The Most Perfect Wisdom

"To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others, is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself. "

~Thomas à Kempis

For Children: A Short and Simple Way of Life

Last night, as we began the prayers of the Rosary, it seems our littlest recognized that I wasn't feeling very well, so he brought his prayer book to me and whispered, "Mama, maybe you should read these. They always help me."

I was so touched to read the pages he had bookmarked. The first listed the Eight Beautitudes, which, as we all know, begin, "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." (How true it is that even a moment of spiritual reading lifts up the heart!) After reading them, I saw a tiny slip of a bookmark on the next page, so I carefully turned the thin leaf. After reading that second page, I realized our littlest was not only offering me spiritual consolation --- he had also given me a glimpse into his own developing interior life. My heart swelled in gratitude...

Because it is a 'short and simple way' that reminds little ones of True Devotion to Jesus through Mary, or perhaps "The Little Way" of St. Therese, and to take as their own the examples of the lives of saints like young St. Dominic Savio or the Blesseds Jacinta and Francisco, I gladly share with you what our youngest son shared with me:

A Short and Simple Way of Life for a Child

Fear sin.

Dread mortal sin.

Never commit wilful venial sins.

Fly the occasions of sin.

Avoid bad companions.

Never read a bad book.

Guard your eyes, that they see no evil.

Watch your lips, that they speak no ill.

Pray often -

-To Jesus, to His Mother, to the Saints.

-Say your morning and evening prayers.

-Recite your Rosary.

-Hear Mass as often as you can.

-Receive Jesus frequently in Holy Communion.

Be obedient, be wise, be kind, be industrious, be good.

Honor your parents. Help them. Obey them.

Forget not the Souls in Purgatory.

Always, and above everything else ---love God.

From Jesus Make Me Worthy, a Prayerbook for the Young Boy or Girl

(The Regina Press, New York, 1961)

Fatima: 91 Years and Still No Era of Peace

Today, as we commemorate the 91st anniversary of Our Lady’s first appearance at Fatima in Portugal, the world still awaits the era of peace promised by the Virgin Mother of God. That era will only arrive when the collegial consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart and the papal promulgation of the Five First Saturdays finally take place. If nothing else can convince us, simply living in this world and paying attention to the news should persuade us to pray and work that the hierarchy completely heed these two requests.

Only yesterday, on the eve of May 13, two incredible things happened in communist China. First, the true bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, publicly announced, "The time has still not come for an official [papal] visit from the pope in China. His trip would be used, misunderstood, and it would do nothing to serve the faithful of the Church of Rome.” Quoted by Italy’s ANSA news agency, the cardinal continued, "The Chinese government, even in these pre-Olympic times, wants to control everything.”

In May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI sent to the authorities of Beijing, China a letter, in which he pressed China to respect religious freedom and the Vatican's right to appoint its own bishops. As Cardinal Zen noted yesterday, “After this letter, nothing has changed.” The good cardinal further stated, “In China, there is neither religious freedom nor freedom of the press, even if the government seems to have made overtures because of the Olympics, and there is still control over the Internet.”

Courageous and telling words, for this faithful cardinal specifically spoke of “the Church of Rome” within China, which stands in stark contrast with the CPA (Chinese Patriotic Association, compromised of “jurist” bishops and priests of China who abandoned their union with Rome and their fealty to the pope in favor of the Chinese communist state.) In China, the true Church still exists in the underground “Church of Rome,” while the CPA “church” is the one recognized and controlled by the government. By submitting to this control, the CPA is, objectively, nothing but a schismatic sect, and its compliant existence further persecutes the true Church in China.

Second, on the very same day, communist China suffered a major earthquake in which thousands of people have died. This is a terrible tragedy, one that must be a sign from God. “And there shall be great earthquakes in divers places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there shall be great signs.” (Lk 21:11)

As the inerrant Scriptures prove, earthquakes [along with tumults, lightning, and thunder] are either natural or supernatural phenomenon, but earthquakes are always a sign of God’s omnipotent judgment [Ps 96: 4-5; Joel 2:10; and let’s not forget the earthquake in Exodus!), a warning of God’s wrath, or accompany another one of His magnificent works, like the earthquake at Christ’s death [Matt. 27:54] and again at His Resurrection [Matt. 28:2]. In one instance, the Lord caused an earthquake to deliver Paul and Silas from prison [Acts 16:26], causing the conversion of their prison keeper and a great fear to fall upon their unjust magistrates. Recalling these truths, the faithful Christian may reasonably conclude that Our Lord is not happy with communist China, and so this recent, terrible earthquake is a sign of His judgment and His wrath but also a call for conversion to the one and only Church established by Our Lord.

The fact that Communism not only exists but is thriving and has spread throughout the world makes one ask: Can anyone seriously consider our times to be the era of peace promised to the world? Can a Catholic doubt the word of Our Lady, Who – by God’s Will – shall keep the heavenly promise when what She requests is heeded in its entirety?

Today’s news also reports that the Lebanese army expanded deployment to impose order; the Myanmar regime is accused of hoarding cyclone aid; clashes in Iraq’s Sadr City killed 11 people, and there was much more bad news.

In April – the month in which St. Michael appeared to the three Fatima children – the European Union (formerly known as Catholic Europe, Christendom) welcomed with open arms the Freemasons in “policy development.”

If you are not aware of the chilling development of that latter bit of news, please read the following news piece very carefully, dear reader:

A communiqué from the French Federation of Le Droit Humain, posted at Le Salon Beige, reveals the influence of Freemasonry in the European Union. Le Droit Humain is one of several Masonic lodges in France. (Translator's Note: I am leaving "le Droit Humain" in French, since that seems to be customary. The words actually translate as "human right" in the singular or "human law", but neither one sounds plausible in English.)

The French Federation of Le Droit Humain represented by its president, Michel Payen, met on April 8, 2008 with the president of the European Commission, José-Manuel Barroso, in a delegation composed of the Grand Feminine Lodge of France, the Grand Orient of Portugal and the Grand Orient of France (...)

This meeting constitutes a major event regarding the place of Freemasonry in the construction of Europe; this place was underscored not only by the interest and attentiveness that President Barroso showed to the delegation and the time he accorded them, but also by the commitments he made to the values espoused by liberal and adogmatic Freemasonry, its positions and its opinions on subjects of concern. It was the first time that Freemasonry, as such, was able to express itself to such a high level European institution.

The delegation received assurances from President Barroso of his attachment to the spirit of "laïcité" and to the principle of separation of religion from the State. The delegation stressed the importance of the Enlightenment in the history of Europe, a dimension to be taken into account at least equally with its religious roots, and certainly more closely tied to the roots of antiquity.

Finally, a principle of communication between the liberal and adogmatic Masonic Orders and the services of the European Commission, to be used whenever needed, was decided upon. Thus the French Federation of Le Droit Humain will propose, in the near future, a recommendation concerning the principle of emancipation that ought to form the basis of all European education systems, in direct relation to a recognition of the contribution of the Enlightenment to the common culture of the peoples that compose Europe, and in accordance with the principles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

[Translator’s Note: I assume "emancipation" refers to the breaking of bonds with religion, although it could refer to freedom for women. Le Droit Humain was founded primarily to allow women into Freemasonry.]

Consequently, the Freemasons of the French Federation of Le Droit Humain are encouraged to debate fully the questions concerning Europe and to make known their opinions in order that an original, strong and well-informed voice characterizes our contribution to the discussions. [ “Masonic Influence in the EU,” English translation from GalliaWatch, http://galliawatch.blogspot.com/2008/04/masonic-influence-in-eu.html ]

Is anyone fooled by this decision and what it really portends? The Freemasons never gave up, and the principles of the French Revolution never died but only went underground (as did modernism for a period of time), where they lurked and planned and continued to secretly advance against the Church and society. The only difference now is that Freemasonry is allowed (in France, of all places! France, “Eldest Daughter of the Church”!) to work out in the open – and that itself must be recognized as a most ominous sign.

Finally, there is the current discussion in the UN (United Nations) to stop children from being involved with religion, usurping the natural rights of parents and the supernatural jurisdiction of the Church. This topic also extended to questioning the Vatican’s involvement, as an organization, with the same UN - and yet another menacing sign.

So we have the French Masons welcomed with open arms by the European Union, and simultaneously, the UN is discussing whether or not religion can be taught to children (specifically, the Catholic religion, since the Vatican's participation at the UN is openly debated with the same topic. As can be seen, even the Church's enemies recognize that Catholicism is the one true Faith.)

Can we not yet recognize “the signs of the times”? What must it take before all the faithful ardently join and promote the Collegial Consecration Campaign? It is God's Will that Russia must be consecrated to the Virgin's Immaculate Heart, promising to save it - and the world - by this means. It is late, very late - but it is not too late to have recourse to Our Lord, Jesus and Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.

Please pray and sacrifice for the Holy Father's intentions, asking God to help the pope command - not simply invite - the bishops to join him in the Collegial Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For this holy cause of the Mother of God, we can pray the Rosary every day, wear the Brown Scapular, offer our daily duty to God as a sacrifice, and participate in the Five First Saturday devotions throughout the year, just as Sr. Lucia did.

Fleur-di-Lis: Flower of the Catholic City

Visitors to the original KIC blog have noticed that its design featured the ancient Catholic symbol, the “fleur-di-lis” (meaning “flower of the lily”). A few years ago, when the first of my books, the Keeping It Catholic Home Education Guides, was published, I knew I wanted the flower-like emblem somehow incorporated on the book’s front cover. As readers of my books will see, these “flowers” not only grace the front cover but also are found in miniature next to the inside page numbers.

For some reason, the fleur-di-lis always captivated me. I recall that, as a child, I once asked a classmate, blithely sporting the fleur-di-lis on his Boy Scout uniform, what it represented. He shrugged and said, "I guess it means faith, hope and charity." Only years later did I discover the "flower of the lily" is an ancient symbol with various meanings.

The simple yet gracious “fleur-de-lis” (sometimes spelled "fleur-de-lys" or "fleur-di-lys") becomes even more intriguing when one discovers the Great Monarch prophecies. In a word, those prophecies relate that, with the power and the grace of God, a future Angelic Pastor (a pope), together with prince who recovers the “crown of lilies,” will restore the Catholic City – meaning the Church on earth.

In a doubting world where even Catholics question Church doctrine and sneer at prophecy, the truth still remains that the Church recognizes the validity of prophecy both inside and outside of the Scriptures. However, the Church views with great caution all prophecies outside of Scripture, unless such prophecies come from a Church approved apparition. While we cannot look to "private" prophetic revelations in the same way as we do Tradition and Scripture, neither should we despise them or dismiss them out-of-hand. Furthermore – and as the Church knows – a true prophecy does not foretell every minute detail of a particular person, event or series of events. It does, however, give enough information so that, when the prophecy finally unfolds, it is recognized as the “fait accompli.”

Prophecy is found throughout the Old Testament in regard to the Messiah. But the time of prophecy is not over, as the Apocalypse makes clear. Prophecy plays a great part in the complete story of Fatima, which does not fall into the realm of private revelation but rather public. A Catholic who is, as time passes, more often able to pray and meditate on the Church’s doctrine and dogmas, and who is fortunate to acquire what Hilaire Belloc called “the Catholic conscience” of history, will recognize the relation between Fatima (which is approved by the Church as “worthy of belief”) and the Great Monarch prophecies (which are not, strictly speaking, “Church approved”).

Our Lady, whose words can never be doubted, foretold at Fatima the persecution of the world if her wishes were not heeded. On the other hand, the Great Monarch prophecies indicate that an unsought prince will arrive on the scene of history during a great crisis of the Church and the world. (In fact, the prophecies say more of him than they do the Angelic Pastor.) Finally, it seems that the Great Monarch prophecies are tied to events about which Our Lady of Fatima warned if the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart was continually delayed by the reigning pope and the bishops.

Reasonable minds recognize that the consecration of Russia, exactly as Our Lady asked for it, has never been made. At some future date, however, a pope will order the bishops to join him and make this most necessary act. We know it will happen because Our Lady, acting as God’s messenger and our intercessor, foretold it. In the meantime, a sinful world waits, and it is punished –– by “wars and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father,” just as Our Lady of Fatima also foretold. If current world events continue unchecked, the near future may very well include another great world war, worse than this world has ever suffered.

When one studies Our Lady's warnings along with the Great Monarch prophecies, a picture of the fairly immediate future becomes clearer. It is not a pretty picture, and it never will be until a reigning pope and the bishops in union with him follow Our Lady's directions to the letter and consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

As for the Great Monarch himself, throughout the ages there have been a respectable number of saints and other noteworthy individuals who foresaw this forthcoming sovereign, thereby giving the rest of us a serious reason to pause and reflect. Throughout most of the prophecies of this future king, the "flower of the lily" is interwoven.

In historic tradition, the "fleur-de-lis" is associated with the Catholic French monarchy as the symbol of perfection, light, and life. Ancient legend relates that an angel presented a golden lily to Clovis, the Merovingian king of the Franks; the lily was a symbol of the king's purification upon his conversion to Catholicism. Yet another legend has it that Clovis took the symbol as his own when, during a battle, water-lilies showed him how to safely cross a river. Whether fact or legend, it cannot be denied that the “fleur-di-lis” and French royalty go hand-in-hand.

In the 12th century, it was either King Louis VI or King Louis VII (historians disagree about which king it was) who became the first French monarch to display the fleur-de-lis on his shield. As time passed, a French knight was known to stand high when his monarch bestowed upon him the right to also use in his coat-of-arms the favored fleur-di-lis. Two hundred years later, the insignia of many noble families included the lily. (A knight's surcoat, upon which was embroidered his noble family’s insignia, was worn over the coat of mail, which brought forth the term "coat-of-arms.") The English monarchs also took the lovely lily for their own coats-of-arms so as to make aggravatingly clear their claim to the French throne.

To all to this earthly glory, the three-petaled "fleur-di-lis" possesses even greater symbolism because it also represents:

--the Holy Trinity (symbolizing the Mystery of one God in three Divine Persons)

--the Blessed Virgin Mary (symbolizing her perpetual purity and her privileges of being chosen by the Trinity to be the Mother of God)

--Virgin saints and martyrs, especially the great St. Jeanne d’Arc, the Maid of Orleans, first Patroness of France. (Later, St. Terese the Little Flower was also given the latter honor.)

The King of France, Charles VII, granted arms and nobility to St. Jeanne (and her family) during her lifetime. Although she was given the right, the saint herself never used the “fleur-di-lis” symbol on her banner or coat of arms. But not even many Catholics know that, after the saint’s martyrdom, the King of France – Charles VII - the king for whom Jeanne sacrificed everything - bestowed upon her family and their descendants (both male and female) the unheard-of privilege of possessing and passing on the surname of “Du Lys” (“of the Lily”). Unfortunately, for monetary reasons, the right for females of St. Jeanne’s line to pass on the Du Lys name was revoked in 1614.

St. Jeanne’s mission from God was unique and it is precisely because of its uniqueness that it still mystifies to this very day. Why didn’t God chose a man instead? It would have made things so much easier – from a human standpoint.

I often wonder if St. Jeanne’s great sacrifice was given not only for the France of her day but also for the France of ours – a disgraced, unfaithful France who no longer wishes to be known as the “first daughter of the Church.” I wonder if St. Jeanne died a most terrible death not only for Charles VII but for one of his descendants – the unknown Catholic Monarch who will one day help the Angelic Pastor restore the Catholic City.

Tradition. History. Legend. Prophecy. And so Keeping It Catholic is honored to take as its own the ancient Catholic symbol of the fleur-di-lis, representative of God and so many of His saints. After the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the "flower of the lily" is a truly fitting symbol of the Catholic City.


(First posted March 29, 2006 to the original blog, Keeping It Catholic - with Marianna Bartold)

Fatima and a New Revelation on the Star of Esther

Recently, I completed a lengthy article on Our Lady of Fatima and a heretofore unknown revelation, "hidden" in the Star of Esther which appeared between the knee and hem of Our Lady's dress. There is an astonishing revelation between Old Testament history related in The Book of Esther and the Virgin Mary. This revelation is one which I've not found noted anywhere, not even by highly respected Fatima experts.

Background: The star on the dress of Our Lady of Fatima is a symbol known as the Star of Esther. This symbol refers to the history of Queen Esther (recognized by St. Bernard and St. Alphonsus de Liguori as a Marian figure-type).

Esther's relevance has to do with her intercessory role, which led to the literal salvation for her people, the Hebrews. They were to be annihilated down to the last woman, child and baby - by the decree of the king's cunning advisor. (Can you say "Wormtongue"?)

As I explain in my article, The Book of Esther possesses incredible figures types: the king of Persia (figure type for God),the first queen (figure type of Eve), Hadassah (the Hebrew virgin who became Queen Esther of Persia, figure type of the Virgin Mary), Haman (the wily counselor, figure type for an anti-christ or the Beast of the Apocalypse), all of the virgins brought to the king and made part of his household (figure types of the Old Testament's holy women whom the king "accepted into his household" but who were not chosen as the Queen - e.g., the Virgin), etc. There is also the 13th day of the month, another correlation between Esther and Our Lady of Fatima. For the Hebrews were to be totally annihiliated on the 13th of Adar and Our Lady came to Fatima on the 13th day between May and October, 1917.

However, my upcoming article addresses another incredible, hidden connection, one which - as I said earlier - I have not found mentioned in any source on Fatima. It is my hope that this new revelation will, in a small way, help others turn toward and completely heed Our Lady of Fatima. To Jesus through Mary!

Until the article is published, I can say no more than that except---

My article is scheduled to appear in the May 2008 issue of The Catholic Family News in honor of the 91st anniversary of Our Lady's first appearance at Fatima.

[Note: For the sake of those who don't receive CFN, I will place my article either on the KIC website, this blog, or both once it is published.]

Catholic Action: What It Was, What It Can Be

On the Keeping It Catholic website, it is clearly stated that "KIC imitates the Catholic Action Apostolate of old. That means we PRAY, STUDY, and ACT - in that order - and we encourage others by offering support in sharing the Church's perennial teachings."

FYI, this message contains the entry on Catholic Action from A Catholic Home Encyclopedia (included in the Holy Bible - Family Rosary Edition, 1954, 1953, 1952, 1950) stating that the "articles dealing with general Catholic information are, with few exceptions, from 'A Catholic Dictionary,' edited by Donald Attwater (Copyright 1931, 1949, by the Macmillan Company and are here used by permission of the copyright owner." (Please Note: Italics below were in the original entry.)

CATHOLIC ACTION. [Defined as] The participation of the laity in the apostolate of the hierarchy. Since the beginning of Christianity the laity have had a real obligation to aid in the work of the Church. Now, as much as at any time in history, there is a pressing need for the organized initiative of the laity if the world is to be Christian; and the recent popes, especially Pius XI and Pius XII, have urgently called the laity to participate in apostolic work with the hierarchy.

Catholic Action, as used by recent popes, designates certain organized groups doing apostolic work. It is applied in the strict sense only to an organized group of the laity that is: (1) approved by and dependent upon the hierarchy; (2) apostolic in purpose; (3) mandated or commissioned by the pope or the local bishop: (4) mandated as a real collaborator with the hierarchy in the apostolate of the Church. Therefore, only those groups (and their activities) specifically designated as such by the pope or local bishop can rightfully be called Catholic Action. For example, in one diocese a bishop may commission the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine to be the Catholic Action; in another any apostolic organization of laymen. But the bishop's mandate is essential for Catholic Action.

In English speaking countries, the term has been used by many in a much wider and less strict sense than its technical meaning in papal documents. For any apostolic group or its activity, whether commissioned by the hierarchy or not, is sometimes spoken of as Catholic Action. However, it should be noted that among organized apostolic groups and activities only those have a genuine right to the name Catholic Action which have been constituted as such by a mandate from the hierarchy.

Recent popes have stressed the importance of Catholic Action for the Church today. Pius XI, in a letter written to the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon in 1934, said that "of all forms of the apostolate, Catholic Action is the most suited to the need of our epoch"; and to the Argentine hierarchy in 1931, he wrote that 'Catholic Action is the form of the apostolate that corresponds best to the needs of the times.'

The various forms of organization that might be mandated by a bishop as Catholic Action can be divided into general and specialized forms. General Catholic Action includes all the Catholics of a given parish, diocese, etc. Specialized Catholic Action, in a wide sense, includes the laity grouped according to age and sex. In the strict sense, specialized Catholic Action includes the laity grouped according to class or environment, e.g., industrial workers, seamen, professional men, nurses, students, etc.

Pope Pius XI gave strong impetus to the movement toward specialized Catholic Action by his directives in the Encyclical Quadragesimo Anno (which see): "Undoubtedly the first and immediate apostles of the workingmen must themselves be workingmen, while the apostles of the industrial and commercial world should themselves be employers and merchants." And the same pope, on April 6, 1934, congratulated a specialized group on their program which, he said, presented "the closest analogy with the method that we indicate for missionaries: native priests for the native people. Each situation will then have its corresponding apostle: the apostles of the workers will be workers, the apostles of the farmers will be farmers, the apostles of the seamen will be seamen, the apostles of the students will be students."

The best known example of specialized Catholic Action is the "Young Christian Workers" (also called the "Jocists" or the J.O.C. from their French name, Jeunesse Ouvriere Chretienne), founded in Belgium by Canon Cardijn and now active throughout the world. One of the specific features of the Young Christian Workers is the inquiry technique which they employ. Using this method ("see, judge, act") at each meeting, the Jocist observes the workers' environment, judges it according to Christian standards, and plans some action to correct it. The same technique has been used with success also by other specialized groups: teachers, lawyers, students, farmers, etc.

[KIC INTERJECTORY NOTE: The notation above, positively marking the method of "see, judge, act" highlights where the original Catholic Action apostolate went astray. Due to the pervasive modernist infilitration, the imperative Catholic principal of "Pray, Study, Act" was erroneously changed to depend solely on human reason. By abandoning the practice of "Pray, Study, Act" - in that exact order - the true Catholic Action apostolate floundered.)

The purpose of Catholic Action coincides with the purpose of the Church itself, which is to bring about the reign of Christ in individuals, in families, and in society. Its aim, therefore, is spiritual and religious, not temporal or political. The form that the organization takes in various places and the specific tasks that it undertakes will depend upon the decisions of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Love of God and of one's neighbor is one foundation on which is based the obligation of all, the laity included, to engage in the apostolate. It is founded also on the membership of all in the organic structure of the Mystical Body of Christ (the Church). For the laity, by reason of the sacramental characters of Baptism and Confirmation, participate in their own way in the priesthood of Christ and are called to the apostolate of prayer, sacrifice, example, and works. Moreover, in the sacramental characters lies (sic) the possibility that the laity may be called upon to give immediate assistance in the ecclesiastical apostolate to which the hierarchy alone is directly called. When a commission or mandate is given to the organized laity to do apostolic work, that possibility becomes actual. That group and its work is then known as Catholic Action. [End of Entry]

Catholic Action, as an organization with humble fealty to the Church and a filial love for the Holy Father, no longer exists. However, since the Church also teaches that Catholics may join together in free association, KIC imitates the original Catholic Action apostolate, stressing prayer, sacrifice, example and good works. Just as the purpose of Catholic Action once coincided "with the purpose of the Church itself, which is to bring about the reign of Christ in individuals, in families, and in society" and just as its "aim is spiritual and religious, not temporal or political," such is the Keeping It Catholic's purpose.

Above all, the center of KIC's mission is the whole, entire message of Fatima, which underscored all of the Church's key doctrines - from the existence of angels, heaven, purgatory, hell, and the absolute necessity of faith and good works (which means prayer and sacrifice to make reparation to God for sin; to ask for heaven's graces which assist the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, in his high office as the Vicar of Christ; for the conversion of sinners, the prayers of the daily Rosary; the wearing the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and living chastely according to our state in life; the devotion of the Five First Saturdays), and the role of the Virgin Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces - our dear Mother who still awaits the collegial consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart.

To further understand Catholic Action as it was, what it can still be, and what the virtuous habits of "Pray, Study, Act" mean to our personal interior lives (the life of grace in our souls), you might also wish to read "Light a Single Candle: The Secret of the Catholic City."

The Age of Mary: Take a Peek Right Here!

With "The Age of Mary" Catholic Internet-based Study Guides...

I personally designed these beautiful electronic Catholic Study Guides so that you can much more easily give your older children a thoroughly Catholic home education, in which Tradition and Scripture permeate all the subjects!

• Economical full-color electronic syllabi with graphics & interactive links


• Each Guide covers 9 weeks (4 Guides per year, 36 weeks total)


• Syllabi subjects are Religion, Language Arts (Composition, Literature, Poetry), History, Geography and Science


• Everything needed is included!


• Perfect for jr. high and high-school age students - making for a smoother transition into high school, when switching from another curriculum, and for those brand-new to homeschooling


• Great for Catholic teachers and catechists looking to supplement Religion, Language Arts, etc.


• A wealth of info for Marian catechists, budding Mariologists, and history buffs!


• Quick electronic delivery


• Receive your first Guide within 24 hours (or less) of your order


• Spring 2008 Offer: Currently 50% off the total price for the full one-year curriculum
  
  
  WHAT is an electronic Guide? You'll get a good idea as you scroll this page and view screenshots of the first Age of Mary Catholic Internet-based Study Guide, "Our Lady of Paris and the Medal of the Immaculate Conception."
  
  With just two tools - your home computer and Internet access - "The Age of Mary Catholic Internet Study Guides" are easy to use every day! Watch student interest soar as they click and type their way through their studies! (Btw, if you want to see a quicker overview, please see this page.)
  
  

The screenshot above displays the first thing you'll see when you receive and open the complete email version. Currently, the first Catholic Study Guide arrives in your emailbox (in the near future, it will be a downloadable, Windows-only ebook). With the email version, all you need do is keep it in a safe folder within your email box! The downloadable version (coming soon) includes the same contents, but in a "virtual book" format that opens on your computer desktop.

Each installment of our Catholic Study Guide includes syllabi (lesson plans) and active links - enough to cover 9 weeks! (Note: There are 4 quarterly installments through the year)

By scrolling through the Age of Mary Catholic Study Guide, you or your student will reach the first section, A Year with Our Lady and Materials and Links.

Please note the column format: The left side displays the central articles & syllabi.

The right side features: Resource lists - like "Recommended for the Entire Age of Mary Series," plus screened links to free online books, articles, and virtual tours! Also included: A list of Catholic living books and supplementary history titles (all very helpful but not strictly necessary because everything needed is included within each electronic Guide!)

Light a Single Candle!

The screenshot above features the opening paragraphs to Light a Single Candle, a combination of historical study and syllabus.

Throughout the study-syllabus will also be found more inter-active links to additional resources, quotations from various historians or websites, etc.

More Features...

Proceeding through the Guide: Above, you can view another section of Light a Single Candle, as well as Historical Figures to Know (with more screened links to online resources for further study and research!) and our History Vocabulary List.


Why Students Love to Learn with "The Age of Mary"!


The main reason? No more disconnected studies! The FIVE subject lesson plans are inter-related! What is covered in Religion is connected to History, what is covered in History is connected to Language Arts (English, Composition, and Literature), Geography, and Science.


There is no other curriculum (designed for Catholics) which offers so much for so little!

NEXT: Lesson Ideas (The Central Syllabus)

• Lesson plans (syllabi) for all five subjects are based on the Marian theme and objective historical facts.


• Study Church dogmas and doctrines, delve deeply into history, soak in literature and poetry, create essays, reports and compositions, geographically explore specific parts of Europe, make virtual tours of shrines and other historic spots, and research various scientific branches.


• Learn Religious Terms to Know (with definitions provided!)

Other Student Benefits:

History Online!

*Whiz through colorful syllabi with screened interactive links to online resources for 5 main subjects, including: Religion, Language Arts (Composition, Literature, Poetry), History (with a "Catholic conscience," not a "perspective"), Geography, and Science.

*Strengthen independent study skills

*Enjoy quality time on the computer


Even More Benefits!


*Via study of the Marian apparitions declared "worthy of belief" by the Church, your students will better understand the historical events that both preceded and followed them.


*Learn more about saints, popes, & other respected historical figures who left their mark in history. Discover philosphers (saints and otherwise) who greatly impacted history - and the times in which we live.


*Study the lives and writings of saints and popes - all online! Cultivate a deeper interior life by learning how to daily live the Church's constant teaching: Pray, Study, Act!


As you can see from these examples, The Age of Mary Catholic Internet-based Study Guides mean serious study, yet offered in an innovative way which strongly appeals to youth.



BENEFITS FOR YOU, the PARENT and TEACHER

• SAVE MONEY! With the low price of our Early Spring Special, get everything needed for ONE SCHOOL YEAR of Religion, Language Arts, History, Geography and Science. (Everything is included except math.) The 4 quarterly installments provide enough material to cover 36 WEEKS of lessons! (Material can be thoroughly covered in either more or less time - depending on a student's individual pace.)



• No books or extras are needed for The Age of Mary. In each Catholic Study Guide, there is included a suggested supplemental list of living books or other items (which you may wish to purchase elsewhere). However, they are *not* strictly necessary.

• SAVE TIME! Discuss topics (provided in the syllabi) & review "The Age of Mary" assignments in about one hour a day.Your student(s) can then study, read through links, research or type assignments for the rest of the day.

• As your jr. high or high school student uses the computer for 5 core topics, you'll have extra hours to teach your little ones, take care of household tasks, or simply relax a bit

• Enjoy worry-free convenience! Just check over your students' shoulders as they zoom through each installment of the electronic 9-week "Age of Mary" syllabus.

• Easily provide parent-teacher guidance while encouraging independent study!

• Offer your students the best of both worlds - both classic and scholastic!

• Print out the complete syllabi for your records! No writing in lesson plans books or typing them into your word processor necessary!

• Relieve (or completely avoid) "homeschool burnout" (for both you and your students)!

• Most importantly, bring your family (or class) closer "to Jesus through Mary." The Age of Mary curriculum is designed for junior high and high school students, but is easily adaptable for middle grade students (grades 6-8).
  
  
• With The Age of Mary, your students will learn and retain so much more about religion, history, literature, and other subjects through study of Church-approved apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary - including Our Lady of Paris (the Miraculous Medal), LaSalette, Lourdes, and Fatima!
  

~EARLY SPRING OFFER~


The Age of Mary is a Keeping It Catholic exclusive and is available nowhere else. With over 400 hours required to create just one Guide, I personally create each installment with homeschooling parents and students in mind.

During this time of transition from e-mail to ebook format, I can personally offer a 50% discount on The Age of Mary when you order TODAY! You'll receive the first Catholic Study Guide within 24 hours, via email. The remaining Guides will be in a Windows-only format, for which I'll send you the download link as the appropriate time.

For a LIMITED TIME: Only $49.99 (in U.S. funds) - anywhere in the world!

(Please Note: Price will increase in late spring 2008)


To Save 50% now, please visit the Keeping It Catholic Order Page


In the love of Christ and His Virgin Mother,

Marianna Bartold

We're "Keeping It Catholic" on the Net!

Review - Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction

“All our perfection consists in being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus Christ; and therefore, the most perfect of all devotions is, without any doubt, that which most perfectly conforms, unites and consecrates us to Jesus Christ. Now, Mary being the most conformed of all creatures to Jesus Christ, it follows that, of all devotions, that which most consecrates and conforms the soul to Our Lord is devotion to His holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to Mary, the more it is consecrated to Jesus.”
-St. Louis de Montfort, Treatise on True Devotion, n. 120


It is always a joy to share sound spiritual sources which allow us to learn and practice Our Lord’s dictum, “Be thou therefore perfect, as also thy Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5: 48). For the Messiah also taught, “The disciple is not above his master: but every one shall be perfect, if he be as his master.” (Luke 6: 40)

How are we to become perfect if we wish to be as Our Master, Jesus Christ? The only answer is repeated many times in both Tradition and Scripture – e.g., the two, inseparable sources in which Divine Revelation is given to us. Throughout the ages, Divine Revelation is expounded by many trusted Christian (which means Catholic) sources - including but not limited to St. Alfonsus di Liguori, St. Dominic, Blessed Alan de la Roche, St. Louis Marie de Montfort, the great Carmelite reformers St. Terese of Avila and St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux (the “Little Flower”), Blessed Columba Marmion, and Fr. Garrigou-LaGrange.

The works of St. Louis Marie include “The Secret of Mary,” “The Secret of the Rosary” and “True Devotion to Mary.” As we will see, a number of popes blessed this particular devotion, and they also spoke or wrote of “True Devotion to Mary.”

---Pope Pius XI declared that St. Louis’ teaching on devotion to Mary was the best and most acceptable form of devotion to Our Lady.
---Pope Leo XIII granted a plenary indulgence to those who make the Act of Consecration to Mary (which is truly an Act of Consecration TO Jesus through Mary). It was this same pope who, on his deathbed, renewed the Act of Consecration and asked for the intercession of the (then) Blessed Louis de Montfort, whom the pope had beautified in 1888.
---Pope St. Pius X: “I heartily recommend ‘True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin,’ so admirably written by Blessed De Montfort, and to all who read it [I] grant the Apostolic Benediction.”
---Pope Benedict XV: “A book of high authority and unction.”
---Pope Pius XI: “I have practiced this devotion ever since my youth.”
---Pope Pius XIII: “The greatest force behind all his (St. Louis de Montfort’s) apostolic ministry and his great secret for attracting and winning souls for Jesus was his devotion to Mary. (From the Canonization Address of July 20, 1947)
---Pope John Paul II: “…this Saint's Mariological thought ‘is rooted in the mystery of the Trinity and in the truth of the Incarnation of the Word of God.’ ”

The whole of St. Louis de Montfort’s teaching is that the “shorter way” to spiritual perfection is through the hands of the Virgin Mother. He taught that when we do everything by, through, and with Our Lady, we are the more quickly brought to a deeper spiritual union with God. This way – to Jesus through Mary – perfectly coincides with what the Lord manifested as His Divine Will to Sr. Lucia of Fatima, which is that the Immaculate Heart must be loved and honoured next to His Sacred Heart.

Now we shall examine the spiritual direction of the Blessed Columbia Marmion who, as we shall see, offered his humble opinion that the “Act of Consecration” to the Virgin (which is truly an act TO Jesus THROUGH Mary) is especially for souls chosen by the Holy Ghost to more speedily rise to perfect spiritual union with God.

To provide a spotlight biography of the Blessed Columbia Marmion: He had been a priest in Dublin, Ireland before finding a vocation to the monastery, where he eventually become Abbot in Maredsous Abbey, Belgium. One of the foremost spiritual masters of the 20th century, his books are acclaimed by popes and cardinals, including the well-known Cardinal Mercier, Pope Benedict XV, Pope Pius XII, and Pope John Paul II.

A recently republished book, “Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction” (http://www.zaccheuspress.com/) is a collection of letters first published 10 years after Blessed Columba Marmion’s death. These letters were written “to the many people who wrote to him with their spiritual problems – questions about prayer, faith, temptation, trails, and suffering. Blessed Columba’s advice is always simple and uncomplicated, yet deep and profound.” (From the back cover of “Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction by Blessed Columba Marmion”)


What is “spiritually confirming” about this book (which I would recommend to any adult from high school age and up), is that the Blessed Columba Marmion urged sound interior practices (or even what might be called “interior non-action”), which are expounded in both the great works of the Carmelite reformers, St. Terese of Avila and St. John of the Cross, and also in the Little Way of St. Therese of Lisieux (of whom the Blessed Marmion became aware during the cause of her canonization). Blessed Marmion did not indulge in novelties, but with firm charity taught the Faith in all its integrity, whole and intact. In a word, he constantly urged that souls give themselves entirely to Our Lord, Jesus Christ – holding back nothing.

Blessed Marmion's spiritual advice conforms itself to “True Devotion to Mary” taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, in which the Christian souls gives themselves “To Jesus through Mary.” For that reason, most surprising was Blessed Marmion’s admission that he first found “The Secret of Mary” to be "distracting." Initially, such an admission is alarming to other Christian souls, since St. Louis Marie de Montfort and many other saints explain that a Christian’s honest attitude and devotion (or lack thereof) to the Mother of God, especially in regard to the Most Holy Rosary, reveals the true state of his soul.

However, further reading reveals that Blessed Marmion’s spiritual direction in regard to "True Devotion" was as follows: “For certain souls, drawn to [True Devotion] by grace, this devotion is doubtless fruitful and sanctifying. But for that it needs to be attracted to it by the grace of the Holy Spirit.” Yet he also claimed that for souls attracted to “The Secret of Mary,” he encouraged them, “for this devotion was propagated by a Saint, and [if] it seems to us exaggerated” it is because “perhaps…we are not yet at the diapason of holiness.”

This humble and holy observation should not cause pride in those who find themselves strongly drawn to "True Devotion" and "The Secret of Mary;" instead, it should stir a deeper love and gratitude to God for His great Mercy in calling us to give all to Jesus through the loving hands of His Virgin Mother.

In regard to “The Secret of Mary” – the "shorter" path of higher spiritual union with God via True Devotion to Jesus through Mary – various saints explain that Our Lord Himself wants all of us to give themselves to the Virgin, just as He did. Our Lord, Whose entire Life was an example for us to follow, submitted Himself in loving obedience to the Virgin Mother and his chaste foster-father, St. Joseph. Is Jesus not the Word who gave us the Commandments, including "Honor thy father and they mother"? Our Lord gave more glory to God in his first 30 years of filial submission to His Mother than if He had preached during his youth and early adult life.

We Christians know that Our Lord Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Holy Trinity and Who is both God and Man, allowed Himself to be nurtured, taught and instructed by the Virgin who was always, from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception, “full of grace.” The faithful Christian should do the same as did Our Lord throughout His Holy Life, striving to follow His example in regard to Our Lady, who was God’s “Mater et Magistra” (Mother and Teacher), the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, and Who is the perfect model for the Church.

These Marian doctrines are great mysteries, but we know they are true because God (Who can neither deceive nor be deceived) entrusted to the Church His Divine Revelation (Tradition and Scripture). Both Tradition and Scripture provide certain lights in regard to the Virgin Mary (Spouse of the Holy Ghost) and the Church (the Bride of Christ).

In embracing “True Devotion” to Jesus through Mary, we will find the Immaculate Virgin lovingly declares, as she did at Fatima, “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God.”

Each day, let us each remember that Our Lady invites us to come to her for all the graces we need, for she is indeed the Mediatrix of All Graces and She herself will intercede for us before Her Divine Son! Offer everything - every thought, word and action of the day - to Jesus through Mary, as sacrifices to God in reparation for sins and to ask for the conversion of sinners. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known
that any one
who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help,
or sought thy intercession,
was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence,
I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother!
To thee I come,
before thee I stand,
sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate!
Despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

(The Memorare of St. Bernard. Indulgence, 300 days, each time. Plenary, once a month, on the usual conditions: Confession, Holy Communion, and prayers for the intention of the Holy Father)

St. Gabriel's Academy in PA: At Least Five Red Flags

Keeping It Catholic recently received an inquiry about St. Gabriel's Academy, an online Catholic curriculum provider with a mailing address in the state of PA. The email received stated:

Hello,
I was recently made aware of the St. Gabriel Catholic Academy and wondered if anyone at "Keeping it Catholic" had any info on it. They claim to be an online catholic homeschooling curriculum, but I have serious doubts about their "Catholic" faith. Coming from an evangelical background, I can easily recognize similar language on this website. It would be interesting to know who is behind this curriculum and what their motivation is.

Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated. I fear that some Catholic homeschooling parents may not search this out thoroughly and purchase this curriculum not knowing that it could be dangerous to their faith.

Thank you and God bless,
(Name withheld by KIC)

Keeping It Catholic's Response:

Dear XXXX:

Thank you so much for contacting me. Keeping It Catholic was not aware of St. Gabriel Catholic Academy. That fact alone is surprising, since their website states "Copyright 1999-2008" (which implies that the service was founded in 1999), but KIC is familiar with "services" and "home study programs" which are (or claim to be) Catholic. You have now brought a questionable one to our attention, for which I must thank you.

After looking at the website, it would seem there exists a number of "Red Flags," of which I will mention only five:

First, the service claims it is Catholic yet only reiterates that it is biblically-based. What is conspicious by its absence is any mention of Tradition. (There is, however, one web page in which excerpts from various papal encyclicals are displayed. This page might mislead a parent to think that since magisterial documents are referenced, Tradition will also hold its rightful place within the courses of study. That assumption is apparently negated by the website's repeated stance that the program is biblically based.)

Second, it appears that some license was taken with the Apostle's Creed, with the result that parts of their "statement of faith" conflicts with the true Apostle's Creed (not to mention the Nicene Creed). If this academy is Catholic, why not use the Apostle's Creed as the Church has given it to us?

Third, there are no names provided - not even for the director, much less any board, trustees, teachers or counselors. Such an omission strongly suggests that the individuals behind St. Gabriel's Catholic Academy are carefully concealing their real identities - but for what reason? One should not be ashamed to use one's good name for the cause of Christ.

Fourth, this academy is located in Pennsylvania, which (based on the state's laws) is one of the more challenging in which to homeschool. My personal inquiry made to the statewide Catholic Homeschoolers of PA network - which was founded years before the academy - revealed that St. Gabriel's Academy is not at all known to them.

Fifth, the academy's accreditation status appears to be questionable, since no real authority (church or state) holds responsibility for it. In fact, their FAQ page features the question, "Is the St. Gabriel Catholic Academy a licensed or accredited school?" The answer-that-is-not-a-clear-answer claims that St. Gabriel Catholic Academy is "accredited" by NAPCIS (National Association of Private Catholic Indepent Schools) - an entity which, contrary to popular belief, holds absolutely no authority within either the Church or the state to "accredit" any school of any kind. (FYI: The issue of "accreditation" and accrediting agencies has been covered on the Keeping It Catholic email list.)

Interestingly, St. Gabriel Catholic Academy doesn't answer the question about any "license."
Instead, their response continues: "Catholic homeschool parents who enroll in St. Gabriel Academy are encouraged to look into their local homeschooling laws for oversight." [Emphasis added]

Translation for those who have not yet learned how to read-between-the-lines: "Our NAPCIS accreditation only means that a self-appointed entity, with no real authority within the Church or the state, has approved our curriculum to be in line with its self-appointed standards. Our NAPCIS accreditation means that and only that."

With those five points alone, I would have to agree with your assessment that extreme caution must be employed when considering this allegedly Catholic academy.

Again, thank you so much for bringing St. Gabriel Catholic Academy to our attention.

In the love of Christ and His Virgin Mother,
Marianna Bartold
We're "Keeping It Catholic" on the Net at http://www.keepingitcatholic.org/

SAMPLES of "The Age of Mary" Internet-Based Study Guides

At the request of Catholic homeschooling parents, catechists, and school teachers, you can now view 8 SCREENSHOT SAMPLES of "The Age of Mary," the Catholic, Internet-Based Study Guide for junior high and high school students! The preview spans the three following website pages:

Age of Mary Preview I, Age of Mary Preview II, and Age of Mary Preview III.

The Question: Why should I choose "The Age of Mary" Catholic Internet-based Study Guides for my older students?

The Bottom-line Answer: They're thoroughly Catholic, economical, and convenient!

With ONLY two tools - your home computer and your Internet access - your students simply open the electronic "Age of Mary" Catholic Study Guide each day. Watch their interest soar as they click and type their way through their studies!

Junior high and high school-aged students love "The Age of Mary," an intriguing set of Catholic Internet-based Study Guides, with each installment featuring syllabi and free-access, screened links.

BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS WHO USE "THE AGE OF MARY":

*Delight in Interesting, Integrated Subjects!
---That means no more disconnected studies! The five-subject lesson plans are interrelated! What is covered in Religion and/or History is directly connected to Language Arts, Geography, and Science.

*Receive a sound, doctrinal Catholic education at home, with Mariology (study of the Virgin Mary) and Church-approved apparitions as the foundation.

*Whiz through colorful syllabi with screened, interactive links to online resources for:
---Religion (see more about this in the next paragraph!)
---Language Arts (including Poetry, Composition, Literature)
---History (with a "Catholic conscience," not a "perspective"!)
---Geography (Make it fun, not dry and not boring!)
---Science (Ditto!)

*Enjoy quality computer time: Study Church dogmas and doctrines, delve deeply into history, soak in literature and poetry, type essays, reports or compositions, geographically explore specific parts of Europe, make virtual tours of shrines or other historical spots, and find out about various scientific branches

*Strengthen independent-study skills (VERY important!)

*Learn more about the popes, saints and other respected Catholic historical figures who left their mark on the studied time-frames (from the French Revolution to World War I).

*Discover philosophers (saints and otherwise) who greatly impacted history - and the times in which we live.

*Study the writings of popes and great saints - online!

*Cultivate a deeper interior life by learning how to daily live the Church's constant teaching: Pray, Study, Act!

PARENT/TEACHER BENEFITS:

---SAVE MONEY! For one low price, get everything needed for ONE SCHOOL YEAR of Religion, Language Arts, History, Geography and Science. (Everything is included except math.) The 4 quarterly installments provide enough lesson plans to cover 36 weeks (9 weeks per installment)!

---No website-fees, no yearly charges, no need to log-in to a website! "The Age of Mary" Catholic, Internet-based Study Guides are electronically delivered to you or downloaded by you!

---Once you purchase "The Age of Mary," it's yours to use - year after year. (A great family saving!)

---No extras are needed for "The Age of Mary." In each Catholic Internet-based Study Guide, there is included a Bonus List of Living Books or other items (which you may wish to purchase elsewhere). While helpful, they are not strictly required - because everything your students need is included in "The Age of Mary"!

---SAVE TIME! As your jr. high or high school student uses the computer for 5 core topics, you'll have extra hours to teach your little ones, take care of household tasks, or simply relax a bit!

---Discuss topics (suggestions provided in the syllabi) and review "The Age of Mary" assignments in about one hour a day. Your student(s) can then study, read through links, and research or type assignments.

---Enjoy worry-free convenience! Just check over your students' shoulders as they sit at the computer, zooming through each installment of the electronic "Age of Mary" syllabus.---Easily provide parent-teacher guidance while encouraging independent study!

---Give your students the best of both worlds - both classic and scholastic!

---Print out the complete syllabi for your records! No writing in lesson plans books or typing them into your word processor necessary!

---Relieve (or completely avoid) "homeschool burnout" (for both you and your students)!

---Most importantly, bring your family closer "to Jesus through Mary."

With "The Age of Mary" curriculum, study Church-approved apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary - including Our Lady of Paris (the Miraculous Medal), LaSalette, Lourdes, and Fatima!

I trust you'll enjoy the Sample Pages of "The Age of Mary." And please don't forget - within 24 hours of your order and email confirmation, you'll receive your first "Age of Mary" Catholic Internet-based Study Guide.

In the love of Christ and His Virgin Mother,
Marianna Bartold
"The Age of Mary" Catholic Internet Study Guides
We're "Keeping It Catholic" on the Net at http://www.keepingitcatholic.org