Franciscan order turns 800

The best known order in the Church turning 800, Praised be God, now and forever!

"Speaking to the Franciscans assembled Saturday at Castel Gandolfo, “The Pope recalled how St. Francis heard God’s voice telling him, ‘Repair my house,’ and he urged today’s Franciscans to continue those efforts of fixing the serious ‘ruins’ in society and mankind,” CNS reported.
“Like Francis, always begin with yourself,” Benedict said. “We are the first homes that God wants restored.”

I have a Friary of the Franciscans of the Immaculate close by, and I am so grateful for their gifts to the Church. I can go there for Perpetual Adoration, Latin Masses on feastdays, orthodox counsel, and wonderful Catholic fellowship. There is an air of peace at the Marian Friary of Our Lady of Guadalupe that is delightful and rare.
Happy Birthday Franciscans and their renewal offshoots, the Friars of the Immaculate and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. (Fr. Luke, CFR, seen with me in this photo)
May God give you His peace.
Read the entire story on the National Catholic Register blog.

Bishop Hermann Speaks out boldly on abortion!

In our Supreme Court and in our Congress, we have a plethora of so-called Catholics who are failing to live their Catholic identity. Over 50 percent of our electorate voted for a president who is one of the most pro-culture-of-death candidates from a major party to run for the highest office of the land. Yes, we can thank one-half of our Catholics for bailing out on their faith! After almost 50 years of having 50 percent of Catholics abandoning their Catholic identity, we cannot expect to turn this culture around by short-term political efforts. In order to bring about a transformation from a culture of death to a culture of life, we have to restore our Catholic identity.
Can you hear me giving Bishop Hermann a standing ovation?! HE GETS IT! That's why Catholic bloggers blog, why all the new efforts at engaging media are directed at; reach the Catholic in or out of the pew with the truth. Sadly the tradtional route of doing this is often blocked by the very people who are charged with evangelization; liberal DRE's, Liturgists, 'leaders of song', and half-hearted priests who need a retreat with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. I knew a liberal priest who inspired me to write angry letters after each homily he gave, where he eviscerated Church teaching (thankfully I tore them up before sending them). Father spend 48 hours with the CFR's in Harlem and came back on FIRE for the Faith. He moved the tabernacle to the center of his church, introduced Eucharistic adoration, and Benediction, added hours of confession. .. and his homilies! Whew, such Catholicism!!
Now, he's entered the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. This conversion began with only 48 hours in their Friary in Manhattan where Father saw dozens of young men from around the world in love with Our Lord and His Church. Someone had to be praying for him. Someone had to invite him. BE THAT SOMEONE for you pastor!
Read this masterful statement in it's entirety at Life Site News.

Great post on Dunwoodie by Yale blogger Stephen

I am working on my posts, but meanwhile, enjoy this brilliantly done post about Dunwoodie from Stephen.

Our Lady of America

Yesterday, I had the rare privelege of speaking with Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR at the Friar Suppliers Picnic. I told him of Esther's posting his story on Archbishop Fulton Sheen and he was pleased, he told me an amazing story of a little baby in the womb who was seen on a sonogram without arms or legs. The parents prayed to Servant of God Fulton Sheen, and the baby was born perfect. The documentation on this miracle will be sent to the postulator of his cause in Rome.
Fr Apostoli he told me what was most on his mind, the apparitions of Our Lady of America, which were approved by several American bishops. In a recent apparition, Our Lady asked that her statue, pictured here, be installed in the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. She said that the graces which she would disperse from this action would "surpass those of Lourdes and Fatima".
Her statue will make the rounds tomorrow on 9/11 from Ground Zero to the Old St. Peter's Church in lower Manhattan.
Our Lady of America will visit the sanctuary where Fr. Mychal Judge's body was brought after his death while ministering to the victims of 9-11.It is hoped that Our Lady of America will grant consolation for devout and patriotic people who will be present at New York in the World Trade Center neighborhood this coming September 11th. Click here for background on Church of St Peter's involvement during 9-11.
The statue will be on display later that day at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The best way to remember 9/11 is to fast and pray for Our Lady's intercession for the conversion of souls and the protection of our nation.
I mentioned in this post how our failure to live our Catholic faith in this nation may be partially responsible for the chastisement of 9/11. Let's pray that we hear Our Lady's warning before more innocent people suffer.The message is so urgent and many, many people don't know about her. I've asked many priests about her and they have never heard about Our Lady of America. Here is just a short message...Thursday, September 27Our Lady of America appears again. Chapel open from 9am-9pm"Our Lady again appeared to me while I was at prayer. She held the world in her hands. From her eyes tears were flowing upon it, as though she longed to cleanse it from its guilt.It was then that I heard these words filled with sorrow and longing:"Behold, O my children, the tears of your Mother! Shall I weep in vain? Assuage the sorrow of my Heart over the ingratitude of sinful men by the love and chasteness of your lives. Will you do this for me, beloved children, or will you allow your Mother to weep in vain? I come to you, O children of America, as a last resort. I plead with you to listen to my voice. Cleanse your souls in the Precious Blood of My Son. Live in His Heart, and take me in that I may teach you to live in great purity of heart which is so pleasing to God. Be my army of chaste soldiers, ready to fight to the death to preserve the purity of your souls. I am the Immaculate One, Patroness of your land. Be my faithful children as I have been your faithful Mother."These are my words, O my daughter. Make them known to my children."I desire to make the whole of America my shrine by making every heart accessible to the love of my Son."

Youth 2000 Retreat at Kellenberg HS, Long Island, July 20-21