Lost Lambs

“The Celebrant longs to ascend to the altar of God, there to perform his holy office and to draw near to the Lord God, even to union with Him in the Eucharist.  He confides himself to the mercy of God, source of light, salvation, and peace, Who imparts to us unalterable youth of soul and blissful immortality.”

“The Confiteor creates an interior silence from the beginning of the Mass, as Priest and faithful turn away from their temporal concerns to face the reality of Calvary, for which their sins are responsible. It is the first expression of that Humility which will accompany us throughout the Sacrifice of the Mass.”

“Our Bowing down to confess is the first act of true courage of every man who recognizes his sins. By refusing sin, he declares his dignity as a creature able to recognize spiritual beauty and embrace God”

“The Confietor is not meant to paralyze us with sadness or even shame; we do not confess our sins to remain guilty. It is a plea for reconciliation and forgiveness; iit is as a child full of repentance who goes to embrace his Father. “I confess to God, for Whom I was made, and to Whom I desire to return.”

It feels like its been for ever since I have blogged, but I feel compelled to share a bit of whats been going on the past few days, even if you heard the news somewhere else

On May 27th 2008, we were blessed with the arrival of our third son, without going on with details about the exact circumstances on how he arrived I will suffice it to say that I felt that I had to baptize my own child. I’m not sure how many of you have had to do this for a child that survived or a miscarriage or what have you but it was one of the scariest moments of my life, and I tend to swell up a bit just thinking about it.

In the short days after, it is the power of prayer that has sustained us, and our baby Ambrose. This post is a post of thanksgiving for the requests granted, the assistance given to us by family and friends and the prayers that we still have not seen the answer to as of yet.

While Ambrose’s entrance into this world was rough to say the least, it was not the worst. And his status now is very promising and we are SO grateful that he is improving each day. He is not 100% out of the shadows of danger yet, but there is a bright light and the end of the tunnel and its starting to shine.

I ask for your continued prayers for Ambrose, and all those other parents and babies that we see in the N.I.C.U who’s lives we do not know that are in much worse situations and conditions that I’m sure we would not wish upon our worst enemy.

May I always have the strength to say to God -even in the gloomiest looking times:

Fiat Voluntas Tua

Happy Pasch everyone

Its been a interesting lent and I took a blogging break things are gearing up around here getting ready for baby #3 Seen to the left

Also here are some quick Pictures/Links of my local travels:

We Also checked out the Ligurgy of St. Gregory at a local Orthdox parish for educational purposes.

We also prayed a very reverent Novus Ordo (as last time See old Post) where Greek was sung, incense was used, some latin including communion given in latin.

There were also rumors of a very nice liturgy of the presanctified on Good Friday at the St. Lawrence Catholic campus center in Lawrence. Including the prostration at the beginning of mass and latin used as well.

Holy Thursday was celebrated beautifully -as always - at Old St. Patrick’s Oratory.

With the Solemnities of Solemnities upon us I have an urge to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his one true Church to other Ecclesiastic Communities , sitting down and talking scripture and prayer for their conversion, but of course with this feeling to spread the word about the Catholic church it is not without some reservation, as I have never really gone and knocked on doors for the faith so any suggestions would be helpful.

and last but not least I have come into some interesting books recently if anyone has any feedback on these titles put them in the combox.

Book Titles:

The Celebration of Mass I: General Rubrics of the Missal
The Celebration of Mass II: The Rite of Celebration of Low Mass
The Celebration of Mass III: The Rite of High Mass and Sung Mass
(By Rev. J. O’Connell)
The Sacred Ceremonies of Low Mass (By Rev. Felix Zualdi, C.M.)
The Splendour Of the Liturgy (By Maurice Zundel)

and a few others.

I will try and post more frequently also have another church to post so look for it soon.

Hello from Baltimore Maryland, As stated in my last post I have been sent out east for travel, now there are many sights to see and places to visit in this area but with my work schedule I have been limited as far as being a Tourist goes.

There is a good friend of mine whom I have known since Kindergarten whom is enrolled in his second year of theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and that is located in Emmittsburg MD. About 15min from the Pennsylvania Border. Since I was in the area about an hour away I decided to go pay my friend a visit for the first time in about Six years.

At the Mount I spoke with the Monsignor who was the rector, and we spoke of Catholic things, and the Moto Proprio, he said that he plans to start praying the traditional mass next semester so the students can see it and feel it, he said he would train any man who’s bishop requested them to be trained in the extraordinary form, I find this interesting in light of THIS recent letter from the Pontifical commission Ecclesia Dei. But over all the Seminary was very good and Orthodox, I suppose it must be since Bishop Bruskewitz would send his men there.

Below are some pictures from “The Mount” As its called. I’m sorry they are not better but it was the best I can do at night

Please pray for these fine young men that the Good lord will make them the best Priests that they can be and be the men that we deserve.

Today as a family we braved the early morning frost and participated in the Kansans for Life Rally for life on the Steps of the Capitol Building in Topeka Kansas

Here are some pictures from the Rally and some from the Mass.

(as always you can click on the pictures for the larger version)

My reversion to the faith was greatly impacted by the death of my grandmother, I do believe that she interceded for me to return to the faith with vigor and commitment.

Today is her birthday, and this is the first one that she has had that we will not be able to celebrate with her, and give her a big hug and a kiss and wish her many more, instead I must lift my heart up to her full of love.

If you have time Please say a prayer for the repose of the soul of my Grandmother, I know she will pray for you.

I have found some additional information regarding the Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite that will be televised on December 15th at 8:00 am EST from the FSSP website here is the LINK and here is the info:

It seems EWTN is at it again, EWTN will air the Advent Solemn Mass of Our Lady - in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite on December 15, 2007 - 8:00 AM EST

You can see it posted on their calender here: http://www.ewtn.com/tv/NA_120907.asp

Arkansas Catholic ( the official newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock) has an awesome article about a very dear friend of my Fr. James West, he has just returned from Vladivostok Russia, a port city of roughly 700,000 on the Sea of Japan.

The Full article is post here: Arkansas Catholic - To Russia With Love

Below are a few snippets, Please keep Fr. West in your prayers

Father James P. West and a team of parishioners from Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock got a firsthand look last month at the painstaking task of revitalizing the Catholic faith in Russia.

“The Church is building back from nothing,” Father West said. “It’s so slow, it’s moving at a glacial pace.”

From 1917 to 1959, thousands of bishops, priests, monks and lay Catholics were killed in an effort to wipe out the Church’s influence while thousands of other clergy and laity were imprisoned or deported. Nearly every church was closed….

…When two American priests took up residence at Most Holy Mother of God in 1992, she explained, “There was no such thing as a volunteer, no charitable anything.”

Besides, Gray added, building anything in Russia requires 23 permits.

“The priests gave us a wish list, everything from Kool-Aid to diapers to organ shoes,” Gray said.

Each team member brought two suitcases, one for themselves and one packed with donated goods.

Father West said the work in Vladivostok illustrates building a Christian society from the ground up.

“Communism robbed them of all humanity, all civility,” the North Little Rock pastor said of the Russian people whom he saw and visited. “It’s as though the church is having first to teach them what it means to be a human being and then to move from there into the area of faith.”….

“It was such a wonderful experience,” Father West said. “I’d get back on the plane and go right back over there right now.”

Today I would like to give my readers an Update on my Spiritual Life, Its amazing what transformation has happened in this short time, Since the catalyst of the passing of my grandmother. I have reverted to my faith, From clinging to the Extraordinary form of the Mass, the law of lex orandi lex credendi has really made an impact, aside from the Liturgical abuses in the previous post when I attend the Ordinary form, the Extraordinary form is truly changing my life.

I would venture to say that I have attended the Sacrament of Penance more in the Last 6 months then in my entire life as a Catholic before I fell away, This is a good thing through this sacrament I am changing habits that needed to be changed.

I have heard our Lord call me to visit him in Eucharistic Adoration, I have been praying the rosary with frequency, things have dramatically changed in the way we live and the company we keep.

With all of this it becomes more apparent the every day spiritual warfare that is being waged has increased as well- I can barley imagine what attacks the Holy Priest’s are under on a daily basis as Msgr. Schmitz addressed at the First Mass of Fr. Avis- Sometimes the “Accuser” gets me down and it feels with every two steps forward I take to reform my life…….. I take One step backward. This is something I’m afraid that will not end, but I pray when I come to the end of my Journey I have made the forward progress that Jesus wants for me.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend

God Bless