Blogposts

St. Ambrose on Christ and Salvation

12-29-2024Weekly ReflectionVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

The central question of our time is that of Christ, even within a sickly Christianity. We do not realize that by dint of opening ourselves to everyone, we end up marginalizing Christ, we consider him superfluous, optional in the mechanism of salvation.

By Giacomo Cardinal Biffi (excerpts)

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The Teaching Authority (Magisterium) of the Church

12-22-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

The three levels of Church-authority:

1. The Extraordinary (or Solemn) Magisterium: This category of magisterial teaching is infallible and is the easiest to identify as being such because of its explicit and definitive nature. It is exercised by either the pope alone (e.g., the papal definitions of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary), or by the whole college of bishops, with the pope as their head — as, for example, when specific doctrines are defined in an ecumenical council (e.g., the Council of Florence on the necessity of the Church for salvation, Vatican I on papal infallibility, etc.).

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Truth

12-15-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

“Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.[i] Matthew 5:33- 37

The numbers in parentheses refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Pray for the Persecuted Church

12-08-2024Weekly ReflectionVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Pope Francis writes letter in support of persecuted Catholics in Nicaragua

A report from Life Site News edited

'I wish to convey to you my closeness and the assurance that I unceasingly pray to the Blessed Virgin to console and accompany you, confirming you in your faith,' Pope Francis wrote to Nicaragua's Catholic community.

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The Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies

12-01-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

Visiting a Greek Orthodox or Byzantine Catholic church, you will find an iconostasis, or screen of icons, placed in between the nave and the sanctuary, separating off the “holy of holies” from the rest of the space. The sanctuary represents the divine liturgy in the heavenly Jerusalem, in which we participate “at a distance” while we are still in this life of pilgrimage. Meanwhile the clergy can enter through the iconostasis and go even unto the altar, because they are acting in persona Christi, in the person of Christ and as His representatives…

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The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

11-24-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

We confess O Christ that You are the King of the ages That You are the nations’ King that You are the sole Ruler of minds and Hearts. The wicked mob cries out: ”We do not want Christ to reign over us.

In our own time, there are abundant manifestations of this rebellious spirit. We find acts of hatred and indifference in literature, in the arts, in science, in family life ... One can almost hear the defiant shout: Nolumus hunc regnare super nos! We do not want this man to reign over us!

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Judgement

11-17-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

At the end they will examine you about love, learn to love God as He desires to be loved, and leave your present condition. St. John of the Cross

"A la tarde te examinarán en el amor. Aprende a amar como Dios quiere ser amado y deja tu condición" Dichos #59

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Gender-Ideology, Transhumanism-Ideology: the Connection

11-10-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

The Transhumanism in the Middle of the "Gender Identity" Living Room “If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, it is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without them knowing it.” — Edward L. Bernays

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The Church in a State of Purification: The Souls in Purgatory. Why We Pray for the Dead

11-03-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

Justice and Mercy Meet

NOTE: Funeral Masses are NOT celebrations of the life of the deceased, one long eulogy! The funeral Mass is the application of the mercy of Christ’s crucifixion death, and resurrection to the deceased in the afterlife if he/she is in need of purification of their love for God.

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A Majority of Catholics No Longer Believe Jesus Is Truly Present in the Eucharist….

10-27-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

Belief in the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist goes to the heart of the Catholic Faith. The headline-above reflects the results of a Pew Research Study a few years ago and a more recent study conducted by Public Opinion Strategies. The latter is the largest survey of Catholics conducted in the U.S. 79% of those surveyed go to the Ordinary Mass. The survey provided remedies for addressing this unbelief:

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Voting Guidelines for Catholics - Part II

10-20-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

Reminder: Vote to protect parental rights. Prop 1 is a dishonest attempt to overturn parental rights in raising their children to force gender ideology on the State of New York and children regardless of parental rights not to mention allowing biological males in women’s locker rooms and bathrooms and the destruction of women’s sports. It is packaged as an anti-discrimination measure hoping that people without reading the whole text will check yes because they are against discrimination. There are already laws federal and state against racial, religious, and other forms of unjust discrimination. VOTE NO ON PROP 1 when you vote to protect parental rights, religious freedom, and human life. The Church teaches that sex is assigned at conception. Gender confusion is a psychological issue which should be treated with compassion and understanding but also with the truth.

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Voting Guidelines for Catholics

10-13-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

The threat of abortion remains our pre-eminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone. Introductory Note, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the Bishops Conference of the United States - https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/forming-consciences-for-faithful-citizenship-title

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Catholics and Politics: Reminders THE THREE NON-NEGOTIABLES

10-06-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Leonard F. Villa

Other matters may be relevant, but a present-day Catholic citizen should never place issues of lesser importance at the same level of "the three non-negotiables": As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the principal focus of her interventions in the public arena is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person, and she is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable. Among these the following emerge clearly today:

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