Continuing his series on the Year for Priests, Bishop Olmsted looks at the devil we face and fight in the common life .
The influence of the devil can never overcome the power of God’s grace.
Jesus assures us of this when He tells Peter (Mt 16:18), “I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” But the evil one, nonetheless, continues to tempt and test all of us during our life on earth.
Satanic attacks were commonplace in the life of Fr. John Vianney.
For 35 years, the devil taunted and harassed him, not only in spiritual ways but even in tangible and audible ones.
These latter, demonic acts normally are quite rare. But, by the influence of the devil, the Cure of Ars’ bed was moved about, crashing noises resounded, fires were ignited, and other harassments occurred, all in an effort to stop or at least to curtail the priestly ministry of Fr. Vianney.
Why did God allow these to occur? How did the saint respond?
We shall examine these questions today. We shall also look, in subsequent parts of this series, at other defining characteristics of his life, namely his love for beauty, and his pastoral service of hearing confessions.
Fallen angels, also known as devils and evil spirits, try to hinder all of us in our pursuit of holiness. Their ordinary ploy is by means of temptations, which God allows so that we can make good use of our freedom in resisting them and thus growing to fuller maturity in Christ.
In addition to these ordinary ploys, demons resort to other extraordinary acts, on rare occasions, with the same intention of thwarting the plan of God and undercutting our filial trust in Him.
These harassments can be of three kinds: infestations, obsessions and possessions.
With infestations, the devil makes use of noises, outcries, rattling, apparitions and other extraordinary outbursts of some sensible nature aimed at terrifying people, intending to undercut their confidence in God. He used these repeatedly on the Cure of Ars, sometimes to keep him from getting badly needed sleep, at other times to disturb his peace of mind and to try to shake his trust in God. All these were aimed at disrupting the effective ministry of this holy priest.
Early on, Fr. Vianney became aware that these infestations were most outrageous just before an outstanding action of grace was about to occur through his priestly ministry, usually the conversion of a sinner. In fact, he remarked that the worst assaults of the devil happened when he was on the verge of “landing a big fish,” by which he meant welcoming back a baptized person who had fallen far into the darkness of despair. With this insight, Fr. Vianney calmly ignored the infestations, and looked forward with joyful hope to the next victory of grace about to occur through the Sacrament of Penance. If we ever have to deal with similar harassments, we should follow this saintly priest’s good example of calmly ignoring the devil, confidently turning to God in prayer, and deepening our communion with Christ through the Eucharist and the other sacraments.
More about this important article read in the Catholic Sun
May Lord bless , keep us safe and protect against the fallen one !
Friday, August 21, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Protest against so called " Madonna " actually Loiuse Ciccone
This is not real Madonna , this fake is Louise Ciccone .
Read more about protest on The American Society for the Defense of Tradition , Family and Property
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
When it was announced that American pop-singer Madonna ( actually Louise Ciccone ) would be performing in Warsaw’s Bemowo Airport on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the American TFP joined the firestorm of protest sweeping Poland.
Madonna "Sticky & Sweet" tour is causing a stir because August 15 is not just any Catholic feast day or Polish national holiday. It is the day when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive at the foot of Our Lady of Czestochowa shrine at Jasna Gora after many of them spend weeks of pilgrimages on foot from all around the country.
Many see the choice of this special day as a provocation. It only adds to the controversy surrounding the 50-year-old singer who has long mixed blasphemy with sexual themes. Even if the event were to be on another day, Madonna’s message is clearly offensive to Poles. In 2006, she offended Poles by having her face appear on the cover of the Polish magazine, "Machina," parodying Our Lady of Czestochowa. Promotion material for the present tour claims: “There is no room for two queens in Poland.”
The American TFP is joining with other organizations in Poland in protesting the event. It is sponsoring an email protest campaign to Poland’s Minister of the Interior asking him to prevent the concert that is scheduled to be held at the publicly-owned Benowo Airport. The email notes that the event does not promote the common good and that since its promoters have shown that they intend to offend the religious sentiment of Polish Catholics, it is a violation of Article 196 of the Polish Criminal Code.
Numerous Catholic groups are getting involved in the protest. The American TFP hopes that Catholics all over the world will join in. One does not have to be Polish to defend the Blessed Mother. If enough Catholics from all over the world lodge their protest, the promoters of this show will find out that there is indeed no room for two queens in Poland. This is only one queen in Poland and her name is Mary, the Mother of God.
Send your instant e-protest to keep Madonna’s blasphemy from showing in Catholic Poland on the day of Our Lady’s Assumption by clicking here!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
When it was announced that American pop-singer Madonna ( actually Louise Ciccone ) would be performing in Warsaw’s Bemowo Airport on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the American TFP joined the firestorm of protest sweeping Poland.
Madonna "Sticky & Sweet" tour is causing a stir because August 15 is not just any Catholic feast day or Polish national holiday. It is the day when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive at the foot of Our Lady of Czestochowa shrine at Jasna Gora after many of them spend weeks of pilgrimages on foot from all around the country.
Many see the choice of this special day as a provocation. It only adds to the controversy surrounding the 50-year-old singer who has long mixed blasphemy with sexual themes. Even if the event were to be on another day, Madonna’s message is clearly offensive to Poles. In 2006, she offended Poles by having her face appear on the cover of the Polish magazine, "Machina," parodying Our Lady of Czestochowa. Promotion material for the present tour claims: “There is no room for two queens in Poland.”
The American TFP is joining with other organizations in Poland in protesting the event. It is sponsoring an email protest campaign to Poland’s Minister of the Interior asking him to prevent the concert that is scheduled to be held at the publicly-owned Benowo Airport. The email notes that the event does not promote the common good and that since its promoters have shown that they intend to offend the religious sentiment of Polish Catholics, it is a violation of Article 196 of the Polish Criminal Code.
Numerous Catholic groups are getting involved in the protest. The American TFP hopes that Catholics all over the world will join in. One does not have to be Polish to defend the Blessed Mother. If enough Catholics from all over the world lodge their protest, the promoters of this show will find out that there is indeed no room for two queens in Poland. This is only one queen in Poland and her name is Mary, the Mother of God.
Send your instant e-protest to keep Madonna’s blasphemy from showing in Catholic Poland on the day of Our Lady’s Assumption by clicking here!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Why to Catholics believe that their Church is the one true Church of Jesus Christ?
Wouldn't it be more reasonable to believe that Christ's true Church is a spiritual union of all Christian denomination?
Catholics believe that theirs is the one true Church of Jesus Christ, firstly, because theirs is the only Christian Church that goes back in history to the time of Christ.
Secondly, because theirs is the only Christian Church which possesses the invincible unity, the intrinsic holiness, the continual universality and the indisputable apostolicity which Christ said would distinguish His true Church .
Thirdly, because the Apostles and primitive Church Fathers, who certainly were members of Christ's true Church, all professed membership in the same Catholic Church (See Apostles' Creed and the Primitive Christian letters).
Wrote Ignatius of Antioch, illustrious Church Father of the first century: "Where the bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be, even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church."
Our Lord said: "There shall be one fold and one Shepherd" ( John 10:16 ), there is only one Church and one door into it, and one Shepherd over it. Yet it is well know that the various Christian denominations cannot agree on what Christ actually taught. Since Christ roundly condemned inter-denominationalism, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:24-25), Catholics cannot believe that He would even sanction it in His Church .
Catholics believe that theirs is the one true Church of Jesus Christ, firstly, because theirs is the only Christian Church that goes back in history to the time of Christ.
Secondly, because theirs is the only Christian Church which possesses the invincible unity, the intrinsic holiness, the continual universality and the indisputable apostolicity which Christ said would distinguish His true Church .
Thirdly, because the Apostles and primitive Church Fathers, who certainly were members of Christ's true Church, all professed membership in the same Catholic Church (See Apostles' Creed and the Primitive Christian letters).
Wrote Ignatius of Antioch, illustrious Church Father of the first century: "Where the bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be, even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church."
Our Lord said: "There shall be one fold and one Shepherd" ( John 10:16 ), there is only one Church and one door into it, and one Shepherd over it. Yet it is well know that the various Christian denominations cannot agree on what Christ actually taught. Since Christ roundly condemned inter-denominationalism, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:24-25), Catholics cannot believe that He would even sanction it in His Church .
The Marks of the Church
In the Creed we profess the Church to be one holy catholic and apostolic.
These four characteristics, inseparably linked with each other, indicate essential features of the Church and her mission.
The Church does not possess them of herself; it is Christ who, through the Holy Spirit, makes His Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and it is He who calls her to realize each of these qualities.
The Church Is One
John 17:11
Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
John 17:21
... so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.
Eph 4:4 - 5
There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.
1 Cor 10:17
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
John 10:16
(Jesus said) "there shall be one flock, one shepherd."
The Church is Holy
The Church of the apostles was holy. When we say that the Church is holy, we mean among other things that she had the all-holy God as her author.
Eph 5:25 - 27
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
1 Tim 1:15
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
The Church is Catholic
The third great historic mark, or note, of the one true Church is that this Church is Catholic. Catholic means "universal." It refers as much to the fullness of the faith she possesses as to the undeniable extension in both time and space that has characterized her virtually from the beginning.
Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."
Col 1:5 - 6
The word of the truth ... in the whole world ... is bearing fruit and growing.
The Church is Apostolic
Finally, the Church that issued from the commission of Christ to the apostles was apostolic. Christ founded the Church upon the apostles.
John 6:70
"Did I not choose you, the twelve?" (Jesus) asked them.
These four characteristics, inseparably linked with each other, indicate essential features of the Church and her mission.
The Church does not possess them of herself; it is Christ who, through the Holy Spirit, makes His Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and it is He who calls her to realize each of these qualities.
The Church Is One
John 17:11
Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
John 17:21
... so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.
Eph 4:4 - 5
There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.
1 Cor 10:17
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
John 10:16
(Jesus said) "there shall be one flock, one shepherd."
The Church is Holy
The Church of the apostles was holy. When we say that the Church is holy, we mean among other things that she had the all-holy God as her author.
Eph 5:25 - 27
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
1 Tim 1:15
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
The Church is Catholic
The third great historic mark, or note, of the one true Church is that this Church is Catholic. Catholic means "universal." It refers as much to the fullness of the faith she possesses as to the undeniable extension in both time and space that has characterized her virtually from the beginning.
Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."
Col 1:5 - 6
The word of the truth ... in the whole world ... is bearing fruit and growing.
The Church is Apostolic
Finally, the Church that issued from the commission of Christ to the apostles was apostolic. Christ founded the Church upon the apostles.
John 6:70
"Did I not choose you, the twelve?" (Jesus) asked them.
Loving endlessly God , essence of Catholic Faith
To be a Catholic then is to desperately fall into the love with God.
Catholic Faith is to seek and respond to the love of God, to live out the love of God towards our neighbors including those closest to us, and to spread the love and peace to counter the evil influences of the world.
Catholic Faith is to fall in love with the Word of God in the Bible.
Catholic Faith is to love to, to long for, and to make efforts to receive Jesus present in the Holy Eucharist in the Eucharistic celebration.
Catholic Faith is to experience and to witness the true peace of God.
Catholic Faith is to be overflowed with joy and love of God in witnessing Catholic Faith in the family, at work, or at school.
Unconditional Love of God
Catholic Faith believes in the value and dignity of each individual person, including the weakest.
The love of God towards us is unconditional. Catholic Faith preaches the profound love and forgiveness of God, which we may better experience when we also forgive other people.
Although the fruit of Catholic Faith should include striving to perform acts of love, Catholic Faith is not a religion that only preaches justice and the need to do good deeds. Justice is already known to many people without Catholic Faith. The profound love and forgiveness of God surpasses even the justice of God. The coming of Jesus is not to bring justice but to reveal the unconditional Love of God.
Catholic Faith believes in the gifts of different talents to each individual in order that we may use them to serve others in our daily work at home and at work.
Catholic Faith believes in the love and healing from God especially when one has been deeply hurt by people in the world.
Catholic Faith believes in the use of God's gift of sex only within marriage in order to experience the love of God and to build up families with love.
Catholic Faith believes in the love of God present in us. However the lack of love and hurt from many people often makes it more difficult to believe in the love of God. It may take strong Faith to believe in and to rediscover the love of God.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Talking about Morality and Soul Purity
Well , Morality still exist and not only like a common dictionary word . True catholics ( christians ) still practice and keep living in the grace of Morality .
Morality means a state of mind reflected in this picture
while evil is the first enemy of Morality from the beginning of times ..
Catholic morality is about Life: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
Faith & baptism give us new life in Christ. That life involves far more than simply following a set of rules.
Catholic morality's basic moral code describes the minimum necessary to live in union with Christ. If we fall below that level, then the life of Christ cannot live within us.
That's the meaning of mortal sin: an action which shows God that we refuse his offer to become "children of God" (John 1:12) and "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pet 1:4).
In the last instance is to live in purity , to do good and avoid evil in all his manifestations ( including pornography , promiscuity , occultism and any kind of witchcraft, demonism, fortune telling, astrology )
The Bible teaches that those who seek to communicate with spirits or with the dead, become defiled and are unfit to appear before God to worship Him. "Regard not them that have familiar spirits (mediums), neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:31.
God cuts off from among His people all who turn to mediums for help. "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go to whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Leviticus 20:6.
Witchcraft, fortune telling, crystal reading, necromancy, and palmistry are related to spiritism and are strongly condemned by God. "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee ... For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do." Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 14.
God bless and keep you all !
Morality means a state of mind reflected in this picture
while evil is the first enemy of Morality from the beginning of times ..
Catholic morality is about Life: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
Faith & baptism give us new life in Christ. That life involves far more than simply following a set of rules.
Catholic morality's basic moral code describes the minimum necessary to live in union with Christ. If we fall below that level, then the life of Christ cannot live within us.
That's the meaning of mortal sin: an action which shows God that we refuse his offer to become "children of God" (John 1:12) and "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pet 1:4).
In the last instance is to live in purity , to do good and avoid evil in all his manifestations ( including pornography , promiscuity , occultism and any kind of witchcraft, demonism, fortune telling, astrology )
The Bible teaches that those who seek to communicate with spirits or with the dead, become defiled and are unfit to appear before God to worship Him. "Regard not them that have familiar spirits (mediums), neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:31.
God cuts off from among His people all who turn to mediums for help. "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go to whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Leviticus 20:6.
Witchcraft, fortune telling, crystal reading, necromancy, and palmistry are related to spiritism and are strongly condemned by God. "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee ... For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do." Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 14.
God bless and keep you all !
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
For Catholics, the seven sacraments are the center of our life as Christians.
Our baptism removes the effects of original sin and brings us into the Church, the Body of Christ. Our worthy participation in the other sacraments provides us with the grace we need to conform our lives to Christ and marks our progress through this life. Each sacrament was instituted by Christ during His life on earth and is an outward sign of an inward grace. The sacraments are Christ's own gift that provide us with his grace.
They are the divine helps which God gives us to enable us to: believe the truths of His faith , live according to Jesus moral code He taught us , grow in His gift of Divine Life .
The seven sacrements are a fundamental part of the Catholic faith.
The Latin word sacramentum means "a sign of the sacred." The seven sacraments are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important for Christians. They are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence. That's what theologians mean when they say that sacraments are at the same time signs and instruments of God's grace.
Our baptism removes the effects of original sin and brings us into the Church, the Body of Christ. Our worthy participation in the other sacraments provides us with the grace we need to conform our lives to Christ and marks our progress through this life. Each sacrament was instituted by Christ during His life on earth and is an outward sign of an inward grace. The sacraments are Christ's own gift that provide us with his grace.
They are the divine helps which God gives us to enable us to: believe the truths of His faith , live according to Jesus moral code He taught us , grow in His gift of Divine Life .
The seven sacrements are a fundamental part of the Catholic faith.
The Latin word sacramentum means "a sign of the sacred." The seven sacraments are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important for Christians. They are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence. That's what theologians mean when they say that sacraments are at the same time signs and instruments of God's grace.
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