St. Agnes of Montepulciano

St. Agnes of Montepulciano

Although St. Agnes of Montepulciano was not in any way a "child saint," like her little Roman patroness, there is about her something of the same simplicity, which makes her name appropriate. Some of the best known legends about her concern her childhood.

Agnes was born in 1268, in a little village near Montepulciano, of the wealthy family of De Segni. Her birth was announced by great lights surrounding the house where she was born, and from her babyhood she was one specially marked out for dedication to God. By the time she was six years old she was already urging her parents to let her enter the convent. When they assured her that she was much too young to be admitted, she begged them to move to Montepulciano, where she could be near enough to the convent to make frequent visits. Since a state of armed truce existed between the cities near Montepulciano, her father was unwilling to move from his safe retreat, but he did allow the little girl to go occasionally to make visits in the convent of her choice.

On one of these visits an event occurred which all the chroniclers record as being prophetic. The little girl was traveling in Montepulciano with her mother and the women of the household, and, as they passed a hill on which stood a house of ill fame, a flock of crows swooped down on the little girl and attacked her with beak and claw. Screaming and plunging, they managed to scratch and frighten her badly before the women drove them away. Upset by the incident, but devoutly sure of themselves, the women said that the birds must have been devils, and that they resented the purity and goodness of little Agnes, who would one day drive them from that hilltop. Agnes did, in fact, build a convent there in after years.

When she was nine years old, Agnes insisted that the time had come to let her enter the convent. She was allowed to go to a group of Franciscans in Montepulciano, whose dress was the ultimate in primitive Franciscanism; they were known, from the cut of the garment, as "Sisters of the Sack." The high born daughter of the Segni was not at all appalled at the rude simplicity with which they followed their Father Francis; she rejoiced in it. For five years she enjoyed the only complete peace she would ever have; she was appointed bursar at the age of fourteen, and she never again was without some responsibility to others.

She reached a high degree of contemplative prayer and was favored with many visions. One of the loveliest is the one for which her legend is best known: the occasion of a visit from the Blessed Virgin. Our Lady came with the Holy Infant in her arms, and allowed Agnes to hold Him and caress Him. Unwilling to let Him go, Agnes hung on when Our Lady reached to take Him back from her. When she awakened from the ecstasy, Our Lady and her Holy Child were gone, but Agnes was still clutching tightly the little gold cross He had worn on a chain about His neck. She kept it as a precious treasure. Another time, Our Lady gave her three small stones and told her that she should use them to build a convent some day. Agnes was not at the moment even thinking about going elsewhere, and said so, but Our Lady told her to keep the stones three, in honor of the Blessed Trinity and one day she would need them.

Some time after this, Agnes was called upon to leave Montepulciano to help in the foundation of a new convent of the Franciscans in Proceno. Here, to her distress, she was appointed abbess. Since she was only fifteen, a special dispensation had been obtained to allow her to take the office. On the day when she was consecrated abbess, great showers of tiny white crosses fluttered down on the chapel and the people in it. It seemed to show the favor of heaven on this somewhat extraordinary situation.

For twenty years, Agnes lived in Proceno, happy in her retreat and privileged to penetrate the secrets of God in her prayer. She was a careful superior, as well as a mystic; several times she worked miracles to increase the house food supply when it was low. Once she was called back to Montepulciano for a short stay, and she went willingly enough, though she hated leaving the peace of her cloister for the confusion of traveling. She had just settled down, on her return, with the hope that she had made her last move and could now stay where she was, when obedience again called her back to Montepulciano this time to build a new convent. A revelation had told her that she was to leave the Franciscans, among whom she had been very happy, and that she and the sisters of the house she would found should become Dominicans.

n 1306, Agnes returned to Montepulciano to put the Lord's request into action. All she had for the building of the convent were the three little stones given her by the Blessed Virgin, and Agnes who had been bursar, and knew something about money realized that she was going to have to rely heavily on the support of heaven in her building project. After a long quarrel with the inhabitants of the hilltop she wanted for her foundation, the land was finally secured, and the Servite prior laid the first stone, leaving her to worry about where the rest of the stones were coming from. Agnes laid hand to the project and guided it safely to completion. The church and convent of Santa Maria Novella were ready for dedication in record time, and a growing collection of aspirants pleaded with her to admit them to the new convent.

he explained that the rule was to be not Franciscan, but Dominican. All the necessary arrangements were made, and the new community settled down. They had barely established the regular life when one of the walls of the new building collapsed. It was discovered that the builders had cheated, and that the whole convent was in danger of falling on top of them. Agnes met the new problem with poise. She had many friends in Montepulciano by this time, and they rallied round to rebuild the house.

hen the convent was once again completed, and had become, as hoped, a dynamo of prayer and penance, Agnes decided to go to Rome on pilgrimage. It is interesting to note that Second Order convents of the fourteenth century were so flexible in the matter of enclosure. She made the trip to Rome and visited the shrines of the martyrs. The pope was in Avignon, so she did not have the happiness of talking to him. But she returned to Montepulciano full of happiness for having seen the holy places of Rome.

At the age of forty nine, Agnes' health began to fail rapidly. She was taken for treatment to the baths at Chianciano - accompanied, as it says in the rule, by "two or three sisters" but the baths did her no good. She did perform a miracle while there, restoring to life a child who had fallen into the baths and drowned. But she returned to Montepulciano to die on the twentieth of April, 1317.

She died in the night, and the children of the city wakened and cried out, "Holy Sister Agnes is dead!" She was buried in Montepulciano, and her tomb soon became a place of pilgrimage.

One of the most famous pilgrims to visit her tomb was St. Catherine of Siena, who went to venerate the saint and also, probably, to visit her niece, Eugenia, who was a nun in the convent there. As she bent over the body of St. Agnes to kiss the foot, she was amazed to see Agnes raise her foot so that she did not have to stoop so far. Agnes of Montepulciano was canonized in 1796.

(Source : Dorcy, Marie Jean. St. Dominic's Family. Tan Books and Publishers, 1983)

Beata Clara Gambacorti, viúva, freira dominicana, reformadora, e abadessa

Beata Clara Gambacorti, (1362-1420) viúva, freira dominicana, reformadora, e abadessa

Hoje (17 de abril) celebramos a festa de Beata Clara Gambacorti, uma viúva e freira Dominicana, que era conhecida pela observância religiosa de sua comunidade e sua grande caridade e perdão.

 Em Pisa, da Toscana, beata Clara Gambacorti, que, ao perder ainda muito jovem a seu esposo, aconselhada por santa Catalina de Siena, fundou o mosteiro de santo Domingo sob uma austera Regra e dirigiu com prudência e caridade as irmãs, distinguindo-se por haver perdoado ao assassino de seu pai e de seus irmãos (1419).Etimologicamente, Clara significa aquela que está limpa de pecado, é de origem latina.

 A Beata Clara era filha de Pedro Gambacorti (o Gambacorta), que chegou a ser praticamente o amo da República de Pisa. Clara nasceu em 1362; seu irmão, o Beato Pedro de Pisa, era sete anos mais velho que ela. Pensando no futuro de sua filhinha, a que a familia chamava Dora, apócope de Teodora, seu pai a comprometeu a casar-se com Simón de Massa, que era um rico herdeiro, ainda que ela só tinha sete anos.

Quando seus pais a enviaram, aos doze anos de idade, para casa de seu esposo, já havia começado a jovem sua vida de mortificação. Sua sogra se mostrou amável com ela; mas, quando viu que era demasiado generosa com os pobres, lhe proibiu a entrada na despensa da casa. Desejosa de praticar de algum modo a caridade, Beata Clara se uniu a um grupo de senhoras que assistiam aos enfermos e tomou a seu cargo a uma pobre mulher cancerosa.

A vida de matrimônio de Beata Clara durou muito pouco tempo; tanto ela como seu esposo foram vítimas de uma epidemia, em que seu marido perdeu a vida. Como a beata era ainda muito jovem, seus parentes tentaram casá-la de novo, mas ela se opôs com toda a energia de seus quinze anos. Uma carta de Santa Catalina de Siena, a quem havia conhecido em Pisa, a animou em sua resolução. Beata Clara cortou os cabelos e distribuiu entre os pobres seus ricos vestidos, coisa que provocou a indignação de sua sogra e de suas cunhadas.

Depois, com a ajuda de uma de suas criadas, convenceu-as a organizar em segredo sua entrada na Ordem das Clarissas Pobres. Quando tudo estava a ponto, fugiu de sua casa para o convento, onde recebeu imediatamente o hábito e tomou o nome de Clara. No dia seguinte, seus irmãos se apresentaram no convento a buscá-la; as religiosas, muito assustadas, desceram-na pelo muro até aos braços de seus irmãos, os quais a conduziram a sua casa.

Aí esteve Clara prisioneira durante seis meses, mas nem a fome, nem as ameaças conseguiram fazê-la mudar a resolução. Finalmente, Pedro Gambacorti se deu por vencido e não só permitiu a sua filha ingressar no convento dominicano da Santa Cruz, mas prometeu construir um novo convento. Aí conheceu Clara a María Mancini, que era também viúva e ia a alcançar um dia a honra dos altares.

Os escritos de Santa Catalina de Siena exerceram profunda influência nas duas religiosas, as quais, no novo convento, fundado por Gambacorti em 1382, conseguiram estabelecer a regra em todo o fervor da primitiva observância. A Beata Clara foi primeiro sub prioresa e logo prioresa do convento, de que partiram sucessivamente muitas das santas religiosas destinadas a difundir o movimento de reforma em outras cidades de Itália. Até ao dia de hoje, se chama em Itália as religiosas de clausura de Santo Domingo "As irmãs de Pisa".

No convento da Beata reinavam a oração, o trabalho manual e o estudo. O diretor espiritual de Clara costumava repetir às religiosas: "Não olvideis nunca que em nossa ordem há muito poucos santos que não hajam sido também sábios". Clara teve que fazer frente, durante toda sua vida, às dificuldades económicas, pois o convento exigia constantemente alterações e novos edifícios.

Giacomo Appiano, a quem Gambacorti havia ajudado sempre e em quem havia posto toda sua confiança, assassinou-o à traição, quando este se esforçava por manter a paz na cidade. Dois de seus filhos morreram também a mãos dos partidários do traidor. Outro dos irmãos de Clara, que conseguiu escapar, chegou a pedir refúgio no convento da Beata, seguido de perto pelo inimigo; mas Clara, consciente de que seu primeiro dever consistia em proteger a suas filhas contra a turba, se negou a introduzi-lo na clausura. Seu irmão morreu assassinado frente à porta do convento, e a impressão fez com que Clara adoecesse gravemente.

Sem embargo, a Beata perdoou tão de coração a Appiano, que pediu que lhe enviasse um prato a sua mesa para selar o perdão, compartilhando sua comida. Anos mais tarde, quando a viúva e as filhas de Appiano se achavam na miséria, Clara as recebeu no convento.

A Beata sofreu muito até ao fim de sua vida. Recostada em seu leito de morte, com os braços estendidos, murmurava: "Jesús meu, eis-me aqui na cruz". Pouco antes de morrer, um radiante sorriso iluminou seu rosto, e a beata bendisse a suas filhas presentes e ausentes. Tinha, ao morrer, cinquenta e sete anos. Era em 17 de abril de 1420. Seu culto foi confirmado em 1830 pelo Papa Pío VIII.

Oração O misericordioso Deus, concedei-nos o espírito de oração e penitência que seguindo nos passos de Beata Clara, sejamos dignos de ganhar a coroa que ela já recebeu no céu. Por Cristo Nosso Senhor. Amém.

Comemorações Dominicanas do Oficio:

Lauds:

Ant. Manum suam apéruit ínopi, et palmas suas exténdit ad páuperam: fortitúdo et decor induméntum ejus, et ridébit in die novíssimo (Allelúia).

V. Elégit eam Deus et praeelgit eam (Allelúia).

R. Et habitáre eam facit in tabernáculo suo (Alleluia).

Vespers:

Ant. Veni, elécta mea, et ponam in te thronum meum, quia concupivitRex spéciem tuam (Alleluia).

V. Ora pro nobis, beáta Clara Gambacorta (Alleluia).

R. Ut digni efficiámur promissiónibus Christi (Alleluia).

Orémus

Tribue nobis, miséricors Deus, spíritum oratiónis et poeniténtiae, ut, beátae Clarae vestígiis inhaeréntes, mereámur, quam ipsa in caelis accépit, corónam obtinére. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

R. Amen

Beato Antonio Neyrot, O.P. Festa Dominicana 10 de Abril.

Beato Antonio Neyrot foi um sacerdote italiano da Ordem de Pregadores. Beato Antonio Neyrot apostatou, reconverteu e morreu mártir.

 Ele nasceu em Rivoli em Piemonte, Itália e entrou na ordem Dominicana. Após terminar os seus estudos, ele foi ordenado e morava por um tempo em São Marco em Florença onde ele estudou sob São Antoninus de Florença. Descontente, pediu uma mudança de missão e foi mandado a Sicília. Ainda descontente, saiu para Nápoles. Durante esta viagem o seu barco foi capturado pelos piratas mouros e junto com os outros passageiros, foi levado a África do Norte.

Aparece que o califa moametano de Tunísia gostou do Beato Antonio porque o trataram bem e nem foi confinado, até quando a sua arrogância irritou os seus captores. Beato Antonio foi impaciente e não gostou da ideai de ser prisioneiro. Sustentando-se de pão e água, ele logo entrou em colapso. Depois disso ele negou a sua fé para comprar a liberdade.

Beato Antonio tinha perdido toda a fé no Cristianismo e começou traduzir o Corão. Ele foi adotado pelo rei e se casou com uma senhora turca de alto escalão. Então veio as noticias da morte de São Antoninus. Isto o levou a uma mudança radical na atitude de Antonio. Ele teve um sonho no qual São Antoninus apareceu a ele. A conversa que transpirou causou Antonio a resolver a readotar a fé que ele tinha deixado, ainda que fazendo isso resultaria em sua morte.

Ao encontrar um sacerdote Dominicano, Beato Antonio fez uma boa confissão e pediu perdão publico aos seus irmão católicos no Domingo de Ramos de 1460. Depois disso ele foi readmitido à Ordem Dominicana.

Desejando que a sua conversão seja tão publica como tinha sido a sua negação, ele esperou até que o rei teve uma processão publica. Já que tinha se confessado e feito reconciliação com Deus, Beato Antonio subiu a escada do palácio onde todos poderiam ver-lo vestido no hábito Dominicano. Beato Antonio proclamou a sua fé e o rei enfurecido ordenou que ele fosse apedrejado até a morte. Beato Antonio morreu mártir na Quinta-feira Santa, 1460.

O corpo de Beato Antonio foi recuperado com grande despesa pelos comerciantes de Genoa e foi retornado a Rivoli, onde a sua tomba se tornou um lugar de peregrinação. Bastantes milagres foram atribuídos ao Beato Antonio e há uma procissão anual no templo dele onde todos os membros atuais de sua família se vestem de preto para reverenciar sua memoria.

Foi beatificado pelo Papa Clemente XIII o 22 de fevereiro, 1767 e a festa de Beato Antonio Neyrot segundo o calendário perpetuo da Ordem Dominicana é o dia 10 de abril.

 
    

What Would Archbishop Lefebvre Say About Bishop Williamson's Commentsat the Mahopac Conference?

Translator's note: Cited from: COSPEC 073 B (December 11th, 1979) 

Translated to English by Br. Raymund de Pennafort, T.O.P. Original French and Spanish translations follow. Please include all notes in the sharing of this article. While it is important to note that we must take into consideration the general knowledge that each person may have regarding the New Mass, it is equally important to continue to persistently denounce it as a Protestant, bastard rite that no Catholic should attend or support. This post does not attempt to justify the advice given at the Mahopac conference; it only merely attempts to shed some light on the complexity of the matter of judging those who attend the Novus Ordo and how to best advise them of the grave dangers associated with the New Rites.


"I still have some considerations to make about precisely what the judgment is that we should make regarding those who say this New Mass and those who attend the New Mass. Is there not also a need to have a reasonable judgment which corresponds to the pastoral care that we must have regarding the souls who still do not realize the error that they could be committing?

"It is not just the fact of the attendance or celebration of the New Mass. It's true that in many other cases where the fault is objectively grave and subjectively it is not because ultimately the conditions of a grave moral culpability do not exist; it is necessary that there is serious matter, knowledge, and full consent. We admit that there is serious matter (materia grave) and that there is full consent. But if there is no knowledge, no knowledge of the seriousness of the sin, then the person is not aware of the grave matter (materia grave). They do not commit a subjective sin.

"They commit an objective sin, but not a subjective sin. I think that people who are accustomed to utter profanities or repeat blasphemies without realizing that it is blasphemy do not know it. They repeat what they hear in their environment, vulgar things to which is associated the name of God, and they are not aware of it -well, one can point it out. They can understand it, but then they could be committing an objectively serious offense but subjectively not be guilty.

Therefore you should not judge all people. You must know how to examine each case. It's precisely the role of the confessor; he must examine, he must be informed... Sometimes, in certain cases, we might even think that it is not always very pastoral to point it out to some people ... If for example we are aware that these people, if  we point out the error that they are committing, these people will continue to do it [attend the New Mass-translator] ... it is sometimes necessary to proceed prudently in order to open their eyes to tell them what to do and not always be harsh in the way we act regarding souls. Souls are delicate objects that we cannot mistreat. When we say "you commit a grave sin", "you will go to hell", etc., we take a chance of doing more damage to a soul by mistreating it than by making it understand things gently. Rather than making one understand, explain it to them, open their eyes about the error being committed. It is a pastoral question, I would say, but it is necessary to be a shepherd to these people as well and not condemn them immediately."



Original in French

Alors il me restait quelques considérations à faire justement au sujet du jugement que l’on doit porter sur ceux qui disent cette messe nouvelle ou ceux qui assistent à la messe nouvelle. Là aussi il faut avoir un jugement prudentiel, n’est-ce pas, qui correspond à la pastorale que nous devons avoir vis-à-vis des âmes qui ne se rendent pas compte toujours de la faute qu’elles peuvent accomplir.

Ce n’est pas seulement le fait de l’assistance ou de la célébration de la messe nouvelle, c’est vrai dans bien d’autres cas où une faute objectivement est grave et subjectivement ne l’est pas parce qu’enfin si les conditions de la faute grave ne sont pas réalisées, il faut qu’il y ait matière grave et connaissance et plein consentement, admettons qu’il y ait matière grave, qu’il y ait plein consentement, mais qu’il n’y ait pas connaissance, qu’il n’y ait pas la connaissance de la gravité du péché, alors la personne qui n’a pas la connaissance de la matière grave, alors ne fait pas de faute subjective.

Elle fait une faute objective, mais pas une faute subjective. Je pense, des personnes qui sont habituées à prononcer des blasphèmes ou qui peuvent répéter des blasphèmes sans se rendre compte que c’est un blasphème, ne le savent pas, mais répètent ce qu’ils ont entendu dans leur milieu, des choses grossières auxquelles est associé le nom de Dieu ne savent pas – bon, si on le leur fait remarquer, elles peuvent le comprendre – mais donc elles peuvent faire une faute objectivement grave, mais subjectivement ne sont pas coupables. Il ne faut donc pas toujours juger toutes les personnes, il faut savoir examiner chaque cas.

 C’est le rôle du confesseur justement, il doit interroger, s’informer… Quelquefois, dans certains cas, on peut même penser qu’il n’est pas toujours très pastoral, de faire remarquer cela même aux personnes… Si par exemple on a conscience que ces personnes, si on leur fait remarquer la faute qu’elles commettent, ces personnes continueront à le faire… Il faut quelquefois aller prudemment pour leur ouvrir les yeux, pour leur dire ce qu’elles doivent faire et ne pas toujours être brutal dans la manière d’agir vis-à-vis des âmes, les âmes sont des objets délicats qu’on ne peut pas brutaliser. On risque de faire plus de tort à une âme en la brutalisant qu’en lui faisant doucement comprendre les choses, en lui disant tout de suite : vous commettez un péché mortel, vous allez en enfer, etc., au lieu justement de faire comprendre, d’expliquer, d’ouvrir les yeux sur le tort qu’elles commettent. C’est une question, je dirais, du pasteur, mais il faut agir pour ces personnes-là en pasteur aussi et non pas immédiatement les condamner.

En Español

Me quedan algunas consideraciones a hacer justamente respecto al juicio que debemos tener sobre aquellos que dicen esta misa nueva y sobre aquellos que asisten a la misa nueva. Allí también es necesario tener un juicio prudencial, ¿no es así?, que corresponda a la pastoral que nosotros debemos tener respecto a las almas que no se dan todavía cuenta de la falta que ellas pueden cometer.

No es solamente el hecho de la asistencia o de la celebración de la misa nueva, es verdad en muchos otros casos donde una falta objetivamente es grave y subjetivamente no lo es, porque finalmente si las condiciones de la falta grave no están realizadas, es necesario que haya materia grave y conocimiento y pleno consentimiento, admitimos que hay materia grave, que hay pleno consentimiento, pero no hay conocimiento, no hay conocimiento de la gravedad del pecado, entonces la persona que no tiene conocimiento de la materia grave, no comete la falta subjetiva.

Ella comete una falta objetiva, pero no una falta subjetiva. Yo pienso, las personas que están habituadas a pronunciar blasfemias o que pueden repetir blasfemias sin darse cuenta que es una blasfemia, no lo saben, pero repiten lo que escuchan en su medio, cosas groseras a las cuales está asociado el nombre de Dios y no lo saben -bueno uno se los hace notar, ellas pueden comprenderlo, pero entonces ellos pueden cometer una falta objetivamente grave pero subjetivamente no son culpables.

Por lo tanto no se debe juzgar a todas las personas, hay que saber examinar cada caso. Es el papel del confesor justamente, él debe interrogar, informarse… A veces, en ciertos casos, podríamos incluso pensar que no es siempre muy pastoral hacerle notar esto mismo a las personas… Si por ejemplo tenemos la conciencia que estas personas, si les hacemos notar la falta que ellos cometen, estas personas continuarán haciéndolo… Es necesario a veces ir prudentemente para abrirles los ojos, para decirles lo que deben hacer y no siempre ser brutal en la manera de actuar respecto a las almas, las almas son objetos delicados que no podemos maltratar. Nos arriesgamos a hacerle más daño a un alma maltratándola que haciéndole comprender las cosas dulcemente, diciéndole inmediatamente : usted comete un pecado mortal, usted irá al infierno, etc., en lugar de hacerla comprender, explicarle, abrirle los ojos sobre la falta que cometen. Es una cuestión, yo diría, de pastor, pero es necesario actuar para estas personas como pastor también y no condenarlas inmediatamente.

The Angel of Judgment: St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)

The Angel of Judgment: St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)

translated from The Dominicans of Avrillé by Br. Raymond of Pennafort, T.O.P.

Saint Vincent Ferrer
Among the thousands of saints in Heaven, each reflecting a different aspect of  uncreated Perfection, some express mercy and others justice. In some the Holy Spirit has more abundantly poured the gift of piety; in others, the gift of fear. There are sweet; there are the strong; there are the kind; there are the terrible. Not that sweet are weak, or that the strong are harsh. Not that the kind are flattering, or the terrible disheartening. Divine charity, animating all, puts into each one the delicately weighed measure of virtues which would seem to exclude themselves, because whatever the predominant element, what still dominates this is divine love and therefore the love of men.

Saints and terrible kinds of saints

The terrible saints are not devoid of sweetness; the amiable are able to be strong and even severe. Who has been more amiable than St. Francis de Sales ? Who has made ​​perfection more attractive and, at first glance, easier? However, make no mistake about it: the resignation that the Geneva bishop demanded of a smiling lady of the court is, if you look closely, as universal, as heroic as requesting a solitaire from Thebais from his disciples.

Saint Vincent Ferrier is terrible. This is the Angel of Judgment. God gave him the task of traveling around Europe, mainly to tirelessly talk to the people about their sins for thirty years, the importance of salvation, the blinding clarity of the final judgment, and the eternity of Hell .

His influence has been prodigious. The conversions he obtained number in the tens of thousands. The
miracles by which he supported his word is countless. When one reads his life in the seminal work that R.P. Fages has dedicated to him, the best documented, most complete and most recent historian, one is stunned  [1]. If we dare to read it, we seem to be finally crushed, overwhelmed by everything supernatural. Yet this terrible man is good, gentle, and kind. He not only had mercy on souls, but also bodies. He who was so harsh, healed others. He who barely ate, multiplied the bread and wine. He made water gush forth. He built bridges. He was no stranger to poverty. He refused neither the small nor the humble.

Vocation: Angel of Judgment

The only point on which there is no concession is his vocation. He is the Angel of Judgment; he knows it; his whole existence is ordered to this thought. Despite this having been so austere, it was precisely what drew large crowds, led men to God, kept him safe, as never being a lover of compromise like  those who hope to do good by offering a watered-down Christianity, full of rich religious feelings and devoid of sacrifices, for souls to listen to.

For thirty years, the Angel of Judgment shouted to the world that no it was use to win if we lose our own soul, that life is but a breath, that death is at our bedside, that after this is the Judgement where there will only be an Eternal Paradise or everlasting Hell. These are good fundamental truths that can not be repeated enough. Do not be afraid to face them, for the fear they generate is beneficial. David complained in his time when he said that the truths were depreciated by the children of men: O Holy God! What would he say in our times with its anemic, ignorant faith, failing sentimental piety, oratorical precautions, even excuses, where preachers tremble at the thought of speaking on the four last things to a renowned Christian audience? They are afraid and nearly to the point that they imitate Louis XIV when ascending before the pulpit began by saying: "We will all die ... or almost all".

A Saintly Boldness

Vincent Ferrer, on the contrary, took to use saintly boldness. And if, as Father Lacordaire said, "the first requirement of a great life is great ambition," his life was great by his ambition to win souls to Jesus Christ, to pull them, no matter what, away from Hell. For this, he refused to maintain them in a false security by preaching about the God of the good people, the good-natured God fooled by the sinner. He resolved to show them what is real,what we cannot avoid, that no golden varnish used on teaching the catechism does not mitigate, namely the chastisement that God cannot refuse to impose on the sinner because it is complete justice . All the preaching of Saint Vincent was to boldly put his audience in front of the most terrifying and certain realities: Hell is the punishment of sin. If you do not repent, you will all perish.

The Angel of Judgment is therefore the saint of the hour. He stands his lofty stature before us and darts at us his eagle eye. On his forehead there is no shining star of Dominic or on his chest the sun of Aquinas, but two calm signs, as a fixed fire, suitable for luminous grandeur of doctors. What distinguishes him is the plume of ardent and dominantly flickering flame on his head, as also his two fingers lifted to the clouds from which the Son of man shall come to judge all men. Behind his white tunic and black cape we see his wings of the Angle of the Apocalypse. In his hand is a trumpet to awaken apathetic souls sleeping in sin. For those who contemplate his image and his attitude is found in his saying in life:
"Timete Deum quia venit hora eius iudicii; Fear God because the hour of his judgment is come."

MC De Ganay

On the life of St. Vincent Ferrer, download: Saint Vincent Ferrer

[1] - P. Fages, History of St. Vincent Ferrer .


Taken from the Dominican Missal
In Pashal Time:
Alleluia, alleluia! O glorious father Vincent, famous son of the Order of Dominic, pour forth your prayers to the sovereign judge for all nations who are devoted to you.
Alleluia! Luke 24,46. It behooved Christ to suffer, and rise again from the dead, and so enter into the glory of God. Alleluia.

Apoc. 14, 6-7.   "In those days, I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell upon the earth and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give Him honor, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and fountains of waters."

Signs of Schism emerging in the "resistance" of Fr. Cardozo

You just can't make this stuff up. It really is a sad state of affairs. Two blogs have just come out full Ambrose (the impostor 'bishop' invited to Kentucky last year to cause scandal). One of these is the blog of the El Paso Mission (a estrogen-dominant group that chose to name it's chapel after Ven. Maria de Agreda). The other blog is the Fr. Cardozo led Pale Ideas. As of now, they have posted the articles in Spanish and Portuguese and promise English soon. The title of the post is: "Fr. Ortiz and friends: it is a duty to alert the faithful". This is as to show us that we must be careful with those who follow Fr. Ortiz. (That's right. They are warning us against Fr. Ortiz because he warned us about the false bishop, Ambrose.) They then characterize Fr. Ortiz by posting a picture of Judas Iscariot with the words: "The traitor receiving  his compensation, guided by the Father of Lies. Who guides the desistance?"

Fr. Cardozo recently with Frs. Hewko and Pfeiffer in the El Paso Mission.

It should be noted that the Pale Ideas blog is under Fr. Cardozo, who has been meeting recently with Frs. Hewko and Pfeiffer. What is incredible is that in the post they say that Ambrose was "falsely accused of being an orthodox" and that Fr. Ortiz writes in the "style of the sophists that elevate certain bishops to the status of divine". All of the questions raised by Fr. Ortiz have been dealt with they tell us. In the post, they refer to Ambrose as "monsenhor", while asking the question to the reader if Fr. Ortiz is writing his 36 page report in aspirations for a "mitre".   The level of depravity of the chapels under the care of Fr. Cardozo is incredible. What next? They actually use the word "mitre" with quotation marks, as if to say that Fr. Ortiz is seeking to become a "bishop", a false bishop. So, they consider Ambrose a Catholic bishop, whom they call Monsenhor, falsely accused of being a scismatic, but they deny that bishops consecrated by Bishop Williamson will be true bishops with "mitres". Finally, they accuse those of us that are a little more mentally balanced than themselves of being great divisors worrying ourselves with those who are "still remaining Catholic" (because we aren't). All of this comes not long after they posted a blog casting Bishop Thomas Aquinas, OSB into hell.

What will we see next from this group?


See the link from Pale Ideas here and the El Paso Mission here.

Pale Ideas defende o "bispo" cismático e ataca P. Ortiz!

O blog "Pale Ideas" sob a guia de Padre Cardozo, agora defende quem eles chamam de "monsenhor" Ambrose, o falso bispo de Padre Pfeiffer e Padre Hewko.

O blog Pale Ideas agora vai ao ponto de defender aquele 'bispo' cismático de P. Pfeiffer em sua raiva contra a resistência não sede vacantista. A postagem do blog está titulado "Padre Ortiz e companheiros" e debaixo do título está uma imagem de Judas Iscariot. O seja, querem dizer que quem denuncia 'bispos' que negam a primacia de São Pedro é um Judas Iscariot. Os administradores do Blog pale Ideas está indo mais e mais longe do Catolicismo cada vez e mais perto a cisma e protestantismo. O estilo deste blog é ameaçar sacerdotes e bispos com imagens do inferno, Judas Iscariot, e citações que não entendem e tentam atribuir seu próprio significado.

Aqui o Ambrose assina que rejeita a Primacia do Papado para poder unir-se aos ortodoxos GOC America com o 'bispo' Gregorio.

No artigo postado, afirmam que Ambrose é um bispo católico "falsamente acusado de ser ortodoxo". Sinceramente, sabia que esse grupo ia longe do caminho porém com isto não dá para acreditar. Afirmam que Padre Ortiz escreve no melhor "estilo dos sofistas" sobre um assunto que já foi resolvido. Bem, o problema explicado pelo Pe. Ortiz é que Padre Pfeiffer e Pe. Hewko nunca denunciaram Ambrose e insistem que é um bispo católico como Padre Ortiz demonstra ser falso. Depois lançam a ideá de que Pe. Ortiz também está lutando para conseguir uma mitra (esta palavra "mitra" colocam entre aspas como para dizer que não é uma mitra de verdade). Então, querem afirmar com isto que Mons. Williamson não consagra bispos validamente e as ordenes duvidosas de Ambrose são autenticas? Que perigo existe neste grupo! E dizem ao Ambrose "monsenhor"...não é possível de inventar uma historia como esta nem sendo sátira.

Não deveriam terminar aí. Também há bastantes denuncias de outros sacerdotes também, como por exemplo, a denuncia forte feita pelo Padre Chazal.

Afirma Pale Ideas que Ambrose foi "acusado falsamente" de ser um  ortodoxo. Aqui aparece com o ortodoxo Gregorio numa 'sagração'.

Este grupo começou atacar bispos católicos com todo o seu ser e o resultado aí é que agora defendem ortodoxos cismáticos. Demostra ao quão desconectados da realidade estão com só dando uma olhadinha no site deles e vendo que recomendam blogs norte-americanos que nem apoiam Ambrose nem eles. E depois temos isto:  Pale Ideas disse citando: "Quando os bispos se tornam DEUSES... "'Porque não é boa árvore a que dá frutos maus, nem má árvore a que  dá bom fruto. Porquanto cada árvore se conhece pelo seu fruto; pois nem se colhem figos dos espinheiros, nem se vindimam uvas de um abrolho. O homem bom, do bom tesouro do seu coração tira o bem; o homem mau, do mau tesouro tira o mal; porque a boca fala da abundância do coração.'" (S. Lucas 6,43-45; Bíblia Matos Soares.)   "Então, no "Evangelho segundo Monsenhor Tomás de Aquino" — e contrariando Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo — quando pecamos damos um fruto mau, apesar de não sermos árvores más. " "Alguém deve ser bem BURRO para não compreender algo tão simples... " Fim da citação.  Não há dúvida que o Professor Nougué mostrou o espirito do Protestantismo que existe na mentalidade de Pale ideas:  Decretos dogmáticos sobre a interpretação das Escrituras a) Concílio de Trento “Decreta também com a finalidade de conter os ingênuos insolentes que ninguém, confiando em sua própria sabedoria, se atreva a interpretar a Sagrada Escritura em coisas pertencentes à fé e aos costumes que visam à propagação da doutrina Cristã, violando a Sagrada Escritura para apoiar suas opiniões, contra o sentido que lhe foi dado pela Santa Amada Igreja Católica, à qual é de exclusividade determinar o verdadeiro sentido e interpretação das Sagradas Letras; nem contra  o unânime consentimento dos santos Padres, ainda que em nenhum tempo se venham dar ao  conhecimento estas interpretações” (Sessão IV). b) Concílio Vaticano I “Todavia, já que o salutar decreto dado pelo Concílio Tridentino sobre a interpretação da Sagrada  Escritura para corrigir espíritos petulantes é erradamente exposto por alguns, Nós, renovando o mesmo decreto, declaramos que o seu sentido é que, nas coisas da fé e da moral, pertencentes à  estrutura da doutrina cristã, deve ter-se por verdadeiro sentido da Sagrada Escritura aquele que foi e é mantido pela Santa Madre Igreja, a quem compete decidir quanto ao verdadeiro sentido e à interpretação da Sagrada Escritura; e que, por conseguinte, a ninguém é permitido interpretar a mesma Sagrada Escritura contrariamente a este sentido ou também contra o consenso unânime dos Santos Padres” (Decretos Dogmáticos do Concílio Vaticano I, cap. 2). link Diz São Jerônimo ao comentar Mateus VII, 15-20 “Perguntamos aos hereges que admitem em si mesmos duas naturezas contrárias: se,  segundo seu modo de pensar, uma árvore boa não pode produzir maus frutos, como  então Moisés, árvore boa, pecou junto às águas da contradição (Nm 26,72), São Pedro  negou ao Senhor na paixão dizendo: ‘Não conheço esse homem’, e o sogro de Moisés,  árvore má que não cria no Deus de Israel, lhe deu um bom conselho?”  [extraído da Catena aurea de Santo Tomás de Aquino]. link Então, como foi demostrado pelo Prof. Carlos Nougué, o site Pale Ideas promove a interpretação pessoal da Sagrada Escritura promovido pelo Protestantismo ignorando o que os Padres da Igreja tem falado e interpretado. Logo depois vem defendendo 'bispos' ortodoxos que negam a Primacia do Papado e querem publicar diariamente, em sua raiva, que quem apoia Mons. Williamson e Dom Tomás é um modernista jogando-se no fogo do inferno. Loucuras desse povo. Quando vejamos que disputam sobre a arvore má etc... o primeiro pensamento é: Então eles acham que não pecam? A única alternativa a esta loucura é que todo mundo peca, todo mundo é arvore má, e não existem nem santos nem arvores boas na humanidade. De qualquer modo é uma variedade de Protestantismo agora mechando-se com a cisma...