A Saint

A saint is not necessarily an intelligent person, a sociable or popular person, or even a gifted person. A saint is a real person, with hopes, dreams, ideas, failures, gifts, insecurities and strengths. They experience disappointments at times with life and with other people. They must face temptations of despair, doubt and uncertainty about their own life and the direction it may appear to be taking.

Beyond all of this, though, they are people wholly devoted to God. When they fall, they get up again and are not intimidated by their own weaknesses and sins. Rather, with their eyes and hearts turned towards God and away from themselves, they throw themselves at the mercy of God. In a sense, they “force” God to act upon His word that those who are poor in spirit are blessed, “for theirs is the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:3)

Such poverty, such devotion could only come from a saint, that is, one completely devoted to God because they have forgotten about themselves and have learned that often difficult lesson of trusting in God alone.

Br. Jeremiah Myriam Shryock CFR
St. Joseph Friary, New York, NY
From the Friars, June 29, 2007

 

Flag of Crosses 2

See Flag of Crosses
 

One Sacrifice for Sins For Ever

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
— Hebrews 10:12–14

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
— Matthew 26:29; read also Mark 14:25

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
— Luke 22:19

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
— 1 Corinthians 11:24–25

The Traditional Rite is not a ceremony that, by historical accident, the Church adopted for four centuries. It is the Mass, and therefore timeless. Likewise, the New Rite is not a product of the 1960s. It is the Mass, and also timeless.
The bishops should welcome the Pope’s motu proprio, The Catholic Herald, June 22, 2007

The priest as Christ offers the one sacrifice to the Father.
 

Making the Sacred Common

Every century . . . tries to make the sacred common, the difficult easy, and the serious amusing — to which there really could be no objection if it were not that in the process seriousness and amusement are destroyed together.
— Goethe, quoted in Josef Pieper, Faith, Hope, Love, p. 266

Hatred for the Latin language is inborn in the hearts of all the enemies of Rome.
— Dom Prosper Guéranger, quoted in What is the basic difficulty?, Rorate Caeli, June 19, 2007

There will be no surge in priestly vocations without an appeal to young men and boys. That stands to reason. And there will be no appeal to young men and boys so long as women appear to be in complete charge of the liturgy and religious education.
— Anthony Esolen, Redeeming the Black Avenger, Crisis, June 2007

 

Fear

. . . Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
— Mark 4:40