“Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.”–Saint Francis de Sales Today, on the feast of Candlemas, I am re-posting a poem in which the English Catholic writer Gilbert Keith Chesterton (b. 1874- d. 1936) professed his love of, and need for, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The poem is titled Confessional, and it is quite beautiful. The last line strikes a poignant chord as Chesterton confesses that his heart is a heavy load to bear. At the conclusion of the poem, the reader is left with a sense that Chesterton had made a heartfelt and childlike entreaty to Our Lady that she might assist him in bearing the load of his heart (paraphrase GKC). This poem expresses the essence of Catholic devotion to Our Lady: giving oneself to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin Mary, and subsequently trusting in Our Lady’s loving (maternal) care. For more on Candlemas, you might read here, here, and here. May you have a good Candlemas day 2024. ~SCF Confessional by G.K. Chesterton Now that I…
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Merry Christmas!
“I don’t know what to do! I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to every-body! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!” ~ Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens A Child of The Snows There is heard a hymn when the panes dimAnd never before or again,When the nights are strong with a darkness long,And the dark is alive with rain. Never we know but in sleet and in snow,The place where the great fires are,That the midst of the earth is a raging mirthAnd the heart of the earth a star. And at night we win to the ancient innWhere the child in the frost is furled,We follow the feet where all souls meetAt the inn at the end of the world. The gods lie dead where the leaves lie red,For the flame of the sun is flown.The gods lie cold where the leaves lie gold.And…
The Miraculous Medal
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” -words inscribed on the front side of the Miraculous Medal as requested by Our Lady Today is the commemoration of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. On this day, we remember the 1830 apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris, France. In this Church approved series of apparitions, the Blessed Virgin Mary presented to St. Catherine the much beloved Catholic devotional item now referred to as the Miraculous Medal. St. Catherine described the apparitions of Our Lady in the following words, subsequent events are also detailed, here: “On the 27th of November, 1830 … while making my meditation in profound silence … I seemed to hear on the right hand side of the sanctuary something like the rustling of a silk dress. Glancing in that direction, I perceived the Blessed Virgin standing near St. Joseph’s picture. Her height was medium and Her countenance, indescribably beautiful. She was dressed in a robe the color of the dawn, high-necked, with plain sleeves. Her head…
The Soul at the Moment of Death
November is upon us, and the brisk air, darkening skies, and falling leaves remind us of what the Church has dedicated this beloved month to: death. In the Catholic Church, death is not shoved off into a false closet of make-believe where we live an eternal youth romping about in adolescent clothing. In fact, the Church has always spoken of the grandeurs, and dignities, of the old who have labored in Christ’s vineyard, who prayerfully watch, and await, that fine moment when they shall see Christ; the moment when they shall hear enter into my Kingdom, wait for a purification period, or, be gone. Catholics are also aware, through following the liturgical year, and facing the realities of life, that the moment of death may strike the young, too. Preparation is the order of the day, and there is something pleasant in being prepared. Being prepared actually takes the fear out, or at least reduces it, on the matter of death. One who has been preparing for the moment is not taken by surprise. There are stories of saints who…
Fr. Lasance in October
The month of the Holy Rosary, October, has arrived with its cooler temperatures, and evolving leaf scapes. It is a delightful time of the year, though one can be troubled without much effort by taking a glance at the international, or local news. It should be noted, however, that such news sources do not contain the Catholic view of the world; which leads to the question of what is the Catholic view of the world? That view is summed up in the Baltimore Catechism, but can be simply stated that Jesus Christ is King; and, in the end, all shall be well for those who hope in Him. And, so with that in mind, we publish today another quote in the Fr. Lasance quote series, and it now follows: Do not look forward to what may happen to-morrow: the same everlasting Father who cares for you to-day will take care of you to-morrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside…