Those of you who have followed my blog know that I have been a wandering Catholic for years now in search of a home parish. As my own home parish had become unbearable (see here). I have driven around Connecticut to different parishes within about 45 minutes of my home. I have gone to Mass at them and Confession. Some have great priests for Confession, but Mass like a mega church televangelist. There is one parish I keep going back to. For a few months now I have been attending a beautiful baroque parish - the only baroque parish in the state of Connecticut actually- and I am really liking it. It's a Novus Ordo Mass, but its done well. The priest is very reverent. I've noticed a few women (including myself) wear veils and the people are for the most part, very quiet before and during Mass- that in its self is a world of difference from where I came from! There are NO bongo drums or piano's (thank you Jesus!), nor folk music. An organ, an actual beautiful organ! And not a felt banner in sight! 🙏 And did I mention its beautiful? Here are some photos I took on my cell phone before and after Mass today.
There is one thing that bugs me though...they have a gorgeous altar rail that is completely unused! Such a shame! This is Saint Sebastian Church in Middletown, CT. I think I might have found my home. 😇 Happy and blessed Easter everyone!! In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
How did and do so many Jews miss it?? All the signs, all the prophecy, all the proof and still they reject Him. From the Old Testament to the New Testament its there for all with eyes to see. Ezekiel 37 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition The Valley of Dry Bones 37 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.” Matthew 27:50-53 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition 50 "Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many."
God bless you all this Good Friday!🙏 In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
Sorry to interrupt Holy Week with this message, but...
Nations need to WAKE UP! Particularly nations that were once Christian and forsake their faith for secularism. The Muslims are coming and they are happy to take what you've tossed aside and make it there own. Look at Belgium today... "A Muslim party in Belgium says it's preparing to campaign for setting up an Islamic state there. Two candidates from the newly-established Islam party won seats in a recent municipal election."
How will they get out from what they've allowed? The Catholic Church had it right centuries ago...
Fifth Lateran Council 1512-17 A.D. SESSION 12 - 16 March 1517 "We are suitably carrying out the duty of our office when we renew again that reform of the whole church and its affairs which we have accomplished with profit; when we plan to apply suitable remedies for the unchallenged observance of the reform and to make provision for cathedrals and metropolitan churches so that they may no longer be without their pastors; and when we supervise these remedies with ever-present attention and untiring efforts, by means of which we may be able to render the Lord's flock, which has been entrusted to our care, acceptable and submissive in the sight of the divine majesty. Our aim is also to crush the Turks and other infidels standing firm in the eastern and southern regions. They treat the way of true light and salvation with complete contempt and totally unyielding blindness; they attack the life-giving cross on which our Saviour willed to accept death so that by dying he might destroy death, and by the ineffable mystery of his most holy life he might restore life; and they make themselves hateful enemies of God and most bitter persecutors of the christian religion. Strengthened by defences not only spiritual but also temporal, we may be able, under God's guidance and favour, to oppose the bitter and frequent sallies by which, in wild rage, they move savagely amidst christian blood."
Europe has been flooded with Muslim immigrants and they are not assimilating into the European countries who have taken them in.
Catholic Catechism: 2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.
These immigrants are not "respecting with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage" of the nations taking them in. No, they are working to change these nations into Muslim nations under Sharia Laws. What is happening in Europe is happening in the United States too. Take a closer look at Muslims Ilhan Abdullahi Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Harbi Tlaib of Michigan and pay attention to what they are saying and doing because they've got their feet in the door and that is all it takes.
Quote: In her acceptance speech, delivered without an American flag, Congresswoman-elect Omar opened her speech in Arabic with the greeting, "As-Salam Alaikum, (peace be upon you), alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah." And Tlaib... Quote: "In Michigan, meanwhile, Rashida Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, won a largely uncontested race for the open seat in state's heavily Democratic 13th congressional district. In Tlaib's acceptance speech, delivered with a Palestinian flag, she credited her victory to the Palestinian cause. "A lot of my strength comes from being Palestinian," she said." It's no secret that Muslims seek to spread Islam around the world. Some of them fight physical wars to gain ground, others work their way in politically. The idiocy of the left in the U.S. cannot be underestimated. So many of our youth, our voting youth in particular are stupid. Plan and simple. They do not seem to know history at all. They can't see what is coming or the price that will be paid one day. Protestant and Catholic alike must oppose any and all foot holds by Muslims in this country or we will lose this country completely. Look at Europe. If you think it can't happen here in the United States you are deceiving yourselves. I weep for the care, love and beauty of our Holy Catholic Church in days gone by working so hard to protect Christianity and honor Our Lord.
Sorry to interrupt Holy Week with this message, but...
COUNCIL OF VIENNE (1311-1312) [25]. "It is an insult to the holy name and a disgrace to the Christian faith that in certain parts of the world subject to Christian princes where Saracens[followers of Islam] live, sometimes apart, sometimes intermingled with Christians, the Saracen priests commonly called Zabazala, in their temples or mosques, in which the Saracens meet to adore the infidel Mahomet, loudly invoke and extol his name each day at certain hours from a high place, in the hearing of both Christians and Saracens and there make public declarations in his honour. There is a place, moreover, where once was buried a certain Saracen whom other Saracens venerate as a saint. A great number of Saracens flock there quite openly from far and near. This brings disrepute on our faith and gives great scandal to the faithful. These practices cannot be tolerated any further without displeasing the divine majesty. We therefore, with the sacred council's approval, strictly forbid such practices henceforth in Christian lands. We enjoin on catholic princes, one and all, who hold sovereignty over the said Saracens and in whose territory these practices occur, and we lay on them a pressing obligation under the divine judgment that, as true Catholics and zealous for the Christian faith, they give consideration to the disgrace heaped on both them and other Christians. They are to remove this offence altogether from their territories and take care that their subjects remove it, so that they may thereby attain the reward of eternal happiness. They are to forbid expressly the public invocation of the sacrilegious name of Mahomet. They shall also forbid anyone in their dominions to attempt in future the said pilgrimage or in any way give countenance to it. Those who presume to act otherwise are to be so chastised by the princes for their irreverence, that others may be deterred from such boldness." Wake up Catholics, before its too late. In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner links: Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1T_15IDAg8 https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/13308/ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib
Why is the Great Commission so difficult to grasp for so many in the Catholic Church?
Matthew 28:19-20 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 19 "Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."
Not only does Jesus spell it out in the Gospel, we have examples of it in action all over the New Testament with the Apostles and other disciples. It's not a mystery. Yet the Catholic Church since Vatican II, especially with Francis at the helm, has turned the boat around in the other direction and has decided to leave people at death's door rather than help them aboard the Ark for their salvation. I just don't get it. From Salt & Light of notorious Father Rosica fame...comes a report boasting over an inter-religious youth gathering founded by President Obama's Faith Council guy, Eboo Patel. That should tell you all you need to know.
Salt&Light: "Students from Madonna C.S.S. in Toronto organize the very first Interfaith Youth Alliance Movement event that brings together students from various school boards."
These poor befuddled lost youth thinking they are helping others are in fact doing them harm- potentially eternal harm. One young girl says "...we need to start bringing everyone together for the common good and start seeing how we can work together to accomplish our goals." If a Catholic wanted to do "good" for anyone outside the Faith they would try to bring them IN. Isn't that the "goal" Catholics are called to?
What other "goal" should Catholics set when Christ gave us the "goal" of converting entire nations to the Catholic Faith? Should that not be a our priority?
The same girl later says that "all religions are founded on the same values". 👀
Again, we see the chaos, destruction and evil that flowed after Vatican II.
1962 Pope John XXIII Convokes Vatican II
In convening the Second Vatican Council, John XXIII envisions a renewal of the whole Church. Vatican Council II is now seen as a watershed event in this new openness toward Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, indigenous peoples, and others.
1964 Secretariat for Non-Christians
During the Council, Pope Paul VI establishes the Secretariat for Non-Christians as a sign and a structure of the Church’s desire to dialogue with followers of other religions. (In 1988, the Secretariat was renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.)
1964 Encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam
Issued by Pope Paul VI, this is the first papal document in history to promote interfaith dialogue.
1965 Second Vatican Council Ends
The Council produces ground-breaking documents on interreligious dialogue, religious liberty, and pluralism. In these documents, the Church recognizes and respects the presence of grace, truth, and holiness in other religions.
1967 Catholic Greetings to Muslims Worldwide
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sends its first annual greeting to all the world’s Muslims at the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting.
1974 Asian Bishops, Evangelization in Modern Day Asia
The bishops of Asia, where Christianity is a minority religion, publish this landmark document which argues that dialogue with all peoples, cultures, and religions is part of the Church’s mission.
1974 Synod on the Evangelization of the Modern World
The synod declaration proclaims: “We wish to foster dialogue with non-Christian religions, so that we may reach a better understanding of the Gospel’s newness and of the fullness of Revelation.”
1975 Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelization in the Modern World
In this exhortation, Pope Paul VI speaks of the Church’s respect and esteem for non-Christian religions and encourages Catholic contact with them.
1984 Dialogue and Christian Mission
On its 20th anniversary, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue publishes “The Attitude of the Church Toward Followers of Other Religions: Reflections and Orientations on Dialogue and Mission”. This document places interfaith dialogue squarely within the scope of the Church’s mission.
Did Vatican II decide the Great Commission was no longer needed? What are we all talking about "goals" and "good" for? People are going to Hell for eternity! Why are we not dialoguing about that? In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
Last week (March 22, 2019) a Catholic mother, Maryann White, wrote an article to "The Observer" addressing women wearing leggings to a Catholic Basilica. She wrote this from a Catholic mother of four boys perspective, and she was spot on. I noticed other Catholics on social media comment on this story. This post is about an ignorant response to Maryann White's article by Yahoo's lifestyle editor Elizabeth Di Filippo. In the original article, "The Legging Problem" the concerned Catholic mother writes:
"The emergence of leggings as pants some years ago baffled me. They’re such an unforgiving garment. Last fall, they obtruded painfully on my landscape. I was at Mass at the Basilica with my family. In front of us was a group of young women, all wearing very snug-fitting leggings and all wearing short-waisted tops (so that the lower body was uncovered except for the leggings). Some of them truly looked as though the leggings had been painted on them. A world in which women continue to be depicted as “babes” by movies, video games, music videos, etc. makes it hard on Catholic mothers to teach their sons that women are someone’s daughters and sisters. That women should be viewed first as people — and all people should be considered with respect."
"... I wonder why no one thinks it’s strange that the fashion industry has caused women to voluntarily expose their nether regions in this way. I was ashamed for the young women at Mass. I thought of all the other men around and behind us who couldn’t help but see their behinds."
Any Catholic woman who thinks leggings are appropriate for a Basilica or Mass are either honestly uneducated or selfish, vain and completely self-centered. No grown woman is so clueless as to think wearing a garment that molds to every curve of the body is going to go unnoticed by males. Most women who wear tight clothes do it to seek attention. They like to show off their bodies like prostitutes showing off the goods for a price. Harsh? Too bad. I don't care how many feminist heads explode, women who dress to show off their bodies and draw attention to themselves in skimpy or tight clothes look like whores. There. I said it.
Some feminist ding-bat over at Yahoo Canada Style, Elizabeth Di Filippo, thought she'd teach the Catholic mom a thing or two by tearing her apart on Yahoo Canada Style using the Bible. She failed big time.
Filippo writes, "It’s not OK to police women’s clothing or suggest that the way a woman dresses invites or warrants male attention of any kind. Whether a woman wears leggings, jeans, shorts or a mini-skirt, the onus for any man’s behaviour rests 100 per cent on the man." Filippo must be living under a rock to think what a woman wears doesn't "warrant male attention of any kind". The push-up bra wasn't created for comfort. Seriously, what planet is she from?
Filippo goes on, "I’ll extend White the courtesy of saying that her letter came from a “good place,” although the lens through which she expresses her feelings is flawed and most definitely anti-feminist. However, what irks me more is the perpetuation of the idea that a person’s faith somehow prohibits them from being a feminist." Two things here, first the Catholic mother's feelings are not "flawed". She's one hundred percent right. We are NOT to tempt each other or cause another to fall into sin. Showing off our bodies IS a temptation to most because we are sexual beings. Women who dress provocatively are encouraging others to sin. Secondly, what decent Catholic woman wants the sort of "feminism" this woman is pushing? If feminism means painted on pants, skimpy skirts and low cut shirts all Catholic women should be "anti-feminist".
I suspect Filippo is devoid of any Christian knowledge given her flawed statements and misuse of Scripture. She attempts to justify scandalous attire in Church with Sacred Scripture, all she does is crash and burn.
Filippo quotes: “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10) Clearly, Filippo has no idea that Saint Paul is writing to the Galatians because they were falling away from the Gospel teaching they had been taught. Paul is reinforcing the Gospel and giving a warning not to listen to false religions that are causing confusion and evil among them. This has ZERO to do with what Filippo wrote. If Filippo wanted to see what the Bible teaches about proper clothing she should have looked to...
1 Timothy 2:9-10 (NRSVCE) 9 "also that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, 10 but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God."
Leggings are neither "modest" nor "decently suitable clothing" for Church. But Filippo isn't finished making an idiot of herself by wrongly quoting the Sacred Scriptures...
"There’s also multiple references to looking past how someone appears (although no mention of leggings) including, 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
This is too much! 😂 1 Samuel 16 is about finding who God wanted anointed as the next King after Saul's death!! Samuel was looking over Jesse's offspring to find which one would become King. Each one was rejected one by one until Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons. There was one last son, the youngest who had been out tending sheep. This son was David. As soon as David appeared before Samuel, God told Samuel that David was the chosen one. So Samuel anointed David. This scripture has NOTHING to do with what Filippo applied it to. She is dead wrong again.
The problem (one of them anyway) with Filippo is that she is completely missing the point White is making because White is coming from a decent, God loving Catholic perspective and Filippo is coming from a fallen worldly perspective.
While White correctly sees the error and sin in women objectifying themselves dressing immodestly, Filippo is completely blind to it. Filipoo is so blinded by her upside down ass backwards world view and to her own flaws she smugly finishes her diatribe with:
"White has an opportunity now to humble herself and the ease in which she passes judgement and do some serious soul-searching for where her own ego and prejudice has taken liberties with her identity as a Catholic. Work on yourself and what you believe. The rest of us will happily be wearing leggings, and be comfortable AF."
Filippo is completely unaware of how ridiculous and wrong she is. She doesn't even know basic Christian teachings yet she's placed herself as judge and jury against White- a practicing Catholic who clearly has been listening to Catholic teaching on modesty-and placed judgment on White.
Filippo is an idiot. Let's pray she doesn't stay one. 🙏 In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
Quote:'We read also in Father Nieremberg that a noble lady, who was exceedingly pious, asked God to make known to her what displeased His Divine Majesty most in persons of her sex. The Lord vouchsafed in a miraculous manner to hear her. He opened under her eyes the Eternal Abyss. There she saw a woman a prey to cruel torments and in her recognized one of her friends, a short time before deceased. This sight caused her as much astonishment as grief: the person whom she saw damned did not seem to her to have lived badly. Then that unhappy soul said to her: "It is true that I practiced religion, but I was a slave of vanity. Ruled by the passion to please, I was not afraid to adopt indecent fashions to attract attention, and I kindled the fire of impurity in more than one heart. Ah! If Christian women knew how much immodesty in dress displeases God!" At the same moment, this unhappy soul was pierced by two fiery lances, and plunged into a caldron of liquid lead.' Source: Rev. F.X. Schouppe, S.J.[SaintsWorks.net]
Every Lent I pick a few new books to read, along with old favorites. This year (as with some years past) I am devoting my reading and prayers to the Poor Souls in Purgatory and the conversion of sinners. After having watched a weeks worth of EWTN's "Women of Grace" featuring the Catholic author Susan Tassone, I decided to read some of her books this year. 1) "Praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls in Purgatory" 2) "Day by Day for the Holy Souls in Purgatory" 3) "St. Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls in Purgatory" 4) "St. Faustina Prayer Book for the Conversion of Sinners" Would love to hear from other Catholics what they are reading this Lenten season. God bless!
