Saturday, March 16, 2019

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH IS AT ALL NIGHT VIGIL - WHY NOT JOIN IN PRAYER?


GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH IS AT ALL NIGHT PRAYER VIGIL. THE SACRIFICE OF THE HOLY MASS HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR YOUR INTENTIONS.
WE ARE PRAYING IN HONOR OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DURING HIS AGONY IN THE GARDEN.

WE ARE PRAYING 
  • For your special intentions
  • In reparation for those who sin
  • For all in purgatory
  • For those most in need of the Mercy of God
  • In remembrance of the suffering of Jesus Christ in His Passion and Death
  • In Lenten prayer
  • In reparation for our sins and those of the world
  • For all those with cancer
  • For all families of those who suffer cancer
  • For an end to abortion
  • For God's Kingdom to reign on earth
  • For all newly conceived
  • For all infants
  • For all children
  • For all youth
  • For all middle-aged
  • For all elderly
  • For all dying
  • For all who have just died
  • For all priests
  • For all doctors
  • For all nurses
  • For all in health professions
  • For all drivers
  • For all security personnel
  • For police
  • For all protecting others
  • For all suffering
  • For all in depression, that their sorrow may be lifted
  • For all new mothers and their infants
  • For all new fathers and their infants
  • For all grandparents
  • For all brothers and sisters in families
  • For all undergoing surgery
  • For all prisoners
  • For all families of prisoners
  • For all in moral distress
  • For all in emotional distress
  • For all suffering from injustice
  • For those suffering form divorce
  • For those suffering grave illness and pain
  • For animals in need
  • For God's renewing Spirit to sweep through the world and enlighten our minds
  • For change of heart for abortionists, to embrace the sanctity of life
  • For all in essential services
  • For each person in the world, past, present and future
May God's Glory reign.
Blessings upon you within this Prayer Chapel.

Rev Catherine

With thanks to youtube

Sunday, January 20, 2019

'Images of Mary' by Dr Luky Whittle



IMAGES OF MARY

In the Marian Praise poetry of American religious seekers with specific reference to the second quarter 
of the twentieth century
by Dr Luky Whittle

During research for this book, I studied under the supervision of Dr Margaret Mary Raftery, a specialist in medieval English in whom I found a kindred spirit. 
Dr Raftery instantly recognised my need to resuscitate the then mainly dormant corpus of Marian praise poetry of ages past; an endeavour in which she actively supported me. 

My search for twentieth century examples of Marian praise poetry led me to the United States, where at the Marian Library of the University of Dayton, Ohio, I was welcomed with infinite kindness, courtesy and hospitality as well as the utmost intellectual support by the staff, certain of whose members and associates are recognised world authorities on Mariology. 

My thanks are due to the poets whose work was used in this research. The earliest Marian poetry we are aware of in English in its Anglo-Saxon form was composed in the seventh or eighth century by the poet Cynewulf, who drew heavily on the impressive rhetoric of the existing Latin and Greek songs of praise of the Blessed Virgin. 

In the spirit of Cynewulf, the authors of the poetic utterance that comprises the bulk of this study are described in the title as "religious seekers", an appelation used in the contemporary terminology of the United States inter alia to describe women religious who make vows of lifelong poverty, chastity and obedience. 
These seekers render themselves more freely available in the service of the spreading of the Kingdom of God. They are referred to in this study as nun-poets.

The work of a few outstanding exponents of the genre of Marian praise poetry such as Robert Southwell and the Victorian priest Gerard Manley Hopkins have been included. 

This study was undertaken at a time when there are signs of a resurgence of interest in the Blessed Virgin Mary. The concern has a universal rather than a religion-based orientation.  
"Two thousand years after the Nativity, the mother of Jesus is more beloved, powerful and controversial than ever,"  proclaimed the front page of Life Magazine's Christmas 1996 issue. 

'Images of Mary' serves as an introduction to the work of the nun-poets, much of which deserves further individual consideration. 
It is hoped that it will open doors for future scholars to explore a school of literature that deserves far greater exposure than it has apparently received for several decades.

Please refer to the following link for 'Images of Mary'

by LA Whittle - ‎1998
Apr 24, 1983 - Lucia Antonia Whittle. A thesis submitted in ..... The images of Mary as drawn by pre-Conciliar religious seekers of the twentieth century echo ...

Life Magazine Christmas 1996 issue

Life Magazine Christmas 1996 issue

With thanks to University Free State, South Africa, Life Magazine and amazon.com

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

PRAYER IN TIME OF SICKNESS



LORD, YOU ARE THE HEALER. You heal people of sickness and affliction through Your love and compassion. Visit me, Lord, and grant me strength to bear this sickness which I suffer. Grant me patience, submission to Your will and trust in Your loving care. I pray that You will bless the means used for my recovery and those who administer them. Grant that my sickness may be to my spiritual benefit.

Merciful Lord, the true comfort and hope of those who suffer, I entreat that You accept the prayers which I offer to You. I offer my sufferings in union with Your sufferings on the cross, for the conversion of sinners, for the forgiveness of sins, in reparation for sins and for the salvation of souls.

Grant that this sickness which I suffer may bring me closer to You. You are the Lord of life and health. You alone can raise me up from my bed of sickness. I thus turn to You with a humble heart and a repentant spirit. My Lord, have mercy on me. I ask that my sins be forgiven. My health is in Your hands. You need say only the word and I will get well again. Yet let Your will, not mine be done. You know best what leads to my health and my eternal salvation.

I thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed on me during my life. I ask that I be healed, if this is Your will. I ask for the courage and humility to bear my illness with grace and dignity, if it is to remain with me. Whatever befall in this instance, I bless and glorify Your name, Merciful Lord.

Amen.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Saturday, August 25, 2018

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH IS AT ALL NIGHT VIGIL - WHY NOT JOIN IN PRAYER?


GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH IS AT ALL NIGHT PRAYER VIGIL.
We are praying for

  • All undergoing surgery
  • All prisoners
  • All families of prisoners
  • All in moral distress
  • All in emotional distress
  • All suffering from injustice
  • New mothers and their infants
  • New fathers and their infants
  • For families
  • For those suffering form divorce
  • For those suffering grave illness and pain
  • For animals in need
  • For God's renewing Spirit to sweep through the world and enlighten our minds
  • For change of heart for abortionists, to embrace the sanctity of life
  • For all in essential services
  • For each person in the world, past, present and future
May God's Glory reign.
Blessings upon you within this Prayer Chapel.

Rev Catherine

With thanks to Youtube

Saturday, June 9, 2018

UNCLOTHED PHOTOGRAPHS: THE MORAL ISSUE

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH HAS BEEN APPRISED OF SITUATIONS IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS ARE ASKED TO PROVIDE UNCLOTHED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEMSELVES.
The moral issue of course is that modesty and self respect mandate that each person regard his or her personal body as the Temple of God. Each of us has been created in the Image of God (Genesis 1:27). "Do you not know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own." (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Vulnerable
The request to receive unclothed photographs of individuals leaves the person vulnerable to various consequences. Moral issue aside, the beauty of the personal form is safest within the sacrament  of marriage.
Consequences may include:
- lack of control over who views the image
- embarrassment in the professional work setting due to images making their way into the public domain
- mortification when family members become aware of the images

When asked to provide unclothed photographs, what is the best guidance?
DON'T.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

CHRISTIAN SAINTS DISRESPECTED AT MET GALA - WHY NOT SIGN THE PETITION?

Jesus Wept


HOLY CANON LAW OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CLEARLY STATES THAT SACRED OBJECTS, WHICH ARE DESIGNATED FOR DIVINE WORSHIP BY DEDICATION OR BLESSING, ARE TO BE TREATED REVERENTLY AND ARE NOT TO BE EMPLOYED FOR PROFANE OR INAPPROPRIATE USE EVEN IF THEY ARE OWNED BY PRIVATE PERSONS. (CANON 1171) [1] 
  Among the objects related to divine worship are vestments, linens, a cross for public veneration, images for public veneration. [2] 
  The deliberate putting of such objects to profane, common, or sordid use for a time contrary to their cultic orientation, is at issue in canon 1376, regarding the undue use of sacred objects. 
  The sacred character of the object, the offender's sacrilegious intent, and possible scandal of the faithful are to be considered in assessing imputability in the case of a person who profanes a movable or immovable sacred object. (Canon 1376) [3]

Vogue Met Show
The Vogue Met Show "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" was launched in Rome in Galleria Colonna, in the presence of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, who acts as the Vatican's president of the Pontifical Council for Culture: Alleged News.
  Alongside the Cardinal was Mr Andrew Bolton, curator in charge at the Met's Anna Wintour Costume Center; Alleged News. 
  Cardinal Ravasi was there as official representative of the Catholic Church, which granted Mr Bolton and his team unprecedented access to its treasured items, and has lent more than 40 sacred items from the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel; Alleged News.  
  According to Mr Bolton, the sacred items range in date from the mid-18th to the early 21st centuries and encompass more than 15 papacies; Alleged News. 
  The earliest is a mantle worn by Benedict XIV, the latest a pair of Saint John Paul II's red shoes; Alleged News. 
 The Papal Tiara worn by Blessed Pius IX is also among the items; Alleged News. [4]


Launch of the Met Gala
 Some of the sacred items are to travel to New York: Alleged News. [4]
  Good Shepherd Church has viewed footage of the Met Gala.
Among fashions noted at the Launch, the clothing of the Holy Father of the Catholic Church was reflected in silver short female attire, with papal mitre. 
  Another dress, high cut with cutaway neckline featured a jewelled cross theme. A further gold gown featured low cleavage with gold cross and cross jewellery. 
  The images of Our Blessed Lady were applied over a further strapless dress. An entire nativity scene was featured in a headdress. [5]

During the Met Gala on Monday night, singer Madonna put on a post-dinner performance, singing her song from 1989, Like a Prayer: Alleged News. 
  The singer appeared in the Great Hall at the Metropolitan Museum of Art walking down steps, flanked by monks, starting her performance in matching robe, before removing clothing to a white corset and sheer skirt, wearing a fake crown of thorns; Alleged News. [6]

Sacrilege
Word on the street is that the use of the holy church items in this way has caused scandal of the gravest level. Reference by many is being made to the words of Our Lady of Fatima, who prophesied, 
  "The sins of the world are too great! The sins which lead most souls to hell are sins of the flesh! Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Lord very much. Those who serve God should not follow these fashions. The Church has no fashions; Our Lord is always the same." [7]

Moral distress is being experienced by Christian worshippers, who view this treatment of sacred objects as sacrilege - a violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred. 
  Of issue to the faithful is the Vatican endorsement of sacred objects, historically blessed and used in faithful service of Our Lord Jesus Christ, being used in profane manner; Alleged News. [4]  
  It is considered that the grave matter of Canon 1171 has direct bearing on the treatment of sacred objects. 

Furthermore, the first class relics of saints have traditionally been treated with utmost respect as direct attribute of one who had offered the best of personal life and worship in service of the Almighty God. 
  The first class relics of Blessed Pope Pius IX and Saint John Paul II have been included in access for the Met Launch; Alleged News. [4] This is considered by  many to be a direct departure from the tradition - honoured since earliest Christian times - of treating items associated with men and women of great holiness with honour. It is further considered that honour for those of historical sanctity has been transposed into a situation of disrespect; indeed, of dishonor.

The values on which Christianity is based are those of the modest and all holy Jesus Christ, the Son of God. These values have been promulgated by the church since earliest Christian times. Indeed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church promotes the following:
"Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance... It guides how one looks at others and behaves towards them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their solidarity." [8]
" ... Modesty is decency. It inspires one's choice of clothing. [9]
"There is a modesty of the feelings as well as of the body, It protests, for example, against the voyeuristic explorations of the human body in certain advertisements, or against the solicitations of certain media that go too far in the exhibition of intimate things. Modesty inspires a way of life which makes it possible to resist the allurements of fashion and the pressures of prevailing ideologies."[10]

Faithful worshippers of God who endeavour to the best of their ability to aspire towards the value of modesty are vigorously questioning Vatican endorsement of the exhibition which does not adhere to either Canon 1171 or CC 2521, 2522 and 2523.
Worshipping Christians have been scandalised by the juxtaposition of what is held holy - both in Christian tradition and common human decency - with morals and values not in keeping with Canon 1171 or Catechism of the Catholic Church numbers 2521, 2522 and 2523.

Christians follow the Son of God Who is the God-given pattern to humanity of behaviour befitting the noble crown of God's creation: man and woman. Our Lord Jesus Christ dressed and behaved with humility, dignity and respect. Our Lady dressed in same manner. Those who follow the path of Our Lord Jesus Christ aspire to the same. Further, Christians call on their leadership to support the sacred tenets of the church at all times.

Call by  Good Shepherd Church
At Fatima, Our Lady clearly warned that troubled times lay ahead, and one of the issues would be that regarding outward reflection of inner respect for the Image of God within man and women.  As scandal among Christians at both use of sacred regalia in contravention of Canon 1171 and inappropriate portrayal of Christ's suffering of thorns grows, Good Shepherd Church is at all night vigil in reparation for the dishonor shown to Christ and the saints and holy people of His church.
Priests bear the great privilege of the office: yet with this office comes great responsibility. 

We call on Christian leaders to restore sacred vestments to the holiness of the sacristy of the church, and not to expose them to situations 
not in keeping with the Godly values 
to which the church aspires.

WHY NOT SIGN THE PETITION?

Our Lady, Mother of the Son of God



[1] Code of Canon Law
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P48.HTM

[2] New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, edited by J.Beal, J.Coriden and T. Green. 2000. Paulist Press: USA.
RDCA I,VII; DB, pt.3,;ch.31-42 (New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law page 1405

[3] Code of Canon Law
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P53.HTM
and New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, edited by J.Beal, J.Coriden and T. Green. 2000. Paulist Press: USA.Page 1585

[4] Highest Fashion! Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi joins Andrew Bolton, Donatella Versace, and Anna Wintour for the Rome Launch of the Met's Show "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination", Alleged News
https://www.vogue.com/article/metropolitan-museum-heavenly-bodies-fashion-and-the-catholic-imagination-exhibit-preview

[5] Piers Morgan; Alleged News
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5703953/PIERS-MORGAN-Met-Islam-Jewish-themed-hell-break-loose-disrespect-religion.html

[6] Inside the Met Gala 2018: Madonna juxtaposes sex and religion as she performs 1989 hit Like a Prayer at Catholic-themed bash ...  .... Alleged News
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5702229/Madonna-sings-Like-Prayer-Gigi-Gisele-live-list-fashion-crowd-Met-Gala.html?ITO=1490

[7] Our Lady of Fatima
http://www.catholic-saints.net/prophecies/fatima.php


[8] Catechism of the Catholic Church. CC 2521
The Battle for Purity
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P8R.HTM

[9] Catechism of the Catholic Church. CC 2522
The Battle for Purity
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P8R.HTM

[10] Catechism of the Catholic Church. CC 2523
The Battle for Purity
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P8R.HTM

Resources www.vatican.va, vogue.com, catholic-saints.net,  dailymail.co.uk and returntoorder.org