We are in such times that good news is scarce. So when a little dollop comes along, it’s worth rejoicing.
Announced from the pulpit today at Mater Misericordiae (FSSP) in Phoenix, Father Chad Ripperger will be delivering a three day retreat here in May, month of Mary and my birth month. Happy Birthday to me!
Hopefully you are already familiar with Father Ripperger, but if not, go HERE. I recommend starting with some of the homilies: The audio quality is excellent and they are fifteen minutes or less. The talks and conferences are longer, and some of the audio is not very good. But I promise you, go click on three homilies and you will come away learning something you never knew. There are also some written texts if you look at the main menu to the right, but the vast majority of the content is audio, which makes it more time-consuming, but well worth it.
His specialty is Spiritual Warfare, which is a topic I’ve written about many times here. But he so solid in so many areas, you really just need to go over there and start poking around. Pick a couple topics and go.
I’m very much looking forward to May.
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The priests at MM are in the midst of a series of homilies regarding the Holy Family as model for sanctification of the family. They don’t shy away, let me tell you, from talking about the sins which are most notorious for destroying families. It kind of feels like a bit of a counter-insurgency against the war on the family currently taking place in Rome.
But there was a big focus today specifically on Mary, of course, with the wedding miracle at Cana being the gospel reading. I will never understand how proddies can read this passage and still not understand that Mary is our best means to secure our needs. Even at Cana, when God at first protested what His Mother asked, He ultimately granted her petition. Think about it. Had the wedding family gone straight to Jesus with their lament, they would have gotten nothing. “No wine for you! My time has not yet come!” But through Mary, well, Mary has a way with her Son. That wasn’t a mistake. That wasn’t some random thing that just squirreled its way into scripture. It’s there for a reason. It’s there for us to learn by example.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, ora pro nobis.
“Truly blessed was Mary who possessed both humility and virginity. And truly wondrous the virginity whose fruitfulness stained not, but adorned her; and truly singular the humility, which this fruitful virginity has not troubled, but rather exalted; and wholly incomparable the fruitfulness which goes hand in hand with her humility and her virginity. Which of these things is not wondrous? Which is not beyond all comparison? Which that is not wholly singular? It would be strange if you did not hesitate to decide which you regard as most worthy of praise: whether the wonder of fruitfulness of offspring in virginity, or of virginal integrity in a mother: sublimity of Offspring, or humility joined to such dignity: unless it be that we place both together above each one singly: and it is truly beyond any doubt more excellent and more joyful to have beheld these perfections united in her, than to see but one part of them.
“And can we wonder that God, of Whom it is written that He is wonderful in his saints, shows Himself in His own Mother yet more wondrous still. Venerate then, Ye spouses, this integrity of flesh in our corruptible flesh. Revere likewise, Ye virgins, fruitfulness in virginity. Let all men imitate the humility of God’s Mother. Honour, Ye angels, the Mother of your King, you who adore the Offspring of our Virgin; Who is your King and our King, the Healer of our race, the Restorer of our fatherland: Who among you is so sublime, yet among us was so lowly: to Whose Majesty as well from you as from us let there be adoration and reverence: to whose Perfection be there honour and glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.” – St Bernard of Clairvaux
Prayer to the Holy Family
Domine Iesu Christe, qui Mariae et Ioseph subditus, domesticam vitam ineffabilibus virtutibus consecrasti: fac nos, utriusque auxilio, Familiae sanctae tuae exemplis instrui et consortium consequi sempiternum: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being made subject to Mary and Joseph, didst consecrate domestic life by Thine ineffable virtues; grant that we, with the assistance of both, may be taught by the example of Thy Holy Family and may attain to its everlasting fellowship. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE Fr. Ripperger!! Listen to him any chance I get!!!! Darn!! I’m not in Phoenix, I’m in Chicago, so nope…..won’t be coming down to see him…..but…..lucky you!! Happy Birthday in May!!!!
It’s sad that Fr Ripperger is hostile to the SSPX
I don’t think “hostile” is the right word. I’m sure Ihaven’t read or heard everything he’s had to say about the SSPX, but what I have heard is focused on the juridical aspects of the problem. It seems he doesn’t buy in to the State of Necessity argument. I’m not sure if he still thinks that or not.
Check out The Hirsch Files and Gloria TV re SSPX and Fr Ripperger on the Internet – mortal sin for priests of the Society to say Mass etc
Thank you for the link to homilies and conferences. It is a blessing to have access to them. God bless you in all your efforts to spread the Truth.