Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum

On July 7, 2007 the Vatican issued a Papal position paper entitled "Motu Proprio" allowing the us, again, of the Tridentine Mass. Also during that time another paper came out re-affriming the Catholic Church as the One True Church insituted by Christ Himself.

Shortly after, I was challenged by a friend of mine as to why I am Catholic given the history of scandal and abuse that exists within the Church. It took some gathering of my thoughts before I could answer.

The Catholic Church is the only church that can trace its lineage directly back to Christ Himself. The Protestant churches have all splintered off from the Catholic Church, the one True Church. There are over 22,500 Protestant chruches and growing everyday. They all believe someting a little different from each other and it would appear that the ONLY point on whihc they can all agree is that they don't like the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church is not perfect because it is comprised of humans. The original leader, St. Peter, of the Church was full of faults and weaknesses. Yet he was expressly chosen by Christ to lead the new Church

I am happy with my decision. I will never convince this friend through words. The words of St. Francis come to mind:

"Evangelize always and if you must, use words."


am still on social terms with this friend, but it is limited now.

Peace Be To You.

Living the Invisible Life

Our Priest at our parish had an intriguing Homily this past Sunday. One that I would like to pass on here.

We are all aware of our bodies and our lives that we can see on a daily basis. It is visible to us. How do we relate to our spiritual lives and a life that exists on an invisible plane?

When we are born into this life our souls are basically dead. You can live a human life with a dead soul - millions of people have done it. How does the soul become born? How does it become animated?

The Soul becomes animated through the Touch of Grace, the touch of God. Sanctifying is the proper term. Our soul becomes born through the Grace received at Baptism and Confirmation. Our Souls are thus born and 'Sealed with the Holy Spirit'

Just like the visible body has flesh, a nervous system, connect tissue, and blood coursing through its veins so has the Soul. The Soul, has its own spiritual blood flowing through its veins as well. That spiritual blood is the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Now once we have life in our soul we need to nourish it and care for it. You see, when we harm our bodies, either through injury or surgery, the body bleeds and needs to repair and heal itself.

The same thing with the Soul - our 'self' in the invisible plane. We harm our Spirits by Sin, both venial and mortal. That harm is basically an injury that causes a wound and that wound begins to bleed. Through bleeding we begin to loose that Sanctifying grace from our soul. Little by little. The more we Sin the more wounds we create in our Soul and thus the more bleeding that occurs.

When we harm our spirits we need to seek healing to allow it to repair itself and grow stronger again. That healing comes to us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (a.k.a. confession)

If we live our lives without regard for our Soul's health we reach the end of this life with a lifeless soul.

Then we stand in judgement before the Lord - look down at our lifeless spiritual body, and must then account to Lord for all that we have done wrong in our lives.

At that moment I could easily see that person saying to themselves, 'if I only knew.' At that point Jesus looks down at the Soul with a loving gaze, knowing that He provided every opportunity He could to redeem and many opportunities for His Mercy that we avoided.

As good Catholics, we care for our Souls and know that we want to have a healthy Soul for the next when this short, visible life is is finally at an end.

Peace be with you.

Prayer of Faith and Stregnth

Lord Jesus,

Through your Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection
You secured for us the seeds of our own resurrections.

Grant us the strength and the steadfastness of Faith,
to remain on the road behind both you and Mary
as we continue the journey towards the fullness of Mercy.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

The Gates of Hell Will Not Prevail

Have you ever stopped to think about the phrase ". . the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it"?

I think we often think of the Church as standing solid until the return of Christ and any agression by Evil will not harm her.

True. . .

but read the phrase again. The Gates of Hell are not something that will move to attack someone. Gates remain in place. They are a defense.

It really means that the Church is on the move against Evil - no matter where it hides. And when Christianity comes knocking bringing with it the light of Truth and Salvation - the Gates of Hell will not Prevail.

We, as Christians, are not called to stand still but to be agressive and evangelize. Don't play defense, as Catholics we are on offense!

Peace be to you.