For everything there is a season...

While there are pertinent reasons for continuing a public platform for All Saints Parish parishioners, it is time for this particular blog to go on hiatus. It will remain online, but most likely no new posts will be added.

Friends of St. Vincent's remains in good hands, and you can contact them at fosv.smiller@gmail.com.

The comments section will remain open for a few days. I heartily recommend the Cleansing Fire blog for good information about the Diocese of Rochester and its parishes. They also include links to various local Catholic blogs/sites.

God bless each parishioner at All Saints Parish, and may Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Mary's remain to bless the community.

One last thing. The Church has been moving, for many, many years, into deep waters. The Catholic parishes in Corning have experienced--and continue to experience--a profound lessening of the faith. This long article by writer Steve Skojec: Something Wicked, is worth reading. He follows it up with another post about how to protect oneself in spiritual warfare: Some Resources for Spiritual Battle.

May we keep the faith when all else fails. Kýrie, eléison.

Comfort Ye My People

A dear friend has passed away. May God speed his way to heaven and bring mercies and comfort to his family.

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The work of God

“All Good Works together are not of equal value with the sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men, and the Holy Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison; it is the sacrifice that man makes of his life to God; the Mass is the sacrifice that God makes to man of His Body and of His Blood. Oh, how great is a priest! if he understood himself he would die. . . . God obeys him; he speaks two words, and Our Lord comes down from Heaven at his voice, and shuts Himself up in a little Host. God looks upon the altar. “That is My well-beloved Son, ” He says, “in whom I am well-pleased. ” He can refuse nothing to the merits of the offering of this Victim. If we had faith, we should see God hidden in the priest like a light behind a glass, like wine mingled with water.” -St. John Vianney
(Via Traditional Catholic Priest)

The Church in Spain

Once again, think it can't happen  here? Think again.

From the Eponymous Flower, an article about an 84-year-old cardinal who is being prosecuted for saying that it is possible for homosexuals to be restored. FTA:

"For the first time charges have been brought against a Cardinal of the Church, because he has said what the Catholic Church has always taught on homosexuality and what is part of the truth of faith, which they can not change...Perhaps it's the comfortable Christians who think it would already not so bad, should wake up and start with the resistance in the countries where there is no homophobia Act, before they too need to weigh with care every word, and because of a Catholic thought crime, stand trial."

Additionally, here is a disturbing article about the homosexual rights movement in the USA and the Church, first published in the New Oxford Review in 2006.

St. Ann's in Buffalo has been saved

Vatican saves St. Ann's

Here, too.

A little history of the situation.

Of interest

Here is a pertinent blog post from Fr. Peter Carota about how "the questioning everything Catholic" contributed to 1.72 billion abortions worldwide: Traditional Catholic Priest

From the article:

But this “climate of questioning everything Catholic” had already been fomented by the way Vatican II was run. Everything seemed to be up for grabs. We were now “the new educated generation of Catholics” who could now clearly throw away medieval doctrine and come up with “modern” christianity that would be “relevant” to “modern man”. And we see this in the wording of some of the councils documents. They used words that changed the meaning of what the Church had always taught before, like on ecumenism, collegiality, and freedom of religion. Many, many bishops, priests, religious and theologians began publicly and privately to dissented from the Church’s prohibition of the use of birth control. I have read over and over their statements of dissent. Most of you are too young to have lived through these times.

Here's a post from Fr. Ray Blake's blog titled "Once we had millions of Evangelists"

From the article:

There can be no worthwhile evangelisation unless it begins and ends in Truth and unless the evangelisers are believable. Personally, I believe that the 'misson' of the Second Vatican Council was to find a way to express the Truth in the modern world, however in the interpretation of the Council's teaching a fracture was introduced between the Church's practice and prayer, and the Church's belief. The fracture meant the Church lost its credibility, hence our churches emptied. We became seen as 'hypocritical'. We lost the sense of 'noble simplicity' which comes from the basic premise of the Catholic Church that Jesus Christ is God, God founded the Church and promises to be with it until the end of time, hence you can -and must- trust the Catholic Church, the Church ceased to be immediately intelligible, the greater Truth was obscured by lesser truths.

Fr. Hunwicke (who is quoted at Fr. Blake's blog) has a series of posts about the fracture in the Church that has resulted in the crisis we have been experiencing for decades. Here, here, here, and here.

Here's a blog post (that went viral) about Steve Skojec's experience with fellow Catholics who aren't happy with his views on Pope Francis. It doesn't take a rigorist

The Church is attractive because she is beautiful. The Church is appealing, despite her many rules and requirements, because she alone claims fullness of truth. The Church is inspiring because she is noble, and her traditions and customs give witness to her profound sacramental beliefs. 

 Much of this, perhaps even most of this, has been lost since Vatican II. The Church has become an instrument of compromise, of syncretism, and of mediocrity. A bourgeois, bubble gum-chewing religion of suburban good cheer. Her architecture has become banal, her music profane, her liturgies humanistic. She no longer challenges the world with witness to Christ Crucified, but instead tells the world that there are many paths to heaven for people of good conscience. 

 For the life of me, I can’t fathom why anyone faced with the Church of 2013 would choose to convert to Catholicism. For fellowship? I can get fellowship from the local MegaChurch, with far fewer impositions on my personal liberty. For the sacraments? But most Catholics don’t even believe in the Real Presence, most parishes have no adoration or Eucharistic devotions, most priests offer an hour or less per week of confession time on the parish schedule.

Marching on

The 2014 March for Life is on.

Here's a roundup of articles on Big Pulpit.

Startling stats, but who will take up the challenge?

Blunt words. Needed to be said.

Deconstructing the Catholic Faith

An interesting site and book...it details the systematic destruction of the Catholic faith by those who were tasked with preserving it. Oh so familiar.

Death of a Catholic Parish

Bishop Matano

Cleansing Fire reports on Bishop Matano's New Year's Day Mass. The Bishop will be installed Friday, and there should be local news coverage. CF also notes that the Bishop will be visiting the local parishes.

On subverting the Catholic Faith

Modernism. Syncretism. Indifferentism. New Age. Novelty. Read about how the Faith has been and is being subverted at The Old Evangelization blog. For starters, there's this short article on modernism:

Subvert The Catholic Faith With This One Weird Worldview

Lots of good info packed in a short article, including a link to Pope St. Pius X's encyclical on Modernism's doctrines. From the article:

"Because modernists love novelty, being dissatisfied with the Church as it is, they try to reform her in a host of areas. Philosophy, theology, history, worship, morals - no area of the Church's life evades their attempts at reform."

Sadly familiar, no?

Merry Christmas

From Bishop Fulton J. Sheen's Life of Christ:

"History is full of men who have claimed that they came from God, or that they were gods, or that they bore messages from God--Buddha, Mohammed, Confucious, Christ, Lao-tze, and thousands of others, right down to the person who founded a new religion this very day. Each of them has a right to be heard and considered. But as a yardstick external to and outside of whatever is to be measured is needed, so there must be some permanent tests available to all men, all civilizations, and all ages, by which they can decide whether any one of these claimants, or all of them, are justified in their claims. These tests are of two kinds: reason and history. Reason, because everyone has it, even those without faith; history, because everyone lives in it and should know something about it.

Reason dictates that if any one of these men actually came from God, the least thing that God could do to support His claim would be to pre-announce His coming...With this test one can evaluate the claimants. (And at this preliminary stage, Christ is no greater than the others.) Socrates had no one to foretell his birth. Buddha had no one to pre-announce him and his message or tell the day when he would sit under the tree. Confucious did not have the name of his mother and his birthplace recorded, nor were they given to men centuries before he arrived so that when he did come, men would know he was a messenger from God. But, with Christ it was different. Because of the Old Testament prophecies, His coming was not unexpected. There were no predictions about Buddha, Confucious, Lao-tze, Mohammed, or anyone else, but there were predictions about Christ...What separates Christ from all men is that first He was expected...A second distinguishing fact is that once He appeared, He struck history with such impact that He split it in two, dividing it into two periods: one before His coming, the other after it...A third fact separating Him from all the others is this: every other person who ever came into the world came into it to live. He came into it to die."

The Culture War is a Religious War

Again, the battle is primarily a religious battle, though leftists insist it is about tolerance. No, it consists in converting you and I from the faith of our fathers to the faith of the social policies of leftism (which includes a syncretistic mish mash of marxism, socialism, relativism, eastern and new age philosophies, atheism and even corrupted Christian doctrine, etc).

Michelle Malkin has written an article titled: GLAAD: Lethal Enforcers of the Left's Tolerance Mob

In it, she details some of the persecution Christians have been undergoing by the homosexual group GLAAD. From the article (do read it all):

"GLAAD has worked tirelessly to marginalize and suppress the free speech of Christian leaders, Christian businesses and conservative talk-radio hosts dating back to their infamous Dr. Laura boycott 13 years ago. The group’s mission is not about equality or defending against “defamation.” It’s about silencing critics, making open debate radioactive, demonizing people of faith and making even the slightest perceived slight a hate crime.

Last year, GLAAD speech-squelchers issued a blacklist of 34 Christian commentators they wanted networks to ban from their air for “extreme” views (read: opposing gay marriage). Earlier this year, GLAAD attacked the National Geographic Channel for partnering with the traditional values-promoting Boy Scouts on a reality TV program. GLAAD is free to start its own Gay Scouts, but instead chose to harangue NatGeo for refusing to run a “disclaimer” at the beginning of each show condemning the Boy Scouts’ leadership policies.

It’s not enough to live and let live. You must repent and genuflect before the self-serving gods of selective progressivism. That’s why GLAAD forgave Hollywood director Brett Ratner for using the word “fag.” He was allowed back into the protected Hollywood club after submitting to GLAAD reeducation camp and appearing in GLAAD public service announcements. Bill Clinton, who authored both the Defense of Marriage Act and the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies so reviled by the homosexual lobby, ended up receiving a GLAAD “Advocate for Change” award earlier this year — for changing his mind when politically expedient."

This generation suffers the soft persecution of mockery, suppression of free speech, and financial destruction. Your children and grandchildren will suffer worse if they maintain the Faith. If they do not maintain a Catholic Faith, then the loss of their souls will be the ultimate price they pay for a temporal peace.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Bow Down

Don't let anyone tell you they don't worship anything. We all worship something or someone. From The Peoples Cube via the Treehouse.

From the Shroud comes Mary's Face

This is a forensic artist's rendering of the Virgin Mary from the Shroud of Turin. Bishop Fulton Sheen said Jesus got his looks from His Mother. More info on the image here. And here's an interesting article from the indomitable Ann Barnhardt on the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption.

Coming to a cathedral near you?

WARNING: Graphic, disturbing images from Argentina, where pro-abortion lesbians and others attacked Catholics defending their cathedral. In. a. Catholic. Country.

Think again if you don't believe this could happen here. Satanic, no? And yet how many Catholics routinely vote for pro-abortion, pro-homosexual 'marriage' politicians? Have you heard a good pro-life homily lately?


Culture war and the joy of the gospel

A bishop explains minor exorcisms

Much of the western Catholic world has been lulled into the belief that the devil doesn't exist. So much more comfortable to believe we are all going to Heaven, that Hell, if it does exist, is empty (a la Fr. Barron...see here and here), and that the idea of exorcising demons is a quaint leftover from the pre-conciliar Church.

If ever there was a successful diabolical thrust, it is that the devil does not exist. For what is one result? The heresy of universal salvation, which negates the duty of evangelising one's neighbors, one's family, even one's own self. It makes sin, and therefore Hell, of no import.

Making sin of no import has allowed the following to FLOURISH in our nation, and indeed the world:

• Abortion
• Same Sex Marriage
• Pornography
• Increasing encroachment on the inherent rights of man by secular governments
• Divorce and destruction of the traditional family
• Rise in paganism, atheism, satanic worship

Now to Bishop Paprocki, a righteous man of God. His state, Illinois, approved same sex marriage. The Bishop responded with minor prayers of reparation at the moment the law was signed. Here is his homily on that occasion. It should be read in its entirety, but here are some gems:

It is not hateful to say that an immoral action is sinful. On the contrary, the most compassionate thing we can do is help people to turn away from sin. To ignore another person's wrongful actions is a sign of apathy or indifference, while fraternal correction is motivated by love for that person's well-being, as can be seen by the fact that our Lord Jesus himself urged such correction.

And this:

This is a key point which the secularists are missing: they think that stressing God's mercy means that sins are no longer sins. On the contrary, God's mercy is a great gift of grace precisely because sins are sins and they call for repentance and forgiveness. Note from the interview, when he was asked to describe himself, Pope Francis said simply, "I am a sinner." After a brief pause, he amplifies this self-identity in the understanding of a Christian who has been saved by Christ, saying, "I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon."

And this:

Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church. These demonic influences are not readily apparent to the undiscerning eye, which is why they are so deceptive.

And one more (but do read the entire homily):

The Prayers for "Supplication and Exorcism Which May Be Used in Particular Circumstances of the Church" are taken from the Appendices to the 2004 Latin edition of the Rite of Exorcism, the introduction to which explains, "The presence of the Devil and other demons appears and exists not only in the tempting or tormenting of persons, but also in the penetration of things and places in a certain manner by their activity, and in various forms of opposition to and persecution of the Church. If the Diocesan Bishop, in particular situations, judges it appropriate to announce gatherings of the faithful for prayer, under the leadership and direction of a Priest, elements for arranging a rite of supplication may be taken from [the texts provided in these appendices]"...Since the legal redefinition of marriage is contrary to God's plan, those who contract civil same-sex marriage are culpable of serious sin. Politicians responsible for enacting civil same-sex marriage legislation are morally complicit as co-operators in facilitating this grave sin. We must pray for forgiveness of these sins and deliverance from this evil which has penetrated our state and our Church. The Church stands ready to extend God's mercy to those who confess their sins with true repentance and a firm purpose of amendment in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Bishop Paprocki mentions the book The Devil You Don't Know: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in Everyday Life by Fr. Louis J. Cameli as a good resource for understanding how the devil operates today, as opposed to the Hollywood versions we are accustomed to seeing.

Note that the Bishop specifically mentions this "evil which has penetrated our state and our Church." If you do not hear regular homilies exposing the evil of same sex marriage, you can be assured your little corner of the Church has been penetrated.

One thing you can do is to begin saying the St. Michael Prayer again after Mass.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.



H/t to Creative Minority Report.

The wolves within

So, I heard through the grapevine that yet another stalwart, devout, and active Catholic has left the parish. A grievous loss, because these types of individuals, those who truly live their faith, are I believe, the ones who keep spiritual watch over the parish. Their prayers keep the wolves at bay. But, it is manifestly difficult when the wolves are within the fold, instituting a new kind of 'Catholicism' that is so obvious in its rotten fruit that even the "Go Alongs to Get Along" don't deny the devastation.

Perhaps the new bishop, God willing, will see fit to restore order.

Maintenance and the Sacred

Regarding caring for our parish churches and other buildings, Deacon Dean writes in the bulletin: "While these repairs are great to do, the overall condition of our facilities remains a big challenge. The Facility Council is currently arranging for a comprehensive envelope assessment of our major buildings to accurately assess the condition and forecast maintenance and repair cost to properly care for our buildings. Additional expenses will include capital projects such as tearing down the old convent at St. Mary Church, expanding the parking lot and improvements including new heating and air conditioning system. All these costs together will most likely be in excess of $2,000,000. However, before we plan, we need an accurate assessment."

Parishioners should ask who will be doing the comprehensive envelope assessment. These types of assessments (often for school buildings) are typically done by professionals along the lines described here:

“The facility assessment is a crucial part of the renovation process because it helps us understand our clients’ needs and tailor renovation recommendations to meet those needs,” said Lee Andrea, principal at SHW Group, one of the nation’s largest educational architectural and engineering firms. “Our architects and engineers work collaboratively to determine what areas of the building envelope and mechanical and electrical systems present the greatest opportunities for renovation at the highest return on investment.” 

 Prior to performing the physical evaluation, the architect and engineers work with district administrators, faculty and staff to assess how the building performs in its current state and determine what immediate changes can be made from an operations stance to improve the building’s performance. Many times, even the simplest changes can make a significant impact on energy savings. It is also important to understand how the building functions on a day-to-day basis so architects recommend changes that will provide a cohesive transition for user groups into the updated facility. 

 When the architects and engineers have a solid understanding of the building operations, they can move forward with the hands-on facility assessment to evaluate the building envelope, mechanical systems and electrical systems for both simple and large-scale upgrade opportunities. Even when focusing on building envelope upgrades, it is important that all systems are evaluated to understand how each affects another’s energy usage."

One can see that to do a thorough and proper assessment requires a great deal of forethought regarding how the particular buildings are and will be utilized going forward. It is hoped that this is clear and that parishioners as a whole and not simply the various council members are involved in the discussion and decision-making process of future usage of our churches, school, and other buildings. Additionally, the assessment should be made available in its entirety to parishioners, who will most likely be funding the cost of the assessment, as well as most of the capital expenses.

There was no mention of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, and the only mention of capital improvements was to St. Mary's. Will IHM and St. Vincent's be included in the envelope assessment?

 In the spirit of restoration, please watch this short film (28 minutes) about the spiritual and physical restoration of St. John Cantius in Chicago. The issues that have been overcome in that parish make the needs of All Saints Parish pale in comparison. Go here to watch the inspiring short film (be sure to scroll down the page).

If the parishioners in All Saints Parish do not hold fast to the Sacred, the parish will surely continue to decline. Financial health is important, but as long as a Protestant and modernist mindset dominates and suppresses its Catholic identity, the parish will not prosper.

It is high time to awaken from the soporific thinking of the last two decades. The experimentation in the liturgy, in pastoral leadership, and in parish clustering has proven to be a disaster.  The parish council has the authority to approach the bishop administrator and request a priest pastor model for the parish, which is what was agreed to many years ago when the four original parishes were clustered.

The clustering has not brought about what was promised--financial relief, and a vibrant and growing parish. Instead, the parish has lost nearly half its families, with many giving up the Faith entirely, while others attend parishes elsewhere. By every conceivable measurement, this is an epic fail.

But there is a cure. The Sacred.

St. Vincent de Paul

Today is the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul. He is truly a hero of the Faith. Like St. Patrick, St. Vincent was captured and sold into slavery (by the Turks). He escaped after two years and converted his master.

A champion of the poor, of convicts, of children, he was also a champion of priestly vocations.

Here's some more information on him.

Bio of St. Vincent de Paul

Patron Saint of Charitable Societies

Monsieur Vincent

Teachings of St. Vincent de Paul