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April 8, 2017 Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent Reading 1 Ez 37:21-28Thus says the Lord GOD:I will take the children of Israel from among the nationsto which they have come,and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.I will make them one nation upon the land,in the mountains of Israel,and there shall be one prince for them all. Never again shall they be two nations,and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms. No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from...

The Divinity of Jesus Msgr. Charles Pope • April 6, 2017 • In the Scriptures at daily Mass this week (the fifth week of Lent) we have pondered the lengthy debates that the Jewish leaders pressed upon our Lord. They are recounted in John’s Gospel as well as elsewhere.At the heart of the debate is Jesus’ divinity and His appropriation of divine actions and authority unto Himself. Although he offers four proofs of His divinity and His identity as Messiah and Lord, the Jewish leaders steadfastly refuse to believe Him. The four proofs are these: He fulfills the prophecies...

April 7, 2017 Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13I hear the whisperings of many:"Terror on every side!Denounce! let us denounce him!"All those who were my friendsare on the watch for any misstep of mine."Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,and take our vengeance on him."But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.In their failure they will be put to utter shame,to lasting, unforgettable confusion.O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,who probe mind and heart,Let me witness the vengeance you take on...

John Vennari, RIP Traditional Catholics, and the world, lost a good man today.  Rorate was fortunate to call John a friend, who many readers knew of through his publication, Catholic Family News.  He will be greatly missed.  Please pray for the repose of his soul. JOSEPH JOHN VENNARI (1958-2017) R.I.P. Dear Friends, Joseph John Vennari died on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 10:46 a.m. E.S.T. It is not only Passion Tuesday, but the 98th anniversary of the death of Blessed Francisco of Fatima - the first Tuesday (the day dedicated weekly to the Holy Face) in April (the month dedicated...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Detail | Stained glass of Saint Crescentia Hoess | photo by GFreihalterSaint Crescentia Hoess Saint of the Day for April 6 (October 20, 1682 – April 5, 1744)  Saint Crescentia Hoess’ Story Crescentia was born in 1682, the daughter of a poor weaver, in a little town near Augsburg. She spent play time praying in the parish church, assisted those even poorer than herself and had so mastered the truths of her religion that she was permitted to make her first Holy Communion at the then unusually early age of 7. In the town...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Detail | Apocalyptic Virgin and Saint Vincent Ferrer with two Donors | Pere Garcia de BenavarriSaint Vincent Ferrer Saint of the Day for April 5 (January 23, 1350 – April 5,1419)  Saint Vincent Ferrer’s Story The polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is.Despite parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19. After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal...

The Pain of Greed Msgr. Charles Pope • April 5, 2017 • There is a text in the Office of Readings that speaks to the connection between greed, affluence and dissatisfaction.The foreign elements among them were so greedy for meat that even the Israelites lamented again, “Would that we had meat for food! We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna.” … [The LORD replied,] “To the people, you shall...

April 6, 2017 Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent Reading 1 Gn 17:3-9When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:"My covenant with you is this:you are to become the father of a host of nations.No longer shall you be called Abram;your name shall be Abraham,for I am making you the father of a host of nations.I will render you exceedingly fertile;I will make nations of you;kings shall stem from you.I will maintain my covenant with youand your descendants after youthroughout the ages as an everlasting pact,to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.I will...

Saint Isidore of Seville Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Isidore of Seville | photo by Sacristia mayor de la catedral de SevillaSaint Isidore of Seville Saint of the Day for April 4 (c. 560 – April 4, 636)  Saint Isidore of Seville’s Story The 76 years of Isidore’s life were a time of conflict and growth for the Church in Spain. The Visigoths had invaded the land a century and a half earlier, and shortly before Isidore’s birth they set up their own capital. They were Arians—Christians who said Christ was not God. Thus, Spain was split in two:...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of Saint Benedict the Moor | Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Benedict, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil | photo by Mateus Hidalgo Saint Benedict the African Saint of the Day for April 3 (1526 – 1589)  Saint Benedict the African’s Story Benedict held important posts in the Franciscan Order and gracefully adjusted to other work when his terms of office were up.His parents were slaves brought from Africa to Messina, Sicily. Freed at 18, Benedict did farm work for a wage and soon saved enough to buy a pair of...

The Use of Irony in John’s Gospel Msgr. Charles Pope • April 4, 2017 • Sunday’s Gospel about the raising of Lazarus points to a supreme irony in the Gospel of John: Jesus’ very act of raising Lazarus from the dead confirms the Jewish temple leaders in their conviction to kill Him. The contrast could not be clearer. Jesus, who brings life, is opposed by the death-dealing conviction of His opponents. This is but one example of Johannine irony serving to highlight the differences between Jesus and His opponents.Irony is a literary technique that highlights a striking difference between...

April 5, 2017 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Reading 1 Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95King Nebuchadnezzar said:"Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,that you will not serve my god,or worship the golden statue that I set up?Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,and all the other musical instruments;otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,"There is no need for us to...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Francis of Paula holding a walking stick and looking | Engraving | Wellcome ImagesSaint Francis of Paola Saint of the Day for April 2 (March 27, 1416 – April 2, 1507)  Saint Francis of Paola’s Story Francis of Paola was a man who deeply loved contemplative solitude and wished only to be the “least in the household of God.” Yet, when the Church called him to active service in the world, he became a miracle-worker and influenced the course of nations.After accompanying his parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, he began...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Hugh of Grenoble in the Carthusian Refectory | Francisco de ZurbaránSaint Hugh of Grenoble Saint of the Day for April 1 (1053 – April 1, 1132)    Saint Hugh of Grenoble’s Story Today’s saint could be a patron for those of us who feel so overwhelmed by all the problems in the world that we don’t know where to begin.Hugh, who served as a bishop in France for 52 years, had his work cut out for him from the start. Corruption seemed to loom in every direction: the buying and selling of Church...

The Anatomy of a Sin Msgr. Charles Pope • April 3, 2017 • The first reading from Monday’s Mass (Monday of the 5th Week of Lent) is the story of Susanna, an extraordinary moral tale from the Book of Daniel. The full passage (which is quite lengthy) can be found here: Daniel 13:1-62. Interestingly, it is missing from Protestant bibles, which use a truncated version of the Book of Daniel. It is not well-known among Catholics, either, because it is only read once each year, at a weekday Mass.The story is of a beautiful young woman, Susanna, who is...

April 4, 2017 Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Reading 1 Nm 21:4-9From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,to bypass the land of Edom.But with their patience worn out by the journey,the people complained against God and Moses,"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,where there is no food or water?We are disgusted with this wretched food!" In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,which bit the people so that many of them died.Then the people came to Moses and said,"We have sinned in...

Scripture Does Not Tell Us to Storm the Gates of Hell Msgr. Charles Pope • April 2, 2017 • Recently in my Our Sunday Visitor “Question and Answer” column came the following question from a Catholic convert, in reference to the traditional understanding of the Lord’s promise to the Church: the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it (Matt 16:18).“Before my recent conversion, my (protestant) pastor said that Catholics misunderstand the text about the gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church. He said that it is silly that Catholics think of gates as if they were an...

April 3, 2017 Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent Reading 1 Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna,the daughter of Hilkiah;her pious parents had trained their daughteraccording to the law of Moses.Joakim was very rich;he had a garden near his house,and the Jews had recourse to him oftenbecause he was the most respected of them all. That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges,of whom the Lord said, "Wickedness has come out of Babylon:from the elders who were to govern the people as...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Icon | Saint Stephen of Mar Saba Saint Stephen of Mar Saba Saint of the Day for March 31 (725 – 794)  Saint Stephen of Mar Saba’s Story A “do not disturb” sign helped today’s saint find holiness and peace.Stephen of Mar Saba was the nephew of Saint John Damascene, who introduced the young boy to monastic life beginning at age 10. When he reached 24, Stephen served the community in a variety of ways, including guest master. After some time he asked permission to live a hermit’s life. The answer from the abbot...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: San Pedro Regalado | Santa Maria del Pi, Barcelona | © José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro Saint Peter Regalado Saint of the Day for March 30 (1390 – March 30, 1456)  Saint Peter Regalado’s Story Peter lived at a very busy time in history. The Great Western Schism (1378-1417) was settled at the Council of Constance (1414-1418). France and England were fighting the Hundred Years’ War, and in 1453, the Byzantine Empire was completely wiped out by the loss of Constantinople to the Turks. At Peter’s death, the age of printing had just begun in...