Sunday, November 23, 2008

Announcements for the week: Last Sunday After Pentecost

On the Mondays when Fr. Gerard is present, he generally celebrates Mass at 8:00A.M. All are welcome to attend.

Congratulations to Father Bernard Welp, CMRI and Father Alexander Kryssov who were ordained this past week by the Most Rev. Bishop Pivarunas. May God guide them and protect them as they now carry with them Christ's command to teach all nations and baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

Please pray for Fr. Julian Gilchrist. His attempts to obtain permanent residency in the United States failed and earlier in the month of April he had no choice but to return to New Zealand. Anyone who wishes to send condolences to him, you may contact him using these following addresses:
104 Anzac Road,
Whangarei, New Zealand
or by e-mail:
three_inone@hotmail.com
Pray for vocations to the priesthood. Let us pray also for the people of New Zealand so that the presence of Fr. Gilchrist will bring more converts to the True Faith.

Also please pray for the soul of Barbara Welp, the mother of Fr. Bernard Welp, who died just three weeks after the ordination of Fr. Bernard.

Last Sunday After Pentecost

From the Introit:
The Lord saith: I think thoughts of peace, and not of affliction: you shall call upon Me, and I shall hear you and I will bring back your captivity from all places.

Epistle from the letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Colossians (1:9-14):
Brethren, we cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of the will of God, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the, power of His glory, in all patience and long suffering with joy giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His Blood, the remission of sins.

Gospel according to St. Matthew (24:15-35):
At that time, Jesus spoke to the multitudes this parable: At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: When you shall see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (he that readeth, let him understand:) then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains and he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house and he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child and that give suck, in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath: for there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been found from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be: and unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved but for the sake of the elect, those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ, or there do not believe him for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you beforehand. If therefore they shall say to you: Behold, he is in the desert, go ye not out. Behold He is in the closets, believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be: Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty. And He shall send His angels with a trumpet and a loud voice, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. And from the fig tree learn a parable: when the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that ìt is nigh at the doors. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Commentary on Indulgences

Oh, how many indulgences we can easily gain, throughout the year, either for the remission of all temporal punishment due to our sins (plenary indulgence) or for the remission of part of the temporal punishment due to our sins, simply by praying daily a few lovely prayers, but to gain most plenary indulgences, we must fulfill the 'usual conditions' as prescribed by the Church:

1) Recitation of the indulgenced prayer, (a single recitation of the indulgenced prayer is sufficient, unless otherwise stated, such as 'for a month' which means 'for 30 consecutive days'). Simple mental prayer recitation is insufficient; the lips must be moved, (vocal prayer), though the voice need not be employed.

2) Confession- from 8 days before the day of the prayer to 7 days after.

3) Communion- from the eve before the day of the prayer to 7 days after.

4) visit to a church or oratory anytime from noon, the previous day, through midnight of the day of the prayer.

5) Prayer for the intention of the Church. (one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be, is usually sufficient).

It is understandable that we try to gain indulgences for ourselves and for our departed loved ones, but we are able to do more. We can also gain many indulgences for other souls in Purgatory, whom we do not know, but the secret here is to offer all of our indulgences to Our Lady and let Her make the most perfect decisions.

Announcements for the week: 25th Sunday After Pentecost

November is the month of All Holy Souls

The Toties Quoties Indulgence can be gained under the usual conditions if on All Souls Day (November 3) you visit a Church and pray the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be six times. Within the Octive of All Souls Day (November 2-9) you may gain a plenary indulgence, once each day, by visiting a cemetery and saying prayers for them (whatever prayers you choose to pray).

On the Mondays when Fr. Gerard is present, he generally celebrates Mass at 8:00A.M. All are welcome to attend.

On Friday, November 7, 2008, Fr. Gerard will be offering First Friday Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel at 7:00PM. All are welcome to attend.

Congratulations to Father Bernard Welp, CMRI and Father Alexander Kryssov who were ordained this past week by the Most Rev. Bishop Pivarunas. May God guide them and protect them as they now carry with them Christ's command to teach all nations and baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

Please pray for Fr. Julian Gilchrist. His attempts to obtain permanent residency in the United States failed and earlier in the month of April he had no choice but to return to New Zealand. Anyone who wishes to send condolences to him, you may contact him using these following addresses:
104 Anzac Road,
Whangarei, New Zealand
or by e-mail:
three_inone@hotmail.com
Pray for vocations to the priesthood. Let us pray also for the people of New Zealand so that the presence of Fr. Gilchrist will bring more converts to the True Faith.

Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost

From the Introit:
The Lord saith: I think thoughts of peace, and not of affliction: you shall call upon Me, and I shall hear you and I will bring back your captivity from all places.

Epistle from the letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Romans (13: 8-10):
Brethren: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another : for that he loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law. For Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet: and if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The love of our neighbor works no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.

Gospel according to St. Matthew (8:23-27):
At that time, when Jesus entered into the boat, His disciples followed Him : and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but He was asleep. And His disciples came to Him and awaked Him, saying: 'Lord, save us, we perish.' And Jesus said to them: 'Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up, He commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: 'What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey Him?'