Inside the Vatican Declares: Collegial Consecration NOT Done

What an incredible surprise to discover that a recent issue of Inside the Vatican magazine features an article which clearly lays it on the line that the collegial consecration of Russia has not yet been done! Cathy Pearson, author of the said article (entitled “Now is the Time”) also declares that, should there be any doubt on this question, there remains nothing to lose by consecrating Russia by name to the Immaculate Heart – while there is still time. Who could disagree with such objective reasoning?

For those who would like to read the entire article, please know one can make an online order for a back-copy of the said issue (August-September 2008). First, however, allow me to alert the reader to a confusing snag when searching for this particular Inside the Vatican back issue.

The Seeming Problem: The actual Inside the Vatican issue in question is most definitely the August-September 2008 issue and Cathy Pearson's article is actually entitled “Now is the Time.” However, when looking for back issues' contents at the Inside the Vatican website, the only August-September 2008 article listed by Cathy Pearson (which is published in the “Culture” section) is simply described as follows:

Anniversary.
Our Lady of Fatima and the Catholic Orthodox dialog

Believe it or not, that is the correct article and the issue to which I refer – despite the fact that the Table of Contents neither lists the article's true title nor does the brief description reveal to what extent the author openly touched on the imperative necessity for the collegial consecration of Russia. Also astonishing is the fact that "the Editor of Inside the Vatican, Robert Moynihan, prefaces the piece with a reference to Cardinal Bertone’s assertion (when he was Archbishop Bertone, introducing the purported entirety of the Third Secret on June 26, 2000) that 'any further discussion or request' concerning the Consecration of Russia 'is without basis.' In reply, Moynihan declares: 'Of course, despite this assertion, Catholics are free to discuss the matter.' " [Christopher Ferrara, "A Breakthrough for Fatima Inside the Vatican"]

Incidentally, below are a few excerpts from Cathy Pearson’s article:

"In mid-2007, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexi II predicted a positive effect on relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches from the issuance of Benedict XVI's Motu Proprio on the old liturgy, Summorum Pontificum:

'We strongly adhere to tradition. The recovery and honoring of an ancient liturgical tradition is a development that we can welcome.' "

[Note: What follows next is Pearson’s commentary on Alexi's reaction, with all emphasis mine]

"So much for fears that liberalizing access to the Traditional Latin Mass might impede reconciliations with other Churches."

"It is time to call the bluff of those who similarly maintain that a key request of Our Lady of Fatima -- a consecration of Russia by name to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Pope together with all the bishops of the Church -- cannot be fulfilled literally because doing so might offend the Russian Orthodox. "

"Of all the reasons put forward over the past 60 years to explain why a succession of Popes shouldn't, couldn't, or didn't perform the consecration of Russia as such, this is surely the least persuasive."

"On the contrary, Fatima offers perhaps the best key in our time for breaking the impasse in Catholic-Orthodox reconciliation."

"Despite strenuous Vatican efforts to declare the Fatima story a closed book, persistent and legitimate questions remain, one of which is whether Our Lady's request for the consecration of Russia has been fulfilled by a series of papal consecrations of the world and ,if not, whether a Russia-specific consecration should now be attempted..."

As Christopher Ferrara comments, "Pearson drops one bombshell after another — far too many to quote verbatim here. By way of summary, she reviews the attempted consecrations by Pius XII and John Paul II, suggests that none of them complied with Our Lady’s requests, and concludes that both Popes 'sensed that more was needed; they wished to comply, but felt they could not. They tried to do as much as they possibly could without mentioning Russia by name — the invisible line they dared not cross..."

" 'But it is time to abandon such 'prudence,' Pearson argues. 'The worldwide moral crisis has worsened exponentially,' she writes."

"As for the endless debate over what the 'conversion' of Russia means — as if we didn’t know — Pearson rather deftly sidesteps the debate by arguing that it makes no difference what sort of conversion occurs in Russia once the Consecration is done in the proper manner, since whatever conversion occurs is, obviously, the one that God intends. And if the conversion of Russia to Roman Catholicism is what God intends, then let it happen. Not even [Cardinal] Bertone could argue with that point."

"Pearson concludes with nothing short of an indictment of the cowardice of Vatican officialdom, noting Our Lady’s mandate to consecrate Russia is like a 'ticking time-bomb, crying out to be defused, while Vatican officials warily eye it from a distance, gingerly pushing it out of sight, saying in effect, 'I would have dealt with it but I was afraid.' "

To the growing list of "Fatimists" (a term intended to be derogatory but which is truly a badge of honor), it seems we may gladly welcome not only the intrepid Antonio Socci but also Cathy Pearson and Inside the Vatican Editor, Robert Moynihan. As Christopher Ferrara concluded, "May God bless them for their service to the cause of Our Lady of Fatima." (Amen.)

The Story of a Family: The Little Flower and Her Blessed Parents

Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin,

Parents of "the Little Flower"

Today is the Feast of the Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux. Her parents, the Venerables Louis and Zelie Martin, will be beatified this October 19, 2008 at Lisieux. Cardinal Saraiva Martins announced the upcoming beautification this past July 12, on the 150th anniversary of their wedding. Beatification is the last step before formal canonization, in which the Church officially declares the beati to be a saint (meaning that God, for His Glory and for the good of the Church Militant, has revealed to the Church the final end of the individual soul[s]).

To better know the soon-to-be Blessed Zelie and Louis, please read the The Story of a Family (written by Abbe Trochu and republished by Tan Books and Publishers), which includes actual letter excerpts from Zelie. It is truly a treasure-trove of (and for) a Catholic family. The Martins lived a very quiet but active interior life, one considered 'unique' and, by the less charitable, 'rigid.' Yet the passage of time has proven that the Martin parents practiced the virtues to a heroic degree, which is always the mark of sanctity. You can also find more information about the Venerables and their family at http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/

As we remember the parents of the Little Flower on their daughter's feast day, I must mention (and share below) a most moving picture of the 'little saint,' taken after her death. But first, allow me to also say that I discovered it at Elena Marie Vidal's ever-lovely, alluring and informative Catholic blog, "Tea at Trianon." Please don't miss Elena's edifying post, "The Passion of St. Therese" of October 1, 2008 .

St. Therese of Lisieux

"The Little Flower"

Queen of the Holy Rosary: Our Hope, Confidence and Refuge

It is such a simple thing to state that October is the month of Our Lady of the Rosary - She who is our hope, our confidence, and our refuge - but, like many simple things, it holds such great meaning! Following September, the month in which we remember the Virgin under Her title Our Lady of Sorrows, this month reminds us that the Lady of the Rosary who receives our loving greetings will always turn our attention to God so as to magnify His Glory.

Remember the Mystery of the Visitation, wherein the Virgin first greeted St. Elizabeth? Our Lady's very presence brought down the Holy Ghost, Her Divine Spouse, so that the voice of His humble Maiden immediately sanctified St. John in the womb of his mother. Filled with the Holy Ghost, St. Elizabeth cried out in a loud voice: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed are thou that thou has believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord." (Luke 1: 40-45)

Our Lady, always filled with the Holy Ghost, offered her canticle of praise, which we call The Magnificat, "My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty has done great things to me; and holy is His Name.And His mercy is from generation unto generation, to them that fear His name." (Luke 1: 46-50)

It is this same Lady who said at Fatima: "My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God." This humble and Immaculate Maiden, Mother of God, who lived a most holy life of poverty and suffering, is the Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix of mankind. The Virgin's office, in this life and the next, might be simply phrased in the terms of a singular purpose: To lead souls to God through His Church. (And here is another great mystery, for the Church is a living figure type for the Virgin Herself). It follows that leading souls to God is the purpose of the Most Holy Rosary. All the great saints of the Middle Ages held a great devotion to the Rosary, because they understood that it is a meditation on the Life, Passion and Death of Our Lord.

Can we make the very simple effort of praying one Rosary each day, in order to do at least one thing which Our Lady of Fatima asked of us? In the language of Portugal, a Rosary means 1/3 of the Psalter - that is, the introductory Rosary prayers followed by 5 decades. In 'proper' terms, the entire "Rosary" of 15 decades is called Our Lady's Psalter or the Angelic Psalter.

The faithful and humble praying of the daily Rosary or the entire Psalter is, after the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the most highly indulgenced prayer of the Church which cultivates our interior lives. For example, did you know that a plenary indulgence (the complete remission of confessed sins) is granted when the Rosary is prayed within the family or in front of the Blessed Sacrament?

At various times throughout the day, we might also pray one Hail Mary to salute Our Lady and to remind ourselves to always keep the Holy Family foremost in our minds, or we may offer three Hail Mary's (to ask for an increase of the virtues of faith, hope and charity). And then there are the the brief and ardent salutations, like the prayer given to mankind on the Miraculous Medal: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

Too, there are these two prayers: Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! And what of the favorite short prayer of the Blessed Jacinta of Fatima: Sweet Heart of Mary, be our salvation!

Finally, we have many prayers composed by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, who wrote The Glories of Mary. The following three address Our Lady as Our Hope, Our Confidence and Our Refuge - so eloquently stating what is in the mind and hearts of faithful Catholics who have recourse to the Mother of God - our Divine Savior, Jesus Christ:

Prayer of Hope by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great Queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the Hell which I have so often deserved by my sins.

I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death.

From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.

Prayer of Confidence by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

O most pure Virgin Mary, I venerate thy most Holy Heart, which was the delight and resting place of God, thy heart overflowing with humility, purity, and Divine love. I, an unhappy sinner, approach thee with a heart all loathsome and wounded. O compassionate Mother, disdain me not on this account; let such a sight rather move thee to greater tenderness, and excite thee to help me. Do not stay to seek virtues or merit in me before assisting me. I am lost, and the only thing I merit is hell. See only my confidence in thee and the purpose I have to amend.

Consider all that Jesus has done and suffered for me, and then abandon me if thou canst. I offer thee all the pains of His life; the cold that He endured in the stable; His journey into Egypt; the blood which He shed; the poverty, sweats, sorrows, and death that He endured for me; and this in thy presence. For the love of Jesus, take charge of my salvation. Ah, my Mother, I will not and cannot fear that thou wilt reject me, now that I have recourse to thee and ask thy help. Did I fear this, I should be offering an outrage to thy mercy, which goes in quest of the wretched, in order to help them.

O Lady, deny not thy compassion to one to whom Jesus has not denied His Blood. But the merits of this Blood will not be applied to me unless thou recommendest me to God. Through thee do I hope for salvation. I ask not for riches, honors, or earthly goods. I seek only the grace of God, love towards thy Son, the accomplishment of His will, and His heavenly Kingdom, that I may love Him eternally.

Is it possible that thou wilt not hear me? No; for already thou hast granted my prayer, as I hope; already thou prayest for me; already thou obtainest me the graces that I ask; already thou takest me under thy protection.

My Mother, abandon me not. Never, never cease to pray for me, until thou seest me safe in Heaven at thy feet, blessing and thanking thee forever. Amen.

Prayer of Refuge by St. Alphonsus Liguori

Behold, O Mother of my God, my only hope, Mary, behold at thy feet a miserable sinner, who asks thee for mercy. Thou art proclaimed and called by the whole Church, and by all the faithful, the refuge of sinners. Thou art consequently my refuge; thou hast to save me. I will say with William of Paris: Thou knowest, most sweet Mother of God, how much thy blessed Son desires our salvation. Thou knowest all that Jesus Christ endured for this end.

I present thee, O my Mother, the sufferings of Jesus: the cold that He endured in the stable, His journey into Egypt, His toils, His sweat, the Blood that He shed; the anguish which caused His death on the Cross, and of which thou wast thyself a witness. Oh, show that thou lovest thy beloved Son, and by this love I implore thee to assist me. Extend thy hand to a poor creature who has fallen and asks thy help.

Were I a Saint I would not need seek thy mercy; but because I am a sinner I fly to thee, who art the Mother of mercies. I know that thy Compassionate Heart finds it a consolation in assisting the miserable, when thou canst do so, and dost not find them obstinate. Console, then, thy Compassionate Heart, and console me this day; for now thou hast the opportunity of saving a poor creature condemned to Hell; and thou canst do so, for I will not be obstinate.

I abandon myself into thy hands, only tell me what thou wouldst have me do, and obtain for me strength to execute it, for I am resolved to do all that depends on me to recover the Divine grace. I take refuge under thy mantle.

Jesus wills that I should have recourse to thee, in order not only that His Blood may save me, but also that thy prayers may assist me in this great work; for thy glory and for His Own, since thou art His Mother. He sends me to thee, that thou mayest help me.

O Mary, see, I have recourse to thee; in thee do I confide. Thou prayest for so many others, pray also for me; say only a word. Tell Our Lord that thou willest my salvation, and God will certainly save me. Say that I am thine, and then I have obtained all that I ask, all that I desire. Amen.

St. Michael: Prince and Guardian of God's People

And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Woe to the earth, and to the sea, because the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman, who brought forth the man child: And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the desert unto her place, where she is nourished for a time and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman, water as it were a river; that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the river, which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was angry against the woman: and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. And he stood upon the sand of the sea.
-The Apocalypse of St. John, Chapter 12:7

Today, September 29, is Michaelmas (also spelled Michelmas), a day in which we commemorate the Prince of the Heavenly Host, St. Michael the Archangel. Angels are frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, but only three are liturgically commemorated: Raphael (Ointment of God), Gabriel (Strength of God), and Michael (Who is like unto God?) St. Gabriel’s Feast is March 24 (eve of the Feast of the Annunciation) and St. Raphael's Feast is October 24th. On October 2, the Guardian Angels are commemorated. From the apocryphal Book of Enoch, we know the names of the other archangels who stand before the throne of God, which are related as Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jeramiel. In the Western tradition, their names are (H)anael or (H)aniel; Jophiel or Cassiel; Zedekiel or Sachiel.

In the Middle Ages, this day of Michelmas was celebrated as a holy day of obligation. It is likely no coincidence that since the 18th century (the “Age of the Enlightenment” in which the heresy of rationalism rabidly sought to consume reason illuminated by the Deposit of Faith), the public honor accorded to this great saint progressively came to an end. Despite mankind's arrogance, St. Michael remains the Church's patron and protector and we may offer him private honor while also invoking his guardianship and defense.

Salvation history shows that St. Michael fulfills four offices:
1) God’s first loyal defender, he fights against Satan while this world lasts
2) Rescuer of the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death.
3) Champion of God's people -the Jews in the Old Dispensation, the Christians of the New; therefore he is the patron of the Church, and of the orders of knights during the Middle Ages.
4) Angel of Judgment, he calls souls away from earth and brings them to the Throne of Judgment. (Frederick Henwick, “St. Michael,” 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 10)

Four times is Michael’s name explicitly mentioned in the Scriptures:

---In Daniel, an Angel spoke to the prophet of the help he also received against "the prince of Persia" (which seems to refer to a fallen "guardian" angel, for an Angel of Heaven would not have resisted another good Angel but instantly obeyed God's Will). That assistance came by the hand of St. Michael, Prince of the Heavenly Host: “But I will tell thee what is set down in the scripture of truth: and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince.” (Daniel 10:21)

---In relation to the time of Anti-Christ, the Prophecy of Daniel also relates: “But at that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince, who standeth for the children of thy people: and a time shall come such as never was from the time that nations began even until that time. And at that time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found written in the book.” (Daniel 12: 1)

---In the Epistle of St. Jude: “When Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses, he durst not bring against him the judgment of railing speech, but said: The Lord command thee.” (Jude 1:9) According to Origin, in this passage St. Jude referred to an ancient Jewish tradition, made known by revelation, that St. Michael concealed the tomb of Moses at God’s command, because Satan moved to incite the ancient Hebrews who, accordingly, would have not have honored the body of Moses as a precious relic; instead, they would have accorded it worship meant only for God. (Origen, De Principiis III.2.2; cited by Henwick, “St. Michael,” 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 10).

---In The Apocalypse of St. John, Chapter 12:7, as cited above.

The Fathers of the Church declare that St. Michael is the Church’s foremost guardian and protector. In regard to Scripture passages in which his name is not explicitly mentioned, they say that St. Michael was the angel who stood at the gate of paradise, ‘to keep the way of the tree of life’ (Genesis 3:24), the angel through whom God published the Decalogue to his chosen people, the angel who stood in the way against Balaam (Numbers 22:22), [and] the angel who routed the army of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35).” (Frederick Henwick, “St. Michael,” 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10) According to the apocryphal Revelation of Moses, St. Michael also guards the body of Eve. ("Apocryphal Gospels", etc., ed. A. Walker, Edinburgh, p. 647. Cited by Henwick, “St. Michael,” 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10). Thus St. Michael is known as the protector and guardian of God’s ecclesia (both independently and collectively - that is, the Church as a whole but also of individuals), the herald of judgment, and the guardian of Paradise.

Appearing on earth throughout the ages, St. Michael also came to Fatima, first identifying himself as “the Angel of Peace” and later as “the Angel Guardian” of Portugal. Both of these titles have long belonged to the Prince of the Heavenly Host. In the course of his few apparitions to the three shepherd children, St. Michael taught them the deep reverence due to the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Sacrament.

Of St. Michael’s first visit to them, Sr. Lucia revealed:

“Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the ground. Led by a supernatural impulse, we did the same, repeating the words we heard him say:

‘My God, I believe, I adore, I hope (trust), and I love Thee! I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust, and do not love Thee!’

“Having repeated these words three times, he rose and said, ‘Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.’ Then he disappeared.”

At another time, St. Michael gave Holy Communion to the children. To Jacinta and Francisco, he administered the Precious Blood and to Lucia he gave the Precious Body of Our Lord – thus foreshadowing their collective vocations. In their brief lives, Blessed Jacinta and Francisco would drink quickly and deeply of the Cup, while Lucia, who Our Lady said would remain on earth “for some time longer,” lived a different Passion. Should we not be awed to discover that St. Michael is also known as the Angel of the Holy Eucharist?

The angels in heaven are our true friends, like loving older brothers who desire only God’s glory and the salvation of our souls. Every day, we should pray the St. Michael prayer which begins “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…” and the Guardian Angel prayer to our own personal, heavenly protector. For their honor and for the good of our own souls, we might also invoke the seven angels who stand before the throne of God, every day offering 7 Glory Be’s to the Holy Trinity in their names, even as we ask them to enlighten, guard and defend us.

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)

Happy Birthday, Bilbo and Frodo!

"In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark,

but in the west,

a pale light lingered."

-Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring

[Pix: Sunset at Marianna's house]

While the birthday of two such estimable hobbits is, in and of itself, more than sufficient cause for a celebration, this is a day to celebrate so much more: Middle Earth, the Nobility of Aragorn, the Wisdom of Gandalf, the Courage of Sam, the Shire itself - in short, all that is at the heart of what we call normal and decent.

The stories of Bilbo and Frodo provide a lifeline for us to a dimension where morality still exists, where Truth is honored, where virtue - its own reward - is nevertheless rewarded. While we’re at it, we may drink a toast to Tolkien himself, and to Lewis and Williams and Barfield and all the other sparkling intellects who gathered at the Eagle and Child. We may drink a toast to Narnia, and hope for the day when we can enter Aslan’s Country, for which we are all, at heart, truly homesick. We can drink a toast to George McDonald, and the Brothers Grimm, and all those who, in the exquisite code of a besieged but determined underground, have encouraged and reminded us of Our King and His Reward, which may only be obtained on careful condition and after much danger in the enchanted forest.

For this most merry feast, let us enjoy:

Buckland Pie

1 unbaked 12-inch pie shell
10 strips bacon, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
3 large eggs
¾ cup cream
8 oz. baby portobellos, roughly chopped
8 oz. white mushrooms, chopped
(you may substitute a pound of whatever mushrooms you can get)
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese


1. Saute the bacon until nearly done, then add the onions.

2. When onions are transparent, add mushrooms and saute just a little.

3. Put about half the cheese in the bottom of the pie shell. Pile on the sauted ingredients with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon grease behind. [Put the grease on the dog’s food
because ­it has onions in it and shouldn’t go into the bacon grease jar, but the dog will benefit greatly.]

4. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

5. Beat the eggs lightly and add the cream and white pepper.

6. Carefully pour over the other ingredients---if it won’t quite fit, give the leftovers to the dog.

7. Put the pie on a baking sheet and transfer to a 350 degree oven.

8. Bake until set, about 25 minutes or so.

9. Serve with baby spinach salad with a light dressing and wash down with a good ale (beer). One pie will not feed more than four---it is just too good!


With special thanks to Syler Womack for this submission, which is entirely hers!
"By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
~~~King Aragorn

Our Lady of LaSalette: The Madonna in Tears

In “modern times,” as error begat error, Our Lady began to plead with her children to stop offending God. Appearing at the Rue-de-Bac (Paris, France) in 1830, She made prophecies of the future that came to pass by the year 1870; She also gave a great sacramental to the world, commonly called "the Miraculous Medal." (Its official name is the Medal of the Immaculate Conception.) Our Lady came again to the world in 1836 and in 1840 to offer special spiritual helps, but the world paid little heed.

Some souls were led back to God through the Miraculous Medal (1830), the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart (1836), and the “Badge of the Immaculate Heart” (1846), commonly known as “the Green Scapular.” Miracles of grace were given, as in the famous case of Alphonse Rathisbonne. But as a whole, the world continued to ignore Our Lady’s messages.

"As men of science made new discoveries," pride in intellectual prowess led most of them and others "to thrust God into the background" and then abandon Him altogether. “Books attacking religion were coming off the presses in great numbers. The ranks of freethinkers, agnostics and atheists were swelling every day.”

“An ordinary creature would have been tempted to leave the world to the fate it so richly deserved” – but not Our Lady! On September 19, 1846 - the eve of the “Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows” - the Madonna appeared in a one-time apparition to two children, the eleven-year old Maximin Giraud and the fifteen-year old Melanie Mathieu Calvat. At the moment these simple, barely catechized children first saw the Lady, they had been "tending cows on the slope of Mt. Gargas, which rises above the village of La Salette in southeastern France."

The children first “saw a globe of dazzling white. While they gazed in wonderment, the globe opened and they saw a woman seated on some stones” near a spring that was dry at the time. “The Lady’s elbows rested on her knees, her face was buried in her hands, and she was weeping.” The children were very afraid, not knowing who the Lady was or why She was so desperately crying.

The Lady rose, crossed her arms, and “in the sweetest of tones,” said:

“Come near, my children. Do not be afraid. I am here to tell you important news.”

Advancing closer to the Lady, the children saw that “Her face was beautiful, though her eyes were filled with tears. She wore white shoes encircles by roses. Her apron was golden and descended to the bottom of her full white robe. Her arms were concealed within broad straight sleeves which reached beyond her finger tips. A white cape bordered with roses hung over her shoulders. She wore a thin chain upon which hung a crucifix," upon which the Body of Christ seemed very real. "Her head-dress was white; above it was a royal diadem wreathed with roses of many hues.” Her beauty was “so radiant and dazzling that the children could scarcely look at her.” They would later say that “nothing could begin to compare with her beauty.”

“The Lady spoke again in a voice sweeter than the sweetest of melodies” but tears continued to fall from Her eyes as She spoke.

“If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let go the hand of My Son. It is so strong, so heavy, I can no longer withhold it.”

“How long a time do I suffer for you! If I would not have My Son abandon you, I am compelled to pray to Him without ceasing. But, as to you, you take no heed of it.”

“However much you pray, however much you do, you will never recompense the pains I have taken for you.”

Halt for just a moment…think of those beautifully stirring words issued by the Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces! Although eternally happy in heaven, She showed Herself as the Weeping Madonna - weeping over the greater number of her spiritual children on earth who have left the Narrow Road. Why did they leave - and why do they continue in this vein - to seek so many “easy” but dangerous paths, unless the cause was at least one of the seven capital sins? For example, only spiritual sloth or anger could lead a baptized Catholic to desecrate the Sabbath or use Our Lord’s name in vain – and it was these two particular, latter sins of which Our Lady of LaSalette would speak.

She wept because too many dismissed and forgot the love Her Divine Son. Too many were calling down the punishment of God on their own heads as well as upon the heads of innocents, for such are the mysteries of the Mystical Body of Christ. To save Europe from the punishments, Our Lady revealed that She prayed unceasingly to withhold the Justice of Our Lord but still – “you take no heed of it.”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” – this Beatitude from Our Lord Himself, which centers on the virtue of humility coupled with trust in God, comes to mind even as we recall Our Lady’s words at LaSalette: “However much you pray, however much you do, you will never recompense the pains I have taken for you.” The best each faithful member of the Mystical Body can hope to accomplish here on earth is the work expected of one of God’s servants. We shouldn’t congratulate ourselves at all because if any good is accomplished, it is only through the grace of God. Knowing that, we should attempt to do more – in thought, word, and action - since we can never hope to recompense either Our Lord or His Virgin Mother for Their Sufferings on our behalf.

As if the Lady’s preceding tears and sad words were not enough, She continued to speak to the children:

“If the harvest is spoiled, it is your fault. I gave you warning last year in the potatoes, but you did not heed it. On the contrary, when you found the potatoes spoiled you swore, taking My Son’s Name in vain. The potatoes will continue to decay, so that by Christmas there will be none left.”

The Virgin made clear that the calamities then falling on the world were a result of two sins, seriously offending Her Son and wounding the Mystical Body of Christ. How many more of the Commandments are broken in our own day – and to what a greater extent!

Then Our Lady foretold the continuing failure of the potato crop if the people did not repent.

Most curious is the fact that, up to this point, Our Lady spoke in the noble French of the cultured classes, not the “patois” dialect of the children. Melanie did not understand the “cultured” French word for “potatoes,” so she turned to Maximin and asked him for the meaning of “pommes de terre.”

“Ah, my children,” said the Lady, “you do not understand. I will say it in a different way.” (Of course, there can be no doubt the Our Lady already knew the children could not understand the “noble” French. It is clear She had a purpose for first speaking it – which was to place yet another piece of evidence before the Church authorities who would later investigate the claims of these very poor and uneducated children.)

So the Lady then proceeded in “patois”:

“If you have wheat, it is no good to sow it; all that you sow the insects will eat. What comes up will fall into dust when you thresh it.”

Then, the conditional prophecy became even more sorrowful:

“There will come a great famine. Before the famine comes, the children under seven years of age will be seized with trembling and will die in the arms of their mothers. Others will do penance by famine.”

“The walnuts will become worm-eaten; the grapes will rot.”

“But if the people are converted, the stones and the rocks will become heaps of wheat and the potatoes will be self-sown.”

Our Lady was asking for repentance, in itself an important form of “conversion,” and at the same time making clear that if Her requests were not heeded, God would impose terrible penances on the populace. If they did listen, the punishments would be withheld and their material needs abundantly met.

Suddenly, the Lady’s message became more personal. She spoke separately to each of the children, who later reported they could see Her lips moving as She spoke, first with one and then the other, but neither could hear Her words addressed to the other child. Then She asked both of them, “Do you say your prayers well, My children?”

“Not very well, Madame,” they both admitted. Of course, the Lady already knew that the children were poorly catechized, due to the grave neglect of their parents, but She was going to further the grace of faith given to them at baptism. In their adult lives, both children would fail in developing "heroic virtue," but they remained constant in the Faith and never denied the Vision of Our Lady of LaSalette. To the children's response about their prayers, Our Lady sweetly and seriously replied:

“You must say them well, morning and evening. When you cannot do better, say at least an ‘Our Father’ and a “Hail Mary.’ When you have time, say more.”

Once again, She complained of the few people who attend Mass on Sunday. When it came time for Her departure, Our Lady spoke again in the noble French.

“Well, my children, you will make this known to all the people.” She crossed the little stream and then turned to them to repeat, “Well, my children, you will make this known to all the people.”

"Moving along the tips of the grass, the Lady ascended the mountain for a short distance, then gently rose about a yard from the ground. Remaining in that position for a moment, She lifted her gaze heaven-ward and then back to the earth. Then She disappeared, but the light remained for another moment."

“Maximin had no idea who the Lady was…When She spoke of the heavy arm of Her Son, he thought She meant her son had been beating her.” Melanie was not much better informed than Maximin, but she was older and perhaps a bit more reflective. “Maybe she is a great saint,” she said.

This was a new idea to Maximin, who enthusiastically responded, “If we had known she was a great saint, we could have asked her to take us to heaven!”

“Oh, I wish she was still here,” answered Melanie.

It is reported that both children were “rather slow of mind.” Melanie was judged by a teaching nun "not to have sufficient knowledge to receive Holy Communion until her 17th year," and Maximin was unable to remember the “Our Father” until he was 15. Yet when questioned about the apparition – together or separately – they never failed to give complete details which never contradicted the other's testimony.

Although people began flocking to LaSallete, and miracles took place through use of the spring’s now-flowing waters, not enough responded to Our Lady’s call for repentance (much less reparation) and “the calamities foretold by Our Lady took place. The famine had already begun in 1845," as a heavenly warning. "In 1846, this famine was so severe in Ireland that Queen Victoria of England had to appeal to Parliament for special funds.” (The injustice done to Ireland, dear reader, is another sorrowful story in itself.) “The wheat shortage was so severe in Europe that more than a million people died. A grape disease decimated all of the vineyards in France. Babies and little children died trembling...just as Our Lady foretold.”

Within two years of Our Lady’s appearance at LaSalette, France lived through the horrors of the “February Revolution,” the “March Revolution” and then the “June Days.” The year 1848 saw Communism arising in France.

The punishments, so severe and sorrowful, may have been even greater if Our Lady had not continued to intercede before the throne of Her Divine Son and also because some people, at least, did respond to Her entreaties. Many began attending Mass again, the shops were closed on Sundays, people stopped doing unnecessary work on the Sabbath, and cursing and swearing became less common.

After a thorough investigation, the Bishop of the diocese was satisfied that the appearance was authentically supernatural (which means issuing from God) and made his official declaration to that effect. Later, Pope Pius IX would also approve devotion to Our Lady of LaSalette and his successor, Pope Leo XIII, built a great basilica on the mountain. Five years after the apparition, Pope Pius IX would inquire about the Secrets of LaSalette and the children would agree to write down their secrets for him on two conditions: That the Secrets would be placed in sealed envelopes and that they would be directly delivered to the Pope. “Maximin wrote his four or five paragraphs quickly” but Melanie took awhile longer. As she was writing, she asked for the proper spelling of the word “infallibility” and the meaning of the word “anti-Christ.”

The two secrets were taken to Rome by two priests, Frs. Rousellot and Gerin of the Grenoble diocese. On July 18, 1851, the Holy Father Pope Pius IX received them in audience, took the sealed envelopes, and opened them in the presence of the two Fathers. He chose to first read Maximin’s letter. After finishing it, the pope smiled and said, “Here is all the candor and simplicity of a child.”

To read Melanie’s letter, however, he walked over to a window and opened the shutters for better light. Her letter was longer and its contents seemed to be more serious, for the Holy Father did not smile; in fact, “the Pope pressed his lips more tightly together and puffed out his cheeks.”

“Calamities threaten France,” he said to the two priest witnesses, “but she is not the only guilty nation. Germany, Italy, and all Europe are guilty and deserve punishment. I have less to fear from open impiety than from indifference and human respect. It is not without reason that the Church is called militant, and here,” he said, as he touched his breast, “you see Her Leader.”

That is all of what is officially known of the Secrets of Our Lady of LaSalette. Through the years, there has been much speculation about the revelations later made by Melanie in regard to the Secret given to her. One thing we must recall are the words of Pope Leo XIII, who said: “Do you want to know the secret? This is it: Unless you do penance, you shall perish.”

In this year of Our Lord 2008, we can deduce much of Melanie's Secret by the history that has already come to pass, as well as the hints and traces given by Pope Leo XIII and Melanie’s questions as she wrote the Second Secret imparted to her.

---We know that France, Germany, Italy and all of Europe suffered from war, famine and desolation – not once but many times since 1846. At LaSalette, the Virgin gave the reasons for these temporal chastisements. And, as Our Lady would later reveal at Fatima, "War is a punishment for sin."

---We know that the dogma of papal infallibility was defined in 1870 at Vatican I - about 25 years after LaSalette. It was Melanie who, as she wrote down her secret, asked for the spelling of the word "infallibility," so we know at least a part of the Secret had to do with papal infallibility.

---Because not enough people heeded the Weeping Madonna's requests, we know that an even greater chastisement fell upon France as well as other nations. Communism has spread not only through France but also -as Our Lady would prophesy at Fatima in 1917 – throughout the world. Many people understand the connection between Communism and the growing spirit of anti-Christ.

---Recalling Pope Pius' remarks after reading Melanie's secret: "Religion indifferentism" has infilitrated the Church, replacing the cardinal virtues of faith, hope, and charity. This great sin is born of "human respect," which itself has replaced a holy fear of the Lord.

---Furthermore, Pope Pius' words, "It is not for nothing that the Church is called militant, and here you see Her Leader" suggest that Melanie' Secret has to do with the sacred duties of the Holy Father's office if not also the daily duties of the entire Church Militant - an astonishing similarity to what Our Lady would later reveal at Fatima.

---Finally, we might wonder at Melanie's question about "anti-Christ." Some declare that she never really asked about that particular word or that it did not appear in the Secret she wrote down. Can they be so certain? Since Melanie's Secret (nor Maximin's, for that matter) has never been officially released, and since the passage of time provides us with a different historical vantage point, we must again consider the unfolding importance of history and the reasons for Our Lady's continuing apparitions, especially those at Fatima (the crown of all the Marian apparitions proven to be supernatural and therefore worthy of belief):

"If my requests are not heeded, Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. Good people will be martyred...various nations will be annihilated." What else could be the cause of obstinate sin and the resulting terrible chastisements, except the spirit of anti-Christ permeating the world?

“The keynote of Our Lady's message at LaSalette lay in the words: ‘If my people will not submit.’ Although She still calls us Her people, "She summed up the great evil of our times – human pride. Her message was for all times and all places, but particularly was it meant to show how false was the idea that man no longer needs God.”

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(All excerpts are denoted by quotations and come from “The Woman Shall Conquer” by Don Sharkey, now out-of-print)