Monday 10 April 2017
7 Things You Must Know about St. Benedict’s Medal
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/e/e9/Benediktusmedaille_2.JPG
commons/e/e9/Benediktusmedaille_2.JPG
1. The Story of St. Benedict
From Fisheaters:
St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy (A.D. 480-543), the twin brother of St. Scholastica, is considered to be
By Nheyob - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index. php?curid=40027470 |
At any rate, in order to understand the symbolism of the Medal, you must know of this event in St. Benedict’s life: he’d been living as a hermit in a cave for three years, famous for his holiness, when a religious community came to him after the death of their abbot and asked Benedict to take over. Some of the “monks” didn’t like this plan and attempted to kill him with poisoned bread and wine. Just as St. John the Divine was miraculously saved from being poisoned, when St. Benedict made the sign of the Cross over these things, he came to know they were poisoned, so he toppled the cup and commanded a raven to carry off the bread.
2. The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict
The Catholic Encyclopedia Explains:
FRONT
One side of the medal bears an image of St. Benedict, holding a cross in the right hand and the Holy Rule in the left. On the one side of the image is a cup, on the other a raven, and above the cup and the raven are inscribed the words: “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti” (Cross of the Holy Father Benedict). Round the margin of the medal stands the legend “Ejus in obitu nostro praesentia muniamus” (May we at our death be fortified by his presence).
BACK
The reverse of the medal bears a cross with the initial letters of the words: “Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux” (The Holy Cross be my light), written downward on the perpendicular bar; the initial letters of the words, “Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux” (Let not the dragon be my guide), on the horizontal bar; and the initial letters of “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti” in the angles of the cross. Round the margin stand the initial letters of the distich: “Vade Retro Satana, Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana — Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas” (Begone, Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities — evil are the things thou profferest, drink thou thy own poison). At the top of the cross usually stands the word Pax (peace) or the monogram I H S (Jesus).
3. The History of the Jubilee Medal
The Catholic encyclopedia recounts:The medal just described is the so-called jubilee medal, which was struck first in 1880, to commemorate the fourteenth centenary of St. Benedict’s birth. The Archabbey of Monte Cassino has the exclusive right to strike this medal. The ordinary medal of St. Benedict usually differs from the preceding in the omission of the words “Ejus in obitu etc.”, and in a few minor details. (For the indulgences connected with it see Beringer, “Die Ablässe”, Paderborn, 1906, p. 404-6.)
The habitual wearer of the jubilee medal can gain all the indulgences connected with the ordinary medal and, in addition:
(1) All the indulgences that could be gained by visiting the basilica, crypt, and tower of St. Benedict at Monte Cassino (Pius IX, 31 December, 1877)
(2) A plenary indulgence on the feast of All Souls (from about two o’clock in the afternoon of 1 November to sunset of 2 November), as often as (toties quoties), after confession and Holy Communion, he visits any church or public oratory, praying there according to the intention of the pope, provided that he is hindered from visiting a church or public oratory of the Benedictines by sickness, monastic enclosure or a distance of at least 1000 steps. (Decr. 27 February, 1907, in Acta S. Sedis, LX, 246.) Any priest may receive the faculties to bless these medals.
4. The Ancient Origins of the Medal
The Catholic Encyclopedia recounts:It is doubtful when the Medal of St. Benedict originated. During a trial for witchcraft at Natternberg near the Abbey of Metten in Bavaria in the year 1647, the accused women testified that they had no power over Metten, which was under the protection of the cross. Upon investigation, a number of painted crosses, surrounded by the letters which are now found on Benedictine medals, were found on the walls of the abbey, but their meaning had been forgotten.
Finally, in an old manuscript, written in 1415, was found a picture representing St. Benedict holding in one hand a staff which ends in a cross, and a scroll in the other. On the staff and scroll were written in full the words of which the mysterious letters were the initials. Medals bearing the image of St. Benedict, a cross, and these letters began now to be struck in Germany, and soon spread over Europe. They were first approved by Benedict XIV in his briefs of 23 December, 1741, and 12 March, 1742.
5. The Medal Wards Against
1. To destroy witchcraft and all other diabolical and haunting influences;2. To impart protection to persons tempted, deluded, or tormented by evil spirits;
3. To obtain the conversion of sinners into the Catholic Church, especially when they are in danger of death;
4. To serve as an armor against temptation;
5. To destroy the effects of poison;
6. To secure a timely and healthy birth for children;
7. To afford protection against storms and lightning;
8. To serve as an efficacious remedy for bodily afflictions and a means of protection against contagious diseases.
6. How to use the medal
1. On a chain around the neck;2. Attached to one’s rosary;
3. Kept in one’s pocket or purse;
4. Placed in one’s car or home;
5. Placed in the foundation of a building;
6. Placed in the center of a cross.
The use of any religious article is intended as a means of reminding one of God and of inspiring a willingness and desire to serve God and neighbor. It is not regarded as a good luck charm or magical device.1
7. The Cross of the Happy Death
The excellent Catholic source Fisheaters explains:This Crucifix is known as “The Cross of a Happy Death” not only because of the exorcizing properties of the Medal and the image of Christ’s Body, but because of St. Benedict’s particular patronage based on his death. Pope St. Gregory the Great (A.D. ca. 540-604) describes his passing in his Dialogue:
Six days before he left this world he gave orders to have his sepulchre opened, and forthwith falling into an ague, he began with burning heat to wax faint; and when as the sickness daily increased, upon the sixth day he commanded his monks to carry him into the oratory, where he did arm himself receiving the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ; and having his weak body holden up betwixt the hands of his disciples, he stood with his own hands lifted up to heaven; and as he was in that manner praying, he gave up the ghost.A plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions to one who, at the hour of his death, kisses, touches, or otherwise reverences the Crucifix, and commends his soul to God.
Friday 7 April 2017
Jacinta of Fatima, film trailer, Jacinta Marto, new film release 2017
Mary's Dowry Productions have a new DVD and film trailer for 'JACINTA OF FATIMA' : both are available today, they state:-
" As the church celebrates the Year of Fatima in 2017, we are pleased to be able to present a new biographical, prayerful and thought-provoking film on the life of the youngest of the three seers - Jacinta Marto. Available now on DVD through our online shops worldwide. A wonderful way to share her story and the message of Fatima."
To buy this DVD see:- http://www.marysdowryproductions.org/shop/
Tuesday 4 April 2017
Cheltenham Young Catholic Adults Events April 2017
Wednesday 5th Apr at 7pm - Low Mass, Feria in Passion Week with a comm. of St. Vincent Ferrer (EF) at St. Gregory's Church, Cheltenham (GL50 3PR), preceeded by a Rosary and confessions - the Rosary and the serving are organised by Cheltenham Young Catholic Adults.
Saturday 22nd Apr - 7pm Social - (text 07908105787 for more details)
*Please note the Wednesday EF Mass is normally on the first Wednesday of the month.
Tags: Cheltenham Young Catholic Adults, Old Rite Mass, Social.
Vatican issues Marriage Pastoral Guidelines for SSPX
From Vatican Radio:
In a letter approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Gerhard Müller says, “The Holy Father . . . has decided to authorize Local Ordinaries the possibility to grant faculties for the celebration of marriages of faithful who follow the pastoral activity of the Society.” The Pope's decision adopts a proposal by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, both of which are headed by Cardinal Müller.
The new provisions are part of a number of ongoing meetings and initiatives aimed at bringing the Society into full communion; Cardinal Müller’s letter mentions specifically the recent decision of Pope Francis to grant all priests of the Society the faculty to validly administer the Sacrament of Penance to the faithful in order “to ensure the validity and liceity of the Sacrament and allay any concerns on the part of the faithful.”
The grant of faculties for the celebration of marriage is subject to several provisions: “Insofar as possible, the Local Ordinary [that is, normally the local Diocesan Bishop] is to grant the delegation to assist at the marriage to a priest of the Diocese (or in any event, to a fully regular priest), such that the priest may receive the consent of the parties during the marriage rite, followed, in keeping with the liturgy of the Vetus ordo, by the celebration of Mass, which may be celebrated by a priest of the Society.” That is, a priest in good standing is to preside at the celebration of the marriage itself, which in the extraordinary form takes place before the nuptial Mass. The Mass itself may then be celebrated by a priest of the SSPX.
The letter also foresees that circumstances may exist where those provisions are not possible, or where no Diocesan priest is able to receive the consent of the parties. In such cases, the Pope allows the Ordinary to grant faculties to the priest who will celebrate the nuptial Mass.
Cardinal Müller closes his letter expressing his conviction that “in this way any uneasiness of conscience on the part of the faithful who adhere to the Society of St. Pius X as well as any uncertainty regarding the validity of the sacrament of marriage may be alleviated, and at the same time that the process towards full institutional regularization may be facilitated”; and that, to that end, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei “relies” on the cooperation of the prelates of the Episcopal Conferences concerned in this matter.
In a letter approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Gerhard Müller says, “The Holy Father . . . has decided to authorize Local Ordinaries the possibility to grant faculties for the celebration of marriages of faithful who follow the pastoral activity of the Society.” The Pope's decision adopts a proposal by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, both of which are headed by Cardinal Müller.
The new provisions are part of a number of ongoing meetings and initiatives aimed at bringing the Society into full communion; Cardinal Müller’s letter mentions specifically the recent decision of Pope Francis to grant all priests of the Society the faculty to validly administer the Sacrament of Penance to the faithful in order “to ensure the validity and liceity of the Sacrament and allay any concerns on the part of the faithful.”
The grant of faculties for the celebration of marriage is subject to several provisions: “Insofar as possible, the Local Ordinary [that is, normally the local Diocesan Bishop] is to grant the delegation to assist at the marriage to a priest of the Diocese (or in any event, to a fully regular priest), such that the priest may receive the consent of the parties during the marriage rite, followed, in keeping with the liturgy of the Vetus ordo, by the celebration of Mass, which may be celebrated by a priest of the Society.” That is, a priest in good standing is to preside at the celebration of the marriage itself, which in the extraordinary form takes place before the nuptial Mass. The Mass itself may then be celebrated by a priest of the SSPX.
The letter also foresees that circumstances may exist where those provisions are not possible, or where no Diocesan priest is able to receive the consent of the parties. In such cases, the Pope allows the Ordinary to grant faculties to the priest who will celebrate the nuptial Mass.
Cardinal Müller closes his letter expressing his conviction that “in this way any uneasiness of conscience on the part of the faithful who adhere to the Society of St. Pius X as well as any uncertainty regarding the validity of the sacrament of marriage may be alleviated, and at the same time that the process towards full institutional regularization may be facilitated”; and that, to that end, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei “relies” on the cooperation of the prelates of the Episcopal Conferences concerned in this matter.
Below, please find the full text of Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s letter:
Monday 3 April 2017
Vatican Liturgy Chief States:- The Church and the Liturgy Face a ‘Profound Crisis’,
By François-Régis
Salefran (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons
The Catholic Herald is reporting Cardinal Sarah’s excellent message
to a liturgical conference in Herzogenrath, Germany, it states: -
The cardinal, who is Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, said the “crisis” was particularly visible in the way the Mass has been understood and celebrated. He argued that many Catholics had neglected “sacred silence”, and gestures such as kneeling which express reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. They had also forgotten that the Eucharist is a sacrifice, “identical to the act performed once and for all by Jesus Christ, making present the Sacrifice of the Cross in a non-bloody manner”.
He added that the Church had experienced “devastation, destruction and wars” not only in the liturgy, but also in doctrine, morals and Church discipline. “More and more voices of high-ranking prelates stubbornly affirm obvious doctrinal, moral and liturgical errors that have been condemned a hundred times, and work to demolish the little faith remaining in the people of God,” he said…. He quoted several times from Benedict’s writings, including his remark – when Cardinal Ratzinger – that the Church’s crisis was “to a large extent due to the disintegration of the liturgy”.
Cardinal Sarah suggested that the crisis had followed when God was displaced from the centre of the liturgy. Instead of directing worship towards the adoration of God, the Eucharist became dominated by merely human motives such as “the community’s celebration of itself”.”
For the whole article see:- http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/04/03/the-church-and-the-liturgy-face-a-profound-crisis-says-cardinal-sarah/.
Sunday 2 April 2017
Warning - Fra' Cristoforo Website is Fake News Site
Source:https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/5/55/News-media-standards.jpg
"Rorate has learned from several different sources in Italy that the recent page "Anonimi della Croce", led by a "friar" named "Fra' Cristoforo" is merely a disinformation website by an agent provocateur, whose sole purpose is to provoke real outbursts of outrage or scandal from pious Catholics out of its fake news and fake rumors"
H/t:- http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2017/04/important-speaking-of-fake-news-beware.html.
Friday 31 March 2017
Attn. Young Catholic Women: What Convent to Join?
H/t: http://northlandcatholic.blogspot.co.uk/
There are many options for young
Catholic women today. The thriving convents tend to be the newer ones.
This short list is a start.
Please share it so that young Catholic women can visit and stay in at least one convent. It is an important experience.
This short list is a start.
Please share it so that young Catholic women can visit and stay in at least one convent. It is an important experience.
Norbertine
Canoneses of Bethlehem Priory of St. Joseph (http://norbertinesisters.org/)
Carmelite
Monastery of the Infant of Prague (https://carmeloftraversecity.org/);
Benedictines
of Mary, Queen of the Apostles (https://benedictinesofmary.org/home);
Carmelite
Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles (https://carmelitesistersocd.com/);
Dominican
Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist (https://www.sistersofmary.org/);
Religious
Sisters of Mercy (http://www.rsmofalma.org/);
Poor Clares
of Perpetual Adoration (http://olamnuns.com/);
Abbey of
Regina Laudis (http://abbeyofreginalaudis.org/);
Sisters
of Mary, Mother of the Church (https://sistersofmarymc.org/);
Sisters
of Life (http://www.sistersoflife.org/);
Franciscan
Sisters of the Eucharist (http://www.fsecommunity.org/);
Dominican
Sisters of Saint Joseph (UK) (http://www.dominicansistersofstjoseph.org/)
The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate in Lanherne Cornwall (UK) (http://www.mostholytrinity.co.uk/get-involved/lanherne-monastery/)
The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate in Lanherne Cornwall (UK) (http://www.mostholytrinity.co.uk/get-involved/lanherne-monastery/)
H/t to John Sonnen at:- http://orbiscatholicussecundus.blogspot.co.uk/ (for the USA convents).
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