I find it hard to listen to Barron - he uses two sentences for every one required but then I am an introvert who rarely speaks his mind. He is able to articulate his thoughts unlike myself as I stumble over words trying to explain the faith. In other words Barron talks far too much for my personal liking!!
Concision is precision, but he seems to get an audience. If the article in the Catholic Thing is accurate, he gains more converts than most. The typical potential convert is perhaps best able to get the message if its waffled, on the basis that if one throws enough mud at a wall some of it will stick.
People want to hear that all are welcome, all are forgiven, which is true with confession and living in Gods grace. But the muscle man controversy and the way world on fire tried hideously to cover it up, says it all. Its about money.
I really hope Bishop Barron leaves the "safe" way. It always bothered me how he starts with "Friends", when making a comment. (see Twitter) Then, while reading this passage from the Gospel of Matthew, it seemed a bit clearer as to why. Just a an observation on my part, making no judgements whatsoever. Matthew 22:11 And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. 22:12 And he saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment? But he was silent. 22:13 Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Hi DeGaulle. I am addressing the point of Universal Salvation in these comments. You are correct. It is a horrible heresy and directly contradicts the word of Jesus Himself in Luke 13: 23 And a certain man said to him: Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them: 24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate: for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter and shall not be able. Regarding the Fatima Prayer comment (bolded above in your original post), I too thought, at one time, that the Fatima Prayer lent support to a kind of "hope" for universal salvation. But I was wrong. The Fatima Prayer in the original Portuguese is clearly referring to "the poor souls in Purgatory." There is no doubt about this. Here is the Fatima Prayer in Portuguese: Ó meu Jesus, perdoai-nos, livrai-nos do fogo do inferno; levai as alminhas todas para o Céu, principalmente aquelas que mais precisarem. I have bolded and underlined the critical word. In Portugal, the word "alminhas" means something very specific. That one word means "the poor souls suffering in Purgatory," and "those in most need" are the souls at the lower levels of Purgatory. You can see how the Portuguese people have always been very focused on these "poor souls in Purgatory" by reading this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alminhas Alminha built in 1824. All alminhas shrines follow this stonework pattern, with some style changes through the years. Alminhas or Nichos de Alminhas do Purgatório are a type of wayside shrine typical of Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. These small shrines are mostly urban and represent souls in Purgatory. Alminhas are located in several streets of the city, often at crossroads. They are generally stonework, with a small niche protected by an iron grid that is kept by the Confraria das Almas (Souls Brotherhood), with an azulejo panel invoking the souls of Purgatory. Older alminhas in the city center such as Rua da Conceição-Rua Primeiro de Maio Alminha or Rua dos Ferreiros-Praça do Almada Alminha have a more elaborate niche, resembling an altarpiece. Traditionally, passers-by would pray and offer alms when passing one in the street. Candles, flowers and alms can be place in the niche. All the city's alminhas are well preserved and kept by the brotherhood. However, due to theft and damage of the shrines, some alminhas no longer accept alms.[citation needed] So, the Fatima Prayer cannot be used as a support for heretical "Universal Salvation." When we pray that Fatima prayer, we are supposed to be praying for those "poor souls in Purgatory," not those souls damned to Eternal Hell or for those living people who have not been through the Particular Judgement yet. Like, I said, I myself had the wrong idea of what I was praying for when praying the Fatima Prayer. I thought I was asking God to lead "ALL SOULS" (even people alive today) to Heaven, but that is absolutely not what the Fatima Prayer is asking us to do. It is best to think of "all souls" to mean what the Church means when it refers to the Feast of All Souls in November every year. On that day, we are not praying for all people living today. We are praying for "the faithful departed" souls in Purgatory. Hope this adds support to what you were saying.
I think it perfectly Catholic to pray that all be saved, and this is certainly the understanding, I should imagine, of all Catholics not fluent in Portuguese who say this prayer in their rosaries. 1 Tm 2:4, Douay-Rheims, seems to clearly indicate that Christ's wish is the salvation of all. Of course, the vision of Hell that Our Lady presented to the children at Fatima demonstrates that the reality does not correspond with the wish. This is inevitable, because of the freedom which we have been granted. Nevertheless, it's surely desirable to pray that this number be minimised. It's praiseworthy to pray for the souls in Purgatory, but it's also true that they are saved. There's no point in praying for the damned, but surely sinners need prayer more than anyone?
A i so agree…. Didn’t Our Lady of Fatima say that the souls of poor sinners go to hell because they don’t have anyone to pray for them? I know I’m paraphrasing… but we need to pray for all of us sinners. That’s why I love saying that prayer at the end of each decade.
Rosalia and DeGaulle, I agree that Our Lord and Our Lady very much want us to pray for poor sinners. I do pray that same prayer after each decade. We will be rewarded in due time for saying this prayer.
Of course we should pray for poor sinners. But the Fatima Prayer is not a prayer about "poor sinners" still on the earthly pilgrimage. Our Lady's request and that specific prayer is about praying for "the poor souls in Purgatory." So make sure you are thinking specifically about those "poor souls" from now on when you pray the Fatima Prayer. Our Lady will like that.
I find it very significant that the Marian apparition of Fatima changed the way we recite the rosary around the world; although private revelations do not alter the deposit of faith; It seems to me that God wanted to show us that it was essential to study Fatima as a way of avoiding the loss of the souls of millions of people in the spiritual abyss that seems to have widened in the 20th century.
Your conclusion concerning the focus being limited to the Poor Souls is something I have never heard before (I will read and ponder your post more thoroughly). I must say, however, I never once considered the idea that the Fatima prayer promoted universalism! I considered it an expression of desire for the salvation of as many souls as possible (a form of hyperbole). For praying this prayer from the heart helps snatch many from entering the fiery flames of Hell. We must be careful not to think that a mistaken focus would mean that the prayer was useless.
What Our Lady Said About Hell at Fatima on July 13, 1917 by Antonio A. BorelliJuly 9, 2011 What Our Lady Said About Hell at Fatima on July 13, 1917 The Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima The Third Apparition — July 13, 1917 Mr. Marto, father of Jacinta and Francisco, says that when the third apparition began, a little grayish cloud hovered over the holm oak, the sunlight diminished, and a cool breeze blew over the mountain range, even though it was the height of summer. He also heard something that sounded like flies inside an empty jug. The seers saw the customary glare, and immediately afterward they saw Our Lady over the holm oak. Lúcia: What does Your Grace wish of me? Our Lady: I want you to come here on the thirteenth of next month and to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, for she alone can be of any avail. Lúcia: I would like to ask you to tell us who you are and to perform a miracle so everyone will believe that Your Grace appears to us. Our Lady: Continue to come here every month. In October, I will tell you who I am and what I wish, and I will perform a miracle that everyone shall see so as to believe. Lúcia then made a number of requests for conversions, cures, and other graces. Our Lady recommended the constant recitation of the Rosary; thus they would obtain those graces during the year. Then she went on: “Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice, ‘O Jesus, this is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’” The Vision of Hell “As she said these last words,” writes Sister Lúcia, “she once again opened her hands as she had done in the two previous months. The radiant light (which streamed from them) The three seers shortly after the vision of hell, July 13, 1917. seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw, as it were, a great sea of fire; submerged in that fire were demons and souls in human shapes who resembled red-hot, black and bronze-colored embers that floated about in the blaze, borne by the flames that issued from them with clouds of smoke, falling everywhere like the showering sparks of great blazes – with neither weight nor equilibrium – amidst shrieks and groans of sorrow and despair that horrified us and made us shudder with fear. “The devils stood out like frightful and unknown animals with horrible and disgusting shapes, but transparent like black coals that have become red-hot.” The vision lasted only a moment during which Lúcia let out a gasp. She remarks that if it were not for Our Lady’s promise to take them to heaven, the seers would have died of fright and terror. Frightened and as though pleading for help, the seers raised their eyes to Our Lady, who said with kindness and sadness: “‘You saw hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.’” FREE READ: Fatima: A Message More Urgent Than Ever * * * This account is based on the book Our Lady at Fatima: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope for America and the World? https://www.tfp.org/what-our-lady-said-about-hell-in-july-1917/
Little St. Jacinta prayed this prayer and sacrificed so much to save sinners from going to hell. America Needs Fatima
I believe that when Our Lady presented devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a means of saving countless souls from hell, she was showing us that the rosary would have the same function as a spiritual weapon for the last two centuries.
A Call to Prayer, 1Timothy2 Douay Rheims St Paul: 1I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men: 2For kings and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity. 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 4Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God: and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: 6Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times. 7Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle (I say the truth, I lie not), a doctor of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8I will therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, without anger and contention. This was the second reading today at Mass, 9/18/22.
