Bulletin 170

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

September 22, 18th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 1: 4-8
Gospel: Mt. 9: 1-8

Mon 23 Saint Linus * Pope & Martyr—No Latin Mass
Tue 24 Requiem Mass + John Scaria
Wed 25 Feria
Thu 26 Feria
Fri 27 SS. Cosmas * Damian * Martyrs

The next pot-luck dinner will be Sunday, October 6th following the 2:30pm Latin Mass.

It is entirely possible for one form of ritual to be more efficacious than another form. At the present time, we have two forms of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form. When one form is offered with greater solemnity, it tends to be more efficacious that one that is offered with less solemnity. The solemnity gives greater glory to God. Since Jesus Christ is the King and Ruler of the universe, He deserves a greater ritual than any earthly king!

The ritual of the Holy Sacrifice is a combination of prayers and gestures. Prayer itself has governing principles that make it meritorious, and these principles can be applied to the ritual of the Mass. Saint Thomas observes that vocal prayer is done in order to render God His due and to move man’s mind and heart toward Him. Prayer is an act of the virtue of religion and we pray as God’s creatures because it is our duty.

The same principle can be applied to the ritual of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The ritual of the Mass ought to be ordered to God and not to man, except insofar as man is served in order to serve God. In other words, God is the end of the ritual, not man. This follows the order of charity in which we love God first and then our neighbor for the sake of God. The ritual should not have man as its finality, but God. If it has man as its finality, it goes contrary to charity, which has God as its end. It will also go contrary to justice since one will not render to God through the prayers of the ritual what it due to Him.

In Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 168

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

September 8th, 16th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Eph. 3: 13-21
Gospel: Lk. 14: 1-11

Mon 9 Feria—No Latin Mass
Tue 10 Requiem Mass + John Scaria
Wed 11 Feria
Thu 12 Most Holy Name of Mary
Fri 13 Feria

There will be NO LATIN MASS September 2nd through September 6th. Fr. Fasching will be on vacation.

Pot-luck dinner after the 2:30pm Mass this Sunday, September 8th in the school cafeteria.

This Sunday we commemorate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is as truly the Mother of God as any woman is mother of the child she bears, for she performed for her Son the same biological function and maternal role that any mother performs who conceives, gives birth, and nurtures a child from her own flesh and blood!

The only difference is that Mary conceived virginally by the power of the Holy Ghost, and the offspring that she conceived and bore is the eternal Son of God, who united Himself to our humanity in her womb. The child born of her is truly human, truly like us in all things but sin; He is also truly divine, the eternal Son of God incarnate. He is one person, an eternal divine person, subsisting in two natures, human and divine. Mary is mother of this divine person according to His human nature.

It was fitting that Mary be conceived without sin because she was destined to be the worthy, beloved Mother of the holy God. In preserving Mary from all sin, God prepared a holy tabernacle in which His Son was to dwell, a holy body from which He was to take His humanity, a holy Mother whom he could love with the fullness of His divine/human love.

In Christ,
Fr. Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 139

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

February 10th, 2013 Quinquagesima Sunday

Epistle: I Cor. 13: 1-13; Gospel: Lk. 18: 31-43

Mass schedule February 11th --- February 15th

Monday-Our Lady of Lourdes--NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Seven Holy Servite Founders; Confessors—NO LATIN MASS

Wednesday-Ash Wednesday—Mass at 2:00pm

Thursday-Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Friday-Friday after Ash Wednesday

Pot-luck dinner this month will be Sunday, February 24th immediately following the 2:30pm Mass.

There will be no Latin Mass Tuesday, February 12th at 12:15pm.

Mass on Ash Wednesday will be at 2:00pm. Stations of the Cross and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will immediately follow Mass.

Laws of Days of Abstinence: The Discipline of 1962

• Applies on one’s 7th birthday.

• Complete Abstinence: all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigil of Christmas.

• Partial Abstinence (meat and soup or gravy made from meat permitted once a day at the principle meal): all the days of Lent, the Ember Days of Wednesday and Saturday, and the Vigils of Pentecost and the Assumption.

• Abstinence from meat is dispensed on Holy Days of Obligation

Laws of Fast: The Discipline of 1962

• Applies for those aged 21 to 59, inclusive.

• Days of Lent from Ash Wednesday inclusive, Ember Days, and Vigils of Christmas, Pentecost, and the Assumption.

• One full meal permitted and two other meals may be taken which, when combined, are less than a full meal.

The Law of the Eucharistic Fast: The Discipline of 1962

• The complete fast from all food and drink (except for water or medicine) for three hours before the reception of Holy Communion. In the document reducing the fast to three hours, the Pope still encouraged those who were able to maintain the midnight fast which was the previous discipline.

Visible Bonds of Unity

Vatican II's Constitution on the Church (#146) mentions some of the more important visible bonds by which the faithful are united to the Church:

They are fully incorporated into the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to her, and through union with her visible structure are joined to Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. This joining is effected by the bonds of professed faith, of the sacraments, of ecclesiastical government, and of communion.

Note the visible bonds mentiond here:

-professed faith,

-sacraments,

-ecclesiastical govermnent,

-cummunion (sharing) of love and support (Acts 2.42).

These visible bonds permit a certain pluralism in their expression according to the particular traditions and practices of different cultures.

There must be unity in essentials, but beyond that, following the principles of Saint Augustine, freedom and love should prevail: "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity" ("In essentialibus unitas, in contingentibus libertas, in omnibus caritas").

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

God's Call

Those who are called to the priestly or religious life receive a very special grace and are provided with abundant means to grow in holiness. If they embrace it and live it well, they will be able to attain a higher perfection than would be possible for them if they were to refuse this grace and continue an ordinary life in the world. This is not because religious are called to a different holiness than other Christians but because they receive so many helps to grow in holiness, and because they are given special graces to embrace this way of life that is modeled closely on Christ’s own manner of life.

Although no one is strictly obligated to embrace the evangelical counsels as such, a given individual may imperil his salvation by refusing to follow a special call to dedicate his or her life wholly to the service of God. Paul could say, “Woe to me, if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9.16)

How can an individual recognize the way of life to which he is called by God? First of all one must have recourse to prayer, and while one prays, one must try to maintain an attitude of perfect detachment, not allowing oneself to be inclined to one alternative rather than to another before God manifests His will. One must maintain a spirit of generosity and readiness to embrace whatever God reveals to be His will. If one prays, reflects, and seeks in this manner, God will let the person know what He wills for the person.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Theological Virtues

Saint Paul in his letter to the Corinthians speaks of the three theological virtues; faith, hope and love. The theological virtues are among our greatest gifts from God. They are infused into our hearts through divine grace. However, we must remember our responsibility to nourish these God-given gifts. We must always and everyday pray for them. We should beg God that we grow in them, never take them for granted, but instead cherish them as our most prized possessions.

We are all people of faith. Perhaps we may know somebody whom we believe to be a person of great faith. Chances are we know somebody who seems to have little, if any faith at all. Faith is a precious gift. The strength of our faith depends a great deal on how we ourselves nourish it. We should constantly ask God for an increase in faith.

We see in the Gospel another great example of Jesus Christ demanding faith from the blind man who wishes to see. Our Lord gives the blind man his sight because “thy faith hath made thee whole.” The blind man believed in his heart that Jesus had the power to heal him. Therefore when the blind man asked for his sight, it was given to him.

Our Lord wants the exact same faith from each one of us. One of the easiest and most effective ways of nourishing our faith and praying for the other virtues is meditating on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When we mediate upon the resurrection, for example, we must beg God for a greater faith. We should contemplate the unprecedented faith that was given to the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask God for a share in this same faith. When we focus on the ascension we should ask God for a greater hope that where He has gone, we will one day follow.

Saint Paul explains that the virtues of faith and hope mean nothing if we do not put them into practice, therefore the greatest of these virtues is love. “Holy” people are people who exercise on a regular basis the virtue of charity. Hence, charity is the key to holiness and sanctity. We can find charitable things to do each and every day that help us grow in holiness. These can be the smallest of acts, because God looks at the intention of one’s heart, not the magnitude of the act.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Catholic Church

The Church in this world knows all the vicissitudes of human history: successes and failure, persecution and prosperity, heroism and betrayal, glory and shame, periods of fervent growth and periods of sad decline. She experiences a great tension in being called to holiness which she must ever strive for, but which she can never perfectly attain in this world. In some of her most admired members she reveals marvelous goodness and holiness, in her more ordinary and sinful members she reveals mediocrity, sin, and even great scandal. While she is always blessed with the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and always remains the visible sacrament of salvation for all mankind, as long as the Church is on pilgrimage in this world, she must groan under her own imperfections, and must struggle on, ever renewing herself, to attain the holiness and glory to which the Risen Lord calls her.

The Church is also drawn by Christ to her future existence beyond time. When Christ comes again in glory, and the last enemy, death, has been destroyed (1Cor 15.26f), when sin has been cast out and every evil overcome, and every tear has been wiped away (Rev 7.17, 21.4), the Bride of the Lamb will appear in all her radiant beauty, without stain or wrinkle, and will enter into the unimaginable glory of the Lord. The Heavenly Jerusalem will be revealed in all its splendor (Rev 21), which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart of man ever conceived (1Cor 2.9). The corruption of this world will pass away, and a new heaven and a new earth will appear, this present world having undergone a profound transformation that fills it with the glory of God. The risen Lord will raise up our mortal bodies, endowing them with the marvelous qualities of His own glorified body: spirituality, incorruptibility, agility, and resplendent glory (1Cor 15. 42-44).

We shall be one with God; indeed, we shall be like God, since we shall see Him as He is (1Jn 3.2). Thus we shall fully experience what it means to be sons of God. Unless we see the Church from this perspective and unless we live in this lively hope, we are missing the richest dimensions of the Church’s total existence. But we must also remember that the Church as she exists now is already participating in the eternal! Listen to the words of Lumen Gentium:

The promised and hoped for restoration has already begun in Christ. It is carried forward in the sending of the Holy Ghost and through Him continues in the Church…Already the final age of the world is with us and the renewal of the world is irrevocably under way. It is even now anticipated in a certain real way, for the Church on earth is endowed already with a sanctity that is real though imperfect…

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Faith in Christ

Christ demands faith from all of us. For example, when we meditate on the fourth luminous mystery of the Holy Rosary we focus on Christ’s transfiguration. As with any mystery in the life of Christ we must always ask for a particular grace when we focus on the mystery. With the transfiguration we must beg God for the ability to see with His transforming vision rather than our own limited human vision. This grace is attainable for a person from any state of life, but we often hear more about those who have chosen to embrace a vocation to the priesthood or religious life that have great faith or practice heroic virtue.

So how can one recognize the way of life to which he is called by God? The most important factor is to embrace a regular habit of prayer with faith that God will make His will known to those who sincerely seek it. While praying, one must try to maintain an attitude of perfect detachment. One must fight against the tendency to lean toward one alternative rather than another before God manifests His will. One must maintain a spirit of generosity and willingness to embrace whatever God reveals to be His will. If one prays and reflects God will eventually let the person know what He wills for the person. God will allow the person to experience greater light, peace and certainty with regard to the way of life God wills for the person. This is how one will grow in conviction that this is God’s will.

In discerning God’s will in the choice of a way of life, one should place before one’s mind the one end and purpose for which one has been created by God, namely, to praise, reverence and serve God, and in this way to save one’s soul. Furthermore, one must be resolved not to allow any other consideration to sway one’s choice. With that in mind, one should ask oneself what way of life seems to offer the person, with his special gifts and graces, the best means for attaining that end. Which path is the best means for promoting the greater glory of God? Which way of life provides the best means for attaining holiness? Which way of life provides the best means for contributing to the well-being of the greater number of people and of helping them attain salvation?

Clarity often comes from imagining oneself on one’s death bed and asking the question which choice I would then wish that I had made. I should now make that choice. Imagine standing before God in judgment and having to render an account of one’s life. Which choice will I then wish I had made?

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Mother of God Outshines all the Martyrs

From a homily by Basil of Seleucia, bishop:

Born of the Virgin Mother of God, the Creator and Lord of all shared our human nature, for He had a real body and soul even though He had no part in our misdeeds. He committed no sin, says Scripture, and no falsehood ever came from His mouth. O holy womb in which God was received, in which the record of our sins was effaced, in which God became man while remaining God! He was carried in the womb, condescending to be born in the same way as we are. Yet when He was received into the arms of His mother He did not leave the bosom of His Father. God is not divided as He carries out His will, but saves the world without suffering any division in Himself. When Gabriel came into the presence of the Virgin Mother of God he left heaven behind, but when the Word of God who fills all creation took flesh within her, He was not separated from the adoring hosts of heaven.

Is there any need to enumerate all the prophecies foretelling Christ's birth of the Mother of God? What tongue could worthily hymn her through whom we have received such magnificent blessings? With what flower of praise could we weave a fitting crown for her from whom sprang the flower of Jesse, who has crowned our race with glory and honor. What gifts could we bring that would be worthy of her of whom the whole world is unworthy? If Paul could say of the other saints that the world was not worthy of them, what can we say of the Mother of God, who outshines all the martyrs even as the sun outshines the stars?

O Virgin, well may the angels rejoice in you! Because of you they who long ages ago had banished our race are now sent to our service, and to his joy Gabriel is entrusted with the news of a divine child's conception. Rejoice, most favored one, let your face glow with gladness. You are to give birth to the joy of all the world, who will put an end to the age-old curse, destroying the power of death and giving to all the hope of resurrection.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Worship of the Blessed Sacrament

Eucharistic Adoration is a tremendous help in fostering a closer friendship with Jesus Christ. It is an extension of our reception of Holy Communion. It also brings about a deeper longing for receiving the Sacrament again. Eucharistic Adoration is the best means to prepare for receiving Holy Communion and offering up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Exposing oneself to the presence of Jesus Christ guarantees reception of His graces, provided one remains in the state of grace.

In order to grow in humility and holiness, we must also approach the Sacrament of Penance frequently. This is a great aid in helping one benefit from receiving the Eucharist as well. Without penance, we lose a sense of sin in our lives. If we neglect confession, we tend to overlook how sin becomes a stumbling block in our lives.

Finally, we must foster greater devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary's role in the life of the Church is such an important part of our Catholic Tradition and spirituality. Mary is Mother of the Eucharist. She gave Jesus Christ to the world. She always leads holy souls to her Son. When we grow in our devotion to Mary, especially through the recitation of the Holy Rosary and Consecration to her, she always leads us to Jesus Christ.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Thy Kingdom Come

From a notebook on Prayer by Origen, priest:

The kingdom of God, in the words of our Lord and Savior, does not come for all to see; nor shall they say: Behold, here it is, or behold, there it is; but the kingdom of God is within us, for the word of God is very near, in our mouth and in our heart. Thus it is clear that he who prays for the coming of God's kingdom prays rightly to have it within himself, that there it may grow and bear fruit and become perfect. For God reigns in each of His holy ones. Anyone who is holy obeys the spiritual laws of God, who dwells in him as in a well-ordered city. The Father is present in the perfect soul, and with him Christ reigns, according to the words: We shall come to him and make our home with him...

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

God's Thoughts of us are Thoughts of Peace

From the Revelations by Saint Gertrude, virgin:

...To atone for all my neglect I offer, most loving Father, all that your only-begotten Son did during His life, whether in thought, word or deed. That sacred life was, I know, utterly perfect in all respects, from the moment He descended from your heavenly throne and came into this world, until finally He presented the glory of His victorious human nature to you His Father.

An now, as an act of thanksgiving, I praise and worship you, Father, in deepest humility for your most loving kindness and mercy. Though I was hurrying to my eternal loss, your thoughts of me were thoughts of peace and not affliction, and you lifted me up with so many great favors. To these you added the inestimable gift of your intimate friendship, and in various ways allowed me to possess your Son's own heart, that most noble ark of God united with the Godhead. You refused me no delight that could be mine...

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Sincere Repentance

From a homily written in the second century:

We should repent of our sins while we are still on earth...we must wholeheartedly repent of sins committed in the body and make it possible for the Lord to save us while there is time. When we have left this world, we shall no longer be able to repent and confess our sins. We must do the will of the Father, keep our bodies pure, and observe the commandments of the Lord, for this is the way to obtain eternal life...In other words, in order to obtain eternal life, we must remain pure and keep the seal of our baptism undefiled.

...Our bodies are the temple of God, and as such we must guard them, for even as we were called in the body, so shall we also be judged in the body...
Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Final Point on the Male Priesthood

Third, since only priests have access to positions of full authority in the Church, to deny women priestly ordination is to reduce women to a state of second-class membership in the Church. Unless the Church changes this policy and gives women equal status, large masses of women will turn away from the Church as surely as the working class in Europe did in the nineteenth century when the Church failed to defend the rights of workers against the moneyed bourgeoisie with whom the Church allied itself. It is pointless to say that women are treated as equals of men when obviously they are not.

Response: Women are equal to men in dignity, but do not have the same roles in the Church. Women do not need presbyteral or episcopal orders to exercise great influence in the Church. It must be admitted that priests and bishops exercise the greatest authority in the Church and that women are excluded from these ranks. Ministry, however, should not be sought for the sake of power, but for service. It is not the most powerful who will be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the most humble and the holiest.

Some argue that it is inappropriate for a man to put forth such an argument since men hold power in the Church. The answer is that this is by Christ’s arrangement, not man’s. The Bible points out the special relationship between God and Israel expressed under the imagery of marriage. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel are described as the daughter of Zion, the bride whom Yahweh takes to Himself by a sacred covenant. In the New Testament, Christ is presented as bridegroom and the Church as His bride. In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Christ the bridegroom unites Himself to His bride, the Church. To preserve the truth of the sacramental sign, the priest who acts in Christ’s person, must be male. The sacramental significance would be lost if a woman presided at the Eucharist. This problem is not a problem of an historical nature. It is not a matter of discussing a certain custom in the hope that it might change in the future. The very structure of Christian revelation and of the Church would be tampered with.

It is often said that if there were no women priests in the early centuries of Christianity, it was because of cultural factors. It depended on women’s subordinate role in the society of that time. But we should not forget that women had major roles in pagan religions, from Greece to Egypt and Mesopotamia. This was never the case with the Judeo-Christian people. And yet they were surrounded by peoples whose women were active participants in cult celebrations. All this surely prompts us to reflect that this choice had profound bonds with revelation itself. So it was not a factor determined by historical and cultural conditions. It was quite the opposite.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Church in Relation to God

“Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See, and, as laws may determine, on the bishop. Therefore no other person, not even a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.”22 My prayer is that the current effort by the Bishop in this diocese to better regulate the liturgy will truly bear fruit.

As Catholics, in order to have a basic understanding of the meaning of the Eucharist, we must see the Eucharist in relation to God, Jesus Christ, the Church, the individual, and the world. First, let us look at the Eucharist in relation to God. The purpose for which the world exists is to give glory to God by manifesting the perfection of God in the created order. The liturgy helps us to fulfill this purpose by uniting us to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and filling us with divine love and holiness. Impelled by this love we are prompted to draw all creatures to God and make them share more fully in the goodness that God wishes to communicate to them.

As creatures, we are required to offer God adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, and petition. This we do in an eminent way in the liturgy by uniting ourselves to the perfect worship of the Son and by approaching the throne of mercy through Him. God has graciously willed to establish a covenant of friendship between Himself and His people. The liturgy is the means by which we renew this covenant and receive from God the graces to live it faithfully.

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

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

God's Action in our Lives

Saint Paul tells us, “Looking towards the author and finisher of faith, Jesus (the only begotten and beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased) …Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. For you have not yet resisted unto blood (as He did) in the struggle with sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation that is addressed to you as sons, saying, My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord, neither be thou weary when thou art rebuked by Him. For whom the Lord loves He chastises, and He scourges every son whom He receives. Continue under discipline, for God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not correct?

In short, the purpose for which God acts is a high and holy one, His own glory and the good of His creatures. Infinitely good—Goodness itself—He seeks to make them all perfect by drawing them towards Him and making them sharers in His divinity as far as they are capable. But because of the close ties He has established with us by the union of our nature with His in the person of Jesus Christ, we in a still more special manner are the object of His benevolence and tender care. What God does and ordains in us and for us is suited to our strength and capabilities, so that everything may serve to our advantage and perfection if we but cooperate with the designs of His providence.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Going to Confession

How frequently should we go to confession? We should avoid receiving the sacrament in a merely routine, mechanical fashion; but this does not mean we should not receive it regularly and frequently. If we are serious about advancing in the spiritual life, as every Catholic should be, we should go often to confession. Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Mystici Corporis wrote:

They are in error who have asserted that frequent confession of venial sins in not to be highly regarded…To hasten daily progress along the path of virtue, we wish the practice of frequent confession to be especially commended, a practice introduced by the Church, but not without the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. By it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows, evil habits are uprooted, spiritual neglect and tepidity are resisted, the conscience is purified, the will strengthened, a salutary control of one’s affections gained, and in virtue of the sacrament itself grace is increased. Therefore let those among the clergy who make light of and lessen esteem for frequent confession, realize that they are approaching a course which is foreign to the Spirit of Christ and destructive of the Mystical Body of our Savior.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Eucharistic Adoration III

How can we ever spend enough time with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament? Our Lord has instituted the Eucharist because of His ardent desire to remain with us and be united with us always. He makes Himself present in all the tabernacles throughout the world so that we may visit Him whenever we wish. Why are we so cold and indifferent toward placing ourselves at the feet of our Creator?

When we adore our Lord before the Blessed Sacrament exposed it is like a window into heaven. Time can seem to stand still when we immerse ourselves into the infinite abyss of Christ's treasures and graces found in the Blessed Sacrament. Our spiritual lives should truly revolve around our time spent with our Lord. Christ is the source of all our hope, longing and aspirations. He is the source of our strength. He waits for us...

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching