Saturday, January 31, 2009

Liberation Theology: "Jesuit Priest In Revolution"


Jesuit Priest to give lecture at Southwestern University

Tuesday, February 03 2009, 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Father Fernando Cardenal from Nicaragua will visit the campus to give a lecture titled, "Jesuit Priest in Revolution." After joining the priesthood, Cardenal lived in Medellin, Colombia where he was inspired to serve the poor. Returning to Nicaragua in 1970, Cardenal was recruited by the Sandinista Front for National Liberation and became a minister of education. Under his leadership, the country's literacy rate rose from 49 to 87 percent.

Cardenal is now the director of the organization Fe y Alegria (Faith and Happiness.) His lecture will be delivered in Spanish with English translations to follow

Location: Howry Center, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX


Link (here)


What is Liberation Theology ?


Wiki (here)


Preliminary Notes on Liberation Theology by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger


Rethinking option for poor (excellent article)


Marxism and the Nicaraguan revolution


Forgetting the evils of communism

Cultural And Religous Intersection


Cotabato is one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in Mindanao. It is considered the seat of Islam (introduced by Shariff Mohamad Kabunsuan in 1515) and Christianity (the first Catholic church The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was built by the Jesuits in 1871 at Tamontaka). It is also famous for its women weavers called Al Jamelah. They create exquisite inaul malongs and other Moslem accessories.
Link (here)

More (here)

A little Jesuit history

The three members of the Compañia de Jesus (Society of Jesus) were meticulously preparing the Bagobo, Tiruray and Moro-Maguindanao dictionaries (here)

History of the Upper Peninsula

The Jesuit Relations, French colonial history, and original accounts of the area from early settlers. Because no one book currently has these documents together, Dr. Russell Magnaghi explained the value in bringing so many different sources into one book. "They're all really in obscure sites," Magnaghi said. "They were available if you went hunting for them, but now this is pulling them out of their hidden niches and putting them together with an introduction on each document."

Link (here)

Friday, January 30, 2009

The Jesuit Missions Districts Of Paraguay

There were 30 Jesuit compounds back in the day, in the Missions Districts of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. The one we saw was one of the largest, it held 5000 people once upon a time. The compounds were built to protect the natives from the Portugese slave traders who would come in and kidnap the natives and take them to Europe as slaves. Or perhaps they were built to evangelize the natives. Or perhaps the Jesuit priests enslaved the natives (an unlikely theory since there were only 2 priests and 4998 natives). These are the theories.
The ruins are beautiful, but not as well taken care of as one would hope. The times I have been there, the guides have been knowledgable and friendly. We payed Gs 5000 a person to get in (approximately $1.00) and gave the guide a tip of less than $10.00 for over an hour of tour.

Link to Brenda's blog of Paraguay (here)

Is The Provincial Realignment Almost Complete?

This from Under A Chindolea blog from Nathan O'Halloran, SJ

For the first time, all four high schools in the Southern Province (soon to be Mississippi Valley Province) for the first time were represented.

Link (here)

Thursday, January 29, 2009

"I Wouldn't Give My Life For Roger Haight's Jesus"


But it is beyond doubt that Haight's theology finds a generally hospitable atmosphere in the Society of Jesus. He lives in New York, at the residence of the Jesuits who publish "America," a leading magazine for progressive Catholicism. In March of 2008, when he was already prohibited from teaching and was about to receive new sanctions, he published in "America" an extensive overview of Catholic theology at the end of the 20th century, with the major theologians classified in seven categories, thoroughly described and evaluated. It was all to demonstrate that the future of Catholic theology depends on its capacity to represent the articles of the Creed in a form that is comprehensible to the dominant culture in the West.

Another American Catholic magazine that has come out in support of Haight is "Commonweal." In January of 2007, it published an impassioned apologia of his thought by the title "Not So Heterodox. In Defense of Roger Haight." Its author was a highly esteemed theologian, Paul Lakeland, a professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, one of the 28 universities and colleges run by the Jesuits in the United States, and its first holder of the chair in Catholic studies named after the Jesuit theologian Aloysius P. Kelley.Other American theologians have instead expressed severe criticism of Haight, who for several years was also president of the Catholic Theological Society of America. A couple of noteworthy critics include William Loewe, of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and John Cavadini, a professor at Notre Dame University in South Bend Indiana and a consultant for the doctrinal commission of the United States conference of Catholic bishops.

Another critic of Haight's positions is himself a Jesuit, who also teaches at a university of the Society of Jesus, the most important one in the world. He is Gerald O'Collins, a professor of systematic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, a specialist in Christology.

O'Collins made a memorable quip after news came of Haight's first condemnation: "I wouldn't give my life for Roger Haight's Jesus. It's a triumph of relevance over orthodoxy."

Link (here) to the full Chiesa article.
Hat Tip to Joe at SWC (here)


Jesuit Estancias: Jesús María

I took the bus to the small town of Jesús María to visit two Jesuit Estancias (ranches) left over from the years of colonization. I have already made clear my love of old buildings, but have I described my love of the Jesuits? Ever since I received my Jesuit education at Seattle U, I have felt a strange tie to the Jesuits. I don't consider myself Catholic and I never even took a class from a priest, but in many ways my Jesuit education has led me to South America, and for that, I decided to pay my respects.

It was a very rewarding journey. First of all, the architecture was stunning. The first estancia I visited, Jesús María, seemed more like a castle. Inside, the rooms contained objects of daily life on the estancia, which I found equally fascinating. There was the typical museum fare, like old tools and pots and furniture.
There were also really creepy religious paintings and scary looking crucifixes, which I loved. I love the ones that show Jesus dripping with blood and gore. I love the drama of Catholicism.
There were also amazingly delicate and detailed medallions, some decorated with mother of pearl. I got to stand on the balcony of the church, and it was gorgeous. Its dome and walls were painted baby blue with white accents, and it had an intricate chandelier. It seemed peaceful, the way churches are supposed to.
Sometimes, I find Latin American churches to be too gaudy and overdone, so that they distract from the purpose of going to church in the first place. But I found myself thinking, I might actually enjoy going to church in a place like this!
I also highly enjoyed wandering through the halls and rooms of the estancia, imagining the items in use, a Jesuit perched on a tiny, ancient bed, 0r myself gazing out the window hundreds of years ago. Enchanting, enchanting!

Link (here) to the blog post with lots of good pictures entitled, The Jesuit Estancias of the Sierra de Córdoba at the blog called Tiff in Chile.

Chinese Jesuit

An eighth-generation Chinese Catholic, Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1945.
After studying several years in Europe, Father Jin returned to Shanghai in 1950, where he served as a faithful collaborator of Bishop Kung. Sensing what was about to befall the Church, Kung scrambled to prepare as many young men for the priesthood as possible.
He trusted Father Jin deeply enough to make him rector of the local seminary, giving him the responsibility of forming Shanghai's clergy.

Link (here) to the full article at Inside Catholic.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Fr. Robert Drinan, S.J. Was Under Invesigation By The FBI

It remains one of the stranger episodes in the annals of congressional-FBI relations: In the winter of 1975, US Representative Robert F. Drinan was touring the FBI headquarters when he broke away and opened a drawer to find a set of index cards under his name.

A three-month battle ensued between the Massachusetts Democrat and the federal law enforcement agency over access to the file. When Drinan finally got a redacted copy of his own record, he pronounced it garbage, filled with news clippings in which the names of people already published in the newspapers were carefully blacked out by federal officials.

Now, on the second anniversary of his death, a copy of Drinan's FBI file, obtained by the Globe through a Freedom of Information Act request, provides a bookend to the story.

The file is unlikely to reshape history's view of the only Jesuit priest to serve in Congress, but it provides a backstage look at the dispute between the congressman and the agency and a reminder of how much the FBI changed over the second half of the 20th century.

In the 1970s and before, the FBI clearly viewed the congressman as potential trouble. At one point, when Drinan was quoted by a news service denouncing Attorney General John N. Mitchell as "the most dangerous attorney general that we have ever had," an FBI official scribbled on a document, "This fellow Drinan is like McGovern + Anderson - anything to get publicity."

The document does not make clear who McGovern and Anderson are, but the references seem likely to be to Senator George S. McGovern and either US Representative John B. Anderson or Jack Anderson, a syndicated newspaper columnist.

Drinan, born in Boston in 1920, had served as a professor and dean at Boston College Law School from 1956 to 1971, when he began a decade in Congress after being elected in 1970 as an antiwar candidate. Drinan was an outspoken liberal, a critic of the Vietnam War, a forceful advocate of civil liberties, and,

to the dismay of church officials, a supporter of abortion rights.
He was also the first member of Congress to call for the impeachment of President Nixon.

Drinan announced he would not seek reelection in 1981 after Pope John Paul II decreed that priests should not serve in elective office. Drinan then taught at Georgetown Law School from 1981 until his death in 2007.

The file indicates that the FBI had run its first check on Drinan in 1960, a decade before his election to Congress; upon his election, a note indicates that the bureau's files "reflect that the Reverend Drinan has been active in civil rights matters."

In 1971, a suspicious nun wrote FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, saying, "I had doubted Father Drinan's authenticity as a Catholic priest because I had read of certain views he expressed that seemed to be un-American, as well as unorthodox, from a religious standpoint. If he is someone who has been 'planted' in the church, he could do great harm."

In 1975, the FBI investigated an anonymous death threat against several public figures, including Drinan, from someone purporting to represent "antiliberal and anti-Communist groups."

But the heart of the file is the history of the dispute that began in February 1975, when Drinan took a congressional tour of the FBI and discovered 20 to 30 3-by-5 cards with his name on them in a file. Drinan demanded to know how the FBI could justify collecting information on private citizens, and said, "I assure you I shall work to prevent the FBI from further engaging in the practice of attaching a stigma to persons whose political or social views may be at variance with the temporary majority of the nation."

"I have never at any time been involved in anything related to criminal prosecution," Drinan wrote to the FBI. "Consequently I was astonished and chagrined to discover the surveillance of a political nature."

The FBI accused Drinan of having ignored instructions and "delved into a file drawer containing index cards" and refused to honor Drinan's timeline for releasing his files, saying that would amount to special treatment for a congressman.

After considerable back-and-forth and for a fee of $8.10, the FBI released a redacted version of Drinan's file three months after his tour; he quickly made it public and denounced it.

By the time the FBI next scrutinized Drinan, in 1994 with his consent, the tone had completely changed. The agency reported two minor issues: In 1975, there had been an unsubstantiated complaint that Drinan had improperly solicited disabled veterans for a campaign, and in 1985 he had been arrested for protesting apartheid in front of South Africa's embassy.

Read the full article (here) in the Boston Globe.

Newman Jesuit

Fr. Phil Florio, S.J., is the new Chaplain-Director of the Penn Newman Center, succeeding Fr. Charles Zlock. Fr. Florio comes to Penn Newman with over nine years of experience in campus ministry. He has previously served as director of Campus Ministry at the University of Scranton, and more recently was Chaplain and Assistant Vice President for Student Life at Saint Joseph’s University. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, but has lived and worked in Chile, Bolivia, and Mexico. He will be the first Jesuit to take the position.

Fr. Florio has a BS in political science and an MS in training and organizational development from Saint Joseph’s University, MA in philosophy from Fordham University and master’s degrees in theology and divinity from Boston College. He will complete a doctorate in ministry from the Catholic University of America next year.

Link (here)

Sino-Erin Jesuits

An old photo of Belvedere College in Dublin

Little is known about China in Ireland that goes beyond cuisine and kung fu movie stereotypes.

While China is not a top destination for Irish travelers, Irish Jesuits made a home for themselves there over four hundred years ago.
In the 1920s they built a school, Wah Yan Jesuit College Kowloon in Hong Kong, and it is this connection which has inspired a new student exchange project between China and Ireland.

The Jesuit Belvedere College in Dublin has a healthy transition year program. Between sport, music, drama (and everything else) it can be a busy year for TY students. A new program begun this year gives those in TY the opportunity to experience Chinese language and culture. Run by the UCD Confucius Institute, the 10-week course includes modules in Chinese language, food, society, tradition, arts, film and music.

Link (here)

"And her boys, were they getting on well at Belvedere? Was that so? Father Conmee was very glad indeed to hear that."
Belvedere College SJ is a private Jesuit school for boys located on Great Denmark street where it meets N. Great George street. It was founded in 1832. George Augustus Rochfort (1738-1814), who became the Second Earl of Belvedere in 1774, built Belvedere House (seen in the background on this PC), a dominant building on the school's campus, and a fine example of Georgian architecture in Ireland.

Link (here)

The Apostle Of Brittany

Blessed Julien Maunoir, January 28

blessed-julien-maunoir-jan-28

Blessed Julien Maunoir

Saint-George de Reintembault, France, October 1, 1606 - Plévin, France, January 28, 1683

Patronage: Brittany

Roman Martyrology: In the village of Plévin in Brittany in France, Blessed Julien Maunoir, priest of the Society of Jesus, that both in towns and villages as in cities of this province to forty-two years he devoted himself entirely to the missions to the people.

Blessed Julien Maunoir is considered the ‘apostle of Brittany’, the historical region of France, for the extraordinary work missionary who played well for forty-two years. Born on October 1, 1606 in Saint-George de Reintembault fifth of seven children of a small trader of fabrics. The venerable Le Nobletz Michele (1577-1652), a popular missionary mysteriously learned of her birth and that in him God had prepared a help and a successor. Julien’s first teachers were his parents, usually happy to share with the poor the proceeds of their work. The favorite game of Julien was to bring together the partners, siding two by two in order of procession, and to repeat their prayers and songs learned in church. A priest of the parish, noting his attitude, uncommon in his peers, taught the him the basics of Latin and allowed him to attend a college of Rennes, the Jesuits between 1620 and 1625. Julien did not let himself be influenced by bad company and persuaded some of the companions of Mary congregation to burn the books perverse, not to attend the inns and to moderate the passion for the game. Hearing of businesses Jesuit missionary in China, Japan, America, and the thought that many souls are lost for lack of apostles, he meditated finally enter into the religious life.

During his novitiate he was noted in the exercise of brotherly love. Since the time of college life was proposed:

“I want to live as if there were not that God, always assuming his rescue: without that I know of nothing he can not … Always attentive to what God wants from me, think that he may want to prepare for a Jesuit to everything that require its services. Oh, how I love that God is infinitely good and love me as I want from him.”
To that end he began to punish various ways in his flesh. After the religious profession Julien studied philosophy for three years in La Flèche, until 1630. His studies of Saint Jogues who was also martyred in North America.

He had to withdraw, cultivating purity and humility, and during one of these withdrawals confessed in his diary:

“I felt pure joy with two angels as if I had extracted the heart out of the chest and have squeezed out to make all that I was of natural affection. ”
On July 15, 1628 for the whole day he felt consumed by the fire of divine love and “violently pushed to suffer for God.”
Then meditating on “two standards”, namely that of Christ the King and that of Satan, he noted: “Pativo to have so many sacrifices to be done for the Lord, and my vocation that I am destined to the salvation of souls, I became even more expensive. A voice below me repeated four or five times, with a tone of admiration: “Oh, if you knew! If you knew!. Including then that the great thing is to cooperate with Jesus to the conversion of men … To glorify my God I want suffer all the torments of hell, except for the deprivation of his love. Bramerei well the fire of purgatory: do suffer a lot, but does not prevent you from loving God. “

I had to admire excess of this young, now mystical union with the Lord, the conduct “always the same, the lovable activities without haste, the gaiety of spirits quiet, qualities which he joined in perfect obedience, a charity affable, a constant application to work so as to intellectual piety, to a recollection without contrasts and a large domain of himself. ” At the end of philosophy was intended as a professor in the College of Quimper, but he did not gave up hope of one day bringing the faith to the pagans. A brother urged him to learn the language of Brittany, but Father Maunoir replied: “Know that my mission is my school, and that I have to learn the languages Latin and Greek. If I study some other, it will be that of Canada, where I believe that God called me. “

He was again addressed the proposal to engage in missions in Brittany, but was prevented for a lack of knowledge of the language.

One day, during a pilgrimage to a Marian shrine, he had a vision of inner bishoprics of Quimper, St-Brieuc, Leon and Trétone, and came before the painting of the Madonna praying thus: “My good mother, whether you are worthy of teach Breton, the soon learn very soon and I will be able to earn the servants. ”
Then returned to the college, the brothers were not a little puzzled about his project, but the province in 1631 gave him the permission and, after two days of study, the Maunoir began in the countryside of Brittany’s work catechesis and preaching. Blessed Virgin Mary had miraculously given him the gift of language.

As soon as he received fewer orders, Julien started going every Sunday in the neighboring countries to catechizing people. Such was his enthusiasm he that got sick in 1632 and then moved above it in Tours, where the forces recovered and gave the sick catechizing the hospital, the poor of the most abandoned and the prisoners. In the College of Bourges Julien authorized presbyteral prepartion and God granted him the gift of intimate union continued with him through prayer. The withdrawal of the second year of theology, companion of St. Gabriel Lallemant, also martyred in 1646 in Canada, noted: “Our Lord says below:” I have long toiled for souls, I cried, I have suffered and died for them. ” These words commossero more I do not know that and say that the ardor felt already grew to the point that, if it was necessary to die to save one soul, I would be dead with all my heart. ” During the third year of theology an arm swell over the measure and put him briefly at the end of life. Before receiving the viaticum vote was that if he were returned to health, he would have spent all his strength to serve the people of Brittany. The answer was affirmative of Heaven and just healed Julian returned to preach and to teach the catechism.

He became a priest in 1637, was intended as a professor at the College of Nevers, but soon his request was accepted and after seven years of absence was able to return to Quimper. Died on the bishop who opposed his work, Le Nobletz invited Giuliano with him in the solitude of Conquet, made him his general confession, then summoned the faithful to church and took them Maunoir as his successor. He made him a gift of his bell and his paintings are symbolic of what used to be able to better explain to the illiterate the major mysteries of the faith.

At Quimper, many priests, after some hesitation, were attracted by the Maunoir, proposing also to preach and proclaim throughout the diocese. The governor of Quimper and the Cardinal Richelieu contained their aid with the lack of material resources. Julien Maunoir began his apostolate in the port of Douarnenez putting in harmonic “the paraphrase of the most important prayers and truth of religion. Before leaving this town, healed a paralytic by touching the forehead with an object blessed by The Nobletz. The missionary, now famous for his holiness, went to evangelize the islands of Quessant, and Molenes Sein, where thousands of followers dragged also making miracles with corn oil blessed. Despite many successes, not lacking, however, the jealous that through slander tried in vain to draw him to the College of Jesuits, denied by the witness of the islanders. Even the songs he composed were indicted and prohibitions on who knew Brittany, but the Confirmation came from the islands by catechizzate Maunoir not long to make ensure the orthodoxy. In 1642 could finally be given to press and had great success, contributing greatly to the success of the processions and sacred representations of the Gospel.

Having preached in these islands, the Maunoir traveled on foot and on horseback, the entire Lower Brittany between hazards and hardships of all sorts and in less than ten years and managed to confess catechizing about half a million people. While the need for Nobletz had almost always worked alone, the Maunoir instead aroused many vocations to the priesthood, thus creating valuable aid for his apostolic labors. Everyone followed him willingly and loved ever since he had shown “humble, wise, uplifting, mortified, poor, simple, always ready to help its neighbor to give service to its enemies and to take everything to win souls to God, it being in ‘ execution of his drawings and full of confidence in that all-powerful arm holding him up.”

Every now and Julien returned to relax a little ‘between the brothers, using the time to extend the effective action by the written word with its ascetic and biographical. In 1671 he decided to engage the work of withdrawals on that mission and the attempt succeeded successfully. There were some for periods of his illness, but finally had a revelation that was about to reach his final hours. In returning to Quimper, we had to stop Plévin now prostrated by fever and a violent pain in my side. Prepared death sighed:

“Jesus is my life, and it is a gain for me to die.”
A local nobleman would have wanted to carry him to his castle for better medical care, but he preferred to complete the earthly life as similar as possible to the poor. For many priests who flocked to his bedside recommended: “The greatest pleasure that I can do is to make or to renew the intention to work in the missions until your last breath. I do not know function holier and more useful.”

Julien Maunoir, received the last sacraments, finally died on January 28, 1683. On that cold winter evening in the eastern horizon is infuocò mysteriously. The bishop of Quimper he wanted to buried the mortal remains of the sainted missionary in the cathedral, but the inhabitants of Plévin strongly opposed this. At the tomb, a few days after the burial, a paralyzed boy suddenly regained health before the faithful who filled the church. Following the papal decree promulgated on March 4, 1951 by Pope Pius XII, May 20 following Julien could be raised to the glory of the altars and the status of protector of Brittany.

Author: Fabio Arduino

Source: Santi e Beati

Thank you The Black Cordelias (here)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Second Founder Of Gonzaga University

Harry F. Magnuson's civic passion was Gonzaga University. When in the 1960s the Jesuit university found itself in dire financial straits, and banks calling in credit, Magnuson personally guaranteed the school's debts. A Gonzaga trustee for some 40 years -- and the university's first lay trustee -- Magnuson was presented with Gonzaga's highest honor, the Desmet Medal, during commencement ceremonies last year. Gonzaga President, Fr. Robert Spitzer, said of the university's benefactor that if Gonzaga had a second founder, it was Harry Magnuson. Last November, the university dedicated the Harry and Colleen Magnuson Theatre in their honor Harry Magnuson is survived by his wife, Colleen Burns Magnuson, sons James, Thomas and John, and daughters Kathleen and Mary Elizabeth. Funeral services are planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Aloysius at Gonzaga University. .

Link (here)

Fr. John Baptist Reus, S.J. "I Was In The Sacred Heart Of Jesus"

I translated this post via Google translator, it comes from a Latin Mass oriented blog from Portugal called, Missa Tridentina Em Portugal. Some of the sentence structure is a little hurky jurky but I will have more links at the bottom of the post. You will be reading excerpts from Father Reus' diary and his encounters with Christ within the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The supernatural visions revealed to (bio) Father John Baptiste Reus, S.J. of what happens in each Holy Mass.


1. The priest provincial approving the phenomena mystics.

March 11, 1933. Shortly before Communion, in thanksgiving, I was all in flames, from head to toe. Not only saw the flames in the heart, but also out of the chest. This morning, just to get up, offered my heart on fire to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a heart Bridal.

Reference to the Song of Songs of Sacred Scripture. From that day, begins to illustrate the text of the reports of the mystical phenomena with drawings, made the nozzle penalty. When all are 1184. Are considered a rarity in mystical works.

2. The Fire of the Cross.

April 1, 1936. The fire of the cross, yesterday, still burned today, during the visit from 9am, and continues burning. In the afternoon, by 2am, as usual, prayed the breviary in the chapel. Because of the burning, discovered the chest at heart and thus finished praying the breviary. At 6am, visit (Wednesday, the week of the Passion). The cross-fire, we still see in me, has expanded into four parts of the heart, putting all my profile in a wide cross-fire. So I was, for a short time, standing in front of the Blessed of hands.

April 9, 1936. Maundy Thursday. At 11am I visit the Blessed Sacrament. Suddenly, broke out of the burning love. I had to get up and extend your arms. Surely, I saw a powerful flame expand from the interior and, instead of simple cross, involved me completely. After the flame is changed and the cross-fire went out flames of fire for the high undulating. Torci me from side to side to get rid of them. In vain.

At 1h45min, I was home in the chapel. I saw a small cross of fire in me, but did not notice any burning in front of the large cross. Let me add that, to demonstrate that such things do not depend on me. Also yesterday, during the visit, I thought the burning already felt, could again lead to large cross-fire. In spite of my recollection, she remained silent.

3. Sacred Heart of Jesus, the sunshine of my life.

July 20, 1936. When, during the Friday prayer, came to the word "sun", I saw my heart in the middle of a sun. Resist. In vain. I pray the breviary since 1892. We never imagined something similar. I can not remove it. I need to write it. Which is in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the sunshine of my life.

July 21, 1936. Yesterday afternoon I was lying down, ill. I saw, suddenly, like the sun, it was in my heart, I rose and completely surrounded. I said to myself: careful not to give value to that. But it was easier to say than to do it. I was surrounded by the sun, sometimes more clearly, others less. Also this morning, realized he could not avoid this.

During the Mass, the same thing happened. But in a special way when I put the vestment to distribute Communion to the seminarians. That I had to draw. I am really a slave of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I do what he wants.

4. I was in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

July 22, 1936. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Yesterday afternoon, while the breviary prayed in the chapel, I saw, instead of the sun, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who surrounded me. Already many years ago that was included in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. But now add a difference.

I was in the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a sea of flames, and that, in the Holy Mass and beyond. Perhaps the reason is that my behavior in the Communion. As I see flames burning in my heart, I say the kind Salvador: You Come to that of burning flames. Or it: You see how I love you. Because you're in the middle of that same ardor. Yesterday I received the solution to the problem of large Sr. Antônia.

The Sr. X (Sister Maria Antonia) made a statement, thus justifying my procedure. My confidence in the goodness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus became even greater. For months, continued to struggle on the veracity of the revelations of Sister Antônia. Did not want to admit them as possible. The outcome confirms that the issue is not only possible but is the reality, just as saying the revelations.

January 23, 1937. When I was in the sacristy to the altar, I was as a single flame of fire. Also, I had no peace, until we had done the writing and drawing. Everything is for the greater glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, source of thanks. He is the second to me his will, not because I deserved to have in some way. Unfortunately. But if glorificá used to it, all right.

5. Host Santa in the face of Salvador.


March, 1937. Communion. Expanse - prayer with hands outstretched to the high for a long time. After the consecration of Holy Host, I saw the same kind of the holy face Salvador. Also, just recently, I saw, suddenly, in the holy host, his holy face. But gave no importance, although I draw much attention. Today, however, it excluded any doubt. I had to do the drawing. No use resisting. But the design is somewhat inaccurate in that the face occupied an area a little larger. But in general, is accurate. Also in the Communion, I saw the face saint.

6. Mediatrix of All Thanks.

June 5, 1937. The fire burning as communion touched my heart. The view that yesterday, I had caused doubts, is now almost continuously visible: my heart attached to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with flames irrompendo to the top.

So, yesterday was also true. When today, wearing canonicals in the sacristy, to help distribute Communion in the Mass of the students, asked the amiable Salvador, as usual to do so, that he get dressed in their purity, so that I would be less unworthy to distribute the saints mysteries. Just had to wear alb and shut the cord in front, pulling the canonicals to fix them a bit more, when, suddenly, the Mother of God was gracious in front of me, helping me with their own hands.

It came as does, for example, a mother to her son, who dressed and who, standing before him, she Fix either detail. It was a matter of time. She has, therefore, as the Mediatrix of thanks. In that moment I was not thinking about it, and no food such claims.

July 21, 1937. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Same as on July 17, until almost melted like. At the time of the Communion, has expressed its strong burning, but internally, but not visible. By giving the final blessing, I saw, suddenly, flames of fire out of my hand to bless. I had to do the drawing. The Sacred Heart of Jesus calling me, so I can not resist.

July 22, 1937. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Same as on July 17, to become like melted wax. At communion, he is burning strong. In the last blessing, reminded me of flames that I saw yesterday. Today, I did not see anything. But after Mass, I saw out of my heart a long called for opening up the side as a tongue of fire, finally, I saw my heart on fire, and about him, a cross-fire. What would it?

Certainly the regulation 11 Insignibus et Domini vestibus indu. Victina tuis love! - Dressed the insignia and robes of the Lord. Victim of your love! In the afternoon, the visit to the Blessed, I saw my heart in the midst of a great flame. The Sacred Heart or so and asks me to do the drawing. Desire not to delude myself. But what will I do?

May 21, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, as on 2.5. As in the previous day, was on fire. Depart from me to the altar, I was on fire. During the Action of Thanks, I saw flames sprout again from the bottom of my heart. And another has become a sea of fire.

I saw the fire in my interior of intense love, like a huge burning sun, the same way, as he presents himself in reality, in constant waves, glow and sparkle, in the middle of this ball of fire, my whole heart full of passion. I write and design what and how the Divine Savior either.

May 24, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, as on 2.5. I heard the words of consecration. During a confession in my room, I saw the light hand of the Divine Savior in my hand, which built and gave me the blessing. I heard the words of Allah, that He gave me and in me. Soon after, came two other penitents, which was repeated the same thing, with some more details. In the third, this was manifested in more expressive.

Hear the prayer of the whole Misereatur until the end, pronounced by the Divine Savior in me and me. Also saw its holy light hand in my hand, giving a blessing. I saw how in my hand, mainly from the wound of the hand, went out on the flames of fire and penitent, as Ego te absolve prayer - I absolve you, a flame of fire came out of my mouth on the coirmão penitente60.

I had that I strive to master my own passion, which erupted when the inside of my coirmão moved away. I was sure that, after the visions of recent days, would not any more, at least not now. Suddenly, overtook new manifestation of burning. What can I do? I do the drawing. He wants him.

60 Several penitents Reus Father realized that the voice changed, when was the acquittal. The question was this phenomenon mystic and excitement of confessor, which is thought unworthy of such great thanks.


May 25, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. The same day of 2.5. As in the previous day, was on fire. Has twice the Divine Savior was close to my greetings of love, that He, as husband of my soul, was first. He also will not let me rest, while I have not recorded the statements of your love.

May 26, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, on 2.5. Was on fire as the day before. During the night, the Divine Savior was again next to my bed. In Communion, I extended the arms, in silence for a long time. More than 24 hours to resist the drawing representing the divine Salvador stopped next to my bed.

As opposed arguments, my powerlessness, my uselessness, my surprise. All in vain. Always and always new and more gentle, but irresistible, forcing the surrender wicker. I do it because it can no longer doubt the truth.

He is who I ordered. Why? Do not understand. Only one time or another seemed to me that told me: "Do you, then, ignoring my grace? These days, overtook me again the burning, during the blessing of the Blessed. Began in the early exposure of the Blessed and ended at the end of it. Also in the parish church, I saw, for the acquittal as a flame of fire came out of my mouth on the penitent.

May 28, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, as on 2.5. While listening to confessions in the parish church, saw a flame over the acquittal of me going out and going on the penitent. One, the word Patris - Dad, a second, the word subsidiaries - and a third son, Sancti Spiritus in the word - the Holy Spirit. This shows clearly that in the Sacrament of Penance, the Holy Trinity takes an active part. This drawing I did, because I should. Today was, again, a headache.

May 30, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, on 2.5. After the Our Father, I leave the holy Host ofuscantes rays, so that my whole face seemed illuminated. I closed my eyes followed times, to assure me that it was illusion, perhaps because I could not bear the dazzling light. As committed, because of this, a small error liturgical, against the lines, to focus all my attention to no longer observe the rays. The design I had to do, as your holy will.

May 31, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, as on 2.5. When, at the time of the offertory, I made the sign of the cross on the offers, I get out of my hand on the cup rays. The same saw, again, just before the Consecration. I listened with all the clarity of the words, that the Divine Savior said, for me and me together. I saw his hand light in my hand and felt his arm to lift the cup.

In the acquittal, during the confession, I saw a flame of fire coming out of my hand and going to the penitent, to say the words "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." Should I write this. My Jesus, have mercy on me. I do not know how it ends. When I fell on the floor in my room due to the burning of love, I felt again, and so painful, especially the wound of the heart.

June 1, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, on 2.5. When, at the end of the distribution of Communion, before Mass, gave the blessing, I saw flames come out of my hand. As in the previous day, was on fire. In thanksgiving, I saw fire burning in several ways. A major part was in flames around a heart of fire. I design it, because I must. During the celebration of a baptism, I saw fire coming out of my hand, to impose it on the head of the child. The kind Salvador wants me to do the drawing, although I had a bit of resistance.

June 2, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, as on 2.5. During the distribution of Communion, before Mass, when I had the holy Host in hand, I saw, suddenly, the sun was forming around the holy host. Increased rapidly, until reaching the cibório. In the offertory of bread, get up flames of both hands, holding that the paten. By making the sign of the cross, after the Consecration, I also go out of my hands flames toward the cup. I never would have thought such a thing.

After all, the source of blessing is Jesus, personally present. But on reflection, I can not deny the flames can not the silence, I had to accept the authenticity. The blessing, apart from any other meaning, worth, in this case, not only because it belongs to the sacramental body, but also by virtue of the mystical body of Christ, and for those who believe, has its significance virtutem crucis - under the cross, as S. Tomás. This vision, which left me suspicious, rightly serves as proof that fantasy is not my source of all this.

I saw, in addition, the light hand of the Divine Savior, not only in the consecration, but also when, after Communion, purifying the chalice. When I confessed, I saw how the hand of the confessor flame went out on me. In the afternoon, I had to throw because of a headache. After more or less 25 minutes of patient delivery, I felt, suddenly, so strong passion of love that had to open the cassock at the heart.

Then doía me the wound of the heart so that I shouted a long-Oh! A second time, overtook the sudden pain and I shouted again and press the place where I felt the wound. For the first time I breaks out in such a cry of pain.

June 3, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, on 2.5. In Communion, expantis - prayer with open arms, but for short time. Glory and pray to the God, I saw out of my mouth each word as flames of fire, that rise to the heights before the face of God. I did the design, because the wanted the Divine Savior.

To hear confessions in the parish church, I saw several times, to make the sign of the cross during the sacramental absolution, went as an intense flame of fire of my hand, blessing the penitent. I wanted to omit it. But there is no peace, until it is written and designed. He wants the same.

7. Volcano of Flames

June 4, 1938. Vigil of Pentecost. Sweet Heart of Jesus. Idem, as on 2.5. Amidst the fire, and with hearts on fire, I ran to the altar. Any attempt to resistance led to the opposite effect, ie, the burning is even more inflamed. As usual, to distribute Communion Mass before. Then I saw a host leave the holy flame burning, and I distributed it on fire to Host received the Communion.

I tried, I give up this vision. In vain. In raising the Holy Blood, saw flames forth the cup. During the reading of both the Gospels, I saw, in a significant part of words, they leave as flames from my mouth and rises to the top. In thanksgiving, my entire interior was, again, an ardent and active volcano of flames of love and waves of love, that spring from the deepest depths of my heart and come continuously.

2264 - June 6, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. The same day of 2.5. As in the previous day, was on fire. In thanksgiving, I saw my heart as a flaming volcano, so that the Divine Savior offered my love seemed to me, not as small flames, but huge waves of flames, clouds of love that went out of my heart and a rose after another. It was like a volcanic eruption, which for me is something impossible to imagine.

I would never have reached this idea and would never have dared to submit to God and Lord, when most sacred, something like this. Others also received thanks. During a baptism, I listened as the Divine Savior delivered the prayer, for me and me.

The burning of love persisted until I save the tabernacle in the Blessed.

2278 - In the prayer before Communion, I saw my desire out of my mouth and become the holy host, as I remember, in the form of flames of love. After Communion, expansis - prayer with open arms, violent passion of love, and I got the body in motion. By taking the Holy Blood, I saw all my body turning on fire. Through the action of, burning, fire, very intense flames from the bottom of my heart.

So I went to the parish church to hear confessions. While listening to a particular sin, came to me more or less the word: We are a miserable race. I felt deep sympathy. As the Divine Savior is offended! Suddenly, the tears fell from my eyes, tears of heartfelt love, compassion of intimate and sincere sorrow. So I had to stop momentarily the confessions to wipe the tears. In the morning meditation, I saw again, my acts of love as rising suns fire. The same in thanksgiving, but for a short time.

Salvador. He will do everything correctly. In thanksgiving, burning, volcanic love, but for short tempo.2284 - June 25, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. The same day of 2.5. When, at the beginning of Mass, distributes the Communion, I saw the small rise Host that I held in my hand, another flame in the midst of a higher flame, which came from the cibório. I looked good, because then I would doubt.

However, no doubt, the flame burned. Was on fire as the day before. In prayers, the words were like fire and fire suns. Resist, not to be distracted. Not said anything. The flames were present. It was repeated by others. In thanksgiving, a volcano of love, passion, fire suns.

June 27, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. The same day 2.5. In the morning, when I went to chapel, I saw flames on the altar. One draws strength and went ahead with the stone of the altar. I looked carefully. As in the previous day, was on fire. During the Holy Mass, there was a repetition of events, the suns fire that, in the words of some prayers, planned for the top.

In Action of Thanks, all on fire, volcano of love. Surely, there are again the suns fire, that spring of my heart, with flames of fire. Once, I saw it as a sign of the presence of Jesus in me, the holy Host in my heart surrounded by flames. I write this and do the design. Jesus, you have to pity me. I would be completely unable to invent variety of events.

July 2, 1938. Sweet Heart of Jesus. The same day 2.5. As in the previous day, was on fire. During the Holy Mass, I saw the words in different parts, for example, in prayer at the foot of the altar, as suns of fire that went out of my mouth. In thanksgiving, volcano of love. Again, I saw fire suns, and larger than the area of my heart. Are acts of love.

I also saw the prayer of the breviary, in the form of suns fire, get out of my mouth. In opposition to blasphemy, for which the Divine Majesty of God and the Sacred Heart of Jesus are deeply offended and entristecidos, consoling the Divine Savior the divine words of the breviary, glorify the infinite greatness and majesty of God. Then, I saw, too, other prayers go up in the same way in my mouth to God. I think this is less than what I saw. I trust in the infinite goodness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that I do not become victim of an illusion.

SOURCE: LAST and ultimate THANKS

Link (here)

Padre Rues website (here)

Sacred Heart of Jesus (here) , (here) and (here)

Monday, January 26, 2009

Crossing Lines

Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the Swiss-based Society of St. Pius X in 1969, opposed to the liberalizing reforms of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council, particularly its allowing of Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin.

In 1978, Lefebvre came to St. Mary's Academy and College to inspect the campus of St. Mary’s, which through 1966 the Jesuits operated as a Roman Catholic seminary. Lefebvre authorized purchase of the property, and the academy’s Web site says by 2003, the number of parishioners worshiping there was about 2,450.

In 1988 when Lefebvre ordained four bishops with Rome’s consent, he and they were excommunicated. Lefebvre died in 1991.

In a statement today, the current head of the society and one of the rehabilitated bishops, Bernard Fellay, expressed his gratitude to Benedict and said the decree would help the whole Catholic Church.

The Society believes the Church is in crisis and blames in part the doctrinal reforms of Vatican II, including its ecumenical outreach, for causing it.

“Our Society wishes to be always more able to help the pope to remedy the unprecedented crisis which presently shakes the Catholic world,” Fellay said.

Benedict made clear from the start of his pontificate that he wanted to normalize relations with the society, meeting within months of his election with Fellay and convening cardinals to discuss bringing the society back into the Vatican’s fold.

In 2007, Benedict answered one of Fellay’s key demands by relaxing restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass. In lifting the excommunication decree, he answered the society’s second condition for beginning theological discussions about normalizing relations.

However, the Vatican has its demands of the SSPX, including respect for the pope and his authority.

Link (here) to the full article

Fr. James Martin, S.J. has two posts on The Society of St. Pius X. Here are some excerpts and links to those posts.

Pope Lifts Excommunication of Lefebvrite bishops


A surprising, and important, story out of Rome today: Pope Benedict XVI has lifted the ban of excommunications of four Lefebvrite bishops, members of the controversial Society of St. Pius X. ....... The lifting of the ban of excommunication of the SSPX is an interesting counterpoint, to say the very least, to the excommunication threatened against Fr. Roy Bourgeois, who participated in a women's ordination ceremony.

Link (here)

Wow.


Wow. Here is the statement from Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X, responding to the lifting of the ban of excommunications.

Link (here)

Interesting to note.

The Society of Pius X purchased St. Mary's Jesuit Seminary from The Society of Jesus.

With the lifting of the excommunications on the four Bishops, technically they may have canonical control over the Jesuits in the Diocese in which they administer.

When the SSPX talks about Modernism, {and (here)} two points of the definition are Tielhardism and Liberation Theology.

Vatican II has not been to kind to the Society's number of members, some loose statistics: USA Jesuit priests: before Vatican II, 8,000. Today, 2,640. Link (here)

Read Fr. John Zuhlsdorf's post entitled,

SSPX Bp. Williamson comments on the lifting of the excomm’s.

An excerpt.

The SSPX’s Bishop Williamson responds to the lifting of the excommunication. Let’s have a look with my emphases and comments. Link (here) to Fr. Z's in depth analysis


Damian Thompson from Holy Smoke
an excerpt.

The genius of Summorum Pontificum was that it handed back the traditional Latin Mass to ordinary Catholics, marginalising the sectarian bigots of the SSPX and their many sympathisers inside the official Catholic Church. Alas, both the SSPX and the Tabletistas (Staff writers at the Jesuit published magazine) have a vested interest in the failure of the Motu Proprio: the liberals would like nothing better than the Tridentine Mass to be associated with the likes of Williamson..

Link (here)

St. Mary Magdalen blogger Fr. Ray Blake give us some more insights.

They have 700-plus chapels and six seminaries are spread across the globe. The Society counts close to 500 priests and 200 seminarians in over 60 countries. I am not quite sure what this is going to mean, there are still doctrinal and legal complexities to be dealt with. I doubt somehow my Bishop will be invited to offer Pontifical Mass at the Throne in the SSPX chapel in the neighboring parish, or that the times of Mass will be in our next diocesan directory. It does not mean instant reconciliation. .

Link (here)

Rene Descartes: Jesuit Educated

Educated in Catholic schools by the Jesuits at the Jesuit College of La Flèche between 1606 and 1614, Rene Descartes came of age during the scientific revolution. Observation and the empirical method had tumbled old belief systems and provoked crises in faith in individual identity. Doubts pervaded every aspect of life, and it was Descartes' destiny to grapple with and resolve them.
With everything in turmoil, how can people be sure they even exist? His answer, "I think, therefore I am," has reverberated through the centuries,
positing a radical and dualistic sense of self, based not on external authority, divine or regal, but on subjectivity.

Link (here) to the full article.

Jesuit In Peru

President Evo Morales seemed assured of an easy victory in a referendum on Sunday over a sweeping new Constitution aimed at empowering Bolivia’s Indians. The vote capped three years of conflict-ridden efforts by Mr. Morales to overhaul a political system he had associated with centuries of indigenous subjugation. Citing preliminary vote counts, reports on national television said about 60 percent of voters had approved the new Constitution. If that margin holds or goes higher, it would strengthen Mr. Morales’s mandate, political analysts here said.
In symbolic importance, said Xavier Albó, a Jesuit scholar and linguist, the new Constitution may be the equivalent of Spain’s Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors in 1492.
But instead of the blood spilled in that process, Mr. Albó said, Bolivia is “advancing in a democratic process that does not exclude or subjugate anyone.” Some Bolivians who read the entire Constitution came away with other impressions. Edmundo Paz Soldán, a writer who teaches at Cornell University, said it reminded him of an essay by Jorge Luis Borges that describes a Chinese encyclopedia’s attempt to divide fauna into myriad nonsensical categories. For instance, Mr. Paz Soldán said that the Constitution recognized 36 different indigenous groups in Bolivia, some with fewer than 100 people, but that it was unclear how precisely each group would be enfranchised in a country where three main indigenous groups — the Quechua, Aymara and Guaraní — wield much larger influence. “The mind-boggling text may have the ratification of the majority,” Mr. Paz Soldán said, “but it might not be the recipe for a viable country.”

Link (here)

Photo is of Fr. Albo

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Ignaciophile Nancy Pelosi's Stimulus Package

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi boldly defended a move to add birth control funding to the new economic "stimulus" package, claiming "contraception will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government."

Pelosi, the mother of 5 children and 6 grandchildren, who once said, "Nothing in my life will ever, ever compare to being a mom," seemed to imply babies are somehow a burden on the treasury.

The revelation came during an exchange Sunday morning on ABC's THIS WEEK.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?

PELOSI: No apologies. No. we have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

From The Drudge Report


Last week Fr. Jim McDermott, S.J. an associate editor at America Magazine wrote this while he was live blogging at the inauguration of President Obama for the Jesuit blog In All Things.

"The inauguration ends with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. I realize it's the first time in about six years that I have been asked to sing the song without feeling as though it's been coopted by a certain ideology. For the first time in a long time, I sing along."

Link (here) to the post entitled, Blogging the Inauguration: Wrap Up

Some further notes:

Nancy at the University of San Francisco (here)

Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul went to Georgetown (here)

Jesuit College Students Attend March For Life In Washington DC

Students for Life at St. Louis University is sending a busload of 56 for this year’s march, according to staff adviser and SLU campus minister Steve Fowler.

Students are planning to attend the annual Students for Life of America conference, hosted on the campus of Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

Several SLU students also are expected to attend an inaugural reception for the Life Prizes Award, given to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to upholding the sanctity of human life. The award is sponsored by the Gerard Health Foundation. Fowler noted that Students for Life was nominated for the award, but was not one of this year’s recipients.

The morning of the march, Students for Life will join with students from other U.S. Jesuit high schools and universities at Gonzaga College High School in Washington for a Mass. While in Washington, SLU students are primarily staying with families from Gonzaga, said Fowler.

Link (here)

New Movie To Misrepresent Jesuits And Catholicism

THE SPIDER, which is set to film in Istanbul and Manhattan, has already managed to attract a load of talent.
The iconic Malcolm McDowell has signed on to play “a Jesuit priest with a secret agenda,” says Sigl,
while three-time Academy Award winner Howard Shore will take on composing duties. Furthermore, casting director John Hubbard and Oscar-nominated special FX supervisor Ian Wingrove have also agreed to take part in the film.
It seems Wingrove will have his work cut out for him as the story plans to surreally move from the present into visions of the past.
“As our story takes us through modern Istanbul and at some point seamlessly back into the ancient times of Emperor Constantine the Great, who reigned from 324 until 337, the production design and the visual effects must contribute to the overall strangeness our hero feels when he enters an unusual world,”
Sigl says. “In order to give the movie an almost mythical and mystical soul, the effects should be as subtle as possible to create the perfect illusion of everyday reality blending effortlessly into nightmarish visions of a former life lived some 1700 years ago.” Such sights will apparently include an Istanbul alley suddenly mutating into the site of a Byzantine funeral procession, and “a shapeshifting weaver woman literally melting into her own tapestry before she gets hacked out again by the swords of Roman soldiers,” Sigl says.

Link (here)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Protestant Seminary Continues Academic Relationship With Controversial Jesuit Continues To Teach Until Late Spring

Update on Fr. Roger Haight, S.J.
Date: January 21, 2009

To: The Union Theological Seminary Community

From: President Serene Jones

Subject: Professor Roger Haight to Become Scholar in Residence at Union

I write to inform you that beginning June 1st of 2009, Professor Roger Haight will conclude his formal teaching responsibilities and take up the position of scholar in residence at Union Theological Seminary, a move that will include a cessation of his traditional teaching responsibilities but will continue his important presence at Union as a theological mentor and scholar. As has long been the case, Union continues to appreciate the academic and community building gifts that Fr. Haight brings to Union, to theological education, and the church at work in the world today.

Serene Jones, President

Union Theological Seminary

Link (here) see comment box.

The Jesuit Of Garabandal: Fr. Luis Maria Andreu, S.J.

Bloggers note: This post is about a Jesuit priest and his fellow Jesuits and the events surrounding the Garabandal incident, which occurred in 1961. I am not endorsing the Catholic authenticity of Garabandal.


Some years ago Father Gustavo Morelos, S.J. a well known Jesuit in Madrid, wrote to his religious brother Father Lucio Rodrigo,S.J. (here) a professor at the Pontifical University of Comillas in Cantabria, and said:
"Father Javier Escalada, a Mexican Jesuit who promotes the Garabandal messages in his country, together with the Provost General of the Company of Jesus, Father Pedro Arrupe, were received in an audience by Pope Paul VI."
Father Escalada explained his work in spreading the message of Garabandal in Mexico and the Pope encouraged him to continue saying: "These messages must be made known."
When some of the Garabandal followers heard this story they wanted to have an absolute guarantee as to its authenticity. A lady from Barcelona wrote to Jesuit Father Luis Maria Andreu, S.J. who knows so much about Garabandal through his own experience.
He answered from Valladolid in a letter dated April 13,1967: "Consuelo, I have received your letter and am answering it briefly by return mail. The news about Father Arrupe and Father Escalada is true. Both were with the Pope. Father Escalada asked the Pope for his permission to continue promoting Garabandal and the Pope said yes..."

Link (here)

Who is Fr. Luis Maria Andreu, S.J.?

On August 8; 1961, Fr. Luis went to Garabandal with a group of friends. It was his second visit to the village. That evening the visionaries had an ecstatic march, the first of many such marches during the years of the apparitions. It was a very long march which ended at the pines. Fr. Luis and many other people followed the visionaries. Afterwards, Conchita wrote in her Diary :

"It was dark when the Blessed Virgin appeared to us. At the end of the rosary, the four of us went into ecstasy and we began to walk toward the pines. When we arrived at the pines, Fr. Luis Maria, who had followed us, said, `Miracle, miracle,' and he kept staring upward. We could see him. Now, in our ecstasies we never see anyone (except the Blessed Virgin). But we saw Fr. Luis, and the Blessed Virgin told us that he was seeing her and the Miracle, too."
In the ecstasy, the children saw Fr. Luis on his knees. Conchita further stated that the Virgin, who was looking at Fr. Luis, seemed to say to him, "You will soon be with me."

"The Happiest Day of My Life"
Fr. Luis left Garabandal in a jeep with friends that same night. Stopping at Cosio, he met the parish priest, Fr. Valentin Marichalar, to whom he said, "Don Valentin, what the children say is true, but I ask you not to repeat what I have just told you, for the Church can never be prudent enough in this kind of affair." Fr. Marichalar wrote these words of Fr. Luis in a notebook that very night.

Continuing his journey with Rafael Fontaneda and his family, Fr. Luis showed overwhelming joy the entire trip, constantly repeating,

"I am so happy. What a favor the Blessed Virgin has bestowed on me. How fortunate we are to have a mother like her in heaven ! There is no reason to fear the supernatural life. The girls have given us an example of how we must act with the Blessed Virgin. There is no doubt in my mind that the things involving the girls are true. Why should the Blessed Virgin have chosen us? This is the happiest day of my life."

As the car was passing through Reinosa, Fr. Luis, after repeating these words once again, lifted his head and fell silent. His friend Fontaneda asked him, "Father, are you all right?" "Yes, I am just sleepy," came the reply. Then his head bowed forward onto his chest. He made a slight coughing sound, and died. He experienced no pain, nor death agony, but died with a smile on his lips.

Link (here)

Watch video of the seers, "Ecstatic Marches" (here)

GARABANDAL LINKS Some Post Scripts:

Fr. Luis Andreu was born on July 3, 1923, at Bilbao, Spain, of a religious family. Of his five brothers, three became Jesuit missionaries: Alejendro in South America, Ramon in California and Marcelino in China (he is now in Taiwan).
Link (here)

Fr. Luis was exceptionally intelligent and was sent to study in Innsbruck, Rome, Geneva and Paris. He became an expert in languages. Besides his native Spanish, he spoke German, French, Italian, Latin, Greek and English. On July 30, 1955, at Ona, Spain

Fr. Luis was ordained a priest forever by the Jesuit Archbishop Federico Melendro of Anking, China. Fr. Luis celebrated his first Mass on the feast of St. Ignatius of LoyolaChapel of Loyola. A little later, after he received his Doctorate in theology, Fr. Luis joined the Jesuit faculty in Ona and became professor of theology. at the
This is the position he held when he heard about the apparitions which were taking place at Garabandal. Because of his great love for the Blessed Virgin, he decided to go to the village and investigate. He went to Garabandal for the first time on July 29, 1961, and observed the raptures of the four girls, taking notes of everything he saw and heard.

Link (here)

Fr. Luis was buried in the Jesuit cemetery in Ona, Spain. Transferred from the cemetery of Ona, in 1975, Fr. Luis's remains henceforth lie in a very small niche in the ossuary of the Jesuit cemetery of Loyola.

Link (here) and (here)

Some Red Flags

Michael Brown, from Spirit Daily an expert in Marian apparitions, wrote of these 'red flags' in his book 'The Day Will Come'. In particular, he noted the manner in which the seers experienced their vision: walking backwards. In all other Marian apparitions, the seers fall on their knees and look up into the face of Virgin in a posture of prayer.
The walking backwards through the town in the dead of the night, the levitation's etc are creepy.
Another 'red flag' is the failed promise of the Great Sign. According to the seers, Padre Pio would see the sign. When he died in 1968 with no Sign, the seers explained that he must have 'seen it in a vision'. But that's not what they originally said.
Also, the Jesuit priest who died in mysterious circumstances was promised to be an 'incorrupt'. About 15 years after his death, in a common practice in Spain, he was dug up so that his bones could be placed in a wall with other priests. They found nothing but bones, and his casket is now a small box. The seers now say that when the Great Sign occurs, his body will be transformed back to the way it was. But here's the thing: the word 'incorrupt' means NEVER CORRUPTED,
not corrupted and restored. And finally, one of the seers (Conchita?) said she felt 'abandoned by Our Lady', and said that watching footage of her in ecstasy was like 'watching someone else'.

Link (here)