The Infinite Value of the Holy Mass

Third Sunday after Easter
J.M.J.

THE INFINITE VALUE OF THE HOLY MASS

The Holy Mass is the highest form of worship. It is the sacrifice of Calvary renewed. One Mass gives God more praise and thanksgiving and makes more atonement for sin and pleads more eloquently than does the combined eternal worship of all the souls in heaven, on earth and in purgatory. In the Holy Mass, it is Jesus Christ, God, as well as Man, who is our Intercessor, our Priest and our Victim. Being God - as well as Man - His prayers, merits and His offerings are infinite in value.

The Mass is the best means we have:

1. To render God the highest form of worship.

2. To thank Him for all His blessings.

3. To obtain reparation for all our sins.

4. To obtain all the blessings we desire.

5. To release souls from purgatory and to shorten our own time there.

6. To preserve us from all dangers to soul and body.

7. To be consoled at the hour of death, for at that moment their memory will be our greatest consolation.

8. To intercede for us at the Judgment Seat of God.

9. To bring down God's blessings; therefore try to assist at Mass every day, or as often as possible, and twice on Sundays.

10. To better understand the sublimity of the Passion of Christ, and therefore, to increase our love for Him.

METHOD OF ASSISTING AT HOLY MASS

It is a common practice to limit our prayers to petition. This is a mistake. We owe God, first of all, adoration; secondly, gratitude. We can never thank Him sufficiently, though we were to employ eternity in so doing, for the innumerable gifts, material and spiritual, temporal and eternal, which He has bestowed upon us. Life, redemption, our Catholic Faith, preservation from grave sin, the grace of conversion, health, relatives and friends - these are but a few of God's gifts. Let us rejoice, therefore, to thank God by means of the Holy Mass. After adoration and thanksgiving comes atonement. Prostrate at the foot of Calvary's cross, down which the most precious blood of Jesus Christ flows from His gaping wounds, we should beg pardon for our sins which have thus nailed Christ to the cross. Let us as Him to pour His precious blood over our souls that they may be cleansed from their polluting stains. Prayer of petition should not be forgotten. In it we beg of God for the !
favors of which we stand in need.

SAY THE FOLLOWING PRAYERS DAILY

MORINING OFFERING

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all our associates, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life and for the poor souls in purgatory.

Glory be to the Father, etc. (three times).

DAILY OFFERING

O My Jesus, I include myself in all the Holy Masses which are celebrated this day throughout the world, and offering them to Thee in union with the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart. I implore Thee to reserve for me, from each Holy Mass, one drop of Thy most precious blood to atone for my sins and their punishment.

Grant me also the grace of obtaining through the merits of every holy sacrifice, the release of one poor soul from the pains of Purgatory, the conversion of one sinner, and also that one soul in the agony of death may obtain mercy, and that one mortal sin, which is so painful to Thy Sacred Heart, may be prevented. Amen

OFFERING TO THE ETERNAL FATHER

Eternal Father, we offer Thee the blood, the passion and the death of Jesus Christ: the sorrows of Mary most holy, and of St. Joseph, in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of holy Mother Church and for the conversion of sinners.

--------------------------------

For more on the Holy Sacrifice of Mass read "Wonders of the Holy Mass" by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan O.P. (http://olrl.org/books/wonders_mass.shtml) available from OLRL for 65 cents each (http://olrl.org/library/oform.shtml).

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Exorcism of Nicola Aubrey

Second Sunday after Easter
J.M.J.

THE EXORCISM OF NICOLA AUBREY
By Father Michael Muller, C.Ss.R.

It is indeed a remarkable fact that, as the devil made use of Luther, an
apostate monk, to abolish the Mass and deny the Real Presence; in like
manner, God made use of His arch-enemy, the devil, to prove the Real
Presence. He repeatedly forced him publicly to profess his firm belief in
it, to confound the heretics for their disbelief, and acknowledge himself
vanquished by Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. For this purpose, God
allowed a certain Mme. Nicola Aubrey, an innocent person, to become
possessed by Beelzebub and twenty-nine other evil spirits. The possession
took place on the eighth of November, 1565, and lasted until the eighth of
February, 1566.

Her parents took her to Father de Motta, a pious priest of Vervins, in order
that he might expel the demon by exorcisms of the Church. Father de Motta
tried several times to expel the evil spirit by applying the sacred relics
of the holy cross, but he could not succeed; Satan would not depart. At
last, inspired by the Holy Ghost, he resolved to expel the devil by means of
the sacrament of Our Lord's Body and Blood. Whilst Nicola was lying in a
state of unnatural lethargy, Father de Motta placed the Blessed Sacrament
upon her lips, and instantly the infernal spell was broken; Nicola was
restored to consciousness, and received Holy Communion with every mark of
devotion. As soon as Nicola had received the sacred Body of Our Lord, her
face became bright and beautiful as the face of an angel, and all who saw
her were filled with joy and wonder, and they blessed God from their inmost
hearts. With the permission of God, Satan returned and again took possession
of Nicola.

As the strange circumstances of Nicola's possession became known everywhere,
several Calvinist preachers came with their followers, to "expose this
popish cheat," as they said. On their entrance, the devil saluted them
mockingly, called them by name, and told them that they had come in
obedience to him. One of the preachers took his Protestant prayer book, and
began to read it with a very solemn face. The devil laughed at him, and
putting on a most comical look, he said: "Ho! Ho! My good friend; do you
intend to expel me with your prayers and hymns? Do you think that they will
cause me any pain? Don't you know that they are mine? I helped to compose
them!"

"I will expel thee in the name of God," said the preacher, solemnly.

"You!" said the devil mockingly. "You will not expel me either in the name
of God, or in the name of the devil. Did you ever hear of one devil driving
out another?"

"I am not a devil," said the preacher, angrily, "I am a servant of Christ."

"A servant of Christ, indeed!" said Satan, with a sneer. "What! I tell you,
you are worse than I am. I believe, and you do not want to believe. Do you
suppose that you can expel me from the body of this miserable wretch? Ha! Go
first and expel all the devils that are in your own heart!"

The preacher took his leave, somewhat discomfited. On going away, he said,
turning up the whites of his eyes, "O Lord, I pray thee, assist this poor
creature!"

"And I pray Lucifer," cried the evil spirit, "that he may never leave you,
but may always keep you firmly in his power, as he does now. Go about your
business, now. You are all mine, and I am your master."

On the arrival of the priest, several of the Protestants went away - they
had seen and heard more than they wanted. Others, however, remained; and
great was their terror when they saw how the devil writhed and howled in
agony, as soon as the Blessed Sacrament was brought near him. At last the
evil spirit departed, leaving Nicola in a state of unnatural trance. While
she was in this state, several of the preachers tried to open her eyes, but
they found it impossible to do so. The priest then placed the Blessed
Sacrament on Nicola's lips, and instantly she was restored to consciousness.
Rev. Father de Motta then turned to the astonished preachers, and said: "Go
now, ye preachers of the new Gospel; go and relate everywhere what you have
seen and heard. Do not deny any longer that Our Lord Jesus Christ is really
and truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. Go now, and let not
human respect hinder you from confessing the truth."

During the exorcisms of the following days, the devil was forced to confess
that he was not to be expelled at Vervins, and that he had with him
twenty-nine devils, among whom were three powerful demons: Cerberus,
Astaroth, and Legio. On the third of January, 1556, the bishop arrived at
Vervins, and began the exorcism in the church, in the presence of an immense
multitude.

"I command thee, in the name and by power of the real presence of Our Lord
in the Blessed Sacrament, to depart instantly," said the bishop to Satan in
a solemn voice.

Satan was, at last, expelled the second time by means of the Blessed
Sacrament. On leaving, he paralyzed the left arm and right foot of Nicola,
and also made her left arm longer than her right; and no power on earth
could cure this strange infirmity, until some weeks after, when the devil
was at last completely and irrevocably expelled. Nicola was now taken to the
celebrated pilgrimage of Our Lady at Liesse, especially since the devil
seemed to fear that place so much. Next day Father de Motta began the
exorcism in the church of Our Lady at Liesse, in the presence of an immense
multitude. He took the Blessed Sacrament in his hand, and, showing it to the
demon, he said: "I command thee, in the name of the living God, the great
Emmanuel Whom thou seest here present, and in Whom thou believest."

"Ah, yes!" shrieked the demon, "I believe in Him." And the devil howled
again as he made this confession, for it was wrung from him by the power of
Almighty God.

"I command thee, then, in His Name," said the priest, "to quit this body
instantly."

At these words, and especially at the sight of the Blessed Sacrament, the
devil suffered the most frightful torture. At one moment the body of Nicola
was rolled up like a ball; then again she became fearfully swollen. At one
time her face was unnaturally lengthened, then excessively widened, and
sometimes it was as red as scarlet. Her eyes, at times, protruded horribly,
and then again sunk deeply into her skull. Her tongue hung down to her chin;
it was sometimes black, sometimes red, and sometimes spotted like a toad.
The priest still continued to urge and torture Satan. "Accursed spirit!" he
cried, "I command thee, in the Name and by the real presence of Our Lord
Jesus Christ here in the Blessed Sacrament, to depart instantly from the
body of this poor creature.

"Ah, yes!" cried Satan, howling wildly, "twenty-six of my companions shall
leave this instant, for they are forced to do so."

The people in the church now began to pray with great fervor. Suddenly
Nicola's limbs began to crack, as if every bone in her body were breaking; a
pestilential vapor came forth from her mouth, and twenty-six devils departed
from her, never more to return. Nicola then fell into an unnatural swoon,
from which she was aroused only by the Blessed Sacrament. On recovering her
senses, and receiving holy communion, Nicola's face shone like the face of
an angel. The priest still continued to urge the demon, and used every means
to expel him.

"I will not leave, unless commanded by the bishop of Leon," answered the
demon, angrily.

Nicola was now taken to Pierrepont, where one of the demons, name Legio, was
expelled by means of the Blessed Sacrament. Next morning Nicola was brought
to the church. Scarcely had she quitted the house, when the devil again took
possession of her. The bishop, who was requested to exorcise Nicola,
prepared himself for this terrible task by prayer and fasting, and other
works of penance. On arrival of Nicola in the Church, the exorcism began.
"How many are you in this body?" asked the bishop.

"There are three of us," answered the evil spirit.

"What are your names?"

"Beelzebub, Cerberus, and Astaroth."

"What has become of the others?" asked the bishop.

"They have been expelled," answered Satan.

"Who expelled them?"

"Ha!" cried the devil, gnashing his teeth, "it was He whom you hold in your
hand, there on the paten." The devil meant our dear Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament.

The bishop then held the Blessed Sacrament near the face of Nicola. The
demon writhed and howled in agony. "Ah, yes! I will go, I will go!" he
shrieked, "but I shall return."

Suddenly Nicola became stiff and motionless as marble. The bishop then
touched her lips with the Blessed Sacrament, and in an instant she was fully
restored to consciousness. She received holy communion, and her countenance
now shone with a wondrous, supernatural beauty. Next day Nicola was brought
again to the Church, and the exorcism began as usual. The bishop took the
Blessed Sacrament in his hand, held it near the face of Nicola, and said:

"I command thee in the name of the living God, and by the real presence of
Our Lord Jesus Christ here in the sacrament of the altar, to depart
instantly from the body of this creature of God, and never more to return."

"No! No!" shrieked the devil, "I will not go. My hour is not yet come."

"I command thee to depart. Go forth, impure, accursed spirit! Go forth!" and
the bishop held the Blessed Sacrament close to Nicola's face.

"Stop! stop!", shrieked Satan; "let me go! I will depart -- but I shall
return." And instantly Nicola fell into the most frightful convulsions. A
black smoke was seen issuing from her mouth, and she fell again into a
swoon.

During her stay in Leon, Nicola was carefully examined by Catholic and
Protestant physicians. Her left arm, which had been paralyzed by the devil,
was found entirely without feeling. The doctors cut into the arm with a
sharp knife; they burnt it with fire; they drove pins and needles under the
nails of the fingers; but Nicola felt not pain; her arm was utterly
insensible. Once, while Nicola was lying in a state of unnatural lethargy,
the doctors gave her some bread soaked in wine (it was what the Protestants
call their communion, or Lord's Supper); they rubbed her limbs briskly; they
threw water in her face; they pierced her tongue until the blood flowed;
they tried every possible means to arouse her, but in vain! Nicola remained
cold and motionless as marble. At last, the priest touched the lips of
Nicola with the Blessed Sacrament, and instantly she was restored to
consciousness, and began to praise God.

The miracle was so clear, so palpable, that one of the doctors, who was a
bigoted Calvinist, immediately renounced his errors, and became a Catholic.
Several times, also, the Protestants touched Nicola's face with a host which
was not consecrated, and which, consequently, was only bread, but Satan was
not the least tormented by this. He only ridiculed their efforts.

On the twenty-seventh of January, the bishop, after having walked in solemn
procession with the clergy and the faithful, began the exorcism in church,
in the presence of a vast multitude of Protestants and Catholics. The bishop
now held the Blessed Sacrament close to the face of Nicola. Suddenly a wild,
unearthly yell rings through the air -- a black, heavy smoke issues from the
mouth of Nicola. The demon Astaroth is expelled forever. During the exorcism
which took place on the first of February, the bishop said:

"O accursed spirit! Since neither prayer, nor the holy gospels, neither the
exorcisms of the Church, nor the holy relics, can compel thee to depart, I
will now show thee thy Lord and Master, and by His power I command thee."

During the exorcism, which took place after Mass, the bishop held the
Blessed Sacrament in his hand, and said, "O accursed spirit, arch-enemy of
the ever-blessed God! I command thee, by the precious blood of Jesus Christ
here present, to depart from this poor woman! Depart accursed, into the
everlasting flames of hell!"

At these words, and especially at the sight of the Blessed Sacrament, the
demon was so fearfully tormented, and the appearance of Nicola was so
hideous and revolting, that the people turned away their eyes in horror. At
last a heavy sigh was heard, and a cloud of black smoke issued from the
mouth of Nicola. Cerberus was expelled. Again Nicola fell into a death-like
swoon, and again she was brought to consciousness only by means of the
Blessed Sacrament. During the exorcism which took place on the seventh day
of February, the bishop said to Satan:

"Tell me. Why hast thou taken possession of this honest and virtuous
Catholic woman?"

"I have done so by permission of God. I have taken possession of her on
account of the sins of the people. I have done it to show my Calvinists that
there are devils who can take possession of man whenever God permits it. I
know they do not want to believe this, but I will show them that I am the
devil. I have taken possession of this creature in order to convert them, or
to harden them in their sins; and, by the Sacred Blood, I will perform my
task."

This answer filled all who heard it with horror. "Yes," answered the bishop,
solemnly, "God desires to unite all men in the only holy faith. As there is
but one God, so there can be but one true religion. A religion like that
which the Protestants have invented, is but a hollow mockery. It must fall.
The religion established by Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only true one; it
alone shall last forever. It is destined to unite all men within its sacred
embrace, so that there shall be but one sheepfold and one shepherd. This
divine Shepherd is Our Lord Jesus Christ, the invisible head of the holy
Roman Catholic Church, whose visible head is our holy Father the Pope,
successor of St. Peter."

The devil was silent - he was put to shame before the entire multitude. He
was expelled once more by means of the Blessed Sacrament. In the afternoon
of the same day the devil began to cry: "Ah! Ha! You think that you can
expel me in this way. You have not the proper attendance of a bishop. Where
are the dean and the archdean? Where are the royal judges? Where is the
chief magistrate, who was frightened out of his wits that night, in the
prison? Where is the procurator of the king? Where are his attorneys and
counselors? Where is the clerk of the court?" (The devil mentioned each of
these by name.) "I will not depart until all are assembled. Were I to depart
now, what proof could you give to the king of all that has happened? Do you
think that people will believe you so easily? No! No! There are many who
would make objections. The testimony of these common country-people here
will have but little weight. It is a torment to me that I must tell you what
you have to do. I am forced to do it. Ha! Cursed be the hour in which I
first took possession of this vile wretch.

"I find little pleasure in thy prating," answered the bishop. "There are
witnesses enough here. Those whom you have mentioned are not necessary.
Depart! then; give glory to God. Depart - go to the flames of hell!"

"Yes, I shall depart, but not today. I know full well that I must depart. My
sentence is passed; I am compelled to leave."

"I care not for thy jabbering," said the bishop, "I shall expel thee by the
power of God: by the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Yes, I must yield to you," shrieked the demon wildly. "It tortures me that
I must give you this honor."

The bishop now took the Blessed Sacrament in his hand, and held it close to
the face of the possessed woman. At last, Satan was compelled to flee once
more. The next morning, after the procession was ended, the Holy Sacrifice
of the Mass was offered up as usual. During the consecration, the possessed
woman was twice raised over six feet into the air, and then fell back
heavily upon the platform. As the bishop, just before the Pater Noster, took
the Sacred Host once more in his hand, and raised it with the chalice, the
possessed woman was again whisked into the air, carrying with her the
keepers, fifteen in number, at least six feet above the platform; and, after
a while, she fell heavily back on the ground.

At this sight, all present were filled with amazement and terror. A German
Protestant named Voske fell on his knees; he burst into tears; he was
converted. "Ah!" cried he, "I now believe firmly that the devil really
possesses this poor creature. I believe that it is really the body and blood
of Jesus Christ which expels him. I believe firmly. I will no longer remain
a Protestant." After Mass, the exorcism began as usual.

"Now, at last," said the bishop, "thou must depart. Away with thee, evil
spirit!"

"Yes," said Satan, "it is true that I must depart, but not yet. I will not
go before the hour is come in which I first took possession of this wretched
creature."

At last the bishop took the Sacred Host in his hand, and said: "In the name
of the adorable Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- in the name of the
sacred body of Jesus Christ here present -- I command thee, wicked spirit,
to depart."

"Yes, yes, it is true!" shrieked the demon wildly; "it is true. It is the
body of God. I must confess it, for I am forced to do so. Ha! It tortures me
that I must confess this, but I must. I speak the truth only when I am
forced to do it. The truth is not from me. It comes from my Lord and Master.
I have entered this body by the permission of God."

The bishop now held the Blessed Sacrament close to the face of the possessed
woman. The demon writhed in fearful agony. He tried in every way to escape
from the presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. At length a black
smoke was seen issuing from the mouth of Nicola. She fell into a swoon, and
was restored to consciousness only by means of the Blessed Sacrament. The
eighth of February, the day appointed by God on which Satan was to leave
Nicola forever, arrived at last. After the solemn procession, the bishop
began the last exorcism.

"I shall not ask thee any longer," said the bishop to Satan, "when thou
intendest to leave, I will expel thee instantly by the power of the living
God, and by the precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, His beloved Son,
here present in the Sacrament of the Altar."

"Ha, yes!" shrieked the demon. "I confess that the Son of God is here really
and truly present. He is my Lord and Master. It tortures me to confess it,
but I am forced to do so." Then he repeated several times, with a wild,
unearthly howl: "Yes, it is true. I must confess it. I am forced to leave,
by the power of God's body here present. I must -- I must depart. It
torments me that I must go so soon, and that I must confess this truth. But
this truth is not from me; it comes from my Lord and Master, who has sent me
hither, and who commands and compels me to confess the truth publicly."

The bishop then took the Blessed Sacrament in his hand, and, holding it on
high, he said, with a solemn voice: "O thou wicked, unclean spirit,
Beelzebub! Thou arch-enemy of the eternal God! Behold, here present, the
precious Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Lord and Master! I
adjure thee, in the name and by the power of Our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, true God and true man, who is here present; I command thee to depart
instantly and forever from this creature of God. Depart to the deepest depth
of hell, there to be tormented forever. Go forth, unclean spirit, go
forth -- behold here thy Lord and Master!"

At these solemn words, and at the sight of our sacramental Lord, the poor
possessed woman writhed fearfully. Her limbs cracked as if every bone in her
body were breaking. The fifteen strong men who held her, could scarcely keep
her back. They staggered from side to side; they were covered with
perspiration. Satan tried to escape from the presence of Our Lord in the
Blessed Sacrament. The mouth of Nicola was wide open; her tongue hung down
below her chin, her face was shockingly swollen and distorted. Her color
changed from yellow to green, and became even gray and blue, so that she no
longer looked like a human being; it was rather the face of a hideous,
incarnate demon. All present trembled with terror, especially when they
heard the wild cry of the demon, which sounded like the loud roar of a wild
bull. They fell on their knees, and with tears in their eyes, began to cry
out: "Jesus, have mercy!"

The bishop continued to urge Satan. At last the evil spirit departed, and
Nicola fell back senseless into the arms of her keepers. She still, however,
remained shockingly distorted. In this state she was shown to the judges,
and to all the people present; she was rolled up like a ball. The bishop now
fell on his knees, in order to give her the Blessed Sacrament as usual. But
see! Suddenly the demon returns, wild with rage, endeavors to seize the hand
of the bishop, and even tries to grasp the Blessed Sacrament itself. The
bishop starts back; Nicola is carried into the air and the bishop rises from
his knees, trembling with terror and pale as death.

The good bishop takes courage again; he pursues the demon, holding the
Blessed Sacrament in his hand, till at length the demon, overcome by the
power of Our Lord's sacred body, goes forth amidst smoke, and lightning, and
thunder. Thus was the demon at length expelled forever, on Friday afternoon,
at three o'clock, the same day and hour on which Our Lord triumphed over
hell by His ever-blessed death.

Nicola was now completely cured; she could move her left arm with the
greatest ease. She fell on her knees and thanked God, as well as the good
bishop, for all he had done for her. The people wept for joy, and sang hymns
of praise and thanksgiving in honor of our dear Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament. On all sides were heard the exclamations: "Oh, what a great
miracle! Oh, thank God that I witnessed it! Who is there now that can doubt
of the real presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the
Altar!" Many a Protestant also said: "I believe now in the presence of Our
Lord in the Blessed Sacrament; I have seen with my eyes! I will remain a
Calvinist no longer. Accursed be those who have hitherto kept me in error!
Oh, now I can understand what a good thing is the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass!"

A solemn Te Deum was intoned; the organ pealed forth and the bells rung
forth a merry chime. The whole city was filled with joy.

This great triumph of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament over Satan
occurred in the presence of more than 150,000 people, in the presence of the
ecclesiastical and civil authorities of the city, of Protestants and
Catholics alike. I have published a lengthy account of this extraordinary
affair in a little volume entitled "Triumph of the Blessed Sacrament." These
facts are well authenticated by the accounts published in various
languages - French, Italian, Spanish, and German, as I have shown on pages
13, 14, and 15 of the above-mentioned little volume.

------------------------------------

The above was taken from Chapter 5 of the book The Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass by Fr. Michael Muller, C.SS.R. available from TAN Books & Publishers
(www.tanbooks.com).

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We hope to have a reprint of this article available soon!

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Cardinal Castrillon: SSPX not in schism

The current attitude of Vatican regarding the status of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has significantly changed over the years and this is good.

In the Philippines certain prelates are either misinformed or ignorant regarding the status of SSPX. They would rather avoid it like the plague and urge their faithful not to attend their masses as they are schismatic and that sacraments received from the SSPX are not valid.

Everybody's hope is now turned towards the upcoming Motu Propio of Pope Benedict XVI regarding the wider celebration of the Tridentine Mass.

I hope it will spawn interest for the Traditional Mass and become the turning point towards the restoration of the Catholic Church.

clipped from www.renewamerica.us Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos has repeatedly affirmed that the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) is not a case of formal schism on at least five separate occasions in public interviews, as recently as March 17 and over the past 2-1/2 years. Msgr. Camille Perl, long-time secretary for the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei (PCED), has repeatedly affirmed in personal letters that such Catholics incur no penalty and no sin for merely fulfilling one's Sunday obligation at a church or chapel served by the SSPX.

The Divine Mercy

Low Sunday
(Mercy Sunday)
J.M.J.

DIVINE MERCY
THE WONDERFUL MERCY OF GOD IS INEXHAUSTIBLE

In heaven Jesus still carries the scar of that wound in His Sacred Heart,
pierced by the spear of Longinus, which speaks eloquently of the greatest
love the world will ever know.

Between 1930 and 1938 Christ appeared to Sister Faustina, a Sister of Mercy
in Poland, to re-teach us the story of His love even unto death, and His
disappointment in us because of distrust in His Mercy and goodness. Sister
Faustina's life was a routine of every-day chores - tending the door,
cooking, sweeping, gardening. Even the closest of her nun-companions never
guessed God's predilections for her, or knew the wonderful secrets He
whispered to her at prayer.

Sister Faustina received the first apparition of the Merciful Christ on the
22nd of February, 1931 in Plotzk. She describes it thus: "It happened in the
evening. I was in my cell, when I saw Jesus dressed in a white garment. He
held one hand raised in blessing and with the other He was touching the
garment at the breast. From under the garment came two rays of light, one
red the other pale. In silence I contemplated the Lord. My soul was filled
with fear and, at the same time, with great joy. After a moment Jesus said
to me: 'Paint a picture according to the vision you see and with the
inscription: - Jesus, I Trust in Thee - I desire that the picture be
venerated first in your chapel and then throughout the whole world'."

"These rays (red and pale, symbolizing the Blood and Water that gushed forth
from the Sacred Heart) shield the soul before the wrath of My Father. .
Fortunate is he who lives in Their shelter for the just hand of God will
never reach him."

Along with these instructions of Our Lord Sister Faustina notes two promises
given by the Savior "I promise, that the soul that will venerate this
picture will not perish. I further promise to that soul victory over its
enemies already here on earth and especially in the hour of death. I,
Myself, shall defend that soul as my own glory." Our Lord also promised:
"When punishments for sins shall come upon the earth, and your native land
shall be in extreme abasement, the only salvation will be hope in Divine
Mercy. I shall preserve the cities and homes which this picture shall be
found; I shall protect likewise those persons who shall venerate and have
confidence in My Mercy. Of special interest and inspiration is the fact that
Wilno and Cracow, the only two cities in Poland, where the picture of Our
Merciful Lord was publicly exposed before World War II, were both spared
destruction, even though other cities were greatly damaged.

Confidence in God! Trust in God! - is the great appeal of Jesus in this
devotion. Through the devotion to His Most Sacred Heart, the Savior desired
to enkindle in the heart of man a flame of love and expiation. Through this
devotion, He wishes to instill in our hearts a feeling of unbounded trust
and confidence in His Mercy. "The flames of Mercy consume Me", cries Jesus,
"and I desire to pour them out upon human souls." Lack of confidence pains
Him immeasurably. "Distrust of souls tears at my bosom. The lack of
confidence in chosen souls hurts Me most. Despite my inexhaustible love,
they do not trust Me...!"

In order to console the worst of sinners He told Sister Faustina to write:
"The greatest sinner has the greatest right to have hope in My Mercy. The
soul which invokes My Mercy brings Me untold delight. I grant it graces
beyond its expectations. I cannot punish a soul which has recourse to My
pity and compassion even though it be the greatest sinner . . . In My
unfathomable and inscrutable mercy, I seek to justify it."

Our Dear Savior warmly exhorts people to hasten to His Mercy before His
Justice prevails: "Write that before I come as the just one, I first open
wide the gates of My Mercy. He who does not want to pass through the gates
of mercy, will have to pass through the gates of justice." Our Lord
permitted Sister Faustina to see the enormity of man's sins. Frightened at
their hideousness, she asked Him how He could suffer such gross insults. "I
have eternity for the punishment of these. Now, I prolong the time of My
Mercy. But, woe to him who does not recognize the time of My visitation..
Secretary of My Mercy, you are obliged not only to write and proclaim My
Mercy, but also to implore graces for sinners, that they too may praise My
Mercy." At another time Jesus said to her: "Write, the greater the misery,
the stronger the right to mercy. Summon all souls to confidence in the
incomprehensible abyss of My Mercy, for I desire to save all. The well of
Mercy was opened wide with a lance on the cross for all souls. I do not
exclude anyone."

Through this humble nun Our Savior also voices a warning to the world that
its efforts to rise from its present material and moral degradation will be
fruitless, unless it turns to His Mercy: "Mankind will not find peace, until
it turns with confidence to My Mercy." But at the same time He adds a kind
invitation and a hopeful promise: "Tell ailing mankind to draw close to My
Merciful heart and I will fill it with Peace."

CHAPLET OF MERCY

On September 13, 1935, Sister Faustina saw an angel, depicted to her as the
executor of God's Wrath. In his hands were lightning bolts and thunder. She
understood the angel was about to visit a certain place on earth and mete
out punishment to its inhabitants. Our Divine Savior had made Sister
Faustina's heart after His own merciful one, and she was sorrowful and
begged the angel for mercy. But somehow she realized that her poor prayers
were without power to appease the wrath of God. Then suddenly the Holy
Trinity was manifested, and at the same time the sister heard these words:
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy
Most Beloved Son and Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our
sins and the sins of the whole world." Wonder of wonders, as she repeated
the words over and over, the angel was powerless to mete out the punishment.
The next day while going into chapel she heard once again: "As many times as
you enter the chapel, immediately recite the prayer I taught you yesterday."
She recited it at once and the voice spoke again: "This prayer is given to
appease the Wrath of God. You will recite it for nine days on the usual part
of the Rosary (five decades) in the following manner: First you will say the
Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. Then on the larger beads you will
recite the prayer, 'Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul
and Divinity of Thy Most Beloved Son and Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
in atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world,' and the smaller
beads, 'Through His most sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the whole
world.' In conclusion you will say three times: 'Holy God, Holy Omnipotent,
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us and on the world.'"

Sister received on September 14, 1935, the following beautiful promises for
all who would pray this powerful chaplet.

"Unceasingly recite this chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite
it will receive great mercy at the hour of death...Priests will recommend it
to sinners as a last hope of salvation. Even the most hardened sinner, if he
recites this chaplet even once, will receive grace from My infinite mercy .
. . Oh, what great graces I will grant to souls who will recite this
chaplet . . . By means of it you can ask and obtain anything, if what you
ask for will be compatible with My will . . . I want the whole world to know
My infinite mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in
My mercy.

During His Passion Our Savior shed His Precious Blood for us. There were but
a few drops left in His Dying Heart. He permits the Sacred Heart to be
opened with a lance; and the blood trapped therein gushed forth and water
with it. The Savior wishes that this touching manifestation of His love be
venerated in a special manner in the devotion to the Mercy of God. It is for
that reason that He instructed Sister Faustina to write down this short
ejaculation and to use it often: "O Blood and Water, which hath gushed forth
from the Heart of Jesus as a font of Mercy for us, I Trust in Thee."

Let us imagine that Jesus is addressing us, when He said to Sister Faustina:
"Secretary of My Mercy, I obligate you not only to write and proclaim My
Mercy, but also to implore graces for them (sinners), that they may also
praise My Mercy."

PROCLAIM HIS MERCY

Our Blessed Mother appeared to Sister Faustina, too. On the Feast of the
Annunciation in 1936 Mary said to her: "I gave the world a Savior. You must
proclaim His Mercy to it and prepare the world for His Second Coming. He
will then come not as a Merciful Savior, but as a Just Judge. It will be a
day of horror; resolved to be the day of Justice-the day of the Wrath of
God. Angels tremble before it. . . Speak to souls of this great Mercy, while
there is still time. If you remain silent now, you will have to account for
a great number of souls on that final day. Fear nothing. Be faithful to the
end."

Three O'clock In The Afternoon - The Hour of Great Mercy

This was designated by Our Lord as the Hour of great grace for the whole
world.

After Sister had said this short prayer:

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the
ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O fount of life, unfathomable
Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty yourself out upon us." She
recorded the following request by Our Lord:

"At three o'clock implore My Mercy especially for sinners; and if only for a
brief moment, steep yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment
at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great Mercy for the whole world.
. .In this hour I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me
in virtue of My Passion."

It was about four months later when Sister wrote:

"I remind you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the clock strike the
third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying
it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor
sinners; for at that moment (mercy) was opened wide for every soul. In this
hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking;
it was the hour of grace for the whole world - mercy triumphed over
justice."

You are urged to set the alarm on your clock or wristwatch for 3:00 P.M. as
a reminder to follow Our Dear Savior's instructions above. Also, be sure to
obtain a picture of Our Lord's Divine Mercy with the words, "Jesus, I Trust
In Thee" inscribed on it.

Sister Faustina died on October 5, 1938. Her time to work for God's Mercy on
earth came to an end. On April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Sister
Faustina as a saint in Heaven due to her holiness of life. So we now need to
refer to her as Saint Faustina and ask her prayers that Our Dear Savior will
grant us the grace to have that hope and trust in His wonderful Mercy that
conforms to His Will. Now it is up to us to tell sinners about the love and
mercy of the Sacred Heart. Jesus promised that: "Souls who spread the honor
of My Mercy I shield through their entire life as a tender mother her
infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the
Merciful Savior." "Tell MY priest that hardened sinners will crumble beneath
their words when they will speak about My unfathomable Mercy, about the
compassion I have for them in My heart. To priests who will proclaim and
extol My Mercy I will give wonderful power, and I will anoint their words
and I will touch the hearts to which they will speak."

Proclaim Jesus' wonderful mercy by distributing copies of this paper far and
wide so that many others may benefit from Our Savior's magnificent promise
of protection.

-----------------------------------------

The above is taken from our Divine Mercy Devotion brochure
(http://olrl.org/pray/mercy.shtml) available for 5 cents each. Also
available are Divine Mercy Chaplet cards
(http://olrl.org/pray/divinemercy.shtml) for 2 cents each and beautiful 8x10
Divine Mercy pictures in color
(http://olrl.org/library/pics/divine_mercy.JPG) for $1 each (quantity
discount available). Please see our catalog/order form at

http://olrl.org/library/oform.shtml.

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EASTER

J.M.J.

Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
(Imprimatur: March 1874)

INSTRUCTION ON EASTER

What is the festival of Easter?

Easter, in Latin Pascha, signifies passing over, and has the following
historical origin: Under Pharao, King of Egypt, the Jews in that country
groaned under intolerable bondage. God had mercy on His people, and the hour
of deliverance came. By His com­mand the first-born of all the Egyptians was
killed by an angel. The Jews had been ordered by God to be ready for
emigration, but first to kill a lamb, eat it in their houses in common, and
sprinkle the door­posts with its blood. And the angel of death, by order of
God, passed the doors sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, and did no harm
to any child of the Israelites, whilst he slew all the first-born sons of
the Egyptians. In grateful memory of this passing their doors, the Jews
observed the festival of Easter, the Pasch, or Passover. After the death of
Jesus, the apostles introduced the same festival into the Church in grateful
remembrance of the day on which Jesus, the true Easter Lamb, took away our
sins by His blood, freed us from the angel of eternal death, and passed us
over to the freedom of the children of God.

Where, during this time, was Christ's holy soul?

In Limbo, that is, the place where the souls of the just who died before
Christ, and were yet in original sin, were awaiting their redemption.

What have we to expect from the resurrection of Christ?

That our bodies will rise again from death. (Rom. VIII. II) For if Christ
our head is alive, then we His members must also become reanimated, because
a living head cannot exist without living members.

What is meant by the Alleluia sung at Easter time?

In English Alleluia means Praise the Lord, and expresses the joy of the
Church at the Resurrection of Christ, and the hope of eternal happiness
which He has obtained for us.

Why does the Church on this day bless eggs, bread, and meat?

To remind the faithful that although the time of fasting is now ended, they
should not indulge in gluttony, but thank God, and use their food simply for
the necessary preservation of physical strength.

At the Introit the Church introduces Christ, her Head, as addressing His
Heavenly Father in these words:

INTROIT I arose, and am still with thee, alleluia; thou hast laid thy hand
upon me, alleluia: thy knowledge is become wonderful, allel., allel. Lord,
thou hast proved me and known me: Thou bast known my sitting down arid my
rising up. (Ps. CXXXVIII.) Glory be to the Father, etc.

COLLECT O God, who on this day, through Thine only-begotten Son, didst
overcome death and open unto us the gate of everlasting life; as by Thy
prompting grace Thou dost breathe on the desires of our hearts, so do Thou
ever ac­company them with Thy help. Through &c.

EPISTLE (I Cor. V. 7-8.) Brethren, purge out the old leaven, that you may be
a new paste, as you are unleavened: for Christ our pasch is sacrificed.
Therefore let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of
malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

EXPLANATION St. Paul here exhorts us that we should at this time remove by a
good confession and true penance the leaven, that is, the sins we have
committed, and partake of the Paschal lamb in holy Communion with a pure,
sincere heart; as the Jews were on this day com­manded to eat the Paschal
lamb with unleavened bread, abstaining on this day from the old leaven.

During the octave of this festival repeat often with the Church: "Alleluia!
Praise to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endureth forever.
Alleluia! This is the day the Lord has made, Alleluia! Let us rejoice
therein, Alleluia! Our Paschal Lamb is Christ who sacrificed Himself for us,
Alleluia!"

GOSPEL (Mark XVI. 1-7.) At that time, Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of
James and Salome, bought sweetspices, that, coming, they, might anoint
Jesus. And very early in the morning, the first, day, of the week, they come
to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. And they said one to another: Who
shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And looking,
they saw the stone rolled back, for it was very great. And, entering into
the sepulchre they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a
white robe, and they were astonished. Who saith to them: Be not affrighted;
you seek Jesus of Nazareth; who was crucified: he is risen, he is not here;
behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples, and Peter,
that he goeth before you into Galilee: there you shall see him, as he told
you.

Why did the holy women desire to embalm the body of Jesus with slices?

Because it was the custom of the Jews to embalm the dead, and as the Sabbath
was so near and the time so short that they could not do it before the
burial, these pious women procured the spices, and immediately after the
Sabbath, hurried in the early morning to the sepulchre, to perform this act
of love. We are taught by their conduct, that true love is never indifferent
or slow, and what is agreeable to God it does without hesitation.

Why did the angel send the women to the disciples, and especially to Peter?

Because the disciples were to announce the Resurrec­tion of Christ to the
whole world, and they were now much saddened, and disturbed because of His
death. Peter was the head of the apostles, and on account of having three
times denied our Lord, he was greatly dejected and faint of heart, and was,
therefore, above all to be comforted.

What encouragement does the Resurrection of Christ give us?

It encourages us to rise spiritually with Him, and live henceforth a new
life, (Rom. VI. 4.) which we do if we not only renounce sin, but also flee
from. all its occasions, lay aside our bad habits, subdue our corrupt
inclinations, and aim after virtue and heavenly things.

ASPIRATION I rejoice, O my Jesus, that Thou hast victoriously risen from
death. By Thy triumph over death, hell and the devil, grant us the grace to
subdue our evil inclinations, walk in a new life, and die to all earthly
things. Amen.

INSTRUCTION It is certainly true that Christ, by His death on the cross and
by His resurrection, has rendered perfect satisfaction; and effected man's
redemption; (Heb. IX. 12.) but we must not imagine that there is no further
need of doing penance, or of working out our salvation. For, as the children
of Israel, though freed from Pharao's bondage, had to fight long and against
many enemies in order to gain the Promised Land, so also must we, though
freed by Christ from the servitude .of the devil, battle against our enemies
to the end of our lives to obtain the promised, heavenly land, for no one is
crowned unless he has prop­erly fought. (II Tim. II. 5.) We must apply the
merits of the redemption and satisfaction of Christ to our soul by the
frequent reception of the holy sacraments; by imitating His virtues; by
patiently bearing our trials and suffer­ings, and by a penitential life. The
pious Angelus Silesius very appropriately writes:

"God is a Lamb that avails yon not, my Christian,
If you become not also a lamb of God.
The cross on Golgotha redeems not from evil,
If it is not also erected in thee;
The dear Christ's death aids you not, my Christian,
Until in Him and for Him you also have died:"

------------------------
Taken from "Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's The Church's Year" online (http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/The_Church_Year/Easter.htm)

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Good Friday

J.M.J.

Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
(Imprimatur: March 1874)

INSTRUCTION ON GOOD FRIDAY

This day was formerly for the Jewish people a day of preparation for Easter,
and was called by them the Parasceve; for us Christians it is the
anniversary of the death and burial of our Lord who on this day, being
Himself both High-Priest and Victim, offered Himself upon the cross for the
salvation of the world.

Why do Catholics hold this day in such veneration?

Because it is one of the greatest days from the beginning of the world to
its end. On this day the designs which God had from all eternity were
perfected, as Jesus Himself expressed when He said, All is consummated; for
on this day He was given up toy the Gentiles by the Jews, was scourged,
crowned with thorns, loaded with the cross, dragged to Calvary amid taunts
and sneers, there nailed to the cross between two thieves, and by His
painful death finished the great work of redemption.

Why did Christ suffer so much to, redeem, us?

To show us what an immense evil sin is, on account of which He underwent
such cruel sufferings that He might satisfy divine justice. His love for us
was so great that He gave the last drop of His blood to save us. He rendered
satisfaction for all men without exception, that none might be lost, that
every one might possess eternal life. Look up today, and every day of thy
life, to Christ on the cross, and see how God punishes sin, since He did not
even spare His only-begotten Son, who took upon Himself our sins, and for
them died this cruel death. What death is due to thee, if thou dost not
despise and flee from sin?

Why does the Church celebrate the commemoration of the passion of Christ in
such solemn quietness?

That we may be induced to thank the Saviour for our redemption, and to move
us to sincere love for Him by serious meditation on His passion. For this
reason St. Paul ordered the observance of this day, and the Christians even
in his time sanctified it by deep mourning, and rigorous fasting.

Why do we not observe Good Friday with such festivities as do the
Protestants?

Because our grief for our Saviour's death is too great to permit us to
celebrate it joyously, even nature mourned His death; the sun was darkened,
the earth trembled and the rocks were rent. Although the Christian rejoices
on this day in the grace of redemption through Christ, he is aware that his
joy cannot be pleasing to God unless he endeavors to participate in the
merits of the passion and death of Christ by sorrow for his sins, by
amendment and penance; and this is the very reason why the Church solemnizes
this day in a sad and touching manner.

Why are there no candles lighted at the beginning of the service?

To signify that on this day Christ, the Light of the world, became, as it
were, extinguished.

Why does the priest prostrate himself before the altar at the beginning of
the service?

That with him we should consider in deepest sorrow and humility how the
Saviour died on the cross for our sins, and how unworthy we are on account
of them to lift up our faces.

Why does the service commence with the reading of two lessons?

Because Christ died for Jews and Gentiles. The first lesson is from the
Prophet Osee, (Osee VI, 1-6.) and the other from Exodus, (Exod. XII. 1-11.)
from them we infer that by the bloody death of the immaculate Lamb Jesus we
are healed of our sins, and redeemed from death.

After the first lesson the Priest says the following:

COLLECT O God! from whom Judas received the punishment of his sin, and the
thief the reward of his confession: grant us the effects of Thy mercy; that
as our Lord Jesus Christ at the time of His passion bestowed on each a
different recompense of his merits, so having destroyed the old man in us,
He may give us the grace of His Resurrection. Who liveth, & c.

REMARK After the Passion the priest prays in behalf of the one, only true
Church, that she may increase, and that peace and unity may always remain
with her; for the pope, that his government may be blessed; for the bishops,
priests, the clergy, and the people, that they may serve God in justice; for
those converted to the faith, that they may continue to grow an knowledge
and an zeal for the holy religion; for rulers as defenders of the Church,
that they may govern with wisdom and justice, and that those under them may
be loyal to them with fidelity and obedience; for the unfortunate, that God
may have mercy on them; for heretics and apostates, that they may be brought
back from error to the truth of the Catholic faith; for the Jews, that they
may be enlightened; for the heathens, that they may be converted. Before
each gayer the priest says Oremus, (Let us pray Flectamus genua, (Let us
kneel; when kneeling, we say Amen, and at the call Levate (Rise up) we rise:
except at the prayer for the Jews, when the genuflection is omitted, because
the Jews bent the knee in mockery before our Lord. As Christ on this day
prayed for all men, the Church desires, that we do the same; say, therefore,
the following:

PRAYER O Lord Jesus! who on the cross, while enduring the most excruciating
pain, didst pray with a loud voice for all men, we humbly pray Thee for Thy
vicar, Pope N., for our bishop N., for all the priests and clergy, for our
civil government, for the neophytes, for the unfortunate and oppressed, for
all Catholics, that Thou mayst preserve them in the true faith, and
strengthen them, that they may serve Thee according to their different
vocations. We pray Thee also for all unbelievers, and those separated from
the true fold, for the Jews, and for the heathens, that Thou mayst unite all
in Thy holy Church, and bring them to eternal salvation. Amen.

What is done by the priest after these prayers?

The priest then goes down from the epistle side of the altar, takes the
veiled crucifix, and extending it towards the people, uncovers it so much
that the head is seen, and sings in a low voice: Ecce lignum, crucis, &c.:
Behold the wood of the cross on which the Salvation of the world was hanged!
The choir answers: Venite, adoremus: Come, let us adore! at which all kneel,
adoring Christ who died on the cross for us. The priest then advances to the
corner of the altar, uncovers the right arm of the Crucifix, and sings in a
higher tone: Ecce lignum crucis, &c.; to which the choir responds as before.
Then at the middle of the altar he uncovers the entire Crucifix, and
elevating it, sings in a still higher tone than before: Ecce lignum, &c. The
choir responds again: Venite adoremus. The image of the crucified Redeemer,
which has been hidden from our view since Passion Sunday should make a deep
impression upon us; it teaches us at the same time how the Saviour became
gradually known to the world. Jesus is adored three times, because He was
mocked three times: in the court-yard of the high-priest, in Pilate's house,
and on mount Calvary. When the crucifix is unveiled the priest carries it to
the place prepared for it, and kneeling he places it on the cushion covered
with a white veil to represent the laying of Christ in the sepulchre; he
then retires to the gospel side of the Altar where he puts off to a his
shoes, like Moses, when he was about to approach Almighty God; he then
kneels and meditates on the passion of Christ; goes a few steps forward,
again kneels, and still a third time, this time directly in front of the
crucifix. He adores Jesus with humility, considers His infinite love, which
brought Him to the cross and laid Him in the sepulchre for our Redemption;
and then kisses with reverence the image of the crucified Saviour. During
this veneration of the cross the choir chants alternately the versicles
called the Reproaches, and between each part of the canticle the following
words in Greek and Latin: "Holy God! Holy and strong God! Holy and immortal
God! have mercy on us!" In these versicles Christ tenderly and lovingly
reproaches the people who crucified Him, which we may also take to
ourselves, who have so often crucified Jesus anew by sin. They are therefore
called reproaches, words of complaint, and continue during the veneration of
the cross by the priest. Afterwards a hymn of praise composed by St.
Fortunatus is sung in honor of the victory gained on the cross by our
Saviour, which calls upon us also to render praise and thanks to Jesus
crucified.

Adore also in deepest humility the Saviour who died on the cross, and is now
victoriously enthroned; ask with sincere contrition the forgiveness of your
sins, and by a threefold advance, kiss with sincere love His sacred wounds,
promising to love all men, even your enemies, and to have pity on all in
distress, according to His example.

What follows the veneration of the cross?

The sacred Host consecrated on Holy Thursday, and kept in the chalice, is
brought by the priest in procession, from the repository to the high altar,
incensed in sign of adoration, and after a few short prayers the priest
elevates It with the right hand, breaks It, puts one part in the chalice and
communicates, and soon after leaves the altar.

Is there, then, no Mass said on this day?

No; for on this day there is no bread and wine consecrated, which is the
essential part of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Why is no Mass said on this day?

Because Jesus Christ having this day sacrificed Himself on the altar of the
cross in a bloody offering, it is not meet that His death sacrifice should
be today repeated even in an unbloody manner. Besides this, Mass is a joyous
and comforting sacrifice, and is therefore omitted because of our mourning.

What devotions may be practised to-day?

Besides adoring Jesus in the holy sepulchre, the stations may be said,
meditations made on the sufferings of our Lord. Let the words of St.
Augustine touch your heart, when he places the crucified Redeemer before our
mind in the following words: "Behold the wounds of Jesus who is hanging on
the cross, the blood of the dying, the price of our redemption! His head is
bowed to give the kiss of peace; His side is open to love; His arms are
extended to embrace us; His whole body sacrificed for our redemption. Let
these words be the subject of your meditation that He may be wholly in your
heart who is nailed to the cross for you."

MANNER OF CONTEMPLATING CHRIST'S BITTER PASSION
Christ also suffered for us: leaving you an example that you should follow
his steps. (I Peter II. 21.)

Whence does it come," writes St. Alphonsus Ligouri, "that so many of the
faithful look with so much indifference at Christ on the cross? They
generally assist during Holy Week at the commemoration of His death without
any feeling of gratitude or compassion, as if it were a fable or an event in
which they had no interest. Know they not, or believe they not what the
gospel relates of Christ's passion? Indeed they know it, and believe it, but
do not think of it. It is impossible that he who believes and meditates,
should fail, to become burning with love for God who suffers and dies for
love of him." But why, we may ask here, are there so many who draw so little
benefit even from the contemplation of the passion and death of Jesus?
Because they fail to consider and imitate the example which Christ gives in
His sufferings.

"The cross of Christ," says St. Augustine, "is not only a bed of death, but
a pulpit of instruction." It is not only a bed upon which Christ dies, but
the pulpit from which He teaches us what we must do. It should now be our
special aim to meditate upon the passion of Christ, and to imitate those
virtues which shone forth so preeminently in His passion and death. But many
neglect to do this: They usually content themselves with compassion when
they see Christ enduring such great pains, but they see not with what love,
humility, and meekness He bears them; and so do not endeavor to imitate His
example. That you, O Christian soul, may avoid this mistake, and that you
may draw the greatest possible benefit for your soul, from the contemplation
of the passion, and death of Christ, attend to that which is said of it by
that pious servant of Gods Alphonse Rodriguez:

We must endeavor to derive from the meditation on the mysteries of the
passion and death of Christ this effect, that we may imitate His virtues,
and this by slowly and attentively considering each virtue by itself,
exercising ourselves in forming a very great desire for it in our hearts,
making a firm resolution to practice it in words and works, and also to
conceive a holy aversion and horror of the opposite vice; for instance, when
contemplating Christ's condemnation to the death of the cross by Pilate,
consider the humility of Jesus Christ, who being God, as humble as He was
innocent, voluntarily submitted and silently accepted the unjust sentence
and the ignominious death. Here you see from the example given by Jesus, how
you should despise yourself, patiently bear all evil, unjust judgment; and
detraction, and even seek them with joy as giving you occasion to resemble
Him. To produce these necessary effects and resolutions, you should at each
mystery contemplate the following particulars:

First, Who is it that suffers? The most innocent, the holiest, the most
loving; the only-begotten Son of the Almighty Father, the Lord of heaven and
earth. Secondly; What pains and torments, exterior and interior, does He
suffer? Thirdly, In what manner does He suffer, with what patience,
humility, meekness and love, does He bear all ignominy and outrage?
Fourthly, For whom does He suffer? For all men, for His enemies and His exe
bcsoners. Fifthly, By whom does He suffer? By Jews and heathens, by soldiers
and tyrants, by the devil and all impious children of the world to the end
of time, and all who were then united in spirit with His enemies. Sixthly,
Why does He suffer? To make reparation for all the sins of the whole world,
to satisfy the justice of God, to reconcile the Heavenly Father, to open
heaven, to give us His infinite 'merits that we may from them have strength
to follow the way to heaven. At the consideration of each of these points,
and indeed at each mystery of the passion of Christ, the imitation of the
example of His virtues is the main object, because the true life of the
Christian consists in the imitation of Jesus. In considering each stage of
the passion of Christ place vividly before your mind the virtue whi thee
practiced therein; contemplate it and ask yourself whether you possess this
virtue, or whether you still cherish the opposite vice. If you find the
latter to be the case make an act of contrition, with the firm resolution to
extirpate this vice, and excite in yourself a sincere desire for the
opposite virtue. In this way you will draw the greatest advantage from the
contemplation of Christ's passion, and wifficesemble Christ, and, as the
pious Louis of Granada says, there can be no greater honor and adornment for
a Christian than to resemble his divine Master, not in the way that Lucifer
desired, but in that which He pointed out, when He said: "I have given you
an example, that as I have done to you, so do you also."

THE PEOPLE AT THE CROSS, AND THE PEOPLE OF TODAY

At Golgotha, in sight of the temple and city of Jerusalem, in the presence
of two or three millions of Jews, who had come to the city from all lands,
Jesus, the Son of God, hung upon the cross, an , expiatory sacrifice for
mankind burdened with all manner of sin. Near cross of her dying Son stood
Mary, His mother, filled with grief; by her side John, the beloved disciple,
and kneeling at the foot of the cross almost insensible from sorrow and
anguish, convulsively winding her arms around the wood of the cross, was
Mary Magdalen, the penitent. On a cross at the right hand hung a penitent
thief turned towards the Saviour; at the left hand on another cross groaned
another criminal of impenitent heart, blaspheming the Holy One of Israel.
Around the agonizing Saviour stood the Scribes and Pharisees, that
hypocritical class of practiced miscreants, who hated and persecuted the
innocent Lamb Jesus, even in death, who blink to all the predictions of the
prophets whose books they had read, blind to the actual miracles which Jesus
had wrought before their eyes to prove His divinity and His mission, filled
with envy and hatred, reviled the dying Redeemer. At a distance stood a
crowd of curious, indifferent people, who had come to Jerusalem to attend
the feast of the Passover, and having heard of Jesus were present at His
crucifixion. Not far from them the rough soldiers and executioners lay
around, dividing among themselves the Saviour's clothes and casting lots for
His seamless garment.

This was the society that surrounded the Son of God and Redeemer of the
world bleeding on the cross, and in their different phases they are types of
the men of today.

Only few were there who clung to the Saviour in unwavering faith and true
love, ready to die with Him, and for Him. There were few who suffered all
taunts and sneers all revilings and blasphemies, and departed not from the
cross. Of these three were especially faithful, viz. Mary, John, and
Magdalen. Those who like Mary and John are pure and innocent, or like
Magdalen are weeping for their sins, who confess Jesus with their heart and
lips, cling faithfully to Him, and permit neither persecution nor death to
separate them from Him, are like the faithful three at the cross. As then by
the cross, so today, the number of the faithful is small, and great is the
number of those who, like the careless spectators of the crucifixion, are
not decided enemies of Jesus crucified, nor yet His firm friends. They have
indeed been baptized in the name of Jesus, they remain externally with the
Catholic Church, which Christ founded, but they are sunk in lukewarmness,
have no living faith, and are wavering to and fro like a reed between the
world and Jesus. They fear the sneers of the so-called learned and
enlightened, many of whom are well represented by the Scribes and Pharisees,
who, having no faith in Christ themselves, bear in - their hearts only
hatred and contempt for His Church; they shun the cross, because it is too
heavy for their sensuality; they do not, it is true, commit public crimes,
they prize highly a good name, occasionally observe the law of the Church,
but are accessible to every error; their ears incline to every blasphemy
against the religion of Jesus and His ministers, the priests. Instead of
standing fearlessly and boldly for Christ, for the holy faith He has taught,
and which the Church teaches, they turn away, are silent, even go with the
Church's enemies that they may not be sneered at. The are neither hot, nor
cold, so that the words of the Scriptures are verifled in them: Because thou
art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of
my mouth. (Apoc. III. 16.) The Lord casts away from Him these lukewarm,
indifferent Christians, as nauseous saliva, and leaves them to their
destruction. The true Pharisees of our day are those who purposely close
their eyes to the light of truth, who have put aside faith in Jesus, and are
no longer disposed to receive instruction. Their pride, their egotism has
blinded them, with their poor reason they wish to understand the mysteries
of ,the Almighty, with their weak intellect to fathom His ways, even seek to
be equal to God; they deny every revealed truth, they deny the existence of
heaven and hell, they propose to live like the animals, without God, but
their end is, ruin! Few of them, having seen their error, as the thief on
the cross at the right hand of Jesus, turn repentingly to the Redeemer;
obdurate as the robber and murderer at His left, the Pharisees of our day
cease not to blaspheme the Crucified, and to revile His holy Church. These
are assisted by the apostates and unbelievers, who, like the soldiers and
executioners, divide among themselves His clothes, and cast lots for His
seamless garment. Those clothes which the soldiers divided among themselves,
are the truths which the apostates and heretics yet retain after their
apostacy from the Church. They have divided these truths, for they have
separated themselves into thousands of sects, and possess only portions of
the one truth, which Jesus has laid down in. His Church, whole and complete.
"Upon my vesture they have cast lots."

This seamless vesture of Christ is His holy Church that cannot be separated
or divided, she is one, and must remain one to the end of time. Concerning
this one true Church, the sects all quarrel, all want to be the true Church
without considering that, as but one soldier, by the lots, received Christ's
seamless garment, so only one association of men can be the true Church, and
that is the association which Christ has chosen.

Thus we find at the cross on Golgotha the different classes of people of our
day represented, namely, the pure and innocent; the repenting sinners, firm
adherents of Jesus and His teachings; as also the lukewarm, wavering,
nominal Christians; obdurate heretics, professed infidels and apostates. So
today mankind is divided into like parties.

To which party do you belong, O Christian soul? To which do you wish to
belong? Choose! The time of the division is near. The Lord already holds in
His hand the winnowing shovel to clear His floor. If you are not a firm
adherent of Jesus and His Church, in the storm that is gathering you will be
blown like chaff. If you remain with the small group at the cross, in
persevering courage, you will stand firm, and on the day when the cross
shall appear in the clouds of heaven, you, with Mary, the mother of the
(faithful, with John and with Magdalen, will triumph forever, as a
victorious knight of the cross. Decide!

-------------------------

Taken from "Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's The Church's Year" online
(http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/The_Church_Year/Good-Friday.htm)

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Our Lady of the Rosary Library
"Pray and work for souls"
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April, month of the Holy Eucharist

April, the month dedicated to the Holy Eucharist
Palm Sunday
J.M.J.

MARTYR OF THE EUCHARIST
How a young Chinese girl inspired Archbishop Fulton Sheen to make a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament every day.

A couple of months before he died Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was interviewed on national television. One of the questions he was asked was this: "You have inspired millions of people all over the world. Who inspired you? Was it a pope?" He responded that it was not a pope, cardinal, another bishop, or even a priest or nun, but rather an eleven-year-old Chinese girl.

He explained that when the communists took over China, they imprisoned a priest in his own rectory near the church. After being locked up in his own house, the priest looked out the window and was horrified to see the communists enter the church. Once inside, they went into the sanctuary, broke open the tabernacle and in a hateful act of desecration, threw down the ciborium scattering the Hosts on the floor. The priest knew exactly how many Hosts had been in the ciborium: thirty-two.

When the communists left they either didn't notice, or didn't pay any attention to a small girl praying in the back of the Church who saw everything. That night she returned, and slipping past the guard at the rectory, entered the Church where she made holy hour perhaps of reparation for the desecration she witnessed of the Blessed Sacrament.

After her holy hour she went into the sanctuary, and kneeling down, she bent over and received Jesus in Holy Communion with her tongue.

Each night, the girl returned to the church to make her holy hour and receive Jesus in Holy Communion on her tongue just as she did the first night. On the thirty-second night, after having consumed the last Host, she accidentally made a noise that awoke the guard who was asleep at his post by the priest's residence. From his bedroom window, the priest could only watch in horror as the heartrending scene unfolded before his eyes. The girl tried to run away but the guard caught up with her and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle.

When Bishop Sheen heard the story he was so inspired that he promised God he would make a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament every day for the rest of his life. And he was not only faithful to his promise, but he took every opportunity to spread this devotion of the daily holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament.

We don't know the name of the eleven-year-old Chinese girl of our story, but her heroic act of going to the church every night at the risk of her life to adore and receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament serves as a powerful testimony against the attitude of so many Catholics today who show nothing but callous indifference toward the Real Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.


An excerpt from
TREASURE IN CLAY
The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen

"I resolved also to spend a continuous Holy Hour every day in the presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament . . . The Holy Hour. Is it difficult? Sometimes it seemed to be hard; it might mean having to forego a special engagement, or rise an hour earlier, but on the whole it has never been a burden, only a joy . . . . The purpose of the Holy Hour is to encourage a deep personal encounter with Christ. The holy and glorious God is constantly inviting us to come to Him, to hold converse with Him, to ask for such things as we need and to experience what a blessing there is in fellowship with Him . . . I have found that it takes some time to catch fire in prayer. This has been one of the advantages of the daily hour. It is not so brief as to prevent the soul from collecting itself and shaking off the multitudinous distractions of the world. Sitting before the Presence is like a body exposing itself before the sun to absorb its rays. Silence in the Hour is a tete-a-tete wi!
th the Lord. In those moments one does not so much pour out written prayers, but listening takes its place. We do not say:
"Listen, Lord, for Thy servant speaks,"
but "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."

-------------------------------------------------------

OLRL offers the following items related to the Blessed Sacrament: "Prayers to the Blessed Sacrament" prayer card (http://olrl.org/pray/ihs.shtml); "Daily Offering and Spiritual Communion" prayer card (http://olrl.org/pray/dailyoffering.shtml); "Eucharistic Miracles" brochure (http://olrl.org/sacramen/ihsmrcls.shtml); the booklets "I Wait for You" (http://olrl.org/books/IwaitforYou.shtml) and "The Wonders of the Mass" (http://olrl.org/books/wonders_mass.shtml).

Please review our catalog/order form (http://olrl.org/library/oform.shtml) for these and all the items we offer and for ordering information.

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