The Church militant regards herself as entirely composed of sinners; she thinks herself unworthy to call God her Father, and to address to him the seven petitions, which in the name of the faithful she is going to address to him by reciting the Pater noster, (“The Our Father”). Hence she protests that she only dares to address to God this prayer because God himself has commanded her to do so. She then teaches us that we may venture to present to God the seven petitions which contain the whole economy of our salvation, because it is pleasing to him and he himself gives us the command.  &nb ..read more

A certain sede-vacante website has been featuring a major article to make the case for sedevacantism. They present the below paragraph, quoting from the future Pope St. Pius X, in order to support their thesis. However, if one reads this carefully, it actually is a condemnation of sedevacantism. When Leo XIII was Pope and was celebrating 50 years of being a priest in 1887, Bishop Giuseppe Sarto of Mantua in Italy said to his flock: "The moment has come to prove to the great Vicar of Christ our unchanging affection and fidelity. For us Leo XIII is the guardian of the Holy Scriptures, the int ..read more

  The holy women and apostles have varying visits and experiences at the empty tomb of the Risen Lord.  The gospel accounts can seem confusing, if not irreconcilable.  Maria Valtorta in The Gospel as Revealed to Me gives these accounts in such detail that it is possible to unravel their sequences.  One thing to be considered are the various locations and trajectories of the visitors from their respective starting points.      A Canadian site has produced a video with clear icons showing these events.  Although it is in French, I am posting it becaus ..read more

  The scourging and crowning of Jesus, amid the mockery of the soldiers. As revealed to Maria Valtorta – mystic and victim soul. «Let Him be scourged» Pilate orders a centurion.   «How many blows?»   «As many as you like... In any case the matter is over. And I am bored. Go.»   Jesus is led by four soldiers to the court-yard beyond the hall. In the middle of that court-yard […], there is a high column like the one in the porch. At about three meters from the floor it has an iron bar protruding at least a meter and ending with a ring, to which Jesus is tied, with His hands ..read more

The Chicken Dance Mass [LINK] took place on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 at the Catholic parish church of Christus der König (Christ the King) in Ruhstorf an der Rott, in Germany. St. Alphonsus de Liguori: The Reverence with which Mass ought to be Celebrated.   “In proportion as a devout Mass excites great devotion and reverence towards the sacred mysteries, so does an in-devout Mass destroy all devotion and reverence due to so great a sacrifice.”    A priest celebrating Mass ought to behave with all the reverence due to so great a sacrifice. To induce him to do this is the intent ..read more

Unless a priest esteems the holy Sacrifice as it deserves, he can never celebrate it with suitable devotion. Assuredly there is no action which man can perform so sublime, so sacred, as the celebration of Mass. “We must needs confess,” says the Council of Trent, “that no other work can be performed by the faithful so holy and divine as this tremendous mystery itself.” God himself could not enable man to perform anything greater than the celebration of Mass.   All the ancient sacrifices, by which God was so much honored, were but shadows and figures of our sacrifice of the altar. All the h ..read more

May the Lord grant a blessed 2024 to you.   These resolutions are taken from the booklet "Buona Giornata," (Have a Good Day), which is a compilation of daily meditations and observations from St. Pio's writings and comments, published by his Friary in San Giovanni Rotondo.   Here are his thoughts - exhortations - admonitions for Dec. 31 thru Jan 7. 1.  The palm of glory is reserved only for those who fight valiantly to the end.  Therefore, let us begin our holy battle this year.  God will help us and crown us with eternal triumph.  2.  We ..read more

Is 87-year-old Francis really in the last days of his papacy, which began in 2013?  I hate to break the news, but if he lives to be 100, his papacy is not even half over! Has he deposed himself from the Papacy?   Allowing the blessing of non-traditional couples so that the Church can 'accompany them' in their lives of sin does not bode well for him, no matter what kind of word games they play to justify such a blessing. Has the Vatican considered how offensive this is to the immaculate purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary? Is this what Jesus suffered and died for, to accompany peo ..read more

In the century before the birth of Jesus, Simeon ben Shetach, a powerful Pharisee who was the president of the Sanhedrin, introduced schooling for children. Until then, instruction of children was primarily the responsibility of their fathers. The schooling was compulsory for boys, who were to learn the Scriptures and the Law. Simeon established the schools in the district towns as well as in Jerusalem.    Consequently, it was most unusual for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to insist that she would teach her young son herself, at home. Certainly she was well qualified, since she had live ..read more

The Shepherds who visited Baby Jesus were twelve, according to Maria Valtorta. They were the first to come and adore the Incarnate Word. And we know their names! After the Lord began His public ministry, he sought out the shepherds, many of whom were still living.                       ---------------------------------   Mary and Joseph are nearing Bethlehem when they meet a shepherd, who cuts across the road with his herd […]. Joseph bends down to say something to him. The shepherd nods in assent. J ..read more