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Apr 06 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Jesus the Good Shepherd

apostolate — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:23:51 +0000

Homily #080406 ( 10min) Play – In this special Traditional Latin Mass the reading for the day is Jesus the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sake of his sheep. We, the sheep, are in great need of a shepherd to?be gathered into one fold,?and to be fed with the truth, who is Jesus himself, the bread of life. Fr compares this with the order of the Mass and to the work of the Holy Father, Christ’s Vicar.
Ave Maria! Readings from I Peter, Gospel of John
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Apr 13 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Re-thinking Communion in the Hand

apostolate — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:14:18 +0000

Homily #080413 ( 13min) Play – Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.” What is the Church saying today about Communion in the hand?
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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FiNews – Pope Benedict XVI: Historical First Visit to the USA

apostolate — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:55:56 +0000

Ave Maria!

The following is a video posted on YouTube in which the Holy Father talks about his visit to the United States.

[youtube m6Z6Mnqxcr8]

He should be stepping on the tarmac at 4pm today, so keep him in your prayers.

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Where Peter is, there is Christ?s Church

apostolate — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:56:04 +0000

From Ave Maria Meditations
by JosephMary

Ubi Petrus ibi Ecclesia : Where Peter is, there is Christ’s Church

The primacy of Peter. The love of the early Chris?tians for Peter

The Church is built on the primacy of Peter, as on a rock, until the end of the world. Peter’s stature is immeasurably enhanced since Christ is the real foundation of the Church and Peter now takes his place. That is why his successors have since acquired the title of Vicar of Christ, that is, one who takes Christ’s place.

Peter is the Church’s strong defense against the storms she has suffered and will suffer throughout the centuries.

Built on him, as foundation and with his watchfulness as good shepherd, its victory is assured despite trials and temptations. Peter must eventually die but as regards his role of supreme shepherd Our Lord will assure it lasts eter?nally for the perpetual health and perennial good of the Church, which, being founded on rock, must remain stable to the end of time.

Love for the Pope goes back to the Church’s begin?nings. The Acts of the Apostles tell us movingly of the early Christians’ reaction to the imprisonment of St. Peter by Herod Agrippa, who planned to kill him when the Paschal feast was over. Meanwhile the Church prayed unceasingly to God for him. Look at how the faithful feel for their pastors, says St John Chrysostom. They don’t resort to protest or rebellion, but to prayer as an unfailing remedy. They did not say: as we are powerless men, it is useless to pray for him. They never reasoned in this way, but prayed with love.

We ought to pray a lot for the Pope and his intentions, since he bears the heavy weight of the Church on his shoulders. For example, we could use the following liturgi?cal prayer : may the Lord keep him and give him life, make him happy on earth and save him from deliverance into the hands of his enemies. Every day the clamor of the entire Church spread over the world rises to God in petition with him and for him. No Mass is celebrated without his name being mentioned and prayers said for him and his intentions. Our Lord will be very pleased to see that throughout the day we remember to offer prayers, hours of work or study and some mortification for his Vicar on earth.

Thank you, my God, for that love for the Pope you have placed in my heart ; it would be wonderful if we could say this more meaningfully each day. This love and veneration for the Roman Pontiff is one of the great gifts Our Lord has left us.

Faithful obedience to the Vicar of Christ;- making his teaching known. The sweet Christ on earth.

Along with showing him love and respect, we also pray for the one who takes Christ’s place on earth. Love for the Roman Pontiff must be in us a beautiful passion, for in him we see Christ. Therefore we will not fall into the all too easy temptation of setting one Pope against another, having confidence only in those whose actions respond to our per?sonal feelings. We are not among those who nostalgically look back to a former Pope or look forward to one in the future who will eventually dispense us from obeying the present one. Read the liturgical texts for the coronation of Pontiffs and you will notice that nowhere is there a reference to a conferral of powers proportionate to the dignity of the person elected by the conclave. Christ gives these powers directly to Peter’s successor. Therefore in speaking of the Roman Pontiff we exclude from our vocabulary any expressions derived from parliamentary assemblies or the polemics of newspapers; let it not be said that people not of our faith should be the ones who explain the prestige of the head of Christendom in the world to us.

And there would be no true love and respect for the Pope without faithful internal and external obedience to his teaching and doctrine. Good children listen with pro?found respect to even the simplest advice of the common Father and try sincerely to put it into practice. In the Pope we should see somebody who is in Christ’s place in the world – the sweet Christ on earth, as St Cath?erine of Siena used to say – loving and listening to him because his voice is the truth. We try to see that his words reach all the corners of the earth without distortion, so that, just as when Christ was on earth, many people disoriented by ignorance and error can discover the truth and many afflicted people recover their hope. It is part of the Christian’s apostolic task to make the Pope’s teaching known.

Jesus’ very words can be applied to the Pope: He who abides in me … he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing . Without this union all fruit is only apparent and empty and, in many cases, brings bitter?ness and damages the whole Mystical Body of Christ. On the other hand, if we are very united to the Pope, we will only have reasons for optimism in the task before us; this is reflected in these words of Mgr Escriva: Joyfully I bless you, son, for that faith in your mission as an apostle which inspired you to write: ‘There’s no doubt about it, the future is certain, perhaps in spite of us. But it is essential that we should be one with the Head so that all be one!

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Aug 12 – Homily – Fr Angelo: Who is the Greatest

apostolate — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:55:06 +0000

Homily #080812 ( 09min) Play – Fr. Angelo Geiger explains todays Gospel, that we should not worry about who is greatest but rather be childlike and at the same time keep watch over the little ones like a good shepherd.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Words of our Holy Father

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:00:40 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Doctrine of Original Sin is the alternative to a ‘vision of despair’.

Original Sin should always be understood in the context of the salvation brought by Jesus Christ, Pope Benedict XVI told one of his regular Wednesday weekday audiences.

Speaking to about 7,000 people in the Paul VI auditorium, the Holy Father acknowledged that the doctrine of Original Sin is unpopular today. “Many people think that, in the light of the history of evolution, there is no place” for such a belief, he said. But if there is no sin that stains mankind, there is no necessity for salvation.

“Does Original Sin exist or not, then?” the Pontiff asked rhetorically. He pointed out that St. Paul, in sketching “the basic outlines of the doctrine” in his Letter to the Romans, explains Original Sin by comparing the Fall in Eden with the redemption brought by Christ, the new Adam.

Every rational person recognizes the reality of human weakness, the Pope said. The doctrine of Original Sin goes beyond that obvious reality to address the “ontological foundation” of evil, he said. “In effect, there is a contradiction in our being. On the one hand we know we must do good, and in our inner selves this is what we desire, yet at the same time we feel an impulse to do the opposite, to follow the path of egoism, of violence.”

When we recognize this inner struggle, the Pope continued, we also recognize the desire to be freed from our own weakness. That desire, he said, is universal: a common striving of all mankind.

Different theories have been advanced to explain this contradiction within the human soul, the Pope observed. One theory, advanced by atheists, is that good and evil always coexist in everyone. But that theory, the Pope said, “is a vision of despair,” because it suggests that “evil is invincible,” inevitably present at all times and in all persons.

Christians, drawing on the thought of St. Paul, recognize “the reality of the darkness of evil weighing upon the whole of creation.” Yet they know that this darkness is ultimately overcome by the light of Christ. Pope Benedict explained:

The faith tells us that there are no two principles, one good and one evil. There is only one principle which is God the Creator and He is solely good, without shadow of evil. Hence neither are human beings a mix of good and evil. The human being as such is good. … This is the joyful announcement of the faith: there is but one source, a source of good, the Creator, and for this reason … life too is good.

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Because He first loved us…

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:00:17 +0000

Let us love, then, because he first loved us. (1Jn4:19)

In your mercy, Lord, you called me,

Taught my sinful heart and mind,

Else this world had still enthralled me,

And to glory kept me blind.

Lord, I did not freely chose you

Till by grace you set me free;

For my heart would still refuse you

Had your love not chosen me.

Now my heart sets none above you,

For your grace alone I thirst,

Knowing well, that if I love you,

You, O Lord, have loved me first.

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L’Enfance Du Christ–Meditations on the Hidden Life of Christ (The Holy Family)

Carol Girard — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:00:55 +0000

Lyrics–The Shepherd’s Farewell (English):

Thou must leave thy lowly dwelling,
The humble crib, the stable bare.
Babe, all mortal babes excelling,
Content our earthly lot to share.
Loving father, Loving mother,
Shelter thee with tender care!

Blessed Jesus, we implore thee
With humble love and holy fear.
In the land that lies before thee,
Forget not us who linger here!
May the shepherd’s lowly calling,
Ever to thy heart be dear!

Blest are ye beyond all measure,
Thou happy father, mother mild!
Guard ye well your heav’nly treasure,
The Prince of Peace, The Holy Child!
God go with you, God protect you,
Guide you safely through the wild!

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Apr 25 – Homily – Fr Angelo: Jesus the Good Shepherd

apostolate — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 13:26:42 +0000

Homily #100425 ( 22min) Play – Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, the forth Sunday in Easter where the readings refer to Jesus as the Good Shepherd, specifically how he leads His sheep to eternal life. It is also the Church-wide prayer day for vocations to the priesthood. Fr. Angelo preaches on the need for good shepherds, especially in the face of Church scandals and in the face of a society that is in a state of moral decay which is leading so many to eternal death.

Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

Ave Maria! Mass readings
1: Acts 13:14,43-52
R: Ps 100:1-2,3,5
2: Rev 7:9,14-17
G: Jn 10:27-30

Audio (MP3)

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Video – Conferences #88: La Crosse 2010 6/7, Mass Highlights

apostolate — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 01:53:07 +0000

Conferences #88 -Abp. Burke preaches at the Mass for the Coredemption Conference ( 33min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Here are some highlights from the Mass at our Symposium “Mother of the Church” on Marian Coredemption in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse, Wisconsin on August 21, 2010, including the homily by Abp. Raymond Burke, the founder of the shrine and Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura. Abp. Burke connects the heroic holiness of Pope St Pius X with the motherly protection of Our Lady. She inspired him and so he became like her and was able to love Jesus as she did and become a Good Shepherd in the footsteps of Jesus and his vicar, St. Peter.

Drew Mariani of Relevant Radio was MC of the symposium.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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