Christianity

Rather political post from Fr. Seraphim Rose so it might gain some traction.

I would suggest that this is ultimately the source of the "conservative" or "apathetic moderate" outlook... The idea that we cannot actually institute some wonderful, salvific policy that will change everything.

Only finished the first one so far, but it goes into a bunch of "isms" from the Catholic view that have been "crises", and I recall this set of lectures being referenced by other "traditionalists".

One thing that popped out at me that I'd think this community would discuss was the author attacked nationalism as being divisive and related to heresy. Yet, I'm guessing what people here call "nationalism" the author might think of as "patriotism". Still, there are various heresies that arise from nationalism (and I haven't seen that topic discussed openly as much), and various "nationalistic" (patriotic) impulses that to me seem fine with respect to Catholicism.

The linked Instagram Video promotes the idea that God does not want to control others... But demons do.

The full audio of the video in text:

Demons do not desire to let you have control over yourself. Demons are like... Honestly, like many people. Who want to control others. So as an aside, if you ever feel like you want to control others, stop that! God doesn't want to control others, so why should you?

Food for thought from an Orthodox priest.

(I will try to get his name.)

As some of us suspected, "pope" Leo seems to be pretending to be a "traditional Catholic" and "conservative", while attacking the Catholic faith and arguably presenting himself more clearly as not Catholic, nor as a Catholic pope.

Apparently in a recent "papal" message he said:

However, when we read the account of what is commonly called the “multiplication of the loaves” (cf. Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:12-17; Jn 6:1-13), we realize that the real miracle performed by Christ was to show that the key to overcoming hunger lies in sharing rather than in greedily hoarding.

Catholics believe the "real miracle" of the multiplication of the loaves, was an actual supernatural miracle where a few loaves of bread physically became many more loaves of bread. To suggest the "real miracle" of this story, is that Christ was helping the hungry and was displaying a virtue of being charitable, seems as an indirect denial of the belief in the tangible supernatural miracle that took place in the story.

We would not expect a Catholic or pope to say such a thing.

Credit to this link for the story (note that I may not always agree with NOW's analyses but they are usually correct, although I'd personally "police" their "tone" a bit more maybe): https://novusordowatch.org/2025/06/leo14-christs-real-miracle-sharing-loaves/

Our ultimate end is that of Voltaire and of the French Revolution—the final destruction of Catholicism, and even of the Christian idea.” —From The Permanent Instruction (See p. 6).

I think this kind of writing is intended to inspire a "holy fear" of God, against those who might sin with complacency

Also to inspire a kind of love of virtue, and a striving towards doing good:

"If you want to be certain of being in the number of the Elect, strive to be one of the few, not one of the many. And if you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few" -St. Anselm

https://www.olrl.org/snt_docs/fewness.shtml

The end goal of Christianity should be to love as God loves everyone, and to will for the salvation of all men, to have no enemies.

Page 334, link should go directly to it.

I feel like this espouses a different mindset, perhaps worth pondering and discussing. Greed seems like one of those sins that escapes censure in the modern world; certainly things like theft, proceeding from greed, are condemned, but often not the tendency towards endless accumulation (even if it were to harm no one else).

This booklet reveals the simplest secret of holiness and happiness ever. It shows us how to pray without ceasing and the great power of the Holy Name of Jesus. This little booklet can easily be the key to obtaining incredible graces and favors from Him both for our­selves and for others.

A personal note that the original booklet is traditionally approved; I saw a footnote I might disregard, so mild caution might be advised with any revisions made to the original text. Otherwise the original text has some interesting ideas.

https://archive.org/details/wonders-of-the-holy-name

Days of prayer, and formerly also of fasting, instituted by the Church to appease God's anger at man's transgressions, to ask protection in calamities, and to obtain a good and bountiful harvest...

The Rogation Days are the 25th of April, called Major, and the three days before the feast of the Ascension, called Minor.

The order to be observed in the procession of the Major and Minor Rogation is given in the Roman Ritual, title X, ch. iv. After the antiphon "Exurge Domine", the Litany of the Saints is chanted and each verse and response is said twice. After the verse "Sancta Maria" the procession begins to move. If necessary, the litany may be repeated, or some of the Penitential or Gradual Psalms added.

Catholic encyclopedia on "Rogation Days": https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13110b.htm

Based on this, I've sometimes thought people might observe the days at times by fasting, and by praying a Litany of the Saints and / or the Penitential Psalms.

Litany of the Saints: https://www.dailycatholic.org/litanyst.htm

About the Prayer: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09291a.htm

Penitential Psalms: https://traditionalcatholicprayers.com/2020/09/26/the-seven-penitential-psalms/

My favorite portion - from the end:

Three Hail Marys is a traditional Roman Catholic devotional practice of reciting three Hail Marys as a petition for purity and other virtues. Believers recommended that it be prayed after waking in the morning, and before going to bed, following the examination of conscience at night. This devotion has been recommended by St. Anthony of Padua, St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. John Bosco and St. Leonard of Port Maurice.

A short and simple religious practice for those interested.

I'd like to do a longer post about the history of papal elections as I think their principles could be relevant to consider for the present or future, but I only have time to post this tonight.

For example, some questions come up about how Catholics would elect if the cardinals all died in a war for example or something; a little research indicates for example that cardinals were not always the exclusive electors of the pope, and that a "general imperfect council of bishops" might elect a pope if cardinals cannot, or a papal election might occur in some other way so long as it gains a kind of "universal acceptance by Catholics".

The election of a pope exclusively by cardinals is only from 1059 onward I believe:

The selection of the pope, the bishop of Rome and supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, prior to the promulgation of In nomine Domini in 1059 varied throughout history.

...

The absence of an institutionalized procedure of papal succession facilitated religious schism, and the Catholic Church currently regards several papal claimants before 1059 as antipopes.

...

In 1059, Pope Nicholas II succeeded in limiting future papal electors to the cardinals in In nomine Domini, instituting standardized papal elections that eventually developed into the procedure of the papal conclave.

Considered by a growing minority as a non-Catholic antipope who continued the "Vatican 2" revolt against Catholicism, the late "Francis" in our view continually pushed heterodox ideology at odds with traditional Catholic belief and practice.

While I do not necessarily agree with the all these critiques of him or how they're delivered, here's a laundry list of articles that viewed him in the most negative light, from a "traditional Catholic" (sedevacantist) perspective: https://novusordowatch.org/francis/

It would be nice to see at this point before a new "pope" is elected to continue the confusion, of there being a global rejection of Vatican 2's "reforms" and of there then being a conclave to elect an unquestionably Catholic pope.

http://infogalactic.com/info/Doctor_of_the_Church#List_of_Doctors

(note that we recognize the doctors listed up to 1958; not that some of the others listed may not be holy people)

So I had this idea to compile sermon collections of the Doctors of the Church (and theology writings). Does something like this exist, an organized collection of links to such sermons, or is there an interest in such a list?

I guess it was an attempt to curate a list of some of the most edifying spiritual sermons, for education and inspiration.

Has this already been done in the discipline of homiletics, or are there compilation books from some of the writings of the Doctors of the Church?

(Another approach to this might be to find some compilations of "sermons for every Sunday of the year" and to compile some sermons for certain holidays, like this compilation by St. Alphonsus Liguori - https://archive.org/details/sermonsforallsun00liguuoft)

For example, for Easter (sermons by Church Doctors; note that I do not think they are, but the translations may be corrupted in some way, so this may require double checking to make sure something wasn't translated incorrectly - also that linking to these sites does not imply endorsement of other content posted on the sites):

St. John Chrysostom: https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/john_chrysostom_easter_sermon.htm

St. Athanasius: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2806002.htm

Pope St. Leo the Great: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360371.htm

St. Augustine: https://catholicism.org/st-augustine-easter.html

Pope St. Gregory the Great: https://catholicism.org/st-gregory-resurrection.html

Anyone find any others to share?

I personally had to experience, through the example of our family, what it means to pray together for the deceased. After my grandmother passed away, she began to appear in the dreams of relatives in a very distressed state, asking for help and support. We organised ourselves and began to pray simultaneously for her repose every day for forty days, each in our own home.

Time passed, and she appeared in a dream to her daughter. When asked how things were, my grandmother replied, "At first, it was very bad, dark, cold, scary, and drowsily, but now it is very good."

We are not ascetics, saints, or great men of prayer. We are ordibnary, sinful people, without any hint of anything special. And we prayed most simply, reading prayers from the prayer book, and I served the Litia – just as usual. But, as some would say today, "it works". And all of us need to know this! God hears even us – common, sinful, imperfect people, very far from true holiness. And not only does He hear, but He also accepts our prayers, shows mercy and forgiveness. Of course, hundreds of such stories can be read today, but there is a difference between reading them and having one's own experience.

Mostly I've seen this one before which made me think of the topic:

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

But I have seen others; not sure all these are "theologically sound", but otherwise here may be some more:

https://www.today.com/life/holidays/irish-blessings-rcna138613

Any favorites or thoughts on the topic?