Friday Frivolity: Hidden Traumas of Catholic Womanhood
Author: pilgrim
Arguing with Catholics
I recently had a discussion about the Faith with someone who was a former Catholic. After making several (factually incorrect) assertions about Catholic belief, she said something like this:
“Look, I know what I’m talking about. I was brought up Catholic. I was baptized, received my First Communion and was Confirmed. I went to Mass every Sunday….every Sunday! Not only that, I was in Catholic education for all high school…all of high school. Trust me, I know Catholicism…”
Now, I know my friend thought she was presenting me with some particularly impressive Catholic credentials, but I have to admit that (at least internally) I was smirking a bit as I heard all this…
Wise Words On Wednesday: He Leadeth Me
“There remains deep down in each of us a little nagging doubt, a little knot of fear which we refuse to face or admit even to ourselves, that says, ‘suppose it isn’t so.’ We are afraid to abandon ourselves totally into God’s hand for fear he will not catch us as we fall. It is the ultimate criterion, the final test of all faith and all belief, and it is present in each of us, lurking unvoiced in a closet of our mind we are afraid to open. It is not really a question of trust in God at all, for we want very much to trust him; it is really a question of our ultimate belief in his existence and his providence, and it demands the purest act of faith.”
– Fr. Walter Ciszek, He Leadeth Me
The day when the USA stopped caring about soccer…
My Sacrament Records
Today is my Confirmation Anniversary. As with my Patronal Feast Day, I always make a point of celebrating in some way. This year I celebrated by eating Battenburg Cake for breakfast 🙂
Unlike most people, I wasn’t confirmed by a bishop. Instead, I was confirmed by the Abbott of the monastery to which my school was attached. Last year I made a point of digging out my sacramental records and I managed to get hold of the monastery’s log book:
Who knew that the Latin for “Lewis” is “Ludovicus”? 🙂
Music Monday: Pie Jesu
As promised, we’re going classical for the next few Music Mondays. Here’s “Pie Jesu”, performed by Angelis:
Pie Jesu, pie Jesu, pie Jesu, pie Jesu
Merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Father, who takes away the sins of the world
Dona eis requiem, dona eis requiem
Grant them rest, grant them rest
…
Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei
Lamb of God, Lamb of God, Lamb of God, Lamb of God
…
Sempiternam requiem
Everlasting peace
Patient Peter and Paul
Today is the feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul, two of the great pillars of the Church:
Liturgical Surprise
This morning at the Byzantine liturgy I was struck by how the themes of patience and perseverance came up again and again in the Liturgy of the Word. The Apostolic Reading (roughly equivalent to the Second Reading in the Roman Mass) even contained my life verse where St. Paul talks about how the grace of God operates through our weakness 🙂
If I had been the one to choose the Readings today I would have probably chosen other readings, so during the Liturgy I pondered why the Church chose those particular passages…
In part, I think it might be due to the fact that Peter and Paul were not only great leaders of the Church, but they were also martyrs, enduring suffering and offering their lives to God in the most radical way. I think by focussing on the theme of patient endurance the Church is teaching us that we are all called to do the same, to be patient in adversity and to allow the “fertilizer of life” to yield fruit within us (Romans 5:1-5) and to offer our entire lives to the Lord.
First Century Example
At the end of the First Century, Clement of Rome wrote a letter to the Church at Corinth. The Church at Corinth was having difficulties (again). This time they had rebelled against their clergy, so St. Clement wrote to them to resolve the issue. During the course of his letter, he spoke about how envy and jealousy had caused havoc and destruction in the lives of different Old Testament characters. He then turned to, what was for Clement, very recent events:
But not to dwell upon ancient examples, let us come to the most recent spiritual heroes. Let us take the noble examples furnished in our own generation. Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars of the Church have been persecuted and put to death.
Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience – Pope St. Clement of Rome (c. AD 96)
As you can see, Clement reminds the Corinthians of Peter and Paul, examples of those who patiently endured and, who for their fidelity, won crowns of eternal life.
Let’s Feast!
Since today is the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, it is also my Feast Day, since I took the name “Peter” at my Confirmation. I always make a point of celebrating my Feast Day, so I’ll be sure to pick up something delicious for dessert later 🙂
Do you celebrate your feast day? If so, what do you do?