Yes, there is most certainly something in the air. There most certainly is. I must pray about this. Read Scripture. Wait on the Lord. Strange, strange times.
It is almost as if the whole world, the Church included, were getting shaken up and down , like a cup of dice, as if God were getting ready to make a throw. To toss the dice View attachment 6010
For some reason- for quite a period of time- whenever I open a page in the Bible it opens on Matthew Chapter 10, verse 21, and it seems to increase the feeling that persecution is coming "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death." and Chapter 10, verse 22 "You will be hated by everyone by all for my namesake, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." This page seems to repeatedly pop up for some reason. Perhaps it is a sign to stand firm and hold fast to the faith.
I 'd say this is certainly prophetic. I was praying a couple of months back at night time and opened to a similiar and quite savage reading from the Prophet Jeremiah.
But on the other hand , not all doom and gloom , a week or two ago walking across to Mass in the hospital at mid day I thought my heart was going to burst I was so happy. It felt like being in heaven. I would say God is shaking things up alright but in wonderful ways. Bad for the bad, good for the good. Such very,very, very interesting times indeed.
I was thinking the same thing myself earlier Padraig, that things don't seem entirely bad for some strange reason and that there is hope in the air too. Where there is God there is always hope and joy.
Holy Father Benedict did say there would be a loss of Faith with only a small remnant left. I wonder if he could see the force within the Vatican which was unstoppable, and that was one reason he felt he must resign. I heard Cardinal Burke say in an interview that the Vatican Council had produced very good seeds faithful to our traditions; but the interpretations which were published were not what the Vatican Council itself produced. One of the posts here on the Forum was a headline from some outlet which stated Cardinals or Bishops had SAID, people could not be expected to live without sex. Or words to that effect in defence of remarried and sex. I was shocked because aren't Cardinals, Bishops, Priests and nuns supposed to live without sex. Surely they are living proof that people can live without sex. Or is there something they are not telling us. In any event I must look up the Epistles; because I am certain there is clear instructions in them when the Apostles advised people to abstain from sex if possible; but if they had to have sex, get married and work out their salvation within marriage. The waters get murkier and murkier. It would be the next generation and after the traditional beliefs would have been forgotten if some don't hold fast and keep the traditional fidelity in the Covenant of Marriage. I think we can just continue to live exemplary lives and let our Faith guide us to be shining examples of what the Gospel teaches. Be the faithful remnant Pope Benedict spoke of. And pray and offer in silence as he does.
Covenant of marriage Sacrament of Holy Matrimony Indissolubility of marriage. It seems that the Church has forgotten the mandate of its founder the Word of God Incarnate. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery. Christ instituted sacramental marriage and his words are plain speak. He was black and white on the issue. Poor Jesus - the ever so rigid one
While witnessing and reading about the current confusion within our, One, Holy, Apostolic, True and Glorious Catholic Church that Jesus instituted himself, I've realised the extent of the comfort, security, protection and reassurance that my Catholic faith has given to me over many years! And now that shelter feels like it is disintergrating! It seems our Catholic faith, is being taken from us! I've wondered about a number of things! one being............how have the poor protestants did it (survived) over the years? They (the protestants) have survived without sound direction, deprived of Our Lords Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, living with a feeling of what must be a gut wrenching abandonment, starved of knowledge, deficient of doctrine, hungry for truth, restricted in freedom, limited in understanding, incomplete of dogma, insufficient in the treasures of grace (such as Our Ladys continuous help and succour), having only partial realities, scarce and poor teachings , narrow beliefs in God's Mercy, inadequate or nil availabity of reconcilation and the list goes on...............................! truly there is ignorance, if not pride in their obstinacy! Must we Catholics suffer the same fate? and yet we have not asked for this? How do I rationalise all this? Well, I don't want a watered down progressive protestant retreat from truth! I want the Magnificent, Extensive, All Embracing, Splendid, totally Encompassing, Truths of my Holy Catholic faith maintained! Don't worry Julia, its Just a little rant and I will no matter what.... say the rosary and wear the scapular while I lament the seeming demise of the Catholic church.
Reminds me of the lightning striking the Vatican--twice--when Pope Benedict XVI abdicated. At this point I think there are few or no coincidences.
Not The Church--as in the spotless Bride of Christ--but churchmen within the material organization. The Church can never sell out to the spirit of the age. But unfortunately Judases within the Church can do all sorts of nasty evil destructive things. Sigh.
Dear Josephite--it is a horrendous and excruciating Cross we are bearing now. It is the ultimate chastisement for the one, holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church to be betrayed from within by apostates. For the faithful who cling to the truth, it is unutterably horrifying. This is the real Storm. Many saints have warned that the direst punishment God can send is to allow bad prelates or a bad Pope. I think we do what St. Peter recommends in his first letter. We live the hope that is in us. Cling to the truth. Pray for the malefactors. And above all hide ourselves in the Immaculate Heart.
Julia, Is this what you are looking for? 1Cor 7: 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control. 6 I say this by way of concession, not of command. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion. 10 To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband) -- and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
All who are serious about the debate on divorce and remarriage needs to listen to this short video. I have been receiving emails to attend the Argument of the Month (AOTM) evenings in Minneapolis, but have not made the drive yet. I think I will attend the next one, even if it is on a work weekday.
I'd like to think that Pope Francis has "Insider info" that the rest of us here don't have ... but considering the entirety of of his Anti-Gringo USA-n-Capitalism-n-Traditional Christian Pontificate ... "Pope warns against populism and 'saviours' like Hitler" https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-warns-against-populism-saviours-hitler-001439301.html GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
No, definitely not all doom and gloom! I'm visiting my son today. He's a second year novice with the Norbertines in Silverado CA and they are an exemplary group of men and reason for true hope. View attachment 6016 And even though the novices are sheltered from the world and news in general, they have been kept up to date with AL and the dubia by their novice master. They all heartily support the 4 cardinals and the dubia; Cardinal Burke preached their week long annual retreat in 2015 and Bishop Athanasius Schneider preached their week long retreat in 2016. (I met Bishop Schneider in October, and told him my son was a novice with the Norbertines and that he was very positively influenced by the bishop's retreat. While he was there in June my son scheduled private time to speak with the bishop and I asked the bishop in October if he remembered him. He said he most certainly did and to send him his warm personal regards, which I was able to convey to my son in person today. This bishop is a true light of the Church, a humble and incredibly warm man.)
Golly, did the pope compare Trump to Hitler before or after "he sent best wishes and prayers " to him? If Hillary were president would he say the same, referring to the extermination of millions of babies? Nahh, defending national borders is what's truly cruel and inhumane. He's just showing his true colors as he speaks out of both sides of his mouth.
