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Can We Pray?

Via CatholicVote.org

Benedict XVI on Vatican II

“The Council Fathers neither could nor wished to create a new or different Church. They had neither the authority nor the mandate to do so. It was only in their capacity as bishops that they were now Council Fathers with a vote and decision-making power, that is to say, on the basis of the Sacrament and in the Church of the Sacrament. For this reason they neither could nor wished to create a different faith or a new Church, but rather to understand these more deeply and hence truly to ‘renew them.’ This is why a hermeneutic of rupture is absurd and is contrary to the spirit and the will of the Council Fathers.” — Pope Benedict XVI, Reflections at 50th Anniversary of Opening of Vatican II, October 11, 2012.

Beginning your Philosophy Studies

Recently, a blog posted Fr. Barron's recommendations for "some introductory philosophy books for someone like me who has no formal training in philosophy but wants to dive deeper into it".

As a service, I am providing a link to all of them

• Philosophy 101 

As well as a link to Fr. Copleston's 9 volume History of Philosophy

• Copleston's History of Philosophy (Philosophy 102) 

Two more areas which may interest the philosophically curious:

• Ancient Philosophy
• Medieval Philosophy

A hero for our time

St. Maximilian Kolbe

His work continues today with Militia of the Immaculata

On Jesus fleeing after the Miracle

From  
Meditations on the Life of Our Lord 
by J. Nouet, S.J.


Nineteenth Week after Pentecost - Tuesday

1st Point. "Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world." (John, vi. 14.) The soul tastes the delights of heaven, is endued with spiritual strength, and filled with consolation and joy.  Jesus Christ vouchsafes to nourish it with the adorable "Bread which cometh down from heaven." (John, vi. 50.)  Choose him as king, that he may govern you with absolute sway as Creator and Redeemer.  All your powers and affections should exclaim: We desire that Jesus reign over us.  The divine Saviour, who fled from the temporal royalty with which the people wanted to invest him, will never refuse to reign in souls that desire to live under his empire.    Make him, therefore, king of your heart: beseech him to reign there, sovereignly, universally, and eternally.

2nd Point. "And forthwith Jesus obliged his disciples to go up into the boat, and to go before him over the water till he dismissed the people." (Matt., xiv. 22.) It is with regret the disciples separate from their beloved Master, but he obliges them to depart, because he knew their weakness, and the ideas they entertained of the temporal glory of the Messiah.  He takes their minds away from vain, terrestrial honours.  St. Jerome observes, that in this our Lord displayed his wisdom and foresight though, to the apostles, the separation was a sort of violence.  If obedience require you to forgo his conversation of prayer, you may embark with the apostles without danger: your submission will be your safeguard; but you should never leave his internal presence without fear and sorrow.

3rd Point. "And having dismissed the multitude, he went into a mountain alone to pray.  And when it was evening he was there alone." (Matt., xiv. 23.) The Son of God employs his all-pervasive words to change the minds of the people who would make him king; but when the cross is presented later, he embraces it with generous devotedness.  You fly the contempt you merit, and seek honour of which you are undeserving.  Imitate this adorable model; renounce human praise, seek retreat and silence, and when you have succeeded in what might occasion vain glory, have recourse to prayer, and sink into the depth of your own nothingness.

A Glimpse of St. Louis Bertrand

St. Louis Bertrand, O.P. (1526-1581)

 

            His early years – On January 1, 1526, one hundred and seven years after the death of St. Vincent Ferrer, another Dominican saint was born in Valencia – St. Louis Bertrand.  He was actually baptized in the same Church and font in which St. Vincent had been baptized. Louis’s father, John, was related to and had an ardent devotion to Saint Vincent. He passed that devotion to his son – one which Louis treasured throughout his life.

 

            Louis has been described as “a fretful child and nothing seemed to comfort him except the sight of the holy images in the churches”. (Wilberforce 15)  However, at an early age, he dedicated himself to the service of God and his studies. He learned to read and recite the Office of Our Lady before he was eight years old. As he grew older, he seldom spoke “unless the conversation turned upon spiritual matters”. (Wilberforce 17)

 

            His entry into the Dominican Order – Louis was certain he would save his soul as a Dominican, but his father objected to his joining the Order, believing he was better suited for the Carthusians. His father acquiesced only after Louis told him he would rather die than leave the Order.  He made his Dominican profession on August 27, 1545.

            Prayer and fasting for Louis, as it must be for all Dominicans, was an essential part of his life.  He devoted two hours every morning and two hours every evening to mental prayer.  After dinner he spent a half hour with the Blessed Mother.  He especially loved the Eucharist and often remained prostrate before the Blessed Sacrament for extended periods of time.  He “languished with weakness whenever he was prevented from celebrating the holy sacrifice.” (Wilberforce 91)

            When not actually praying in these ways, Louis was always conscious of the Divine Presence.  He frequently meditated on our Lord’s Passion. The crucifix was his constant companion. In it our Saint insisted “you will find whatever you need”. (Wilberforce 73)

            He also loved the Rosary, constantly reciting its mysteries.  He taught it to his converts and depended on the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary for the success of his preaching. “Many miraculous favors,” we are told, “were granted to those who devoutly used rosaries that had been blessed” by Louis. (Wilberforce 173)

            Novice Master – At the age of twenty-six and after having only been a priest for four years, Louis was appointed Master of Novices, serving with distinction in that capacity at six different times in his life and for a total of thirty years. He frequently referred to St. Vincent’s Treatise on the Spiritual Life, challenging his novices to see “which one of us shall be the imitator of this great man, whose equal is not to be found in this world”. (Pradel 184)