St. Michael's Call Poll Results

This one stumped most people. The Church teaching is that when we commit a grave sin we may immediately say an Act of Perfect Contrition. We are then immediately restored to a State of Grace, but the this act of contrition must include a promise to attend to the Sacrament of Confession at the earliest opportunity.

Also, even though a person make this Act, he cannot receive the Eucharist until after attending to the Sacrament of Confession.

God is good and allows us an opportunity to be restored to Him even before attending the Sacrament. Otherwise, if we sin on Monday and get killed before Saturday Confession time, we would go to hell.

With a Perfect Act of Contrition, we are in a State of Grace on Monday as soon as we say it, and thus if killed before Saturday, we are covered.

A Perfect Act of Contrition is offering sorrow for sin because we love God and are sorry that we disappointed our Father, whom we should love above all.

An Imperfect Act of Contrition is offering sorrow for sin because we are afraid of hell.

So if we offer Contrition out of love for God, instead of fear of hell, we are restored to a State of Grace immediately.

Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica, Ill, Q80, A.4 and 5) said: “…a person cannot know with certainty if he is indeed and truly contrite”, thus our need to make a Sacramental confession where the priest as alter christus, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, can make a decision on our contrition.

The effects of Original sin are:

1. Human nature corrupted
2. Understanding darkened
3. Will weakened
4. Strong inclination to do evil

Satan did not become stronger. His power is inherent to his nature as an angel. But, his effect has become stronger as he can now appeal to man’s weakened state since the Fall.

With original sin comes a Triple Concupiscence:

1. Carnal allurements (inordinate desire for sensuality)
2. Enticements for the eye (avarice for material things)
3. The life of empty show (pride and and arrogance, independence from God)

What we lost at the Fall was the Three Great Preternatural Gifts:

1. Infused Knowledge
2. Absence of concupiscence
3. Bodily immortality

The Original State of Justice is Lost by Original Sin:

1. The Control of the soul’s spiritual faculties over the body is shattered.

2. The union of man and woman becomes subject to tensions, their relations now marked with lust and domination.

3. Harmony with creation is broken.

4. Death makes its entrance into human history.

The Church teaches that our tithes and offerings should be a sacrifice for us. This does not mean 10%, but whatever amount that is a sacrifice.

The six principles of Sacrificial giving are:

1. Voluntary: our giving should not be an assessment nor a tax (which is what the Old Testament tithes became).

2. Proportionate: like the widow Jesus praised, though she gave little (Luke 21:2).

• The Old Testament “tithe” was literally ten percent (of gross income), plus other required giving that added up to thirty-three percent: these percentages may be too much for some and not enough for others.
• Porportionate giving includes income from paychecks, dividends, social security payments, allowances, windfalls, etc.

3. Systematic (planned):
   

   • Part of the budget
   • As income is received (not “when somebody needs it”)

4. Sacrificial:
   

   • “Making Holy” (the literal meaning of “sacrifice”) the earnings and efforts of the week.
   • If it doesn’t hurt (require a sacrifice), it’s only a donation, or a contribution, not sacrificial giving, which is a measure of one’s trust in God.

5. Liturgical: the bringing forth of the gifts and the offering of money are both part of the same ritual act.
   

   • Collections at other times and donations in other ways lack this Eucharistic context and does not “consecrate” hours worked and income received.
   • Using envelopes gives witness to commitment.

6. Giving (usually divided):
   

   • Half is given weekly by way of the local parish collection.
   • Half is set aside for independent giving (mission appeals, diocesan collections, personal favorite charities, etc.)

Well, this week I have some Strawberry Shortcake and a Prime Rib thanks to 50% of the people who voted in the poll. Thanks, it was delicious.

But, I will also do the five Hail Marys and five Our Fathers for you all.

Be patient with me. The tardiness comes from a combination of overwork in the face of illness and disability, including an impairment of memory.

I will try to do better. Pray for me.

The only symbol listed that does not have a religious meaning is the poor Easter Bunny. The rabbit was a fertility symbol long before the Christian era due to their reputation for reproducing rapidly.

The connection of the rabbit and and Easter eggs (Easter Bunny bringing the Easter eggs) goes back several hundred years to obscure German legends. The chocolate Easter Bunny was also invented in Germany.

The Easter Egg is a very ancient and natural symbol of creation. Many ancient creation myths centered around the cosmogenic egg from which the universe was born. The egg is also a symbol, not only of creation, but also of re-creation and resurrection.

In ancient Egypt and Persia friends exchanged decorated eggs at the spring equinox as a symbol of fertility. To these ancient people the egg was a sign of fertility because seeing a live creature emerge from an egg was so surprising to them.

Christians of the Near East adopted this tradition and the Easter egg became a religious symbol.

In the Christian symbolism the egg represented the tomb from which Jesus came forth to new life. Because eggs were at one time forbidden by the Church’s lenten discipline of fasting and abstinence, they were a precious Easter food.

The tradition of New Easter Clothes can be traced to the new white robes in which the newly baptized at Easter were clothed. They are also symbolic of the newness of resurrection.

This symbolism has been mostly lost. The practice, still evident today, is probably more associated with the change of seasons along with a desire to look one’s best at Easter church services — especially if it is a rare appearance! There is also a possibility that this wearing of new clothes may have originated in ancient times as part of New Year festivities originally held at the spring equinox.

The Easter Parade originates in Middles Ages Europe. The people in their new Easter clothes would take a long walk after Easter Mass. This was a kind of procession preceded by a crucifix or the Easter Candle. The Protestant revolutionaries condemned this practice.

Even though its original meaning was forgotten, the tradition evolved into the Easter Parade still popular in many cities.

The answer to this is yes and no.

It is a common mistake of many parishes to veil statues and crucifixes on Ash Wednesday and keep them veiled until the Good Friday unveiling. This may have been a practice in the Middle Ages, but has been restricted to Passiontide for several centuries.

The altar or processional cross, however, is never veiled.

The crosses are to be unveiled after the Good Friday ceremonies. Other images are unveiled, without ceremony, before the Easter Vigil.

The Liturgical notes from the Diocese of San Jose explains:

Prior to the revision of the Roman Missal (Sacramentary) in 1970, crosses and images were covered with veils during Passiontide which is the last two weeks of Lent, starting from the end of the Mass for Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent. Crosses remained covered until the adoration of the cross at the Good Friday liturgy, and images were uncovered at the beginning of the Gloria at the Easter Vigil.

After 1970, the practice was left up to the decision of each episcopal conference. (The bishops of each country make up that country’s episcopal conference. …) The rubric in the 1970 missal which is in current use says that the practice “may be observed, if the episcopal conference decides.”

Since 1970 in the United States, the practice of veiling crosses and statues was not allowed since the USCCB had not voted on the issue. In their April 1995 newsletter, the United States Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy said that “[i]nvidual parishes are not free to reinstate the practice on their own.”

With the revision of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), the USCCB [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops], in 2001, approved adaptations specific for the United States. One of these adaptations included a rubric that said: “In the Dioceses of the United States of America, crosses in the church may be covered from the conclusion of the Mass for Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent until the end of the celebration of the Lord’ Passion on Good Friday. Images in the church may be covered from the conclusion of the Mass for Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.” The adaptation was later recognized by the Vatican.

Even if parishes veil at the correct times, many incorrectly remove Holy Water during Lent. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments recently responded to a similar question (3/14/03: Prot. N. 569/00/L) giving a clear answer:

“This Dicastery is able to respond that the removing of Holy Water from the fonts during the season of Lent is not permitted, in particular, for two reasons:

“1. The liturgical legislation in force does not foresee this innovation, which in addition to being ‘praeter legem’ is contrary to a balanced understanding of the season of Lent, which though truly being a season of penance, is also a season rich in the symbolism of water and baptism, constantly evoked in liturgical texts.

“2. The encouragement of the Church that the faithful avail themselves frequently of the sacraments is to be understood to apply also to the season of Lent. The ‘fast’ and ‘abstinence’ which the faithful embrace in this season does not extend to abstaining from the sacraments or sacramentals of the Church.

“The practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil, and it corresponds to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday).”

Fasting and abstinence began as voluntary practices. Gradually they became very strict and were enforced by church law. From the 400s to the 800s, only one meal a day — usually in the evening according to local custom — was permitted. Flesh meat, fish, alcohol, and in come places even eggs and milk products were forbidden.

Beginning in the 10th century, it became customary to eat this meal at noon. By the 14th century, a light meal was permitted in the evening. In the Middle Ages the prohibition against fish and dairy products during Lent was lifted.

This more severe Lenten discipline of fasting and abstinence remained in force until 1966. Only one main meal was permitted on all days of Lent except Sunday for those between 21 and 59 years of age. Two other meatless meals were permitted, sufficient to maintain strength, but together not equaling another full meal. This was coupled with abstinence from flesh meat, gravies, and condiments on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays for those seven years of age and older. On weekdays of Lent, meat was permitted only at the main meal except on days of abstinence.

Today, the definition of a fast is “one main meal and two lesser meals which together do not equal an amount of the main meal.” This requirement is for all baptized and confirmed Catholics from the day after their 18th birthday to the day after their 59th birthday.

The drinking of ordinary liquids throughout the day is permissible.

These Days of Fasting are matters of serious obligation unless one receives a dispensation for some good reason. Good reasons include special dietary requirements, requirements of medication or medical conditions, pregnant or nursing mothers, the need to maintain strength for certain types of work that must be performed on fasting days, etc.

Certainly, one should ask their physician if there is any question at all of a fast being contraindicated by one’s personal health or medical condition.

When a dispensation is needed. it must come from one’s pastor, confessor, or priestly spiritual director. One cannot give oneself a dispensation. Many Pastors will give a blanket dispensation for the sick or to pregnant and nursing mothers, for example, posted in the parish bulletin. When such dispensation is given, either individually or communally, some other means of doing penance must be substituted (i.e. works of charity, alms giving, prayer).

Concerning abstinence, all Catholics from the day after their 14th birthday to the end of their lives are required to observe the rules of abstinence on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent. This is a serious obligation. Fridays outside of Lent may be observed by abstinence from meat, or by some other act of penitence.

In this abstinence, the law forbids the use of meat; but fish, eggs, milk products, condiments made of animal fat are okay. Also permissible are soups flavored with meat, meat gravy, and sauces.

The obligation to abstain from meat is not in force on days celebrated as solemnities such as Christmas, Sacred Heart, etc.

Dispensations may be given under the same conditions as with Fasts, as specified above..

These are our obligations as Catholics. ALL OTHER FORMS of fasts for whatever reasons are purely voluntary. Only the above is required.

Pretzels had their origin in early Christian Lenten practices. Because fat, eggs, and milk for forbidden during Lent, a special bread was made with dough consisting of only flour, salt, and water. These little breads were shaped in the form of arms crossed in prayer and were called bracellae (Latin, “little arms”). Among the Germans the Latin word became “bretzel.” These pretzels were a common Lenten food throughout the Middle Ages in Europe and became an all year round snack, in its original shape, only in 1900s.

Hot Cross Buns also became a popular food eaten during Lent. The custom began in England to bake buns, place icing on them in the form of a cross, and eat them on Good Friday. Eventually, they were baked and eaten throughout Lent and even during the Easter season.

There is not issue more important than the protection of human life. There is never an excuse, under any circumstance, to deliberately kill an unborn child.

Obama’s support of funding abortions overseas is an abomination to the Lord God. In addition, what is interesting is that we have a Black President who supports abortion when those overseas abortions are mostly of people of color.

That is true in the United States as well. Abortion in this country has always been focused on the poor black community. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood promoted abortion in the black community because, as a Eugenicists, she thought the the Black race was inferior.

Those who have agreed with Obama on this or any other abortion issue become an accomplice to the murdering of babies.

As I write this, there are about 1.7 Billion babies who have been killed by abortion since 1970.

The blood of these babies cries out to God like the blood of Abel crying out to God when he was murdered by his brother Cain.

While we can and ought to support our President no matter who he is, we cannot support evil policies such as Obama’s policies on killing babies.

We also ought not to support policies that amount to socialism. This is not good for our nation and will lead us into catastrophic economic disaster and the creation of a “nanny” state in which government makes its citizens dependent upon it.

In this regard, in particular the policies of death, should fail. We ought to pray for the failure of Obama’s presidency in any regard that violates life or violates the principles of our Great Nation.