Newsletter #92 – Our Lady of Mount Carmel USA

Dear Friends and Benefactors,
Our Saviour Jesus Christ was born in the stable at Bethlehem. In one of his meditations concerning the circumstances of Christ’s Nativity, Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori says that His poor Mother has neither wool nor down to make a bed for the tender Infant. What does she do, then? She gathers together a small handful of straw into the manger, and puts it there for Him to lie on: And she laid Him in the manger? But, how hard and painful is this bed for an infant just born; the limbs of a babe are so delicate, and especially the limbs of Jesus, which were formed by the Holy Ghost with a special delicacy, in order that they might be the more sensible to suffering: A body Thou hast fitted to Me?

Wherefore the hardness of such a bed must have caused Him excessive pain, — pain and shame; for what child, even of the lowest of the people, is ever laid on straw as soon as he is born? Straw is only a fit bed for beasts; and yet the Son of God had none other on earth than a bed of miserable straw!
Saint Francis of Assisi heard one day as he sat at table these words of the Gospel: And laid Him in the manger; and exclaimed, “What? my Lord was laid on the straw, and shall I continue to sit?” And thus, he arose from his seat, threw himself on the ground, and there finished his scanty meal, mingling it with tears of tenderness as he contemplated the sufferings that the Infant Jesus endured whilst He lay on the straw.

But why did Mary, who had so earnestly desired the birth of this Son – why did she, who loved Him so much, allow Him to lie and suffer on this hard bed, instead of keeping Him in her arms? This is a mystery, says SaintThomas of Villanova: “Nor would she have laid him in such a place, unless there had been some great mystery in it.”
This great mystery has been explained by many in different ways, but the most pleasing explanation to me is that of Saint Peter Damian: Jesus wished as soon as He was born to be placed on the straw, in order to teach us the mortification of our senses: “He laid down the law of martyrdom.”
The world had been lost by sensual pleasures; through them had Adam and multitudes of his descendants till then been lost. The Eternal Word came from heaven to teach us the love of suffering; and He began as a child to teach it to us by choosing for Himself the most acute sufferings that an infant can endure. It was, therefore, He Himself who inspired His Mother to cease from holding Him in her tender arms, and to replace Him on the hard bed, that He might feel the more cold of the cave and the pricking of this rough straw.
This meditation by Saint Alphonsus on the sufferings of the Infant Jesus in the crib should remind us of the need for penance. The counterfeit church of Vatican II has poisoned Catholics, not only with false doctrine and morals, but also with relaxed disciplinary laws making the need for penance almost non-existant. True Catholics must not accept these new laws.
The Holy Roman Catholic Church teaches that every Catholic, even after his sins have been forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance, must do penance in order to satisfy God’s justice for the temporal punishment due to sin. The eternal punishment of our mortal sins is taken away by the merits of Christ in the Divine tribunal of penance (Sacrament of Penance or Confession), but it remains for us to give temporal satisfaction for them.
Knowing human nature, the Church realizes that, even though we admit this obligation, we would put it off day to day until the end of our lives would be upon us without our having done any penance.
Therefore, the Catholic Church has established, by her laws, that we will at least do penance on certain days throughout the year. Since most of our sins consist in indulging the appetites of our body beyond what is lawful, it is appropriate to do penance by curbing them in what is lawful.

PRE-VATICAN II CHURCH LAWS
ABSTINENCE

Everyone over seven years of age is bound to observe the law of abstinence.
Complete abstinence is to be observed on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas. On days of complete abstinence, meat and soup or gravy made from meat may not be used at all.
Partial abstinence is to be observed on Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays and on the Vigil of Pentecost. On days of partial abstinence, meat and soup or gravy made from meat may be taken only once a day at the principal meal.
FAST
Everyone over 21 and under 59 years of age is also bound to observe the law of fast.
The days of fast are the weekdays of Lent, including Holy Saturday, the Ember Days and Vigils of Pentecost, the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.
On days of fast, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs; but together they should not equal another full meal.
Meat may be taken at the principal meal on a day of fast except on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.
Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed.
Where health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. In doubt concerning fast or abstinence, a parish priest or confessor should be consulted.

There is no obligation for fast or abstinence on a holy day of obligation, even if it falls on a Friday.

EUCHARISTIC FAST LAWS
(Motu Proprio of Pope Pius XII of March 19, 1957)

Priests and faithful before Mass or Holy Communion respectively – whether it is the morning, afternoon, or evening or Midnight Mass – must abstain for three hours from solid foods and alcoholic beverages, and for one hour from non-alcoholic beverages. Water does not break the fast.
The infirm, even if not bedridden, may take non-alcoholic beverages and that which is really and properly medicine, either in liquid or solid form, before Mass or Holy Communion without any time limit.

Furthermore, Pope Pius XII had earnestly exhorted priests and faithful who are able to do so to observe the old and venerable form of the Eucharistic Fast (from foods and liquids from midnight) before Holy Communion. All those who will make use of these concessions must compensate for the good received by becoming shining examples of a Christian life and principally with works of penance and charity.

In addition, the mortification of the Divine Infant in reparation for man’s sins of sensuality should shun the true Catholic from the new morality practiced by the Novus Ordo church (and those who adhere to it such the Indult Latin Mass groups, Neo-SSPX) and the continual attack against the Catholic family and the Sacrament of Matrimony (e.g. NFP, theology of the body, new laws making annulments easy, sins against nature no longer immoral, gay marriages, accepting marriage after divorce, etc.).

We should be reminded of the Catholic truths contained in Pope Saint Pius X’s Catechism on Marriage, which includes the following:

Q: What is the sacrament of Matrimony?
A: Matrimony is a sacrament, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, which creates a holy and indissoluble union between a man and woman, and gives them grace to love one another holily and to bring up their children as Christians.

Q: By whom was Matrimony instituted?
A: Matrimony was instituted by God Himself in the Garden of Paradise, and was raised to the dignity of a sacrament by Jesus Christ in the New Law.

Q: Has the sacrament of Matrimony any special signification?
A: The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the indissoluble union of Jesus Christ with the Church, His Spouse, and our holy Mother.

Q: Why do we say that the bond of marriage is indissoluble?
A: We say that the bond of marriage is indissoluble or that it cannot be dissolved except by the death of either husband or wife, because God so ordained from the beginning and so Jesus Christ our Lord solemnly proclaimed.

Q: Can the contract be separated from the sacrament in Christian marriage?
A: No, in marriage among Christians the contract cannot be separated from the sacrament, because, for Christians, marriage is nothing else than the natural contract itself, raised by Jesus Christ to the dignity of a sacrament.

Q: Among Christians, then, there can be no true marriage that is not a sacrament?
A: Among Christians there can be no true marriage that is not a sacrament.

Q: What effects does the sacrament of Matrimony produce?
A: The sacrament of matrimony: (1) Gives an increase of sanctifying grace; (2) Gives a special grace for the faithful discharge of all the duties of the married state.

Q: Who are the Ministers of this sacrament?
A: The Ministers of this sacrament are the couple themselves, who together confer and receive the sacrament.

Q: How is this sacrament administered?
A: This sacrament, preserving, as it does, the nature of a contract, is administered by the contracting parties. themselves, who declare, in the presence of the parish priest, or another priest delegated by him, and of two witnesses, that they take each other in marriage.

Q: What use, then, is the blessing which the parish priest gives to the married couple?
A: The blessing which the parish priest gives to the married couple is not necessary to constitute the sacrament, but it is given to sanction their union in the name of the Church and to invoke on them more abundantly the blessing of God.

Q: What intention should those have who contract marriage?
A: Those who contract marriage should have the intention: (1) Of doing the will of God, who calls them to that state; (2) Of working out in that state the salvation of their souls; (3) Of bringing up their children as Christians, if God should bless them with any.

Q: How should those about to be married prepare themselves to receive this sacrament with fruit?
A: In order to receive this sacrament with fruit, those about to be married should: (1) Earnestly recommend themselves to God, so as to know His will and obtain the graces necessary for that state; (2) Consult their parents before making any promise, because obedience and the respect due to them demand this; (3) Prepare themselves by a good confession, or, if necessary, a general confession of their whole life; (4) Avoid all dangerous familiarity in word or act while in each other’s company.

Q: Which are the principal obligations of married persons?
A: Married persons should: (1) Guard inviolably their conjugal fidelity and behave Always and in all things as Christians; (2) Love one another, bear patiently with one another, and live in peace and concord; (3) Think seriously of providing for their children, if they have any, according to their needs; bring them up as Christians, and leave them free to choose the state of life to which they are called by God.

Q: What is necessary to contract Christian marriage validly?
A: To contract Christian marriage validly it is necessary to be free from every diriment impediment to marriage; and to give consent freely to the marriage contract in the presence of the parish priest (or a priest delegated by him) and of two witnesses.

Q: What is necessary to contract marriage lawfully?
A: To contract marriage lawfully it is necessary to be free from every impeding impediment to marriage; to be instructed in the principal truths of religion; and, finally, to be in a state of grace; otherwise a sacrilege would be committed.

Q: What are impediments to marriage?
A: Impediments to marriage are certain circumstances which render marriage either invalid or unlawful. The former are called diriment impediments and the latter impeding impediments.

Q: Give examples of diriment impediments.
A: Diriment impediments are, for example, relationship to the fourth degree, spiritual relationship, a solemn vow of chastity, or difference in religion, that is, when one party is baptized and the other is not.

Q: Give examples of impeding impediments.
A: Impeding impediments are, for example, the forbidden times, a simple vow of chastity, and the like.

Q: Are the faithful obliged to make known to ecclesiastical authority impediments of which they have a knowledge?
A: The faithful are obliged to make known to ecclesiastical authority impediments of which they have knowledge; and for this reason the names of those who intend to get married are published in the Church.

Q: Who has the power to regulate impediments to marriage, to dispense from them, and to judge of the validity of Christian marriage?
A: The Church alone has power to regulate impediments to marriage, to judge of the validity of marriage among Christians and to dispense from the impediments which she has placed.

Q: Why has the Church alone power to place impediments and to judge of the validity of marriage?
A: The Church alone has power to place impediments, to judge of the validity of marriage, and to dispense from the impediments which she has placed, because the contract, being inseparable from the sacrament in a Christian marriage, also comes under the power of the Church, to which alone Jesus Christ gave the right to make laws and give decisions in sacred things.

Q: Can the civil authority dissolve the bonds of Christian marriage by divorce?
A: No, the bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by the civil authority, because the civil authority cannot interfere with the matter of the sacrament nor can it put asunder what God has joined together.

AVE MARIA!
Father Joseph Poisson

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Consecration of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to Immaculate Heart of Mary
http://ourladyofmountcarmelusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Consecration-to-Immaculate-Heart-by-Our-Lady-of-Mt.-Carmel-SSPX-Marian-Corps.pdf

Featured Sermon
Given By His Excellency Bishop Pfeiffer

Featured Sermon
Given By His Excellency Bishop Pfeiffer

Featured Sermon
Given By His Excellency Bishop Pfeiffer

Posted in Newsletters and tagged 2022, December, Father Joseph Poisson, Newsletter