Comments for Knights of Divine Mercy

Comment on What’s Killing American Catholicism – 4 by Robert Cornwell

Robert Cornwell — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:25:56 +0000

Great article. I’m an american that immigrated to Germany where Catholicism is the dominate religion. I was a catholic in the US but never experienced gods grace as I have here in the church. One example was on good Friday where the holy water is remove and replaced with sand and all the crosses in the church are covered up. Never have I experienced such a loss and disconnect from Christ than on this day. The symbolism is to remind us of Christ suffering for us and the time between him dying on the cross and his rising again . I had a spiritual revelation that day. Can you image what it was like on easter mass when Christ rose again, the unbelievable feeling of grace and compassion. Or listening to Agnas Dai played by the organist. Symbolism and ritualism has thousands of years of history and we do it to continuously remind us of Gods grace in our lives and a reminders of the history of those believers before us who gave their lives for our lord. I won’t be returning to the us because of secularism and materialism that prevails there…also as a child we were persecuted by the Klan in Louisiana because we were catholic. That being said its really a shame american catholics can’t experience the real catholic faith and the unbelievable presence of God’s grace in a traditional mass. I’m glad the church in Europe is the same it was 2000 years ago.

Comment on BREAKING: PENTAGON CONFIRMS MAY COURT MARTIAL SOLDIERS WHO SHARE CHRISTIAN FAITH by Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:25:09 +0000

As a former chaplain in the Canadian Forces, I think we should not panic with the news of this initiative. What happened in the Canadian Forces was there was no restorction on sharing one’s faith if the person came to you freely etc. We ran RCIA on base out the Catholic chapel etc. What became a problem is that some chaplains from other denominations would go to the troops (even while deployed and training) and act like door to door preachers. They were really in people’s faces and not respectful. Even some evangelical chaplains would go up to Catholic soliders (while working) and ask them if they had accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior etc. etc and try to convince them of leaving the Catholic Church. It was annoying and unprofessional and very bad for troop cohesion. As such, the Canadian military enacted such rules. Chaplains were free to share their faith during services and individual counselling sessions. They were also free to have things like RCIA. People need to remember that the military is also people’s place of work. Imagine working at the office and having a preacher walk into your cubicle and start preaching at you. How annoying and bizarre. Sadly, some chaplains have no sense of time and place thus creating the need for such a rule. This might not be as big a deal as people think.

Comment on What’s Killing American Catholicism – 2 by ahem

ahem — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:46:14 +0000

Marxism is killing Catholicism. Saul Alinsky was the disease vector. Half the church has been co-opted by Leftism, which is a competing religion, designed to kill the host.

It’s really nothing more than that.

Comment on Re-Christianize America: Become a Marian Catechist by MCM

MCM — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:33:33 +0000

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Comment on Cardinal George: “I’m Religious but not spiritual.” by Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:09:09 +0000

While the article is witty, I think we should take seriously the many serious abuses and scandals in organized religion that cause people to turn their back on religious institutions. For example, the priest abuse crisis and the facilitation of such abuse by members of the hierarchy. We should not be glib in the face of such violations of trust.

Comment on The Crisis of the Confessional by Dave

Dave — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:39:16 +0000

Thank you for this post! I avoided the Church methodically for many years after I turned 18 and “could make up my own mind” about whether to go or not. After I had kids I realized I knew nothing and worse, would be a hypocrite to my boys if I didn’t practice my faith. So I started coming back to Mass, but it wasn’t until I went to Reconciliation that I really jumped into the Church with both feet, for the first time in my life.

The first time I went, it had been about 15 years since my last Reconciliation, and I was afraid to tell the priest of the church where I was attending Mass, so I went to a neighboring parish to complete my first heartfelt Reconciliation. Since then, I have found that Reconciliation is not so much embarassing or painful as it is joyful and hopeful. To the extent it was embarrassing or painful, it was only because it injured my pride to realize what a horrible person I was. But my sins were done – “Sunk costs” – and my only hope now was to get them out of my system and ask God to help me stay away from them. It was hopeless to think that I could live the faith of my own will. I needed to clean house and let God help me. When I realized that, I realized how great and joyful the Sacrament of Reconciliation is.

I still feel pain and regret for my sins, but even more than that I am excited to break their power over me by confessing them and doing penance. Before Reconciliation, I was only a shell of a man because I tried to be “good” on my own. I thought I could will myself to be good, and when I stumbled it was only because I lacked discipline or didn’t try hard enough. Then I would fault myself and at the same time try to build myself back up to try again. This was a hopeless cycle, and led me to become vain, sensitive, and prideful. I thought I owned my accomplishments but in truth I was lucky, nothing more than that.

Reconciliation has totally changed my thinking. Now if I do right by the Church, I know God is with me and he keeps me from sin. When I fail, I know it is my fault and I have failed to obey the nagging little voice that is my better guide. But instead of beating myself over the head with it and trying to build myself up, I go to Reconciliation to apologize and get closer to God.

It has been six years since my first Reconciliation and the fruit for me is this: I first went to avoid being a hypocrite to my children – but now I feel like I know my purpose in life. The faith is much stronger with me now, and I am learning real strength and power through obedience to God. I have been given many gifts in my life, and I know that through the Sacraments of the Church, and my willing obedience, God will make great works come from them, and will keep my boys strong in the faith.

If you have not been to Reconciliation from fear or neglect, then GO. You MUST GO. Think about your sins, and especially about the ones you are most embarrassed, the ones you almost don’t confess because you are ashamed to tell anybody else. Then tell them to the priest. That frank openness will break the power of that evil little secret sin over you and you will feel God hold you in His arms. Be not afraid!

Comment on In Defense of Communion on the Tongue by Sophie

Sophie — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 22:53:45 +0000

Our Lord gave it to the apostles most likely by hand, yes, but they have just been ordained ministers! They have become priests. And we ordinary lay people are not priests and our hands are not 100% clean when we receive our Lord during holy communion. So play it safe and have reverence by receiving our Lord most preferably in the tongue and kneeling down. This will be awesome as a witnessed to others who are non-Catholics.

Comment on Cardinal George: “I’m Religious but not spiritual.” by Dave

Dave — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:53:39 +0000

I love this column – witty and an excellent riposte to the anti-morality brigands!

Comment on Reaping the Whirlwind: A reflection on the deeping darkness that celebrates homosexual unions and activity by John Lipinski

John Lipinski — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 02:59:21 +0000

Great analysis. Isn’t abortion just another form of contraception ?I don’t want to sound wierd or anything but a possible extension of the contraceptive/abortion mentality could even include bestiality. Anything can happen when the procreative aspect of human sexuality is denied.

Comment on Is Pope Francis a Liturgical Liberal? by Silvia

Silvia — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:22:46 +0000

As always, a very eloquent article, I enjoyed it very much.
However, I fail to understand the puzzling end lines; why presume, somehow, that a “clapping” pope would necessarily prove to be a “vital and dynamic witness” and that a liturgically “proper” pope would be a “sour and self righteous hypocrite”?

Most priests and others we have met in the church who are hilarious about “clapping” etc are exactly the self righteous ones. In most cases.

And liturgically “proper” priests we have met, so far, have, with a few exceptions- been warm and caring.

Just look at pope emeritus- Benedict XVI, thsi absolute genius; who could better exemplify humility than him?

In any case, I almost assume that it would be too much to expect that any pope now or in a very remote future could ever have the same talent as Benedict regarding his liturgical knowledge and love for true beauty in the liturgy.
However, I pray that pope Francis will not change the liturgy and rduce its beauty- a beauty which was reintalled by Benedict.

And, believe me, I guarantee that the liturgy that was presented before that, was not only lacking in beauty but also unattractive. “Why is the music in the St Peter’s so bad”, a friend of mine, a professional musician, used to ask, during the pre-Benedict era. And then we saw, with enormous joy, how Benedict changed and transformed the liturgy.

History, in modern time as well, has testified to the dangers of removing beauty from society. The Church is no exception.

Silvia