Pope Benedict XVI to Resign - Prayer for the Election of a New Pope

I find myself crying, with few words on this occasion... Pope Benedict XVI announced today that he plans on resigning the papal office on February 28. His full statement is below:

"Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

"Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer." (from Irish Catholic Newspaper 02/11/2013)

God our Father,

You are the Eternal Shepherd.  You protect and guide your Church from age to age.

Pour out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon your people 

and fill those entrusted with the election of a new  Pope 

with the wisdom and understanding to know your will.

In your mercy, grant your Church a shepherd who will walk in your ways and be an 

example of goodness 

so that your people may come to know and live more fully the gospel of your Son, 

our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God 

forever and ever.

Prayer for the Faithful Departed

By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Eternal memory. Eternal memory. Grant to your servant(s), O Lord, blessed repose and eternal memory.

Rosary in Honor of St. Joseph, Patron Saint of Fathers

This can be said with a regular rosary. Instead of the Hail Mary, say the Hail Holy Joseph:

Hail, Holy Joseph, spouse of the ever virgin Mary, foster father of God the Son, whom our Father in Heaven chose to be head of the Holy Family, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Joyful Mysteries:

1. The Annunciation of Joseph
2. The birth of Jesus
3. The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus
4. The Presentation of the baby Jesus in the Temple
5. The finding of the boy Jesus in the Temple

Sorrowful Mysteries:

1. Joseph's spouse Mary is found to be with child
2. The journey to Bethlehem
3. Joseph flees to Egypt with Mary and Jesus
4. Jesus is lost in Jerusalem
5. The death of Joseph

Glorious Mysteries:

1.  The Glorification of St. Joseph
2. St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church
3. St. Joseph, protector of Families
4. St. Joseph, Patron of the Sick and Suffering
5. St. Joseph, Patron of a Holy Death

Why Freemasonry is not compatible with Christianity

Most people, even many Masons, incorrectly believe that Masonry is merely a fraternal order, like the Lions Club, Elks Club, etc. Masonry expressly denies it is a religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Freemasonry is a non-Christian occult religion that teaches a different way to salvation and considers Jesus, Buddha, Confucius, and all spiritual leaders to be only messengers of "The Grand Architect of the Universe". The Grand Architect is not just another term for Jehovah. Freemasonry teaches that there are two basic Gods: Adonay, the god of the Christians, a god of evil and Lucifer, a separate god of good. Freemasonry considers the religious scriptures of all religions to be equally valid.


Papacy and Freemasonry, a Speech by Monseigneur Jouin, December 8, 1930



Papacy and Freemasonry, those are the two powers active throughout the world and each is seeking to dominate it. The solution of the struggle taking place between them is, at the present moment of the utmost importance; for we are face to face not only with the crossroads of history but also with a radical transformation of humanity itself. Either Roman Catholicism will lift us up again to the level of Christian civilization or else Judeo-Masonry will drag us down the path of barbarism and decadent paganism. The whole world oscillates between the two: Christianism and Paganism. On December 8th, 1892, Pope Leo XIII wrote to the Italian Episcopal Hierarchy: "It is necessary to fight Freemasonry with those weapons of divine faith which in past ages vanquished paganism."


Moreover the Papacy and Judeo-Masonry are both so fully conscious of the diametrically opposed parts that they are playing that they assume that from it must issue the political, economic, intellectual and religious future of individuals as well as of nations. It is a fact and the better proof of it is their irreducible antagonism toward each other.


What is, indeed, Judeo-Masonry today if not the concentration and mobilization of all evil forces? This Sect with its threefold claim of being Counter-Church (against the Church), Counter-State (against the State) and Counter-Morality (against traditional morality) takes pride in being above all and for all times the enemy of the Catholic Church; one of its rallying calls is that of Tigrotto, one of the Alta Vendita chiefs who, in 1822, proclaimed: "Catholicism must be destroyed throughout the whole world." With Tigrotto also the anti-Catholic plan is expressed thus: "Let us conspire only against Rome." Is this not expressed in an identical manner in the German "Los Von Rom" or in the English: "No Popery?"


Monseigneur Gay, having been assigned by the Council of the Vatican the duty of writing "A Memorandum on Secret Societies," gave the following striking definition of Freemasonry: "It is evident that in a general way, this doctrine of Freemasonry is not only a heresy, nor even the totality of all heresies, which find in it a haven; it is a fact that Masonry goes beyond the limits of what constitutes what is generally ascribed to the word 'heresy,' for it allows full play to the commission of outrageous perversion. Freemasonry is indeed the abyss of all errors, the well of perdition."


From Pope Benedict XIV


From the outset, before the 18th century, under the efforts of Masonry which sank us into the horrors of the French Revolution, the Sect had been unmasked by the Popes and exposed before the eyes of the Catholics with its odious triple shame of Counter-Morality, Counter-State, and above all, Counter-Church. Let a Freemason, F. Limousin, in his first number of the Masonic Review called "L'ACACIA," of October, 1902, using the pen-name of Hiram, gives the following characteristic definition: "Freemasonry is an association . . . an institution . . . so it is said . . . but it is not that at all. Let us lift up all the veils, risking even to evoke numberless protestations. Freemasonry is a church: It is the Counter-Church, Counter-Catholicism: It is the other church -- the church of heresy, of Freethought; The Catholic Church is considered as the arch-type church, the first church, church of dogmatism and of orthodoxy."


Freemasonry is not compatible with Christianity!


The Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church prohibits Masons from becoming members of their church. The Nazarene Church has banned from its membership any person who is a member of a secret organization. Ever since 1728 Catholics have been prohibited from joining the Masons. That stance was reaffirmed by the Vatican in 1985 with a pronouncement that any Catholic who joins the Masons is "in a state of grave sin and cannot partake in Holy Communion." (In Catholicism, this means that if the person dies without repenting he will go to Hell.)


The British Methodist Church condemned Masonry at its General Assembly in 1985. The Assembly acted on a report of its Faith and Order Committee. That report, entitled Freemasonry & Methodism, outlined the occultic nature of Masonry in detail. The report concluded with these words: "There is a great danger the Christian who becomes a Freemason will find himself compromising his Christian beliefs or his allegiance to Christ, perhaps without realizing what he is doing."



PARTIAL LIST OF CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS THAT CONDEMN MASONRY

Methodist Church of England


Wesleyan Methodist Church


Russian Orthodox Church


Assemblies of God


Church of the Nazarene


Orthodox Presbyterian Church


Reformed Presbyterian Church


Evangelical Mennonite Church


Church of Scotland


Grace Brethren


Roman Catholic Church


Christian Reformed Church in America


Synod Anglican Church of England


Free Church of Scotland


General Association of Regular Baptist Churches


Independent Fundamentalist Churches of America


The Evangelical Lutheran Synod


Baptist Union of Scotland


Lutheran Church Missouri Synod


Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod


Presbyterian Church in America

And he put on cursing, like a garment...

Profanity

I would like to preface this blog post by saying that I am in no way shape or form attempting to make excuses for my own shortfalls, behaviors, faults, or choices in life, as these experiences (good, bad, or otherwise) have helped to make me who I am today. As I have mentioned before I, and my wife, are converts to the Catholic faith. As a child I was raised Christian (mostly) but for the majority of my adult life before my conversion, my religion was my Motorcycle Club. Now, don't worry, I'm not going to go into a three hour road-trip down memory lane and recant old war-stories about adult establishments and fist fights, but I will say that is is a culture built on vulgarity, profanity, violence, power and the use of illicit substances. It's members worship the lifestyle, and swear loyalty and allegiance upon pain of death! ( Insert hyperbole here) And I was among it's most devout. 

So, coming into the Catholic Church (no I was not drug in kicking and screaming) from that particular walk of life, coupled with the fact that my wife and I were about to have our first child, presented a very unique and challenging set of circumstances and trials of which to overcome. Most of them I tackled with the ferocity of a linebacker, a Soldier of God, clad in the armor of Christ fighting for his own soul! Drugs, gone! Reckless Abandon, gone! Seedy back-alley "gentlemen" clubs, gone! Bigotry, gone! Booze, mostly gone!... Well, you get my point. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that "It is in the bosom of the family that parents are “by word and example... the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children. It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way “by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity.” Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and “a school for human enrichment." The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason the family home is rightly called “the domestic church,” a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.

Suddenly I had come to the realization that all of these things that I had been indoctrinated into believing were the very foundation of my human freedom, were actually the antithesis of true freedom in Christ. -- Chief among these was, and for me still is, the use of profanity, especially the relegation of almost anything objectionable to me to damnation, and demanding as much in the Name of God the Father Almighty. I had let go of most of my old vices, addictions, and downright nasty habits, as easily as slipping out of an old dirty shirt  --  "And he loved cursing, and it shall come unto him: and he would not have blessing, and it shall be far from him. And he put on cursing, like a garment" ( Psalm 108) Now I have a duty not only to myself, but to my God, my wife, and my children, and the use of profanity in my everyday vernacular has certainly proven itself to be the most difficult to kick. 

While listening to Right Here, Right Now – With Patrick Madrid, speak on the topic, he mentioned that he had a friend that stopped using profanity "cold turkey" upon his conversion to Christianity. I commend this man wholeheartedly, and admittedly feel a degree of envy, as my own efforts to curb the vulgarities that sometimes ( more often than I usually realize) spew from the deepest recesses of my Cro-magnon, testosterone-laden brain, have continually fallen short.


That's not to say that there hasn't been significant improvement over time, that being said time and  again I find myself falling onto that old trap, and have found it both necessary and beneficial to employ numerous strategies in my struggle against cursing, from crossing myself immediately after cursing, to instituting various self-imposed penalties, replacing curse words with less offensive --or even silly ones, to reciting the Divine Praises, and other prayers several times a day. These tools have all been helpful, in that I am able to turn an instance of weakness and sin instantly into a moment of grace and growth. 

Recently I came across a homily that was about cursing, more specifically Reverence for the Holy Name of God, which regrettably seems to be my poison of choice, it had this to say on the topic; "We have heard his holy name not used with reverence in Films or music, perhaps even in common conversation with friends.  We should do our best to eliminate those things in our life the simulate this lack of fear for God, even if they are persons." When I read that, my first thought were those of guffaw, I mean what excessive lengths, and what a heavy burden to be charged with, but looking back over the last few years, that is exactly what I have done, and with good reason.

As I stated earlier (and have touched on in past posts) I have a duty not just to myself, but to my family as well. God saw fit to entrust me with the precious souls of some of His children, and one fine day I will be required to give an account for those souls. With this always in the back of my mind, I feel it is my responsibility to fulfill the most important duty of fatherhood, that is their spiritual instruction, and personally I feel that one is unworthy of giving such instruction with filth hanging off of his lips. In the Gospel of Luke we read; "Which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?" My point is, being the vulgar, wretched, sinner that I am, I still wish to provide my family with good gifts rather than poison. 

I will close with this, a prayer in which I have found much solace and strength, especially in times of weakness,

Lord Jesus, you told us to learn of you because you are meek and humble of heart. Teach me your way of meekness that I may control my, mind, my heart, my tongue.
Give me the manly calm and self control needed to be an example and inspiration to my family.
Help me to be a considerate husband -- to be a true comfort to my wife... and never quarreling or peevish. May I be at all times sympathetic, and may my words never be bitter or bring her sorrow. May I always be understanding, unselfish, and thoughtful in sharing with her the family problems. Let me be ready to conciliate differences with understanding and never be domineering.
Teach me to be a patient father to my children, inspiring them always by my word and example. May my words always be words that direct and help them, and never words that wound. When I must correct them, let it not be in anger. And when I must be firm in my corrections, let me never be crude or harsh.
Let me never use rude or impatient words before my wife or children, nor display any uncontrolled or ill-considered action, which must certainly be a reproach to me afterwards when I contemplate the gentleness and calm of Your meek and humble heart. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like unto Thine!

Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father, Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.



CCC chapter 3 article 7, 1656, 1657, 1666

Hero Worship

Hero Worship

Recently much attention (bordering on deification) has been lavished upon President Obama, especially by the main stream media, various pop-stars, Hollywood elitists, and other media personalities, such as Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx calling Barack Obama "our lord and savior." last weekend. In November 2010, Newsweek declared him "god of all things" on its cover, and again this week referring to him as "The Second Coming"  During the 2012 DNC, one could purchase a poster that called Obama "Prophesy fulfilled," and a calendar that compared Obama to Jesus Christ. In light of these instances, I wanted to touch on Americas insatiable lust for and rapidly growing addiction to hero-worship, and how it affects our faith, families, and personal lives.

This isn't an issue that is relegated exclusively to our world leaders, kings, presidents, and prime ministers. One only needs to pick up the sport-page of their local weekend edition newspaper to come to the conclusion that this year's Superbowl will outrival the Revolutionary War.  Likewise, the Average-Joe is enchanted, roused, and called to arms, every time a school teacher, or blue collar laborer asks for better working conditions or another dollar, while the heroes of the screen and stadium are pampered and revered, and showered with millions of dollars to blow through frivolously.

Ed Willock once wrote, "The Church canonizes a few saints every year; the daily press canonizes a few living heroes every day... Secular heroism revolves around the sensational, the bizarre, the anarchic... attitudes toward heroes and heroism  that seriously contradict notions that are basic to Christianity. For example Christianity teaches that a perfectibility has been made attainable to all men as a result of Christ's becoming our Brother and dying for us... and that all men are obliged to strive for this perfection."

Now it may take some serious effort and intense discernment on our part to make some distinctions here, Christianity requisitions a kind of heroism that is universal and enduring, and is achievable by absolutely everyone. Whilst secular heroism comes not from God, but from overenthusiastic human praise.

If we confuse Christian heroism with it's secular counterpart, we endow sainthood with certain romantic features, ultimately assigning it almost magical, unattainable properties, as an excuse for feeling no urge to have the effort and drive to amend our lives to its call. However the truth of the matter is that the heroics of sanctity are concerned with the pedestrian and the ordinary. Christ Himself suffered. He suffered indignation, ingratitude, and death, all of which are the common lot of the everyday man.

Christian heroics have little-to-nothing to do with RBI's, Oscars, Superbowl rings, or number of ballots cast. It usually deals with child-bearing, earning an honest living, suffering pain, and bearing ingratitude. Those people, the ones who know the value of family, the ones who see the greater good that can come from their hardships, and endure the common drudgery of common life -- Those who hold Christ as their Hero, those are the ones whom I wish to admire and emulate.


Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father, Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.

PRAYER AGAINST EVERY EVIL - Very Powerful

PRAYER AGAINST EVERY EVIL - Very Powerful

Heavenly Father, I love You, I praise You, and I worship You. I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Who won victory over sin and death for my salvation. I thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit Who empowers me, guides me, and leads me into fullness of life. I thank you for Mary, my Heavenly Mother, who intercedes with the holy angels and saints for me.

Lord Jesus Christ, I place myself at the foot of Your cross and ask You to cover me with Your Precious Blood which pours forth from Your Most Sacred Heart and Your Most Holy Wounds. Cleanse me, my Jesus, in the living water that flows from Your Heart. I ask You to surround me, Lord Jesus, with Your Holy Light.


Heavenly Father, let the healing waters of my baptism now flow back through the maternal and paternal generations to purify my family line of satan and sin. I come before You, Father, and ask forgiveness for myself, my relatives, and my ancestors, for any calling upon powers that set themselves up in opposition to You or that do not offer true honor to Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Holy Name, I now reclaim any territory that was handed over to satan and place it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

By the power of Your Holy Spirit, reveal to me, Father, any people I need to forgive and any areas of unconfessed sin. Reveal aspects of my life that are not pleasing to You, Father, ways that have given or could give satan a foothold in my life. Father, I give to You any unforgiveness; I give to You my sins; and, I give to You all ways that satan has a hold of my life. Thank You, for Your forgiveness and Your love.

Lord Jesus, in Your Holy Name, I bind all evil spirits of the air, water, ground, underground, and netherworld. I further bind, in Jesus' Name, any and all emissaries of the satanic headquarters and claim the Precious Blood of Jesus on the air, atmosphere, water, ground and their fruits around us, the underground and the netherworld below.

Heavenly Father, allow Your Son Jesus to come now with the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy angels and the saints to protect me from all harm and to keep all evil spirits from taking revenge on me in any way.

(Repeat the following sentence three times: once in honor of the Father, once in honor of the Son, and once in honor of the Holy Spirit.)

In the Holy Name of Jesus, I seal myself, my relatives, this room (place, home, church, car, plane, etc...), and all sources of supply in the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ.
(To break and dissolve all satanic seals, repeat the following paragraph three times in honor of the Holy Trinity because satanic seals are places three times to blaspheme the Holy Trinity.)

In the Holy Name of Jesus, I break and dissolve any and all curses, hexes, spells, snares, traps, lies, obstacles, deceptions, diversions, spiritual influences, evil wishes, evil desires, hereditary seals, known and unknown, and every dysfunction and disease from any source including my mistakes and sins. In Jesus' Name, I sever the transmission of any and all satanic vows, pacts, spiritual bonds, soul ties, and satanic works. In Jesus' Name, I break and dissolve any and all links and effects of links with: astrologers; bohmos; channelers; charters; clairvoyants; crystal healers; crystals; fortune tellers; mediums; the New Age Movement; occult seers; palm, tea leaf, or tarot card readers; psychics; santeros; satanic cults; spirit guides; witches; witchdoctors; and, Voodoo. In Jesus' Name, I dissolve all effects of participation in seances and divination, ouija boards, horoscopes, occult games of all sorts, and any form of worship that does not offer true honor to Jesus Christ.

Holy Spirit, please reveal to me through word of knowledge any evil spirits that have attached themselves to me in any way. (Pause and wait for words to come to you, such as: anger, arrogance, bitterness, brutality, confusion, cruelty, deception, envy, fear, hatred, insecurity, jealousy, pride, resentment, or terror. Pray the following for each of the spirits revealed.)

In the Name of Jesus, I rebuke you spirit of _________________. I command to go directly to Jesus, without manifestation and without harm to me or anyone, so that He can dispose of you according to His Holy Will.

I thank You, Heavenly Father for Your Love. I thank You, Holy Spirit for empowering me to be aggressive against satan and evil spirits. I thank You, Jesus, for setting me free. I thank You, Mary, for interceding for me with the holy angels and the saints.

Lord Jesus, fill me with charity, compassion, faith, gentleness, hope, humility, joy, kindness, light, love, mercy, modesty, patience, peace, purity, security, tranquility, trust, truth, understanding, and wisdom. Help me to walk in Your Light and Truth, illuminated by the Holy Spirit so that together we may praise, honor, and glorify Our Father in time and in eternity. For You, Lord Jesus, are, "...the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and You "...have come that we might have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
"God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior" (Isaiah 12:2).

Amen. Alleluia. Amen.

On All Saint's: I saw a great multitude!

The Apocalypse Of Saint John (Revelation) 7:9-10

After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands: And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb.

Sermon on All Saint's Day: http://www.audiosancto.org/sermon/20061101-All-Saints-Day.html

All Saints' Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In the Western calendar it is the day after Halloween and the day before All Souls' Day.
In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Catholic Church and many Anglican churches, the next day specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Christians who celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day do so in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual bond between those in purgatory (the 'Church Suffering'), those in heaven (the 'church triumphant'), and the living (the 'church militant').

*From Wikipedia

A little more history and information on All Saint's Day from Catholic.org; http://www.catholic.org/saints/allsaints/

Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God,

today we rejoice in the holy men and women

of every time and place.

May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

But they do not make themselves devils, for they really are so

Halloween is coming, and regardless of what the actual origins are, or our (Catholics) actual beliefs and practices are surrounding the feast days at the end of this month, the secular world has a firm grip on this Holy-Day. It has become synonymous with children, laughter, costumes, and candy...  But on a much more malevolent level Old Scratch, that is the Devil(s), also has a firm and desperate grip on the hearts and minds of man this time of year.

There is no mistaking that there is a veil of spookiness that seems to surround us come October. The air is cool and crisp, and seems to invoke goosebumps by its very presence. The days become shorter so darkness and shadows are seen to fall and dance about everywhere, and we have a propensity to let our imaginations run wild. Humans are bonafide romantics, and make no mistake about it, The great Deceiver and his minions are quick to take advantage of our human condition and are happy to nudge those active imaginations along, provided the outcome is ultimately taking credit and adoration from its rightful owner!

I will be the first to admit that I have a very active imagination, and it LOVES to be fed, and one of my mind's favorite flights-of-fancy is a good old fashioned fright! I love ghost stories, and books and movies about haunting, and poltergeists, possession, and just about anything supernatural or paranormal. But that's where it has to end for me, as a flight of fancy. As a Catholic, I know that these things are all to real, and to play around with any of them (seance, ouija, etc.) is to invite evil into my life, family and home. I have said before in past posts that as a Christian father and husband, I am accountable for the souls of those The Father has seen fit to entrust me with, and for too many, the false guarantees and misguided rewards that the diabolical ones promise to people who fall into these traps, do not outweigh the eternal salvation promised us by the Blood of the Crucified.

On discussing spiritism and the calling up of the dead, In his book The Devil, Does He Exist and What Does He Do? Father Delaporte of the Society of Mercy says;
"When the spirits... are asked to indicate their name and quality, they very frequently declare themselves to be the soul of such and such a dead person, and if invoked under that name, they willingly answer. On this account it is that a numerous class of spiritualists deny the existence of pure spirits, good or bad, and replace them by the souls of the departed.
We are far from denying the possibility of apparitions of the dead. The history, even of Catholicity, presents examples enough of such apparitions. St. Peter appears to Attila, and frightens him; St. Aloysius Gonzagua appears to St. Catherine in the splendor of celestial glory... Holy Scripture itself relates the apparition of Samuel to Saul, that of Onias and Jeremiah to Judas Maccabeus, and that of the Crucified to Paul, on the road to Damascus.
Evocation is not even condemned if it be inspired by God, and effected in His name. The Roman Breviary relates a memorable example thereof, on the day of the 7th of May, Feast of St. Stanislaus, Bishop. Poland had for her king Boleslaus, whome the saint had deeply offended, by publicly reproving his notorious misconduct. The prince, in a solemn assembly of the kingdom, cited the bishop before him, as the wrongful possessor of a small farm, bought in the name of his Church. The title deeds were wanting; the witnesses did not dare to speak. Stanislaus promises that, in three days, he will bring the original owner of the farm, who was dead three years. The promise is greeted with laughter (as it would be now;) but the man of God, after three days fasting and prayer, orders the farmer to rise from his sepulchre. The latter comes to life again, follows the bishop to court, and before the king and his terror-stricken courtiers, declares that he really sold his field to the bishop, and was by him paid... he then slept again in the Lord."

"Relations between this world and the world beyond the tomb are not impossible; but the illusion of the spiritists consists in persuading themselves that by means of certain formula the barrier which has hitherto separated them can be broken down. This error dates from the highest antiquity. It is noticed by St Agustine in these terms: "Those spirits are deceivers, not by nature, but by malice. They make themselves gods and souls of the departed, but they do not make themselves devils, for they really are so." (City of God, X, ii.)"



Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father, Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.

This Week in Catholic Dadma:

Alas, Pipe Dreams is going to be off line for the weekend, but don't fret! We shall return in triumphant Glory next week! until then, for you reading pleasure, please review this week in Catholic Dadma;


Jesus did in fact found a CHURCH on earth. 
Thursday, January 12, 2012

It's okay to be a kid at heart... Some of the time. 
Thursday, January 12, 2012

If it was good enough for Mary and Jesus, it's good enough.  
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

There is more to our wonderful religion then just Christmas and Easter.
Sunday, January 8, 2012

Always show respect for the faithful departed.
Saturday, January 7, 2012



Exercise fraternal charity in the union of the whole Church.
Thursday, January 5, 2012

To be 'Jesus Yes, Church No' Shows Your Lack of Faith in Christ.

"And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he may hold the primacy." (Col 1:18 DRV)

You CAN NOT be anti-church/ (anti religious institution) and still love Christ. Christianity is belief in Christ and as such belief in Christ is a religion. So unless you just believe that Jesus was a cool dude and said some cool stuff but isn’t the son of god then, you are religious. You may not be pious but you are religious none the less. Religion is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary  as “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” How does one say that they love Christ but dislike the Church when it was Jesus himself that created The Church “And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18 DRV). The same Christ that you profess was the son of god just told you that there is a church and therefore a religion. The religion is that of following Christ, also commonly known as Christianity.”Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. ” (John 14:6 DRV) The ‘Jesus yes, Christianity no’ crowd is absurd within the context of Christ’s mission that was himself. By taking Jesus away from Church one is making there own brand of Jesus to fit the individual. This is creating a false god (see first commandment).

The Idea of ‘Jesus Yes and Church No’ is simply a way that the person can still feel like they are a religious person but they don’t feel like they need to follow any sort of moral code. What they feel is right and what they think is wrong is wrong. Never mind what Christ actually said about that subject because that person is living here and now and obviously knows better then GOD about such things.

The lack of responsibility and lack of acknowledgement in an authority that can govern moral issues is one of the greatest downfalls of the last half of the 20th century, and it continues today. This comes from the idea that no man is in charge of me, and I will make my own rules. This is a self defeating proposition. Because of this you see the raise of co-habitation, lack of meaningful marriages, increase in divorces, acceptance of gay marriage and other ideas that are today permeated as “okay” when in fact they are simply wrong and go against the very core of what the bible, and therefore God himself has to say. So again we come to the question of who knows better, you or God?

There is no Christ without his Church, the Church, guided by and through the Holy Spirit, is the Bride of Christ. It was instituted by Christ, for the followers of Christ. To deny this is to deny a very act of God. For this is not a mere human institution, but a Divine one. For as Christ said to Saul; “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (ACTS 22:7 DRV). Why would Christ say this when Saul was persecuting the Church not Jesus? Jesus was already at the right hand of the Father when he appeared before Saul.

May you come to understand Christ by following Him in everything that He said, not just in what you want to hear. Being a Christian is not an easy thing, it was never meant to be easy. To pick up your crosses and follow him is a hard life to live, but in the end eternal life is better than what awaits us if we choose our own way. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 2:6-10 DRV).

Blake Quick

Just a Simple Catholic

And the paps that gave thee suck!

I wanted to address what seems to be a "Hot Button" issue as of late, that is breastfeeding. My dearly Beloved has been lucky in the fact that she has received tremendous support from myself and other close relations and acquaintances in regards to her decision to nurse both of our sons. That's not to say that it hasn't been a struggle from time to time, (for her, me, and our children) sure there has been the occasional snide remark, lude comment, dirty look and general ignorance, but she has a special style of grace and passion that allows her to be modest, enlightening, nurturing, and informative towards others who harbor such disgust and ignorance towards something she sees both as part of her vocation as a wife and mother and part of God's natural design. 


Through loads of personal research, and countless hours logged in forums, mothering communities, facebook groups, pouring over articles, stories, and news sources, we have discovered that other women aren't so lucky. Almost every other day it seems (in the U.S. alone) that some poor mother is being harassed or discriminated against, in spite of state laws, by medical professionals, in restaurants and stores, by friends and family, and even celebrities and public officials. 

For me, this falls under the category of just one more thing that society has perverted and corrupted to the point of mass stupidity. As Catholic men, we need to be prepared, educated, compassionate and supportive of the women in our lives, especially when it comes to nursing. First so we show them that we are there to learn and grow too. Second, so that we are prepared to defend the honor and God given right and duty of these women (and children) when the waiter asks them to "feed their child in the bathroom," gross! You eat in the bathroom, and to have the appropriate response when the on-call physician tells her that she will ultimately "suffocate your child."  


I have said this in a previous post and I will probably repeat it again but, someday each and every one of us will have to give account to God for the souls he has entrusted to our care, As men of faith, that should include our spouses. My decision to support my wife on this subject boils down to two things;


1. Mutual respect: I wouldn't be where I am today without her efforts, it is my obligation to help her navigate as well.


2. Faith. this is the big one, and we try to (admittedly failing from time to time) govern and dictate all of our life's decisions on Faith, Tradition and Church teaching.


As my wife so often affirms, "If it was good enough for Mary and Jesus, it is good enough for me and my children." I know that is overly simplified, however it did the trick for me and ultimately garnered my support. Of course Mary would have nursed Jesus, they didn't have similac 2000+ years ago! Even he world's oldest-known image of Mary depicts her nursing the Infant Jesus, in the Catacomb of Priscilla, in Rome. Also she often likes to reflect on the fact that God, being outside time, could have picked anywhere, or any-when He wanted to be the bet time and place for His son to be made flesh and he picked a time and place where according to Jewish Law (to my understanding)  that breastfeeding is halachically encouraged, especially for the first two years of life. Up to the age of two, if a child has ceased nursing, he may resume breastfeeding even if he has only nursed for a few months or has never nursed. Above the age of two and until the child's fourth birthday (or if the child particularly needs it, the fifth birthday), nursing may be continued (but not initiated); however, anytime a healthy child above the age of two does not wish to nurse for 72 hours, breastfeeding may not be resumed. Expressed breastmilk is kosher even for older children or adults.


Pope Pius XII urged Catholic mothers, if at all possible, to nourish their children themselves "And so you will make it your special care in the treatment of your child to observe the prescriptions of a perfect hygiene, so that when it comes to the use of reason its bodily organs and faculties will be healthy and robust and free from distorted tendencies. This is the reason why, except where it is quite impossible, it is most desirable that the mother should feed her child at her own breast. Who shall say what mysterious influences are exerted upon the growth of that little creature by the mother upon whom it depends entirely for its development!"
And in another encyclical stated "It is a sorrow and a shame to have to mention and confess that even among Catholics, false doctrines on the dignity of woman, on marriage and the family, on conjugal fidelity and divorce, even on life and death, have stealthily infiltrated souls, and like gnawing worms have attacked the roots of the Christian family and of the Christian ideals of womanhood."


In ~Pope John Paul the II Address On Breastfeeding he says, “…[Breastfeeding]  benefits the child and helps to create the closeness and maternal bonding so necessary for healthy child development.  So human and natural is this bond that the Psalms use the image of the infant at its mother’s breast as a picture of God’s care for man…therefore the theme is of interest to the Church, called as she is to concern herself with the sanctity of life and of the family."


There are dozens of reference to nursing in scripture, here are a couple of passages;


"That you may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her consolations: that you may milk out, and flow with delights, from the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace... which you shall suck; you shall be carried at the breasts, end upon the knees they shall caress you."
~Isaias 66:11-12 DRV


"And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck."
~Luke 11:27 DRV




"As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation: If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet."
~1Peter 2:2-3


Further the Family is the "Domestic Church" From the beginning, the Church was formed from believers "and their whole household." New believers wanted their family to be saved (Acts 18:8 DRV).
In our modern world (often hostile to religion), religious families are extremely important centers of living faith. They are "domestic churches" in which the parents are the first heralds of faith. In the home, father, mother, and children exercise their baptismal priesthood in a privileged way. The home is the first school of the Christian life where all learn love, repeated forgiveness, and prayerful worship. In the Domestic Church, the Father, as head of the family, represents the Head of the Church, which is Jesus. As such, it is my responsibility to be their support and guidance and to help shepherd them spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The Mother represents the Church Herself, the Bride of Christ, and as such it is her responsibility to provide us with nourishment and strength, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. As a Husband and Father I want my family to learn and practice this wholeheartedly, and what better way to do so than by encouraging, and supporting what Our Blessed Mother knew what was good enough for her child, what Popes and Tradition support, and what Sacred Scripture affirms is part of God the Creator's plan for all men, women and children, and applying this plan applies to every area of our lives? God's plan includes conception, childbirth and the nurturing of babies.

Paul Kemp Jr. 

Devoted Husband, Loving Father,Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.

Theophany Road Less Traveled

So as we look back on the epiphany of the lord this year it reminds me of the road that we travel and must Continue to do so. For as the kings followed a star to an unknown place, so to is it for the person seeking the truth. Whether you are a practicing Catholic, a lapsed Catholic or a convert to the faith, we must (like the three kings of old) give up everything to follow the light that is Christ.

And while we may not have gold or frankincense to offer, we all have ourselves to offer to the Lord. That is what He wants, not that we so much offer material things although we do; but  that we sacrifice for Him and and in return God will give us crosses. Crosses that we must pick up and carry daily.

I think that is very important especially with the Christmas season. We must continue all year, every day, every hour and every minute... to remember that we must all bear our crosses. There is more to our wonderful religion then just Christmas and Easter.

For Eastern Catholics this feast is known as the Theophany or the Revelation of God to man. I think that we can take that to heart. With the Christmas season winding down and all the ornaments put up till next year, a sense of calm may start to permeate, and as the season wanes so does our excitement. We must not let this happen! For Christ has come to the world! Rejoice in that fact and as a Catholic rejoice that you may actually see the Lord face to face!

So as the three kings traveled to see our Lord and offer what they had, I implore you to do the same. Get in your car or walk, but take the couple minutes to go see our Blessed Lord in adoration and offer to Him everything you are. For when you do this, you are holy. May God bless you all.

Blake Quick ~ Catholicdadma.blogspot.com

The Martyered Crown

A Facebook acquaintance of mine posted this link along with the following statement,
"Isn't it nice to see the martyred saints are so comfy while people in all parts of the world suffer?" which i find inappropriate and offensive. Have some respect for the faithful departed.

First I want to point out that the 17th century wasn't exactly the easiest of times, and for people to have this much love, respect and reverence for the departed in the face of such suffering (I personally think) shows the Christlike compassion He expects us to have towards one another.

Second, this statement acknowledges that they are MARTYRED saints, which would imply (at least history has shown) that they SUFFERED fairly horrifying deaths which most likely weren't very "Comfy"

Third, Christians didn't exactly start the trend of caring for the dead, this has been done in one shape or form in every culture and faith, it is human nature to want to see our deceased loved ones in a state of comfort, rest, and peace.

Further, I have heard people all over the place (especially on social networking sites) complaining about the sad state of the poor and suffering, yet when was the last time you actually did anything to comfort the afflicted? When was the last time you did any of the corporal works of mercy; To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To harbour the harbourless; To visit the sick; To ransom the captive; To bury the DEAD? It seems to me (and Holy Mother Church thinks so too, as she is the largest charitable organization in the world, providing relief services, schooling, clothing, food, medicine and shelter to the suffering all over the world) that the world would be a much more "comfy" place if more of us showed more actual tangible compassion towards our fellow man. You may not be able to take care of "people in all parts of the world" but I would venture to guess that there is a shelter, nursing home, jail, soup kitchen, or hospital in your community. 

This Divine command is set forth in the most stringent terms by Christ, and the failure to comply with it is visited with the supreme penalty of eternal damnation (Matthew 25:41): "Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, in everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you covered me not; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me", etc. Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said, ‎"Not always but sometimes criticism is the outcome of an incapacity to produce, or a defense against one's own inferiority. The habit of criticism is the best indication of an incomplete life." So log off of twitter and facebook and do something other than criticize and complain, be superior, be complete, be charitable, be a Saint.

Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father, Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.

Jewelled Skeletons, 1600s

 ‘Taken from the catacombs of Rome in the 17th century, the relics of twelve martyred saints were then attired in the regalia of the period before being interred in a remote church on the German/Czech border.’

 St. Alexander

St. Deodatus

St. Gratian

 St. Maximinus

 St. Maximus

 St. Theodosius

St. Victorius

St. Vitalian

 

All ye holy men and women, saint of God, Make intercession for us.

Be merciful, Spare us O Lord.

Be merciful, Graciously hear us O Lord.

From all evil, O Lord deliver us.

From all sin, O Lord deliver us.

From thy wrath, O Lord deliver us.

From a sudden and unprovided death, O Lord deliver us.

From the deceits of the devil, O Lord deliver us.

From anger, hatred and all ill-will, O Lord deliver us.

That Thou wouldst humble the enemies of Thy holy Church, We beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wouldst give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, We beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wouldst grant peace and unity to all Christian people, We beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wouldst bring back to the unity of the Church all those who have strayed from the truth, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers, We beseech Thee, hear us.

Epiphany Prayer

On this day of Holy Epiphany, we celebrate and Praise thee O God for drawing the Magi towards thyself. Let it be that many men and women would see thy Light and be drawn to thee. We bring no gifts unto thee but our heart, that thou mayest use it with certainty and purpose. To Refine it better than Gold, sweeter than Frankincense, bolder than Myrrh. 

There is no wondering at thy Star, for this same Jesus who was born and taken up shall appear before all men, those will weep whom have pierced thee, and those shall rejoice for whom their sins were pierced and forgiven. Blessed be this tie that binds, henceforth, now and evermore. Thanks be to God. Amen.

 

So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped

It seems my petition to Saint Expeditus worked as several topics fell into my lap since last night, and I also asked a couple of friends of mine who share similar dispositions towards faith and family if they would like to assist me by writing for the blog. Also since last night we have seen a definite increase in activity on the Catholic Dadma Facebook page.

This is a good opportunity to share with my family (especially the children) about the Communion of Saints, what it is, what the Church teaches about it, how and why we should petition the saints in everyday situations and some of my personal favorites and experiences with them.

The Holy See Catechism of the Catholic Church on
THE COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH OF HEAVEN AND EARTH:
 
954 The three states of the Church. "When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating 'in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is"':⁴⁹²

All of us, however, in varying degrees and in different ways share in the same charity towards God and our neighbors, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our God. All, indeed, who are of Christ and who have his Spirit form one Church and in Christ cleave together.⁴⁹³

955 "So it is that the union of the wayfarers with the brethren who sleep in the peace of Christ is in no way interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the constant faith of the Church, this union is reinforced by an exchange of spiritual goods."⁴⁹⁴
956 The intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. . . . They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus . . . . So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."⁴⁹⁵

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.⁴⁹⁶ I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.⁴⁹⁷

957 Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself"⁴⁹⁸:

We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!⁴⁹⁹

958 Communion with the dead. "In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and 'because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' she offers her suffrages for them."⁵⁰⁰ Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.
959 In the one family of God. "For if we continue to love one another and to join in praising the Most Holy Trinity - all of us who are sons of God and form one family in Christ - we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the Church."⁵⁰¹
 
IN BRIEF
960 The Church is a "communion of saints": this expression refers first to the "holy things" (sancta), above all the Eucharist, by which "the unity of believers, who form one body in Christ, is both represented and brought about" (LG 3).
961 The term "communion of saints" refers also to the communion of "holy persons" (sancti) in Christ who "died for all," so that what each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all.
962 "We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers"

Along our journey, my wife and I have found this one of the riches, most beautiful and useful aspects of the Catholic Faith. . . . . So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped. We have found a considerable amount of strength in this tradition over the last few years, not only in times of need, doubt, morning and despair, but also in times of joy, thankfulness, celebration and blessings. Often times, not only will we call upon the intercession of some of our fondest Saints and protectors, but we will intentionally seek out a Canonized Saint (as I did last night with St. Expeditus) both for the sake of gaining further knowledge and growing closer to of our fraternal brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the sake of strengthening our resolve.

They help us when we have lost, when we have gained, when we wish to gain, they intercede when there is danger or peril. They report when we are charitable or virtuous. They comfort and listen when we need a shoulder or an ear. St. Benedict was there during our ordeal (a trial of sorts) during our conversion. The Blessed Virgin has been there for us on may occasions, as well as her most chaste spouse Saint Joseph (a personal comforter of mine). St. Gerard Was there when we were told we couldn't have children. SS Anne and Dymphna have helped my wife through some tough times. SS Anthony and Francis have brought my wayward spaniel home on several occasions. St Raphael and Michael have been there when myself or my son have called upon them. The list goes on, and we are thankful for and to each and every one of them. And it should be our aim to one day be forever at their side, interceding for others.

Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father, Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.