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!