Variety #107 – In Defense of Vatican II ( 09min) >>> Play

Ave Maria

In Defense of Vatican II – Part 1

In this short four part series Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner outlines many of the blessings brought to the Church through the Second Vatican Council. He also explains the need to interpret its documents in light of Tradition with a “view to reform” avoiding both extremes of Modernism and Traditionalism.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Video – Variety #107: In Defense of Vatican II, part 1 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Variety #108 -In Defense of Vatican II ( 09min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

In Defense of Vatican II – Part 2

In this short four part series Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner outlines many of the blessings brought to the Church through the Second Vatican Council. He also explains the need to interpret its documents in light of Tradition with a “view to reform” avoiding both extremes of Modernism and Traditionalism.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Video – Variety #108: In Defense of Vatican II, part 2 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Interview with the new secretary general Father Alfonso Bruno, accused of “treason” by some traditionalist groups

Vatican Insider

Andrea Tornielli
Rome

Controversy is yet to subside after the appointment of a Commissioner for the Franciscans of the Immaculate. In this interview, the new secretary general explains why.

Father Alfonso Bruno, is your appointment as Secretary-General by the Commissioner a choice in favor of friars critical of the founder?

“The Secretary-General, in accordance with the Constitutions of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, art. 100, ‘assists the Common Father in his personal contacts and correspondence with those outside the Institute; he redacts the acts of the Council; he takes care of the General Archives; he keeps up-to-date the records and statistics on the friars, houses and projects.’ It is a technical role and one of service for the benefit of the whole community, far removed therefore from any factionalism or partisanship. During the first weeks of his mandate, the Apostolic Commissioner spoke first personally, and then on August 30, 2013 in a recorded meeting, with all members of the former government of which I also was a part. After this meeting he insisted that I accept the appointment. His judgment was made after having prayed and thought about it, although I cannot enter into his ‘mens’. Aware of the ongoing tensions and conscious of my apostolic commitments, I did not want to assume this burden, which is challenging as regards both the time and energy required to carry it. Fr. Fidenzio Volpi, who took over the authority of the institute, told me: ‘It is the will of God, you have to help the Church … it is for the good of your religious family.’ I am a religious priest and as such in the Rule of St. Francis have professed obedience to and reverence for the Pope. I embraced my cross with the courage of faith, certain that the grace of God will support me in carrying out the mission entrusted to me.”

Can you explain how and why a Commissioner was appointed? It is true that this was the initiative of a small minority of “rebels”?

“The decree of the Commissioner, dated 11 July, 2013 indicates the purpose of the measure taken which is: ‘the goal of preserving and promoting the internal unity of the Institute as well as the fraternal communion, adequate formation to religious and consecrated life, the organization of apostolic activities, and the correct management of temporal goods.’ Five brothers who in the past had occupied positions of high responsibility in the Institute, at the beginning of 2012 sought out dialogue with the Founder and his Council in order to express what in their view were irregularities, beginning with liturgical choices that did not however, exhaust the list of their concerns. Unsatisfied, they then approached the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Doctrine of the Faith. Those who manifest their conscience to an authority, which in this case is the Church headed by the Pope, by this very action itself, prove that they recognize this authority as such, and which therefore excludes any attitude of ‘rebellion’ on their part towards those in power. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life recognized extremes and therefore an apostolic visitation began in the second half of that year. Each friar in perpetual vows, as agreed by the General Council then in office, was provided with a questionnaire protected under the secret of one’s conscience.”

Some sites and blogs, have polemicised the questions contained on the questionnaire …

“The questions were read out by the Apostolic Visitor to Fr. Alessandro Apollonio, who at that point was Procurator General. In addition to his tacit approval, it was the same confrere Fr. Apollonio who suggested that the Visitor include four multiple-choice questions on possible resolutions that the friars may envisage. The last question regarded the appointment of a Commissioner. The questionnaire was promulgated and distributed without any objection or reservation. The measure of appointing a Commissioner was made after receiving the results of the questionnaire. Only from that moment were the formulations of the questionnaire brought into dispute and criticized. I can imagine that if it were not for the fact of the Holy See being vacant at that time, already by late February or early March we would have seen this measure now taken already in place. I would also like to add that any investigation is a search for truth to which one cannot apply the rule of the majority; what counts is adherence of the narrative to the truth, even in the case of only one subject denouncing an abuse. I believe, however, that a high percentage of friars have experienced hardships and, through my official role, have learned recently of written reports and testimonies, proven and tried, by religious, priests and lay people connected to our Institute.”

Why did the Holy See restrict the use of the old Mass?

“I don’t know the reasons for the restriction. I celebrated it almost every day in the parish, in private and at the Headquarters of our sisters in Frattocchie, which is about 30 km away from my Friary in Rome-Casalotti. The decree appointing a Commissioner shows that the decision was made by the Holy Father in person. I would not like to enumerate those who abusively interpret the ‘mens of the Pontiff’ with an ‘I think’ or a ‘it seems that …’. I imagine that the only concern of the Supreme Shepherd has been to create an atmosphere of communion with a return to the time of ‘pre- division’, i.e. of that unity and fraternal harmony that reigned in our religious family until 2008 and which was found in liturgical prayer, moments of encounter and not of confrontation.”

What is the situation of the Tridentine Mass in churches run by the Franciscans of the Immaculate? Where is it being celebrated?

“At present I know that the so-called Tridentine Mass has been allowed in the church of La Crosse, Wisconsin (USA), where there is a large group of Lefebvrites who are likely to attract Catholics who love the extraordinary form to their own churches. I know that the Vetus Ordo has been restored in Florence, in the church of Ognissanti, where Archbishop Monsignor Ennio Antonelli requested it for a group of faithful, and also at the shrine of Campocavallo in Osimo (AN), where stable groups of the faithful have requested it. In most other parishes and shrines entrusted to our care, the same conditions were not met. In fact in some cases there were complaints made by the faithful who found themselves at masses, both weekdays and Sundays, attending a liturgical form to them unknown. In at least two of the sister’s convents with churches open to the public, Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form has also been restored. In all these cases there was a preliminary investigation made by the Apostolic Commissioner with the help of the local Ordinary to verify that the canonical conditions regarding their feasibility, referred to in Summorum Pontificum and Universae Ecclesiae, were satisfied .”

You have been portrayed as the “main accuser” of the founder Fr. Manelli and also as a “traitor.” How do you respond?

“Given the climate of confusion that arose in the crisis of appointing a Commissioner and the psychological mechanism of dealing with a problem by sacrificing a scapegoat, I shared the accusation, especially at the beginning of everything, with at least two other brothers. Father Angelo M. Gaeta, ‘guilty’ of working for decades in the Nunciature in Italy and therefore suspected of being the ‘conspirator of the sacred palaces’ and Father Rosario M. Sammarco , former head of our website, ‘guilty’ of having blocked the petition launched by a weekly information service affiliated with the traditionalist world. As far as I’m concerned, I answer this gratuitous slander by way of mentioning my long phone calls (even from abroad) after the appointment of the Commissioner, along with visits to the Father Founder to ‘bring peace’, but especially in reference to my vocational journey of 25 years of service to the Institute and Father Stefano M. Manelli. I have always obeyed and will continue to do so, with the help of God. At the age of 21 I was already a missionary in Brazil, where I stayed four years, and when 26 years old I was in Benin, at the head of the mission there, where I spent twelve years. I found myself in the midst of gunfire, I suffered hunger, and I had malaria almost thirty times. I have risked my life; I have saved lives … and souls, in the exercise of my ministry. I have only done my duty. I returned to Italy in 2007, and after six months Fr. Stefano proposed my nomination in the election to the Council with the vote of the General Chapter of 2008. As delegate of the missions I spent a total of three to four months a year abroad feeling the pulse of the Institute’s situation around the world. I was very busy with academic studies and in the publications and promotional activities of the Communications Office. I was not among the signatories of the appeal to the Holy See, but I soon noticed an ungrateful and destructive approach towards them that made me study in depth the internal dynamics of the events and move in the direction of charity and justice.”

On 29 July, when interviewed by Vatican Insider, you spoke of the occurrence of the appointment of the Commissioner, as “being taken advantage of” by traditionalist groups. What were you referring to?

“I think I touched a sore point that brought to mind another factor that converges very much with our crisis, namely, the exploitation by traditionalist groups, of some of our influential brothers, whom they have in their grasp. It’s sufficient to do a simple search of the blogosphere to discover how, that after the appointment of the Commissioner, the external lobbying took the form of silence, of prayer, of reason and respect for the human person. I think I was the victim of a settling of accounts. I am suspicious of the base accusation of ‘Corrispondenza Romana’ by Roberto De Mattei and the testimony of Francesco Agnoli, who I have never met personally, where one talks about my alleged dissociation with the so-called ‘March for Life’ organized for two years by the these same persons. The criticism or acceptance of such an event is not at all relevant to our Institute having been appointed a Commissioner neither is it an assessment of my morality or even of my fidelity to the founder. Regarding this march, however, I had actually noticed the problem of it beginning with a willingness to challenge those already working in pro-life. Everyone has the right to express themselves freely. By virtue of this principle, they were wrong and these people are wrong if they fear that this discourages the organization of buses of friars, sisters and lay people associated with us, to march in Rome. The success or failure of such events for the defense of life and the fight against abortion, is in a significant but not exhaustive way, dependent on the good judgment of everyone concerned.

“Another reason for the slander has been the attempt to delegitimize my role as official spokesman for the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in the middle of all this. I state that after the appointment of the Commissioner, up until my nomination, no one had the right to attribute to themselves this role and declare as much also by means of our official channels . The authority of the one who speaks is given such authority and this authority, in our case, is the Church. To be slandered and insulted because of my loyalty to the Pope, the only one who legitimizes any other authority in the Church, is an encouragement for me and an honor. In the words of our Holy Father Francis: ‘So great is the good that I expect, that every pain to me is a delight’. I believe, I hope and I pray that our situation will be resolved quickly and in a good manner. It is a crisis of growth that that many, who considered praiseworthy by the Church, have gone through and go through. The Marian Franciscan charism is relevant and valid for the glory of God and the world today. It is enough for one to simply put into practice the obedience they have professed and are devoted to, in order to dispel any proposed division as having already been defeated before even beginning. I know my brothers, I know of their love for the Church and for souls and that is why I am confident that, through the intercession of Mary, we shall be restored to ‘former glory.'”

The post Vatican Insider Interview of FFI General Secretary first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141010n ( 05min) Play – Father Matthias comments on the collect for today and on the first reading. He observes that faith has a life, and this life is charity, and good works must flow from this living, loving faith, or they are useless. He offers a further observation about the distinction between “tradition” and “traditionalism.” One is the “living faith of those who are dead” and the other, defined as a zeal for the faith and its traditional expression but without charity or zeal for personal spiritual progress, is the “dead faith of those who are alive.” May we always have this living faith, asking God for support that our faith may not waver through a lack of charity.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Daniel and companions – Opt Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Friday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
1st: gal 3:7-14
Resp: psa 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Gsp: luk 11:15-26

Audio (MP3)

+++

The post Oct 10 – Homily – Fr Matthias: May We Not Waver first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Jul 28, 2020, on the parable of the wheat and the tares (weeds) and how we can err by doing too much to correct those who are problematic in the Church as the traditionalists tend to do or too little as the modernists tend to. Listen as Fr. explains the correct time to take corrective action and how doing too much will not only damage the unity of the Church but will lead to the same sin of disobedience and lack of humility that one is trying to correct in others.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Tuesday in the 17th Week in Ordinary Time – Wkdy
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072820.cfm
1st: jer 14:17-22
Resp: psa 79:8, 9, 11, 13 0
Gsp: mat 13:35-43

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=898

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/775260033279712
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/YLzgjiFBM2Y

The post Avoiding Modernism & Traditionalism – Jul 28 – Homily – Fr Terrance first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Mar 30, 2021, on how the two extremes of Modernisms and Traditionalism go full circle and become like-minded in opposition to Christ and His Church even to the point of betrayal.

Mass: Tuesday Holy Week – Wkdy
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/033021.cfm
1st: isa 49:1-6
Resp: psa 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17
Gsp: joh 13:21-33, 36-38

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1685

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/1890931871083514
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/iUPB0CK3BBE

The post Modernists & Traditionalists vs. Christ – Mar 30 – Homily – Fr Terrance first appeared on AirMaria.com.

With Dr. J. Isaac Goff, we continue to read through chapter four of The Theologian of Auschwitz by Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, this time looking at the Purpose, Conditions, and Means of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Militia of the Immaculate. We then look at the integration of the intellect and will as essential for an integral Christian life, and workable only by the action of the Holy Spirit working in those who are, like Jesus, both Children of God and Children of Mary. We even get to see some unpublished writings of Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner on the charismatic life.

The Book: https://www.lectiopublishing.com/books.php?b=16

00:00:00 Opening Prayer
00:02:00 MI versus two types of revolutionary secularism: Bolshevik and Free Masonic
00:05:07 Fatima and MI: Penance, Rosary, Sacred and Immaculate Hearts
00:06:40 MI as within the Franciscan Order, but addressed to the whole Church and based in the Holy Spirit
00:09:40 Purpose, Conditions, and Means of the Militia of the Immaculate
00:13:50 Being a free and personal “instrument” of the Immaculate
00:22:39 Will and Secularism: Indifferentism vs fanaticism
00:25:50 Will and Freedom, Integration of Thought and Prayer
00:37:00 The “middle” of the secular: neither autonomy nor theocracy, neither sacred nor satanic
00:46:00 The evil of secularism: the choice for the secular as rejection of creator and disintegration of an absolute good
00:50:00 Moving through the “middle”
00:53:00 Revelation, interiorization, and supernatural obedience
01:06:00 The “middle” isolated beginning or end: cut off from reality, must make myths instead of truth
01:10:00 Sealed-off middle: obedience as servile, all is will, intellect doesn’t enter
01:11:30 Christian Critique of Jordan Peterson: Absolutizing consciousness to expense of metaphysics
01:12:44 Traditionalism: not integrating intellect leading to lack of prudence and over-reliance on external authority
01:20:00 Marian Consecration first and Marian Vow comes later
01:28:47 Marian Consecration and opposition to Kolbe
01:32:47 Transubstantiation into Mary: Union of Love in Christian Life
01:35:10 Primary dogmatic use of “Transubstantiation”
01:36:30 Analogical extension: Mary into Holy Spirit, We into Mary: Recapitulation and ordering
01:42:20 Transformation of person to establish communion between persons: Transubstantiation on personal level
01:47:00 Bonaventure: Love transforms the one loving into the one loved [ut transformet amantem in amantum] II Sent., d. 39, dubium 1, resp.
01:56:30 Russian Orthodox: Florensky and Bulgakov
02:00:00 Charismatic/Mystical/Contemplative Theology: Institutional, Sacramental, Spiritual elements of Church inseparable
02:03:00 Reading unpublished words of Fr. Peter
02:05:12 An uncharismatic faith: supernatural qua habit, intellectual/natural qua lived out
02:05:40 Charismatic faith: supernatural in second act, lived by power of Holy Spirit
02:08:30 Marian Consecration as taking our baptism and state of life to maturity in the Holy Spirit
02:10:30 Born Again without a Mother? Marian Consecration as being Born-Again Christians
02:14:40 Jesus is Center, Mary is Central
02:20:00 Jonathan Pageau and all symbols converging on Christ on Cross and in Eucharist
02:21:20 Mary as hermeneutic for living the Cross and the Mass

Ave Maria!

+++

The post Mary versus Secularism (BONUS: Metaphysics of the Middle) – KBGF 14 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Dec 20, 2023, where he first contrasts King Ahaz’s lack of faith with Our Lady’s wise response and then links this to the challenge of the schismatic SSPX and Sedevacantism in the Church, urging true reform through obedience and faith.

The SSPX is a reaction to perceived modernist issues and falls into schism according to Canon 751, defined as “refusal of submission to the supreme pontiff or of communion with the members of the church subject to him.” This movement, rooted in disobedience and pride, resembles old heresies and schisms. Members, often misled or seeking refuge in familiarity, fail to realize their deviation from true Catholicism. The SSPX is not in communion with the Church, rejecting essential aspects of faith, like John Paul II’s 1998 profession of faith. True reform in the Church involves personal reform and obedience, not reactionary separation. This type of faith and obedience is taught in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13) and Deuteronomy 5:32 – “You shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”
Let us pray for those misled into schism, seeking Our Lady’s intercession for their conversion.

00:00 – Introduction to Contrasting Figures of Faith
01:07 – Reactions to Vatican’s Document on Same-Sex Blessings
01:51 – Discovering and Understanding SSPX
02:19 – SSPX: A Reactionary Movement
03:01 – Reactionary Catholicism and SSPX
04:01 – Understanding SSPX’s Schismatic Tendencies
05:07 – Defiance and Redefinition of Schism
06:05 – The Draw of SSPX: Pride, Fear, and Naivete
08:04 – Superficial Piety and Ideological Extremes
10:07 – Alignment with Conspiracy Theories and Authority Rejection

Ave Maria!

Mass: Weekdays of Advent – Dec 20
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122023.cfm
1st: isa 7:10-14
Resp: psa 24:1-6
Gsp: luk 1:26-38

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1331

Also on Facebook:
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/TRbUeEdZbjQ

The post Reasons for Frequenting a Reactionary Faith Group – Dec 20 – Homily – Fr Terrance first appeared on AirMaria.com.