Basilian Abusers: when priests turn to evil

Child molester William Hodgson Marshall

I was educated at St. Michael's College School. Whilst there, I met and knew a number of holy priests. Fr. Rocco Volpe, now deceased (please pray for the repose of his soul), was a very holy man, a true priest of God. I was also taught by Fr. (now Bishop) Robert Kasun, a jovial, gentle man. May God bless him in his new ministry. 

However, I did witness one incident of physical abuse. I saw Fr. Cecil Zinger, wrapping a tie around a boy's neck so tightly,chastising him that he had his tie off.  The result of Zinger's actions was the young man developed a nose bleed. With blood pouring out of the young man's nose, Zinger immediately changed tactics, and took the boy into his classroom. I had a class of my own, and moved on. Sadly, since Zinger remained at the school, the priest was not charged with assault. Zinger is now dead: and lauded by the Basilians. May readers reflect on his assault on this young man, and draw their own conclusions. 

Now we have news of further crimes committed by Basilians, betraying Christ, His Church and the young. 

Before you read this, please once again, remember the true priests - such as Fr. Volpe - horribly betrayed by infiltrators into the Basilian Order. 

Rob Talach, a lawyer who represented the victim, Rod MacLeod, now 68, said the case represents the largest punitive award by a civil jury in a sexual-abuse case against the Catholic Church in Canada. Over all, the jury award in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice amounted to $2.5-million, which includes money for lost wages, suffering and lost enjoyment of life.

Punitive damages are reserved for particularly egregious conduct, and are meant to deter such conduct in the future.“I think that the public, as expressed through the jury, is fed up. They want to see more action by institutions,” Mr. Talach said in an interview. “We are moving in a more positive direction. MeToo is part of that. The Cosby conviction is part of that.” (U.S. entertainer Bill Cosby was convicted of sexual offences this week in Pennsylvania.) 

Evidence showed that William Hodgson Marshall, a member of the Basilian Fathers (a Catholic order of priests), sexually abused Mr. MacLeod 50 times between 1963 and 1967 while Mr. Macleod was a student at St. Charles College high school in Sudbury, Ont., and Mr. Marshall was a priest and gym teacher. 

Read the rest here, by visiting Vox Cantoris. 

PRAY FOR TORONTO

For the victims of the terrorist attack today in Toronto - the dead and the injured -  their families and friends, please pray. For those who died, may they  have died in the Grace of God.  May those who survive draw closer, or come to Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

ETERNAL REST GRANT UNTO THEM O LORD, AND MAY PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. 

MAY THE SOULS OF THE FAITHFULLY DEPARTED

REST IN PEACE. 

 + AMEN + 

St. Anthony's Shrine "LGBT" Ministry promoting homosexual activity?

"Be who you are, love who you love", is the slogan of St. Anthony Shrine and Ministry Center - LGBT Spirituality". 

The Catholic Church has, for 2000 years, taught that homosexual activity is always, and everywhere, objectively gravely sinful. Homosexual acts are condemned in Sacred Scripture as one of the four sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance. Moses, St. Paul, St. Jude, the Church Fathers are of one voice regarding this terrible sin against the Triune God. A sin, which St. John Chrysostom described as "hell appearing before its time". 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church identifies homosexual inclinations as intrinsically disordered [2357]. The issue - raised by dissenters - to remove "intrinsically disordered" is very serious.  Indeed, if homosexual inclinations are not intrinsically disordered, how can homosexual activity always, and everywhere be "grave sins against chastity", as the Catechism teaches? The dissenters are very well aware that if "intrinsically disordered" is removed, the Church can no longer teach that homosexual practices are always grave sins against chastity [2396].  The door would therefore be opened to situational ethics - which is already proposed by these dissenters - that argues  homosexual practices are acceptable under certain circumstances. 

One such organization that consistently and openly promotes such dissent on homosexuality is the Franciscan, "Holy Name Province". This province runs a number of "LGBT" ministries that promotes "gay" culture, rather than chastity. Readers can research the misleading ministries run by Holy Name Province, on the excellent website of Joseph Sciambra.  

Prayer Service and guest "homilist" at LGBTQ event
was a practicing homosexual, John McDargh 

A case in point that typifies Holy Name Province dissent on homosexuality is its "St. Anthony's Shrine - LGBT ministry". John McDargh (who teaches theology at the Jesuit-run, Boston College) is an openly practicing homosexual with a "partner", Tim Dunn (whom he "married" in 2004 at an Anglican church). McDargh was invited on the weekend of March 17, 2018 to present at a "Lenten Prayer Service" and then to "preach" at Mass. McDargh and Dunn even adopted a little Russian boy, Sasha (please pray for this boy).

Just what did McDargh present? Why would St. Anthony's Shrine invite him? These are some of the questions we must ask. 

 

If you are trapped in same-sex attraction, please seek out a faithful Catholic priest, through the wonderful, Church-approved group, Courage. 

For further information about same-sex attraction please, visit the excellent website of Joseph Sciambra.  

Will this priest be America's next Saint?

The Polish Pope with the American Priest 

From the wonderful website of Joseph Sciambra, we have a very inspiring reflection on the life of the holy, humble priest, Fr. John Harvey. As many readers will be aware, the saintly priest founded the now world-wide apostolate, Courage, for those struggling with same-sex attraction. The holy priest died in 2010 and is buried in Cecil County, MD. 

Joseph writes: 

Father John Harvey: The Little Warrior Saint

I believe that God speaks through His little ones. When I was a would-be porn actor, I got to meet the masculine movie-star hero of my childhood dreams, but he turned out to be far shorter than I imagined; the man I regarded as larger-than-life, was just a man. During my first encounter with Fr. John Harvey, I thought to myself, “That’s him?” 

He was extremely aged, small framed, and incredibly thin. I first saw him sitting at a kitchen table quietly eating his meager supper. A local priest, who was also in charge of the San Francisco chapter of Courage, invited some of the members to his rectory in order to meet Fr. Harvey. 

Later, I learned that Fr. Harvey had just flown to California from the Far East where he was attempting to open other Courage apostolates. His flight was laid-over in San Francisco for the night. He would fly back home to New York City the next morning. You never would have known this at the time. When he got up from the table, he met all of us in the parlor where we waited anxiously for him to finish his meal. We converged in a large circle and there was a single empty chair waiting for Father. 

When he sat down, about two spots away from me, there was a different person in front of us. The old man hunched over his food was now sitting alert and attentive, the wrinkles on his face filled out, and his skin took on a pure white translucent color.

Please read the rest here. Please do not forget to pray for those trapped in the slavery of same-sex attraction.

Pope Paul VI: "the faithful are behaving like infidels"

The erudite journalist, Sandro Magister carries an excellent review of a book on Blessed Paul VI, and the late pope's real opinions on the so-called liturgical "reforms" following the Second Vatican Council. The pope did not like the deceptive and false reforms. Magister gives a number of examples of Paul questioning the changes, in a manner as if he had no actual power. Very interesting. 

Regarding the distribution of the Sacred Species on the hand, Pope Paul considered such an action as that on an "infidel", a non-believer. 

On May 18, 1975, after noting more than once that during the distribution of communion, in the basilica or in Saint Peter’s Square, there were some who passed the consecrated host from hand to hand, Paul VI commented: 

“The Eucharistic bread cannot be treated with such liberty! The faithful, in these cases, are behaving like.. infidels!”

We are confronted with the mystery as to how and why a Supreme Pontiff, opposing such abuse and "reforms", was stymied, obstructed and fluffed off by men who were literally hell-bent on corrupting the Faith. Scholarly research, such as this new book, will eventually reveal why the pope was paralyzed. I believe that it is too simplistic to say that Paul could have acted against them, but chose not to. We do not know all the machinations going on behind those Vatican Walls. We do know, as the Pope himself admitted publicly, the "smoke of Satan" had entered the Church. 

One thing, we can do: we can heed the words of the late Holy Father and not act like an infidel, but approach Holy Communion reverently and receive - always - on the tongue. 

Vatican shuts down Jewish priest's Order in Belgium

Fr. Michel Marie Zanotti Sorkine a French priest, who is also Jewish, is an extraordinary man. Inspired by Christ, this modern-day St. Paul served the faithful and all who would approach him in Marseilles.  I first came across Fr. Sorkine a number of years ago, reading about his incredible pastoral activities in a local Catholic journal, The Michael. What struck me was how Fr. Sorkine walked the streets of Marseilles in his cassock, the door of his rectory open every night until eleven. "Office hours", so prevalent amongst lukewarm priests after the Second Vatican Council, was not for Fr. Sorkine. Like his Jewish forebear, St. Paul, he portrayed that tenacity that had a messianic streak of the once chosen people.

Fr. Sorkine even established the Priestly Society of the Holy Apostles. His Society soon made its way to Belgium, at the invitation of Archbishop Leonard. Sadly, the ultra-modernist Cardinal Danneels (also publicly known for his fraternization with Freemasons) set his sights on destroying the Jewish priest's little Society. The new Archbishop, neo-modernist, De Kesel expelled the Society, whilst setting up an Islamic prayer centre at Catholic (??) schools. The Society, has finally been demolished by ultra neo-modernists in Rome: the executioners, Cardinal Beniamino Stella and Msgr. Domenico Mamberti. In late 2017, Stella obtained a decree of dissolution from the Pope. 

Read the full story here.   

Whatever you do, dear friends, stay with the Church during this very dark hour of error, confusion, evil and betrayal. Stay with the Church as She is scourged and crucified by the leaders of the Church, just as Christ was scourged and crucified by the leaders of the one, true religion of His time. Do not wander off to some schismatic Synagogue of Satan. There is one Church and She is the one, and only Mystical Body of Christ. Stay by the side of your Mother, the Church. Love her, stay with her, be Loyal to her and run the good race to your eternal salvation. 

The Temptation to Schism

In 1969, the Abbe Georges de Nantes warned against the grave danger of the temptation to schism, as he had a number of times during the turbulence  during and following the Council. Since the Abbe's warning in 1969, the confusion, the errors, the heresies, the liberalism (modernist and integrist) has only increased in the Church. On the one hand, we have the modernists seeking to undermine and overthrow the doctrines of the Church; sadly, on the other hand we have schismatic integrists who seek to throw off the visible, hierarchical structure of the Church, emancipating themselves from Her authority and jurisdiction, but in the process establishing yet another sect which God does not recognize, nor honour. 

The Abbe wrote: 

“ May Catholic charity always triumph in our hearts  ! One does not answer schism by schism. In the face of ill-feeling, partiality and hatred which raise barriers and trenches, our only answer must be that of love, that love which is founded on the infrangible community of the sacramental life. The Church is the charity of Christ spread and communicated amongst all the brothers. Whilst our brothers maintain albeit only the appearance of belonging to the Church, we must hold and retain them in Catholic charity without accepting their ostracism and their scission, and without adding our own thereto. If we quit the community, if we emancipate ourselves from hierarchical authority and reject its jurisdiction, we reinforce the schism, we provide it with the homogeneous consistency of a sect, and we give it a free hand in the Church  ! We must stay put, resigned to being punished, to suffering and to obeying whatever is not forbidden or intolerable, as martyrs for Catholic Unity and Charity… We must reject everything that is commanded for the purpose of subversion and not let ourselves be penalised without protesting. But never, never ever, will we contest the unique inviolable power of jurisdiction that belongs to the Pope and to the bishops united to him. Even though they behave unjustly, it is they who are the Catholic hierarchy, not ourselves.

“ One cannot save the Church by building on other foundations. But some people wanted to persuade me to do just that. As someone unjustly (although legally) deprived of all power of jurisdiction over souls by a Pope and bishops suspected of schism and heresy, I was supposed to consider myself a victim of persecution and to attribute to myself some kind of extraordinary jurisdiction directly derived from God  ! The determining factor was meant to be the pressing necessity of souls who were in danger of perishing in a Church that had completely lost her direction. Well, my answer to this was  : never, not at any price. Such jurisdiction has never been recognised by the holy canons except in the case of bishops in countries where persecution has totally destroyed or paralysed the local hierarchy. Presuming on the assent of the Holy See, these bishops would exercise this kind of extraordinary jurisdiction to save these Churches from total ruin and to provide for the urgent necessities of souls (Dom Gréa, L’Église, p. 235-238). As none of this can be verified in my own case, the usurpation that is proposed to me would be invalid, criminal and strictly schismatic.

“ We are not the saviours of the Church. Rather it is she, both now and always, who is our salvation. I may not actually see this, but I believe it with an unwavering faith  : the salvation of the Church today, as yesterday and for all times, is to be found in her Pastors. Although temporarily sunk in the error and sectarianism of their Reform, this grace still subsists in them, indefectibly. It may not be apparent, but it is ready on the day appointed by God to spring forth again for the salvation of all. The disorder may be great, the damage to souls mortal, but God does not wish to govern us except through the hierarchy. In such a sacred matter He cannot tolerate any fraudulent usurpation. If we were foolish enough to imagine that we could save the Church by carrying her off with us into the escapade of yet another schism, we who are nothing, it is we and we alone who would be irremediably lost. The only life we have within us is that which we have received. It is from the Roman Rock alone that this life springs forth.

“ The Church does not lie within us. It subsists in those very men whom we see busying themselves in her ruin and whom we nevertheless believe, by virtue of their apostolic jurisdiction, to be the bearers of Christ’s grace. We ourselves have no share in their powers of order and ministry except in the exact extent to which they delegate it to us. Thus, I am recognised as having the power to celebrate the Holy Mass, and this would be the case even if I were to be punished by an unjust excommunication (which God forbid  !), provided that I then celebrate it in private and without the risk of scandal. I also retain the power to give absolution to those who are dying… I give thanks to the Church for these faculties which she allows me to keep. I make use of them and I will continue to do so. But to go beyond this would be to build a simulacrum of the Church outside the Church. Good heavens  ! What would be the point  ? To deceive myself into thinking that I could save everyone  ? Ah, no  ! When the schism of this Reform is over, I do not wish to be separated from the Church. ”

Catholic and Orthodox Patriarchs issue Statement condemning Attack on Syria

The following is a Formal Statement issued by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Syria, following the attack by the United States, the United Kingdom and France on Syria. 

I advise Catholics and all men and women of good will to study and pray over this document. It is not "my country right or wrong". That idea is false and not Catholic. My mother was a British Patriot who loved her country. Had she been here, she too, as I do now, denounce the United Kingdom in the strongest possible terms for participating in this vile attack, as a pawn of international Zionism-Freemasonry, who are the real puppet masters in London, Washington and Paris. 

The hatred, the rage that is being directed towards Russia needs to be explained. That nation has made many mistakes and is not perfect: but one thing is certain, the Orthodox Church is increasing in power and the Russian State is defending and advancing the Orthodox Church. The traditional enemies of Our Lord Jesus Christ hate this. 

Let there be no mistake: Our Lord has real enemies who hate Him and wish to wipe His Name off the face of the earth and destroy His Church. Politics ultimately always comes down to religion. To believe the contrary is blindness and foolishness. Americans and Frenchmen and women: pray and decide. 

Pope Francis CANNOT lose "his Office" [UPDATE]

Over the past few days there have been reports of an historian speculating that Pope Francis can "lose his office", (but not be "deposed"), after he has been found "guilty" of "manifest" heresy. In other words he would materially cease to be pope, but not formally. 

Who would declare the Pope has lost his "office", and by what authority?

Who would decide what "manifest heresy" is, and by what authority? 

I refer readers to an article written a number of years ago by Br. Andre Marie, in which he wrote the following: 

Regarding the possibility of an heretical pope and his consequent loss of office, I would like to present another argument. Supposing we were to follow the opinions of certain authors that if a pope were to fall into heresy, he would then lose his office. Then suppose that we were to apply that opinion to a certain pope. At best, what we have accomplished is to establish, based upon theological speculation, the possibility that the See of Peter could be vacant. That is all we could do, given the uncertain nature of this situation. At this point, the individual Catholic is at a moral juncture: Either accept a man as the Roman Pontiff whom he thinks might not be pope, or reject him. If he realizes that the claimant to the Apostolic See might be the pope — and he has to admit that he might be — then rejecting the claimant constitutes a schismatic act. 

Let me explain. This is what is known in moral theology as a “practical doubt.” About this “practical doubt” the Jesuit moralist, Father Slater, says the following. “If I eat meat with a practical doubt as to whether it is not forbidden on that day by the Church, I commit a sin of the same kind and malice as if I ate meat knowingly on a day of abstinence.” Apply this to the pontificate. If I refuse my subjection to the Roman Pontiff with a practical doubt as to whether or not he is the pope, I commit an act of schism. It’s a form of spiritual Russian Roulette.

[UPDATE: Sunday, April 15, 2018: 9:05 a.m.]

For those  who have succumbed to sedevacantism, I again refer you to Br. Andre Marie:

“Yes, and we all know what our Lord did. He deposed the high priest and declared the Seat of Moses vacant! Didn’t He?” The point is simply this: If the Man-God himself had enough respect for the sovereign pontiff of the law of types and figures as to say of the heretical Jew who was soon to murder Him, that he sat “in the seat of Moses,” how does anyone in the present law, the more perfect law, dare to do the opposite? 

Let me spell this out. Our Lord was not a sedevacantist. The evil deicide heretic who had authority over the “church” of Israel, was still the head of the true Religion. 
The religious society of the Old Law was still intact. Anyone wishing to save his soul could look to this office for leadership. Its sacrifices were accepted by God, and despite the abusive use to which it was put, the prophetical office was even maintained by this man. What did St. John say about Caiphas’ prophesy of our Lord’s death? “And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.” No matter how you view it, the present Pope’s actions come nowhere near the iniquity of Caiphas.

Pope Francis: the question of Papal Heresy and the temptation to Schism

I have been warning readers of the temptation to schismatic dissidence for some time now. As the crisis in the Church increases, so too will the temptation to schism and heresy. I, for one, will not be leaving the Church, and wander off to some Synagogue of Satan. Nor do I intend to leave the Church in my heart. Do you realize, dear friend, what a grave mortal sin it is to deny that Pope Francis is Pope, yet attend a Mass that prays for him in the Canon, as Pope? 

The Church is visible, is She not? 

The Church is hierarchical, is She not? 

We have a Pope, do we not? 

The Church, though gravely ill, will not die. The Church needs Catholics by Her bedside, caring for Her, though Her injuries are heavy, grotesque; Her body covered with open sores. It is now, more than ever, that we should be caring lovingly for Our Mother. 

The Church is sustained by Christ and Our Lord is far, far more powerful than popes, who come and go. Have we ever considered that God knows exactly what He is doing? 

Now, there have been claims that Pope Francis cannot be "deposed", but rather, "lose his Office"! He would, according to this fantastical theory that tries to square a circle, remain Pope until his "heresy has become manifest" in this delusion. 

Manifest to whom? 

Who will judge what is "manifest"? 

From where will these self-appointed judges receive their authority?

This is a fine work of schism. If he has lost office, he can hardly be the Pope. Let us not quibble over semantics! What this is, is a mental exercise in denying the Pope in praxis, but not in theory. 

I am no theologian. Therefore, I shall refer to a theologian: the Abbe de Nantes. The Abbe himself wrote once that a Catholic has a thousand reasons more to follow the Pope than the opinion of a priest. Therefore, in this humble opinion of this priest let us review the possibility that the "Church" (??) can declare the Supreme Pontiff, "deposed". The Abbe certainly was prescient in his belief that this will cause grave confusion. 

" Papa hæreticus depositus est… A heretical Pope is deposed. ” This is the solution advocated by Robert Bellarmine in the heyday of the Counter-Reformation. “ Heresy being a form of spiritual death, a withdrawal from the Church, any Pope who should fall into heresy, would find himself ipso facto cut off from the Church. He is, by this very fact, deposed. He ceases to occupy the Apostolic See of his own accord. ” This theory was well adapted to an epoch when everyone clearly distinguished the Catholic Faith from error.

 What neither Suarez nor Bellarmine could have foreseen, is that a time would come when evolutionism and subjectivism would spread such darkness in people’s minds that it would be impossible for them to immediately identify heresy, particularly in the private doctrines of a pope. Given the current confusion, in which Protestant private judgement is further complicated by Modernist immanentism, if we were to accept this solution, anyone might declare the Pope a heretic according to his own private whim and conclude that, as far as his own direction was concerned, there was no longer any pope. ” (CRC no. 30, March 1970, p. 7) Thus, the theologian of the Catholic Counter-Reformation was of the opinion that this solution would be impracticable as it would have no effect other than to cause confusion and lead to contesting any Pope whoever he might be.

“ Papa haereticus deponendus est, a heretical Pope must be deposed. ” This is the solution proposed by Cardinal Cajetan and other theologians. It implies two important consequences. “ If it so happens that a Pope is a heretic, he must be deposed for him to cease being the Pope. Furthermore, the person who accuses the Pope of heresy must not leave it at that, but must ask for the legal process for his deposition to be undertaken, since he cannot make a universally and immediately executory decision of his personal judgement. ” (CRC no. 69, June 1973, p. 10)

This is a wise solution, yet it raises further questions, in particular, who will judge the Pope  ? Cajetan’s answer is unsatisfactory. He maintains that in undertaking such a process of deposition of a heretical Pope, the Church is not in fact passing a verdict on the offender, but is merely bringing him to the attention of the Sovereign Judge Who is God Himself. “ It is hard to see just what Cajetan had in mind, ” Fr. de Nantes comments. “ He is in an obvious dilemma. We are left only with the idea that any ecclesiastical tribunal in such a trial would be competent merely to institute proceedings, but not to pass sentence. "

Latin Mass for Toronto's Catholics: Annunciation of the Lord

Pope Benedict XVI: "Those Sacred Wounds..." are the source of Divine Mercy

BENEDICT XVI

REGINA CÆLI

II Sunday of Easter, 23 April 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday the Gospel of John tells us that the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples, enclosed in the Upper Room, on the evening of the "first day of the week" (Jn 20: 19), and that he showed himself to them once again in the same place "eight days later" (Jn 20: 26). From the beginning, therefore, the Christian community began to live a weekly rhythm, marked by the meeting with the Risen Lord.

This is something that the Constitution on the Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council also emphasizes, saying: "By a tradition handed down from the Apostles, which took its origin from the very day of Christ's Resurrection, the Church celebrates the Paschal Mystery every seventh day, which day is appropriately called the Lord's Day" (Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 106).

The Evangelist further recalls that on the occasion of both his appearances - the day of the Resurrection and eight days later - the Lord Jesus showed the disciples the signs of the crucifixion, clearly visible and tangible even in his glorified Body (cf. Jn 20: 20, 27).

Those sacred wounds in his hands, in his feet and in his side, are an inexhaustible source of faith, hope and love from which each one can draw, especially the souls who thirst the most for divine mercy.

In consideration of this, the Servant of God John Paul II, highlighting the spiritual experience of a humble Sister, St Faustina Kowalska, desired that the Sunday after Easter be dedicated in a special way to Divine Mercy; and Providence disposed that he would die precisely on the eve of this day in the hands of Divine Mercy.


The mystery of God's merciful love was the centre of the Pontificate of my venerable Predecessor. Let us remember in particular his 1980 Encyclical Dives in Misericordia, and his dedication of the new Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow in 2002. The words he spoke on the latter occasion summed up, as it were, his Magisterium, pointing out that the cult of Divine Mercy is not a secondary devotion but an integral dimension of Christian faith and prayer.

May Mary Most Holy, Mother of the Church, whom we now address with the Regina Caeli, obtain for all Christians that they live Sunday to the full as "the Easter of the week", tasting the beauty of the encounter with the Risen Lord and drawing from the source of his merciful love to be apostles of his peace.

Jesus Christ is the King of the Jews

And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. 

And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

John 19:19

Any mention that contemporary Judaism is not biblical Judaism, but Talmudic Judaism, is met with immediate accusations of "antisemitism". Church Fathers, saints - up to and including St. Maximillian Kolbe - have all been smeared with "anti-semitism".  St. John and St. Paul have been singled out as two leading "antisemites". 

To preach the Gospel to the Jews, that they convert from their current spritual blindness, evokes cries of "antisemitism", but it must be done. St. Peter (a Jew, and the first pope) preached Our Lord before a large crowd of Jews: the results were a mass conversion. According to contemporary relativistic thinking, where truth does not matter, where it does not matter if Jesus Christ is God or not God, where falsehood and error are irrelevant, St. Peter's preaching was a manifestation of "anti-semitism". In fact, since truth does not exist for the modern mind, St. Peter's preaching is incomprehensible. Is it any wonder why Our Lord's Crucifixion has become irrelevant? After all, if there is no truth, He died for nothing. 

The conversion of the Jews should weigh especially heavily on our hearts and minds, during Easter Week, following their tragic rejection of Our Lord during Holy Week. Having been awaiting the Messiah, when He came, they not only "knew Him not", but rejected Him and arranged for the Romans to crucify Him. The High Priests and the vast majority of the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus and killed the Messiah. Not to preach Christ Crucified to the Jews is a grave evil. It is a direct act of disobedience to Our Lord, who commanded His Church to go "out to all Nations, teaching them all that I have commanded you". 

Christiana Polonia carries an excellent article on the relationship between the Catholic Church and Rabinical Judaism.

The Church doesn’t come from rabbis but from Moses and the prophets. It is Catholicism that is a perfect continuation of the ancient Israelites’ faith.The beginnings of Judaism go back to the patriarch Abraham. At the beginning of the second millennium B.C. he wandered from Mesopotamia to Kanaan by the Mediterranean Sea. His descendants lived in Egypt though, where pharaohs reduced them to being slaves. Then, in the 13th century B.C. their 40-year-long journey back to Kanaan led by Moses began. It was then that God revealed the Decalogue on the Sinai Mountain to him. In the 10th century B.C. or so biblical Judaism concentrated around the Temple of Jerusalem holding the Ark of the Covenant was developed. Judaist prophets defended their monistic faith against going down to Paganism. 

The destruction of the temple and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century B.C. led to the transformation of the religion which was now based mainly on the Law. In the 4th century B.C. Hellenistic Judaism was developed. Its followers performed their cult in the second rebuilt temple. When Jesus Christ was born some Jews recognised him as Messiah announced by Jewish prophets. Other Jews rejected Him. In the year 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed the second temple in Jerusalem. This was a turning point in the history of Judaism.

What could be done? The Torah experts, rabbis, gathered in the town of Yavne. They agreed on how they should function without a temple. So-called rabbinic Judaism was based on prayers in numerous synagogues rather than in one temple. The Talmud and the rabbis replaced religious animal sacrifice and priesthood. Between the 5th and 7th century Jews wrote the Talmud down. It consists of the Gemara, a rabbinic commentary on Mishnah (oral tradition codified around the year 200 A.D.) and Midrash, commentaries to the Torah.

As Reverend Waldemar Chrostowski pointed out, the centre of rabbinic Judaism is the Talmud and not the Old Testament. The Talmud plays the same role as the New Testament in Christianity. Moreover, as the reverend noted on some other occasion (“How to read the Holy Bible?” – a lecture from the “Spirituality for Warsaw" series, part 1 – 2017/2018 available on youtube.com), reading the Bible is different in the case of Christians and Jews. Christians read it in a Christological way. In the message of the Old Testament they see references to Christ.Thus, the New Testament complements the Old Testament. The rabbinic exegesis of the Bible leads to a different understanding of Messiah. It stops seeing an individual in Him. On the contrary, many contemporary rabbis consider the whole Israel to be Messiah. In this way Messiah becomes a collective entity.

Contemporary, meaning rabbinic, Jews follow (at least they should!) 613 commandments included in the Talmud. These are ethical and ceremonial indications (prayer three times a day, resting during the Sabbath), guidelines regarding the food (kosher) as well as holidays (Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Pesach, etc.).

The Catholic Church is younger than Judaism. No wonder. After all it comes from it (from biblical and not rabbinic Judaism!). It was founded on the Pentecost day in the 1st century when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. Soon afterwards, during the so-called Council of Jerusalem, the Apostles released Christians converted from Paganism from the obligation to follow the majority of regulations of the Law. Christianity started to separate itself as a religion different from Judaism. Other councils, such as the Council of Nicaea, when the Holy Trinity dogma was announced, contribute to that. A fundamental, although not indiscriminate, acceptance for the classic civilisation (Greco-Roman) is not without significance.

As can be seen, the Church and Judaism has the mutual heritage in common: the Old Testament (the Torah for Jews), monotheism as well as the esteem for Jewish prophets and law-makers. It is Abraham, Moses and the prophets as well as other people who are Catholics’ older brothers in faith. Moreover, since Christ is a Jew as concerning the flesh (Romans 9,5) the attempt to marry Christianity with antisemitism is not only a moral evil but also a logical contradiction. Moreover, as Reverend Waldemar Chrostowski pointed out during the “Opinion Leaders Academy” in 2014 (youtube.com), Catholicism (and Orthodox Church) continues the spirit of the Old Testament religion (priesthood, temple, sacrifice).

Meanwhile, some contemporary theologians, influenced by the so-called post-Auschwitz theology, mistakenly identify biblical Judaism with rabbinic Judaism. If, as they reason, both are “Judaism”, many are misled and consider them one religion. Meanwhile, the opposites are important. We should not underestimate them.

The first difference between Catholicism and rabbinic Judaism is the attitude towards Christ. According to the second religion, Jesus is a common man while the Church teaches that He is God, the second Person in the Holy Trinity. He is also Messiah promised by the prophets of the First Covenant who became human in order to redeem the world. Thus, Jews are still waiting for Messiah to come while the Church believes that it had already happened.

Moreover, while rabbinic Judaism is essentially limited to one nation, Christianity is universalistic. Therefore, any racism and national chauvinism (including antisemitism) argues with Christianism. As Saint Paul wrote: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for you all are one man in Christ Jesus.” (Ga 3;27-28). Although loyalty to the nation and the country is still valid (the fourth commandment), it is relativized. Love of one’s neighbour applies to everyone. 

Meanwhile, in rabbinic Judaism, as a state religion, nation remains something essential. It has an impact on ethics. According to Feliks Koneczny there are four ethics in rabbinic Judaism: for Jews and non-Jews in Palestine and for Jews and non-Jews in other parts of the world.

Read the full article here. 

Pope John Paul I: "What happiness to die for Jesus Christ!"

In his first Angelus Address, Pope John Paul I, spoke of St. Pius X's beatification of the Carmelites of Compiègne, who were martyred under the brutal tyranny of the masonic, so-called "French Revolution". The saintly Pope recalled how one holy nun proclaimed prior to being guillotined, "what happiness to die for Jesus Christ!". Within weeks, the holy pope too would happily die for Jesus Christ. Did the Pope prophecy his own imminent death?  

Pius X, in 1906, right here in Rome, had beatified the sixteen Carmelites of Compiègne, martyrs during the French revolution. During the trial they were condemned "to death for fanaticism". And one of them asked in her simplicity: "Your Honour, what does fanaticism mean?" And the judge: "It is your foolish membership of religion." "Oh, Sisters, she then said, did you hear, we are condemned for our attachment to faith. What happiness to die for Jesus Christ!"

They were brought out of the prison of the Conciergerie, and made to climb into the fatal cart. On the way they sang hymns; when they reached the guillotine, one after the other knelt before the Prioress and renewed the vow of obedience. Then they struck up "Veni Creator"; the song, however, became weaker and weaker, as the heads of the poor Sisters fell, one by one, under the guillotine. 

The Prioress, Sister Theresa of St Augustine, was the last, and her last words were the following: "Love will always be victorious, love can do everything." That was the right word, not violence, but love, can do everything. Let us ask the Lord for the grace that a new wave of love for our neighbour may sweep over this poor world.

Pope John Paul I, pray for us

Pius XII: exclusion of Christ from public life leads to a corrupting paganism

Pope Pius XII, on the eve of World War II, outlined the cause of the War: rejection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Since that War, the confusion, the error, the evil has only increased. The diabolical is only on the increase. 

St. Peter, shortly after Our Lord's Resurrection - after the most horrendous manifestation of the diabolical - proclaimed to a large crowd of Jews: "Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved". (Acts 4:12). Stirred by the first Pope's words, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Jews converted, leaving their darkness and confusion, accepting Christ and renouncing the "father of lies". 

In our day, there is a great need to accept and re-accept Christ. Let us now turn to the words of the saintly Pontiff, words that are more applicable today, then when they were written in 1939. 

The holy Pope wrote in Summi Pontificatus: 

The Holy Gospel narrates that when Jesus was crucified “there was darkness over the whole earth” (Matthew xxvii. 45); a terrifying symbol of what happened and what still happens spiritually wherever incredulity, blind and proud of itself, has succeeded in excluding Christ from modern life, especially from public life, and has undermined faith in God as well as faith in Christ. 

The consequence is that the moral values by which in other times public and private conduct was gauged have fallen into disuse; and the much vaunted civilization of society, which has made ever more rapid progress, withdrawing man, the family and the State from the beneficent and regenerating effects of the idea of God and the teaching of the Church, has caused to reappear, in regions in which for many centuries shone the splendors of Christian civilization, in a manner ever clearer, ever more distinct, ever more distressing, the signs of a corrupt and corrupting paganism: “There was darkness when they crucified Jesus” (Roman Breviary, Good Friday, Response Five).

...With the weakening of faith in God and in Jesus Christ, and the darkening in men’s minds of the light of moral principles, there disappeared the indispensable foundation of the stability and quiet of that internal and external, private and public order, which alone can support and safeguard the prosperity of States.

...In Our days, on the contrary, dissensions come not only from the surge of rebellious passion, but also from a deep spiritual crisis which has overthrown the sound principles of private and public morality.

A Blessed and Holy Easter !

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is risen, and life reigns!

Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!

For Christ, being raised from the dead, 

has become the first-fruits of them that have slept.

To Him be glory and might unto the ages of ages.

+ Amen +