Posted on May 19, 2019 View all news
Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus!
Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!
Next Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Founder of the Oratory, St. Philip Neri. The Solemn Mass will be at Old St. Mary’s at 9:00 a.m. Please note the time change and that this will be a Solemn Traditional Mass just for this Mass. On the Traditional Calendar, the feast of a founder of a congregation takes precedence even over a Sunday.
Following Mass, we will recite the Creed and an Our Father, so as to gain the plenary indulgence given to those who visit the parish church of our congregation. Please be sure to have confessed your sins within twenty days, receive Holy Communion, and be detached from all sin. We will have these prayers recited after each Mass on Sunday, so all have the opportunity.
An indulgence helps us to atone for the effects of our sins. Even after we are forgiven of our sins, there are hidden effects that remain. If we break our neighbor’s window, he may forgive us, but the window is still broken and in justice we would have the obligation to see that it is fixed. Every time we sin, we hurt God, our neighbors, the Church. In justice, even after Sacramental Confession, we must make up for those sins. Indulgences assist us in doing so. Plenary indulgences are the full remission of the effects of our sins. So be sure to do good and pious works throughout your life to remove these effects and attend to justice because of our sins. We either remove these effects in this life, or in purgatory in the life to come. We must be perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect, to stand before the throne of God.
Indulgences and purgatory show forth both the justice and the mercy of God. God desires that we be saved and spend eternity with Him. However, we must also love God to attain eternal life. In order to love Him, we must follow His commandments and His teachings, just as we would our earthly father. This is why the Fourth Commandment is so important, honoring our father and mother because this is a mirror of our relationship to God.
It is important to remember that God is a communion of three persons who can be definitively known, just as we can be known. He has chosen to reveal Himself in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and in a very particular way in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. May we strive to know what we can about God and accept that in Faith. Otherwise, we make up our own gods and our own christs, something the Lord Himself warned us.
Please note that we will have a small social, as is typical on Sunday, following the Solemn Mass. Everyone is encouraged to join us. Also, the next day is Memorial Day, and a special Mass schedule is in effect at Old St. Mary’s. Please check the bulletin for Mass times.
I wish you all a blessed week ahead, please pray for each of us in the Oratory and be assured of our prayers for you.
