say, I was impressed with CNN's coverage last night. The one anchor called a spade a spade and acknowledged being a very imperfect Catholic himself. He did present the religious significance of it far beyond the artwork.
Cardinal Burke: Notre Dame fire prompts ‘sobering reflection’ on ‘grievous sins’ of our day Diane Montagna | https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-burke-on-notre-dame-fire catholic, notre dame, notre dame fire, raymond burke, sin Cardinal Raymond Burke LifeSiteNews ROME, April 16, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — The devastating fire that ravaged the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is a “sobering reflection” on the “attacks upon the infinite beauty of the faith by the grievous sins and crimes of our day,” a prominent cardinal has said. In comments to LifeSite on Tuesday morning, Cardinal Raymond Burke said from Rome that he is “profoundly saddened by the massive destruction done to the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris by yesterday’s fire.” On Monday evening, as Catholics enter Holy Week and celebrate the central mysteries of Redemption — the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ — the world watched in horror as the heart of worship in France, the “eldest daughter of the Church,” was engulfed in flames. “Before such a tragic event,” Cardinal Burke said, “I join in prayer with the devout Catholics of Paris, of France, and of the whole world, for whom the Cathedral of Notre Dame is a living expression of our deep faith in God and our ardent love of Him.” While many have noted that Notre Dame is an emblematic monument for the entire nation of France, Cardinal Burke stressed that “for Catholics, churches are not monuments but are the House of God, in which we really and truly encounter Heaven.” Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. FOUAD MAGHRANE/AFP/Getty Images “Because of God’s immeasurable and unceasing love of us in the Church, churches are also the House of the Church,” he said. “For that reason,” the cardinal continued, “the faithful in the 12th Century employed only the most beautiful and enduring materials in constructing the Cathedral which was intended to last throughout the ages until the Coming of Our Lord at the end of time.” Cardinal Burke then recalled Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic visit to France one decade ago. “In his homily for Vespers in the splendid Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, on September 12, 2009,” he said, “Pope Benedict XVI paid tribute to the Cathedral as a ‘living hymn of stone and light in praise of that act, unique in the annals of human history: the eternal Word of God entering our history in the fullness of time to redeem us by His self-offering in the sacrifice of the Cross.’” TOPSHOT-FRANCE-FIRE-NOTRE-DAME TOPSHOT - Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images “The Cathedral of Notre Dame is truly a hymn of praise to the Mystery of the Incarnation of God the Son in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” the cardinal added. He also noted the power of Notre Dame’s beauty to convert men’s hearts. “It is fitting to recall that it was in the same cathedral that the poet Paul Claudel (1868-1955) had a singular experience of the beauty of God, during the chanting of the Magnificat while attending Vespers on Christmas of 1886,” he said. “His singular experience on that Christmas night led to his conversion to the Catholic faith.” “It should not escape us that the via pulchritudinis, the way of beauty, is a most important and irreplaceable means of announcing God to a culture fraught with secularism and materialism,” Cardinal Burke, who founded Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the diocese of La Crosse, said. Speaking to the symbolism of Notre Dame engulfed in flames last evening, the cardinal said: “Viewing the ravage of the Cathedral of Notre Dame by yesterday’s fire, men and women of faith are led to consider the attacks upon the infinite beauty of the faith by the grievous sins and crimes of our day.” “What took decades of dedicated labor of the most excellent kind to build is destroyed in a matter of a few hours.” “Yesterday’s event,” he went on, “is a sobering reflection upon the destructiveness of man’s rebellion against the beauty, truth, and goodness with which God has created us and our world and has redeemed us and our world by the Redemptive Incarnation of His only-begotten Son, the very event celebrated in the building of the Cathedral of Notre Dame.” Cardinal Burke also recalled “with deepest gratitude” the “great privilege” he was accorded by Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, then Archbishop of Paris, of celebrating a Pontifical Mass on Sunday, September 27, 2015, in the Cathedral of Notre Dame. “The memory of the offering of the Holy Mass in such a totally inspiring edifice will never leave me,” he said. “Everything about the Cathedral pointed to the great Mystery of Faith celebrated in the Holy Mass.” Cardinal Burke concluded by saying: “With devout Catholics of Paris, of France and of the universal Church, I pray that somehow, imitating the sacrificial faith, hope and love of those who first built the Cathedral of Notre Dame, we may all join to restore what has been lost through yesterday’s fire.”
Another thing St Faustina saw as she was taking a train journey one day. As she looked out the train window she saw an angel guardian for every Church and every town she passed. Now we know from mystics that when people turn away from God their angel guardians loose the power to protect them. So I believe it is for Churches and towns...and Nations. So the Arcangel Guardian protecting Notre Dame lost the power to protect it. There were just not enough believers using it. The same goes for most of the rest of the Churches in France..and elsewhere. http://stmichaelthearchangel.info/Angels-in-the-Diary.shtml Encountering angels St Faustina received a great help from St Michael, her Confessor and also her guardian angel. I was actually surprised to find there are more than 70 places in the Diary where the angels are mentioned. Consequently it means a lot, because when we read the Diary we encounter the angels. They introduce themselves to us. In the Diary 1200, she wrote “I thank God for his goodness that He gives angels for our companions. How little people reflect on the fact that they have always beside them a guest and at the same time a witness to everything. I thank God for the angels.” St Padre Pio had a great devotion to the angels; he was a great teacher in advising us on how to take the opportunity of using the angels. He said to one of his spiritual daughters “Remember you are supposed to call and invoke your guardian angel a few times each day, so it becomes routine.” Sometimes we forget about calling on our guardian angel. St Faustina prayed to her guardian angel and the prayer to St Michael each day - the exorcism prayer by Pope Leo XIII. She often experienced the protection of her guardian angel. Once, when she was on a train, she saw an angel present above each of the churches that she passed. Another time when she was acting as a doorkeeper she was worried about the convent and the sisters because of an uprising in the town and asked the Lord to help, instantly she saw an angel. In a vision Jesus said “Immediately I sent my angel to take care of the sisters.” Jesus sends the angels to help us like he did towards St Faustina. An angel brought Holy Communion to St Faustina for 13 consecutive days when she was ill. It was an amazing mystical experience. We have to go to Church to receive Holy Communion at the Mass by a priest or a Eucharistic minister. Suffering is sweet St Faustina wrote “If the angels were capable of envy they would envy of us two things, Holy Communion and suffering.” The angels can only adore Jesus. We can receive Jesus, He is inside us; in our souls by giving us His body and blood. We do not understand the mystery of suffering. When I suffer I usually take a painkiller. Initially when St Faustina was ill she took tablets from the doctor but when St Faustina was dying she did not take painkillers as she wanted to offer her suffering for the salvation of souls because she knew it was powerful. To understand suffering is a tremendous grace, pleasure and privilege given only to some people. Saints treat suffering as something sweet. This is a great mystery. Suffering is mentioned in the Diary of St Faustina many times, she had this grace and looked forward to the suffering and also for the conversion of sinners. We believe this because it was said by Jesus. Saints treat suffering as something sweet.
View attachment 9916 http://wdtprs.com/blog/2019/04/abou...uN5dVsS0QZhFJkHzAEc0xenN7vwClrN2NLOrymTD1nsjw About #NotreDame and the fire and the altar. Just sayin’… View attachment 9917 Well… not quite. Now… if they happen to have to remove that horrid thing for the sake of the renovation, I guess that would be okay.
