Is God Pleased . . .?

This question was left open-ended for a reason, which hopefully will become very apparent. Someone has probably already asked, “Pleased about what?” Pay attention!

Let’s take a trip back in time to the year 1884. The reigning Pope at that time was His Holiness, Leo XIII. On October 17, after Mass Pope Leo had a vision of a conversation between Jesus and Satan. The conversation went like this:

The guttural voice, the voice of Satan in his pride, boasted to Our Lord: “I can destroy your Church.”

The gentle voice of Our Lord: “You can? Then go ahead and do so.”

Satan: “To do so, I need more time and more power.”

Our Lord: “How much time? How much power?

Satan: “75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service.”

Our Lord: “You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what you will.”

There has been speculation as to when the hundred years would begin. Some said right after the vision, or after the First World War. There have been events in history that people have said was that beginning. I have my own “theory” and that is what it is, to be accepted or left alone. Satan, the crafty creature that he is had plans for the destruction of Christ’s Church and knew it had to come off without a hitch, flawless in its execution. All the events from October 17, 1884 to the Miracle of the Sun were preparation, getting people into place. He can be very patient when need be. Satan is like the property manager of a big Broadway production. Everything must be in its place and the set changes and prop changes have to be executed at a precise time so that there are no gaps, flawless. By October 17, 1917, he had gotten all his chess pieces on the board where he wanted them. The clock begins to tick off the 100 years. Our Lady gave the warning to Sr. Lucia in 1929, “The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart.” Satan had already begun his moves on the Church. The infiltration by Masons that worked their way up the chain and became part of the hierarchy of the Church. Modernism was creeping in at an alarming rate and we were warned by several Popes about this… and they all condemned it.

After Pope Leo’s vision he composed the Saint Michael Prayer, which we only say a small portion now. Thanks in no small part to Paul VI, who removed it from the Novus Ordo. It is a prayer meant to help and protect the Church and should be prayed everyday. But, a word of warning. This prayer is very irritating to Satan and he will retaliate by discovering your weakest point and cause you to sin over and over, making your days miserable. So be aware and on guard should you choose to say it. Be strong and hold on!

“O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

“Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

“These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.

“Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”

Referring back to Fatima and the Third Secret, the world awaited anxiously for its release in 1960, when Our Lady said it had to be read or at the death of Sr. Lucia, which ever came first. Pope John XXIII said the Secret was not for his time and dismissed it. It was also ignored by Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and now Francis I.
John Paul II had this to say about The Third Secret, “Its content, concerns only our faith. To identify the Secret with catastrophic announcements or with a nuclear holocaust is to deform the meaning of the message. The loss of faith of a continent is worse than the annihilation of a nation; and it is true that faith is continually diminishing in Europe.” HELLO, the faith is diminishing everywhere, very quickly. John Paul’s advice was to pray, pray. All this is in accordance with Satan’s master plan for the destruction of the Church. My “theory”, we have less than two years before Our Lady lets loose of God’s arm and releases His chastisement upon this sinful world. That means October 17, 2017. Our Lady said nations would be annihilated if Russia was not consecrated to her Immaculate Heart. If that is part of the secret, then we have a right to know so we can prepare for the worst and prepare our souls for whatever comes. Sr. Lucia said on April 7.1990, “The events taking place in Europe are a deception. Russia will be the scourge for all nations, because it was not converted. Russia attacks the West, and China invades in Asia.” The popes fiddle and Obama keeps poking the bear.

Satan’s plan is in place and working. Vatican II was an escalation of his plans in an attempt to uproot the true Church. Many are falling, as if drugged, for the touchy, feely Novus Ordo Mess. Many souls are being lost. Since the calling of Vatican II, everything is going downhill. The Church is caught in a mudslide carrying everything in it’s wake and few seem to realize it’s even happening. It’s as though the hierarchy in the church is giving out placebos and all those that take them see no fault. They seem happy as can be, because no one has to convert, pray, or receive the sacraments. This is the attitude of the thumbs up, smiley face of Rome. No one will bite down on the pill to discover it’s only sugar. They are being duped and love it!

Vatican II, brought about the new rite called the Novus Ordo. This action was condemned by the Council of Trent.

Session XXII
CANON III.–If any one saith, that the sacrifice of the mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or, that it is a bare commemoration of the sacrifice consummated on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or, that it profits him only who receives; and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains, satisfactions, and other necessities; let him be anathema.

CANON VI.–If any one saith, that the canon of the mass contains errors, and is therefore to be abrogated; let him be anathema.

CANON IX.–If any one saith, that the rite of the Roman Church, according to which a part of the canon and the words of consecration are pronounced in a low tone, is to be condemned; or, that the mass ought to be celebrated in the vulgar tongue only; or, that water ought not to be mixed with the wine that is to be offered in the chalice, for that it is contrary to the institution of Christ; let him be anathema.

Session VII
CANON IV.-If any one saith, that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary unto salvation, but superfluous; and that, without them, or without the desire thereof, men obtain of God, through faith alone, the grace of justification;-though all (the sacraments) are not indeed necessary for every individual; let him be anathema.

CANON XI.-If any one saith, that, in ministers, when they effect, and confer the sacraments, there is not required the intention at least of doing what the Church does; let him be anathema.

CANON XIII.-If any one saith, that the received and approved rites of the Catholic Church, wont to be used in the solemn administration of the sacraments, may be contemned, or without sin be omitted at pleasure by the ministers, or be changed, by every pastor of the churches, into other new ones; let him be anathema.

SECOND DECREE
CHAPTER I.
The Canons relative to the life, and propriety of conduct of Clerics are renewed.
Wherefore clerics called to have the Lord for their portion, ought by all means so to regulate their whole life and conversation, as that in their dress, comportment, gait, discourse, and all things else, nothing appear but what is grave, regulated, and replete with religiousness; avoiding even slight faults, which in them would be most grievous; that so their actions may impress all with veneration. Whereas, therefore, the more useful and decorous these things are for the Church of God, the more carefully also are they to be attended to; the holy Synod ordains, that those things which have been heretofore copiously and wholesomely enacted by sovereign pontiffs and sacred councils,–relative to the life, propriety of conduct, dress, and learning of clerics, and also touching the luxuriousness, feastings, dances, gambling, sports, and all sorts of crime whatever, as also the secular employments, to be by them shunned,–the same shall be henceforth observed, under the same penalties, or greater, to be imposed at the discretion of the Ordinary; nor shall any appeal suspend the execution hereof, as relating to the correction of manners.

Important parts are underlined to emphasis some of the changes that have taken place in this new rite. These are only some of things that are wrong with this “new order”. We have heard recently that the Church is “the Church of the New Advent”. What was wrong with the first Advent and what are we waiting for now. Likewise, the Church is called “the New Pentecost”. Again, what was wrong with the first Pentecost. This is not the church that Jesus Christ established. This is not the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
Please read the Quo Primum Tempore of Pope Saint Pius V, click here
(There will be more about the Novus Ordo in a subsequent article regarding the The Ottaviani Intervention)
There are no longer altars, but tables, complete with a tablecloth and a couple of plastic tubes filled with liquid wax. Vestments in some cases look like over-sized Hawaiian moo-moos. Girls that are supposed to be “altar boys”? This is all wrong, wrong, wrong! Out of pity and sadness for his soul, the reigning Pope cannot seem to speak Catholic. It’s simply not in his vocabulary. He appears to use the modernist trickery to word things in such a way as to avoid the clear charge, “you are a heretic”. Yet what he utters borders on heresy. Those who want to hold on to the true Faith are called names and belittled. How can he be called Father?

It’s becoming increasingly painful to even continue and so this will be brought to an end. The question, Is God pleased? . . .doesn’t need anything added to it. The answer seems simple, NO!
We have a choice – follow Christ or follow man. I’ve made my choice.

 

Helping Hand

The Last Things

Last things? What are The Last Things? Excellent question, especially if you’re not familiar with them. The Last Things are those which we experience at the end of our earthly life. They are Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. It is my intention to help us all gain a better understanding of what we have to look forward to as we come to that particular point in our lives. The thing is . . . we don’t know just when that will be. Also. what we must do to enter Heaven or fall into Hell.

Death is something that no one really wants to talk about or even think about. It’s scary and very unsettling for human beings. Actually death in and of itself is not scary at all. Death is merely the soul separating from the body. Now the events that lead to one’s death could be frightening and painful, but death is painless. It’s what happens after we pass from this life to the next that could get quite sublime or horrendously painful.

Let’s take the good news first, Heaven. Now Heaven is not going to be like we have tried to imagine with beautiful golf courses and tons of good food. No that’s not the way it is at all. Before we get too far into what Heaven is like, maybe we should focus on how we might reach those gates and enter in. Everything we need to know is in Scripture and the teachings of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. God also knows how forgetful and lazy we are and sends others (the Saints) to help us. For example, back in the fourteenth century, a woman by the name of Catherine, a Third Order Dominican, was allowed by God to enter into ecstasy and have conversations with Him. We know her now as Saint Catherine of Sienna. Catherine, at the time, did not know how to read or write and was in the company of secretaries to record every word that was given to her by our Heavenly Father. Catherine was not only raised to the Altar, but also named a Doctor of the Church. So, what she gave us in her Dialogue with God was not just some superfluous chatter.

We must understand how a soul might reach those gates and enter into Paradise. God sent his only-begotten Son in our human flesh to live among us, teach us and establish the Catholic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. He also had His Son suffer terribly and die a most horrible death to pay for our sins. He ransomed us. Our sins are infinite and they needed an infinite remedy. Jesus Christ crucified was the only answer. God told Catherine that Jesus Christ crucified was the bridge that we must climb to get over the waters running below, those raging waters of sin that will carry us away to Hell. Here are some excerpts of the Dialogue Catherine actually had with God:

“I send people troubles in this world so that they may know that their goal is not this life, and that these things are imperfect and passing. I am their goal, and I want them to want me, and in this spirit they should accept such things. Now there are some, I tell you, who when they feel the pressure of troubles are prompted to remove the cloud from their eyes by their very suffering and by what they see must be the consequence of their sin. In this slavish fear they begin to make their way out of the river. They vomit out the venom with which the scorpion has stung them under the guise of gold. They had embraced him without any reservation, and so he stung them. With this knowledge they begin to get up and turn toward the shore to gain access to the bridge.
But to walk merely in slavish fear is not enough. It is not enough for eternal life to sweep the house clean of deadly sin. One must fill it with virtue that is grounded in love, and not merely in fear. Then one must put both feet on the first stair of the bridge. And the two feet that carry the soul into the love of my Truth, of whom I have made a bridge for you, are affection and desire.”

There’s a couple of keywords -affection and desire. God wants us to have the greatest affection for Him and also to be our hearts desire. He is forever. Everything in this world is passing. The Heavenly Father also said the bridge has three steps that we must climb before we can enter into Heaven. We must understand that nothing enters Heaven that is not perfect. If someone could enter with even the minutest spot, then Heaven would not be heaven. All must be perfect. “Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

It is also necessary to understand that we will go through two judgments. First, a Particular judgment when we first pass from this life, and second, a General judgment when Christ comes again. The General judgment is the final word when our bodies and souls will once again be reunited, glorified or damned. Our glorified bodies will spend eternity in Heaven contemplating the presence of God. Those that are damned will be thrust into Hell for eternal torments according to the sins they committed while on earth.

Let’s listen to the dialogue of God in regard to the General Judgment. He spoke thus:

“Know that on the final judgment day the Word my Son will come in my divine majesty to reprove the world with divine power. It will not be like when he was born in poverty, coming from the Virgin’s womb into the stable among the animals, and then dying between two thieves. At that time I had my power in him to allow him to suffer pains and tortures as a man—not that my divine nature was cut off from his human nature, but I let him suffer as a man to atone for your sins.
Not so will he come in this end time. Then he will come in power to reprove these people in person. There will not be a creature who will not tremble, and he will give them all what they deserve.
His glance will be such a torment to the damned that words could not describe it. But for the just it will be a cause for reverent fear and great rejoicing. Not that his face will change—for he is one with my divine nature and therefore unchangeable, and even in his human nature his face is unchangeable since it has taken on the glory of his resurrection. But it will seem so to the eyes of the damned. For they will see him with their terribly darkened vision. A healthy eye looks at the sun and sees light. But a sick eye sees nothing but darkness when it looks into such lightsomeness—and it is no fault of the light that seems so different to the two; the fault is in the sick eye. So the damned see my Son in darkness, confusion, and hatred, not through any fault of my divine Majesty with which he comes to judge the world, but through their own fault.”

So the final or General judgment will separate the goats from the sheep. “And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats:” (Matthew 25:32); “So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.” (Matthew 13:49) We should therefore spend our days preparing for this day. It should not come as a surprise, if you are a true Catholic and are following the steps laid out for us in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. The Holy Roman Catholic Church provides all that we need to live a holy life and to give us the great hope of Heaven.
Now lets hear God’s word to Catherine about the beauty of Heaven and how we will be once our bodies and souls are reunited (so as not to rewrite the entire section on this topic, I will just take excerpts and make it as clear as possible):

“By the same principle, those just souls who end in loving charity and are bound by love can no longer grow in virtue once time has passed. But they can forever love with that same affection with which they came to me, and by that measure will it be measured out to them. They desire me forever, and forever they possess me, so their desire is not in vain. They are hungry and satisfied, satisfied yet hungry—but they are far from bored with satiety or pained in their hunger.”
“Just as the soul was made immortal and firm in me, so in this reunion the body will become immortal, its heaviness cast off and made fine and light. The glorified body could pass through a wall, and neither fire nor water could hurt it. But know that this is not due to it’s own power but to the soul’s—which is really my own power given her by grace through the unspeakable love with which I created her in my image and likeness.
The good of these souls is beyond what your mind’s eye can see or your ear hear or your tongue describe or your heart imagine.. . . .They lack no happiness, for the soul is filled, and in this fullness the body will share.”
“I have told you of the good the glorified body will have in the glorified humanity of my only-begotten Son, and this is the guarantee of your own resurrection….. You will all be made like him in joy and gladness; eye for eye, hand for hand, your whole bodies will be made like the body of the Word my Son.”

See, now, how important it is to live a life of virtue and charity. In loving God you love your neighbor, and in loving your neighbor you love God. That is the commandment that Jesus gave, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself.” (Luke 10:27) This is the greatest commandment and our place in Heaven depends on how well we follow it during our life here. Every time we say the Credo we proclaim that we believe in the “guarantee of our own resurrection.” (carnis resurrectiónem)

Let’s take a moment and learn what it is going to be like for those who do not love nor care anything of virtue. Their eternity will be quite different. And remember this is for eternity, there will be no overs.

“ ‘Arise you dead, and come to judgment!’ Their souls will return with bodies. The bodies of the just will be glorified. But the bodies of the damned will be forever tortured, and the sight of my Truth and all the blessed will be for them a great shame and reproach. Then will the worm of conscience gnaw away at the whole tree, both the marrow (that is the soul) and the bark (the body).”

Here are a few vivid accounts of Hell as recorded by Sister Josefa Menendez, Coadjutrix Sister of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 1890-1923, and recorded for all to read in the book “The Way of Divine Love.” Sister was actually dragged down into Hell several times by Satan and his evil cohorts. In this way Jesus thought she would be better able to help those that were in danger of losing their souls to these demons. Let’s begin:

“One of these damned souls cried out: ‘This my torture . . . that I want to love and cannot; there is nothing left me but hatred and despair. If one of us could so much as make a single act of love . . . this would not be hell. . . . But we cannot, we live on hatred and malevolence . . .” (March 23, 1922)

“Today, I saw a vast number of people fall into the fiery pit . . . they seemed to be wordlings and a demon cried vociferously: ‘The world is ripe for me. . . I know that the best way to get hold of souls is to rouse their desire for enjoyment. . . Put me first . . . me before the rest. . . no humility for me! But let me enjoy myself .. . This sort of thing assures victory to me . . . and they tumble headlong into Hell’ “ (October 4, 1922)

“I saw hell as always before, the long dark corridors, the cavities, the flames. . . . I heard the same execrations and imprecations, for—and of this I have already written before—although no corporal forms are visible, the torments are felt as if they were present, and souls recognize each other. Some called out, ‘Hullo! you there? And are you like us? We were free to take those vows or not . . . but now! . . .’ and they cursed the vows.
Then I was pushed into one of those cavities and pressed as it were, between burning planks, and sharps nails and red-hot irons seemed to be piercing my flesh.”
“I felt as if they were endeavoring to pull out my tongue, but could not. This torture reduced me to such agony that my very eyes seemed to be starting out of their sockets. I think this was because of the fire which burns, burns . . . not a finger-nail escapes terrifying torments, and all the time one cannot move even a finger to gain some relief, nor change posture, for the body seems flattened out and doubled in two.
Sounds of confusion and blasphemy cease not for an instant. A sickening stench asphyxiates and corrupts everything, it is like the burning of putrefied flesh, mingled with tar and sulfur . . . a mixture to which nothing on earth can be compared. (September 4, 1922)

 

It would seem that anyone given such a vivid look into Hell would want to do everything possible to keep their souls and those of their loved ones from falling into that great fiery pit. It would do well for anyone who professes to be Catholic to actually practice the Faith as it was handed down from Christ and the Apostles. That means following closely the Dogmas, Doctrines and Traditions of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. It also means receiving the Sacraments and going to the Latin Mass. It means trying to grow in virtue and forsaking the worldly allurements, which are worse than ever. It’s probably safe to say that these things will be taken into consideration at the Particular judgment. There will be no place for excuses then, it will be too late. What did our Heavenly Father say to Catherine? . . .“I send people troubles in this world so that they may know that their goal is not this life, and that these things are imperfect and passing. I am their goal, and I want them to want Me, . . . ‘ God doesn’t want us to accumulate all kinds of stuff to distract us from Him. He wants us to seek Him and love Him, to be one with Him for all eternity, and to live simply in this life. It is my understanding that there are no tears in Heaven, which is probably a good thing because we would be drowning in them. It truly is a time for change. A time to turn back to God.

Purgatory is not mentioned as one of The Last Things, but it is real none-the-less. Being able to enter Purgatory is probably the best chance we have of finally making an entrance into Heaven. This is where the soul is purged of all stain in order to be made perfect. Jesus said, “Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.” (Matthew 5:26) As has been stated before, nothing imperfect can enter into Paradise. If we have loved ones who have passed on, the best thing we can do for them is to have Masses offered for the salvation of their souls (salvation comes after death, not before). According to my understanding, the Catholic Mass {Mass of Pius V} is the cure for their sins… anything less (Novus Ordo) would, at best be attempting to put a band-aide on a festering sore. The Blood of Christ poured out for them at the Mass will help to remove all the stains from their souls so that their suffering will end. And if you think a friend or relative was a saint on earth and went directly to Heaven, don’t count on it. Pray for them and have Masses said for their suffering souls. We don’t know them as God knows them. What we see is superficial.

Sister Josefa never went down into Purgatory herself, but she was visited by souls asking for her help or thanking her for all that she did for them. Saints, religious and laity have been visited by these suffering souls as well. (Purgatory, by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.J. ) Here is what some had to say to Sister Josefa. Please remember, Sister prayed and sacrificed for the souls of priests and nuns constantly. This is what Jesus asked of her.

“My purgatory will be a long one, for I did not accept God’s will for me, nor make the sacrifice of my life generously enough during my illness. Illness is a great grace of purification, it is true, but unless one is careful, it may cause one to stray away from religious spirit . . . to forget that one has made vows of Poverty,Chastity, and Obedience, and that one is consecrated to God as a victim. Our Lord is all love, certainly, but also justice.” (November 1921)
“. . . I have been a year and three months in purgatory, and were it not for your little acts I should have remained there long years. A woman of the world has less responsibility than a religious, for how great are the graces the latter receives, and what liabilities she incurs if she does not profit by them. . . . How little nuns suspect the way their faults are expiated here . . . a tongue horribly tortured expiates faults against silence . . . a dried-up throat, those against charity . . . and the constraints of this prison, the repugnance in obeying . . . I in my order, pleasures were few and comforts still fewer, but one can always manage to secure some . . . and the smallest immortifications have to be expiated here, To restrain one’s eyes, to refuse oneself the gratifications of a little curiosity may at times cost a big effort . . . and here . . . the eyes are tormented by the impossibility of seeing God.” (April 10, 1922)

These are only two examples of the poor souls in Purgatory. Their greatest torment is not seeing God, as this nun had told Sister Josefa. Purgatory is not just a lay-over like in our airports, where everyone is bored silly. It is called Purgatory because the soul is “purged” of all stain of sin. It could be likened to being scrubbed with a wire brush. The souls in Purgatory are the Church Suffering and they can no longer pray for themselves. The suffering souls must rely on our help. They suffer the torments with joy knowing they have the hope of going to Heaven. The souls damned have no such hope, ever. And by-the-way, when a soul enters Purgatory and there are no Masses or prayers offered on their behalf, they must fulfill their sentence until all stain is removed. Maybe, you’ve wondered about the time spent in Purgatory. Well, our time is not their time. Sister Marie Denise of the Order of the Visitation, who was very devoted to the poor souls, told her Superior after a very long time of suffering for a particular soul who asked for her assistance, “Ah! My dear Mother, the hours of Purgatory are not computed like those of earth; years of grief, weariness, poverty, or sickness in this world are nothing compared to one hour of the suffering of Purgatory.” (Purgatory, pg. 99) Every prayer, every charitable act, every Mass will help to shorten their stay. Offering Indulgences for them is also a great benefit, for example, actively praying the Stations of the Cross for their intention. The one praying for the indulgence must be in a state of grace and comply with all the requirements. These are usually stated at the beginning or end of the prayer(s) to be said. Indulgences can only be granted by a Pope.

So, we have a choice – Heaven or Hell? It should be an easy decision to make now that you know what could be in store for you or your loved ones. Heaven or stuff…stuff or Heaven. Helping another to gain Heaven will be a real help in making your chances of reaching these Golden Gates a reality. Ask the Blessed Virgin to help you to be more like Her. She is our model and advocate. She is always waiting to hear your call for help. Pray the Rosary every day, do little acts of charity, love God, love your neighbor. Read Scripture, all the answers are there. Attend the Latin Mass if at all possible and don’t be afraid to be Catholic.

 

Helping Hand

 

…to Godparent or not to Godparent, that is the question?

 

 

When I hear anyone talking about who they might ask to be Godparents for their soon to be born child, the first picture that comes to mind is this: Two young women that have been friends all their lives and one asks the other, “Would you be my child’s Godmother?” Well, her friend’s jaw drops and then come the squeals and jumping up and down. The answer, “o my god, yes!” Now, these two young women are both Catholic, but their practice of the Faith is truly lacking. I ask myself, “With the horrific catechesis over the past 40 years or so, what are the chances of that child being raised in the true Catholic Faith?” I would guess, rather slim.

You see, it is very important to chose godparents that are going to take an active part in your child’s religious up-bringing. Too often, that task is left solely to the lay people that teach CCD, and I can assure you that not all CCD teachers are the best qualified instructors of the Faith. Nor is the material a parish provides for the child’s instruction necessarily sound. So leaving this task to your parish’s CCD programs is not the best option. That’s why it is so crucial to chose someone knowledgeable in the Apostolic Traditions of the Church. It is the duty of Catholic parents to educate their children and the catechesis of the children should be at the top of the list. (DIVINI ILLIUS MAGISTRI,ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION) You need someone that can help you be sure that your child is getting the best religious education. You must also seek out someone who is willing to take on the task with fervor, especially if you become unable to fulfill the task yourself, or feel you are not educated well enough in the Church Apostolic Traditions to take this on alone.

The Church does have some guidelines to follow when choosing godparents, but first, I want to stress some other important things to take into consideration: (1) Catholic parents should arrange for the Baptism of their newborn as soon as possible. Do not delay! (2) The name you choose for your child should, ideally, be that of a Saint; at the least, he or she should not be given a name that conflicts with the Faith or recalls anything unsavory. For example, don’t chose a name like Sabrina that brings to mind witches. There is no saint named Sabrina. The name you choose for your new baby will be known as its “Christian” name. Also remember, that your child will receive yet another new name at Confirmation, it too, should be a “Christian” name.

Choosing Godparents

 The godparents act as witnesses and perform ritually that which the child would do if he or she could speak for themselves.

 Ideally, there should, be one male and one female for this task. Both baptized Catholics in good standing with the Church and who’ve reached the minimum age of sixteen. I would like to add here, that even though the age requirement is sixteens years, it would stand to reason that someone more mature and well versed in the Traditional teachings of the Church would be preferable. If two sponsors are unavailable, one will suffice, as long as this person meets all the requirements. Among those who may not act as godparents are: members of religious orders, spouses in respect to each other, parents in respect to their own children, infidels, heretics (Protestant cults) ,members of condemned secret societies, and public sinners (Note: the 1983 Code As to Christian heretics, it says that while Protestants may not act as godparents, they may act as “witnesses”). So, if one of the people you choose is non-Catholic, it’s fine as long as the other meets the requirements. As stated, the Protestant can only be a witness and not a godparent. In this case it is important that a Protestant witness is fully aware of this ,and that, they have no duty to help in the child’s religious education.

Duties of Godparents

In the case of children, the role of the godparent is to be that of “spiritual guardian” who takes up any “slack” in the child’s catechesis, helps ensure that his godchild learns the True Faith, and prays for the godchild throughout his life. St. Thomas Aquinas writes in his Summa Theologica III-67-8:

 “Now, it has been stated…that godparents take upon themselves the duties of a tutor. Consequently they are bound to watch over their godchildren when there is need for them to do so: for instance when and where children are brought up among unbelievers. But if they are brought up among [orthodox] Catholic Christians, the godparents may well be excused from this responsibility, since it may be presumed that the children will be carefully instructed by their parents. If, however, they perceive in any way that the contrary is the case, [heterodox Catholics, for example] they would be bound, as far as they are able, to see to the spiritual welfare of their godchildren.“

 This is a very solemn obligation, not to be entered into lightly. Parents should choose their child’s godparents very carefully and select traditional Catholics who know the Faith, understand the obligations of god-parenting, and are willing and able to live up to those obligations. Parents and godparents should work together for the goal of helping the child to know, love, and serve God!

During the Rite of Baptism, the godparents will answer for the child, that is, they will make the replies to the questions asked by the priest of the one to be baptized. Being a godparent is not just a badge of honor, but a Catholic duty to be taken very seriously. Not only does a godparent hold in their hands the little body of their godchild, but also, their tiny little souls and answers for them before God that they will keep the promises that are made on that beautiful day when that little soul is set free from all stain of original sin and becomes a saint. It’s the duty of the parents and godparents that this is done throughout their lives to help them remain saints. Being a godparent doesn’t end after all the festivities are over, on the contrary, it begins in earnest.

May God bless you and may the Holy Ghost guide you on your journey together with your godchild.

Below are excerpts taken from Canon Law regarding Baptism that they may help you in your decision making process in choosing godparents, the place of baptism, the duties and requirements of the godparents/parents:

 

• BOOK IV FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH (Cann. 834 – 848)

 

• PART I. THE SACRAMENTS

  • • TITLE I. BAPTISM (Cann. 849 – 878)

 

Baptism (Cann. 850-874)

CHAPTER I.

THE CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM

Can. 850 Baptism is administered according to the order prescribed in the approved liturgical books, except in case of urgent necessity when only those things required for the validity of the sacrament must be observed.

Can. 851 The celebration of baptism must be prepared properly; consequently:

 1/ an adult who intends to receive baptism is to be admitted to the catechumenate and is to be led insofar as possible through the various stages to sacramental initiation, according to the order of initiation adapted by the conference of bishops and the special norms issued by it;

 2/ the parents of an infant to be baptized and those who are to undertake the function of sponsor are to be instructed properly on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attached to it. The pastor personally or through others is to take care that the parents are properly instructed through both pastoral advice and common prayer, bringing several families together and, where possible, visiting them.

 Can. 852 §1. The prescripts of the canons on adult baptism are to be applied to all those who, no longer infants, have attained the use of reason.

§2. A person who is not responsible for oneself (non sui compos) is also regarded as an infant with respect to baptism.

Can. 853 Apart from a case of necessity, the water to be used in conferring baptism must be blessed according to the prescripts of the liturgical books.

Can. 854 Baptism is to be conferred either by immersion or by pouring; the prescripts of the conference of bishops are to be observed.

Can. 855 Parents, sponsors, and the pastor are to take care that a name foreign to Christian sensibility is not given.

Can. 856 Although baptism can be celebrated on any day, it is nevertheless recommended that it be celebrated ordinarily on Sunday or, if possible, at the Easter Vigil.

Can. 857 §1. Apart from a case of necessity, the proper place of baptism is a church or oratory.

§2. As a rule an adult is to be baptized in his or her parish church and an infant in the parish church of the parents unless a just cause suggests otherwise.

Can. 858 §1. Every parish church is to have a baptismal font, without prejudice to the cumulative right already acquired by other churches.

§2. After having heard the local pastor, the local ordinary can permit or order for the convenience of the faithful that there also be a baptismal font in another church or oratory within the boundaries of the parish.

Can. 859 If because of distance or other circumstances the one to be baptized cannot go or be brought to the parish church or to the other church or oratory mentioned in ? can. 858, §2 without grave inconvenience, baptism can and must be conferred in another nearer church or oratory, or even in another fitting place.

Can. 860 §1. Apart from a case of necessity, baptism is not to be conferred in private houses, unless the local ordinary has permitted it for a grave cause.

§2. Except in a case of necessity or for some other compelling pastoral reason, baptism is not to be celebrated in hospitals unless the diocesan bishop has established otherwise.

CHAPTER IV.

SPONSORS

Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.

Can. 873 There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.

Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:

 1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;

 2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;

 3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;

 4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;

 5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.

 §2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.

 

 

 

 

 

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