Plus ça change

"We have now to enter on the story of the long and bitter disputes between the bishops and some of the leaders of the Catholic laity which form so unpleasant a feature of this period of our history. It is difficult to define the causes of the rising at this time of an anti-clerical spirit in the Catholic body, or to analyse the feelings which in their ultimate issue resulted in actions which seem now almost incredible."

- Bernard Ward, The Dawn of the Catholic Revival in England, vol. 1, p. 87

Gentle Reader, please expect a blog post on the concept of Sacred Space and Profane Space.

I would like to be fluent in many languages.

I shall perhaps write something substantial tomorrow, since I have a free day.

It has been an extremely busy day. I suspect tomorrow will be the same. Praise the Lord!

I cite this very impressive comment of sanabituranima's in a Facebook debate.

Of course the Church is an institution. What on earth is your point.

" What proof do you have that I am wrong?"

The burden of proof lies with you. You must prove you are right.
...
When there is widespread testimony that you have cured incurable illnesses, walked on water and raised the dead (and the people giving that testimony have no good reason to lie - indeed, they continue to speak of these miracles EVEN WHEN THEY ARE THREATENED WITH DEATH FOR DOING SO) then I might think about believing you.

When this divine inspiration inspires something as heart-wrenchingly beautiful as the Gospel of John, as passionate and persuasive as the epistles of Paul, as simple yet compelling as the gospel of Mark, as filled with compassion for the oppressed as the gospel of Luke, as life-changing as the sermon on the mount as recounted by Matthew, then I might think about believing you.

When people hear your message and are willing to be tortured and murdered for the sake of it, in their thousands, and the tortures and murders do not discourage but rather encourage belief in your message, then I might think about believing you.

When your message is enough to satisfy the intellects of men and women as intellegent as St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John Chrysostom, St. Iranaeus, St. Anselm etc, and yet simple enough to be understood and loved by little children, then I might think about believing you.

When your views have been attacked on every single point for two thousands years, and withstood environments that were indifferent, derisive or outright persecutory for two thousand years, then I might think about believing you.

When what you say has inspired heroic charity like that of Saint Vincent De Paul, Blessed Mother Teresa, Father Damien of Molokai or Saint Aloyius Gozanga then I might think about believing you.

Heck, if you can even convince me that you understand the instituaion you are criticisng, I might think about believing you.

Until then, I am going to carry on with my life and Robot Unicorn (hopefully more of the former than the latter, although perhaps that is somewhat optimistic!)

I am sure we learn more from teaching than from anything else. I spend some hours this evening endeavouring to improve a Chinese student's English. We spent two hours on the first page or so of Dombey and Son. I learned a lot more than I would have done if I had simply read that page and swiftly read on. Is not that interesting?

From Fr Garrigou-Lagrange, OP

Ch 24: The Active Purification of the Senses or of the Sensible Appetites


"If thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee." Matt. 5: 29

Now that we have discussed the sins to be avoided, their consequences to be mortified, and the passions to be disciplined, we must treat of the active purification of the senses and of the sensible appetites, then of that of the intellect and the will. We shall then speak of the purification of the soul through the sacraments and prayer, and finally of the passive purification of the senses, which, according to St. John of the Cross, is at the threshold of the illuminative way.

THE PRINCIPLES TO BE APPLIED

When we treated (1) of mortification in general according to the Gospel and St. Paul, we saw that it is imposed on us for four principal motives: (I) because of the consequences of original sin, especially of concupiscence; (2) because of the effects of our personal sins; (3) because of the infinite elevation of our supernatural end (God seen as He sees Himself), which demands a subjection not only of the senses to reason, but of reason to the spirit of faith and to charity; (4) finally, because of the necessity of carrying the cross in order to follow Christ who died for us.

We must now apply these principles and see, first of all, what the mortification or active purification of the senses and of the sensible appetites should be.

St. Thomas treats this subject at length when he discusses the passions in general and in particular, also the seven. capital sins and their results, and finally when he speaks of the virtues that have their seat in the sensible appetites, such as temperance, chastity, fortitude, patience, meekness, and so on.

Among the great masters of the spiritual life, St. John of the Cross deals with this same subject in The Ascent of Mount Carmel (2) and at the beginning of The Dark Night (3) where he discusses the faults of beginners, or the seven capital sins transposed into the spiritual order: spiritual pride, spiritual gluttony, spiritual sloth, and so on.

Here we should recall the necessity of observing the precepts, especially the supreme precepts of love of God and of our neighbor, consequently of avoiding every mortal sin, and also of guarding ourselves better against our more or less deliberate venial sins. Although a man cannot, without a very special help which the Blessed Virgin received, continually avoid all venial sins taken together, he can avoid each one of them in particular. He should also strive more and more to suppress imperfection, which is a lesser good, an act of a lesser degree of generosity in the service of God. The lesser good is not an evil; but, in the order of good, one should not stop at the lowest rung of the ladder, at the least degree of light and warmth. The happy medium of the acquired virtue of temperance, described by Aristotle, is doubtless already a good, but we should aspire higher, that is, to the happy mean of infused temperance, which, moreover, rises in proportion to the growth of this virtue, united to that of penance, especially when the gifts of the Holy Spirit, like that of fear, incline us to greater generosity in order the better to overcome ourselves and advance more rapidly.(4) Besides, there are still many degrees in this greater generosity, according, for example, as one ascends toward the summit of perfection by the winding road, which is easier, or by the straight road traced by St. John of the Cross, which reaches its goal more rapidly and leads higher.

To avoid sin and imperfection, we must remember here that the capital sins dispose to others, which are often more serious, as vainglory does to disobedience, anger to blasphemy, avarice to hardness, gluttony to impurity, luxury to the hatred of God. We could never beg God too fervently for light to see the gravity of sin and to have a greater contrition for our faults. With fraternal charity, it is one of the greatest signs of spiritual progress.

We must also remember that venial sin, especially if it is repeated, disposes to mortal sin; for he who easily commits venial sin loses purity of intention, and if the occasion presents itself, he may sin mortally. Venial sin is thus on a dangerous slope, like a wall which hinders us from reaching union with God. On the road of perfection, he who does not advance, falls back.

Likewise imperfection, or an act not wholly generous, disposes us to venial sin. Acts that do not measure up to our degree of charity and of the other virtues (actus remissi), although they may still be meritorious, indirectly dispose us to redescend, for they do not exclude as much as they ought the inordinate inclinations which may cause us to fall. We shall discuss especially the mortification of sensuality and of anger.

I quote this here for your edification.
Pray excuse my lack of posts for the last several days.

There is an amazing collection of ancient MSS. and books in the Cathedral Library. I wanted to look at an 11th-c. MS. of the Rule of St Benedict. Apparently I have to get my supervisor to make a case for it being necessary for me to see it. But it isn't necessary; I just want to view it out of historico-antiquarian interest. Perhaps I could get my supervisor to write this:

Dear Librarian,

My student, David Mitchell, wishes to view MS 12345 (Regula Sancti Benedicti), since he is interested in (1) history, (2) religion, (3) medieval manuscripts, (4) palaeographic Latin abbreviations, (5) the monastic life in medieval Europe, (6) the Rule of St Benedict. He does not need to see it but he will be very upset if permission is not granted.
Yours at a moderately warm temperature,

Dr Alphabetagammadeltaepisolenzetaetathetaiotakappalambdamunuxiomnicronpirhosigmatauupsilonphichpsiomega

Hey ho.

A Deplorable State of Affairs

I urge you, ex corde, to watch this video:

http://www.realcatholictv.com/cia/05rebellion/

Today's resolution: to go to Mass as often as possible henceforward. We shall not be able (quoth Fr Hardon) to practise Christian chastity without so doing.

Today I forgot the comparative of magnus. Let it never happen again.

Today is the first day of the Novena of the Presentation of our Lady. I urge you to make some preparation for that great Feast (21st November). For my part my daily meditations shall be upon the Presentation of our Lady for the next few days. Read some of St Alphonsus's Glories of Mary; there is a section on this Mystery.

I have finished Verbum Domini. I hope to write something on it soon.

I have been fairly busy today. I had a piano lesson and an essay to complete and hand in. It was also Nan's 91st birthday. 91! My goodness... Do pray for her. Both my grandmothers are good women.

I am still listening to Fr Hardon, that great Servant of God.

Did you realize Pope John Paul II had been declared Venerable? I only realized this yesterday. The declaration was made by the Holy Father the day before my twenty-first birthday.

Today the Pope published the most important papal document on Sacred Scripture since Dei Verbum. It is called Verbum Domini. I shall comment on it when I have read it. It is a long document - 200 pages. I am reading it now.

Today was my grandmother's birthday. I rang her when I woke up at 1.30 this afternoon. She said I had made her day, which was a joy to hear.

Secondly: I am sure that Satan attacks converts with great vehemence, particularly those whom God wants to play a particularly strong part in His plan.

I hope my brother will forgive me for posting this, if he reads it. I was praying the Sorrowful Mysteries tonight, and came to the Crown of Thorns, and by a train of thought came to think of my brother. He is so good, he has borne so much, he is so kind, he is so guileless, his heart is so great, his soul appears to me to be so beautiful, I have been crying for a quarter of an hour. He is a good man. He is so much better than I. I love him very much. God loves him more. Please pray for him.

I wonder if there are any particular devotions to St Pius X? He was an extremely holy man.

Gentle Reader, I advise you not to leave it until your last tablet before going to see a doctor to renew your prescription.
I also advise against farting loudly.

Good night.

I have been listening to Fr Hardon quite a lot lately. He was a great and holy man. Let us ask his intercession. Fr Hardon, pray for us!

Is ubi legationem ad civitates suscepit, in eo itinere persuadet Castico, Catamantaloedis filio, Sequano, cuius pater regnum in Sequanis multos annos obtinuerat et a senatu populi Romani amicus appellatus erat, ut regnum in civitate sua occuparet, quod pater ante habuerit; itemque Dumnorigi Haeduo, fratri Diviciaci, qui eo tempore principatum in civitate obtinebat ac maxime plebi acceptus erat, ut idem conaretur persuadet eique filiam suam in matrimonium dat.

Gentle Reader, you would not believe the brain-ache that that sentence has given me over the last half hour.

Hello. A happy Feast of St Charles Borromeo to you.
I have been listening to Fr Hardon lectures, from the Real Presence website.
He was a very holy man.
Surely he is in Heaven.

Lots to do and a short space of time. I suppose this is a good thing. Only I want rest at the moment, not work. Time pressure has its benefits, though. It means, or should mean, that more gets done than might otherwise. Hey ho.
I do hope you are all having a happy Octave of All Saints. Let us call upon them all. Here is a prayer that invokes all of them:

Sancti Dei omnes, intercedere dignemini pro nostra omniumque salute.

V. Lætamini in Domino, et exultate, justi.
R. Et gloriamini, omnes recti corde.

Oremus.

Protege, Domine, populum tuum, et apostolorum tuorum Petri et Pauli, et aliorum apostolorum patrocinio confidentem, perpetua defensione conserva.
Omnes Sancti tui, quæsumus, Domine, nos ubique adjuvent; ut dum eorum merita recolimus, patrocinia sentiamus: et pacem tuam nostris concede temporibus, et ab Ecclesia tua cunctam repelle nequitiam: iter, actus, et voluntates nostras, et ominum famulorum tuorum in salutis tuæ prosperitate dispone: benefactoribus nostris sempiterna bona retribue, et omnibus fidelibus defunctis requiem æternam concede. Per Dominum, &c.

This was at one time used in the Little Office of Our Lady.

Here is the translation in the Baronius edition of the Lt. Office:

O all ye Saints of God, vouchsafe to intercede for our salvation, and that of all mankind.

V. Rejoice in the Lord, and be glad, O ye just.
R. And glory, all ye that are right of heart.

Let us pray.

Protect thy people, O Lord, and preserve them by thy continual defence, who trust in the patronage of Peter and Paul, and all thy other apostles.
Let all thy Saints, we beseech thee, O Lord, assist us every where; that, while we honour their merits, we may experience their patronage: grant us thy peace in our times, and repel all wickedness from thy Church: dispose our way, our acts, and wills, and those of all thy servants, in the good success of thy salvation: render to our benefactors everlasting blessings, and to all the faithful departed grant eternal rest. Through our Lord, &c.

1. Why do I have so much to do?
2. Why do I leave everything to the last minute?