ANIMALS ADORE THEIR CREATOR

 

 

The Nativity and Animals

 

O.M.G!!

 

The comments of Pope Benedict XVI in his recent book, stating that in his opinion there MIGHT not have been any animals present at the Nativity, has sent SHOCK WAVES throughout the world.

Not least throughout MY WORLD.

 

I am a great supporter of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI and of course I accept him as the Successor of St Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

However, he is seriously wrong and in error on this one!!

 

I want to assure His Holiness that indeed there were many animals present at the birth of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, THEY CAME TO ADORE THEIR CREATOR!

 

 



What would Biblical scholars know about these things?? the answer is nothing.

These kind of issues are revealed as spiritual insights to the lowly of this world.

 

The animals are created by God and im sure they had their representatives present at such a world changing event as the Saviour being born of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Oh yes, many were present and they are held in great esteem by all subsequent descendents in the animal kingdom.

  Anyway, what kind of Shepherds would leave their flocks unattended????

No they would have brought the flock with them!

 

 

And what happened to the Donkey that carried Mary to the stable?? dont tell me it disappeared from the scene. No, im sure it stuck its head in to have a gawk and adore the infant Jesus.

 

And doesnt Pope Benedict think the Inn keeper had a dog to gaurd the Inn and a cat to keep the mice down????

of course the Inn had its animals and of course they all had a gawk and adored their Creator!!

 

 

 

What about the birds?? dont tell me that dawn wasnt breaking and dont tell me that a representative of the Birds didnt show up!!

 



 



Oh yes, a full array of animals and birds were present at the Nativity of Our Saviour Jesus Christ.

They adored their Creator and they understood what it meant.

The problem is that many humans dont understand what it means and are blind and deaf to its message.

 

No Pope Benedict, im sorry but you are very mistaken on this one, as MANY animals were present and ALL animals understand and know who their Creator is, its just a shame that many of us Humans dont.

 

 

Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Et in Terra Pax Hominibus!!

Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth, Peace to Mankind.

 

 



Adoramus Te, Domine!: All is Grace

Adoramus Te, Domine!: All is Grace: Congratulations to our newest postulant! O Holy Spirit, make me aware of the grandeur and dignity, glory and splendor of the G...

Setting An Example

Setting An Example

The Rosary: School of Contemplation and Silence

The Rosary: School of Contemplation and Silence

The Gospel of Saint Luke: A Rosary of Icons

The Gospel of Saint Luke: A Rosary of Icons

Saint Gregory Nazianzen

Saint Gregory Nazianzen

Haec est domus Domini

Haec est domus Domini

 

CENACOLO COMMUNITY

 

I experienced the pleasure of visiting the Cenacolo Community in Knock County Mayo the other day.

 

This is a community of male ex drug addicts who live in Community.

The Community live completely by Divine Providence, if food arrives they eat, if it does not arrive they go hungry.

The purpose of my visit was to take them some basic foodstuffs, but I also wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of a set up it was and if it was some kind of scam.

 

The Community of 8-10 males live in "Our Lady of Knock" House.

Their day is Monastic in its discipline, rising early with Prayer, Mass and Rosary.

They work in the workshop or polytunnel or on the land and in the House.

There is no Television, Radio or Newspapers, There is no Alcohol, Drugs or Smoking.

There are no Psychotherapists or Counsellors.

 

What there is in Cenacolo is a palpable presence of God, love, prayer and friendship.

 

Our Lady of The Cenacle

 

 

I met an ex drug addict who was previously involved in serious crime and who by his own admission would have been dead either by violence or by suicide if it was not for the Cenacolo Community.

He is now a changed person, is studying for the Priesthood and is HAPPY for the first time in his life. He exuded happiness, peace and the presence of Christ in his life.

 

The Community Fast every friday for a special intention and pray the Rosary every day.

 

Cenacolo was founded in the 1980s by an Italian Nun, Sister Elvira, who felt called by God to found a Community where drug addicts and other people whose lives are controlled by the evil of Addiction could find a refuge where they could experience LOVE, Gods love for them.

 

The Cenacolo Community now has over 60 houses worldwide and continues to grow.

 

Sr Elvira is adamant that the Communities pray and rely completely on Divine Providence for their everyday needs.



 

 

Any person whose life is being controlled and ruined by addiction is possibly under the influence of the Evil One.

The only person who can release a person from the influence of Satan is the Person of JESUS CHRIST with the power of the HOLY SPIRIT.

 Jesus Our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit are ALIVE and can liberate us from any evil.

 

It was marvellous to see people whose lives were destructive and self centred, and who had been depressed and very devious, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into sober, upright loving persons who love God and are trying to do His will and not their own.

 

The Cenacolo Community is open to any person who desires to CHANGE.

The Community is open for non-catholics and disbelievers, however every person must agree to follow the Communitys foundation rules of PRAYER, ROSARY, HOLY MASS, ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, FASTING and WORK. 

 

The Cenacolo Community has a success rate of over 90% in comparison to so called drug rehab places that substitute Methodone for Heroin and dont deal with the spiritual disease afflicting the person.

 

Prayer can work wonders and I saw it with my own eyes at Cenacolo.

 

May the work of the Cenacolo Community continue to expand and help more drug addicts and alcoholics change from a destructive and self centred way of life to a life centred on God and other people.

From Lying and Deceit to Truth and Love.

                                                                               

 

Persons who want to join the Cenacolo Community must attend  meetings held every wednesday in Dublin at St Peters Parish Centre, St Peters Church Phibsboro, Dublin or by contacting:

Frank 087 9096007

Jean 087 2687040

 

Females who need to join a Cenacolo Community and are in Ireland may be sent to one of the houses in Rome or in Medjugorge. The Community in Knock is for males only.

 

May God continue to bless the work of CENACOLO and may the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for all those souls who cry out to be liberated from the evil of substance addiction.

Our Lady of the Cenacle Pray For Us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary

 

The Angelus

 

 

"The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and She Conceived by the Holy Spirit"

 

How wonderful is that? and how simple, humble and yet earth shatteringly profound!

The Angel Gabriels Salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary announcing to her that she has been chosen by God to bear His very self in her womb.

 

The humble innocent virgin girl of Nazareth, scared and over awed, and yet she is able to give her YES and her free consent to an event that will change her life and that of her family and that will also change Human and Salvation history forever.

 

"BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD, LET WHAT YOU HAVE SAID BE DONE UNTO ME"
 

Marys YES to God, enables the Incarnation to take place, God becomes Man in the womb of the Virgin.

Jesus The Saviour of Mankind asks for the consent of Mary a human, before He is Incarnated.

 

"AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US"
                    (ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST)
 

The Incarnate Word, who created the Universe and all that is within it, becomes a Human Being at the moment of the Incarnation.

Earth and Heaven are united at that moment and the most important event in human history takes place.

 

Annunciation

 



 The practice of praying "The Angelus" reminds us that God has entered Human history, God took flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary.

The Angelus reminds us what life is all about, it is about God and not just about us.

 

The ringing of the Angelus bells at 6am 12 noon and 6pm remind us of this fact.

Pausing to remember the miracle of the Incarnation, for a minute or so, grounds us in reality and helps us keep in touch with reality.

 

The Angelus bells ringing on RTE 1 Television and Radio at 12 and 6pm are for some people a joke, for some people an irrelevancy, for some people an annoying hangover of a Catholic Church dominated Ireland and for some people a source of anger that a God who they dont believe in has somehow managed to encroach into their consciousness.

I think that RTE is to be praised and thanked for continuing a tradition that goes back to the 11th century and which has more than proved its worth.

Of course we all know that RTE will eventually stop The Angelus and succumb to the Pagan Secularists who clamour for a bland, non-descript God less society , masquerading under the banner of "Equality & Freedom"  What a joke! 

You try disagreeing with the modern Pagans or mentioning God or the Catholic Church and you will see their idea of Freedom and Equality clearly manifested.
No, they have no room in their "free and equal" world for practising Christians, Muslims, Jews or any other religion, apart that is from thier own "religion" of consumerism, pleasure seeking and materialism. (Known for genereations as Hedonism)

RTE have already bowed to the wishes of the Pagan / Secularists and removed all religious imagery during the minute or so of the transmission of the Angelus bells!

Oh please spare me from having to watch people feeding white bread to Swans (bad for them by the way) while the Angelus rings out!  
WHAT ON EARTH HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH THE ANNUNCIATION and GOD BECOMING MAN??

No please give me the beautiful images of the Annunciation that RTE used to show.



Mosaic of Annunciation in Santa Maria Maggiore

(St Mary Major Basilica-Rome)

 

By the way, I remember a priest once telling me that the most important words in the story of the Annunciation as told in St Lukes Gospel are at the very end.

 

The passage starts The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a Virgin betrothed to a man called Joseph of the House of David, and the virgins name was Mary.  

The Angel went in and said to her, "Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee, "
                                                            "AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA"

 

The whole account as described by St Luke is marvellous and the miracle of the Incarnation of Christ as described is profound, but the passage ends with the following words:

 

"And the Angel departed from her"

 

These were the words that were highlighted to me many years ago as being so important.

 

 

St Luke is emphasising to us that following Marys acceptance of her mission and role to be the Mother of the Saviour, that she is left alone and without Angelic help or assistance.

"And the Angel departed from her."

 

She, like us all, had to GET ON WITH IT on her own.

 

That is a great insight into Marys yes and her acceptance of Gods will in her life.

May we all like Mary, say YES to God in our lives and may The Angelus continue to remind us all that God became man.

 

 

                "AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONGST US"

 

                                                "ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST"

 

The Blessed Virgin Mary extolled the greatness of God and Her own role in salvation history when she proclaimed:

 

"My Soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit exults in God my Saviour, for He has looked upon the lowliness of His handmaid, for henceforth  ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSED for the Almighty has done great things for me and Holy is His name.

His Mercy is from age to age on those who revere Him,

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly,

The poor He has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has remembered His promise to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his children forever."

 

May the ringing of the "AVE bell" continue to ring out its dulcent tones over the towns, cities, villages and townlands of Ireland and in many other countries for years to come.

And may we all take comfort from its reminder message that we are not alone, God loves us so much that He took flesh, was born of the Virgin Mary, was Crucified, Died but Rose from the dead VICTORIOUS.

Christ has already conquered evil and death, we have nothing to fear, we live with total joy and hope as Catholic Christians.

 

The Angelus bells remind us of this fact.

 

God is in charge

                                                                                   

 





 

Feast of All Souls

 

 November 2nd is the Feast of All Souls, a most interesting and consoling Feastday for the church.

 

I attended Mass in my local church of St Marys, Killenummery, County Leitrim.

A good turn out, and a lovely Mass offered by Fr Vincent Connaughton the Parish Priest for our departed brothers and sisters who have gone where we will all eventually (hopefully) follow.

 

I went specifically to pray for my mother Zillah Crellin, my brother Tony Crellin, my Auntie Laura, various friends and all those whose death I have been present at over the years in my work as an Intensive Care Unit nurse (and that is by now probably many hundreds of people afterr 30 plus years nursing)

 

I have been present at many deaths and have seen many souls depart this world. Some deaths were traumatic and some beautiful. The Feast of All Souls reminds us that its not all about us!

The departed souls, all those who were linked to us in this life need our prayers and it is our privileged ability as Christians STILL in THIS world, to pray to God for their wellbeing in the next.

 

All Souls Day in India

 

 

I also like to pray on All Souls day for those souls in Purgatory who have no one here on earth to pray for them.

 

Now theres a word to cause many a controversy and debate-PURGATORY.

Its such a shocking and descriptive word but ive never understood why the Protestant churches have such a problem with the concept.

I am fully aware of the abuses in the medievil period where Indulgences and Pardons for time spent in Purgatory were sold and where the teaching of the Catholic Church about Purgatory was deliberately twisted for selfish and monetary gain.

However, the concept of Purgatory I think is eminently sensible and blatantly obvious.

 

How can a sinful and self centred person like most of us humans are seriously expect to be immediately assumed into Heaven into the presence of the Person who created us and the Universe instantly following death? (like being beamed up like Star Trek!)

It smacks of Pride and a seriously over inflated Ego on our part.

 

No, Dying is a PROCESS and im sure that following death a process of adjustment, cleansing and healing takes place to PREPARE us for the presence of the Most High.

(A bit like a Spiritual Hospital where we are nursed back to full health)

For Purgatory read HOSPITAL.

 

Dominicans Praying for the Faithful Departed

 



 Prayer for the Departed is an ancient practice and has always been recommended by Holy Church from the first century A.D.

Prayer for the dead is recommended in Sacred Scripture (Book of Maccabees)

Im convinced that the prayers of the Church here now on earth can assist the church penitent in Purgatory.

 

 

The Church also teaches that the departed souls can assist us here on earth.

It makes sense. Why would people we love and who are linked to us forget us after they die?

No, they are still part of the Church and we are all linked through the "Communion of Saints" we are "One Body in Christ"
The Church consists of 3 PARTS:
on Earth -Church Expectant,
In Purgatory- Church Penitent
In Heaven -Church Triumphant
So all three parts are in Communion, all of us are able to assist each other with prayer.
 

 

So dont be afraid to pray for the Departed Souls and to ask for their prayers as well, after all they are one step closer to Him who created us all in our Mothers wombs and who will call us back when our pilgrim journey and the job we have been given to do here on earth is completed.
 



Holy Mass for all Souls



 

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them O Lord And May Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them, May They Rest In Peace.

A.MEN

 

 

 



Feast of ALL SAINTS

 

"Hallow Een"

(The evening before All Hallows (All Saints)

 

 

31st Oct 2012, Well what a wonderful Feast is All Saints!

 

The Church places before us a marvellous array of our Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ who have attained their place in heaven and who because of the "Communion of Saints " are

available to help and guide us here on earth on our pilgrim journey of life.

 

In the pagan and so called "secular" society we are currently living in, the whole emphasis is on Halloween (death and evil) instead of on All Saints (Life and Goodness)

I find it incredible that some "Christian" parents encourage thier children to buy into the whole cultural emphasis on darkness and the power of the Evil One, instead of on the victory of Jesus Christ Our Saviour over sin, death and evil.

Anyway, thats their lookout, but they shouldnt be moaning when their teenagers are depressed, nasty and despondent about life in general!

The Saints are living examples to us that God is all powerful and interested in our lives. They have achieved what we hope for, to be with God in Heaven.
As the famous hymm says "For all the Saints who from their labours rest"
Holy Church is very wise to hold up to us these shining examples of the Christian life.
We all have our favourite Saints such as Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Lisieux,
Dominic Barberi-(Passionist), Charles of Mount Argus-(Passionist), Vincent de Paul, Nicholas of Myra, Gabriel Possenti-(Passionist,) Thomas More, Edmund Arrowsmith, Edith Stein, Paul of the Cross-(Founder of the Passionists), John Henry Newman etc etc etc

Pope Benedict XVI recently Canonised 7 new Saints.
Amongst them was Pedro Calungsod, a 17 year old Filipino who worked as a Catechist assisting the Jesuit Fathers in the conversion of the Phillipines from Paganism and black magic rituals in the 17th Century.
Pedro Calungsod was gruesomly Martyred for his faith and is now presented to us as a shining example of youth at its most positive and best.

I actually worked with a lovely Filipino Staff Nurse in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital (Mother of Mercy) in Dublin, who was actually related to Pedro Calungsod and whose family had always kept alive the memory of his faith and martyrdom.



Saint Pedro Calungsod holding Palm of Martyrdom

and with the Cross of Christ at his side.

Pray for Us-Ora Pro Nobis

 

One of my favourite "Saints" is BLESSED DOMINIC BARBERI.

                                                                             

 

I have such a lot to say about him that I will be doing a seperate post dedicated to him.

Dominic Barberi was an Italian Passionist priest who from childhood had a great desire to come to England to work for the Conversion of Protestants back to the Catholic faith. 

 

He suffered terribly in England from anti-Catholic abuse and even physical assaults upon him.

After many years of prayer and suffering God rewarded him with being the priest who actually received John Henry Newman into "The One True Fold of Christ"

Newman, the leading Theologian of Anglicanism in the 19th Century converted to Catholicism, became a Catholic priest and was eventually created Catholic Archbishop of Westminster and Cardinal.

 

 

 

                                                                                

In October 2010, during his Apostolic Visit to Britain, Pope Benedict XVI Beatified Cardinal Newman at a large open ait Mass making him "BLESSED John Henry Newman"

                                                                                   

Pope Benedict XVI Successor of St Peter Beatifies John Henry Newman.

                                                                                    

 

 

All this came about due to the grace of God working through His humble servant, Dominic Barberi or Dominic of the Mother of God as was his religious name in the Passionists.

 

Much more on Dominic Barberi in future posts.

 



 



 

 

 

 

 

 



Papal Authority

For the Glory of God and in

Honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

 

 

Greetings everybody, this is my first attempt at a "Blog" so here goes.

 I will be expressing my views & opinions about certain matters, especially regarding the Holy Roman Catholic Church and Catholic faith issues in general.

For those who dont like what I write id like to say cheerio and dont bother reading on as you may be offended and even get annoyed.

If your not interested, cheerio and if  you are easily offended, cheerio. 

 

In these days of political correctness, and pussy footing around, some people dont like to hear the Truth and would prefer to remain in their pink candy-floss world of boring banality and x factor sensationalism.

However, for those who are interested in what I have to say, and are interested in hearing a Catholic who loves the Church, (and is also aware of its serious failures and sins) welcome and read on.

 

First of al,l lets all start at the beginning and get a few issues sorted, a foundation so to speak, from which all other issues and comments by me in the future will be based on.

 

1. Jesus the Christ, was God made Man, God Incarnate. God took flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary.

Jesus Christ is the Saviour of Mankind who was Crucified, Died and Rose from the dead.

 

2. This same Jesus, entrusted and appointed one of His Apostles, Saint Peter as Head of His Church on earth, and gave him and therefore his lawful successors,the Popes, Absolute Authority over the church.

 

3. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide and protect His church from that moment in the

first century A.D untill the end of time. 

(Protestants please note, Christ promised that the Holy Spirit of God would guide the Church from that moment in history, He didnt say that the Holy Spirit would abandon His Chuch after the "Early Church" and then re-appear in the 16th Century to inspire the "Reformers"!)

 

4. The Creed "I believe in One God, The Father, The Almighty, Creator of all things, visible and invisible", etc etc is the foundation of all Christian faith and is non-negotiable for all who profess to follow Jesus Christ. The creed is essential, and is not optional. 

 

5. The "Catechism of the Catholic Church" is one of the most wonderful books ever to be published and clearly sets out what catholics believe, what Catholics should believe and explains why Catholics believe the faith they profess. It clearly states what the Roman Catholic Church Teaches and Believes.

Any person who has not read the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" and yet thinks they know what the Catholic Church teaches is a fool and an empty vessel. 

 

6 There are 4 signs of the True Church of Christ accepted and taught by the early church Fathers.

She is ONE. She is HOLY. She is CATHOLIC She is APOSTOLIC.

"We believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church."

Only the Roman Catholic Church, along with some Eastern / Coptic branches can trace their history back to APOSTOLIC times.

The Holy Spirit has never allowed the truth taught by Christ to be lost but has ensured that the Church has passed on the truth from generation to generation throughout human history.

 

7. The Bible is the inspired word of God and the Holy Scriptures are essential for our growth as Christians, however, it was the Church that decided which scriptures went into the "Bible".

The Church existed before the Bible and in fact the Bible is an instrument of the Church.

The Apostolic Authority of the Pope and Bishops of the time made that happen.

Christ mandated His apostles to "Go and make disciples of the Nations, TEACHING THEM to observe all these things"

Christs authority and the power of the Holy Spirit is given to enable the Church under the Authority of the successor of St Peter, The Pope, to decide what is true and what is necessary for each moment in history and each Generation. 

Scripture AND Tradition together is the Catholic way.

 

I hope my thoughts are helpful to those who are looking for THE TRUTH.

To those who are interested in my Catholic rantings please read on to my other "posts" 

To those who couldnt care less, CHEERIO!