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Our Lady and the Apocalypse
Sr. Lucia wrote down The Third Secret of Fatima and sent
it to Pope Pius XII in 1957. When questioned about the
contents, Sr. Lucia replied, “Good for some, for others
bad.” During Jacinta’s serious illness, her mother asked
if the secret was good or bad. “It is good for those who
believe, mother,” Jacinta told her. “Believe in what?”
“In God, mother.’” (Costa Brochado, Fatima in the Light
of History, p. 134.) William Walsh asked Lucia, “Have you
had any revelations from Our Lady about the end of the
world?” She replied, “I cannot answer that question.”
(Our Lady of Fatima, 224-225.)
When questioned on the contents of The Third Secret of
Fatima, Sr. Lucia said, “It’s in the Gospel and the
Apocalypse. Read them.” (Frere Michel de la Sainte
Trinite, The Whole Truth about Fatima—The Third Secret, p.
788.) “We even know that Sr. Lucy one day indicated
chapters 8-13 of the Apocalypse.” (de la Sainte Trinite,
33.) The trials and tribulations of the Church before the
coming of Antichrist are discussed in these chapters.
In Satan’s final battle against the Catholic Church, he
will marshal every form of sin and error, including
Modernism, “the synthesis of heresies,” in order to seduce
souls. Chapter eight of the Apocalypse foretells the rise
of Modernism when it describes the weakening of faith and
discipline throughout the entire Church. A great number
of souls will harden their hearts and fall away from the
Catholic Church. Many reject the true faith, while others
abandon it.
After Vatican II, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been
replaced by a sacrilegious service. False doctrines are
circulated and even the seemingly elect have been
deceived. Fr. Faber said that before the coming of
Antichrist, “There will be hardly any Mass... the majority
of Christians will apostatize, but the Church will not be
destroyed.” (Notes on Doctrinal and Spiritual Subjects
Volume II, pp. 16-17.)
In his book, The Apocalypse of St. John, written in 1921,
Fr. Elwood Berry described the “unfaithful bishops and
priests who fall from the firmament of the Church where
Christ has placed them to enlighten and direct the
world. By false teachings, [Modernism and Ecumensim] and
[bad] example, they poison the very sources of
doctrine... Unfortunately, many of the faithful drink
from these poisoned streams of false doctrine and so
perish.” (p. 92.)
In 1921, Fr. Berry commented on Satan’s final effort to
destroy the Catholic Church, a war unto death.
“Antichrist and his prophet will introduce ceremonies to
imitate the Sacraments of the Church. In fact, there will
be a complete organization—a church of Satan set up in
opposition to the Church of Christ… Their ceremonies will
counterfeit the Sacraments.” (Berry, 138.)
During the Great Apostasy, the Church is in eclipse. Fr.
Berry continues, “In such critical times in the past, God
has always raised up illustrious saints and religious
orders to awaken the zeal and strengthen the faith of His
people. He will most assuredly do likewise in the future
for He said, ‘Behold, I am with you all days even to the
consummation of the world.’ Many a time Our Lord seems to
sleep as the bark of His Church is beaten by the
storm-tossed sea. In His own good time, He arises to
command the waves: ‘Peace. Be still.’” (Berry, 93.)
Before the coming of Antichrist, there will be a weakening
of faith, apostasy, moral depravity, and unbelief. “True
Catholic doctrine is obscured and lost to many people...
[Like locust,] demons, heretics and apostates... swarm
over the earth, spreading spiritual destruction far and
wide... but they cannot destroy the Church.” (Berry,
99-100.) Deceit and immorality will be prevalent.
The great revolt against the Catholic Church has been led
by Communists, secret societies, and heretics who have
united. “Large numbers will be led into new errors.”
(Berry, 104.) Through the grace of God, the faithful will
remain steadfast. Despite the prevalent evil and
spiritual dangers, they should suffer patiently with full
confidence of final victory. Henoch and Elias “shall
appear among men as apostles of the Church and adversaries
of Antichrist [by their preaching and miracles.]
...Having fulfilled their mission, the two prophets will
be put to death by Antichrist.” (Berry, 113-115.)
We have witnessed a universal apostasy from the Catholic
faith. Apostasy is the rejection of the whole faith by a
baptized Catholic. The resultant waves of materialism and
naturalism have led countless multitudes to renounce
Catholicism. Fr. Plassmann said, “The confusion in the
material and physical world is far exceeded by the
confusion in men’s minds and hearts.” (From Sunday to
Sunday, p. 407.)
According to Fr. Berry, the papacy seems to be a logical
impediment to the appearance of Antichrist: “Satan will...
attempt to destroy the power of the Papacy and bring about
the downfall of the Church through heresies... During the
interregnum ‘that wicked one [Antichrist] shall be
revealed’ in his fury against the Church. It is a matter
of history that the most disastrous periods for the Church
were times when the Papal throne was vacant, or when
anti-popes contended with the legitimate head of the
Church. Thus, also shall it be in those evil days... The
Church deprived of her chief pastor must seek sanctuary in
solitude, there to be guided by God Himself in those
trying times... The prophet [of Antichrist] will... set
himself up in Rome as a sort of antipope during the
vacancy of the papal throne.” (Rev. E. Sylvester Berry,
The Apocalypse of St. John, p. 124, 135.)
Our Lord foretold the coming of Antichrist, God’s
adversary, when He said, “I have come in the name of my
Father, and you do not receive me. If another come in his
own name, him you will receive.” (John 5: 43.) The Man of
Sin, the Antichrist, the false Messiah, will be hostile to
Christ’s Church and will draw people away from Him.
Antichrist must make his appearance in public before the
Second Coming of Jesus. He will have immense talents and
be unparalleled in deceit, deceiving even souls
consecrated to God.
Scripture tells us he will perform false miracles and
cause people to worship him as God. St. Paul said, “the
man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes
and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God, and
gives himself out as if he were God. (2 Thessalonians 2:
3-4.) His influence will extend over the whole world.
Antichrist will be characterized by pride and impiety and
will draw people away from Christ. He will rule for three
and one-half years.
Fr. Berry has written, “The desolation of those three and
one-half years may be compared to that of the three days
following Our Lord’s death on the Cross. The faith and
prayers of Mary, of the holy women, and of the Apostles
afford the only consolation in those days of anguish.”
(Berry, 127.) According to The Dictionary of Dogmatic
Theology, “The Antichrist will reveal himself in the last
phase of the anti-Christian struggle which rages in all
times and is slowly preparing the apparition of the ‘son
of perdition’ at the end of time.” (p.15.)
The coming of Antichrist will begin the final battle
between the Catholic Church and the powers of Hell,
between the Woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the
serpent, Satan. It will be the complete realization of
the prophecy of Genesis, “I will put enmities between thee
and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush
thy head.” (Genesis 3: 15.) According to Scripture
scholars, the seed of the woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary,
is Our Lord and His faithful followers. The seed of the
serpent, Satan, is Antichrist and his followers.
Concerning this final battle, Sr. Lucia stated, “The Most
Holy Virgin made me understand that we are living in the
last times of the world. She told me that the devil is in
the process of engaging in a decisive battle against the
Blessed Virgin, and the decisive battle is the final
battle where one side will be victorious and the other
side will suffer defeat. Hence from now on we must choose
sides. Either we are for God or we are for the devil.
There is no other possibility.” (Fr. Freire, O Segredo de
Fatima, pp. 504-508.)
In this final battle, some people will remain faithful to
Our Lord and the Catholic Church and many will be
martyred. Fr. Faber said the horror of Antichrist’s
persecution against them will be unparalleled. Saints
will be greater than ever—martyrs greater, as the first
fought against men, the latter will fight against devils.
They will be Our Lady’s saints, namely through the Total
Consecration to Jesus through Mary as taught by St. Louis
Marie de Montfort. (Fr. Faber, Notes on Doctrinal and
Spiritual Subjects vol. 2, pp. 16-17.)
The book, Begone Satan!, is an account of an exorcism that
took place in Earling, Iowa in 1928. The victim was a
woman cursed by her father and possessed from her 16th
year until her 40th year. After a twenty-three day
exorcism, the demons were forced to leave.
The demons disclosed some things of general interest. In
1928, an evil spirit said that it was self-evident that
the rage of Antichrist would soon be directed against the
Catholic Church. Out of the mouth of the possessed woman,
the demon spoke, “We read the signs of the times. This is
the last century. When people write the year 2000, the
end will be at hand.” (Rev. Carl Vogl, Begone Satan!, p.
41.)
Regarding the coming of Antichrist, Anna Catherine
Emmerich has written, “I heard that Lucifer… would… be
freed for a time fifty or sixty years before the year 2000
A.D. [This was just prior to the Second Vatican
Council.] A number of other devils would be released
somewhat earlier as a punishment and source of temptation
to sinful human beings.” (Vogl, 41.)
We should wisely follow the suggestion of Our Lord and try
to understand the signs of the times. It’s getting
closer. According to the signs foretold in Scripture, the
Antichrist may come onto the scene soon, sooner than you
think. All the signs foretelling his coming have already
taken place: the Gospel has been preached throughout the
world; the Jews have returned to Palestine, foretold in
the book of Deuteronomy; the Great Apostasy or universal
loss of Faith has occurred; and there is worldwide moral
corruption and persecution of the Church.
Since the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise,
God has permitted Satan and the demons to tempt souls and
constantly try to sabotage their efforts to acquire
holiness. Those temptations are direct orders from Satan
to his demons. They especially hate people who pray much.
We must prepare for what is coming because time is short.
Antichrist will catch people unaware. Fools, they’ll
adore him. Fools, they’ll think he’s great. Fools,
they’ll be tricked into thinking he’s a great, great
person. Most people will think that Antichrist is honest,
loving, and kind, but he is evil and will turn on everyone
like a poisonous snake.
It is likely that when the world is in turmoil, Antichrist
will appear and rule the world. This will be Satan’s
ultimate victory. The majority will follow him because he
will perform many false miracles, bring peace to a
war-torn world, and help those who will be lacking
resources, like food. Prior to his coming, there may be
famine in many places and food will be scarce.
Since deception is one of the special traits of Satan,
people will be deceived when Antichrist comes. The
deception will be worldwide. Everyone will have to pay
homage to him and take his mark to survive. No one can
buy or sell or move around freely without it. Even
priests will take the mark.
Many will be divided and ostracized from families who will
want to take the mark. Those who take the mark of
Antichrist will be his forever. Once they are marked,
there’s no turning back. For some, the Mark of Antichrist
will become a horrible cancer.
Despite Satan’s evil plans, success, and accomplishments,
Our Lord will defeat Antichrist. The Jews will be
converted and the words of Jesus Christ will be fulfilled,
“There shall be one fold and one shepherd.” (John 10:
16.) The Blessed Virgin Mary assured us at Fatima that in
the end her Immaculate Heart will triumph. Our Lady will
play an important role during the great conflict between
the Church and Satan. She is described in the Apocalypse
as the Woman crowned with twelve stars. Our Heavenly
Mother will crush Satan’s head.
We must prepare for Satan’s deceptions and for what’s
ahead by being very humble, vigilant, and prayerful. In
order to persevere until the end, we must also have total
and complete trust and faith in God and a strong devotion
to the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you and your family have
not made the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary as
described by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, do so as soon as
possible. Frequently attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
and receive the Sacraments often. If you are currently
living in the state of mortal sin, come back to God and go
to confession before it is too late.
Despite being faced with opposition, difficulties, and
failures, we must continually strive to fulfill God’s will
in our life. Let us fear no evil because the Lord is with
us. In the days ahead, we must be exemplary followers of
Christ by the fervor and frequency of our prayers, by our
self-denial in practicing charity to others, including the
forgiveness of our enemies, by our strictness with
ourselves, and by our perseverance in the practices of
penance and fasting. We must place ourselves under Mary’s
mantle and live in union with her.
We all need to pray more. Pray, pray, pray without
ceasing. Pray five decades of the Rosary faithfully each
day and more if you can. Avoid extreme thoughts, wasting
time with trivia on your phone, and talking about things
that would disturb your peace of soul. In moments of
sorrow, especially, turn to God in prayer. Pray and do
penance for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of
souls. Pray fervently to the Holy Ghost for discernment so
that you will not be deceived.
Christ will triumph in the end, in spite of all His
enemies. The final words recorded in St. Matthew’s gospel
are, “I am with you all days, even unto the consummation
of the world.” (Matt. 28: 20.) The profound words of Our
Lord, “I am with you all days” are among the most
consoling words in the Bible. Jesus assured us that even
the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Catholic
Church for He is with her all days, even to the end of the
world.
Jesus Christ described the “last times” in a very somber
manner. Holy Scripture portrays an unparalleled outbreak
of evil called the Great Apostasy before Antichrist rules
the world. Prior to the reign of Antichrist, revolutions
will occur and the foundations of society will be
radically changed.
Our Lord will find very little faith on the earth when He
returns for His Second Coming. Only a remnant of faithful
will remain, who will be persecuted by Antichrist. God
permits these trials in view of the greater good resulting
from them.
When Jesus Christ gloriously returns to earth for His
Second Coming, will conquer Antichrist. Those who have
remained faithful and been waiting for Him will be happy
and joyful. Those who did not believe will finally see
the truth. Then Antichrist will be cast into Hell. “The
wicked shall then suffer the just punishment of their
iniquity.” (Berry, 118.)
Mother Mary Potter powerfully describes the path we must
take if we wish to be faithful to the end: “At the time of
the Passion of Our Lord—that most fearful time of the
dominion of Satan, when he was allowed a power he will
never be allowed again (even though… the Church has
already commenced that season of persecution, trial and
temptation, in which she will in herself represent again
the Passion of Our Lord)—at that memorable time, who, I
ask you, were the faithful ones that continued with Our
Lord to the end?”
“In the time of general temptation, when even Peter denied
the Master he loved so well, who were the happy ones
(blessed with a special happiness for all eternity for
their faithfulness in that terrible hour), who did not
abandon their Lord when He, for their sakes, was seemingly
abandoned even by His Heavenly Father? Who hoped and
trusted in Him when others despaired? Who, though
weeping, adored, whilst the world around scoffed and
mocked?”
“Who were they, and whence had they the strength to stand
when others fell? Who were they? Weigh well the answer.
Those who remained in the company of Mary. Whence had
they this great grace? From her all-powerful
intercession. As it was then so will it be again: and it
will be well for us to think of this earnestly, seriously;
not carelessly, but with thought and prayer.”
“You will say: But have we not already great devotion to
Our Lady? Do we not all love her? …Before answering, I
will question you. Had not St. Peter devotion to Our
Lady? Did he not love her, as likewise the other
apostles?” “Yes, O yes: but St. John, who had learnt from
the Heart of his Master, the love most pleasing to It,
also learnt the devotion most efficacious to himself. It
was a child’s devotion to its mother.”
“On the Cross Our Lord but proclaimed and cemented what
had been before. Therefore, in the time of trial, St.
John sought the company of his Mother, according to the
revelations of the Saints, returning to her house
broken-hearted with the account of what had happened to
Jesus. It was in her company that St. John and the holy
women walked the weary way to Calvary…” (The Path of
Mary, pp. 18-19.)
[In closing, Our Lady’s own] “may have crosses that would
break a less strong spirit than the one they have obtained
from Mary; but they have been strengthened by her… in an
especial manner, and the hour of trial finds them
prepared, and trusting in her maternal care, so that they
walk safely through dangerous places; or rather they feel
carried, secure as a child feels in its mother’s arms,
even if she were to carry it into the midst of a raging
battle.” (Potter, 39.)
Retreat
Your soul is immortal; it can never die.
It is everlasting which means that your soul cannot be
destroyed or worn out. We know that it goes on living
after our body dies. At the moment of death, the soul
leaves the body and is immediately judged by Jesus
Christ. At the particular judgment, Christ pronounces
sentence upon the soul and it learns what its ultimate lot
is to be forever: Heaven or Hell.
How different will the things of this world look when we
are standing on the brink of eternity. God will justly
render to every person according to his works. If we make
it to Heaven, our degree of happiness is determined by how
well we loved and served God during life.
We are not made for this world alone. God created us for
higher things than the gratification of our senses.
Tragically, many people live as if life on earth lasted
forever. Each day large numbers of people pass into
eternity. How many of them never thought they would die
and then have to render an account to God for every
thought, word, and action of their life.
Our most important consideration in life is to prepare for
a happy eternity in Heaven. As a result, even though our
feet are on earth, our eyes and our heart should be
directed to Heaven. Before making any serious decisions,
St. Aloysius would ask himself, “Quid hoc ad
aeternitatem? How does this look in the light of
eternity?”
The most tragic words anyone can utter are, “I die
unprepared!” At the hour of death, a dying man in Long
Beach, California whom I visited said something similar,
“I’m not ready yet; I’m scared!” Therefore, we must
prepare now for our judgment and eternity.
Last week, I buried a man in Holy Cross Cemetery in San
Diego. As father and husband, he tried to be the
spiritual leader of his family, even when it required
tough love. He told his children, “I don’t want to be
your best friend and I don’t care if you like me. My job
is to make sure you are a God-fearing, good citizen of His
world. All I care about is the salvation of your soul.”
During this retreat, we can only see with open eyes, we
can only listen with open ears, and we can only think with
open minds. Therefore, please open your hearts to God’s
grace as I review the basics of the spiritual life.
We must start with humility for Our Lord said, “Without Me
you can do nothing.” God loves humble souls and He comes
to their aid. As Our Lady declared in the Magnificat, God
regards the humility of His servants and handmaids and
gives them everything they need. St. Peter stated, “God
resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore, if you want to be holy, be humble. If you want
to be very holy and deeply loved by God, be very humble.
Every sin stems from pride. It is one of the worst sins
because it encompasses all other sins. Pride is a deadly
sin. You must cut it out of your lives like a cancer.
Charity will help you to practice humility.
St. Bonaventure wrote, “Look upon yourself as
insignificant; gladly consent to be considered as such by
others; do not become puffed up because of God’s gifts to
you and you will be truly humble.” (The Spiritual Diary,
p. 39.) Pope Pius XII displayed such humility when he
told Archbishop Fulton Sheen, “It is true Divine
Providence invested me, although unworthy, in this
position, but as a man I am nothing, nothing, nothing.”
Humility annihilates the power of the devil. Since
humility disarms him, it rescues us from his snares and
works every time. Satan and the evil spirits hate
humility. The demons want us in Hell, but we must not let
them get their way. We will persevere and save our souls
if we are humble, prayerful, and burning with love for
God. According to St. Vincent de Paul, “The most powerful
weapon with which to overcome the devil is humility;
because, not knowing how to use it, he does not even know
how to defend himself from it.” (The Spiritual Diary,
p. 37.)
Next, prayer is vital to salvation. All those who burn in
Hell did not pray or did not pray enough. Prayer is the
first step toward God and it is the decisive step. To
souls who pray with perseverance, God gives so much grace,
light, and strength that even the most debased sinner will
be converted. Many prayers, united with sacrifices and
penances can snatch sinners from the devil’s grasp little
by little. If everybody prayed as they should, all the
demons would have to go back to Hell.
St. Ephrem said, “Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer
preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer
prevents emotions of pride and envy.”
Prayer is our lifeline to God. Through prayer we receive
light, strength, consolation, pardon, help, grace, and
love. Pray the Rosary as it should be prayed,
concentrating and meditating upon the mysteries. Only in
prayer can our souls find the strength needed in life’s
difficulties.
Since God is everywhere, He is always near us. In every
situation in life He can help us. Frequently we should
recall how much God loves us and what He has given us.
God wants to communicate His grace to us, but we must
constantly strive to remove the obstacles that stifle
it.
What about the problem of unanswered prayers? God always
answers our prayers. Sometimes He says, “Yes.” On other
occasions, God says, “At a later time.” In all other
cases He says, “I have something else better planned for
you.” Despite our human weakness and the efforts of evil
spirits to disrupt our communication with Almighty God, we
must continue to pray with humility, confidence,
perseverance, and conformity to His will.
St. Teresa of Avila said it was unlikely that a person
would save his soul if he did not spend at least 10
minutes per day in prayer. Despite our busy schedules, we
should pray the Rosary every day. The Rosary will prevent
us from sinning, helping us to make moral choices based on
what is right, rather than on what gives us pleasure.
Silence is also important. It’s better to be silent that
to be chatty because if we speak too much, we will
eventually sin. We can see peoples’ faces, but we can’t
see their hearts. Therefore, we must avoid rash
judgment. St. Teresa of Avila teaches us how to deal with
a difficult person: “Strive yourself to practice with
great perfection the virtue opposite the fault that
appears in her.”
When speaking about the faults of others, our words should
be necessary, just, charitable, true, and beneficial to
all. Look at the good in everyone instead of the
negative. Spend less time on your phone and talking to
people and more time talking to God. Don’t waste the
limited, precious time given to you by God on worthless
things such as unessential political concerns and surfing
the internet.
Examine your conscience every night. Take note of your
predominant fault because it must be rooted out. Reflect
often on the kind of person you ought to be, make a strong
resolution, and pray for God’s assistance. Get your
spiritual problems fixed and move forward. Although at
times it is very hard to be a traditional Catholic, you
can handle anything with prayer, self-control, and God’s
grace.
Demons constantly strive to sabotage our efforts for
holiness. They will fight us until the end, especially
through carnal pleasure and worldly things. Since it is
a spiritual combat to the death, evil spirits never give
up. They know our weaknesses and attack there.
Avoid toxic people. Be careful what you watch on TV,
movies, your phone, and computer. Although you can fool
others, God knows the history of your phone and computer,
the websites you search, etc. People must limit their
time on their phone, avoid proximate occasions of sin,
including evil pop ups, and the unrestricted use of social
media. Love of forbidden things hardens the heart. If
our faith and prayer life is not strong, one bad influence
or occasion of sin is all it takes to spiral us downward.
You and I are not invincible. Consider the case of the
famous crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin. He spent his career
interacting with crocodiles, sharks, and deadly snakes,
including rattlesnakes, the death adder, sea snakes, and
the Inland Taipan, the world’s most venomous. A single
bite contains enough lethality to kill 100 adults. Steve
also mud wrestled with massive saltwater crocodiles when
he tried to capture them. These huge predators had killed
many people in Australia.
While filming a documentary in 2006, Steve was killed by a
short-tail stingray. When I was scuba diving in the
Cayman Islands, I observed that stingrays are usually
docile. I touched them as they gracefully swam above and
around me. However, when Steve startled a particular ray,
he was barbed in the chest and his heart was pierced.
When he got back into the boat, his last words were, “I am
dying.”
Playing with fire, he recognized the circumstances and
fatal outcome. Stingray injuries are rarely fatal. This
was only the second recorded stingray-related death in
Australia since 1945. Nevertheless, when God determines
that our work on earth is finished, no one can escape
death.
Mortal sin should be your worst and only real fear in
life. Far worse than death, the consequences of dying in
the state of mortal sin are everlasting torment and
separation from God in Hell. Ignoring the dangers and
consequences of sin, people take foolish risks and get
seriously hurt, spiritually and physically. Common sense
tells us that if a person takes enough risks, big and
small, and frequently exposes himself to unnecessary
danger, the results can be deadly for both body and soul.
We are not invincible. No matter how strong our union
with God, we should never be complacent and presumptuous,
because anyone can be overcome by temptation. We must
never place ourselves in unnecessary spiritual danger
through a false sense of security.
Therefore, we must recognize and avoid the spiritual traps
cunningly set by demons. These include boredom,
loneliness, stress, frustration, depression, and even an
unhappy marriage. If you get involved in bad things, you
may open a portal to Hell. In such cases, the resulting
wave of evil will poison your life and things will be far
worse than you can even imagine.
Evil is very structured. Sin is also structured and
happens seemingly so small at first, it’s hardly noticed.
Evil creeps in slowly so as not to be noticed. This is
analogous to a frog placed in a pot of cold water. As the
heat is slowly and gradually raised, the frog is cooked.
Imperfections and sins are like tumors that continue to
grow. They feed off the ego. We must cut them out or
starve them as much as possible to prevent them from
growing. This can only be achieved through prayer and
self-denial. These will keep ego in check. This
spiritual process is much like physical exercise or
working out. It is a daily process made possible by our
active and willing effort.
When faced with a near occasion of sin, the danger of
committing sin is probable or even certain. We are
obliged to avoid voluntary, near occasions of sin. “He
who loves danger will perish in it.” If circumstances
force us into a near occasion of sin, we are obliged to
make use of the necessary safeguards, such a prayer,
mortification of the eyes, and frequent Confession and
Holy Communion.
Humility and grace will make us wise and cautious, causing
us to pray and run away when we are tempted to sin.
Christ told His Apostles to “watch and pray.” If we
quickly respond to temptation by vigilance, self-denial,
prayer, and flight, we will never be overcome. We can
overcome the temptations of the devil through God’s
grace. God told St. Paul, “My grace is sufficient for
thee.”
To make spiritual progress, we must realize that without
God’s help we can do nothing good. This means that we
cannot even have one good thought. However, if we humble
ourselves we can have supreme confidence that with the
assistance of God’s grace, combined with our own efforts,
nothing can stop us from salvation. Through the virtue of
hope, we firmly trust that God, who is all-powerful and
faithful to His promises, will in His mercy give us
eternal happiness and means to attain it. Grace, faith,
perseverance, moral courage, and especially love of God
will sustain us through life’s temptations, difficulties,
and obstacles.
At the same time, we must be aware of the many things that
can hinder or prevent our salvation. We must avoid them
or bravely fight against them. Despite our weakness and
setbacks, we must constantly strive to move forward and
fight to win, no matter how hard it may be.
The battle is continuous because the demons are constantly
attacking us. The spiritual combat never stops. If we
humble ourselves, pray and frequently receive the
sacraments, cooperate with God’s grace, practice true
devotion to Mary, and put forth the effort necessary, we
will surely save our souls.
If we really love God, we will conform to His desires,
plans, and projects. We cannot conform ourselves to the
will of God without self-control of mind and body. Our
sacrifices prove our love for God. Sacrifice is a
relative term because love for God makes hard things
easy. It is our gift to Him. Our happiness is a direct
result of growing in our relationship with God. Love of
God should dominate every phase and action of our life.
St. John Chrysostom has written, “No matter how much
virtue a soul may have, if his heart is attached to
something, even a trifle, he will never attain to the
freedom of divine union. If a bird is tied down with a
fine thread, despite the fineness of the thread, the bird
is still bound. How greatly to be pitied are certain
souls, rich in good works, virtues, and favors from God
yet lacking in the courage to break off a little
attachment or to give up a certain satisfaction. As a
result, they can never arrive at union with God which
consists in snapping that thread and soaring into flight!
Once the soul is free from every affection for creatures,
God cannot do else but communicate Himself to her fully,
just as the sun on a clear day cannot help but brighten an
open room.” (The Spiritual Diary, pp. 258-259.)
If the thought of eternity is frequently kept in mind, it
will affect our use of time. Those who live in the light
of eternity will be overwhelmingly impressed on the one
hand with the insignificance of many things of this
temporal life and, on the other hand, with the profound
significance of others. From one point of view, time is
insignificant and fleeting, for Psalm 102 states, “Man’s
days are… as the flowers of the field, so shall he
flourish. For the wind shall pass over him, and he shall
not be.” The image of faded flowers used in Holy
Scripture is striking, for just as they blossom gloriously
and later wilt and decay, so does the exuberance of youth
quickly fade into old age and death.
Life is also considered a dissolving shadow. (Psalm
108.) Our mortal life is fleeting, like shadows that
disappear after sunset. How many famous and prominent
persons have been swept away by death and then quickly
forgotten! Out of sight, out of mind. Who will even
think of you, five or ten years after your death? A
person’s life, when compared with the length of eternity,
is as a drop of the ocean or a single grain of sand on the
seashore. Even the longest life is truly brief and
fleeting.
In closing, those who meditate upon the brevity and
insignificance of time as compared with eternity will gain
great spiritual profit. When our patience is put to a
severe test and unkind persons and troubling events tumble
into our lives, let us say, “This disagreeable experience
will pass; eternity alone will remain.” The thought of
eternity will strengthen us against the allurement of
sinful pleasure and instant gratification.
According to St. Augustine, Such gratification “will bloom
like a flower. It blossoms in the morning, and at night
it wilts and dies. Rejoice in the hope of eternity, not
in the flower of vanity.” (Sermo 171, al. De Verb. Dom.
37, c. 5.) When we view things from the light of eternity
we will understand the relative insignificance of material
things, be less attached to our belongings, become
inwardly detached from the spirit of the world, and will
rapidly increase in our love of God.
I’ll close with a story, “When the venerable Sister
Magdalen... was only four years old, she was standing at
the door of her father’s house as a funeral procession was
passing by. She asked her nurse, who was with her, what
they were doing.
‘They are carrying the body of a young woman to the grave
because she is dead.’ ‘And must I also die?’ asked the
little Magdalen. ‘Yes, my child, we must all die, and our
souls must go to Heaven or to Hell for all eternity.’
‘And how long is eternity? Is it longer than one day?
‘Ah! My child, eternity has no end; eternity means forever
and ever.’
Magdalen said no more, but from that moment the thought of
eternity never left her mind. Sometimes she was heard to
say to herself” ‘An eternity in Heaven or an eternity in
Hell. We must all one day die, and when this life is over
there begins one that will never end.’ Magdalen lived a
holy life, and her death was that of the Saints.
You are made to the likeness of God... Your soul is like
to God, because it can never die; and although your body
must be laid in the grave, it shall rise again at the last
day, and, soul and body united, you must live as long as
God is God, either with Him in happiness, or separated
from Him in Hell. This thought should make you careful to
avoid every sin, and to love God in this life, that you
may be with Him forever in Heaven.”
(Rev. D. Chisholm, The Catechism in Stories, vol. 1, p.
403.)
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Queen of
Angels Catholic Church in Santa Clarita,
California, is much like any Catholic church you
might have attended before the Second Vatican
Council occurred in the 1960's. This Council,
supposedly intended to bring about a genuine
spiritual renewal in the living of our Faith,
inaugurated liturgical changes that broke
drastically from the Church's sacred liturgy and
traditions of nearly 2,000 years. It
is because of these changes and the resultant
universal loss of faith among so many bishops,
priests, nuns and laity, that Queen of Angels
and chapels like this one are drawing more and
more interest from concerned Catholics all over
the world.
The pastor of Queen of Angels is Father Dominic
Radecki, CMRI, a priest belonging to the religious
Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen . The bishop
and priests of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate
Queen (CMRI) offer only the Tridentine Latin Mass
in all the churches and chapels they serve.
Remaining faithful to all of the Church's
venerable teachings and traditions, Queen
of Angels Church reflects the stability and
endurance of truths and doctrines that will
never change with the times.
The faithful receive Holy Communion on their
tongues as they kneel at the communion rail in
humble adoration of the Real Presence of God.
Ladies wear head coverings and modest clothing out
of respect. The reverent silence in the House of
God indicates a living faith in Christ Who dwells
in the tabernacle.
We have a full schedule of activities at our
church. The Sacraments are administered exactly
the way they were before Vatican II: Baptism,
Confirmation, Penance, the Holy Eucharist,
Matrimony and Extreme Unction. Parish
organizations who attend Queen of Angels, ranging
from basic catechism instruction for the youth and
converts to the Faith, to our Confraternity of
Christian Mothers. For those who wish to lead a
more dedicated spiritual life, we have the
Confraternity of Mary Immaculate Queen. We invite
you to check out all of our parish activities on
this website.
We at Queen of Angels welcome visitors to our
parish at anytime of the year, but especially at
Christmas and Easter. Although the number of
parishioners has outgrown our small church,
newcomers are always welcome.
Each of our parishioners adds something unique to
the family atmosphere we think is very special
here at our church. Come and see it for yourself!
If you have not been to a Latin Mass in many
years, if you have never been to one at all, you
will be pleasantly surprised at what you find at
Queen of Angels. You will feel as if you have come
home, as indeed you have.
Queen of Angels Catholic Church
Prayer to the August Queen of Heaven
August Queen of Heaven, Sovereign
Mistress of the Angels, who didst receive from the
beginning the mission and the power to crush the
serpent's head, we beseech thee to send thy holy
angels, that under thy command and by thy power
they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them
on every side, resist their bold attacks, and
drive them hence into the abyss of woe.
Most holy Mother, send thy angels to defend us and
to drive the cruel enemy from us.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, keep and defend
us. Amen
O good and tender Mother Thou shalt ever be our
love and our hope.
Holy Angels and Archangels, keep and defend us.
Amen
Novena of Confidence
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
(for family relations that have fallen away)
O Lord Jesus Christ, to Thy Most
Sacred Heart I confide this intention (silently
mention here the names you are praying for). Only
look upon me, then do what Thy Heart inspires. Let
Thy Sacred Heart decide. I count on it. I trust in
it. I throw myself on its mercy, Lord Jesus! Thou
wilt not fail me.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Thy love for
me.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy
Kingdom come!
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked Thee for
many favors, but I earnestly implore this one.
Take it, place it in Thy open, broken Heart, and
when the Eternal Father looks upon it, covered
with Thy Precious Blood, He will not refuse it.s
It will no longer be my prayer but Thine, O Sacred
Heart of Jesus. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place
my trust in Thee. Let me never be confounded.
Amen.
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The following true story explains this well.
The university professor challenged his students
with this question. “Did God create everything
that exists?”
A student bravely replied, “Yes, he did!” “God
created everything?” the professor asked. “Yes,”
the student replied. The professor answered, “If
God created everything, then God created evil
since evil exists, and according to the principle
that our works define who we are, then God is
evil.”
The student became quiet before such an answer.
The professor was quite pleased with himself and
boasted to the students that he had proven once
more that the Christian faith was a myth. At that
point, another student raised his hand and said,
“Can I ask you a question professor?” “Of
course,” replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, “Professor does
cold exist?” “What kind of question is this? Of
course it exists. Have you never been cold?”
The students snickered at the young man’s
question. The young man replied, “In fact sir,
cold does not exist. According to the laws of
physics, what we consider cold is in reality the
absence of heat. Absolute zero (-460 degrees F)
is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes
inert and incapable of reaction at that
temperature. Cold does not exist. We have
created this word to describe “the absence of
heat.”
The student continued. “Professor, does darkness
exist?” The professor responded, “Of course it
does.”
The student replied, “Once again you are wrong
sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is
in reality the absence of light. You cannot
measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break
into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How
can you know how dark a certain space is? You
measure the amount of light present. Isn’t this
correct? Darkness is a term used by man to
describe what happens when there is no light
present.”
Finally the young man asked the professor. “Sir,
does evil exist?” Now uncertain, the professor
responded, “Of course! We see it every day.
It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to
man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence
everywhere in the world. These manifestations are
nothing else but evil.”
To this, the student replied, “Evil does not exist
sir, or at least it does not exist in itself.
Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just
like darkness and cold, a word that man has
created to describe the absence of God. God did
not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love
that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is
the result of what happens when man does not have
God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the
cold that comes when there is no heat or the
darkness that comes when there is no light.” The
professor sat down.
The young man’s name – Albert Einstein.
May Crowning
Queen of Angels Easter
Queen of Angels Altar
Queen of Angels May Procession
May Crowning
Prayer
The time may be delayed, the
manner may be unexpected, but the answer is sure
to come.
Not a tear of sacred sorrow, not a breath of holy
desire poured out to God will ever be lost, but in
God's own time and way will be wafted back again
in clouds of mercy and fall in showers of
blessings on you and on those for whom you pray.
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Weekly Sermons
Latest Sermon: click_here
List of Previous Sermons:
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General Information
Baptisms: One
parent and the sponsors must be practicing
Catholics who attend only the Traditional Latin
Mass. Call the pastor to make arrangements.
Confessions:
Sundays - one hour before Mass.
Weekdays - 10 minutes before Mass.
1st Friday and 1st Saturday -
during the Rosary.
Communion for the Sick:
Inform Father if you are unable to attend
Mass and wish to receive Holy Communion and/or
Extreme Unction.
Marriages
For registered members of Queen of Angels
parish only. Please contact the rectory at least
six months prior to the wedding date for marriage
instructions.
Mass Intentions:
If you would like to have Holy Mass
offered for your intention, please use the
envelopes provided in the back of the church. The
customary offering is $25.00. Mass requests are
honored in the order in which they are received.
If you wish a Mass offered on a particular day, it
must be submitted at least a month in advance.
Mass requests for special days will be honored
when possible.
First Holy Communion Classes:
Classes are held every Sunday at 12:30
PM.
Prayers For Rain
O God, in Whom we live, move and
have our being, grant us seasonable rain, so that
our temporal needs being sufficiently supplied, we
may seek with greater confidence after things
eternal.
Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the gifts
which we offer, and garnt us in season the
blessing of sufficient rain.
Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, beneficial rain
and deign to pour out showers from Heaven upon the
parched face of the earth. Through Our Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee
in the unity of the Holy Ghost. God, world without
end. Amen
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First Communion
    
Confirmation
    
Corpus Christi
  
Summer Camp
  
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