July 4th, partisan politics, Canada, and the Feast of August 15th

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, July 1, 2018):

Although I try to keep blissfully free from knowledge of some of the risible affairs euphemistically called politics, I can't remain totally uninformed or unaffected by what passes as the "news." It's a shame and an embarrassment to hear about the conniving and the accusations being flung from political pole to pole. I'll be we're the laughingstock of non-Americans worldwide. "Collusion" or "harassment" or "sex scandal," or gay "rights" or media manipulation of public opinion, and the like -- these have become some of the political "issues" in this sad moment in our country. Certainly there are other things that concern us such as crime, the economy and taxes, health care, international security, immigration, the free expression (or else abatement) of religion. For me, however, these valid and relevant concerns are so buried in the ideological ranting as to give me, if not nausea, disgust when following the daily news.

But on July 4th we manage somehow to put all these divisiveness aside and celebrate Independence Day together. It's a momentary respite in the cultural war, a kind of national truce when all or most of us can be proud patriots and observe a secular sabbath rest from the political wrangling. "One nation under God" is the phrase we utter in common, even though it has itself become a matter of contention.

While we pray together the holy rosary after all our Masses here "for God's mercy on our country," I have been adding to the intentions in my daily private prayers, "for the conversion of our people to the ways of righteousness and of Catholicism." "People" in that intention means our American people, and "righteousness" means "moral goodness." My prayer is that Americans may be delivered from the perverse ideological leanings that have caused so much ruination in our country and that they would be open to the full truth of the Catholic faith -- the one and only Christian religion founded by Christ. That's a tall order, one might say, an awful lot to tack on to one's prayer intentions. Agreed. Yet undaunted by the enormity of it I have now with even greater boldness added to this already heavily-laden intention the same prayer intention for our neighbors in Canada. This comes as a result from speaking to some Catholic Canadians recently who are smarting even more than we from the same philosophical poisons that have been dividing and corrupting us Americans. Religious liberty is seriously endangered for our friends to the north, and it is -- naturally -- the Catholic religion and its moral tenets that are the target for elimination from the governing and even from the minds of Canadians.

Would it be too much to ask you to make the mental (if not outspokenly verbal) intention in your daily prayers, "for God's mercy on our country and on Canada"? It would be a very literal and concrete way of having effective Christian charity on our "neighbor," in this case, our geographic neighbor. Over the issues that trouble and conflict Canadians we stand in a unified worry, for we are all solicitous that the rights of Christ be protected.

While the most blissful month of July is at hand when your pastor tries to forget (not you, but) some of the mundane aspects of parish business, there looms in the not-too-distant future our August 15th celebration. My simple appeal to you is to become much involved in the preparation, the events themselves, and the follow up of Assumption Day 2018. I was reminded at the recent preparation meeting for the feast day that my revered predecessor Monsignor Sawher would goad, urge, and exhort parishioners from the pulpit to take August 15th as a holiday and to clear home calendars so that the entire day could be devoted to Our Lady at the parish. Taking my cue from him I ask you to make this your day of parish involvement and pride by being present and active throughout the day, praying and assisting in the various activities. If Grotto holds a special place in your heart, this is the time to prove it in action. Although it may seem that I'm asking a great favor, the reality is that you will get the greater benefit for the investment of your time and work. Plan now to be a big part of our feast day.

Fr. Perrone

Fr. Perrone: Why pray for the dead?

Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, November 5, 2017):

What we know about life after death pales in comparison with what we do not know. There are so many unanswered questions. Our Lord Himself spoke of the next life in similes, leaving us to glean a literal understanding from the imagery therein. Although the church has officially said relatively little about the souls of the deceased as being in this world (think of ghosts, apparitions of and licit communications with the dead through prayer), we have some hints that the matter may be much more complex than the little doctrinal surety we have about these matters. Upon the death of our Lord, for example, it is written that many holy souls arose from their graves and appeared to many on earth (Mt. 27:53). In our time we have testimony from a convincing number of persons who have had 'near death' experiences in which their souls seem to have hovered over and about their not-quite-yet-dead bodies. How much is fantasy, how much deception, how much undefined truth is unsure. Our doctrinal certainty on the condition of the dead is rather succinct: after the particular judgment there is heaven, or hell, or purgatory. The rest is not specified.

Holy Church however has always prayed for the souls of the faithful departed, that is, for those who were once living members of the Church on earth but who may now, after death, be in need of our prayers. Canonized saints are excluded from this prayer since it is certain that they have successfully achieved their place and their state cannot improve. Likewise, the souls of the damned cannot be ransomed by any degree of supplication for them. Only the souls of the dead in purgatory can profit from our Masses, indulgences, and other prayers and good works offered for their amelioration.


At one time in rather recent history -- before Vatican II -- Catholics had a more manifest devotion to the "poor souls" in purgatory. Ever since the near demise of the Requiem Mass (the Mass for the dead, revived only ten years ago by Pope Benedict XVI by permitting the return of the traditional Latin Mass), Catholics seem to have forgotten that purgatory is a solemnly proclaimed dogma of the Church (which, therefore, no Catholic can deny and yet remain a Catholic) and that Masses and prayers for the dead are a real benefit to those in purgatory, enabling them to be released the sooner from the just punishments they suffer as a result of their sins. (For the uninformed: the daily black vestment Requiem Mass was a common occurrence before the Council; there were in some churches so-called 'privileged altars' where indulgences for the dead were secured; litanies and other prayers for the dead were commonly recited; and people customarily arranged for Masses to be said for their beloved deceased.) With the loss of the doctrinal instruction, today's modern Catholics have the erroneous assumption that nearly everybody goes directly to heaven after death. Given the infallibility of the Church's dogma regarding the existence of purgatory it would be at least negligent, if not cruel, to omit praying for the souls detained in this transcendent 'prison' (cf. Mt 5:25). How many of our beloved may be in need of assistance from the church on earth? With the facile dismissal of the doctrine of purgatory that help will not be forthcoming.


This entire month is set aside to remember the dead and to alleviate their sufferings. It has been estimated that the pains of purgatory are more intense than any known in this life. When one considers the excruciating possibilities of present pains, that's a staggering amount. Charity ought to motivate us to assist souls who have no means to help themselves.

God in His mercy provided a place of temporary punishment for sin which we call purgatory. Let us be grateful that we can help the poor souls by our works.

This weekend our parish will have the 40 Hours of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We open this on Friday after the 7:30 Mass until 7:00 p.m. It continues on Saturday after the 7:30 a.m. Mass until 7:00 p.m. Next Sunday adoration takes place only in short intervals between Masses and concludes with the solemn high Mass at noon, followed by the procession with the Blessed Sacrament. Plan this weekend on being in church for one hour of prayer besides your usual weekend Mass time.

Fr. Perrone

"Pope Francis, pray for us"???

Commenting on Confitebor's observations about the shameless papalotry represented by this pewter cross in a Catholic religious store -- a cross bearing the image of the Holy Father and the words, "Pope Francis, pray for us" -- Guy Noir - Private Eye, now our mid-Atlantic Piedmont correspondent, declared:

If every recent pope ends up canonized, what should we expect?

The cult of the saints becomes "cult like," encouraging veneration of people that ought to go to God's Son.

I used to think canonizations were exercises in papal infallibility. That confidence has been completely eroded. The modern Church has pushed its credibility on this score past the breaking point, with John Paul II himself, sadly, leading the way via removing the Devil's Advocate. Another example of how the Church's leaders do not seem overly keen to protect its enduring credibility in an age of disbelief. I just don't get it. Sanctity should not need overly aggressive PR hacks.

“…the language demons fear the most…”

Via Fr. Z's Blog:

At Catholic Gentleman we find an interview with “Mixed Martial Arts” fighter, Bas Rutten.  Biretta tip to a reader –   o{]:¬)

In the interview we find:

14. You say frequently, “Deo gratias!” This is Latin for “Thanks be to God.” Just curious: Do you happen to go to a Mass that is in Latin?

Yes, I do. I also do my rosary in Latin and learned a whole bunch of other prayers in Latin as well. It’s the language demons fear the most, and the universal language of the Church.  I find it more reverent and a higher form of prayer.

The more I pray, the more I see everything in my life as getting better, not only in regards to the Faith, but also for myself and automatically my family and friends. The more prayers I memorize the more it develops my brain, the easier it becomes for me to memorize scripts, whether it’s for movies, TV or commentating jobs. YES, it takes time to memorize, but it will help me with a whole bunch of other things as well.

Many people only train their bodies; not realizing you can train your brain and your soul as well.  Our biggest fights are not with mortal flesh but with the fallen angels.  Another great fighter once said something to that effect…

Do I hear an “Amen!”?

Memorize prayers in Latin.

Promote the study of Latin.

Support sacred liturgical worship in Latin.

Thanks from Tonya for your fund raiser contributions

I just received a card from Tonya for whom we had a fund raiser beginning back in November and ending the first week in December. Many of you contributed generously, enabling us to raise well over $3,000.00. After weeks of looking for a reliable used car in her range, after passing over a 2011 Toyota Yaris which she loved but couldn't afford, she finally settled on a 2005 Mercury Sable. On the upside, it's beautiful, with new tires, a flawless interior and exterior and looks reasonably well-maintained. On the downside, it had a recent transmission replacement and has a few repairs that will be necessary to keep it in running order: the right-front axle, a ball joint, new brakes and rotors, a wheel bearing, a transmission flush, and transmission mounts. Still, she was able to get the car at a reasonable price and has some reserves from your generous contributions that will allow her to make most of these repairs.

Many thanks go to all of you. And now it's Tonya's turn to thank you in her own words. Transcribed below are her own words, originally written in a beautiful hand in a Thank You card:

To all my Guardian Angels near and far!

I want to take this time and thank you all for the blessings and prayers bestowed upon me! You have made my life so much easier.

God bless & Merry Christmas,
From your babe wrapped in swaddling clothes of love.
Dec. 2016

And my personal thanks to all of you, as well, for your selfless generosity in helping this sister in Christ. It all becomes the more poignant as we find ourselves in the season of Advent approaching the birth of our Savior. Thank you, and God bless you!

Fr. Perrone: How our corporate prayers after Mass have been modified following the election

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, November 20, 2016):

Years ago, in the time of my youth, after every Sunday Low Mass the priest would say the "Leonine Prayers," so-named after Pope Leo XIII who originally had ordered them to be said. The stated intention for these in my time was "for the conversion of Russia," that is, for Soviet Russia, the then much-afeared enemy of God and the USA.

These prayers were conducted in this way. The preist and servers would kneel on the alter step after Mass and, after announcing the intention (above) would say three Hail Marys in dialogue with the people (as in the rosary), the Hail Holy Queen, then a prayer for the conversion of sinners and freedom of the Church. This was followed by the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel and was concluded with a threefold invocation for mercy to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

I have many times written and spoken about our rosary after Mass offered for the good of our country, to which we added, before the election, the Memorare said thrice. Now that the presidential election is behind us, what should we do?

I sense that our rosaries have been very powerful as prayers of petition for the USA. I don't think we should stop them now. Even if Mr. Trump proves to be a reformer of some of the outlandish and frightening directions in which we have been headed morally, our people are still much divided over moral truth with obedience to God's law versus the caprice to act without restriction. To change hearts is much harder than to change laws and policies. We need prayer to ensure the freedom of the Church and the common good of our American people. Moreover, the president-elect will need prayers for his protection and his success. The rosary after Mass ought to remain. But it would be good to modify the remainder of what we have been doing somewhat in line with the former Leonine Prayers to better direct our intentions for our people and for the Church in our country. Accordingly, I would not make these changes in our post-Mass prayers: after the rosary, immediately the Memorare (said once), the verse and response ("Pray for us, O holy Mother of God ..."), the Oration (from the Leonine Prayers, said by the priest alone) "O God our refuge and our strength ...", the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel (to curb the power of the devils from wreaking havoc in the world). This would not take any more time than the prayers as offered formerly but would be more expressive of our purpose. You should also know that those extra prayers for the intentions of the Pope to gain the plenary indulgence for a group recitation of the rosary may be said privately, and need not be said in common.

The American people need a real conversion from sin and a healing of all the damage that has been done in recent decades through loose morals. What has easy divorce and ready availability of contraceptives, rampant porn watching, and the killing of babies in their mothers' wombs done to the minds and hearts of Americans? Who can calculate the spiritual fallout?

If anything, the stress and fear generated by the days preceding the presidential election have had the good effect of making some people more fervent and steadfast in their prayers. I myself have felt this not only in my private devotions and sacrifices but also in our public rosary and the Memorares we were committed to say.

Beginning this weekend we will adopt these prayers. I hope you will continue to remain and pray as a parish. We are stronger when united as a body of suppliant parishioners.

Fr. Perrone

Fr. Perrone on what we prayed to be spared

With each passing year, as our society continues to evolve, I grow ever fonder of our parish, which in so many ways is unlike nearly any other I've experienced. By the same token, I suspect, in the eyes of the surrounding society (even Catholic society), our parish must seem proportionally out-of-step and weirdly antiquated. What makes it so? Simply that it has resisted evolving along with society. There's nothing really extraordinary about our parish at all in the great historical scheme of things. The fact is, it is simply Catholic; and Catholic precisely in the sense that any of our Catholic great-grandparents would have immediately recognized. They would have found it entirely ordinary; which is what makes it so extraordinary today. This is one reason I like to include those parts of these weekly reflections by our pastor that open a window onto our parish life -- like the concluding two paragraphs of his column below, which was published the Sunday preceding the presidential election. Enjoy.

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" [temporary link] (assumption Grotto News, November 6, 2016):

I recently came across this and thought you'd enjoy reading it these days just before the election.

*****

A Fable
Once upon a time in a not too distant land there was a people who had just elected a New Leader (NL) who promised, if elected, to enforce contraception funding, support unlimited abortion rights and fetal experiments, and uphold gay marriages, and who was known to have done criminal deeds but people didn't much care about that because their own sins blinded them to see them. One of NL's goals that had not been kept too much of a secret was to penalize any religious body that opposed sweeping social changes for a brave new society. While some people protested these, only one religious group proved big and powerful enough to stand in the way of NL's new ways. So an order came down on them. "Either change your ways and your beliefs to fit with the new program or else heavy taxes will be levied on all your properties, and you'll be shut down in no time!" This threat terrorized the hierarchy and made the hearts of believers tremble. But to keep peace some of the hierarchy said, "Let's give in to this new program so we can keep our properties, stay in control, and keep some semblance of our religion." Others, clergy and laity alike, were adamant and refused to change. These had their parishes shut down for lack of money to pay the taxes and their clergy went into hiding -- some of whom were imprisoned. And so there was a huge split in this church. While the side of those who went along with the new policies resented the oppressive controls they weren't really all that sad. "NL means well," they said. "Besides, most of us -- unlike those rigid forlks who were shut down and forced undegroudn -- secretly agreed with a lot of what NL wanted done anyhow." And so these got on rather well, though theyfelt deeply guilty for their conformity. The diehards meanwhile, those who refused to change their ways, kept the old religion alive, conducting their religious services clandestinely and teaching their children the old religion of their fathers. So there was now an officially recognized church under NL's control and the opporessed reactionaries who kept to their traditional ways in secret.

Meanwhile the whole land was now beginning to feel other pressures as NL pushed on to greater and greater control of people's lives. Taxes were increased to unbearable limits to create the new society that promised freedom, equality, and happiness for everybody -- everybody except those who opposed the new program. Conformists with the reforms were rewarded with jobs and privileges while the general population suffered emotionally and economically, even unto wretchedness. But whenever somebody began to object or criticize NL or the new reforms they were forcibly silenced and punished severely. In this way NL exercised total control over everything in this land and many pretended they liked things this way -- though they really resented them -- because they were afraid.

Life went on a long time in this land and the people were miserable. All the while, however, the underground believers and other dissidents kept going quietly under oppression, living by their old beliefs and ways as best they could, keeping alive in their hearts the hope that someday NL would be gone, the former order reinstated, and liberty restored.

But in the meantime, the people lived most unhappily and were very sorry that they had ever brought this sufering upon themselves.

*****
Recall that there will be an overnight prayer vigil in our church this Monday night after the 7:00 p.m. Mass through Tuesday morning just before the 7:30 a.m. Mass. We will be prostrate before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, precisely as we sing the Benediction hymn, veneremur cernui, that is, falling down before God. This is expressed well also in (Vulgate) Psalm 94 that is prayed in the Divine Office every morning: "Come, let us adore, and bow down before God, let us weep before the Lord." We have great reason to pray so very humbly for a good outcome to this election.

The Forty Hours Devotion opens this Friday at the 7:30 a.m. Mass with its procession following, closing just before the 7:00 p.m. Mass. It will reopen Saturday morning at 6:30 (with Mass at the usual 7:30 time), closing 8:00 p.m. On Sunday morning adoration begins at 6:00 a.m. and continues through the solemn closing Mass at noon (procession with the Blessed Sacrament is at the end of the Mass). Note that during the Sunday Masses, the Eucharist is not exposed, except during the noon Mass due to a special privilege for the closing Mass of Forty Hours.

Fr. Perrone

Pancake Sunday today.

Fund raiser now closed! $3,650.93!!

How about some unambiguously GOOD news on this otherwise politically tumultuous day? Here it is:

First of all, the solicitations are now ended!!!!! Donations are now officially closed!

But secondly, check this out: YOU have now raised in three weeks a total of $3,650.93 for our friend, Tonya!!!

Today I visited Tonya and presented her with THE certified cashier's check we've been waiting to give her. She couldn't bring herself to open it right then because she was weeping. I told her that I would be in touch if she wished for help in the actual purchase of a car.

I included in the envelope with her check a letter telling her how I went about raising the funds -- by means of this blog, direct emails, and Facebook posts -- all without disclosing her identity, as she wished. I also told her the number of contributions she received. And from where -- one from Mexico, two from Ireland, three from Canada, five from Plymouth, MI, one from Utah, another from Seattle, NC, TN, NY, etc. -- again, without disclosing any names.

I told her how touched I was by your exceeding generosity -- how gifts kept coming in through online donations and checks in denominations mostly in the $50.00 - $100.00 range, a few a bit less, a few much more. And the amazing thing was that MANY of these gifts were from people I've never met! And even more amazing was the fact that all of you were donating to someone unknown to you!

While donations are officially closed, there have been a few additional contributions that have come in, and I will see to it that these are forwarded as soon as possible to Tonya as well. For their most recent contributions, my thanks to Philip Lynch in Ireland (our second contributor from Ireland!), to Peter Paolini, and to Nathaniel Maas Blosser currently assigned to the USS Nimitz in the Pacific.

My hearty thanks to each of you, once again, for your thoughtfulness, kindness, and generosity in contributing to our fund-raiser to help Tonya buy her new (used) car! She told me that she was planning to write a thank you letter to all of you, which I will be posting in the near future. In the meantime, she asks me to convey to each of you her heart-felt gratitude. Not in a long time have I felt so keenly the significance of the metaphor, the 'Body of Christ,' with Christ as our Head and we as His members. I have been profoundly touched by your largesse, and I know Tonya has been too.

Thank you!

Eleven more days! Fundraiser at $1313.00 and counting ...

A few more donations have come in over the last couple of days: one online donation from a generous lady in Chatham, Ontario, and two checks from families in Canton, Michigan, and Hickory, North Carolina. THANK YOU to all of our generous benefactors! (For those of you who don't know, we're raising money to help an African-American single mother who needs to get a car within a matter of weeks in order to keep her job.)

If you haven't recently enjoyed the gift of giving, here's a marvellous opportunity coming your way for only a little longer. Eleven more days and your opportunity to give will have come and gone.

The way I see it, the Lord gives us opportunities to respond with generous hearts. In and around Detroit, we see many individuals holding signs asking for help at traffic interchanges. It's often inconvenient to try to give under those circumstances. And sometimes we may not trust those soliciting. Like yesterday when I gave $20 to a man in a shopping center parking lot who claimed he was a hurricane victim from Florida. I wasn't sure he was trustworthy, but I gave anyway. We need to be prudent, but we also know the Lord wants us to be charitable. Proverbs 21:13 says: "Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need."

If you can't give financially, please pray for the success of this fund-raiser. At least a Hail Mary. That's not hard and takes less than a minute. Pray, too, for this hard-working lady, this single mother of two. She's done many things for others in her turn that has gone unnoticed by those around her. She's a sister-in-Christ. If you are able to give something financially and believe the Lord is calling you to give, please give generously. Every donation helps. It all adds up.

A recent donor, concerned that our collective contribution won't be enough to help this woman buy reliable transportion, posted this colorful comment:

As a contributor and as someone who has had experience with $3000 cars and the scumbags who exploit the poorest among us by selling them crap cleaned up just well enough to get past the lemon law limit, let me say one thing we all know but maybe don't want to face: $3000 just isn't going to cut it. Not even close. Let's face facts, folks: that amount of money hasn't got anyone a quality motor vehicle since Richard Nixon was president.... C'mon folks, dig a little deeper!"

Think of it this way: when you give, you receive. You know this is true. We receive a profound spiritual blessing when we help others. So be 'greedy' for blessings and give generously! Seriously!

If you wish to send a check instead of giving online, please email me atblosser.philip@shms.edu for instructions.

Also, please note that when you click on the 'Donate' button, you will be re-directed to a page that says "Donate to Academy Press" (either by Paypal or credit card). 'Academy Press' is the name of the account which we're using to process donations for Tonya.

Thank you for your generosity!!

Thirteen more days of priceless opportunity!

Another generous donation today -- this one from a gentleman from a lovely corner of Quebec just south of Montreal just down a tree-lined road from a scenic lake. THANK YOU to all of our benefactors!

If you haven't recently enjoyed the gift of giving, here's a marvellous opportunity coming your way only a little less than two weeks longer. Such opportunities come and go. There's no compulsion involved. Purely voluntary. It's the way our Lord works, isn't it? He presents the opportunities; and then it's up to us how we respond.

Please pray for the success of this fund-raiser. At least a Hail Mary. That's not hard and takes less than a minute. Pray, too, for this hard-working lady, this single mother of two. She's done a lot for others in her turn and in her own way, even though she hasn't had it exactly easy. And, if you can and feel led, please give something. Even a little helps. It all adds up.

Think of it this way: when you give, you receive. You receive a profound spiritual blessing that comes from helping others. So be 'greedy' for blessings and give generously! Seriously!

Also, please note that when you click on the 'Donate' button, you will be re-directed to a page that says "Donate to Academy Press" (either by Paypal or credit card). 'Academy Press' is the name of the account which we're using to process donations for Tonya.

Thank you for your generosity. Sincerely!!

$1,097.07 and counting! Fund raiser update!

Just 14 more days! And, as promised, I'm reporting on our progress after the first week. Due to the exceptional generosity of a donation from someone in the environs of Buffalo, NY, we have, as of the end of Week One, broken through the $1,000.00 level in donations! Wow! I'm seriously impressed with all you folks! Thanks to all of you -- our many benefactors -- for their kindness and generosity in contributing to this worthy cause.

In two more weeks, we will present the lady we're calling 'Tonya' with a cashier's check for the total amount of our fund drive, to help her buy a reliable pre-owned vehicle to provide her with transportation to and from work. See HERE for details. At this point, my goal is to raise $3,000 for her. I can't wait to see her face!

$3,000. Is that realistic? First of all, is it realistic to think of raising that much money just from the charity of our readers? I'm not sure, but I'm inclined to think so. Catholics, especially faithful ones, tend to be a generous lot. They know their true treasure is not laid up here on earth where "moths and rust consume and thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19). So they're generous in the categories of corporal and spiritual works of mercy. They lay up treasure in heaven, where its value will be eternal. And there are lots of non-Catholics who know all about being generous too.

Second, is it realistic, even assuming we can raise $3,000, to think that Tonya could buy a reliable pre-owned vehicle for that amount? I suppose that depends. If you wanted to buy a reliable car for, say, your daughter, would you consider it reasonable to shop for one in the $3,000 range? Hmmmmm ..... Dunno. But I'm also thinking that there may be individuals out there who may be willing, or know someone who is willing, to sell one of their existing vehicles -- perhaps one they've begun thinking about trading in -- for a generously discounted price. To Tonya.

There are different ways to be generous. If one can't share monetarily, it may be possible to discount a car you've been thinking about selling. If you can't do either of those, you can certainly pray for Tonya and for the success of this fund-raiser.

If you haven't given anything yet, please give generously.

Also, please note that when you click on the 'Donate' button, you will be re-directed to a page that says "Donate to Academy Press" (either by Paypal or credit card). 'Academy Press' is the name of the account which we're using to process donations for Tonya.

Thank you for your generosity. Sincerely!!

Donate. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Today we received no donations. 16 more days! Perhaps as our friend Ann Marie suggests, I need to keep on sharing without interruption! For what are we soliciting funds? To help a single mom buy a reliable used car to get to and from work. See HERE for details.

Please give generously.

If you cannot give money, please pray for the success of this fund-raiser; and pray for Tonya and her family.
Thank you!!

Donate here (to help a single-mom in need) - 17 more days

Thanks to our most recent doners, who include my sister in Seattle, a former seminary student, a seminary colleague, and a friend from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Your generous gifts toward helping someone in need get reliable transportation to and from her job are most appreciated.

Again, I am humbled by the willingness of people (sometimes complete strangers to me) to reach out to help another complete stranger, especially as I am unable to provide photos, personal information, or tax write-offs. I continue to be in awe of people's large-hearted generosity and trust. Thank you.

The financial need is both genuine and great. If others among our readers are willing to step up, the 'Donate' button below should link directly do the 'Academy Press' account where you may use either Paypal or a credit card to make your donation.

Please give generously.

If you cannot give money, please pray for the success of this fund-raiser; and pray for Tonya and her family.
Thank you!!

Eighteen more days!

No, not until the election! We are in Day Four of a three-week fund raiser for a hard-working African-American single mother-of-two who needs serious help buying a reliable used car to get to and from work.

First, I want to say how humbled (or is 'awed' a better word?) by the generosity of our good readers who have contributed so generously to this worthy cause thus far. Especially so, since we have no tax-exemption status to allow you to claim your donations on your taxes. And ALSO because, in keeping with the wishes of the woman we're trying to help, she understandably wishes not to have her name, photo, or personal details posted on the Internet. Which means that those of you who have already contributed so generously have done so in trust, by trusting me and what I've told you. That is humbling indeed.

Gifts have been coming in from as far away as Ireland! Generous gifts. In denominations of $15, $20, $25, $50, and $100. But we still have a long way to go if we're going to help this good lady buy reliable transportation. She needs our help.

I have never been a master of the "art of the deal," like Trump. I wouldn't know how to sell something to save my life. But when it comes to begging for help for someone else -- that I can do!

Here's how I look at it. Some people, through no fault of their own, find themselves in circumstances that haven't conduced to their financial advantage. I, through no merit of my own, find myself in circumstances that have conduced (at least modestly) to some financial advantage. Don't get me wrong: I'm no Trump. I'm a seminary professor, educated in the tastes of the wealthy gentleman living in a gated community, but with an income that wouldn't allow me to purchase even the gate house. I've never bought a new car in my life. But I have some expendable income. We can afford to dine out sometimes.

So I wonder how God sees us. On the one hand, here's a woman who isn't sitting on her haunches collecting welfare. She's working. She can make ends meet for the most part. But her hours are not quite full-time. She has virtually no money to put towards the purchase of a new pre-owned vehicle. She couldn't possibly afford monthly payments. On the other hand, here I sit in our modest dwelling, but virtually debt-free. We have some savings.

The moral calculus is easy. It's not rocket science. My parents loved the verse: "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)

Then there's this, the last part of which one of my sons learned in Latin once: "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (I Corinthians 9:6-7).

Please give generously.

If you cannot give money, please pray for the success of this fund-raiser; and pray for Tonya and her family.
Thank you!!

Fund-raiser update! Thanks to our latest donors!!

I want to update you on our fund raiser for our sister-in-Christ who needs funds to help buy an operable used automobile to get to and from work. See more details HERE and HERE.

So far, after two days, we have had a total of eight generous donations and two pledges from individuals and families as far away as Ireland. Not all donors give out their addresses, but so far we have donations from: Ireland, Utah, North Carolina, Michigan, Kansas, and several of unknown origin. I would like to thank our most recent donors, who include Tim and Karla Dorweiler, Rob Mercantante, Teresa Grindlay, and Danielle Blosser; and two pledges -- one from Daniel Graham Clark and another from Ben Lafayette.

For the convenience of anyone else who would like to help out this friend-in-need, we've placed a donate button right on the bottom of this page.

Remember: Hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus ("God loves a cheerful giver")!!

Please give generously.

If you cannot give money, please pray for the success of this fund-raiser; and pray for Tonya and her family.
Thank you!!

"God give us men whom the lust of office does not kill ... the lust of office cannot buy ..."

A prayer* penned by the New England poet, Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819 – 1881), more timely now than when it was written:

God give us men! A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty, and in private thinking;
For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds
Their large professions and their little deeds.
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.

*Erroneously attributed to "J.B. Holland" by the Scots-American pastor, Peter Marshall (1902-1949), Chaplain of the U.S. Senate during his tenure in Washington, D.C.

Answered prayer

On January 9th of this year, I requested urgent prayer for Julia, who, after nearly a lifetime of surgeries, was facing yet another, due to insufferable pain from sharp bone spurs and broken bones in her neck and shoulder, due to a degenerative condition.

Julia had her surgery about a week ago, and was in severe pain following the surgery, which was worsened by a bad fall after she was returned to her room in the nursing home where she lives. She was sent back to the hospital and the ordeal continued.

As of yesterday, however, she is completely pain free. I just checked with her again and heard that she is doing fine. I'm not sure what the condition of her degenerative bone disease is at present; but the important thing is that she is pain free and feeling gloriously happy.

This is what I asked you to pray for, and this prayer was answered. Of your kindness, if you're willing, please continue to remember her in your prayers for the life ahead of her. It's marvellous to see how God answers prayers when many join in intercessory prayers as you have. Thank you.

Answer to prayer

Last October I solicited prayer for a fellow parishioner named Mike who had undergone a heart transplant operation in July of last year (see "Prayer requests," Musings, October 1, 2015). At the time, Mike was battling infection from a respiratory virus that pushed his condition back to the critical brink where some worried we might lose him.

Thanks to your prayers, and those of many others, I am happy to announce that Mike has sufficiently recovered to return home this week and has been reunited with his long-suffering wife. Upwards of half-a-year is a long time to spend on your back in a hospital. Mike's muscles were so atrophied that it took months just for him to be able to hold a book in his hands, much less get out of bed and stand.

Please stop to offer a word of thanksgiving to God for answered prayer. I'm sure he and his wife couldn't be happier than to be reunited at home again. And, thank you, again, for your intercessions.

Fr. Perrone: (1) join in my prayers for your salvation; (2) speak up at the archdiocesan synod on why local churches are closing

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, November 22, 2015):

The Forty Hours Devotion was well attended last weekend. I was pleased with that because I know this to be a time of grace, of spiritual benefit for the parish generally, and for the individuals and families that made their way to the church to adore the Lord. Sorry if I sounded threatening or self-pitying in last week’s lamentation over a poor turnout the year previous. Perhaps people were becoming spoiled over the easy availability of Eucharistic adoration time and thus dismissing the opportunities given to them (you should know that at one time the Church actually discouraged frequent exposition of the Sacrament lest the people become blasé over this Wonder of wonders); or perhaps they were becoming mindless of the true and real Presence of the incarnate Son of God there and saw no point in making visits to the Blessed Sacrament. My own experience of the Forty Hours has been rewarding: a time of self-abandonment to Christ in as humble manner of outpouring myself before Him as I can muster. In return, I emerge from the time of adoration fortified and refreshed. Those who came to adore the Lord must surely have experienced something of the same.

This thought leads me to a couple of pastoral points to make. The first of which concerns your spiritual welfare, which remains my most important preoccupation, apart from the salvation of mine own soul.

When I make my prayer intentions, I beseech God that He would save the souls of all my family, relatives, parishioners, and friends–all of those to whom I have a relationship in some way. In doing this I attempt to draw upon the pastoral clout I have before God by virtue of the holy priesthood which He deigned to grant me. It’s a kind of bargaining power with the Almighty, for such is the given position of the priest as a mediator between God and humanity. The priest’s particular concern, of course, must first be with those to whom he has some particular relationship of kith, kin, or post. In the last you are represented. I ask the Lord that “none of them be lost, not even one,” an echo of the words our Lord prayed to His Father before the Passion. It’s a bold thing I ask for, I know. As an individual, I’m asking a huge favor: not for the salvation of one or another soul, but for all those the Lord has given me, whom He has put in my path. Were I to ask to possess the entire created universe I would be asking for less than for the salvation even of one soul, and yet there I go about making such an entreaty to God–I who am nothing. There is the priestly office given me–so unworthy–which gives me that right, duty and obligation to pray, to intercede for the spiritual (and temporal) good of those who are ‘mine.’ This is all the more astonishing in view of the fact of my own sinfulness, an objection which Saint Paul anticipated. The priest “is appointed by God to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people” (Hebrews 5:1-3). Without this assurance I, “beset with weakness,” might not be so daring as to ask so much. I beseech God that the wills of my people (“all those You gave me”) might be conformed to the will of God. Is this foolishness? I continue to pray daily in this way in the hope that I may be granted my prayer. I realize, however, that only you individually hold the key to your salvation, and that no one–not an angel, nor a devil, nor even God Himself–can take possession of one’s soul. This is that fundamental human freedom each one possesses personally, a gift of God which is inviolable. The motive of my writing can thus be discerned. I want you to join me in my prayers for you. Otherwise, my petitioning power will be void. Only you can move that lever that lifts you from your sinful selves unto God. Only you can say that salutary Yes to Him. I will continue to pray for you as I have been doing. Perhaps God will grant my fervent wish. Doing this together is, I would say, invincible.

The other pastoral matter concerns an upcoming Archdiocesan Synod to be held next year. You may already be weary and perhaps wary of synods in view of the rather embarrassing and ineffectual gathering under that name of the bishops in Rome last month. (I have not hesitated to share with you my discontent and disappointment over it.) This local, diocesan synod aims to address a problem that the Archbishop foresees for the local Church. All the bad moves that have been made–that have been enforced–through bad, faulty teaching and preaching, and through deliberately planned catechetical ignorance are now coming up for the payoff. The prospects are, I suppose, that in the not too distant future our parishes will be nearly devoid of worshipers. How can it be otherwise? If our Catholic people now live just like Pagan Everybody Else; and if their children do not even know that the grievous crimes they so frequently commit are mortal sins, and that the Communion they receive mindlessly and unworthily is really, physically the divine Presence of Christ and, further, that Christ Himself is indeed God–if they are ignorant of these most basic things, how then can they be expected to take their places in the pews of our churches? Would they have valid reasons for being there? (I mentioned only some of the grave circumstances that have created this problem. One must also consider the depopulation of Catholics as the inevitable outcome of the practice of contraception by many married Catholic people: more mortal sins committed and unconfessed, more planned ignorance of the people on the part of priests who have withheld the truth about this or who have out-and-out lied to them about this matter.)

I think that our Grotto people ought to speak up at this Synod and do the diocesan church a big favor. I’ll be writing about this again soon to solicit your co-operation. If the diocese is not interested in listening to us, the fringe people, the token 'traditional Catholics,' fine. But maybe we–maybe you–can have an impact on the future of the Church in the archdiocese of Detroit. God’s will be done.

Fr. Perrone

Fr. Perrone: "We are just about the last holdout for [the Forty Hours Devotion], mandatory in all parishes at one time."

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, November 8, 2015):

Our parish Forty Hours Devotion opens this coming Friday and will conclude next Sunday at the conclusion of the noon Mass. The schedule will be as follows: · FRIDAY November 13th, 7:30 a.m. Mass with procession of the Blessed Sacrament following; evening Benediction at 8:30 p.m. · SATURDAY November 14th, opening Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 6:30 a.m. at the high altar with a Mass for Peace at the side altar; evening Benediction at 8:30 p.m. · SUNDAY November 15th, exposition at 6:00 a.m. and then between the Masses; closing noon Mass with Procession and Litany following the Mass.

Times have changed. Our Catholic world, once so predictable and so stable, is moving through a dark period. While I do not intend to persist in that theme, it should be admitted openly, if only to try to redress the situation by encouraging a more firm faith and a greater personal fidelity. Our parish, along with the rest of the Church, is feeling the stress.

I bring this up in the context of our Forty Hours Devotion. We are just about the last holdout for this Eucharistic practice, mandatory in all parishes at one time. I wonder whether we should perhaps abandon the annual practice ourselves. True, we have an adoration chapel where our Lord is daily honored in the Holy Sacrament, though the number of adorers is not overly impressive. In fact, we have some hours when people are not fulfilling their pledged adoration time. Reasons for this can be substantial and, knowing that it is a sacrifice of your good time, I cannot blame anyone for an occasional slip up there. Assumption Grotto Church has held to Eucharistic adoration in the church, and then later also in the chapel, for many, many years. Our church remains open every day (again, one of the few to do this) for this very purpose and our convent chapel is open for any who desire to pray before the exposed Sacrament. The consequence of our readiness to adore the Lord has been in good part the reason for our parish’s ‘success’ in otherwise dying city environs (our Blessed Mother’s honoring is the other). I should not continue to offer adoration times, however, if our people do not participate. I know there may be very good reasons for the sliding. Many of our people once of vibrant age and health are no longer able to be as active as formerly. Young families have great tasks of family business of all kinds to do every day: I admire their commitments and want to encourage them to keep their families intact and healthy as best they can. There are indeed some good reasons why our people may not be coming to adoration or attending the annual Forty Hours Devotion (last year’s attendance was disappointing). You need not tell me in words whether you want these Eucharistic practices to continue. You will vote with your feet, as they say–or rather, ‘with your knees.’ This is not meant to be a collective scolding (a lickin’), nor a pressure tactic to induce participation. I only need to know your wish. I will make the Lord available to you, if you want that, or if you can come visit Him. If not, I will have to accommodate to the changing times mentioned above and find a more suitable way for us to proceed.

One thing’s for sure, for all of us: we are getting busier all the time, and seemingly getting less satisfaction from it. Our lives ought to be substantially peaceful, allowing us to be reflective of our spiritual lives before the face of God. We seem however to be moving headlong towards a destructive end, as if life had no direction or little value. For my part, I want to slow things down all the more in the face of this furious whirlwind of pointless activity so that I can better prepare myself for eternity. There is a speed and complexity about modern life we cannot escape, true enough, but there are some things we can do to refuse participation in the proverbial “rat race.” While I can’t offer practical specifics for your weekly schedules, I suggest that you force yourselves to make quiet prayer time each day–even very early in the morning, or very late at night. More than a luxury, this is becoming more and more a necessity for survival in this godless world. If I myself need this–I who have fewer worldly matters to preoccupy myself than you–then you most have need of this. I’ve written on this last subject before. I return to it from time to time because the need for communing with God is growing ever more in proportion to the ever increasing pace of this mad world. Perhaps the Eucharistic adoration is something you can afford to do as a reprieve?

Fr. Perrone