·
How to
celebrate Aug 31st
·
Are you ready for a wild day ahead? Start your
morning by donating to a local charity or volunteering for a cause you’re
passionate about. Show your support for social justice and people of African
descent by spreading awareness on social media or joining a peaceful protest.
Embrace your adventurous side by visiting a nearby zoo and learning about the
importance of wildlife conservation. Channel your inner Ironman by tackling a
challenging workout, whether it’s a long run, bike ride, or swim.
·
After working up a sweat, indulge in some
matchmaking fun by setting up your single friends or spending quality time with
your partner. Spice things up by cooking a romantic dinner at home or planning
a surprise date night. Express your appreciation for franchises by enjoying a
meal from your favorite fast-food joint or treating yourself to some
merchandise.
·
Take a break from the hustle and bustle of life by
grabbing a book and celebrating We Love Memoirs
Day. Find a cozy spot outside or in a park and immerse yourself in a
captivating story. Remember to pack some trail mix for a tasty snack to fuel
your reading session.
·
As the day winds down, take a moment to remember
those who have been affected by addiction on International
Overdose Awareness Day. Consider donating to a recovery organization or
reaching out to a loved one who may need support. Wrap up your day by raising a
glass to litigating lawyers and the importance of justice in our society.
Reflect on the significance of stop signs and their role in keeping our roads
safe.
·
End your day on a high note by dining al fresco in
your backyard or at a local park for National
Eat Outside Day. Bring along some tasty treats, good company, and enjoy the
beauty of nature. Let the fresh air and good food rejuvenate your spirit,
leaving you ready for whatever comes your way next.
·
30
DAY TRIBUTE TO MARY 17th ROSE:
o
30
Days of Women and Herbs – Frauendreissiger
§ Mullein (Verbascum
thapsiforme)
MEDICINAL PLANTS Day 17 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM-Revealed by Heaven to Luz
De María
ANGELICA
Scientific name: Angelica archangelica L. Family: Apiaceae Known as: Ghost
Spirit Herb or Herb of the Angels (It receives its name due to a belief that it
was a gift of Saint Gabriel Archangel to a wise hermit so that he could fight
the plague that ravaged Europe during the Middle Ages). Promotes digestion.
Improves gastric juices secretion. Eliminates intestinal gases. To treat heavy
digestions and the lack of appetite. To treat diseases that attack digestive
system.
Serious illnesses are approaching that attack the digestive system; use the plant known as Angelica and use the whole plant properly, pregnant women being cautious. Blessed Virgin Mary, 05.24.2017
SEPTEMBER
September--Our buildings need to be
winterized. Now is the time to think of energy conservation measures, adding
caulking and painting, completing needed repairs, composting yard waste, and
protecting garden plants for late fall and winter. Do we regard our abodes as
God's dwelling space, a sacred trust and healthy place? Do we cherish the
abundance of space and use it properly as good stewards?
Overview of September[1]
The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose memorial the Church celebrates on September 15. September falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
September is Harvest Time
Since man is both a spiritual and physical being, the
Church provides for the needs of man in his everyday life. The Church's liturgy
and feasts in many areas reflect the four seasons of the year (spring, summer,
fall and winter). The months of August, September, October and November are
part of the harvest season, and as Christians we recall God's constant
protection over his people and give thanksgiving for the year's harvest.
September is the end of the
summer season and the start of the fall season.
Explanation of Ember Days—Three days set apart for fasting,
abstinence, and prayer during each of the four seasons of the year. They were
the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after St. Lucy (or Lucia, d. 304) (December
13), the First Sunday of Lent, Pentecost, and the feast of the Holy Cross
(September 14). Since the revision of the Roman calendar in 1969, Ember Days
are to be observed at the discretion of the National Conference of Bishops.
Moreover, their observance may be extended beyond three days and even repeated
during the year. Possibly occasioned by the agricultural feasts of ancient
Rome, they came to be observed by Christians for the sanctification of the
different seasons of the year, and for obtaining God's blessing on the clergy
to be ordained during the Embertides. (Etym. Anglo-Saxon oemerge,
ashes.) — Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, SJ, Doubleday, 1980.
So, during these times the Church had a threefold focus:
(1) sanctifying each new season by
turning to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
(2) giving thanks to God for the
various harvests of each season; and
(3) praying for the newly ordained
and for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Since the reorganization of the Roman calendar in 1969
after the Second Vatican Council, Ember Days are still retained in principle,
but how and when they are to be observed is at the discretion of each country's
Episcopal Conference. There is no longer set Mass readings for the Ember Days
in the Ordinary Rite. Another harvest feast is September 29, the Feast of the
Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Before the revision of the calendar,
this used to be only the feast of St. Michael. In many countries this day was
referred to as "Michaelmas" and is celebrated with traditional foods
and customs
September is the time to
reflect on the Sorrows of Mary
September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows.[2] Since the 16th century Catholic piety
has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on
September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor
Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three
days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the
Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments
and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius
XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more
closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father
together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new
Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through
his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the
flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all
His members."
Daily
Prayers for September
At Morning
O most
holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you
experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of
your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a
tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of
my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the
passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that
henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this
one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and
to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure
At
Noon
Mary, most holy Virgin and
Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy
heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as
the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for
the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly
suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please
our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that
every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of
compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me,
reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my
last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories.
Amen.
At
3PM
Most holy Virgin. and
Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy
divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending
joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the
adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be
found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the
charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
At Twilight
O most holy and afflicted
Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross,
witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of
thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy
past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel
before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial
confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech
thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred
death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and
through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To
whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy,
who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the
woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior
one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears
which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable
Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my
humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.
At Slumber.
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us. Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
September is the month dedicated to
contemplation of the Angels.
Devotion to
the Angels is a mark of Predestination[3]
The Church has always practiced and encouraged devotion to the holy angels. All ancient liturgies make mentions of them and the protection they provide to men. It is their greatest desire to aid us in all our acts of religion by uniting their supplications to ours. We should honor and love angels as well as our fellow mankind for it is though the Precious Blood of Christ, we are all united. Christ is the head of angels as well as men, and it is as Man that He is Head of the angels. To honor them and love them we must first know them and earnestly strive to cultivate their friendship.
September is the month of Angels and Mary is the Queen of Angels
The church traditionally honors
angels during the month of September. Paul in Colossians states of Christ, “He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on
earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He
is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of
the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in
all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was
pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace
by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.”
“St. Michael and the Angels” is a beautiful and inspiring book telling all about the angels. Filled with stories from the lives and writings of the saints, it tells of the role which the good angels play in the divine economy of saving souls. Led by St. Michael, the Prince of the heavenly host, the angels act as our guardians, serve as messengers from God to us and from us to God, surround the altar during Mass, and bear the graces of the Mass like incense to the altar of God on high. Here is explained the relationship of the angels to the Blessed Virgin Mary and how, if she is to send them to our aid, we must request her to do so. Included too is the prayer to our guardian angel asking him to go in our place to attend Mass when we cannot, plus the way the good angels protect us against the evil spirits. The book also discusses in detail the pre-eminent role of St. Michael as "Champion of the Church," "Defender of Christians," "Guardian of Purgatory," and "Helper of the Sick and Dying."
It is also a good practice to ask for angelic help throughout our day. There are nine choirs of angels and three hierarchies three within three. Remember to ask their assistance about every two hours throughout your day
First Sphere
The angels of the first sphere
serve as the heavenly servants of God the Son incarnated. It includes the
Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones.
Upon rising (7
am) address the first choir of angels, the Seraphim. Their chief
characteristic is great and ardent love. They were made for one thing
alone-----to love the God of Love. Without ceasing they honor, praise, and love
the most Blessed Trinity-----they can do nothing else-----this is their
happiness.
- Practice upon rising to try to become a Seraph
of love: let this be your habitual disposition. Love and do what God
wills. Ask this great gift fervently.
- Aspiration: "Oh! Blessed Seraphim! Make
us love." Say the Shema
Yisrael and make a Morning Offering.
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of Seraphim, may it please God to make us worthy to receive
into our hearts the fire of his perfect charity. Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
At the second hour (9
am) of the day address the second choir is the Cherubim who
continually are employed in contemplating the beauty and perfections of God and
will share with us their admirable wisdom, if we ask them, and show ourselves
in earnest, by the practice of supplication and prayer. Cherubim are full of
zeal for the glory of God and stand ready at all times to defend His honor.
Cherubim should be invoked when one is troubled with doubts against faith those
who experience temptations against holy purity.
- Practice: Spend time before praying in great
silence and recollection; endeavor to "know God, and Him Whom He has
sent, Jesus Christ."
- Aspiration: "Blessed Cherubim! Teach us
to pray."
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of Cherubim, may God in his good pleasure, grant us grace
to abandon the ways of sin, and follow the path of Christian perfection.
Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
At the fourth hour (11
am) of the day address the third choir is the choir of Thrones.
They are called Angels of Peace; calm, tranquility, and stability. Ask
them for that peace of soul which is the fruit of a good conscience. Invoke
their aid for such as are prone to hatred, passion and impatience; and after
their example, practice being meek, calm, and peaceful with all.
- Practice: Dispose yourself to great sweetness
and patience.
- Aspiration: "O Holy Thrones! Obtain that
Divine peace, which surpasses all understanding, may keep our hearts and
minds in Jesus Christ, Our Lord."
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
sacred Choir of Thrones, may it please God to infuse into our hearts the
spirit of true and sincere humility. Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
Second, Sphere angels are
considered to work as heavenly governors of creation by subjecting the matter
and ruling and guiding the spirits. The second sphere includes the Dominions or
Lordships Virtues and the Strongholds Powers or Authorities.
At the sixth hour (1
pm) of the day address the fourth choir of angels which is the choir
of Dominations. They are consumed by their yearning for the
interests of God: their principal office is to manifest His will. We should
also beg of God to manifest His will to us by these Blessed
"Intelligences" and then take care to fulfill it scrupulously, as
being the shortest way to perfection and sanctity. We should ask these Angels
to help us to spread God's kingdom upon earth, for the conversion of heretics
and infidels, and for the return of lukewarm and fallen away Catholics to the
practice of the faith.
- Practice: Give practical proof of your zeal
for the glory of God; do something for His reign in souls, as instructing
the ignorant.
- Aspiration: "Holy Dominations! Animate us
with thy zeal." It was also at the sixth hour that Jesus was
crucified. Traditionally Catholics recite the Angelus at
noon, some pray it at six in the morning and six in the evening. For those
who wish to make personal change this is a good time to examine our day so
far and offer ourselves to our God. It is at the turning point of our day
that we recall the turning point of history: the moment when the angel
appeared to a young woman named Mary.
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of the Dominations, may it please God to grant us grace to
have dominion over our senses, and to correct our depraved passions. Amen
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
- Practice: (After work) Visit the Blessed
Sacrament to obtain grace to overcome your evil dispositions.
- Aspiration: "Holy Virtues! Strengthen and
fortify us."
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
admirable heavenly Choir of the Virtues, may it please God to keep us from
falling into temptation, and may He deliver us from evil. Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
At the 10th hour (5
pm) of the day address the sixth choir of angels the Powers.
These Angels have unlimited mastery over the wicked Spirits; they are endowed
with great intelligence and are able to discover their schemes and plans for
our destruction. Their power is so amazing that one alone of them would be able
to destroy the entire infernal host. It is well to invoke them in temptation:
but to merit their assistance we must take care to avoid the occasions of
sin.
- Practice: Resist the attacks of vice and
passion; frequently make acts of diffidence in self and confidence in God;
combat your evil inclinations.
- Aspiration: "Lord! Send Thy Angels to
assist us."
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of the Powers, may God vouchsafe to keep our souls from the
wiles and temptations of the devil. Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
Third Sphere
The angels of the third sphere
function as heavenly protectors, messengers and guides to human beings.
At the 12th hour (7
pm) of the day address the seventh choir of angels the Principalities.
The Principalities watch over Empires, Provinces, and Dioceses. Purity of
intention is the virtue ascribed to them, for in their high functions they
never seek but the honor and interest of God alone. Let us imitate them. It is
the intention which stamps the action with merit or demerit.
- Practice: In all you do and say, seek the
greater glory of God.
- Aspiration: "O Holy Spirits! May we, like
thee, seek God, for God alone."
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of Principalities, may it please God to fill our souls with
the spirit of true and sincere obedience. Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
At the 14th hour (9
pm) of the day address the eighth choir of angels the Archangels.
The Archangels are distinguished from the Angels by the greater importance of
their functions: the Guardians of those invested with authority in the Church
and State and are remarkable for their love and care of men. Let us imitate
them, doing our neighbor all the good we can and invoking in his behalf these
Blessed Spirits. Members of this choir are the holy spirits who stand before
the throne of God, ever ready to announce His commands. St. Michael is the
warrior leader of God’s angels. St. Gabriel is the special messenger of The
Holy Spirit. St. Raphael is the angel of Joy.
- Practice-----Two Acts of Charity, with great
affection.
- Aspiration: "Holy Archangels! Pray for
us, and for our priests."
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of Archangels, may it please God to grant us the gift of
perseverance in the faith, and in all good works, that we may be thereby
enabled to attain the glory of paradise. Amen.
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
At the 16th hour (11
pm) of the day address the Ninth choir of the angels. They are
charged with the execution of the Divine ordinances and are appointed the
Guardians of men. Humility is the virtue particularly ascribed to
them-----for though the least among the Choirs, yet they see their celestial
companions without desiring their greater, more excellent endowments. The
Guardian Angels exercise continual watchfulness over the souls committed to
their care. Their number is exceedingly great, and it is not necessary when an
Angel has accompanied his charge into Heaven, that he be again assigned to a
soul in any future generation. Our Guardian, who is our companion in life, will
also be forever at our side in Heaven. The joy of these Angels is immeasurably
increased when souls entrusted to their care enter Heaven. The Guardian Angels
of the lost souls are not deprived of their share of joy. God in His justice
increases also theirs with the others, and then assigns them to the special
guard of the Queen of Angels, where they with great joy praise the Infinite
Justice of God. Let us, like the humble Guardian Angels, love the lowest place,
especially when placed therein by Divine Providence, and to behold with joy the
preference given to others.
- Practice: Three Acts of Humility, interior and
exterior.
- Aspiration: "Who is like God!"
- By the intercession of St. Michael and the
heavenly Choir of all the Angels, may God vouchsafe to grant us their
guardianship through this mortal life, and after death a happy entrance
into the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen
- (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)
Information was obtained from:
- http://www.catholictradition.org/Angels/angels.htm
- Hierarchy
of Angels Catholic Church | Hierarchy structure
September
Travel and Events
Belgian Beer Weekend September 6-8. The drinking fun doesn’t end in Budapest! Head
to Belgium for Belgian Beer Weekend. Held at Brussel’s Grand Place square, this
annual celebration in early September showcases Belgian brews from more than 30
small and big breweries.
·
Southern Arizona Beer Tour
Oktoberfest September 21-Oct. 6. Raise a stein
to Oktoberfest. This annual, 16-day celebration of all
thing’s beer kicks off in late September in Munich. Can’t make it to Germany?
Bring your taste for brewski to these US Oktoberfest events.
·
Oktoberfest in Arizona 2023
Constitution Day Celebrate
Constitution Day and the anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution with
a trip to Washington, DC, on September 17. The National Archives has the
original Constitution on display in the Rotunda, along with the Bill of Rights
and Declaration of Independence. Make the most out of your trip to DC and pay a
visit to the Smithsonian museums and
monuments along the National Mall.
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Call it an
excuse to party: Come Sept. 17, 2024, the 3-day Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
begins. In mainland China, the annual festival is the second biggest holiday of
the year (right behind the country’s spring festival).
Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance
(Hong Kong) September 28-30.
Top off Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations with the Tai Hang fire dragon dance.
This 3-day-long event, held during the Mid-Autumn Festival, carries on a
tradition that’s more than 100 years old. In the Hong Kong community of Tai
Hang, some 300 performers take to the streets, dancing, waving incense sticks
and animating a 220-foot-long dragon.
Texas State Fair (Dallas) September 27-Oct 20 “Our state fair is a great state fair.” How can it not be when it’s in Texas? Beginning the last Friday in September, the annual Texas State Fair unfolds over 24 days in Dallas, TX, with plenty of fun for the whole family, including the chance to ride this Ferris wheel – the largest in North America.
·
September 1st Fifteen
Sunday after Pentecost
·
Mon. September 2nd Labor
Day
·
September 4th MASS First
Wednesday
·
September 6th MASS First
Friday
·
September 7th MASS First
Saturday
·
September 8th Sixteenth
Sunday after Pentecost
o
Nativity
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
· Wed. September 11th Patriot Day
·
Sat. September 14th Feast
of the Holy Cross
·
September 15th Seventeenth
Sunday after Pentecost
·
Tue. September 17th Full
Harvest Moon
·
September 18th Ember
Wednesday fast
·
September 20nd Ember
Friday fast
·
Sat. September 21st Feast
of St. Matthew
o
Ember
Saturday fast
·
September 22nd Eighteenth
Sunday after Pentecost
·
Mon. September 23rd Padre
Pio
·
September 29th Nineteenth
Sunday after Pentecost
o Feast
of St. Michael the Archangel
[3] St. Michael and the Angels, Tan
Books, 1983.
AUGUST 31 Saturday
LOVE
LITIGATING LAWYERS DAY
Matthew,
Chapter 25, verse 24-25:
24 Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; 25so out of FEAR I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’
Christ is always trying to draw us away from fear to having a relationship of love and peace with the Trinity. For if we live our faith in fear, we will be like the person who buried his only talent. We must if filled with the love and joy of Christ go forth bravely to build Christ’s Kingdom in our own spheres of influence and in our way of being.
Ask our
Lord how he wants you to spend your time assisting our priests today.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Day 78
The signs of the kingdom of God
547 Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty
works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present
in him and attest that he was the promised Messiah.
548 The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has
sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he
grants what they ask. So, miracles strengthen faith in the One who does
his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his
miracles can also be occasions for "offence"; they are not
intended to satisfy people's curiosity or desire for magic Despite his evident
miracles some people reject Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of
demons.
549 By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of
hunger, injustice, illness and death, Jesus performed messianic signs.
Nevertheless, he did not come to abolish all evils here below, but to free
men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as
God's sons and causes all forms of human bondage.
550 The coming of God's kingdom means the defeat of
Satan's: "If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the
kingdom of God has come upon you." Jesus' exorcisms free some
individuals from the domination of demons. They anticipate Jesus' great victory
over "the ruler of this world". The kingdom of God will be
definitively established through Christ's cross: "God reigned from the
wood."
"The keys of the kingdom"
551 From the beginning of his public life Jesus chose
certain men, twelve in number, to be with him and to participate in his
mission. He gives the Twelve a share in his authority and 'sent them out
to preach the kingdom of God and to heal." They remain associated
forever with Christ's kingdom, for through them he directs the Church:
As my Father appointed a kingdom for me, so do I appoint
for you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
552 Simon Peter holds the first place in the college of the
Twelve; Jesus entrusted a unique mission to him. Through a revelation from
the Father, Peter had confessed: "You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God." Our Lord then declared to him: "You are Peter, and on
this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail
against it." Christ, the "living Stone", thus assures
his Church, built on Peter, of victory over the powers of death. Because of the
faith he confessed Peter will remain the unshakeable rock of the Church. His
mission will be to keep this faith from every lapse and to strengthen his
brothers in it.
553 Jesus entrusted a specific authority to Peter: "I
will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven." The "power of the keys" designates authority to
govern the house of God, which is the Church. Jesus, the Good Shepherd,
confirmed this mandate after his Resurrection: "Feed my
sheep." The power to "bind and loose" connotes the
authority to absolve sins, to pronounce doctrinal judgements, and to make
disciplinary decisions in the Church. Jesus entrusted this authority to the
Church through the ministry of the apostles and in particular through the
ministry of Peter, the only one to whom he specifically entrusted the keys of
the kingdom.
Love Litigating Lawyers Day
No matter how unpopular we generally consider them to be…or how unprincipled we believe them to be we are to love them for the sake of Christ. #LoveLitigatingLawyersDay
Our
National Principles[1]
Declaration
of Independence is in July and the Constitution is in September, let us once
again reflect on the marvelous principles underlying these two documents. The
following is a review of these principles together with a comment or a quote by
the Founders. Documentation may be found in The Five
Thousand Year Leap.
·
Principle 1–The only reliable basis
for sound government and just human relations is Natural Law.
Natural
law is God’s law. There are certain laws which govern the entire universe, and
just as Thomas Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence, there are
laws which govern in the affairs of men which are “the laws of nature and of
nature’s God.”
·
Principle 2–A free people cannot survive under a
republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong.
“Only
a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and
vicious, they have more need of masters.” – Benjamin Franklin
·
Principle 3–The most promising method
of securing a virtuous people is to elect virtuous leaders.
“Neither
the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and
happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is
the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its
virtue, and who … will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power
and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man.” – Samuel Adams
·
Principle 4–Without religion
the government of a free people cannot be maintained.
“Of
all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion
and morality are indispensable supports…. And let us with caution indulge the
supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.” – George
Washington
·
Principle 5–All things
were created by God, therefore upon him all mankind are equally dependent, and
to him they are equally responsible.
The
American Founding Fathers considered the existence of the Creator as the most
fundamental premise underlying all self-evident truth. They felt a person who
boasted he or she was an atheist had just simply failed to apply his or her
divine capacity for reason and observation.
·
Principle 6–All mankind
were created equal.
The
Founders knew that in these three ways, all mankind are theoretically treated
as:
- Equal before God.
- Equal before the law.
- Equal in their rights.
·
The Freedom to try.
·
The Freedom to buy.
·
The Freedom to sell.
·
The Freedom to fail.
·
Principle 7– The proper role of
government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.
The
Founders recognized that the people cannot delegate to their government any
power except that which they have the lawful right to exercise themselves.
·
Principle 8 – Mankind are
endowed by God with certain unalienable rights.
“Those
rights, then, which God and nature have established, and are therefore called
natural rights, such as are life and liberty, need not the aid of human laws to
be more effectually invested in every man than they are; neither do they
receive any additional strength when declared by the municipal [or state] laws
to be inviolable. On the contrary, no human legislation has power to abridge or
destroy them, unless the owner [of the right] shall himself commit some act
that amounts to a forfeiture.” – William Blackstone
·
Principle 9 – To protect human
rights, God has revealed a code of divine law.
“The
doctrines thus delivered we call the revealed or divine law, and they are to be
found only in the Holy Scriptures. These precepts, when revealed, are found by
comparison to be really a part of the original law of nature, as they tend in
all their consequences to man’s felicity.” – William Blackstone
·
Principle 10–The God-given
right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people.
“The
fabric of the American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the consent
of the people. The streams of national power ought to flow immediately from
that pure, original fountain of all legislative authority.” – Alexander
Hamilton
·
Principle 11–The majority
of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical.
“Prudence,
indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed
for light and transient causes … but when a long train of abuses and
usurpations … evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is
their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new
guards for their future security.” – Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of
Independence
·
Principle 12–The United States of America
shall be a republic.
“I
pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic
or which it stands….”
·
Principle 13–A Constitution should
protect the people from the frailties of their rulers.
“If
angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government
would be necessary…. [But lacking these] you must first enable the government
to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” –
James Madison
·
Principle 14–Life and liberty are
secure only so long as the rights of property are secure.
John
Locke reasoned that God gave the earth and everything in it to the whole human
family as a gift. Therefore, the land, the sea, the acorns in the forest, the
deer feeding in the meadow belong to everyone “in common.” However, the moment
someone takes the trouble to change something from its original state of
nature, that person has added his ingenuity or labor to make that change.
Herein lies the secret to the origin of “property rights.”
·
Principle 15–The highest level of prosperity
occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government
regulations.
Prosperity
depends upon a climate of wholesome stimulation with four basic freedoms (Speech-Worship-Want-Fear)
in operation.
·
Principle 16–The government
should be separated into three branches.
“I
call you to witness that I was the first member of the Congress who ventured to
come out in public, as I did in January 1776, in my Thoughts on Government … in
favor of a government with three branches and an independent judiciary. This
pamphlet, you know, was very unpopular. No man appeared in public to support it
but yourself.” – John Adams
·
Principle 17–A system of
checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power by the
different branches of government.
“It
will not be denied that power is of an encroaching nature and that it ought to
be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it.” – James
Madison
·
Principle 18 –The
unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the
principles of government are set forth in a written Constitution.
The
structure of the American system is set forth in the Constitution of the United
States and the only weaknesses which have appeared are those which were allowed
to creep in despite the Constitution.
·
Principle 19–Only limited and
carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being
retained by the people.
The
Tenth Amendment is the most widely violated provision of the bill of rights. If
it had been respected and enforced America would be an amazingly different
country than it is today. This amendment provides:
“The
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the
people.”
·
Principle 20–Efficiency and dispatch
require that the government operate according to the will of the majority, but
constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority.
“Every
man, by consenting with others to make one body politic under one government,
puts himself under an obligation to every one of that society to submit to the
determination of the majority, and to be concluded [bound] by it.” – John Locke
·
Principle 21–Strong local
self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom.
“The
way to have good and safe government is not to trust it all to one, but to
divide it among the many, distributing to everyone exactly the functions he is
competent [to perform best]. – Thomas Jefferson
·
Principle 22–A free people should be
governed by law and not by the whims of men.
“The
end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.
For in all the states of created beings, capable of laws, where there is no law
there is no freedom. For liberty is to be free from restraint and violence of
others, which cannot be where there is no law.” – John Locke
·
Principle 23–A free society cannot
survive as a republic without a broad program of general education.
“They
made an early provision by law that every town consisting of so many families
should be always furnished with a grammar school. They made it a crime for such
a town to be destitute of a grammar schoolmaster for a few months and subjected
it to a heavy penalty. So that the education of all ranks of people was made
the care and expense of the public, in a manner that I believe has been unknown
to any other people, ancient or modern. The consequences of these
establishments we see and feel every day [written in 1765]. A native of America
who cannot read and write is as rare … as a comet or an earthquake.” John Adams
·
Principle 24–A free people
will not survive unless they stay strong.
“To
be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” –
George Washington
· Principle 25-Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations — entangling alliances with none.”-Thomas Jefferson, given in his first inaugural address.
·
Principle 26 –The core unit which
determines the strength of any society is the family; therefore, the government
should foster and protect its integrity.
“There
is certainly no country in the world where the tie of marriage is more
respected than in America, or where conjugal happiness is more highly or
worthily appreciated.” Alexis de Tocqueville
·
Principle 27–The burden of debt is as
destructive to human freedom as subjugation by conquest.
“We
are bound to defray expenses [of the war] within our own time and are
unauthorized to burden posterity with them…. We shall all consider ourselves
morally bound to pay them ourselves and consequently within the life
[expectancy] of the majority.” – Thomas Jefferson
·
Principle 28–The United States
has a manifest destiny to eventually become a glorious example of God’s law
under a restored Constitution that will inspire the entire human race.
The
Founders sensed from the very beginning that they were on a divine mission.
Their great disappointment was that it didn’t all come to pass in their day,
but they knew that someday it would. John Adams wrote:
“I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth.”
·
Unite yourself in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: An End to Addictions
·
Saturday Litany of the Hours
Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: August
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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