The Spiritual Life

Why Fasting and Doing Penance are Vital for Salvation

January 21, 2025

by Rev. Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI (Winter, 2018) Why Did the Apostles Not Fast While Jesus Was With Them? When Did They Begin the Holy Practice? One day the disciples of St. John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked why His disciples did not fast. They pointed out that they and the Pharisees often fasted, and that they had not observed the disciples of Jesus fasting. We could well understand why. Jesus traveled around continuously, and His disciples would have to eat whenever they were able. Jesus Himself had instructed them to “eat what is set before you.” (Luke 10:8). But in His reply to the question posed, Jesus gives another reason: “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (Matt. 9:15). This reply of

The Three Magi are Our Model for Persevering in Faith to the End

January 5, 2025

A Sermon preached on January 6, 2013, by Rev. Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI My dearly beloved in Christ, today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, which is a very important, high-ranking feast in the Church year. Usually, the Feast of the Epiphany falls on a weekday, and so the faithful are not all present for Mass, because in the United States it is not observed as a holyday of obligation. The observation of Epiphany as a holyday does occur in Canada and in many other countries because of the significance of the feast day. The word epiphany means manifestation or appearing because it is the feast of Christ manifesting Himself to the Gentile nations. At the birth of Our Lord the Angel appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of the Redeemer. The shepherds represented the Chosen People, the descendants of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob —

The Liturgy of Christmas: Excerpt From a 1994 Pastoral Letter by Bishop Pivarunas

December 24, 2024

by Bishop Mark Pivarunas, CMRI Dearly Beloved in Christ, During this holy season of Christmas, our Holy Mother the Catholic Church celebrates in a singular and wonderful manner the joyous feast of the Nativity of her Divine Savior Jesus Christ. This can be readily seen in particular by the unique permission which is granted to priests to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass three times on the Birthday of Christ, and by the continuation of the celebration of His Birth by an extension of eight days – the Octave of Christmas. As we follow the Church’s liturgy during this Octave and throughout the entire Christmas season, we shall find tremendous significance in all that the Catholic Church does in her official, public worship of God. This is the reason that Pope St. Pius X and Pope Pius XII encouraged the faithful to follow the Holy Mass and the other

The Scarcely-Known Practice of Spiritual Communion Abounds With Richer Graces Than We Realize

December 19, 2024

A Sermon Preached by Rev. Fr. Bernard Uttley, O.S.B., on November 4, 2012 What is Spiritual Communion and Why is It Beneficial to Souls? The holy doctrine and practice of Spiritual Communion is often forgotten, underestimated, or misunderstood. Being so little known, it is practiced even less. This is very unfortunate, for it is a wonderful practice, greatly esteemed by the saints, and extolled and recommended by Holy Mother Church, as an incomparable source of grace and holiness. The Catechism of the Council of Trent says: “The shepherds of souls should teach their flock that there is not one, but rather two, manners of receiving the admirable fruits of the Sacrament of the Eucharist; namely: Sacramental Communion and Spiritual Communion.” But what exactly is Spiritual Communion? The great St. Thomas gives us a brief, but perfect, answer: “Spiritual Communion consists in an ardent desire of receiving Jesus Christ in the

From Dark Aztec History, Juan Diego Emerges to Fulfill Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Request (Part II)

December 12, 2024

Lecture on Our Lady of Guadalupe from the 2008 Fatima Conference by Rev. Fr. Dominic Radecki, CMRI (Winter, 2015) The beautiful words Our Lady spoke to Juan Diego were not meant for him alone; they constitute the special gift, the signal grace of the Guadalupan apparitions. Here on Tepeyac Hill, to all her bewildered and troubled children, to all her children who are trying so hard to do what is right and yet meet with nothing but opposition, failure and cross upon cross, Our Lady does not open up the ground and display the horrors of hell. She does not predict famine, war or the annihilation of nations. She isn’t going to warn Juan Diego of what will happen to him unless he amends his life. We have heard all these things at Fatima, Lourdes and La Salette. But here at Guadalupe, our Blessed Mother tells us what we need

From Dark Aztec History, Juan Diego Emerges to Fulfill Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Request

December 6, 2024

Lecture on Our Lady of Guadalupe from the 2008 Fatima Conference by Rev. Fr. Dominic Radecki, CMRI In the very heart of Mexico, in the center of the two great American continents, there is enshrined one of the most beloved, most treasured, most venerated objects in all of Christendom: a small cloak made of cactus fabric so thin one can see through it. For over 450 years, this little cloak, or tilma as it is properly called, has attracted the attention of millions of pilgrims from all over the world, many of them walking the last mile on their knees, singing and praying aloud for the privilege of kneeling before it. Replicas of this tilma and the Image upon it adorn our churches; it brightens the homes of the humble poor, and sobers the mansions of the very rich. If you live in southern California, as I do, you cannot

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Why Fasting and Doing Penance are Vital for Salvation

The Three Magi are Our Model for Persevering in Faith to the End

The Liturgy of Christmas: Excerpt From a 1994 Pastoral Letter by Bishop Pivarunas

The Scarcely-Known Practice of Spiritual Communion Abounds With Richer Graces Than We Realize

From Dark Aztec History, Juan Diego Emerges to Fulfill Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Request (Part II)

From Dark Aztec History, Juan Diego Emerges to Fulfill Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Request

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