Power Incarnate...

The synagogue at Capernaum.

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath; and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

- St. Luke 4:31-37

The people at Capernaum were astonished at Jesus' power, and no wonder. They were well-accustomed to people who claimed they could exorcise demons, and they'd use all kinds of incantations, arm-waving, and objects, calling on various powers and personages to try and gain control over the evil presence.

But Jesus' authority was something quite new. When the rabbis taught they supported every statement with quotations. They always said, "There is a saying that . . ." "Rabbi so and so said that . . ." They always appealed to authority. When the prophets spoke, they said, "Thus saith the Lord." Theirs was a delegated authority. When Jesus spoke, he said, "I say to you." He needed no outside authority.  His wasn't a delegated authority.  Jesus Himself was authority, because He is God Incarnate.

Our two deacons...

It's the thirteenth anniversary of the ordination of our two deacons, Dn. Michael D'Agostino and Dn. James Orr.  We give thanks to God for their ministry!

ALMIGHTY God, who by thy divine providence hast appointed divers Orders of Ministers in thy Church, and didst inspire thine Apostles to choose into the Order of Deacons the first Martyr Saint Stephen, with others; Mercifully behold these thy servants called to the like Office and Administration: so replenish them with the truth of thy Doctrine, and adorn them with innocency of life, that, both by word and good example, they may faithfully serve thee in this Office, to the glory of thy Name, and the edification of thy Church; through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and for ever. Amen.

We're pleased to announce...

...the formation of a new Schola, under the direction of Dr. Robert M. Finster.  Musica Sacra San Antonio will be in residence at Our Lady of the Atonement, and will provide the finest music of the Church's patrimony in the context of Solemn Evensong.  This will take place on several Sunday afternoons throughout the year.  A full schedule will be announced, but the Inaugural Solemn Evensong will take place on Sunday, October 3rd, at 4:00 p.m.  See the details below.

MUSICA SACRA SAN ANTONIO

SCHOLA IN RESIDENCE AT

OUR LADY OF THE ATONEMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH.

DR. ROBERT M. FINSTER, MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Musica Sacra San Antonio is a new select choral ensemble dedicated to the study and preparation of fine arts liturgical music which will be offered at Sunday Solemn Evensong (Vespers) at Our Lady of the Atonement Church in northwest San Antonio. The Schola’s repertoire will be from Anglican, Latin, and Russian Orthodox musical sources.

Our Lady of the Atonement Church is the founding parish for the Anglican Use Liturgy within the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, one of several parishes in the United States which was established under the terms of the Pastoral Provision granted by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

Dr. Robert Finster is a specialist in music from the Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican church traditions, and is widely known to San Antonio choral music audiences as the founder and artistic director of Texas Bach Choir from 1976-1990 and as parish musician at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Alamo Heights and at Our Lady of the Atonement Church. For eighteen years he was then active in the Chicago area as organist and choirmaster for St. Mark’s Church in Evanston and as a principal conductor for Ars Musica Chicago, an early music ensemble. He was director of music and taught liturgical music at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston and was an adjunct music faculty member at Northwestern and DePaul Universities and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

INAUGURAL SOLEMN EVENSONG

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2010, 4:00 PM

Musical Program

LITURGICAL CHORAL MUSIC BY

CHARLES V. STANFORD, GEORGE DYSON,

AND SERGEI RACHMANINOFF

Reception Following

OUR LADY OF THE ATONEMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH

Fr. Christopher G. Phillips, Pastor

Edmund G. Murray, Organist and Choirmaster

15415 Red Robin Road, San Antonio, Texas 78255

Exit Loop 1604 West at Babcock Dr., Stay on access road half mile, right on Red Robin Rd.

210-695-2944

http://www.atonementonline.com/

St. Louis, King and Confessor

St. Louis IX, King of France from 1226 to 1270, was a devoted husband, the father of eleven children, a brave crusader on the battlefield, zealous in his faith, known for his insistence upon justice for all, and benefactor of the poor.  When he died he was in a foreign land, and on his lips were the words of the fifth Psalm, "I will enter Thy house; I will worship in Thy holy temple and sing praises to Thy Name."

O God, who didst call thy servant St. Louis of France to an earthly throne that he might advance thy heavenly kingdom, and didst give him zeal for thy Church and love for thy people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate him this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of thy saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

St. Nathaniel bar Tolomai

In St. John's Gospel, Bartholomew (son of Tolomai) is known by the name Nathaniel.  His home was Cana in Galilee, where the miraculous turning of water into wine took place, and he was one of the first disciples called by the Lord Jesus. It was of Bartholomew that Christ said, "Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile!" After the Resurrection of our Lord, he was blessed by being one of the few apostles who witnessed the appearance of the risen Saviour on the sea of Galilee (John 21:2). Following the Ascension the tradition is that he preached the Gospel in Greater Armenia, and it was there that he was martyred by being flayed, which means that while he was still alive, his skin was torn from his body. The Armenians honor him as the apostle of their nation. His relics were brought eventually to Rome to a small island in the middle of the Tiber, where there is a basilica and hospital.

O Almighty and everlasting God, who didst give to thine apostle St. Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach thy Word: Grant, we beseech thee, unto thy Church to love what he believed and to preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Tomb of St. Bartholomew, Tiber Island

Today's "Crusader Times"

Here's the latest issue of The Crusader Times.

A word from our Choirmaster...

Edmund Murray is the Director of Music for both Our Lady of the Atonement Church and The Atonement Academy.  He and the other three members of the music faculty have developed a total of fourteen choirs within the parish -- nine choirs within the school, and five choirs within the church. 

Now that the summer schedule is over, we are resuming our regular activities.  Rehearsals are commencing again for the church choirs, and Mr. Murray placed the following announcement in the Sunday bulletin:

As one of several “personal parishes” erected for Anglican Use Liturgy in the United States, Our Lady of the Atonement has the great privilege of drawing upon the rich treasury of sacred music of both the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. Throughout the centuries, music in worship has been an important vehicle in carrying out the Church’s mission to “restore all things in Christ”. Indeed, sacred music is an effective means of assisting the faithful in experiencing a deeper encounter with Christ in the sacred liturgy.

There are many opportunities for involvement in the choral music program at Our Lady of the Atonement Church. The children’s and youth choir programs continue to grow. Our parish has recently become an affiliate member of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and will be implementing their training method. The RSCM has a proven success rate in churches and schools throughout the world. This system provides the opportunity for teamwork as well as individual progress in musical literacy, voice training, Christian fellowship and growth in faith. It is designed to build a musically competent group, which can play a major role in the life and service of the Church and its liturgy. In addition to musical growth, RSCM participants develop self-discipline, confidence and motivation.

Please take a few moments to read through the descriptions of our choirs and consider whether you or a family member might be interested in joining one of theses ensembles. For more information regarding participation in any of the choirs, please contact Edmund Murray, Organist and Choirmaster via e-mail at music@atonementonline.com.

The Choirs of Our Lady of the Atonement Church

Saint Nicholas Children’s Choir
- For girls and boys in grades 3-5
- Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled
- Rehearses on Thursday afternoons from 3:30- 4:10 PM

Saint Cecilia Youth Choir
- For girls and boys (unchanged voices) in grades 6-high school
- Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled
- Rehearses on Thursday afternoons from 4:15-5:00 PM

Our Lady of the Atonement Adult Choir
- For those of high school age (10th grade) and older
- Sings for 11:00 AM Mass each Sunday as well as for Holydays, and special liturgies throughout the year.
- Rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM
- Ability to read music helpful, but not required.

Saint Gregory Schola Cantorum
- For men of high school age and older (by audition)
- Sings for the Sunday 6:00 PM Latin Mass
- Rehearses each Sunday at 5:00 PM and on select Sundays for one half-hour following Mass.

Our Lady of the Atonement Festival Choir
- Designed for those who cannot make a year-round commitment to weekly rehearsals, but who have a desire to be involved in the parish music program.
- Sings for special services throughout the year (in combination with the Adult Choir) including Nine Lessons and Carols, the liturgies of Holy Week and seasonal Evensong services.
- Rehearses on select Thursday evenings preceding scheduled events.

“The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.“

- Sacrosantum Concillium, Chapter VI

This week's collect...

Grant, we beseech thee, merciful God, that thy Church, being gathered together in unity by thy Holy Spirit, may manifest thy power among all peoples, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Pope St. Pius X

The relic of Pope St. Pius X (Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto) was exposed for veneration on this, the day of his commemoration.  It was during the pontificate of St. Pius X that the Society of the Atonement entered the Catholic Church, bringing with them our beloved title of Our Lady of the Atonement.  The relic we have (pictured above) belonged originally to the Atonement Friars in Graymoor, and was a gift to us after our parish was established as a Catholic parish.

O heavenly Father, Shepherd of thy people, we give thee thanks for thy servant Pope St. Pius X, who was faithful in the care and nurture of thy flock; and we pray that, following his example and the teaching of his holy life, we may by thy grace grow into the stature of the fullness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

O God, by whose grace thy servant St. Bernard of Clairvaux, enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and a shining light in thy Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and may ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

St. John Eudes

If you ever hear me say anything that indicates I've given in to the thought that I'm overloaded with work, or if you ever hear me complain about a lack of co-operation from those higher-up, tell me to go back and look at the life and trials of St. John Eudes.  This man was pretty incredible, and here's his story:

Born on a farm in northern France, St. John was a religious, a parish missionary, founder of two religious communities and a great promoter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He joined the religious community of the Oratorians and was ordained a priest at twenty-four. During severe plagues in 1627 and 1631, he volunteered to care for the stricken in his own diocese. Lest he infect his fellow religious, he lived in a huge cask in the middle of a field during the plague.

At age thirty-two, John became a parish missionary. His gifts as preacher and confessor won him great popularity. He preached over one hundred parish missions, some lasting from several weeks to several months.

In his concern with the spiritual improvement of the clergy, he realized that the greatest need was for seminaries. He had permission from his general superior, the bishop and even Cardinal Richelieu to begin this work, but the succeeding general superior disapproved. After prayer and counsel, John decided it was best to leave the religious community. The same year he founded a new one, ultimately called the Eudists (Congregation of Jesus and Mary), devoted to the formation of the clergy by conducting diocesan seminaries. The new venture, while approved by individual bishops, met with immediate opposition, especially from Jansenists and some of his former associates. John founded several seminaries in Normandy, but was unable to get approval from Rome (partly, it was said, because he did not use the most tactful approach).

In his parish mission work, John was disturbed by the sad condition of prostitutes who sought to escape their miserable life. Temporary shelters were found but arrangements were not satisfactory. A certain Madeleine Lamy, who had cared for several of the women, one day said to him, "Where are you off to now? To some church, I suppose, where you'll gaze at the images and think yourself pious. And all the time what is really wanted of you is a decent house for these poor creatures." The words, and the laughter of those present, struck deeply within him. The result was another new religious community, called the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge.

He is probably best known for the central theme of his writings: Jesus as the source of holiness, Mary as the model of the Christian life. His devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary led Pius XI to declare him the father of the liturgical cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He was also the author of several books which served his work, e.g., The Ideal Confessor and The Apostolic Preacher. He died at the age of seventy-nine.

- from the Saint of the Day, Fr. Leonard Foley, O.F.M.

A new article on "The Anglo-Catholic"

I've posted an article titled It's Déjà Vu All Over Again at The Anglo-Catholic.  You might enjoy reading it.

The Latest "Crusader Times"

The August 16th edition of The Crusader Times is packed full of information about the goings-on at the Academy.  Click here to read it.

A man who knew how to be king...

What a man!  St. Stephen, King of Hungary, took his responsibilities seriously, starting with the idea of even being a king.  He understood that genuine royalty had to be a reflection of the Kingship of Christ, and so he petitioned the Pope, who crowned him king of Hungary.  St. Stephen was defined by his love for God and his people.  He provided churches, using his own money, and he visted the poor regularly to bring them food and clothing, showing his humility by washing their feet.

What a king!  Some of the faux-royalty we have among our leaders today could take a lesson or two.

O God, who didst call thy servant St. Stephen of Hungary to an earthly throne that he might advance thy heavenly kingdom, and didst give him zeal for thy Church and love for thy people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate him this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of thy saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

O sing unto the Lord a new song...

On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven...

...27 years ago, I was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood;

...27 years ago, the Parish of Our Lady of the Atonement was canonically erected, and with it, the Anglican Use was established in the Catholic Church;

...23 years ago, our Altar was solemnly dedicated, and the church building was blessed;

...16 years ago, The Atonement Academy was founded, with its first day of classes;

...4 years ago, Archbishop Gomez blessed our expanded church building.

All by the grace of God, and through the prayers of Our Lady of the Atonement. 

O God, who hast taken to thyself the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of thine Incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of thine eternal kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Friday night football!

The Atonement Crusaders six-man football team is up and running.  And I do mean running!  I've been watching them practice, and these boys are excited.  Last night we had our first event -- a scrimmage with the boys from Lutheran High School, our near neighbor.  It took place on our new athletic field, which by general consensus from everyone who visits, is one of the best fields around.  Our kids were fantastic!  We even had a for-real "Hail Mary pass" which caused the crowd to roar with approval.  As I said at the time, "We've got the Hail Mary... what can the Lutherans do?"

A close-up of our team's helmet...

Texas and football... it doesn't get much better than that!

Fun on the playground...

Over the summer we made lots of improvements at the Academy, including additional playground equipment for our younger students.  Having a school for all ages -- preK through 12th grade -- means there's always more to do, more to build, more to add!

The playground is dedicated to the Grandmother of Our Lord.  The statue of St. Anne and the Child Mary is a constant reminder to the children that they are under her protection, especially while they play.

Ss. Pontian & Hippolytus

St. Pontian.

A man named Maximinus became the emperor of Rome in 235. Almost immediately, he began a persecution of the Christians. One of the frequent punishments of bishops and priests was to be sent into exile to the dangerous and unhealthy mine fields in Sardinia, Italy. It was this very persecution that joined the two martyrs.

St. Pontian became pope after the death of Urban I in the year 230. When Maximinus became emperor, Pontian served the Church with his sufferings in the mines of Sardinia.

The other saint on today's calendar is St. Hippolytus. He was a priest and a scholar in the church of Rome. He wrote many excellent works of theology and was a great teacher. Hippolytus had become frustrated with Pope St. Zephyrinus, who had been martyred in the year 217. Hippolytus felt that the pope had not been quick enough to stop people who were teaching errors. St. Zephyrinus' successor had been St. Callistus I. Hippolytus had not been pleased with the choice of the new pope. Hippolytus himself had a large following, and he gave in to their suggestion that he be appointed pope. So he agreed. He broke ties with the Church and became a false pope. When the persecution began, he was arrested and sent to Sardinia. There in that sad environment, while the enemies of Christianity laughed, a miracle of healing took place.

Pope Pontian and Hippolytus met in exile. The priest was touched by the humility of the pope. He asked to return to the Church and felt the anger lifted from his heart. Pope Pontian understood the priest and loved him. He realized their need to help and encourage each other in their love for Jesus. Both became martyrs and remain for all time witnesses of forgiveness and Christian hope.

- from Holy Spirit Interactive

O Almighty God, who didst give to thy servants St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus boldness to confess the Name of our Saviour Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of the same our Lord Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

St. Hippolytus.

St. Clare, pray for us!

I'm glad our first school Mass this year falls on the feast of St. Clare.  When we take students on pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, we always visit the basilica dedicated to her, and pray before her tomb.  She's one of our "special saints," and even more so, now that we have the community of Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration as part of our Atonement family.

O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might be rich: Deliver us, we pray thee, from an inordinate love of this world, that, inspired by the devotion of thy servant St. Clare, we may serve thee with singleness of heart, and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Here they come!

My Yankee friends in the north are always amazed when I tell them the start-date for our school.  All our students return on August 11th this year, and it's not a day too soon, as far as I'm concerned. 

I love being the pastor of a parish with a school.  This is the sixteenth year for the Academy, and every year is better than the last.  We've been having open house evenings, with another one tonight, and it's wonderful to be in the hallways as families are finding their children's classrooms, signing up for sports, getting lunches ordered, seeing old friends and meeting new ones. 

They'll all be here tomorrow -- 545 students at the moment, with more waiting to be admitted -- and our new academic year will begin.  It will be my pleasure and privilege to celebrate daily Mass with all the students, faculty and staff, and we'll begin the schedule for students' confessions, too. 

Last year's graduates are heading off to their various colleges in a few weeks, and we'll have lots of new faces here.  The cycle continues!

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right, that we, who cannot exist without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have been awake and would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly I tell you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.”

- St. Luke 12:32-48

Transfiguration

Behold our Lord transfigured,

In Sacrament Divine;

His glory deeply hidden,

'Neath forms of Bread and Wine.

Our eyes of faith behold Him,

Salvation is outpoured;

The Saviour dwells among us,

by ev'ry heart adored.

No longer on the mountain

With Peter, James and John,

Our precious Saviour bids us

To walk where saints have gone.

He has no lasting dwelling,

Save in the hearts of men;

He feeds us with His Body,

To make us whole again.

With Moses and Elijah,

We worship Christ our King;

Lord, make our souls transfigured,

Let us with angels sing.

Lead us in paths of glory,

Give tongues to sing thy praise;

Lord Jesus, keep us faithful,

Now and for all our days.

Text: Fr. Christopher G. Phillips, 1990

Music: "Ewing" by Alexander C. Ewing, 1853

Dedication of St. Mary Major

From The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch:

St. Mary Major is important to Christendom for three reasons.

- It stands as a venerable monument to the Council of Ephesus (431), at which the dogma of Mary's divine Motherhood was solemnly defined; the definition of the Council occasioned a most notable increase in the veneration paid to Mary.

- The basilica is Rome's "church of the crib," a kind of Bethlehem within the Eternal City; it also is a celebrated station church, serving, for instance, as the center for Rome's liturgy for the first Mass on Christmas. In some measure every picture of Mary with the divine Child is traceable to this church.

- St. Mary Major is Christendom's first Marian shrine for pilgrims. It set the precedent for the countless shrines where pilgrims gather to honor our Blessed Mother throughout the world. Here was introduced an authentic expression of popular piety that has been the source of untold blessings and graces for Christianity in the past as in the present.

The beginnings of St. Mary Major date to the Constantinian period. Originally it was called the Sicinini Basilica; it was the palace of a patrician family by that name before its transformation into a church by Pope Liberius. The story of its origin is legendary, dating from the Middle Ages. The Breviary gives this version: "Liberius was on the chair of Peter (352-366) when the Roman patrician John and his wife, who was of like nobility, vowed to bequeath their estate to the most holy Virgin and Mother of God, for they had no children to whom their property could go. The couple gave themselves to assiduous prayer, beseeching Mary to make known to them in some way what pious work they should subsidize in her honor.

Mary answered their petition and confirmed her reply by means of the following miracle. On the fifth of August — a time when it is unbearably hot in the city of Rome — a portion of the Esquiline would be covered with snow during the night. During that same night the Mother of God directed John and his wife in separate dreams to build a church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the site where they would see snow lying. For it was in this manner that she wanted her inheritance to be used.

John immediately reported the whole matter to Pope Liberius, and he declared that a similar dream had come to him. Accompanied by clergy and people, Liberius proceeded on the following morning in solemn procession to the snow-covered hill and there marked off the area on which the church in Mary's honor was to be constructed.

Under Pope Sixtus III (432-440) the basilica was rebuilt, and upon the occasion of the definition of Mary's divine Motherhood by the Council of Ephesus, consecrated to her honor (432). He decorated the apse and walls with mosaics from the lives of Christ and His blessed Mother, which even to this day beautify the church and belong to the oldest we possess. As early as the end of the fourth century a replica of the Bethlehem nativity grotto had been added; on this account the edifice became known as "St. Mary of the Crib." To the Christian at Rome this church is Bethlehem. Other names for the basilica are: Liberian Basilica, because it dates to the time of Pope Liberius; St. Mary Major (being the largest church in Mary's honor in Rome); Our Lady of the Snow, because of the miracle that supposedly occasioned its erection.

We could point out how the divine Motherhood mystery dominates all Marian liturgy; for the Theotokos doctrine has kept Mariology Christo-centric in the Church's worship. Although recent popular devotion to Mary has become to a certain extent soft and sentimental and has, one may say, erected its own sanctuary around Mary as the center, devotion to our Blessed Mother in the liturgy has always remained oriented to Christ. In the liturgy the divine Motherhood has always been the bridge from Mary to Jesus. One need only examine Matins in honor of Mary or the Masses from her Common to be reassured. Everywhere Christ takes the central position, and Mary is the Christbearer.

Pope Liberius tracing the outline of the basilica in the August snowfall.

The High Altar.

Reliquary containing the major relic of the Manger.

St. John Vianney

St. Jean Marie Vianney, the Curé d'Ars, was born near Lyons, France, on 8 May, 1786.  He was an unremarkable student and his bishop was reluctant to ordain him.  He did so only because there was a shortage of priests.  He was sent to the parish of Ars, a place which showed little promise for any kind of religious revival.  Through his simple sanctity, long hours of hearing confessions, and forthright preaching, St. John Vianney was used by God to transform the lives of those under his pastoral care.  Here is an excerpt from one of his sermons on "The Lukewarm Soul."

A lukewarm soul is not yet quite dead in the eyes of God because the faith, the hope, and the charity which are its spiritual life are not altogether extinct. But it is a faith without zeal, a hope without resolution, a charity without ardour....

Nothing touches this soul: it hears the word of God, yes, that is true; but often it just bores it. Its possessor hears it with difficulty, more or less by habit, like someone who thinks that he knows enough about it and does enough of what he should.

Any prayers which are a bit long are distasteful to him. This soul is so full of whatever it has just been doing or what it is going to do next, its boredom is so great, that this poor unfortunate thing is almost in agony. It is still alive, but it is not capable of doing anything to gain Heaven....

For the last twenty years this soul has been filled with good intentions without doing anything at all to correct its habits.

It is like someone who is envious of anyone who is on top of the world but who would not deign to lift a foot to try to get there himself. It would not, however, wish to renounce eternal blessings for those of the world. Yet it does not wish either to leave the world or to go to Heaven, and if it can just manage to pass its time without crosses or difficulties, it would never ask to leave this world at all. If you hear someone with such a soul say that life is long and pretty miserable, that is only when everything is not going in accordance with his desires. If God, in order to force such a soul to detach itself from temporal things, sends it any cross or suffering, it is fretful and grieving and abandons itself to grumbles and complaints and often even to a kind of despair. It seems as if it does not want to see that God has sent it these trials for its good, to detach it from this world and to draw it towards Himself. What has it done to deserve these trials? In this state a person thinks in his own mind that there are many others more blameworthy than himself who have not to submit to such trials.

In prosperous times the lukewarm soul does not go so far as to forget God, but neither does it forget itself. It knows very well how to boast about all the means it has employed to achieve its prosperity. It is quite convinced that many others would not have achieved the same success. It loves to repeat that and to hear it repeated, and every time it hears it, it is with fresh pleasure. The individual with the lukewarm soul assumes a gracious air when associating with those who flatter him. But towards those who have not paid him the respect which he believes he has deserved or who have not been grateful for his kindnesses, he maintains an air of frigid indifference and seems to indicate to them that they are ungrateful creatures who do not deserve to receive the good which he has done them....

If I wanted to paint you an exact picture, my brethren, of the state of a soul which lives in tepidity, I should tell you that it is like a tortoise or a snail. It moves only by dragging itself along the ground, and one can see it getting from place to place with great difficulty. The love of God, which it feels deep down in itself, is like a tiny spark of fire hidden under a heap of ashes.

The lukewarm soul comes to the point of being completely indifferent to its own loss. It has nothing left but a love without tenderness, without action, and without energy which sustains it with difficulty in all that is essential for salvation. But for all other means of Grace, it looks upon them as nothing or almost nothing. Alas, my brethren, this poor soul in its tepidity is like someone between two bouts of sleep. It would like to act, but its will has become so softened that it lacks either the force or the courage to accomplish its wishes.

It is true that a Christian who lives in tepidity still regularly -- in appearance at least -- fulfils his duties. He will indeed get down on his knees every morning to say his prayers. He will go to the Sacraments every year at Easter and even several times during the course of the twelve months. But in all of this there will be such a distaste, so much slackness and so much indifference, so little preparation, so little change in his way of life, that it is easy to see that he is only fulfilling his duties from habit and routine .... because this is a feast and he is in the habit of carrying them out at such a time. His Confessions and his Communions are not sacrilegious, if you like, but they are Confessions and Communions which bear no fruit -- which, far from making him more perfect and more pleasing to God, only make him more unworthy. As for his prayers, God alone knows what -- without, of course, any preparation -- he makes of these.

In the morning it is not God who occupies his thoughts, nor the salvation of his poor soul; he is quite taken up with thoughts of work. His mind is so wrapped up in the things of earth that the thought of God has no place in it. He is thinking about what he is going to be doing during the day, where he will be sending his children and his various employees, in what way he will expedite his own work. To say his prayers, he gets down on his knees, undoubtedly, but he does not know what he wants to ask God, nor what he needs, nor even before whom he is kneeling. His careless demeanour shows this very clearly. It is a poor man indeed who, however miserable he is, wants nothing at all and loves his poverty. It is surely a desperately sick person who scorns doctors and remedies and clings to his infirmities.

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church, and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succor, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.