Homily #080623 ( 11min) Play – “You’re being judgmental!” Fr. Angelo explains when we can make a moral judgment without being judgmental.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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FI News #35 – Franciscans of the Immaculate Hike Mt Washington ( 10min) >>> Play

The Franciscans of the Immaculate and Friends hike to the summit of Mt Washington and celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Ave Maria!

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The post Thoughts on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #090528 ( 07min) Play – St. Augustine of Canterbury, Benedictine monk and first Archbishop of Canterbury, is honored in today’s Tridentine Mass.
Ave Maria! Mass readings

Audio (MP3)

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The post May 28 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: St. Augustine of Canterbury first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Pope Benedict XVI / St. Jean Vianney

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St. John Vianney, the great parish priest of Ars, France said in his catechism lesson on priesthood:

The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution; he does not administer the Sacraments to himself. He is not for himself, he is for you… When people wish to destroy religion, they begin by attacking the priest, because where there is no longer any priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no longer any sacrifice there is no religion…
What joy did the Apostles feel after the Resurrection of Our Lord, at seeing the Master whom they had loved so much! The priest must feel the same joy at seeing Our Lord whom he holds in his hands. Great value is attached to objects which have been laid in the drinking cup of the Blessed Virgin and of the Child Jesus, at Loretto. But the fingers of the priest, that have touched the adorable Flesh of Jesus Christ, that have been plunged into the chalice which contained His Blood, into the pyx where His Body has lain, are they not still more precious? The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.

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Vatican City, May 12, 2009 / 01:47 pm (CNA).- The Vatican has announced that during the Year for Priests, which will run June 19, 2009 – June 19, 2010, the Pope Benedict will grant plenary indulgences to priests and the faithful.

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The year will begin with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, “a day of priestly sanctification,” according to a press release from the Vatican.  On that day, the Holy Father “will celebrate Vespers before relics” of St. Jean Marie Vianney, patron saint of priests.

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The Year will end in St. Peter’s Square, in the presence of priests from all over the world “who will renew their faithfulness to Christ and their bonds of fraternity.”

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The means to obtain the indulgence are as follows:

(A) All truly penitent priests who, on any day, devotedly pray Lauds or Vespers before the Blessed Sacrament exposed to public adoration or in the tabernacle, and … offer themselves with a ready and generous heart for the celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Penance, will be granted a Plenary Indulgence, which they can also apply to their deceased confreres, if in accordance with current norms they take Sacramental Confession and the Eucharist and pray in accordance with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. Priests are furthermore granted a Partial Indulgence, also applicable to deceased confreres, every time they devotedly recite the prayers duly approved to lead a saintly life and to carry out the duties entrusted to them.

(B) All truly penitent Christian faithful who, in church or oratory, devotedly attend Holy Mass and offer prayers to Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mold them to His Heart, are granted a Plenary Indulgence, on the condition that they have expiated their sins through Sacramental Confession and prayed in accordance with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. This may be done on the opening and closing days of the Year of Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean Marie Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.

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The elderly, the sick and all those who for any legitimate reason are unable to leave their homes, may still obtain a plenary indulgence if, with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin and with the intention of observing, as soon as they can, the usual three conditions, “on the days concerned, they pray for the sanctification of priests and offer their sickness and suffering to God through Mary, Queen of the Apostles.”

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Additionally, a partial indulgence will be offered to the faithful each time they pray five “Our Father,” “Hail Mary” and “Glory Be,” or any other duly approved prayer “in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to ask that priests maintain purity and sanctity of life.”

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The Eucharistic sacrifice and the ordinary life of the Christian.

The Second Vatican Council reminds us that the sacrifice of the Cross and its sacramental renewal in the Mass are, apart from the difference in the manner of offering, one and the same sacrifice of praise, of thanksgiving, of propitiation and of satisfaction. The ends which Our Savior gave to His sacrifice on the Cross are usually summed up in these four.

The four ends of the Mass are achieved in different ways and to a different extent. The ends that refer directly to God, namely, adoration, praise and thanksgiving, are always produced infallibly and with all their infinite value, independently of our collaboration.  This is true even when the Mass is celebrated without the presence of a single member of the faithful, or, if there is one, if he assists in a distracted way. God, our Lord is praised infinitely every time the Eucharistic Sacrifice is celebrated, and thanksgiving is offered up which satisfies God fully. This oblation, says Saint Thomas, pleases God more than all the sins of the world offend him, since Christ himself is the actual Priest who offers, as well as being the actual victim who is offered in every Mass.

However, the other ends of the Eucharistic Sacrifice (propitiation and petition), which are for the benefit of man and are called the fruits of the Mass, do not in fact always achieve the fullness of which they are capable. These fruits – of reconciliation with God and of obtaining from him what we ask for from his bounty – could also be of infinite value. They too rest on the merits of Christ. We never receive these fruits to that perfect degree, since they are applied to us according to our personal dispositions. The more ardently and intently we take part in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, the greater application of these fruits of propitiation and petition we shall receive. Christ’s own prayer multiplies the value of our prayer to the extent that we unite our petitions and atonement to his in the Mass, on the Cross itself so that we might receive the fruits of the Mass, the Church invites us to unite ourselves with the Sacrifice of Christ. That is, to take part in Jesus Christ’s praise, thanksgiving, propitiation and impetration.

The external rite of the Mass (comprising the actions and ceremonies) both signifies the interior sacrifice of Jesus Christ and is a sign of the offering and dedication of all the faithful united to him. This dedication of the whole of our being, of all our daily activities, is yet another reason for us to carry them out perfectly and with a right intention. As the Second Vatican Council puts it: For all their deeds and actions, prayers and apostolic undertakings, family and mar­ried life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit indeed, even the hardships of life if patiently borne, all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord.  All our actions and our very life itself take on a new value when they hinge on the Mass as the center of our day towards which all our thoughts and deeds are directed. It is the source from which flow all the graces we need to sanctify our stay on earth.

Taking part in the Mass conscious of what we are doing, with devotion and full collaboration. Our partici­pation should be personal prayer, union with Jesus Christ, who is at once the Priest and the Victim.

Our Mother the Church wants to obtain ever more fruits from the Mass. So she desires that when we are present we should not be there as strangers or silent specta­tors, but constantly increasing our understanding of the rites and prayers, taking part in the sacred action in full awareness of what we are doing, with devotion and earnest collaboration. We should foster a right disposition of heart, with soul and voice in unison, and co-operating with divine grace. We shall pay particular attention to the dialogues and acclamations. We shall fill the established periods of silence with acts of faith and charity, particu­larly at the Consecration and when we receive Our Lord in Communion. The most important thing is interior participation, our union with Jesus Christ who offers him­self. The external elements which also form part of the liturgy will be of great help to us in doing this – bodily postures (kneeling, standing, sitting) reciting or singing of other parts together, such· as the Gloria, the Creed, the Sanctus, the Our Father, etc.

We will often find it helps to follow the prayers of the celebrant in our missal. The effort to be punctual, arriving a few minutes before Mass begins, will help us to be better prepared. Besides, it is a sign of love for Christ and a courtesy towards the priest who is celebrating Mass as well as to others who are attending. God wants us to be exemplary in this, too. Wouldn’t we arrive in good time for an important interview? There is nothing more impor­tant than the Mass.

Internal participation is mainly a question of practicing the virtues through acts of faith, hope and charity. At the moment of the Consecration we can say with the words of the Apostle Thomas, words overflowing with faith and love, My Lord and My God, … or ‘I firmly believe that You are really present on the altar’ … or whatever form of words appeals to our personal devotion.

Above all, our taking part in the Mass must be per­sonal prayer, the high point of our customary dialogue with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This prayer, to the extent possible to each person, is a requisite for a genuine, conscious liturgical participation. But not that alone, it is also the fruit of such a participation. Now and always, but nowadays more than ever, we need to foster the spirit and practice of personal prayer … We cannot keep going as Christians without a constant, intimate, personal life of prayer, faith, and charity. Without these we cannot carefully and advantageously take part in the liturgical renewal

Without them we cannot be effective witnesses to that Christian authenticity that we hear so much about. Lacking such participation we cannot think, breathe, act, suffer and hope with the living, pilgrim Church … To all we say, ‘Let us pray, brethren:’ Never tire of trying to call up from the depths of your soul that intimate voice which addresses God as ‘Thou’ … , the God beyond words, the mysterious Other who watches over you, waits for you, loves you. And you will never be let down, or left alone. You will experience the new joy of an enrapturing response: Behold I am with you.  Our God is with us and in us in a very special way in Holy Communion, when our taking part in the Mass reaches its highest point. The proper effect of this Sacrament, teaches Saint Thomas Aquinas, is to change man into Christ, so that he can say with the Apostle, ‘I live; no, it is not I who live. It is Christ who lives in me.’

Preparation for Mass. Apostolate and the Eucharis­tic Sacrifice.

Before Mass we have to prepare our soul to ready for the most important event that takes place in the world each day. The Mass celebrated by any priest in the most out-of-the-way, the remotest comer of the world, even when no other person is attending, is the greatest thing happening on earth at that moment. It is the most pleasing thing that we men can offer to God. It is the opportunity to thank him for the many benefits we receive; to ask for­giveness for so many sins and such lack of love and for all our spiritual and material needs. We all have things we need to ask for…Lord, this illness…Lord, that sorrow… Lord, that humiliation I can’t accept even for love of You … We desire blessings, happiness and joy for the members of our household. We are saddened by the fate of those who suffer hunger and thirst for bread and justice; of those who undergo the anguish of loneliness; of those who at the end of their lives are facing death without an affectionate look or the help of a friend.

But it is sin which is the wretchedness that causes suffering, and is the great world-wide malaise we have to remedy. It separates us from God and endangers souls with the prospect of eternal damnation. To bring men to eternal glory in the love of God – that was the essential desire of Christ when He gave up his life on Calvary, and that has to be our desire when we celebrate Mass. Our apostolate is therefore directed towards the Mass and is strengthened by it.

Some minutes of thanksgiving after Mass will round off these most important moments of the day. They will have a direct influence on our work, on our family life, on the cheerfulness we show to everyone, and in the certainty and confidence with which we face up to the rest of our day. The Mass lived in this way will never be an isolated incident. It will nourish all our actions and give them a special tone, value and significance.

We always find our Mother Mary in the Mass. How could we take part in the sacrifice without remembering and invoking the Mother of the High Priest and Victim? Our Lady played such an intimate part in the priesthood of her Son during his life on earth that she is eternally united to the exercise of his Priesthood. Just as she was present on Cal­vary, so is she present in the Mass, which is a prolongation of Calvary. She helped her Son on the Cross by offering him to the Father. In the sacrifice of the altar, the renewal of the sacrifice of Christ, she helps the Church to offer herself in union with her Head. Let us offer ourselves to Jesus through the mediation of Mary.  Let us remember Mary during Mass, and she will help us grow in piety and recollection.

Fr. Francis Fernandez

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Homily #100315 ( 07min) Play – We are called to have faith in the words our Lord has spoken, words that do not return empty. This is My Body…this is My Blood…
Ave Maria! Mass readings

Audio (MP3)

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The post Mar 15 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: The Word Has Spoken first appeared on AirMaria.com.

I bring to Mass today:

–my hopes and my needs, my trials and my fears;

–my gratitude for all that I have received from my Father’s hand up to the present moment;

–my desire to remain close to my Father and come ever closer to Him during this day.

I come to the altar today:

–to give thanks for the daily mystery of my redemption and salvation;

–to seek the strength and perseverance that I find so lacking in myself;

–to seal again the covenant with God, my Father, in and through Christ Jesus my Lord.

The Servant of God Terence Cardinal Cooke

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Homily #100806 ( 09min) Play – In the Gospel we here Peter’s initial reaction to the Transfiguration of our Lord and in the Epistle we here his post reaction response to the transfiguration. We must treat every moment as if we were before the Transfiguration of our Lord as we face the Rising Sun in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Ave Maria! Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Mass: EF, Illuxerunt Coruscationes – Readings:
1st: 2pe 1:16-19
Gsp: mat 17:1-9

Audio (MP3)

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The post Aug 06 – Homily – Fr Angelo: Facing the Rising Sun first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Roving Reporter #120 – First Holy Mass of 4 New FI Priests, celebrated at Assisi ( 13min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

This is the first Holy Mass celebrated by the newly-ordained FI priests, Fr. Alan Bernardino Wharton (USA), Fr. Vincent Michael Egbu (Nigeria), Fr. Giles Joseph Mary Atherton (Australia), and Fr. Vincent d’Elia (Italy). Our new priests had the privilege of celebrating at the Sanctuary of the Portziuncola in Assisi in the same edifice in which Saint Francis himself entrusted the Order of the Friars Minor into the hands of Our Lady some 800 years ago. The Mass was celebrated on March 26, 2011, the day after their holy ordinations at Tarquinia in Italy, and we ask that you remember these new servants of our Lord in your prayers.

note: The Holy Mass was celebrated in the ordinary form (Mass of Paul VI) in Italian, and, as you’ll note in the video, a good number of the friars studying at the FI philosophical and theological seminary, the Seminarium Theologicum Immaculata Mediatrix (S.T.I.M.), were in attendance. At this time, all the FI students of philosophy are studying here on the outskirts of Rome (approx. 40 minutes away from the Vatican by car…depending on the traffic) while those in theological studies are situated in the city of Cassino, home of the famous monastery of St. Benedict – bombed (and then rebuilt) by the US during WWII, as the Italians like to remind us. We’re currently seeking a new convent/seminary of studies here in Rome, so we ask you for your prayers in this regard as well. All the American friars in priestly formation – Fra. Anthony Servium, Fra Josemaria (Canada), Fra Ephriam, Fra Pio Maximillian, and Fra Terrance – send their greetings to everyone and, as always, we ask for your prayers.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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