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MyCatholicSource.com Newsletter - February, 2015
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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Greetings
* MCS News & Notes
* The Month of February: Dedicated to the Holy Family
* Preparing For Lent: A Dozen Introspection Questions
* Resources For Lent
* Liturgical Feasts in February
* 'Catholic Trivia'
* Defending the Faith: "Apologetics Brief" - Do You Criticize the Catholic Church For Her Use of Ashes on Ash Wednesday?
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Dear Friend,
"May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord, furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will. May he carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13:20-21)
Greetings to you as we approach the penitential season of Lent. This month, the traditional preparatory period for Lent begins on 2/1/15 (Septuagesima Sunday), with Lent itself starting on 2/18/15 (Ash Wednesday). With God's grace, we hope you will have a very profitable Lent that atones for past sins, propels you forward spiritually, and well prepares you for Easter. Even if you take but one small step daily, you will have gone far by the time Easter arrives. To that end, we hope you will find the resources below to be helpful.
We thank you for your support of our site & newsletter and wish you a blessed, holy Lent.
God bless you,
Your Friends at MyCatholicSource.com
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"Indeed, if one thing more than another presents difficulty to the mind and understanding of man, assuredly it is the mystery of the cross, which, beyond all doubt, must be considered the most difficult of all; so much so that only with great difficulty can we grasp the fact that our salvation depends on the cross, and on Him who for us was nailed thereon." (Catechism of the Council of Trent)
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MCS News & Notes
* URL Shortcut Changes Update: We have not yet been able to get to the URL shortcut changes that we mentioned previously. We hope to make these changes soon and expect to announce their completion in a future newsletter. In the meantime, please let us know if you have any comments or questions about these URL shortcut changes. For current URL shortcuts, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/shortcuts.htm
* Coloring Page for 2/14: For a Happy St. Valentine's Day coloring page, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pca/coloring_book_happy_saint_valentines_day.htm . [Note: For more on love / charity, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-love_charity.htm ]
* Indulgences Reminder: For information on plenary indulgences available in Lent, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/indulgences.htm
* Please invite your friends to visit MyCatholicSource.com. For our "easy to use" invite-a-friend page, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/invite_a_friend.htm . Please invite some friends today! Your support helps keep us going!
* We love to hear from you! Please submit comments at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/newsletter_feedback.htm
* Have friends or family that might benefit from our newsletter? Please invite them to subscribe at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/mail_list.htm . Thank you!
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MyCatholicSource.com App News...
* If you don't already own iStations, why not purchase it now in preparation for Lent? iStations is a handy devotional app which is perfect for those times when you can't make it to your parish for the Stations of the Cross. It features...
· Convenient audio option with optional auto-advance
· Two traditional methods of praying the Stations of the Cross
· Beautiful images accompany each station
· Easy navigation
· Selected prayers in English & Latin
· In app help
The following quotes are from actual user reviews (both platforms)...
"Nice app!"
"This is a lovely app"
"This app is a must!"
"excellent app!"
"wonderful!!!"
"pictures and audio are great!"
"Very good for meditation and reflection."
"Glad to have found this!"
"It is definitely worth the purchase price."
"Best Station App"
"This is simply beautiful"
"I love it"
"Great Job"
"Penetrating and profound."
"Beautifully sublime"
"Simply wonderful."
"The best I have seen so far. great to take along for those with unusual schedules. Very happy to have found it."
"This is awesome... I love the audio, and the quality of this prayer app. Well done."
"This is a great App. The illustrations of the stations are some of the most beautiful Christian art to be found. Being able to listen on audio makes for a very peaceful experience. Highly recomended."
"There are a few other versions of the stations in the app store, some I have installed, but this is the best in my opinion."
For more information & screenshots, please visit: http://www.MyCatholicSource.com/Android [or visit http://www.MyCatholicSource.com/Apps for an iPad® / iPhone® / iPod touch® version]
Download it today at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.bfsnet.istations or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007014CYM [an iOS version is presently available at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/istations/id457131446?ls=1&mt=8 ]
Your purchase helps support MyCatholicSource.com - Thank you for your support!
* Catholic Bible References for Android Update: We are still working on the Android version of our Catholic Bible References app. If you have already signed up for our waiting list, please note that you should receive an e-mail when it is complete. If you haven't yet signed up, you can add yourself to the list at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/app-wl.htm . As indicated previously, we are trying to get this app completed as soon as possible, but we are stretched thin on time and this platform has presented us with a number of challenges that must be dealt with. Nevertheless, we hope to make progress soon. In the meantime, thank you for your patience.
* Reviews: If you've purchased any of our apps, we encourage you to please leave a review at your place of purchase. Favorable reviews really help us out! To view selected reviews, please visit http://www.bfsnet.com/bfsapps/selected_reviews.htm
* For more information concerning currently available apps, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/comrc/apps.htm (shortcut: www.MyCatholicSource.com/Apps )
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* Please see our Notices page at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/notices.htm for dates of anticipated service delays through May 2015
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The Month of February: Dedicated to the Holy Family
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"Jesus, Mary, Joseph!" (Aspiration)
"Lord Jesus Christ, who, being made subject to Mary and Joseph, didst consecrate domestic life by Thine ineffable virtues; grant that we, with the assistance of both, may be taught by the example of Thy Holy Family and may attain to its everlasting fellowship. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen." (Roman Missal)
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Related Resources...
* Holy Family Topic Page - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-Holy_Family.htm
* References to the Holy Family in Scripture - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/the_Blessed_Virgin/marian_scriptural_references.htm
* Family / Families (Reflections) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/qt/catholic_life_reflections__family.htm
* Holy Family Coloring Pages - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_coloring_activities.htm
* Holy Family (Mazes) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_mazes.htm
* Jesus (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-Jesus.htm
* Blessed Virgin Mary (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-Blessed_Virgin_Mary.htm
* St. Joseph (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-Saint_Joseph.htm
Looking For Something Else? Try Our Various Indexes For 15,000+ Entries - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/help.htm
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"We cannot separate Mary and Joseph, were it only for their having such close connection with the mystery of the Incarnation - Mary as being the Mother of the Son of God; and Joseph, as being guardian of the Virgin's spotless honor, and Foster-Father of the divine Babe." (Gueranger)
"When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 'Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.' He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, 'He shall be called a Nazorean.'" (Mt. 2:19-23)
"Jesus reigns over the family when it, modeled after the holy ideals of the sacrament of matrimony instituted by Christ, maintains unspotted its true character of sanctuary. In such a sanctuary of love, parental authority is fashioned after the authority of God, the Father, from Whom, as a matter of fact, it originates and after which even it is named. (Ephesians iii, 15) The obedience of the children imitates that of the Divine Child of Nazareth, and the whole family life is inspired by the sacred ideals of the Holy Family." (Pope Pius XI, "Ubi Arcano Dei Consilio", 1922 A.D.)
"Joseph heard the Son of God call him 'father'. He had charge of, he labored for the maintenance of the Son of the Eternal Father. He was the head of the Holy Family at Nazareth, and Jesus recognized his authority. The plan of the Mystery of the Incarnation required that these relations should exist between the Creator and the Creature. As the Son of God, now that he is seated at the right hand of the Eternal Father, has kept our human nature indissolubly united with his divine Person; so likewise has he retained the feelings he had, when here on earth, for Mary and Joseph." (Gueranger)
"Family life in the dignity and sacredness which properly belong to it is the blessing and fruit of Christianity, one of mankind's earliest means of sanctification. From the beginning, God established the marriage state - and, through it, family life - as the foundation and corner-stone of human society. But the divine designs having been frustrated or destroyed by man's wickedness and impiety, the only begotten Son of God descended from heaven and made himself a member of a human family in order to purify all the families of earth from sin, and restore them to their pristine dignity. Yes, by becoming man, Christ gave to the family a higher dignity, making it, through his grace, a type of his Church. The more an anti-Christian spirit prevails, the greater and more baneful will be its effects upon family-life. What wonder, then, that, at the present day, unbelief is sapping the very foundations of the Christian household, until we behold it tottering and crumbling before our very eyes!" ('Catholic pulpit excellence', 1891 A.D.)
"Let us take our stand in front of that earthly and divine home of holiness, the House of Nazareth. How much we have to learn from the daily life which was led within its walls! What an all-perfect model of domestic society! Here we behold simplicity and purity of conduct, perfect agreement and unbroken harmony, mutual respect and love - not of the false and fleeting kind - but that which finds both its life and its charm in devotedness of service. Here is the patient industry which provides what is required for food and raiment; which does so 'in the sweat of the brow,' which is contented with little, and which seeks rather to diminish the number of its wants than to multiply the sources of its wealth. Better than all, we find there that supreme peace of mind and gladness of soul which never fail to accompany the possession of a tranquil conscience. These are precious examples of goodness, of modesty, of humility, of hard-working endurance, of kindness to others, of diligence in the small duties of daily life, and of other virtues, and once they have made their influence felt they gradually take root in the soul, and in course of time fail not to bring about a happy change of mind and conduct." (Pope Leo XIII, "Laetitiae Sanctae", 1893 A.D.)
"Our Lord, His Mother, and His foster-father, St. Joseph, together formed one family which should be the model and veneration of all Christian households." (Manual of the Holy Catholic Church, 1906 A.D.)
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Preparing For Lent: A Dozen Introspection Questions
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We hope you will find the following 'introspection questions' useful in preparing for a holy Lent.
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1. If you died today, were judged, and were NOT saved, what are the three most likely sins that caused the unfavorable judgment? What can you do now to avoid/overcome these sins?
2. What are your top three occasions of sin? What are some ways you might be able to avoid these occasions of sin?
3. In what location(s) do you sin most frequently (e.g. in front of television, at a friend's house, at a bar, etc.)? Can you avoid these location(s) or improve the situation?
4. What three conversion topics are most likely to cause you to sin (e.g. talking about a specific person, taking about a specific subject, etc.)? How can you change this?
5. What good things do you do for your soul on a daily basis? Could you improve/expand on any of these?
6. In what ways are you most like the Blessed Virgin Mary? In what ways are you least like her? In what ways could you improve?
7. What three good things would you like to do for your soul if time & resources were of no concern? How might you eventually be able to do these good things?
8. Consider yourself as you were five years ago from a very honest spiritual perspective. Are you better or worse now than you were before (or the same)? What can be done to improve?
9. Evaluate your prayer life honestly. Do you pray well? Do you pray often? Who/what should you pray more for? During what times/occasions are you least likely to pray? How might you improve your prayers?
10. What areas of your spiritual life are most neglected? How might you change this?
11. Consider some of the conditions essential for salvation [e.g. obeying Christ (cf. Jn. 3:36), receiving the Holy Eucharist worthily (cf. Jn. 6:53, 1 Cor. 11:27), forgiving others (cf. Mt. 6:14), denying ourselves (cf. Mk. 8:34), carrying our crosses (cf. Lk. 14:27), performing good works (cf. Jms. 2:26), refraining from lying (cf. Rv. 21:27), being chaste (cf. Rv. 21:8), keeping the commandments (cf. Mt. 19:17), etc.]. How are you doing with respect to these important obligations? How might you improve?
12. In what ways can you make this a good Lent? When was your 'best Lent ever'? What was the 'worst Lent' that you can remember? What are some of the differences between your 'best' and your 'worst' Lent? What can you do the same or differently (or not do) to try to make this Lent go well?
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For more Lenten resources, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-lent.htm . For additional 'spiritual growth' resources, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-spiritual_growth.htm
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Resources For Lent
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"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.'" (Mt. 16:24)
"Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that the sacrifice of Lenten observance which we offer to Thee may both make our souls more acceptable to Thee and give us the strength to restrain ourselves more readily. Through our Lord." (Secret)
"The observance of Lent is the very badge of Christian warfare. By it we prove ourselves not to be enemies of the cross of Christ. By it we avert the scourges of divine justice. By it we gain strength against the princes of darkness, for it shields us with heavenly help. Should mankind grow remiss in their observance of Lent, it would be a detriment to God's glory, a disgrace to the Catholic religion, and a danger to Christian souls. Neither can it be doubted that such negligence would become the source of misery to the world, of public calamity, of private woe." (Pope Benedict XIV, 1741 A.D.)
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* Lent (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-lent.htm
* Ash Wednesday (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-ash_wednesday.htm
* Fasting (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-fasting.htm
* Lenten Prayers (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-lenten_prayers.htm
* Way of the Cross (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-stations_of_the_cross.htm
* Sin (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-sin.htm
* Penance (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-penance.htm
* Spiritual Growth (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-spiritual_growth.htm
* Good Friday (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-Good_Friday.htm
* Make Your Own Lent Calendar - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pca/lent_calendar.htm
* Traditional Practices For Lent / Easter (Incl. Fasting / Abstinence / Partial Abstinence) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/latin_mass_and_tradition/traditional_prayers_and_practices.htm
* Lent / Easter Activities (See 'Holiday Activities') - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_other_activities.htm
* Lent / Easter Prayers - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pr/prayers_and_hymns_for_certain_occasions_times.htm
* Stations of the Cross - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/prayers_and_devotions/stations_of_the_cross.htm
* Jesus' Last Words From the Cross - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pcs/jesus_last_words.htm
* Trials & Sorrows of Jesus - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pcs/sorrows_of_jesus.htm
* Fulfilled Prophecies in Scripture (Abandonment & Betrayal of Jesus, Jesus' Passion, Death, & Resurrection) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pcs/biblical_prophecies.htm
* The Passion / Cross (Reflections) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/qt/catholic_basics_reflections_The_Passion.htm
* Rome's Lenten Station Churches - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/vatican_view/vatican_view_lenten_station_churches.htm
* Prayers & Devotions - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/prayers_and_devotions.htm
* Indulgences - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/indulgences.htm
* Works of Mercy - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_basics/catholic_basics_works_of_mercy.htm
* Sin & Vice: Q & A - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_basics/catholic_basics_sin_and_vice.htm
* Stabat Mater (Sequence) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pr/prayers_and_hymns_hymns_sequences.htm
* Collages (Incl. Holy Land, Church of the Holy Sepulchre) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/travel_collages.htm
* Coloring Pages (Incl. Last Supper, Jesus Washing Apostle's Feet) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_coloring_activities.htm
Note: The MCS Daily Digest at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/mcs_daily_digest.asp (shortcut: www.MyCatholicSource.com/DD ) is also an excellent resource for Lent. The MCS Daily Digest may contain Catholic calendar information corresponding to the date (including reminders about feast days/holy days, fasting, etc.), various quotations (e.g. from scripture, Jesus, popes & saints), Q & A, 'Today in Catholic History' items, and more... This is a great page to bookmark - and it also makes a great home page. Don't miss a day!
Looking For Something Else? Try Our Various Indexes For 15,000+ Entries - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/help.htm
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"If the good God sends us crosses, we resist, we complain, we murmur; we are so averse to whatever contradicts us, that we want to be always in a box of cotton: but we ought to be put into a box of thorns. It is by the Cross that we go to Heaven." (Catechism of the Cure of Ars)
"It is also true that we should practice mortification in many things to make reparation for our sins. There is no doubt that the person who lives without mortifying himself is someone who will never succeed in saving his soul." (St. John Vianney)
"The forty days' fast, which we call Lent, is the Church's preparation for Easter, and was instituted at the very commencement of Christianity. Our blessed Lord Himself sanctioned it by fasting forty days and forty nights in the desert; and though He would not impose it on the world by an express commandment... yet He showed plainly enough, by His own example, that fasting, which God has so frequently ordered in the old Law, was to be also practiced by the children of the new... [W]e find it mentioned, in the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples of our Lord, after the foundation of the Church, applied themselves to fasting. In their Epistles, also, they recommended it to the faithful. Nor could it be otherwise. Though the divine mysteries whereby our Savior wrought our redemption have been consummated, yet are we still sinners: and where there is sin, there must be expiation." (Dom Gueranger)
"If we trace back the religious observance of Lent, in the Christian [that is, Catholic] Church, through every age from the present time, we shall find it clearly mentioned in the councils and ecclesiastical writers of every century, up to the very first. These monuments and vouchers, in all parts of the church, evidently carry it as high as any such monuments are extant, that is, to the time when the immediate disciples of the apostles were living, and governed the chief sees... St. Augustine teaches, before the year 430, that the fast of Lent is recommended by the authority of the fasts of Moses and Elias in the old law, and of Christ in the gospel... The ancient Fathers attest that the fast of Lent is an apostolical tradition, or institution; thus, St. Jerome writes to Marcella, before the year 420, 'We fast one Lent by apostolical tradition, the whole world agreeing with us herein.' St. Leo, about 450 says, 'Let the apostolical institution of forty days be spent in fasting.' Serm. vi. de Quadrages. St. Isidore, of Seville, says, about the year 630, 'Lent is kept over the whole world, by an apostolic institution.' Orig. lib. vi. c. 19." ('Catholic Penny Magazine', 1834 A.D.)
"Oh, how bitterly shall we regret at the hour of death the time we have given to pleasures, to useless conversations, to repose, instead of having employed it in mortification, in prayer, in good works, in thinking of our poor misery, in weeping over our poor sins; then we shall see that we have done nothing for Heaven. Oh, my children, how sad it is! Three-quarters of those who are Christians labor for nothing but to satisfy this body, which will soon be buried and corrupted, while they do not give a thought to their poor soul, which must be happy or miserable for all eternity. They have neither sense nor reason: it makes one tremble." (Catechism of the Cure of Ars)
"Now the whole essence of a Christian life is to reject the corruption of the world and to oppose constantly any indulgence in it; this is taught in the words and deeds, the laws and institutions, the life and death of Jesus Christ, 'the author and finisher of faith.' Hence, however strongly We are deterred by the evil disposition of nature and character, it is our duty to run to the 'fight proposed to Us,' fortified and armed with the same desire and the same arms as He who, 'having joy set before him, endured the cross.' Wherefore let men understand this specially, that it is most contrary to Christian duty to follow, in worldly fashion, pleasures of every kind, to be afraid of the hardships attending a virtuous life, and to deny nothing to self that soothes and delights the senses. 'They that are Christ's, have crucified their flesh, with the vices and concupiscences' - so that it follows that they who are not accustomed to suffering, and who hold not ease and pleasure in contempt belong not to Christ." (Pope Leo XIII, "Exeunte Iam Anno", 1888 A.D.)
"Grant to us, Lord, we beseech Thee the ready aid of Thy grace; that as we are earnestly occupied, as is meet, with fasting and prayer, we may be set free from all enemies both of body and soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen." (Collect)
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Another Useful Lenten Resource
iStations - A handy devotional app for Android (or for iPad® / iPhone® / iPod touch®) which is perfect for those times when you can't make it to your parish for the Stations of the Cross. It features..
· Convenient audio option with optional auto-advance
· Two traditional methods of praying the Stations of the Cross
· Beautiful images accompany each station
· Easy navigation
· Selected prayers in English & Latin
· In app help
The following quotes are from actual user reviews (both platforms)...
"Nice app!"
"This is a lovely app"
"This app is a must!"
"excellent app!"
"wonderful!!!"
"pictures and audio are great!"
"Very good for meditation and reflection."
"Glad to have found this!"
"It is definitely worth the purchase price."
"Best Station App"
"This is simply beautiful"
"I love it"
"Great Job"
"Penetrating and profound."
"Beautifully sublime"
"Simply wonderful."
"The best I have seen so far. great to take along for those with unusual schedules. Very happy to have found it."
"This is awesome... I love the audio, and the quality of this prayer app. Well done."
"This is a great App. The illustrations of the stations are some of the most beautiful Christian art to be found. Being able to listen on audio makes for a very peaceful experience. Highly recomended."
"There are a few other versions of the stations in the app store, some I have installed, but this is the best in my opinion."
For more information & screenshots, please visit: http://www.MyCatholicSource.com/Android [or visit http://www.MyCatholicSource.com/Apps for an iPad® / iPhone® / iPod touch® version]
Download it today at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.bfsnet.istations or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007014CYM [an iOS version is presently available at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/istations/id457131446?ls=1&mt=8 ]
Your purchase helps support MyCatholicSource.com - Thank you for your support!
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Liturgical Feasts in February
The following is a listing of all liturgical feast dates for February as they appear at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/saints/feasts.htm
Note: (T) = Traditional, (N) = New (Novus Ordo)
Reminder: Feasts may be superseded / transferred / etc.
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February 1 - St. Brigid (T)
February 1 - St. Ignatius of Antioch (T)
February 2 - Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (T)
February 2 - The Presentation of the Lord (N)
February 3 - St. Blase of Sebaste (T)
February 3 - St. Ansgar (N)
February 3 - St. Blase of Sebaste (N)
February 4 - St. Andrew Corsini (T)
February 5 - St. Agatha of Sicily (T)
February 5 - St. Philip of Jesus (T)
February 5 - St. Agatha of Sicily (N)
February 6 - St. Dorothy (T)
February 6 - St. Titus of Crete (T)
February 6 - St. Paul Miki & companions (N)
February 7 - St. Romuald (T)
February 8 - St. John of Matha (T)
February 8 - St. Jerome Emiliani (N)
February 8 - St. Josephine Bakhita (N)
February 9 - St. Apollonia (T)
February 9 - St. Cyril of Alexandria (T)
February 10 - St. Scholastica (T)
February 10 - St. Scholastica (N)
February 11 - Our Lady of Lourdes (T)
February 11 - Our Lady of Lourdes (N)
February 12 - The Seven Founders of the Servite Order (T)
February 14 - St. Valentine (T)
February 14 - Sts. Cyril & Methodius (N)
February 15 - Sts. Faustinus & Jovita (T)
February 17 - Seven Founders of the Order of Servites (N)
February 18 - St. Mary Bernard (Bernadette) Soubirous (T)
February 18 - St. Simeon (T)
February 21 - St. Peter Damian (N)
February 22 - St. Paul (T)
February 22 - St. Peter's Chair at Antioch (T)
February 22 - Chair of St. Peter, apostle (N)
February 23 - St. Peter Damian (T)
February 23 - St. Polycarp (N)
February 24 - St. Matthias, apostle (T)
February 27 - St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (T)
Please Note: Above may exclude moveable feasts. For moveable feasts, see below and try here: http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/latin_mass_and_tradition/traditional_liturgical_calendar.htm . For other feasts, try the MCS Daily Digest each day at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/mcs_daily_digest.asp
Also...
2/1/15 - Septuagesima Sunday (T)
2/8/15 - Sexagesima Sunday (T)
2/15/15 - Quinquagesima Sunday (T)
2/18/15 - Ash Wednesday
2/22/15 - First Sunday of Lent [Quadragesima Sunday (T)]
2/25/15 - Ember Wednesday in Lent (T)
2/27/15 - Ember Friday in Lent (T)
2/28/15 - Ember Saturday in Lent (T)
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'Catholic Trivia'
1. What does St. Vincent de Paul say is our greatest enemy and what should we do about it?
2. What does St. Bonaventure say a person who wants to increase in virtue and grace should do?
3. According to St. John Vianney, what souls does the devil tempt?
4. Should we be disturbed over our imperfections?
5. St. Placid Riccardi says that society is suffering acutely because of what?
6. Original sin incurs everlasting punishment by reason of what?
7. According to St. John Climacus, how should persons react to places of sin?
8. Where does Scripture tell us to pray without ceasing?
9. According to St. Francis de Sales, fasting without humility is worth what?
10. Who, according to 1 Cor. 6:9-10, will not enter heaven?
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Answers:
1. "You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy - the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud." (St. Vincent de Paul)
2. "Whosoever wishes to increase always in virtue and grace, should meditate without ceasing of the Passion of Jesus; for nothing conduces more to sanctify a soul than the frequent remembrance of the sufferings of Christ." (St. Bonaventure)
3. "The devil only tempts those souls that wish to abandon sin and those that are in a state of grace. The others belong to him: he has no need to tempt them." (St. John Vianney)
4. "We must not be disturbed at our imperfections, since for us perfection consists in fighting against them. How can we fight against them unless we see them, or overcome them unless we face them?" (St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church)
5. "Society is suffering acutely because of the lack of truly Christian mothers. Since society is based on the family, its very shape and fate is largely in the hands of women." (St. Placid Riccardi)
6. "Original sin incurs everlasting punishment, not on account of its gravity, but by reason of the condition of the subject, viz. a human being deprived of grace, without which there is no remission of sin." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
7. "Run from places of sin as from the plague." (St. John Climacus)
8. We are told to pray without ceasing in 1 Thes. 5:17.
9. "If you fast without humility, it is worth nothing and cannot be pleasing to the Lord." (St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church)
10. According to 1 Cor. 6:9-10: "Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God." [Note: This, of course, refers to those guilty of unrepented sin. All sins can be forgiven if the sinner is truly contrite. For more information, try here: http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/nc/non_catholics__can_all_sin_be_forgiven.htm ]
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For more information concerning the topics above, try our General A-Z Index at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/help.htm
Like trivia? You might enjoy our crossword puzzles located at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_crossword_puzzles.htm
You might also be interested in the Q & A and historical information which may be found each day on the MCS Daily Digest at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/mcs_daily_digest.asp
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Defending the Faith: "Apologetics Brief" - Do You Criticize the Catholic Church For Her Use of Ashes on Ash Wednesday?
It is good for Catholics to be able to defend their faith against attacks (or even simple questions) from those outside the Church. We therefore hope you may find the following "apologetics brief" helpful.
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Note: Text below is taken from http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/nc/non_catholics__misc.htm
The following may be used as discussion points when discoursing with those outside the Church (or even among Catholics).
Topic: Do You Criticize the Catholic Church For Her Use of Ashes on Ash Wednesday? [Note: Topic is directed at certain Protestants]
Consider:
* If you criticize the Catholic Church's use of ashes on Ash Wednesday, do you also criticize those in Scripture who used ashes (e.g. Jdth. 9:1, Job 42:6, Jonah 3:6, etc.)? Why do you criticize the use of ashes when we see them used both in the Old Testament and in Apostolic times?
* Why is it that Job, Judith, Esther, Daniel, etc. thought using ashes was an acceptable (or even necessary) practice, but you don't?
* If it is always wrong to use ashes, why do we not see God flatly condemning this practice? If it is wrong, why does Our Lord Himself refer to the use of ashes? (Note: See Mt. 11:21, Lk. 10:13)
* Do you condemn the Church for using ashes without knowing why she does this? Do you not realize this helps bring home the truth that persons are "but dust and ashes" and that they will return to dust (thereby encouraging repentance)?
* Are you aware that the use of ashes is *not* a universal requirement of the Catholic Church? Did you know that Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation? In the past, ashes were imposed "only on public penitents. In those austere days of ecclesiastical discipline, public expiation was always exacted as a reparation for public scandal. Those who sought reconciliation with God after grievous sin were required to appear at the door of the church in penitential garb on Ash Wednesday morning." As time went on, other devout souls who were not public sinners wished to join the penitents in the 'humiliation of Ash Wednesday' so that "gradually, it became the custom for all Catholics, including the clergy, to receive the ashes on that day." [Source: Fr. J. Sullivan]
* Are you aware that the presence of ashes on Ash Wednesday may help Catholics by reminding them of their grave obligation to fast on this day? Are you aware that the wearing of ashes on the forehead also serves as a public proclamation of one's faith that sometimes subjects Catholics to ridicule by others? Or are you under the mistaken impression that Catholics tend to derive some 'worldly benefit' from wearing ashes on their foreheads?
* Do you think pride is involved in the wearing of ashes on the forehead? Pride for what? Ashes are symbolic of repentance, sin, and even death. How exactly does admitting you are a sinner who will return to dust make you prideful? It's not like it's difficult to get ashes or requires great effort. Certainly, they are not 'pretty' to look at (in an earthly sense). Even those in mortal sin can get them and it only takes a few moments. And, of course, they are free. So what's to be 'proud' about? Ashes are not given to serve pride or to "make a show", but rather "to soberly remind man that he is but dust and ashes" and to signify repentance. They should bring forth humility, which you can surely see is praised in Holy Scripture.
* Are you aware that Catholics don't think ashes have any inherent power (or 'magic')? They are also not a sacrament. Ashes may be used to signify repentance, but they should not be confused with repentance itself. Further, the Church does not teach that mere external acts can be a substitute for true repentance. In fact, receiving ashes may be accounted as a "farce" if it is not accompanied by proper dispositions.
* Have you ever pondered the fact that Scripture speaks of sparing persons who had sorrow for sin and were marked on the forehead? (Note: See Ezekiel, Chapter 9)
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"The present rite of the Church of signing the foreheads of her children with blessed ashes, in the beginning of the Lenten fast, is a remnant of the ancient penitential discipline. In the good old times, when the faithful were more fervent, when they understood better the malice of sin, and had a deeper horror of it, public penance for certain crimes was ordained by the Church, and, for the most part, willingly accepted and faithfully performed. The sorrowing sinner looked upon admission to the penitential course as a precious boon, as a hope held out of his reinstatement in the enjoyment of those spiritual goods which he had forfeited by his transgression." (Fr. W. Barry)
"The sign of the holy ashes on our heads should remind us of the destiny of our earthly bodies--dust and worms. If we realize well this solemn truth, we shall undertake readily and joyously our Lenten work of fasting and praying, hoping for a recompense beyond the grave, when corruption will be changed into incorruption, when this mortal body will be clothed with immortality." (Fr. W. Barry)
"It was the ordinary time for sinners entering a course of public canonical penance, into which they were initiated by the prayers of the Bishop with his clergy, and the imposition of his hands, when he laid ashes on the heads of the penitents. This is the origin of the ceremony of putting ashes on our foreheads on this day, as an emblem and exterior mark of the interior consecration of our hearts to the exercises of penance. It is not a superstitious practice, but an holy ceremony used by the church from its most early times, and recommended by the example of the patriarchs and prophets recorded in the holy scriptures" (Butler)
"It is not therefore an idle ceremony, but a token or mark that we are consecrated to the practice of severe penance for our sins. To receive this ceremony without the spirit and sentiments of penitence is no better than gross hypocrisy, disobedience and mockery." (Butler)
"On Ash Wednesday the Church begins the penitential season of Lent, the forty days of mortification during which her children are called upon to remember that they must chastise their bodies and bring them into subjection; that he who neglects to do penance is in danger of perishing; and that at all times the Christian must remember his last end and his return to the dust from which he was taken. As we are all conscious that by nature we are 'children of wrath,' we are urged to appease the offended majesty of God by the practice of penance and mortification; and the Church teaches us this solemn duty by the impressive ceremony of the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday." (Fr. J. Sullivan)
"The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead - or in case of clerics upon the place of the tonsure - of each the sign of the cross, saying the words: 'Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.' The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year." (Catholic Encyclopedia)
"But Simon began, though secretly, to go amongst his friends and acquaintances, and to malign [the Apostle St.] Peter more than before. Then all spat in his face, and drove him from the city, saying: 'You will be chargeable with your own death, if you think of coming hither again, speaking against Peter.' These things being known at Laodicea, Peter ordered the people to meet on the following day; and having ordained one of those who followed him as bishop over them, and others as presbyters, and having baptized multitudes, and restored to health all who were troubled with sicknesses or demons, he stayed there three days longer; and all things being properly arranged, he bade them farewell, and set out from Laodicea, being much longed for by the people of Antioch. And the whole city began to hear, through Niceta and Aquila, that Peter was coming. Then all the people of the city of Antioch, hearing of Peter's arrival, went to meet him, and almost all the old men and the nobles came with ashes sprinkled on their heads, in this way testifying their repentance, because they had listened to the magician Simon, in opposition to his preaching." (Attr. St. Clement of Rome)
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For more apologetics resources, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/non-catholics.htm
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In Closing...
"Remember then, that although you were made from nothing, you were not redeemed with nothing. In six days God created all things, including you, but for thirty years he worked out your salvation including the ignominy of dying on the cross." (St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church)
"And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord... And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him... And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." (Lk 2:22, 25, 27-35)
"He that seeks not the cross of Christ seeks not the glory of Christ." (St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church)
"The cross is the ladder to Heaven." (Catechism of the Cure de Ars)
"...whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mt. 10:38)
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