Bulletin 113

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

August 5th, 10th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 12:2-11; Gospel: Lk. 18:9-14

Mass Schedule August 6th through August 10th

Monday –Transfiguration of the Lord--NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Saint Cajetan, Confessor

Wednesday-Saint John Mary Vianney, Confessor

Thursday-Vigil of Saint Lawrence

Friday-Saint Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr-NO LATIN MASS


Pot Luck Dinner Sunday, August 12th immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass


Jesus Christ abased Himself before the Majesty of God the Father. He took the form of a servant. He willed to be thought of as the lowest of men, a man of sorrow. Jesus is the Holy of Holies, separated from sinners, but He took on Himself the sins of all men.

Jesus has drawn upon Himself all the blows of God’s anger. We are God’s creatures. We are infinitely dependent on our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. Without God’s grace we cannot possibly make any progress and we cannot persevere without being supported by God’s grace.

We must therefore humble ourselves before God the Father as the publican does in the Gospel. If we acknowledge our lowliness, God will draw near to us. We must learn to keep our hearts contrite and humble in God’s presence. We cannot attribute to ourselves any talent, success or good work. We must realize what is ours and what is God’s.

Let us pray that we will be humble and recognize our sins.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeffery Fasching

Temptation and Prayer

No person is above temptation. The holiest saints all passed through temptation. Jesus Christ Himself allowed temptation to come his way. However, we will never be tempted past what we can endure. But we must always have recourse to prayer. It is through temptaions that we discover who we are...

Pray constantly. Never become discouraged in the midst of temptation. Trust in God. Renew your confidence in Him. Increase your faith and you will live in peace even during the most trying times of temptation.

In Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 111

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

July 22nd, 2012; 8th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Rom. 8:12-17---Gospel: Lk. 16:1-9

Mass Schedule July 23rd through July 27th

Monday-Saint Apollinaris, Bishop & Martyr-NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Saint Christina, Virgin & Martyr

Wednesday-Saint James the Greater, Apostle

Thursday-Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Friday-Saint Pantaleon, Martyr


God has called us to a divine sonship. We are debtors to Christ because He has redeemed us with His blood and so made us God’s adopted sons. As such, we are led by the Spirit of God. We must therefore live our lives with courage and conviction! The Spirit of God is not a weak Spirit, but rather one of strength, power, and wisdom! We too should live our lives embracing this power, wisdom, and strength.

As God’s adopted sons, we must live our lives as children of the light. We must not be outdone by the children of this world in zeal. We must learn to take sanctity by force. Saint Paul says this involves not living according to the flesh, lest we die. Instead, we live by the Spirit and mortify the deeds of the flesh in order to live!

As Christians, we must profess our belief in Christ by the witness of our lives. We live in the midst of a culture of death and darkness. We should never be outdone in zeal when it comes to bringing the light of Christ to the world.


Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Seek the Good of Others

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope:

The command has been written: Cling to the saints, for those who cling to them will be sanctified. There is a passage in Scripture as well which states: "With the innocent man you will be innocent, and with the chosen you will be chosen also; likewise with the perverse you will deal perversely..."

Why are there strife and passion, schisms and even war among you? Do we not possess the same Spirit of grace which was given to us and the same calling in Christ? Why do we tear apart and divide the body of Christ? Why do we revolt against our own body...?

We should put an end to this division immediately...


Father Angelo Vanderputten, FSSP, has volunteered to offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form at Saint Agnes Cathedral on July 15th at 2:30pm. There will be Mass on July 15th at 2:30pm at Saint Agnes Cathedral.

In Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 109

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

July 1st, 2012; The Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Epistle: Heb. 9: 11-15; Gospel: Jn. 19: 30-35

Mass Schedule July 2nd through July 6th

Monday –Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary-NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Saint Irenaeus, Bishop & Martyr

Wednesday-Feria-MASS TIME IS 10:30 AM

Thursday-Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Confessor-NO LATIN MASS

Friday-Sacred Heart of Jesus-NO LATIN MASS


MASS ON WEDNESDAY THE 4TH OF JULY WILL BE AT 10:30 AM

THERE WILL BE NO LATIN MASS ON THURSDAY THE 5TH AND FRIDAY THE 6TH

Jesus Christ has given us His Sacred Body as our food, and His Precious Blood as our drink. His immense love for us allows Him to come down upon our altars under the appearance of bread and wine. Christ instituted the Blessed Eucharist so He could always be united to us. “Come to me all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” (Matt. 11:28). “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you.” (Jn. 6:54).

Let us pray:

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification.
Body of Christ, be my salvation.
Blood of Christ, fill all my veins.
Water of Christ’s side, wash out my stains.
Passion of Christ, my comfort be.
O good Jesus, listen to me.
In Thy Wounds I fain would hide,
Ne’er to be parted from Thy side.
Guard me should the foe assail me.
Call me when my life should fail me.
Bid me to come to Thee above,
With Thy Saints to sing Thy love
World without end Amen.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

The Ascension

After Jesus Christ breathed upon His Apostles and filled them with the Holy Ghost they were finally able to grasp the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ, who was truly born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, truly suffered and died, had actually truly risen from the dead as well! The cross had given scandal to them and their faith in the resurrection was weak, but now they firmly believed in the risen Christ!

The Apostles experienced great joy at the Ascension because they realized they too would share in the glorified humanity they were witnessing in Christ Jesus. We too should feel the same joy. We too will share in these same gifts!

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Mary, The New Eve

It was fitting that she, the New Eve, who was to cooperate so intimately with her Son in the work of our redemption, be entirely free of sin. She who was to be associated with her Son in His victory over Satan must never have been under the dominion of Satan.

In revealing to us Mary’s Immaculate Conception and perfect holiness, God places before our eyes a concrete model of what we are to love, and, loving, strive to be. He gives us a model that is at once perfect and yet lowly, lovable, and imitable. Despite her unique privilege and lofty holiness, Mary is the most imitable of the saints, because her greatness is in her lowliness. She is the handmaid of the Lord. Mother, yes, but first handmaid. Blessed because she believed.

In gazing upon the Immaculate Virgin, utterly free of the disorders of our sinful nature, the devout faithful feel a new hope in their own humanity. In contrast to our experience of a world given to sin, corruption, lying, cheating, cruelty, and lust, we see a fellow creature that is utterly pure and good, totally given to love, a mother’s love for all. For mortals trapped in this valley of tears to look upon the sinless Virgin is like prisoners buried in a dungeon being allowed to see the bright sun and breathe pure air once more.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!!

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Saint Paul

Saint Paul was unsurpassed in his example he gave of what a Christian should be. In fact, no one knew Christ better than Paul. He learned to become the very image of Jesus Christ so that is seemed to be Christ Himself speaking through Saint Paul. "It is no longer I who live: it is Christ who lives in me."

Saint Paul is a great reminder for us that if we want to be more than Christians in name, we must bear witness to it by our way of living. We must direct our thoughts, words an deeds all toward Christ. We must free ourselves from every passionate inclination and focus on Christ who is our peace. Christian perfection consists in expressing Christ in our minds, our prayers and the way we live.

Sicerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Church Suffering

As she has done from the earliest days, the pilgrim Church continues to pray for the souls in Purgatory and to offer suffrages for them. The faithful are encouraged to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the faithful departed, and to offer up prayers, sacrifices, and good works on their behalf.

The pilgrim Church on earth also remains in close communion with those who have entered into the glory of heaven. The Church has always believed that the apostles, and Christ’s martyrs who had given the supreme witness of faith and charity by the shedding of their blood, are quite closely joined with us in Christ. She has always venerated them with special devotion, together with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the holy angels. The Church too has devoutly implored their intercession. Veneration of the saints must not be seen as in any way detracting from the true worship of God, but rather as inspiring us to more perfect discipleship and worship.

Our communion with those in heaven, provided that it is understood in the more adequate light of faith, in no way weakens, but conversely, more thoroughly enriches the supreme worship we give to God the Father, through Christ in the Holy Ghost. For by its very nature every genuine testimony of love which we show to those in heaven tends toward and terminates in Christ, who is the “crown of the saints.” Through Him it tends toward and terminates in God, who is wonderful in His saints and is magnified in them.

In every Mass we recall the memory of the angels and saints, and join our voices to theirs in giving praise and thanksgiving to God. They, in turn, inspire us with their devotion and intercede for us, as they offer to God on our behalf the merits which they acquired on earth.

We Must Love God Above all Else

From the treatise On Spiritual Perfection by Diadochus of Photice, bishop:

No one who is in love with himself is capable of loving God. The man who loves God is the one who mortifies his self-love for the sake of the immeasurable blessings of divine love. Such a man never seeks his own glory but only the glory of God...

I know a man who, though lamenting his failure to love God as much as he desires, yet loves him so much that his soul burns with ceaseless longing for God to be glorified, and for his own complete effacement. This man has no feeling of self-importance even when he receives praise. So deep is his desire to humble himself that he never even thinks of his own dignity. He fulfills his priestly duty by celebrating the Liturgy, but his intense love for God is an abyss that swallows up all consciousness of his high office. His humility makes him oblivious of any honor it might bring him, so that in his own estimation he is never anything but a useless servant. Because of his desire for self-abasement, he regards himself as though degraded from his office. His example is one that we ourselves should follow by fleeing from all honor and glory for the sake of the immeasurable blessings of God's love, for He has loved us so much..!

Such a man lives in this life and at the same time does not live in it, for although he still inhabits his body, he is constantly leaving it in spirit because of the love that draws him toward God...

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching.

Our Glorified Humanity

The degrees of happiness and glory that we shall enjoy in heaven will be in proportion to the measure of love and grace that we have when we enter eternal life. These, in turn, depend on the gift of God’s grace and our cooperation with it throughout our lives on earth. As we cooperate with God’s grace through deeds of love, we grow in divine life and the capacity to live that divine life in eternity.

In eternal life our body and soul will be brought to full perfection and, while remaining essentially the same body and soul we now possess, will be glorified in a way that we cannot fully grasp in this life. All vulnerability and imperfection will be removed, and each will have its own unique beauty and glory.

In his epistle to the Corinthians, Saint Paul describes the qualities of the body that will rise from the grave when Christ comes again:

What is sown in the earth is subject to decay, what rises is incorruptible. What is sown is ignoble, what rises is glorious. Weakness is sown, strength rises up. A natural body is put down and a spiritual body comes up. If there is a natural body, be sure there is also a spiritual body…The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. This corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, this mortal body with immortality. When the corruptible frame takes on incorruptibility and the mortal immortality, then will the saying of Scripture be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory."

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Eucharist in Relation to the Individual

The Eucharist in relation to the individual: The Eucharist takes us out of our narrow individualism and enlarges our existence by uniting us intimately with God our Father and with Jesus Christ our Lord, and by making us one with the other members of God’s holy people. By nourishing us with Christ’s Body and Blood, the Eucharist increases the life of grace within us, which is already the beginning of eternal life and the pledge of future glory.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Contemplation

From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot:

"The first stage of contemplation, my dear brothers, is constantly to consider what God wants, what is pleasing to Him, and what is acceptable in His eyes. We all offend in many things; our strength cannot match the rectitude of God's will, being neither one with it nor wholly in accord with it; let us then humble ourselves under the powerful hand of the Most High God and be concerned to show ourselves unworthy before His merciful gaze, saying: Heal me, Lord and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved. And again, Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul because I have sinned against you.

Once the eye of the soul has been purified by such considerations, we no longer abide within our own spirit in a sense of sorrow, but abide rather in the Spirit of God with great delight. No longer do we consider what is the will of God for us, but rather what it is in itself. For our life is in His will. Thus we are convinced that what is according to His will is in every was more advantageous and fitting for us. And so, concerned as we are to preserve the life of our soul, we should be equally concerned, insofar as we can, not to deviate from His will."

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Holy Eucharist II

“My God,” cried Moses, “show me, if it pleases Thee, Thy countenance, then I shall possess all things that I want.” How happy we Christians should be in the enjoyment of so many privileges which many others do not have! In the very presence of God is endless happiness for the good Christian—it is truly heaven upon earth!

When we contemplate all the things that God has made, heaven and earth and the wonderful order of creation, everything proclaims to us an almighty power which had created all things, a wonderful wisdom which rules over everything, a perfection in the highest degree which cares for everything with the same ease as if it had only one creature to occupy itself with.

But when we speak of the Most Holy Eucharist we can truly say that there is to be found no greater miracle of divine love for us. Here His majesty, His grace, and His goodness shine forth in a most extraordinary manner. This is the true bread which came down from heaven, the Bread of Angels that is given for the nourishment of our souls. Jesus Christ says: “Whosoever receives Me, will possess everlasting life, and he who does not receive Me, will die.”

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

God's Truth Endures Forever

From the Imitation of Christ:

You thunder judgments upon me, O Lord: you shake all my bones with fear and dread, and my soul becomes severely frightened. I am bewildered when I realize that even the heavens are not pure in your sight.

If you discovered iniquity in the angels and did not spare them, what will become of me? The stars fell from heaven, and I, mere dust, what should I expect? Those whose works seemed praiseworthy fell to the depths, and I have seen those who once were fed with the bread of angels delighting in the husks of swine.

There is no holiness where you have withdrawn your hand, O Lord; no profitable wisdom if you cease to rule over it; no helpful strength if you cease to preserve it. For if you forsake us, we sink and perish; but if you visit us, we rise up and live again. We are unstable, but you make us firm; we grow cool, but you inflame us.

All superficial glory has been swallowed up in the depths of your judgment upon me. What is all flesh in your sight? Can the clay be glorified in opposition to its Maker? How can anyone be aroused by empty talk if his heart is subject in the truth to God?

The whole world cannot swell with pride the man who is subject to truth; nor will he be swayed by the flattery of all his admirers, if he has established all his trust in God. For those who do all the talking amount to nothing; they fail with their din of words, but the truth of the Lord endures forever.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Happiness is Found in God Alone

Man was created to love God; therefore we can only find happiness in God alone. We have only to look at those who choose to live without loving God. Look at the people who neglect prayer and the Sacraments. They’re unhappy. Look at the people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. They’re unhappy. The proud are never at rest. They are always afraid of losing their wealth or status. Look at those who choose to live unchaste lives. They look for happiness in sins of the flesh.

Why can we not find happiness in all these things which appear to satisfy us? It is because we were created only for God. God alone is capable of satisfying us and making us truly happy. We are often so blind. We cling to life, to the world and its goods and pleasures. We cling to the very things which make us unhappy. The Saints despised all these things and clung to God alone!

If we are not in the habit of asking God for Charity we must begin today. If we are not asking God for Charity we shouldn’t be surprised that we are so worldly. We must love our neighbor as ourselves if we want to show our love for God. Who is our neighbor? Absolutely everybody! Those who have wronged us, those who have injured our good name and even those who wish to do harm to us. We must love all of them as ourselves. We must rejoice when our enemies are successful. We must be sad when they suffer loss. If we do not do this and we do not believe it we are bad Christians!

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Temptation is Necessary

Job says: “Man’s life on earth is a temptation.” No one is too perfect and holy as sometimes not to have temptations. Nevertheless, temptations can be very profitable, difficult though they may be. Temptation is necessary. It helps us to persevere in humility and distrust of ourselves. Temptation forces us to take refuge in God alone. In fact, temptation is one of the sure signs that we are on the path to heaven, no matter how humiliating the temptation may be. If you are weighed down with the worst temptations simply turn to Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and He will support you in your time of trial.

One of the most common temptations is to turn away from God when we are persecuted. But we must trust Him and His divine providence. It is one of the most firmly established and most consoling of the truths that have been revealed to us that (apart from sin) nothing happens to us in life unless God wills it so. Wealth and poverty alike come from Him. If we fall ill, God is the cause of our illness; if we get well, our recovery is due to God. We owe our lives entirely to Him, and when death comes to put an end to life, His will be the hand that deals the blow.

But should we attribute it to God when we are unjustly persecuted? Yes, He is the only person you can charge with the wrong you suffer. He is not the cause of the sin the person commits by ill-treating you, but He is the cause of the suffering that person inflicts on you while sinning.

God did not inspire your enemy with the will to harm you, but He gave him the power to do so. If you receive a wound, do not doubt that it is God Himself who has wounded you. If the whole world were to stand against you, unless God wished it and joined with them and gave them the strength and means to carry out their purpose, they would never succeed. You would have no power over me if it had not been given you from above, Jesus Christ said to Pilate. We can say the same to demons and men and whatever exists—you would not be able to disturb me or harm me as you do unless God had ordered it so. You are sent by Him, you are given the power by Him to tempt me and to make me suffer. You would have no power over me if it had not been given you from above.


In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Proper Order of Prayer

When God sends us trials and temptations we must have recourse to prayer. God has solemnly promised to always answer our prayers, even though most of us are constantly complaining that He does not do so. The answer is not because of the kind of things we ask for, since God included everything in His promise—all things whatsoever you shall ask. Nor can we attribute it to the unworthiness of those who ask, for His promise extended to everybody without exception—whoever asks shall receive. Why is it then that so many prayers remain unanswered? The answer is because we ask for way too little and we are not insistent enough.

Christ promised on behalf of His Father that He would give us everything, even the very smallest things. But He also laid down an order to be observed in all that we ask, and if we do not obey this rule we are not likely to obtain anything. Seek first the kingdom of God and His justice and all these things shall be given to you besides. This is the order God observes in the distribution of His benefits. We must not be surprised then if our prayers have so far been unsuccessful. People give alms, make vows to God, fast, or have Masses offered for the success of their temporal affairs. They are of little use because their offerings should be for the intention of amending their lives, for greater patience, contempt of the things of the world and detachment from creatures. Then afterwards they could pray for return of health or success of business. God would answer these prayers.

The Mission of the Holy Ghost

Re-establishment of the order of the world willed by God is the particular mission of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost works to bring the whole world to fulfil its true purpose. God is all-powerful. His love for man is infinite. We must remember that absolutely everything comes from God and is directed toward Him.

Often the action of the Holy Ghost goes unnoticed because God does not always reveal His plans to us. Our sins and faults often get in the way of God's divine gifts. However, we believe that God is always at work in creation. Without Him we would cease to exist.

We must constantly pray to be free from sin so that the action of the Holy Ghost may be made manifest in and through us.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Peace of Christ

He who hates his brother is a murderer. Our duty as Christians is to promote peace and cultivate harmony as best we can. Saint John says that love comes from God. Whoever is not with God does not possess love. We must therefore keep God's commandments. They lead us to true life. They lead us to peace. We must keep peace before all other virtues.

If we embrace peace we contribute to tranquility in the world. We acknowledge the tie that binds us together, namely charity.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching