One of the great resources of learning the faith is www.therealpresence.org and click on his archives. I sent them 20-30 audio tapes made at men's retreats in the late 80's and early 90's in Chicago. Father Hardon has Mp3 audios and video's on any subject you want to know better on this site along with his Catholic dictionary.
Yes, Fatima. It's a speeding train. Can't catch a breath. And yes I always wake up at least once in the night usually around 3. Not lately, but often in the past and I try to say a Divine Mercy chaplet but I always fall back asleep. But I do think of the psalm 16--I set the Lord always before me,...even at night my heart exhorts me...
Lovely, Padraig. I think you're right. The great "cloud of witnesses" are with us. A great favorite of mine is St. Anthony of Egypt. He was asked by his followers--so it was recorded--"will the men of the latter days do the works that we do?" and he answered, "No. the men of the latter days will be fortunate to pray one Our Father. But they will be greater than we because we battle Satan chained, and they will battle Satan unchained." Food for thought.
Read the boldened area at the end. Msgr. Pope and Fr. Z. realize something apocalyptic is upon us: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2017/02/a-cl...catholic-doctrine-practice-identity/#comments A clear and present danger to Catholic doctrine, practice, identity Posted on 10 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf There is a clear and present danger to Catholic doctrine, practice, identity which has already risen over the horizon and which looms larger as the weeks pass. The exaltation of “conscience”, no matter what. We are not talking about properly formed consciences, in the Catholic sense. The ambiguous Amoris Laetitia “Communion for those who are in the state of mortal sin and who lack a firm purpose of amendment” controversy heralded the danger. We’ve now seen different conferences of bishops, and different individual bishops, come up with diametrically opposed interpretations of Amoris. Look, friends, that’s just a fact, and its coming from Amoris, which is polarizing us. As the horizon darkens, Cardinal Kasper continues to press his agenda. Not long ago Kasper opined in a TV interview (HERE) that: “In some cases, I think so, as they share the same faith in the Eucharist, it is assumed, and if they have the inner state, they can refer to their conscience to go to Communion, and this, I think, is also the position of the current pope. “ If you have a family or couple, “you can not divide them at the altar,” said the chairman emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. There are cases in which the diocesan bishop is able to grant admission to the Eucharist by a non-Catholic. However, it is the diocesan bishop who makes that determination. What Kasper intimates is that the bishop has no role. Instead, non-Catholics should simply receive if they want to. That’s what the cant about “conscience” means. He also had told the newspaper of the Italian bishops conference Avvenire that inter-communion is only a matter of time. HERE That would, of course, lead to an increase in sacrilegious Communions. Msgr. Bux is right. HERE Of course reasoned arguments and reference to the Magisterium means less and less these days. What is it that we are seeing these days? It looks as if the doctrine of the Eucharist is being undermined at an alarming rate. Some will now leap to point out that Kasper said, “In some cases” and “they share the same faith”, etc. Sure. That, however, avoids the problem of how that is discerned. In fact, Canon Law can. 843 provides for these situations: the diocesan bishop makes the determination. Sure, it could happen that the diocesan bishop is squishy, permissive, and negligent. Still, the buck still stops on his desk. He will answer to the Lord for his decision. At least there is a way to verify, however thinly, that the non-Catholic in question “shares the same faith” in the Eucharist as the Church (and not the same faith as her hubby, who might himself have only a vague notion of what Communion means). Instead, the “conscience” of the individual becomes the ultimate arbiter and lawgiver. And we all know about human nature, don’t we. What starts as “in some cases” will turn into religious indifferentism. What to do? Most of us can do nothing about this, in the activist sense. In worldly terms we are pretty much helpless in the face of the juggernaut. Right now, the great lib carriage is crushing opposition beneath its wheels. However, we can nevertheless do our part. First, I suggest thorough examinations of conscience… there’s that word again… with brutal clarity, followed by making good, regular confessions. So, … GO TO CONFESSION! Thereupon, make good, pious, devout Holy Communions, offering them also for specific intentions. Moreover, you can pray and you can offer mortifications such as fasting. Join prayer and fasting to performing works of mercy, offering any and all discomfort or inconvenience to God for the sake of turning the tide in whatever way God might choose. Finally, as good solider-pilgrims in this vale of tears, in this Church Militant, during the day in times of rest or in times of repetitive tasks and chores, offer brief prayers to sanctify your work and to make even in a sacrifice pleasing to God. The moderation queue is ON.
Praetorian, I knew there must be a name for the reason I'm so terrible at math! Thanks... now I have an excuse!
Hi Folks, Just to further the first post in this thread... I completely agree - I've thought about it as acceleration - and the acceleration is increasing. I still think there's a bit more time to go before the warning, but I see even more acceleration occurring, which as the poster said seems to be aimed at causing confusion. Some of the stuff that's occurred more recently has really surprised me - e.g. Gender fluidity - it was only a yearor so ago, and suddenly mainstream news was reporting on rights for people who didn't identify with their born gender. This led to some schools installing gender neutral toilets etc. Now don't get me wrong I'm sure there a few really special people who have a chromosome issue or similar, but it's like a small percentage of a small percentage of people - and what got me is how it became mainstream news and in general appeared to be quite accepted. I just couldn't get my head around both the actual concept and the speed with which it became mainstream. Assisted dying - this became big news here in NZ because of a few high profile cases. It resulted in a select committee occurring with widespread support for assisted dying. Unfortunately the author of the main petition was an openly gay, ex MP, ex prespatarian minister who garnered a lot of support. I have some deeply personal experience in this area, but clearly saw that our Catholic view of suffering and the value of it does, not seem to resonate anymore over here. Again I was surprised at the general acceptance of the concept and the speed and ferocity with which it was pushed by the media. Fake news - whilst it's been around for a while - most recently it seems to have gathered a life of its own. The issue of course with this is that it allows for a lot of noise to exist which eliminates people being able to properly appreciate an issue. The prevalence of this 'noise' is I think one of the key instruments which the antichrist is using to cause general confusion. It takes a strong person to remain focussed with all of this noise. I suppose we're lucky as Catholics because we have consistent rituals to perform, and I believe we do get divine assistance to help us through. President Trump - on a slightly different tack. In thinking about the Garabandal messages, up until Trump was voted in, I always had trouble seeing how some of these things could occur - e.g. Popes trip to Russia, not able to receive communion, European conflict, etc before the warning. But now - yep Trumps election has I think enabled this and more to occur. He and his administration seem to revel in creating confusion and implementation with speed, and not so much thought. His relationship with Russia is a game-changer, and I really see him as an enabler for some of the more serious precursors to occur. I'm not saying he will cause them, but he will enable them to occur. Would be interested in others views here, as I think there's lots of things happening which are surprising many of us.
President Trump is hoping that Russia can help defeat ISIS. Iran is using Russia in the Middle East; the United States should do so also. If Hilary Clinton had been elected, it would have meant the end of democracy in the United States and the total capitulation to the NWO (New World Order).
I am not so sure Trump is causing confusion, as much as he is unmasking it for all to plainly see what was behind the veil of deceit previously. You won't agree with me on this, but Pope Francis has/is played his part in the confusion quit well and this to me is the most telling of the times we are in. The rest of the confusion would not mean much, if not for the great apostasy (Matthew 24) to be living out.
Trump is certainly a polarizing and unpredictable figure but the US, under his administration, is adopting the most determined and unashamed pro-life stance ever at the United Nations, along with the Holy See and Poland: Pro-Life Pro-Family Turn Rocks Europeans at UN Commission on Women By Stefano Gennarini, J.D. | March 24, 2017 NEW YORK, March 24 (C-Fam) The world witnessed the United States returning to the pro-life fold after years of abortion advocacy from the Obama administration yesterday during the UN Commission on the Status of Women. After the gavel fell signaling the adoption of the annual agreement of the commission, known as Agreed Conclusions, the United States delegation delivered a poignant pro-life statement. International consensus on UN policy on “sexual and reproductive health” is that “it does not create new international rights, including a right to abortion,” the U.S. said. The turn rolled back gains for abortion supporters, such as explicit mentions of abortion without the full spectrum of caveats from previous UN agreements that cast abortion in a bad light. This year, the agreement not only omitted abortion, but qualified all references to “sexual and reproductive health,” “sexual and reproductive health-care services” and “reproductive rights” by referring to UN previous agreements saying abortion is not a right, committing nations to help women avoid abortion, and precluding them from promoting it as a method of family planning. The United States said it, “does not support abortion in reproductive health assistance” and emphasized that “the U.S. is the largest bilateral donor of maternal, newborn and child health assistance and family planning.” This was a response to critics of the recently restored Mexico City Policy defunding groups promoting or performing abortion. The agreement dealt a hard blow to European and Nordic countries that promote “comprehensive sexuality education” that teaches children younger than 4 about “early childhood masturbation,” LGBT rights, and legal prostitution. A last-ditch attempt by the EU to remove caveats to the term “sexual and reproductive health” failed. Spain, speaking on behalf of the EU, expressed the disappointment and frustration of some in the EU ranks. While most all delegates in the room, including the liberal Brazilian Chair of the session and the head of UN Women, lavishly praised the Egyptian facilitator of the contentious and grueling negotiations for her handling of the entire process, the EU criticized the agreement, saying that it only had “samples” of constructive engagement, and that it was an “interpretation that was far removed” from the negotiations that had been going on for weeks. “We regret that the link between economic empowerment and sexual and reproductive health and rights could not be made stronger by better reflecting the human rights components,” said the Spanish delegate. The European delegation also complained that the agreement mentioned the primacy of “national policy space” saying that this “limits the ambition of the commission,” even though it is standard language in UN agreements. And, they said they were “troubled by language that reinforces stereotypical roles of women and girls,” referring to a call for recognition of the role of mothers in the home. Canada, New Zealand, and several Latin American countries were disappointed, but France alone echoed the vehemence and frustration of the Spanish delegate, referring to “sexual and reproductive rights as a prerequisite to economic empowerment” multiple times. The Holy See delegate directly contradicted this statement in the customary reservations the Holy See makes, saying, “Reproductive rights is not a prerequisite for economic empowerment and development.” Poland, also signaled that it was willing to take a leadership role within the European Union opposing progressive social agendas, declaring that the phrase “sexual and reproductive health and rights lacks an internationally recognized definition.” https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/pro-life-pro-family-turn-rocks-europeans-un-commission-women/
Things are moving faster. Trying to work full time, maintain spiritual growth, work on relationships, run a household etc is enough in itself. Now with the internet information overload and local, provincial, national and international events happening daily it really is a bit much to stay on top of. I find myself being called to lean much more on my spiritual side now. I can't possibly understand everything going on and form an opinion on everything too even though my brain desires to do just that. I realize my job is to help get my family, friends and all souls I can (with whatever meager efforts I can offer) get to heaven, not become a semi-professional arm chair politician or theologian. This doesn't mean ignoring what is happening, but there is wisdom in learning what to spend time on and what to let pass from your mind. The holy spirit really helps in this for me lately but the battle is constant.
I agree with you what a shocking speed the gender bender things have been thrust upon us and more scandalously on small gullible children in school. The race to exterminate life from conception to tomb, and use the sacred temples of God which are our bodies as a commercial commodity. Even selling parts of euthanized bodies as well as infants, and we know transplanted body parts can't be used unless from living tissue which should horrify anyone who hears of this latest development. Who can come back and tell you their body was mutilated while they were still living. Even criminals on death row are treated better than that. As for Donald Trump, I am convinced the Russian hype is all smoke and mirrors. It has proved to be a very successful means to stop any real progress in America moving past the Obama fiasco, and into prosperity. It seems like the DemocRATS are hell bent on destroying America, if they can't have her no one will, must be their motto. And the media is bombarding us with so much rubbish, we get mentally log jammed if we don't turn the trash off. Just my opinion.
The world does not want to know the truth. https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinio...ty-of-abortion-by-making-it-a-crime-to-show-i https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/a...shes-with-opposing-party-leader-over-gay-stra https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/big-brother-isnt-who-you-thought-he-was
In Australia you can protest against cruelty to animals and show the consequences. Yet an Australian court bans images of aborted babies in public. https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinio...ty-of-abortion-by-making-it-a-crime-to-show-i
totally! Sweet blessed Mother please join us in prayer as we ask for the intersession of these Holy Innocents. Jesus we trust in you.
