Feast of S. Peter Paschasius,O. de M., Bishop & Martyr

Today, my friends, is the Feast of St. Peter Paschasius, Bishop and Martyr.  He is the Patron saint of all Mercedarian Students.  Because of the Sunday, his Feast was "bumped".  Nevertheless, it is worth remarking and calling to mind the zealous example of faith given to us by this man.

The son of devout Mozarabs, Peter Paschasius was born in Valencia in 1227. Peter Nolasco and his brothers knew young Peter’s family and they stayed at their house near the Gate of Valldigna when they were on their way to a redemption. Peter Paschasius started his ecclesiastical career in his native city and he completed his studies at the University of Paris. Upon returning to Valencia, he was honored with the post of canon of the cathedral church.

Soon after, he left his post to join the Order of Mercy and he received the habit in the Valencia Cathedral at the hands of Arnaldo of Carcassonne in 1250. He traveled to Rome in 1296 and Pope Boniface VIII appointed him bishop of Jaén. On February 20, 1296, he was consecrated by Cardinal Mateo de Acquasparta in Saint Bartholomew’s chapel of the island on the Tiber. Later, when he was making a pastoral visit to his Jaén Diocese, he was attacked and taken captive to Granada by the Moors of that kingdom. While in jail, he wrote in Provençal: Dispute of the Bishop of Jaén with the Jews and Refutation of the Mohammedan Sect, two very interesting works with apologetic content to provide Christian captives with arguments against the proselytizing sermons of the Jews and Moslems. Peter also wrote: The Book of Gamaliel dealing with Christ’s passion and death, The Destruction of Jerusalem, Treatise against Moslem Fatalism, The Gloss on the Pater Noster and The Gloss on the Ten Commandments.

This learned Mercedarian doctor has the honor of having publicly defended the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Paris and in his work, Life of Lazarus, written in 1295, long before any other Western theologian.

Several times, his fellow redeemers sent him the ransom money but Peter preferred to have other captives recover their freedom instead of him. The fifty years he had been wearing the Mercedarian habit had left a Mercedarian imprint on his soul. On December 6, 1300, while he was still wearing the vestments he had used to offer Holy Mass, he was beheaded in his dungeon. He was buried in the place where the prison was and where he died. Christians called this place, Martyrs’ Hill. Peter’s written works constitute a valuable legacy of the Order of Mercy. Some Mercedarian writers like Manuel Mariano Ribera, 1720, Juan Interián de Ayala, 1721 and Peter Armengol Valenzuela, 1901, have defended the religious status and the Mercedarian profession of this distinguished bishop of Jaén. His works were compiled and published by Fathers Bartolomé de Anento, 1676 and Peter Armengol Valenzuela, 1905-1908.


There is a painting of this saint depicting him offering the Mass before his martyrdom.  What is keenly remarkable about this image is that the acolyte for his Mass is the Christ-child, Himself.  So the say goes, as faithfully and devoutly did he serve Me, so now, in his last act of love, I shall serve him.  It is a lesson of humility for us all... a lesson of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Tiber and the Moskva?

Our friend over at this blog has announced breaking news in the diplomatic front. The Holy See and Russia are on possibly on the verge of entering into full diplomatic relations. What a great thing!!! Since the ascent of the Russian Patriarch to the See of Moscow, it has been more than a notable occurrence of improved and friendly relations between the Holy Father and the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Perhaps, some may have considered the Cold War over between the West and the Soviet Union, yet that war -- though on another level -- was still being waged well into the 21st century. Now, by God's grace, politically and spiritually Russia and Rome are speaking. Let us pray for the Unity of the Church, but not, as von Hildebrand warns us, at the expense of the Truths. Let us not fall into irenicism (i.e. false ecumenism), but remain steadfast in Faith, Truth, and, above all, Charity.

Memorial of S. Francis Xavier.... Pray for the Church in Asia

A great missionary for Holy Mother Church, let us see in S. Francis Xavier Christ's zeal and love for souls... His zeal and love for YOUR soul

Happy Feast of St. Andrew!!!

Also, a happy Feast Day to our own Bro. Daniel Andrew Bowen, O. de M.!!!

Dominica I Adventus

"To Thee I have lifted up my soul" -- Advent is here, my friends. A season of immense grace. Year after year we embark upon this journey of faith, prayer and preparation for the coming Nativity of Our Lord. For the faithful, this is a "new year". A time to really begin to change our lives. In times past, Advent was stressed to be a 'semi-penitential' season. Now, however, this stress, amid other things, has fallen by the wayside. But there was wisdom in this, wasn't there? Are we prepared for the coming of Christ? When Christ comes, do we not need to rid of ourselves of that which hinders intimacy with Him? And doesn't this need to be done, in fact, before He comes?

The Church invites us to pray, to meditate upon the saving mysteries of Christ, in His Incarnation. Then, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger wrote concerning Advent,

Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.

Let us begin the journey, lifting our souls to God.

--Mercedarian Friar

Sacred Arts

In light of the Holy Father's recent addresses and statements surrounding the use of beauty in the liturgy, particular in regard to music, the arts, architecture, etc... i have found this organization -- the Foundation for the Sacred Arts to be a remarkable endeavour in our world. Too often many Catholics encounter either purposeful poor taste, or poor taste as a result of ignorance and a lack of knowledge and awareness. Perhaps, the few readers that we have of this blog, might become supporters of this organization by word-of-mouth and prayer.

Look to the past and see the great beauty that was exemplified by the ingenuity of our fathers. The great cathedrals and the equally great parish churches built from the sweat and tears of the poor, themselves. While they may not have been able to share in the splendor of the great Chartres Cathedral in their homes, the assuredly would give it, as an act of worship and thanksgiving, to God for the many blessings and favors He has given. As the years past, it was the magnificence of these great pieces of art that drew many from the errors of Protestantism and the like, into the Truth of the Catholic Church. They were ransomed via truth, beauty, and goodness.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all. In this time of uncertainty -- politically, socially, personanly, globally -- it is unique that we are given this "civil" opportunity to give thanks to God for His abundant blessings in our lives. However, it is even more unique that we isolate this day as a moment to give thanks. Even the Sacred Liturgy of the Church gives to us -- via US Adaptations -- Propers that can be used within the US and its territories for this "civil" holiday. Yet, how often we forget that every moment is a moment of thanksgiving to God; every experience is an opportunity to, for the briefest period, render thanks to Him, Who is the source of our lives and particular vocations.

Here, in Philadelphia, the Monastery and the Casa Massabielle and the Convent of our Sisters will come together -- ready to eat -- to give thanks for gifts and graces we have received throughout this year and the years past, and perhaps, in the years to come. Particularly, we thank God for the gift of our vocations to the consecrated religious life.....

Pray for us all; as we will remember you in our prayers.