Happy feast day to my benevolent sister in Christ (and one of this blog’s patrons) St Therese of Lisieux. Thanks for always being there for me during difficult times.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, our “Little Flower” of Carmel, pray for us!

On this day we celebrate the feast of Saint Catherine of Siena, only one of the two women doctors of the Church who had personified that great amount of courage in defending the See of Peter against assaults of heresy. In honour of her legacies as the saint who defied convention in the name of truth, I indicate here an account of Bl. Raymond of Capua (the saint’s biographer and spiritual director) on St. Catherine’s spiritual espousal to our Lord Jesus.

I want to Marry You in the Faith

On Shrove Tuesday, before the beginning of Lent, Christ appeared to St Catherine of Siena when she was praying in her cell and said: “You have rejected far from you and fled from all the vanities of the world, because of me. You hold all desires of the flesh with contempt, and you have chosen me as your heart’s only pleasure. That is why I have also chosen a moment to solemnly celebrate with you the wedding of your soul. As I’ve promised you, I want to marry you in the faith.”

At once, “his glorious Mother, the Virgin Mary appeared, with Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Paul the Apostle, the most holy Dominic and the prophet David. The Virgin Mother of God took the virgin’s hand in her blessed hand, and reached her fingers towards her son. She asked him if he deigned to marry Catherine in the faith. The only Son of God made a graceful gesture of assent, and presented Catherine a gold ring. With his right hand, he placed the ring on the ring finger of her right hand …”

(Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), Italian saint, Dominican tertiary, and Doctor of the Church was canonized in 1461.)

Sancta Catalina, ora pronobis.

Not only because he is the primary patron of Ecclesia Dei Society of St Joseph (the Tridentine Mass association I belong to) but because he reminds us all of obedience and utter resignation to God’s will, as he himself personified during Herod’s persecution. His feast day is this coming 19th of March.

The novena for the whole duration of nine days can be found here.

Sancti Ioseph, ora pronobis!

This may be a long overdue post on one of my (and this blog’s) patrons but I also believe that nothing is too late especially in that of sharing unto all what this good Father has done to the Church, how he had contributed mainly to theology and moral doctrines, as well as on the general aspects of religious life. Many a saint have been esteemed by their holiness, venerated for their virtues or spiritual contributions and this reverend saint may never be considered as an exception of sorts; however the uniqueness of his journeys has not been short of holy wonder as great was the Grace that transformed lacklustre spirituality into one united unto righteousness’ sake. His wisdom was never confined as well unto earthly inclinations but one directed heavenward, always in the hope of perpetual union with the Almighty. All these St. Augustine was, and his spiritual legacy still extends unto the present.

We all understand that his life had been labourious but never as regarding status or possessions, rather, in terms of his decrepit interior life. Spiritual restlessness had left him almost dissolute until once upon a time God had decided to beckon him towards the Gospel, thereby awakening his zeal to serve the whole of Christ’s Mystical Body. Oh was his life filled with burning love to proclaim the truth of Christ twisted by false preachers of yore that dared challenge orthodox interpretations of Christian belief; such that the entirety of his existence did he dedicate to producing voluminous writings on philosophy and theology: all to illumine everyone’s understanding of this Christ whose Word he had “drunk even from his mother’s milk!” His writings were the primordial evidences of his monumental contributions to the Church of God, masterpieces that have never failed to mesmerise brilliant minds through the ages. Great was St. Augustine’s fame as a holy Bishop that upon his death, a great following of religious communities have adopted his Rule as a standard for their foundations. At present, the Order of St. Augustine–the living legacy of Augustine’s workings in faith–continues to live out the Father’s visions of evangelisation through catechetical and educational means, all for the glory of God in the spirit of this holy man eventually dubbed as “the wisest of the holy and holiest of the wise.”

Oh holy St. Augustine, pray for us!

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By the way: Father Zuhlsdorf of “What Does the Prayer Really Say?” has such a very inspiring post on St. Augustine’s bones. His article can be accessed via this link:

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2008/08/the-bones-of-st-augustine-of-hippo/

I haven’t posted in a while (especially concerning yesterday’s TLM readings for the 12th week after Pentecost, to which our pastor did a very good job in his homily) as I have been very busy; so now I’ll be posting those pertaining to St. Dominic’s feast day (Introit, Collect & TLM readings) as well as St. John Vianney’s memorial (as culled from the Novus Ordo’s Roman Missal of 2002).

St. Dominic, Confessor

(White, Double Major)

INTROIT ¤ Ps. 36. 31, 30

COLLECT.–O God, who hast vouchsafed to make Thy Church illustrious by the merits and teaching of blessed Dominic, Thy Confessor: grant that, through his intercession, she may not be deprived of temporal help, and may ever advance in spiritual increase. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost. . .

EPISTLE ¤ II Timothy 4. 1-8
Lesson from the second Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to Timothy.

[St. Paul admonishes Timothy to hold firm the sound doctrine of the Gospel. St. Dominic was also renowned for his orthodoxy and his theological learning.]

Dearly beloved, I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by His coming and His kingdom: preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant, labor in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry. Be sober. For I am even now ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love His coming.

GRADUAL ¤ Ps. 91. 13, 14

GOSPEL ¤ Luke 12. 35-40
† Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke.

[Christ admonishes all to watch and to be ready for His Coming.]

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Let your loins be girt and lamps burning in your hands, and you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding: that when he cometh, shall find watching: amen I say to you that he will gird himself and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready, for at what hour you think not the Son of Man will come.

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Memorial St. John Vianney

1st Reading: Jeremiah 28:1-17 (Jeremiah & Hananiah; the Lord’s warning to the latter for prophesying lies)

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 119:29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102 (Response: Lord teach me your statutes)

Gospel: Mt 14:22-36 (Jesus & his disciples withstanding a squall; Upon Jesus’ beckoning, Peter, driven by faith, walks on the water but soon sinks as he loses confidence)

St. James the Apostle

Red // Double of the 2nd Class

St. James, known as the Greater, in order to distinguish him from the other Apostle St. James, our Lord’s cousin, was St. John’s brother. With Peter and John, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration, as later he was also of the agony of the garden. He was beheaded in Jerusalem in 42 or 43 on the orders of Herod Agrippa.

INTROIT ¤ Ps. 138. 17

COLLECT–Esto, Domine, plebi tuae sanctificator et custos: ut, Apostoli tui Jacobi munita praesidiis, et conversatione tibi placeat, et secura mente derviat. Per Dominum nostrum…

EPISTLE ¤ I Corinthians 4. 9-15
Lesson from the first Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.

[St. Paul describes the treatment the Apostles everywhere endured for Christ's sake.]

Brethren, I think that God hath set forth us apostles the last, as it were men appointed to death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to Angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honorable, but we without honor. Even unto this hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode, and we labor working with our own hands. We are reviled, and we bless: we are persecuted, and we suffer it: we are blasphemed, and we entreat: we are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all even until now. I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children. For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus by the gospel I have begotten you.

GRADUAL ¤ Ps. 44. 17, 18

GOSPEL ¤ Matthew 20. 20-23
† Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.

[The ambition of the two sons of Zebedee.]

At that time, the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, worshipping, and asking something of Him. Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to Him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left, in Thy kingdom. And Jesus answering said: you know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to Him: We can. He saith to them: My chalice inded you shall drink; but to sit on My right or left hand is not Mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by My Father.

OFFERTORY ¤ Ps. 18. 5

SECRET.–May the holy martyrdom of the blessed Apostle James, we beseech Thee, O Lord, make acceptable the offerings of Thy people: and, since they have no worth from any merits of ours, may they be well pleasing to Thee by his prayers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ . . .

PREFACE: Preface of the Apostles

COMMUNION ¤ Matthew 19. 28

POSTCOMMUNION–Help us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, through the intercession of Thy blessed Apostle James: on whose feast we have received Thy holy Mysteries with joy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son. . .

Feastday: July 22

3rd Class-White

Mary Magdalen, the sinner who, St. Luke tells us, was delivered from seven devils, ever remains for the Church the penitent who was transformed by repentance and love of Christ. She formed part of the group of holy women who followed Jesus until the end of His life and she was the first to whom He showed Himself after His resurrection. The liturgy identifies Mary Magdalen with Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus at whose prayer Jesus raised her brother from the dead, after four days in the tomb.

Introit: (Ps. 118[119]:95-96, 1)

Me expectaverunt peccatores ut perderent me: testimonia tua, Domine, intellexi: omnis consummationis vidi finem: latum mandatum tuum nimis. Ps. Beati immaculati in via: qui ambulant in lege Domini. V. Gloria Patri…

(The wicked have waited for me to destory me; I have understood Thy testimonies, O Lord: I have seen an end of all perfection: Thy commandment is exceedingly broad. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the Law of the Lord. V. Glory be…)

Collect:

Beatae Mariae Magdalenae, quaesumus, Domine, sufragiis adjuvemur: cujus precibus exoratus, quatriduanum fratrem Lazarum vivum ab inferis resuscitasi: Qui vivis et regnis…

(May we be helped, Lord, by the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalen, for it was by them that You called back to life from the grave her brother Lazarus four days after his death. You who are God, living and reigning…)

EPISTLE

Song of Songs 3:2-5; 8:6-7

Gradual: (Ps 44[45]:8)

Dilexisti justitiam, et odisti iniquitatem. V. Proptera unxit te Deus tuus, oleo laetitiae.

(Thou has love justice and hated iniquity. V. Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness.)

Alleluia (Ps 44[45]:3)

Alleluia, alleluia. V. Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis; propterea benedixit te Deus in aeternum. Alleluia.

(Alleluia, alleluia. V. Grace is poured abroad in thy lips: therefore hath God blessed thee for ever. Alleluia.)

GOSPEL:

Luke 7:36-50 (“Rogabat Jesum”)

Offertory: (Ps 44[45]:10)

Filiae regum in honore tuo: adstitit regina a dextris tuis in vestitu deaurato, circumdata varietate.

(The daughters of kings in thy glory: the queen stood on thy right hand in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety.)

Secret:

Munera nostra, quaesumus, Domine, beatae Mariae Magdalenae gloriosa merita tibi reddant accepta: cujus oblationis obsequium uinigenitus Filius tuis clementer suscepit impensum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat…

(May the glorious merits of blessed Mary Magdalen, we pray You, Lord, make these our offerings acceptable to You; for Your only-begotten Son was pleased graciously to accept the humble service she rendered. Who being God, lives and reigns…)

Communion: (Ps 118 [119]:121,122,128)

Feci judicium, et justitiam, Domine, non calumnientur mihi superbi: ad omnia mandata tua dirigebar, omnem viam iniquitatis odio habui.

(I have done judgment and justice, O Lord, let not the proud calumniate me; I was directed to all Thy commandments; I have hated all wicked ways.)

Postcommunion:

Sumpto, quaesumus, Domine, unico ac salutari remedio, Corpore et Sangine tuo pretioso: ab omnibus malis, sanctae Mariae Magdalenae patrociniis eruamur: Qui vivis et regnas…

Having received Lord, the one saving remedy, Your precious Body and Blood, may we, through the intercession of blessed Mary Magdalen, be delivered from all evil. You who are God, living and reigning…

(N.B. Propers are from the Missal of Bl. John XXIII, for the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite)