Bulletin 112

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

July 29th, 2012; 9th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 10:6-13; Gospel: Lk. 19:41-47

Mass Schedule July 30th through August 3rd

Monday --Feria--NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Saint Ignatius Loyola; Confessor

Wednesday-Holy Maccabees; Martyrs

Thursday-Saint Alphonsus Liguori; Bishop, Confessor & Doctor

Friday-Sacred Heart of Jesus


Jesus sincerely loved His own people. He worked countless miracles on their behalf to prove He was the Son of God and the Messiah spoken of in the Scriptures. But the Jewish people did not appreciate the grace that Jesus Christ offered them. The religious leaders rejected Him and called for His crucifixion.

Christ has instituted the sacraments for our benefit. He comes to each of us particularly through them. He teaches us through the magisterium of His Church. He constantly forgives our failings. We must never take His presence for granted or reject Him altogether.

In the Gospel Christ throws out of the temple the buyers and sellers. He reminds them that the temple is a house of prayer. We should realize that prayer is the first way that we invite Christ into our hearts. It is through prayer that we are strengthened and become more disposed to receive grace. We must never neglect our prayer!

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeffery 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

Bulletin 110

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

July 8th, 2012; 6th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Rom. 6:3-11---Gospel: Mk. 8:1-9

Mass Schedule July 9th through July 13th

Monday --Feria--NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Seven Holy Brothers, Martyrs and SS Rufina & Secunda, Virgins & Martyrs

Wednesday-Saint Pius I, Pope & Martyr

Thursday-Saint John Gualbert, Abbot

Friday-Feria


FR FASCHING WILL BE ON RETREAT BEGINNING SATURDAY, JULY 14th. THERE WILL BE NO LATIN MASS ON SUNDAY, JULY 15TH AT 2:30PM. THERE WILL BE NO LATIN MASS JULY 16TH THROUGH JULY 20TH. THE LATIN MASS WILL RESUME ON SUNDAY, JULY 22nd AT 2:30PM.


The wonderful effects of baptism should remind us of the profound meaning of this rite which Jesus Christ Himself instituted. Baptism should remind us of the Passion of Christ as well as the future glory won for us as a result of His Passion. Baptism gives us a “new birth” and at the same time presupposes a symbolic death.

When we were baptized we were born into a new life. We were freed from the darkness of sin and entered into a new light. God removes every trace of sin in baptism and also remits the penalties that these sins incur. We are given all the graces necessary to live a good Christian life. The soul receives the mark of a Christian forever!

Christ suffered physical death. In baptism we die spiritually to the life of sin. Because of Christ’s death sin and satan no longer have power over us. However, we must exercise our own personal effort in order to remain dead to sin. God’s grace is always with us provided that we cooperate with it.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. 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

Easter Sunday

The Catholic Church has designated Sunday as the day especially consecrated to the Lord. It is meant to be a day of rest on which we are commanded to attend Holy Mass. “Dies Domini” means the Lord’s Day. Jesus Christ was crucified, but now we rejoice in His glorious victory of the resurrection! The resurrection is the central mystery of our faith. Saint Paul says “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1Cor 15:14). The Resurrection means that Jesus Christ has overcome death, sin, pain and the power of hell.

St. Pius X writes the following: “…just as Jesus Christ through His resurrection began a new immortal and heavenly life, so we must begin a new life according to the Spirit, once and for all renouncing sin and everything that leads to sin, loving God and everything that leads to God.”

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Palm Sunday

Jesus Christ is a true king as He makes His way in triumph into Jerusalem. Jesus calmed the seas. He cured the sick, healed the leper, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk, and commanded the paralytic to carry his own bed home. Christ is the master of evil spirits, nature, and man.

Jesus even raised Lazarus from the tomb! “Who is He, who has command over death and the grave?” As Christ makes His way into Jerusalem He is the king whose coming was foretold by the prophets. He has shown Himself as master over all creatures, over nature, and even the evil spirits.

In this triumphal entry, unlike the triumphal processions of the days of old, pride and ambition are not represented. Instead humility, meekness, mortification and self-denial are all apparent. In one word, unselfishness! Christ was loved by the poor and outcast of the world. He had no friends in high places. He had no friends who were rich.

“Hosanna! Hail to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” This is the way Christ comes to us when we receive the Holy Eucharist. He humbles Himself for our sake. Let us receive Him with gratitude and give Him back all we have and are. Let us give Him our hearts.

In Christo Jesu
et Maria Immaculata,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Transfiguration

From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope:

The Lord reveals His glory in the presence of chosen witnesses. His body is like that of the rest of mankind, but He makes it shine with such splendor that His face becomes like the sun in glory and His garments as white as snow.

The great reason for this transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of His disciples, and to prevent the humiliation of His voluntary suffering from disturbing the faith of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed.

With no less forethought He was also providing a firm foundation for the hope of holy Church. The whole body of Christ was to understand the kind of transformation that it would receive as His gift. The members of that body were to look forward to a share in that glory which first blazed out in Christ their head.

The Lord had Himself spoken of this when He foretold the splendor of His coming: “Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Saint Paul the apostle bore witness to this same truth when he said: “I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not to be compared with the future glory that is to be revealed in us.” In another place he says: “You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

…In the preaching of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No one should be ashamed of the cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.

No one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice; no one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised…
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Sincerely 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

To God Through Mary

The self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana is the second luminous mystery in the life of Jesus Christ. Before Jesus changed the water into wine His disciples already believed that Jesus was the Messiah. However, with this first public miracle the disciples began to experience a much deeper faith. At Cana, the Blessed Virgin Mary obtained from her Son the temporal need of providing for the guests at the wedding. This mystery emphasizes the importance of relying on the Blessed Virgin Mary’s prayers for all our own needs.

Mary’s prayers are unparalleled in effectiveness with God because they are the prayers of a Mother, whereas the prayers of the saints are prayers of servants. Since Jesus Christ has an infinite love for His Mother, Mary’s prayers cannot go unanswered. We have an opportunity to grow in our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary whenever we choose. Let us beg God through her prayers to draw us closer to Christ our Savior.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Baptism of Jesus

The Book of Revelation tells us that Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin and satan. He is glorious in heaven as the Lamb who was slain surrounded by all His saints, martyrs and virgins who constantly give Him praise and glory.

We share in the sacrifice of Christ when we participate in Holy Communion. We must always give thanks to Christ for redeeming us by His blood and giving us Himself in Holy Communion. It is so very important that we always properly prepare to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. We must also give a proper thanksgiving if we expect to draw fruit from receiving our Lord.

In fact, the Church teaches us that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives as Catholic Christians. Everything else emanates from the reception of our Redeemer in Holy Communion. Priests must therefore offer each Mass as if it were their only Mass. The lay faithful should attend every Mass as if it were their only Mass. We must guard against the danger of becoming complacent.

Tomorrow we celebrate the Commemoration of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist we must decrease and acknowledge our unworthiness...Domine, non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Christmas Season

After all of our Advent preparations we once again find ourselves well into the Christmas season. Now is the time of year when we focus particularly on the Incarnation, the greatest event in the whole history of mankind. Our omnipotent God chose at a particular moment in time to reveal Himself in the flesh. This is how God chose from all eternity to redeem us and save us from our slavery to sin and satan.

Although God could have saved us in any way He wished, He nevertheless chose to do so by becoming a man. God did not consider it beneath His dignity to take on our human nature. What a great joy for us! What a great message of hope! What a great lesson in humility! The Christmas message should help us to realize our great dignity as Christians. God created us in His own image! When we look at Christ we acknowledge that He is the image of the invisible God, as Saint Paul says. When we see Christ we see the nature of our God.

If we are in fact made in God's image than we must strive to imitate our God. We must embrace humility in all aspects of our lives. We must strive to learn to submit to one another out of love for Christ. When we meditate upon the Incarnation we must beg God for the humility that allowed the Blessed Virgin Mary to say yes to God at this unprecedented event and every moment of her life.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

John 20. 21-23

According to the Gospel of John, the Lord, on the very evening of His resurrection, appeared in the midst of His disciples and gave them, as the first fruit of His death and resurrection, the power to forgive sins:

On the evening of that first day of the week...Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said to them, "Peace be with you"...Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when He had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (Jn 20. 21-23)

The Council of Trent teaches that these words of Christ refer to the forgiveness of sins in the Sacrament of Penance. Notice the universal character of this grant: whatever sins the Church forgives, God forgives, whatever sins the Church retains, God retains!

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

All Souls' Day

Today we recommend to God the souls in purgatory in order that we may help alleviate their terrible suffering. We pray that God in His mercy may quickly bring them to His glory. When the poor souls finally do enter into heaven, they will certainly pray for those who have prayed for them.

Let us today recommend to Jesus Christ and to the Blessed Virgin Mary all the souls in purgatory, but especially the souls of our relatives, benefactors and friends. We must also remember to pray for our enemies.

Jn. 6: 51-55

At that time Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews: I am the living bread, which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give, is My Flesh for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this Man give us His Flesh to eat? Then Jesus said to them: Amen, Amen, I say unto you, except you eat the Flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath everlasting life; and I will raise him up in the last day.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

More on Christ's Sacrifice

Remember that a sacrament is an outward sign of invisible grace, which not only signifies (i.e., points to) grace, but also makes really present the reality of grace that it signifies. This notion can be applied to show how the Eucharist makes present the sacrifice on Calvary. To do this, we must see that the Mass shows forth Christ's sacrifice through visible signs of bread and wine declared to be Christ's body and blood, and that, under these signs the essential reality of Christ's sacrifice on Calvary is made really present in an unbloody manner, so that the faithful can join in offering Christ and themselves in union with Him to the Father.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Eucharistic Sacrifice

Who offers the Eucharistic sacrifice? Christ or the Church, the priest or the people? If all of these how do their roles differ and how are they related?

The Church Offers:

The whole family of God, the Church, offers the Eucharistic sacrifice, especially the faithful who are present. This is clearly indicated in the very words of the liturgy. Christ instituted the Eucharist precisely in order that the Church, His beloved spouse, might have a visible sacrifice to offer to God, as the nature of the human creature requires.

But who in the Church offers? Obviously the priest does. But in what capacity? Simply as leader of the congregation? Or does the priest have a special role as representative of Christ or as representative of the Church? If both, how are these roles related? How about the people? How is their offering related to that of the priest? Is their mode of offering the same or different from that of the priest?

The Priest Offers:

The priest offers in the person of Christ, in the name of the Church, and in his own name. The Protestants see the presiding minister of the Lord’s Supper acting simply as the leader of the congregation, certainly with a special responsibility and authority, but without any unique sacramental empowerment through the sacrament of Holy Orders.

But according to Catholic teaching, the priest, through the sacrament of Holy Orders, is so configured to Christ the High Priest that in the celebration of the Eucharist he acts in the very person of Christ. Only the priest, in virtue of the special character of priestly ordination, can speak the words of consecration in the very person of Christ. In doing so, he acts not merely as Christ’s representative, but in His person, as His sacramental representation. It is for this reason that the priest alone is able to confect the Eucharist. If there is no priest, there can be no Mass.

Pius XII, in his encyclical: Mystici Corporis writes: “The sacred ministers represent not only our Savior, but also the whole mystical Body and each one of its members. In that sacrifice the faithful are associated in the common prayer and supplication and, through the hands of the priest, whose voice alone renders the Immaculate Lamb present on the altar, they themselves offer to the eternal Father this most pleasing victim of praise and propitiation for the needs of the whole Church.”

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching