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Thursday, December 24, 2015

EWTN: Merry Christmas Family!





Merry Christmas Family! 

Discover the Christmas and Advent traditions unique to the Maronite Church. The Most Reverend Abdallah Elias Zaidan of Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church joins Host Fr. Mitch Pacwa for “EWTN Live”!  Airs 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Dec. 23--exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Celebrate Christmas with very special members of the EWTN Family. EWTN President and “Bookmark” Host Doug Keck, Creative Services Vice President Len Marino and his wife Lorna, and Producer Debbie Cowden and husband David guest on a very special “At Home with Jim & Joy”! Airs 2 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 24--exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Don’t miss “Solemn Mass of ‪#‎Christmas Eve in Rome!” #‎PopeFrancis celebrates the Solemnity of the Birth of Our Lord, from St. Peter's Basilica. Airs live at 3:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 24; and at 1 a.m. & 7 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 25. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp. Find #EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Don't miss "Midnight Mass from The Holy Land!" Airs live at 6 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 24. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp. Find #EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder. 

Don’t miss “Choral Meditations of the Nativity!” From the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Musical Compositions for the Birth of Our Lord. Airs live at 10 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 24; and 1:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 26. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp. Find #EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Don’t miss “Solemn Mass of #Christmas Eve at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception!” From Washington, D.C. Airs live at 10:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 24.  

Don’t miss “Solemn Mass of Christmas-EWTN!” The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word celebrate Midnight Mass from Our Lady of the Anglels Chapel in Irondale, AL. Airs live at 8 a.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 25; and at 12 a.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 26. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp.  

Don’t miss “Urbi Et Orbi: Message & Blessing!”
Pope Francis gives his Christmas blessing to the city of Rome and the world. Airs live at 6 a.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 25, with encores at 9 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 25; 2 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 26; 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 27; 5:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 31. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp.  


Don’t miss “Solemn Mass of Christmas Day!”
From the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., with celebrant Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington. Airs live at 12 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 25. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp. Find #EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  


Tune in to the next “EWTN Bookmark”! Author David Carollo recalls the remarkable life of Sister Maria Lucia in the biography, "A Pathway Under the Gaze of Mary" and Fr. Chris Alar presents "The Year of Divine Mercy". Airs 9:30 a.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 27--exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder. 

#PopeFrancis celebrates Holy Mass on the Feast of the Holy Family. “Holy Mass for Families” airs 12 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 27— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Where do the candidates stand on the moral issues such as life, marriage, family, and religious liberty? Find out when Host Professor Robert George, one of the most respected constitutional scholars in the U.S., goes one-on-one with former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. You won’t want to miss “Candidate Conversations with Robert George”! Airs 10 a.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 27— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

#PopeFrancis celebrates Holy Mass on the Feast of the Holy Family. “Holy Mass for Families” airs 12 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 27— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Don’t miss “SOLEMN MASS OF REPARATION FROM EWTN!”
On New Year's Eve, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word celebrate and pray to make atonement for the sins of the past year so that we may begin the year anew. Airs live at 12 a.m. ET, Friday, Jan. 1, with encores at 8 a.m. ET, Friday, Jan. 1; 6:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Jan. 1; 12 a.m. ET, Saturday, Jan. 2. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp. Find #EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  


Don’t miss “SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD!”
#PopeFrancis celebrates from St. Peter's Basilica, New Year's Day. Airs live at 4 a.m. ET, Friday, Jan. 1, with an encore at 6:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Jan. 1. Find out more at http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  


#PopeFrancis celebrates “Holy Mass and Opening of the Holy Door at the Basilica of St. Mary Major”! Airs 11 a.m. Et, Friday, January 1 — exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.

Relive your favorite 2015 moments. Join Co-Hosts Fr. Mark and Doug Barry for a special “Life on the Rock”! Airs 8 p.m. ET, Friday, January 1 — exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

You can avoid falling into heresy. Author Stephen Bullivant discusses the Church's teaching on The Trinity, and offers an easy-to-understand explanation of this mystery in his book, "The Trinity: How Not to be a Heretic." Join Host Doug Keck for “EWTN Bookmark”. Airs 9:30 a.m. ET, Sunday, Jan. 3— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  

Where do the candidates stand on the moral issues such as life, marriage, family, and religious liberty? Find out when Host Professor Robert George, one of the most respected constitutional scholars in the U.S., goes one-on-one with former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore. You won’t want to miss “Candidate Conversations with Robert George”! Airs 10 a.m. ET, Sunday, Jan. 3— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.  








Sunday, December 20, 2015

EWTN Press Release: Jerry Lewis Talks Trump and Dean Martin



EWTN Exclusive: Jerry Lewis Talks Trump, the MDA Telethon
& His Unreleased Movie with Raymond Arroyo



Irondale, AL (EWTN) – The reviews are in! "Inspirational!" "Best interview ever!" Viewers loved Raymond Arroyo's interview on EWTN's “The World Over” with Jerry Lewis. If you missed it or want to see it again, tune in to EWTN for encores at 7 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 20 and 10 p.m. ET, Monday, Dec. 21. (Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.) 

Interested in a preview? Here’s the beloved comedian discussing why he hosted the MDA Telethon for decades – the first with Dean Martin, who passed away 25 years ago Christmas Day  and the reasons he decided not to release the film, “The Day the Clown Cried:” https://youtu.be/itIVTkPBaT8

And here’s a preview of what Lewis had to say about Presidential Hopeful Donald Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYYIxM47_wE

You won’t want to miss the full hour of this remarkable interview – exclusively on EWTN Global Catholic Network.


EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 networks broadcast the Gospel message in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 258 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. Properties include direct broadcast satellite television and radio services; AM & FM radio networks transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and almost 500 Catholic domestic and international radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio station; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and two global wire services; as well as a publishing arm. 





Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Catholic Students fight to end prayer shaming

I am so proud of these Catholic students...



East Catholic High School:  http://www.echs.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EastCatholicHighSchool


In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Monday, December 14, 2015

Inappropriate Children's Christmas Movie



Boy, you just never know what you're going to get when you sit down with family to watch a G-rated Christmas cartoon.  

I see a cartoon reindeer, some snow and Santa waving and think the family and I are in for a holiday treat of cuteness.  Taking a break from all the horrible news to just enjoy a cute Christmas cartoon movie. 

The movie I watched with my teen+ kids this weekend was no Frosty the Snowman.  Had my children been young I would have been upset to sit them down to watch it thinking I was getting a cute family friendly G-rated movie.  That is not what the movie "The Flight Before Christmas" delivered.  I had never heard of this movie before, so I had no idea what it was about- I was just going by the cute cover image.  Looks cute right?  As the saying goes, looks can be deceiving.

I am still rather shocked by the basis of the story.  And while I was watching it, I wondered how some parents dealt with the story line, so after the movie my oldest daughter looked up some reviews for me on Amazon. More on those later...

The story is about Niko, a little reindeer boy who doesn't have a father in his life. The reason he doesn't have a father in his life is because his mother had a one night stand (honest, its in the movie), got knocked up by one of Santa's reindeer (she never got his name so she can't even tell her son the name of his father) and had little Niko the following spring unknown to the reindeer she had sex with.  

Here is the scene of little Niko hearing his mother tell the story of how he was conceived when one of Santa's "Flying Forces" reindeer "took her for a spin" one day resulting in her pregnancy - no really watch the video clip she really says that: 



Nice kids Christmas story eh?  There's more. 

Niko wants to fly to prove to other little reindeer (who are teasing him) that his father really is one of Santa's "Flying Forces" reindeer -you see the flying gene gets passed from father to son, so if little Niko can fly he can prove his father is one of Santa's flying reindeer.

After putting the herd in danger from vicious wolves, little Niko decides its time to find his father.  A little flying squirrel has been a step father to little Niko his whole life, but Niko doesn't want a step father, he wants his biological father, so off Niko goes on an adventure to find his biological father.  The step-father squirrel goes with him and along the way, they meet up with Wilma the weasel.  They flee numerous times from a pack of horrible wolves who want to eat them.



(According to some reviews on Amazon, this wolf terrorized more than one child.)

Niko and friends overhear the black wolf's plan for his pack to eat all the flying reindeer to gain their power of flight for themselves and then to eat Santa, thus taking Santa's place on Christmas eve.  The plan finishes with the wolves going home to home eating all the little children sleeping in their beds waiting for Christmas morning.  Did I mention this was rated "G" for little children??

Niko and friends make it to where Santa and his reindeer live only to get in the way of the drunken reindeer (they drink a lot) making a trial flight.  The "santa" falls out of the sleigh, plummets to the ground then bursts into flames.  There is no indication that this is a stuffed or dummy Santa- so children everywhere (read the Amazon comments) were greatly disturbed to see Santa plummet to his death and go up in flames. 

This movie's holiday cheer continues with a lovely DNA song to finger who is Niko's father- all the reindeer admit to taking the ladies out for spins, but none of them will fess up to fathering Niko. 


Nice song for the kids to learn and sing for Christmas eh? 

The reindeer all deny being Niko's father, breaking his heart.  Then they decide to test him- by making him jump off their landing strip into oblivian.  If he flies, one of the reindeer is lying and really did father Niko. If he plummets to his death the Flying Force are in the clear.  

The story goes on...blah, blah, blah, until Niko shows some spunk, believes he can fly and does. There is a battle against the wolves- all the adult drunken reindeer run for their lives leaving little Niko, the squirrel and the Wilma the weasel to fend for themselves.  

Zero moral fiber in these flying reindeer.  

Long story short, they do all manage to survive- even the evil wolves.  Prancer fesses up to hooking up with Niko's mother and Santa talks to Niko thrilling him by giving him a place on the team to pull the sleigh. 

When Niko tries to talk to his father about coming home and seeing Niko's mother again so they can be a happy family together, Prancer stammers and makes excuses about being really busy with fly practice. The perfect Christmas cartoon version of a deadbeat father.

Niko returns home and declares his real father (the squirrel) had been right there with him all along.  

The end. 

Now for the customer reviews on Amazon

The Maury Povich review: 

The "hussy" review: 
The kill and eat Santa review:



In Christ and sticking to the Charlie Brown Christmas movie, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 




Sunday, December 13, 2015

Planned Parenthood's magical land of abortions

This is an actual tweet from Planned Parenthood: 




Link: https://twitter.com/PPact/status/676091765913464832

The disgusting tweet links to an article on Fushion.net by Rosie J. Spinks entitled "Life in a magical land where abortions and birth control are free and plentiful".  




Once an American citizen, Spinks now lives across the pond and is living in bliss with her free abortions and birth control.  Yet Spinks can't seem to stop whining about how big and bad conservative lawmaker's in America are for their "fixation of legislating [her] vagina":



The "land of good and plenty" for Spinks, Planned Parenthood and others with no moral fiber is a place of dead babies, orgasms without pregnancy and stupid tax payers paying for their evil debauchery and butchery. 

Sounds like Hell to me. 

But to ignorant, immoral people this sounds wonderful. 

These are the "gimme, gimme, gimme" crowd who want everything for "free" never realizing nothing is for free.  They may not pay in cash now (besides taxes) but what they do not realize is that they are paying with their eternal souls.  

Telling them this makes no difference to them, they are completely uneducated in the area of morals and sin.  If you ask them to define morals you would probably get a blank stare.  Doing the right thing instead of the easy thing is completely foreign to these people.  If a pregnancy is inconvenient they simply pay someone to kill and remove the inconvenient pre-born human- or in this case, go to a butcher for free and allow them to rip the living child to shreds and remove him/her from their womb, so they can go on with their life.  

Free?  

Magical?

This is a place of horror, created by a people with no moral fiber and souls so lost and corrupt they are blinded by their own evil.

They want earthly pleasures and they don't want to have to ever pay the price for their sexual pleasures- they don't mind the living children in the womb paying the price though.  

Too bad these immoral people are too stupid to know they will pay the ultimate price for it. 

Justice will be served. 


In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


Sources: 

http://fusion.net/story/242988/europe-free-birth-control-abortions/

https://twitter.com/PPact/status/676091765913464832





Thursday, December 10, 2015

The new age of Pope Francis' church

I simply do not recognize this Catholic Church...



On the Feast day of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis kicked off his "Year of Mercy" with a "climate change" light show at the Vatican, which illuminated assorted animals (complete with animal sound effects) in St. Peter's Square.  







Nothing in this earthly display, displayed actual Catholicism.  And it was (in my opinion) an insult to Mary, because this display took over the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  A time when we should have been celebrating the wonder of God in His creation of Mary without sin, we were instead subjected to Francis' obsession with saving the earth from climate change.


quote:  "The multi-million dollar show titled "Fiat Lux: Illuminating Our Common Home" was created and funded by climate-change partisans and population-control advocates with the goal to “educate and inspire change around the climate crisis across generations, cultures, languages, religions and class.” Along with images of the world and its endangered animals, including lions, birds, apes, and whales, appeared New Age symbolism associated with ancient pagan deities.
   The show also took place on the most important Marian feast day for Catholics, the Immaculate Conception, where Catholics celebrate Mary being conceived in the womb of her mother Anne without the stain of original sin.
   Many pro-family leaders from around the world say they are flabbergasted that the pope would allow St. Peter’s to be used as a backdrop for promoting the controversial and contentious “climate change” agenda." 

I think, we are soon getting to the point where the things this pope says or does no longer shock or surprise us. Myself, when I saw this, I just took a deep breath and shrugged, this is typical Francis.  


Others may swoon over Francis, scream and wave at him like he's a rock star- myself, he makes me weep for a real Catholic pope who is holy and focused on saving souls, not the planet.  

A pope truly who believes souls are more important to God than fluctuating temperature changes on earth.  A pope who leads the people in the faith given to us by God.  A pope who actually wants to convert people to the Catholic faith so they too can share in the Sacraments. Imagine that!

Dear God in Heaven, please give us a holy pope who wants to save souls for Your glory! 

The Church's mission, given to Her by Jesus Christ was to save souls through the Sacraments and teachings of Christ's Holy Catholic Church, by converting people and helping them live their Catholic faith daily until their natural death.  That is the Church Christ founded on earth.

Pope Francis' church has decided its mission is to save the earth from climate change and to protect endangered animals.  It's nearly all we've heard from this pope.  His "Year of Mercy" (which I stupidly assumed was about God's mercy to us sinful humans through His Church and Her Sacraments) is apparently more about mercy to the planet and animals. That is the message I got out of this "illuminating" display of new age symbolism and animal calls. 

While human souls are going to hell because Catholic priests won't tell them what sin is or that they need to repent of their sins, Francis is telling the world we must end climate change (as if!) and save animals.  

The Church has lost its way and needs a true, devout, Godly pope to lead Her once more.  Pope Francis is not such a man. 



In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



Links: 
Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrkkyw1D7KA
Article: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/sacrilege-catholic-leaders-react-to-vaticans-climate-change-light-show


Wednesday, December 2, 2015

EWTN Press Releases

Lauren Ashburn Joins 'EWTN News Nightly'

Veteran TV News Host Named
Chief White House Correspondent & Political Director




Irondale, AL (EWTN) – Lauren Ashburn, a veteran News Anchor, Reporter, Commentator, Columnist and Media Executive, has joined the “EWTN News Nightly” team as Chief White House Correspondent and Political Director. 

“I am pleased to welcome Lauren Ashburn to EWTN and our ‘EWTN News Nightly’ team,” said Network Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw. “With her years of experience covering the political scene in Washington, D.C. for major news outlets, Lauren is a great addition to ‘EWTN News Nightly,’ particularly as we enter into the 2016 election season.

“Lauren’s ability to combine her proven journalistic skills with a solid understanding of the Catholic faith will enable EWTN to continue to expand the level of news coverage we offer our viewers every day,” said Warsaw.

Ashburn will focus her efforts on matters of public policy important to Catholics in the United States and abroad including religious liberty, immigration, and developments pertaining to the right to life. 
"After more than 20 years in journalism, I'm thrilled to be joining EWTN directing political coverage and covering the White House in what will be one of the most important elections in our lifetime,” said Ashburn.  ”We'll go beyond the press releases and campaign stump speeches and hold politicians accountable while focusing on issues important to Catholics worldwide."

Ashburn has served as a commentator and analyst for news outlets including PBS NewsHour, CBS This Morning, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and other print and broadcast platforms. Ashburn comes to EWTN from Fox News, where she appeared on “The O’Reilly Factor,” “The Kelly File,” and weekly on “Media Buzz.”  Her views on politics, women in the workplace, motherhood, and her perspective as a pro-life Catholic have been widely published in print and online. 

She serves as president and CEO of Ashburn Media Company, a media consulting and production firm she founded in 2010, and contributes weekly to “The Hill.”

Prior to her stint at Fox, Ashburn served as managing editor of Gannett Broadcasting and USA Today Live. While at USA Today, she ran the television division, where she executive-produced award-winning television and web series, and documentaries. Before arriving at USA Today, Ashburn worked as a reporter/anchor with WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, DC, and at WHP-TV, the CBS affiliate in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as a reporter/morning anchor.

Ashburn received her Master's Degree in Journalism from Columbia University and her Bachelor's Degree from Albright College. She was awarded Albright’s Young Alumna Achievement Award for career performance.  She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and three children.


EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 networks broadcast the Gospel message in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 258 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. Properties include direct broadcast satellite television and radio services; AM & FM radio networks transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and almost 500 Catholic domestic and international radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio station; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and two global wire services; as well as a publishing arm.



*******


Enter Your Commercial in EWTN’s Cool 2B Catholic Contest


Irondale, AL (EWTN) – Click on the image below to get details about entering EWTN’s Cool 2B Catholic contest or view the attachment, and go to https://c2bc.ewtn.com for details. Please forward this to every Catholic student you know in high school, college, or film school!




EWTN Global Catholic Network, now entering its 35th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 networks broadcast the Gospel message in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 258 million television households in 145 countries and territories. EWTN’s outreach includes direct broadcast satellite television and radio services; AM & FM radio networks transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and almost 500 Catholic radio affiliates across the U.S.; a worldwide shortwave radio service; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; print and electronic news services that include “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, Catholic News Agency and ACI Group; and EWTN Publishing, Inc.






Tuesday, November 24, 2015

EWTN Press Release

EWTN: How Can Parents and Grandparents Explain True Love to Teens?

How can parents and grandparents explain true love to teens? This Thanksgiving, pull up a chair and tune into EWTN's feature length presentation "Family Dinner"! Airs 6:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, November 26— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic

Meet the mother who gave us this beloved Friar! Fr. John Paul and his mother, Debbie Zeller, join Co-Hosts Jim and Joy in their home for a special Thanksgiving celebration. Don’t miss this special “At Home with Jim & Joy”! Airs 2 p.m. ET, Thursday, Nov. 26— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic

It’s a virtue-based formation program for Coaches and Directors of Sports Ministry. SportsLeader's Lou Judd and Paul Passifiume discuss how they advise athletic coaches on ways to instill virtue in their players, both on and off the playing field. Don’t miss “Life on the Rock”! Airs 8 p.m. ET, Friday, Nov. 27— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic

It’s the miracle they had hoped for. Learn about the family of a comatose young adult who asked Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati's heavenly intercession. Don’t miss “Giorgio - A Modern Day Miracle Story”!  Airs 6:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Nov. 27— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic

He’s the co-founder of “Integrated Catholic Life” eMagazine. Author Randy Hain compiles heartwarming stories of courage and inspiration from fathers of children with special needs in "Special Children, Blessed Father." Hear him talk about this and another of his books, “Joyful Witness: How to Be an Extraordinary Catholic” with Host Doug Keck on the next “EWTN Bookmark”! Airs 9:30 a.m. ET, Sunday, Nov.29— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic

What is Image Trinity? Guests Greg and Stephanie Schlueter talk about a service that hosts retreats for families to help them become united in friendship and committed to a common vision. You won’t want to miss “At Home with Jim & Joy”! Airs 2 p.m. ET, Monday, Nov. 30— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic


The story of the “Road to Urakami: Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan”. Don’t miss this dramatic story! Airs 6:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Dec. 1— exclusively on #EWTN! Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.#Catholic




Monday, November 23, 2015

EWTN's Mother Angelica on feeding tube

I was sad to read that Mother Angelica's health has declined so much so that she is now on a feeding tube...





May God bless her!  She has done a wonderful job of bringing Jesus and the Catholic faith to people around the world. 

I do believe, she will one day hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant" from our Lord Jesus Christ. 


In Christ and praying for Mother Angelica,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


More from EWTN: http://olamnuns.com/attachments/article/28/2015%20Winter.pdf

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Catholic events in Connecticut

24th Annual Franciscan Christmas Fair
Saturday, November 21, 2015, 9:30am to 2:30pm
At the Franciscan Life Center Campus, 271 Finch Ave., Meriden, CT

Living Creche, visit with Santa and Mrs Claus, Fraser and Balsam Christmas trees, wreaths, food, homemade food goods, handmade goods

Proceeds benefit the ministries of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist

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Christmas on the Hill - Holy Angels Holiday Bazaar  will be held on Saturday, November 28, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Holy Angels Parish Center located at 585 Main Street in South Meriden. Start your holiday shopping with us!  The day will feature 30 Crafters and Vendors, delicious lunch items in our Food Court, Homemade Baked Goods, $100-Value Gift Baskets Raffle, Cemetery Logs, and a Tag Sale. For the children there will be Crafts, Games and a Raffle in the Kid’s Korner with a special visit from Santa! Enjoy a great time of fun with family and friends! For more information, please contact the parish office at 203.235.3822 or office@holyangelschurch.org, or visit www.HolyAngelsChurch.org.

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Contributor: Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA
Email Paul:

Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect with Paul on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"



Prayer for Deliverance

The following prayer can be found in the book "An Exorcist Tells His Story" by Father Gabriele Amorth. 

This prayer is one of my daily prayers that I say each night.  In light of the times we are currently living in, I felt compelled to share it here for those who might not know it and as a reminder to those who might have forgotten it. 

Please considering adding this Prayer for Deliverance to your daily prayer life. 

My Lord, you are all powerful, you are God, you are Father.We beg you through the intercession and help of the archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel for the deliverance of our brothers and sister who are enslaved by the evil one. All saints in heaven, come to our aid. 
From anxiety, sadness and obsessions,
We beg you.  Free us, O Lord.
From hatred, fornication, envy.
We be you.  Free us, O Lord.
From thoughts of jealousy, rage, and death.
We beg you.  Free us, O Lord.
From every thought of suicide and abortion.
We beg you.  Free us, O Lord.From every form of sinful sexuality.
We beg you.  Free us, O Lord.
From every division in our family, and every harmful friendship.
We be you.  Free us, O Lord.
From every sort of spell, malefice, witchcraft, and every form of the occult.
We beg you.  Free us, O Lord.
Lord, you who said, "I leave you peace, my peace I give you", grant that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, we may be liberated from every evil spell and enjoy your peace always.  In the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.


In Christ and praying for us all,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



Book: http://www.ignatius.com/Products/ETHS-P/an-exorcist-tells-his-story.aspx




Monday, November 16, 2015

Catholic events

Project Rachel – Entering Canaan Day of Prayer & Healing - Saturday, November 21st - Come begin your healing journey and experience God’s hope and mercy.  For women suffering from a past abortion experience, an Entering Canaan Day of Prayer and Healing will take place on Sat., Nov. 21st.  For further information or to register call our confidential phone line at 203-416-1619 or email us at projectrachel@diobpt.org.

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Holy Family Retreat Center, Advent Day or Evening Retreat: The Spirituality of Waiting, with Bill Walsh
Tuesday, Dec 8, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. or 6-9 p.m. Holy Family Retreat Center, West Hartford. The irony of the Advent season is that right when our faith tradition calls us to slow down and wait patiently in preparation for the celebration of Christmas, our culture sounds the bell to rev up and make our already overly busy and stressful lives even more hectic. Come join us for a conversation on the spirituality of waiting. What are we waiting for and how do we wait for it? Presented by Bill Walsh, associate retreat director at Holy Family, the workshop costs $40 to attend and includes a meal. 860-760-9705www.holyfamilyretreat.org

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The Annual Christmas Festival Weekend at the Shrine of Lourdes in Litchfield, located on 50 Montfort Rd., Rte. 118, Litchfield, CT will include:
Saturday, December 5th:  Gingerbread Nativity Making will take place  from 10 am to 12 noon in Pilgrim Hall. Reservations for this family activity must be made  and pre-paid by December 2nd. To reserve a table, call 860-567-1041 or email: louresshrinect@gmail.com. Each Nativity is $30.

Candlelight Carol Sing will begin at 7:00 Saturday evening in Pilgrim Hall and process to the Grotto. Cookies & hot chocolate will be served in the hall after this beautiful holy event.

Sunday, December 6th:  The Living NativityA re-enactment of the Nativity with live animals, little angels, shepherds, choristers and a real Baby Jesus will take place at 3:00 pm in the Grotto. Cookies & hot chocolate will again be served in Pilgrim Hall.  A suggested $5.00 donation will be greatly appreciated.

The Grotto Gift Shop will be open for all these events.

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The Sisters of Life http://www.sistersoflife.org/ (Sr. Mary Gabriel, S.V. is the Event Chair), along with Sisters from other religious communities, are planning and coordinating a first of its kind event -- GIVEN givenforum.org -- The Catholic Young Women's Leadership Forum ~ Cultivating authentic femininity for the life of the Church.  

It is being sponsored by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) http://cmswr.org/, in collaboration with the Hilton Foundation and this event will help unleash the gifts of young women within the Catholic Church and the world! GIVEN will bring 300 rising leaders, selected by application, together with Religious and lay leaders from various disciplines for a full scholarship, week-long immersion in faith formation, leadership skills training and networking.  

Apply now at givenforum.org.  Women who are accepted to attend GIVEN will receive a scholarship covering the cost of the Forum, including food, lodging and travel.  The deadline for applications is Feb 2, 2016. 
Date:  June 7-12, 2016 at Catholic University of America. 
Confirmed Speakers:  http://www.givenforum.org/speakers/

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St Gianna Center Spring Celebration: "Babies in Bloom"
Sunday, April 17, 2016, 1:00 pm @ Amarante"s in New Haven
Info: Harriet: 203-464-4316 OR Mike 203-481-5027
Ticket is $45.

The St Gianna Center is New Haven's Pro-life center.

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Legion of Mary meets every Monday at 7-8 pm at the rectory at St Therese Church at 555 Middletown Avenue, North Haven, CT. Anyone is welcome to come and pray the rosary with us. For more information about the Legion of Mary call Carol Liquori, 203 239-1424.

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Contributor: Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA
Email Paul: 
Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect with Paul on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"

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Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Bishop Athanasius Schneider speaks out about the Synod


***This blog post is reposted from Rorate-Caeli with their permission (see below).  I have written none of this:


RORATE EXCLUSIVE: Bishop Athanasius Schneider reaction to Synod
Door to communion for divorced & remarried officially kicked open

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency for taking the time to analyze and express his views on one of the most critical events in Church history -- one that he too sees as a "back door" to Holy Communion for adulterers, a rejection of Christ's teaching and a Final Report full of "time bombs."

The the coming days, we will also publish an interview with His Excellency, on a wide range of topics. For now, we bring you this important work, exclusively for our readers. 

A back door to a neo-mosaic practice in the Final Report of the Synod

The XIV General Assembly of the Synod of the Bishops (October 4 – 25, 2015), which was dedicated to the theme of “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World”, issued a Final Report with some pastoral proposals submitted to the discernment of the Pope. The document itself is only of an advisory nature and does not possess a formal magisterial value.

Yet during the Synod, there appeared those real new disciples of Moses and the new Pharisees, who in the numbers 84-86 of the Final Report opened a back door or looming time bombs for the admittance of divorced and remarried to Holy Communion. At the same time those bishops who intrepidly defended “the Church’s own fidelity to Christ and to His truth” (Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, Familiaris Consortio, 84) were in some media reports unjustly labeled as Pharisees.

The new disciples of Moses and the new Pharisees during the last two Assemblies of the Synod (2014 and 2014) masked their practical deny of the indissolubility of marriage and of a suspension of the Sixth Commandment on a case-by-case basis under the guise of the concept of mercy, using expressions such as: “way of discernment,” “accompaniment”, “orientations of the bishop,” “dialogue with the priest,” “forum internum,” “a more fuller integration into the life of the Church,” a possible suppression of imputability regarding the cohabitation in irregular unions (cf. Final Report, nn. 84-86).

This text section in the Final Report contains indeed a trace of a neo-mosaic practice of divorce, even though the redactors skillfully and, in a cunning manner, avoided any direct change of the doctrine of the Church. Therefore, all parties, both the promotors of the so-called “Kasper agenda” and their opponents, are apparently satisfied stating: “All is OK. The Synod did not change the doctrine.” Yet, such a perception is quite naive, because it ignores the back door and the pending time bombs in the abovementioned text section which becomes manifest by a careful examination of the text by its internal interpretive criteria. 

Even when speaking of a “way of discernment” there is talk of “repentance” (Final Report, n. 85), there remains nevertheless a great deal of ambiguity. In fact, according to the reiterated affirmations of Cardinal Kasper and like-minded churchmen, such a repentance concerns the past sins against the spouse of the first valid marriage and the repentance of the divorced indeed may not refer to the acts of their marital cohabitation with the new civilly married partner.

The assurance of the text in the numbers 85 and 86 of the Final Report that such a discernment has to be made according to the teaching of the Church and in a correct judgement remains nevertheless ambiguous. Indeed, Cardinal Kasper and like-minded clerics emphatically and repeatedly assured that the admittance of the divorced and civilly remarried to Holy Communion will not touch the dogma of the indissolubility and of the sacramentality of marriage, and that a judgement in the conscience in that case has to be considered as being correct even when the divorced and remarried continue to cohabitate in a marital manner, and that they should not be required to live in complete continence as brother and sister.

In quoting the famous number 84 of the Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio of Pope John Paul II in number 85 of the Final Report, the redactors censured the text, cutting out the following decisive formulation: “The way to the Eucharist can only be granted to those who take on themselves the duty to live in complete continence, that is, by abstinence from the acts proper to married couples.

This practice of the Church is based on Divine Revelation of the Word of God: Written and transmitted through Tradition. This practice of the Church is an expression of the uninterrupted Tradition since the Apostles and, thus, remains unchangeable for all times. Already Saint Augustine affirmed: “Who dismisses his adulterous wife and marries another woman, whereas his first wife still lives, remains perpetually in the state of adultery. Such a man does not any efficacious penance while he refuses to abandon the new wife. If he is a catechumen, he cannot be admitted to baptism, because his will remains rooted in the evil. If he is a (baptized) penitent, he cannot receive the (ecclesiastical) reconciliation as long as he does not break with his bad attitude” (De adulterinis coniugiis, 2, 16). In fact, the above intentional censorship of the teaching of Familaris Consortio in n. 85 of the Final Report, represents for any sane hermeneutics the very interpretation key for the understanding of the text section on divorced and remarried (numbers84-86).

In our days exists a permanent and omnipresent ideological pressure on behalf of the mass media, which are compliant with the unique thought imposed by the anti-Christian world powers, with the aim to abolish the truth of the indissolubility of the marriage – trivializing the sacred character of this Divine institution by spreading an anti-culture of divorce and concubinage. Already 50 years ago, the Second Vatican Council stated that the modern times are infected with the plague of the divorce (cf. Gaudium et spes, 47). The same Council warns that the Christian marriage as Christ’s sacrament should “never be profaned by adultery or divorce” (Gaudium et spes, 49).

The profanation of the “great sacrament” (Eph 5, 32) of the marriage by adultery and divorce has assumed massive proportions at an alarming rate not only in the civil society but also among Catholics. When Catholics by means of divorce and adultery theoretically and as well as practically repudiate the will of God expressed in the Sixth Commandment, they put themselves in a spiritually serious danger of losing their eternal salvation.

The most merciful act on behalf of the Shepherds of the Church would be to draw the attention to this danger by means of a clear – and at the same time loving – admonition about the necessarily full acceptance of the Sixth Commandment of God. They have to call the things by their right name exhorting: “divorce is divorce,” “adultery is adultery” and “who commits consciously and freely grave sins against the Commandments of God – and in this case against the Sixth Commandment – and dies unrepentantly will receive eternal condemnation being excluded forever from the kingdom of God.”

Such an admonition and exhortation is the very work of the Holy Spirit as Christ taught: “He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16: 8). Explaining the work of the Holy Spirit in “convincing sin,” Pope John Paul II said: “Every sin wherever and whenever committed has a reference to the Cross of Christ-and therefore indirectly also to the sin of those who "have not believed in him," and who condemned Jesus Christ to death on the Cross” (Encyclical Dominum et Vivificantem, 29). Those who conduct a married life with a partner, who is not their legitimate spouse, as it is the case with divorced and civilly remarried, reject the will of God. To convince such persons concerning this sin is a work moved by the Holy Spirit and commanded by Jesus Christ and thus an eminently pastoral and merciful work.

The Final Report of the Synod unfortunately omits to convince the divorced and remarried concerning their concrete sin. On the contrary, under the pretext of mercy and a false pastorality, those Synod Fathers who supported the formulations in the numbers 84-86 of the Report tried to cover up the spiritually dangerous state of the divorced and remarried.

De facto, they say to them that their sin of adultery is not a sin, and is definitely not adultery or at least is not a grave sin and that there is no spiritual danger in their state of life. Such a behavior of these Shepherds is directly contrary to the work of the Holy Spirit and is therefore anti-pastoral and a work of the false prophets to whom one could apply the following words of the Holy Scripture: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Is 5:20) and: “Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading” (Lam 2: 14). To such bishops the Apostle Paul without any doubt would say today these words: “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (2 Cor 11:13).

The text of the Final Report of the Synod not only omits to convince unambiguously divorced and civilly remarried persons concerning the adulterous and thus gravely sinful character of their life style. It justifies indirectly such a lifestyle by means of assigning this question ultimately in the area of the individual conscience and by means of an improper applying of the moral principle of imputability to the case of cohabitation of the divorced and remarried. In fact, the applying of the principle of imputability to a stable, permanent and public life in adultery is improper and deceptive.

The diminution of the subjective responsibility is given only in the case when the partners have the firm intention to live in complete continence and make sincere efforts therein. As long as the partners intentionally persist to continue a sinful life, there can be no suspension of imputability. The Final Report gives the impression to intimate that a public life style in adultery – as it is the case of civilly remarried – is not violating the indissoluble sacramental bond of a marriage or that it does not represents a mortal or grave sin and that this issue is furthermore a matter of private conscience. Hereby one can state a closer drift towards the Protestant principle of subjective judgement on matters of faith and discipline and intellectual closeness to the erroneous theory of “fundamental option,” a theory already condemned by the Magisterium (cf. Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Veritatis Splendor, 65-70).

The Shepherds of the Church should not in the slightest manner promote a culture of divorce amongst the faithful. Even the smallest hint of yielding to the practice or to the culture of divorce should be avoided. The Church as a whole should give a convincing and strong witness to the indissolubility of the marriage. Pope John Paul II said that divorce “is an evil that, like the others, is affecting more and more Catholics as well, the problem must be faced with resolution and without delay” (Familiaris Consortio, 84). 

The Church has to help the divorced and remarried with love and patience to recognize their own sinfulness and to help them to convert with one’s whole heart to God and to the obedience to His holy will, which is expressed in the Sixth Commandment. As long as they continue giving a public anti-witness to the indissolubility of marriage and contributing to a culture of divorce, the divorced and remarried cannot exercise those liturgical, catechetical and institutional ministries in the Church, which demand by their own nature a public life in accordance with the Commandments of God.

It is obvious that public violators for instance of the Fifth and Seventh Commandments, such as owners of an abortion clinic or collaborators of a corruption network, not only cannot receive Holy Communion but, evidently, cannot be admitted to public liturgical and catechetical services. In an analogous manner, public violators of the Sixth Commandment, such as divorced and remarried, cannot be admitted to the office of lectors, godparents or catechists. Of course, one must distinguish the gravity of the evil caused by the life style of public promotors of abortion and corruption from the adulterous life of divorced people. One cannot put them on the same footing. The advocacy for the admission of divorced and remarried to the task of godparents and catechists aims ultimately not the true spiritual good of the children, but turns out to be an istrumentalization of a specific ideological agenda. This is a dishonesty and a mockery of the institute of godparents or catechists who by means of a public promise took on the task of educators of the faith.

In the case of godparents or catechists who are divorced and remarried, their life continuously contradicts their words, and so they have to face the admonition of the Holy Spirit through the mouth of the Apostle Saint James: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1: 22).   Unfortunately, the Final Report in n. 84 pleads for an admittance of the divorced and remarried to liturgical, pastoral and educational offices. Such a proposal represents an indirect support to the culture of divorce and a practical denial of an objectively sinful lifestyle. Pope John Paul II on the contrary indicated only the following possibilities of participating in the life of the Church, which for their part aim a true conversion: “They should be encouraged to listen to the word of God, to attend the Sacrifice of the Mass, to persevere in prayer, to contribute to works of charity and to community efforts in favor of justice, to bring up their children in the Christian faith, to cultivate the spirit and practice of penance and thus implore, day by day, God's grace” (Familiaris Consortio, 84).

There should remain a salutary area of exclusion (non-admittance to the Sacraments and to the public liturgical and catechetical offices) in order to remind the divorced their real serious and dangerous spiritual state and, at the same time, to promote in their souls the attitude of humility, obedience and of longing for the authentic conversion. Humility means courage for truth, and only to those who humbly subject themselves to God, will receive His graces.

The faithful, who have not yet the readiness and the will to stop with the adulterous life, should be spiritually helped. Their spiritual state is similar to a kind of “catechumenate” regarding the sacrament of Penance. They can receive the sacrament of Penance, which was called in the Tradition of the Church “the second baptism” or “the second penance,” only if they sincerely break with the habit of the adulterous cohabitation and avoid public scandal in an analogous manner as do the catechumens, the candidates to the Baptism. The Final Report omits to call the divorced and remarried to the humble recognition of their objective sinful state, because it omits to encourage them to accept with the spirit of faith the non-admittance to the Sacraments and to the public liturgical and catechetical offices. Without such a realistic and humble recognition of their own real spiritual state, there is no effective progress towards the authentic Christian conversion, which in the case of the divorced and remarried consists in a life of complete continence, ceasing to sin against the sanctity of the sacrament of marriage and to disobey publicly the Sixth Commandment of God.

The Shepherds of the Church and especially the public texts of the Magisterium have to speak in an utmost clear manner, since this is the essential characteristic of the task of the official teaching. Christ demanded from all His disciples to speak in an extremely clear manner: “Let what you say be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Math 5: 37). This is valid all the more when the Shepherds of the Church preach or when the Magisterium speaks in a document.

In the text section of the numbers 84-86 the Final Report represents, unfortunately, a serious departure from this Divine command. Indeed in the mentioned passages the text does not plead directly in favor for the legitimacy of the admittance of the divorce and remarried to Holy Communion, the text even avoids the expression “Holy Communion” or “Sacraments.” Instead, the text by means of obfuscating tactics, uses ambiguous expressions like “a more full participation in the life of the Church” and “discernment and integration.”  

By such obfuscating tactics the Final Report in fact put time bombs and a back door for the admittance of the divorced and remarried to Holy Communion, causing by this a profanation of the two great sacraments of Marriage and Eucharist, and contributing at least indirectly to the culture of divorce – to the spreading of the “plague of divorce” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes, 47).

When reading carefully the ambiguous text of the text section “Discernment and integration” in the Final Report, one has the impression of a highly skillful, elaborated ambiguity. One is reminded of the following words of Saint Irenaeus in his “Adversus haereses”: “He who retains unchangeable in his heart the rule of the truth which he received by means of baptism, will doubtless recognize the names, the expressions, and the parables taken from the Scriptures, but will by no means acknowledge the blasphemous use which these men make of them. For, though he will acknowledge the gems, he will certainly not receive the fox instead of the likeness of the king.  But since what may prove a finishing-stroke to this exhibition is wanting, so that any one, on following out their farce to the end, may then at once append an argument which shall overthrow it, we have judged it well to point out, first of all, in what respects the very fathers of this fable differ among themselves, as if they were inspired by different spirits of error. For this very fact forms a proof from the outset that the truth proclaimed by the Church is immoveable, and that the theories of these men are but a tissue of falsehoods.” (I, 9, 4-5).

The Final Report seems to leave the solution of the question of the admittance of the divorced and remarried to Holy Communion to local Church authorities: “accompaniment of the priests” and “orientations of the bishop.” Such a matter is however connected essentially with the deposit of faith i.e. with the revealed word of God. The non-admittance of divorced who are living in a public state of adultery belongs to the unchangeable truth of the law of the Catholic faith and consequently also of the law of Catholic liturgical practice.

The Final Report seems to inaugurate a doctrinal and disciplinary cacophony in the Catholic Church, which contradicts the very essence of being Catholic. One has to be reminded of the words of Saint Irenaeus, about the authentic shape of the Catholic Church in all times and in all places: “The Church, having received this preaching and this faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully preserves it. She also believes the points of doctrine just as if she had but one soul, and one and the same heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, with perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth. For, although the languages of the world are dissimilar, yet the import of the tradition is one and the same. For the Churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe or hand down anything different, nor do those in Spain, nor those in Gaul, nor those in the East, nor those in Egypt, nor those in Libya, nor those which have been established in the central regions of the world (Italy). But as the sun, that creature of God, is one and the same throughout the whole world, so also the preaching of the truth shines everywhere, and enlightens all men that are willing to come to a knowledge of the truth. Nor will any one of the rulers in the Churches, however highly gifted he may be in point of eloquence, teach doctrines different from these (for no one is greater than the Master); nor, on the other hand, will he who is deficient in power of expression inflict injury on the tradition. For the faith being ever one and the same, neither does one who is able at great length to discourse regarding it, make any addition to it, nor does one, who can say but little diminish it.” (Adversus haereses, I, 10, 2).

The Final Report in the section on the divorced and remarried carefully avoids confessing the unchangeable principle of the entire Catholic tradition, that those who live in an invalid marital union can be admitted to Holy Communion only under the condition that their promise to live in complete continence and avoid public scandal. John Paul II and Benedict XVI confirmed strongly this Catholic principle. The deliberate avoidance of mentioning and reaffirming this principle in the text of the Final Report can be compared with the systematic avoidance of the expression “homoousios” on behalf of the opponents of the dogma of the Council of Nicea in the fourth century - the formal Arians and the so-called Semi-Arians - , who invented continuously other expressions in order not to confess directly the consubstantiality of the Son of God with God the Father.

Such a declination from an open Catholic confession on behalf of the majority of the episcopate in the fourth century caused a feverish ecclesiastical activity with continuous synodal meetings and a proliferation of new doctrinal formula with the common denominator of avoiding terminological clarity i.e. the expression “homoousios.” Likewise, in our days the two last Synods on Family avoided naming and confessing clearly the principle of the entire Catholic tradition, that those who live in an invalid marital union can be admitted to Holy Communion only under the condition that their promise to live in complete continence and avoid public scandal.

This fact is proven also by the immediate unequivocal reaction of the secular media and by the reaction of the main advocators of the new un-Catholic practice to admit divorced and remarried to Holy Communion while maintaining a life of public adultery. Cardinal Kasper, Cardinal Nichols and Archbishop Forte, for instance, publicly affirmed that, according to the Final Report, one can assume that a door in some way has been opened to Communion for the divorced and remarried. There exists as well a considerable number of bishops, priests and laity who rejoice because of the so-called “opened door” they found in the Final Report. Instead of guiding the faithful with a clear and an utmost unambiguous teaching, the Final Report caused a situation of obscuration, confusion, subjectivity (the judgement of the conscience of the divorced and forum internum) and an un-Catholic doctrinal and disciplinary particularism in a matter which is essentially connected to the deposit of faith transmitted by the Apostles.

Those who in our days strongly defend the sanctity of the sacraments of Marriage and Eucharist are labeled as Pharisees. Yet, since the logical principle of non-contradiction is valid and common sense still functions, the contrary is true.

The obfuscators of the Divine truth in the Final Report are more like Pharisees. For in order to reconcile a life in adultery with the reception of Holy Communion, they skillfully invented new letters, a new law of “discernment and integration,” introducing new human traditions against the crystalline commandment of God. To the advocators of the so-called “Kasper agenda” are addressed these words of the Incarnated Truth: “You made void the word of God by introducing your own tradition” (Mark 7: 13). Those who during 2,000 years spoke relentlessly and with an utmost clarity about the immutability of the Divine truth, often at the cost of their own life, would be labelled in our days as Pharisees as well; so Saint John the Baptist, Saint Paul, Saint Irenaeus, Saint Athanasius, Saint Basil, Saint Thomas More, Saint John Fisher, Saint Pius X, just to mention the most glowing examples.

The real result of the Synod in the perception of the faithful and of the secular public opinion was that there has been practically only one focus on the question of the admittance of the divorced to Holy Communion. One can affirm that the Synod in a certain sense turned out to be in the eyes of public opinion a Synod of adultery, not the Synod of family. Indeed, all the beautiful affirmations of the Final Report on marriage and family are eclipsed by the ambiguous affirmations in the text section on the divorced and remarried, a topic which was already confirmed and decided by the Magisterium of the last Roman Pontiffs in faithful conformity with the bi-millennial teaching and practice of the Church. It is therefore a real shame that Catholic bishops, the successors of the Apostles, used synodal assemblies in order to make an attempt on the constant and unchangeable practice of the Church regarding the indissolubility of the marriage, i.e. the non-admittance of the divorced who live in an adulterous union to the Sacraments.

In his letter to Pope Damasus, Saint Basil drew a realistic picture of the doctrinal confusion caused by those churchmen who sought an empty compromise, and an adaptation to the spirit of the world in his time: “Traditions are set at nought; the devices of innovators are in vogue in the Churches; now men are rather contrivers of cunning systems than theologians; the wisdom of this world wins the highest prizes and has rejected the glory of the cross. The elders lament when they compare the present with the past. The younger are yet more to be compassionated, for they do not know of what they have been deprived” (Ep. 90, 2).

In a letter to Pope Damasus and to the Occidental Bishops, Saint Basil describes as follows the confused situation inside the Church: “The laws of the Church are in confusion.  The ambition of men, who have no fear of God, rushes into high posts, and exalted office is now publicly known as the prize of impiety.  The result is, that the worse a man blasphemes, the fitter the people think him to be a bishop.  Clerical dignity is a thing of the past. There is no precise knowledge of canons.  There is complete immunity in sinning; for when men have been placed in office by the favour of men, they are obliged to return the favour by continually showing indulgence to offenders. Just judgment is a thing of the past; and everyone walks according to his heart’s desire. Men in authority are afraid to speak, for those who have reached power by human interest are the slaves of those to whom they owe their advancement. And now the very vindication of orthodoxy is looked upon in some quarters as an opportunity for mutual attack; and men conceal their private ill-will and pretend that their hostility is all for the sake of the truth. All the while unbelievers laugh; men of weak faith are shaken; faith is uncertain; souls are drenched in ignorance, because adulterators of the word imitate the truth. The better ones of the laity shun the churches as schools of impiety and lift their hands in the deserts with sighs and tears to their Lord in heaven. The faith of the Fathers we have received; that faith we know is stamped with the marks of the Apostles; to that faith we assent, as well as to all that in the past was canonically and lawfully promulgated.” (Ep. 92, 2).

Each period of confusion during the history of the Church is at the same time a possibility to receive many graces of strength and courage and a chance to demonstrate one’s love for Christ the Incarnated Truth. To Him each baptized and each priest and bishop promised inviolable fidelity, everyone according to his own state: through the baptismal vows, through the priestly promises, through the solemn promise in the episcopal ordination. Indeed, every candidate to the episcopacy promised: “I will keep pure and integral the deposit of faith according the tradition which was always and everywhere preserved in the Church.” The ambiguity found in the section on divorced and remarried of the Final Reportcontradicts the abovementioned solemn episcopal vow. Notwithstanding this, everyone in the Church – from the simple faithful to the holders of the Magisterium – should say:

“Non possumus!” I will not accept an obfuscated speech nor a skilfully masked back door to a profanation of the Sacrament of Marriage and Eucharist. Likewise, I will not accept a mockery of the Sixth Commandment of God. I prefer to be ridiculed and persecuted rather than to accept ambiguous texts and insincere methods. I prefer the crystalline “image of Christ the Truth, rather than the image of the fox ornamented with gemstones” (Saint Irenaeus), for “I know whom I have believed”, “Scio, Cui credidi!” (2 Tim 1: 12).

November 2nd, 2015

+ Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana 


Permission to repost from Rorate-Caeli: 

His Excellency Bishop Athanasius Schneider, one of the most visible prelates working on the restoration of the traditional Latin Mass and faith, has penned a nearly 5,000-word response to the Synod exclusively for our readers.Anyone may reproduce or link to this article, but all must reference Rorate Caeli as the source.