Christmas Latin Masses in England and Wales

For EF Chrismas Day Masses in England and Wales see:-

 https://lms.org.uk/christmas-masses 

For Christmas holiday (incl. Epiphany) Masses in Gloucestershire see:-

http://latinmasssocietyingloucestershire.blogspot.co.uk/

 

The Astonishing Secret Campaign by the Pope against Hitler

 https://commons.wikimedia.org

Astonishing facts about the resistance of Pius XII against Nazi Germany, during the war, have been released in a new book.  Kevin J. Jones from CNA/EWTN writes:-

"Pope Pius XII's secret support for the attempted overthrow of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler is the subject of a recent book that draws on wartime documents and interviews with the American intelligence agent who wrote them.

“This book is the truth – as best I could establish it in a number of years of research – about the Pope’s secret operations in World War II,” historian Mark Riebling told CNA earlier this year….“Its main premise is that Pius opted to resist Hitler with covert action instead of overt protest. As a result, he became involved in three separate plots by German dissidents to remove Hitler.”

Riebling tells this story in his book “Church of Spies: The Pope's Secret War Against Hitler,” published by Basic Books in September 2015. In the late 1990s, debate over whether Pius XII did enough to counter the Nazis reached a high point with the publication of the deeply controversial book, “Hitler's Pope,” by British journalist John Cornwell. The book was highly critical of Pius XII, charging that he was culpably silent – if not an accomplice – in the rise of Nazism. During research on his previous book, “Wedge: The Secret War between the FBI and CIA,” Riebling discovered wartime documents from Angleton's Rome section of the Office of Strategic Services.

According to Riebling, his book does not charge that the Pope “tried to kill Hitler.” Rather, the Pope’s actions were more subtle….“Pius becomes a key cog in conspiracies to remove a ruler who is a kind of Antichrist, because good people ask for his help, and he searches his conscience, and he agrees to become an intermediary for the plotters – their foreign agent, as it were – and thereby he becomes an accessory to their plots.”

The historian described these actions as “some of the most astonishing events in the history of the papacy.” Pius XII had connections with three plots against Hitler. The first, from October 1939 to May 1940, involved German military conspirators. From late 1941 to spring of 1943 a series of plots involving the German Jesuits ended when a bomb planted on Hitler’s plane failed to explode.The third plot again involved German Jesuits and also German military colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. Although the colonel successfully planted a bomb near the Nazi dictator, it failed to kill Hitler. The priests had to flee after the failed attempt. Those unable to escape were executed.

Pius XII's agents provided the Allies with useful intelligence about Hitler's war plans on three occasions, including Hitler’s planned invasion of Russia. In all three cases, the Allies did not act on the information.

For their part, the Nazis regarded Pius XII with suspicion since his election in 1939.“He worked hard to allay those suspicions, to minimize persecutions of German Catholics. But the Nazis never dropped their guard,” Riebling said…”at one point Hitler planned to invade the Vatican, kidnap the Pope and bring him to Germany. Leading Nazi Heinrich Himmler wanted to have the Holy Father publicly executed to celebrate the opening of a new soccer stadium,” Riebling said….“Pius became aware of these plans, through his secret papal agents; and, in my view, that influenced the Holy Father’s decision to become involved with the anti-Nazi resistance.”

For Riebling, the assassination plots against Hitler were an admission of weakness, “because it’s saying that we can’t solve the problem by some other means…. when he heard that a priest was arrested for praying for the Jews and sent off to a concentration camp, he said: 'I wish everyone would do that.'”

For the full article see:- http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/the-astonishing-secret-history-of-the-pope-who-fought-hitler-24882/

Tags: Vatican, Pius XII, World War II, Hitler, Spies,

Prinknash Abbey in 1964

The still below is taken from the Bristol Film and Video Society's filming of Prinknash Abbey in 1964, before the changes:-

 The full film can be seen by clicking the following link here:- https://player.vimeo.com/video/128271319.

Cardinal Burke to Appear on the "World Over" on EWTN at 8pm BST (UK time) on 16th December

News from Raymond Arroyo:-

Big news night on the WORLD OVER. Cardinal Burke in an exclusive answers his critics.

This will air at 8pm BST (UK time) on EWTN 16th Dec. 

Bishop Attends The Annual Firing of the "Potato Cannon" with the Men of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska!

The annual firing of the "potato cannon" with the men of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska! With Bishop James D Conley, The Ninth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln.

It looks like a fun!

Tag: A lighter moment.

The Founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate - All Charges Dropped!

Fr. Manelli celebrating Mass

Some excellent news from Italy:-

Rorate Coeli reports:-

"The charges against Father Stefano Manelli, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. After about a year of investigations, the Deputy State Prosecutor at the Court of Avellino, Doctor A. Del Bene, has asked for the closing of the proceedings against the religious, whose Order is still under commissioning without a valid reason having ever been given by the Congregation for Religious. 

Father Stefano Manelli had recently been the subject of a particularly virulent press campaign – which seems in reality to have been promoted and inspired by someone within his own religious order..."

See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2016/12/charges-dropped-against-founder-of.html#more

The charges against Father Stefano Manelli, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. After about a year of investigations, the Deputy State Prosecutor at the Court of Avellino, Doctor A. Del Bene, has asked for the closing of the proceedings against the religious, whose Order is still under commissioning without a valid reason having ever been given by the Congregation for Religious. 

Father Stefano Manelli had recently been the subject of a particularly virulent press campaign – which seems in reality to have been promoted and inspired by someone within his own religious order

- See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2016/12/charges-dropped-against-founder-of.html#more

founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. - See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/#sthash.sybHpUEX.dpuf

founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. - See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/#sthash.sybHpUEX.dpuffounde

founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. - See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/#sthash.sybHpUEX.dpuf

founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. - See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/#sthash.sybHpUEX.dpuf

founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate - See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/#sthash.sybHpUEX.dpuf

founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate - See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/#sthash.sybHpUEX.dpuf

Breaking News:Cardinal Kasper: Pope’s ‘next declaration’ should allow ‘shared Eucharistic communion’ with Protestants

Cardinal Kasper (left) with Cardinal Danneels

Cardinal Kasper makes yet another demand, after his communion for the divorced and re-married proposal.

What will be next?

Lifesite news states:-

"December 14, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — “I hope that the next declaration opens the way for shared Eucharistic communion in special cases.” With these words, Cardinal Walter Kasper expressed his wish for ecumenical “progress” in the form of “intercommunion” in an interview with Italian newspaper Avvenire on December 10.

“Personally, I hope that we can use an unofficial text, prepared by a commission in the bishops’ conference of the United States, regarding this subject,” he explained.

On October 31, Pope Francis visited Lund, Sweden, a city in a country with a large Lutheran population, to commemorate the anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation. This anniversary – far from being a joyful observance considering the separation Luther created caused long-lasting wounds in the Church – was preceded by countless preparations, including a visit of a Luther statue in the Vatican and a climate of anticipation for intercommunion by the Pope himself.

Just about a month later, in the Avvenire interview, Cardinal Kasper has gone a step further, stating that, for him, intercommunion is just a matter of time. “On the one hand, Lund has confirmed the ecumenical process and the results of the proceeding dialogue; on the other hand, it has given it a new thrust.”

Kasper seeks to apply the principle for “remarried” divorcees to receive Communion under special circumstances to mixed marriages. That would be a rule of “exception,” or what can be called the Kasper proposal. Cardinal Kasper hopes for the admission of Lutherans to Catholic Communion, particularly in family settings. “The next declaration will open the Eucharistic sharing in particular situations, especially in mixed marriages and families and in countries like Germany and the United States where this pastoral problem is extremely pressing.”

The full article can be found at:- https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-kasper-continues-to-push-for-intercommunion.

Opus Dei Leader Dies Aged 84

Javier Echevarría Rodríguez RIP.

From the Catholic Herald:-


"Bishop Javier Echevarría Rodríguez, the Prelate of Opus Dei, has died at the age of 84 after a lung infection. He had been suffering from pneumonia.

In a statement, Opus Dei said that Bishop Echevarría’s “clinical situation was complicated in the final hours provoking respiratory insufficiency, which resulted in his death.” He received the last sacraments from Mgr Fernando Ocáriz Braña, vicar general of Opus Dei.

The bishop was the third prelate of Opus Dei, following St Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of the organisation, and Blessed Álvaro del Portillo. Like Blessed Álvaro, he was personally chosen by St Josemaría as a successor.

Opus Dei has around 90,000 members, of which the overwhelming majority are laymen and women. Its aim is to help people know God in their ordinary lives."

For the full article please see:- http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/12/13/opus-dei-leader-dies-aged-84
.

UFO Sighting Above the Vatican - “Out of this world.”

In a statement issued by the Vatican head of Cosmology, Ukrainian born Fr Ima Sceptic described the recent UFO sighting above the Vatican as “Out of this world.”

Fr. Sceptic has spent the last 30 years heading a team of nerdy clergy known affectionately within Vatican circles  as ‘The Geek Squad’. They can be easily recognised by the sticky plaster that holds the bridge of their reading glasses together, and their rigidity in terms of liturgy.

“When this was first reported we thought it was just another hoax” explained Fr. Sceptic. “It was a very windy day. We rushed to the window and at that very moment witnessed a small black spacecraft floating on the breeze. It went right passed our window! We saw it with our own eyes!”
Fr Sceptic’s account can be verified by his assistant, American born Fr. Al Ien.

“He’s right” said Fr. Al Ien “It was about  40-50cm wide at the brim and looked like it was made out of something like Beaver fur.”

In other news…

There has been an unprecedented rise in sales of the famous Saturno hat worn by clergy in Rome this week.

Sales staff have advised priests not to wear the wide brimmed hat on very windy days due to an increase in fake UFO sightings this month.

H/t to http://listeninginthedesert.com/.

Label: Humour, Something a bit lighter.

Norcia 2017 Calendar Available for Free Download

Peter Kwasniewskifrom the New Liturgical Movement writes about the 2017 Norcia calendar:-

"Of the many excellent options out there for traditional Catholic calendars (either EF exclusive or EF & OF combined), the Norcia wall calendar has become my favorite. This is not simply due to my being an oblate of the monastery, although I can't deny that that's a part of its appeal, but has to do with the meditative quality of the photos and the easy-to-follow layout, which works well for me as a choir and schola director who leads music for both forms of the Roman Rite. There are very few bi-formal wall calendars out there (Cantius is the only other one I know of, but readers could correct me in the combox if there are others.)

The monks of Norcia have made a beautiful calendar for 2017, but due to the upheavals, they will not be publishing it in paper form. It is available for free download here."

(It can be printed in a number of ways, but if you have access to 11"x17" paper, it prints nicely on that size.).

H/t to the New Liturgical Movement.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception