Priestly Character

The bishop, when anointing the hands of a priest at ordination says

"...That you may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God."

The character of orders enables the priest to make people holy and to connect earth with heaven with the Holy Mysteries of the sacraments, especially the offering of the Mass (Christ on the Cross to the eternal Father for the forgiveness of sins and for the love of the Father).

In the presentation of the chalice and the paten the bishop then says

"...and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord's cross."

In other words, be holy yourself. Live the holiness, the holy sacrifice, of Christ. May the offering of holy things spur you to personal holiness, that you too may attain the grandeur of Christ's communion with the Father.

Two Classic Hymns to the Holy Spirit

Come, True Light

Come, true light. Come, eternal live. Come, hidden mystery. Come, treasure without name. Come, ineffable reality. Come, inconceivable person. Come, happiness without end. Come, light without sunset. Come, infallible hope of all who must be saved. Come, awakened of all who sleep. Come, resurrection of the dead. Come, O powerful one who ever make and remake everything and transform everything with your power alone. Come, O invisible one, totally intangible and impalpable. Come, you who always remain still and at the same time are constantly moving. Come to us who languish in the nether regions, you who are above all the heavens. Come, O beloved name, everywhere invoked, whose being it is absolutely impossible for us to express, whose nature we can never know. Come, eternal joy. Come, incorruptible crown. Come, O scarlet robe of the great king. Come, crystalline belt clustered with jewels. Come inaccessible sandal. Come, royal purple. Come, truly sovereign right hand. Come, you whom my miserable soul has always desired. Come, the Alone to the alone, for you see that I am alone. Come, your who have separated me from everything and made me a solitary person in this world. Come, you who have become your desire itself in me, you who have caused me to want your, you, the absolutely inaccessible. Come, my breath and my life. Come, consolation of my poor soul. Come, my joy, my glory, my delight for ever. (Simeon the New Theologian, Hymns 949-1022)

Come, O Come

Come, O come, most excellent counsellor of the suffering soul...Come, you who cleanse from ugliness, you who cure plagues. Come, strength of the weak, supporter of the fallen. Come, doctor of the humble, conqueror of the proud. Come, O tender father of the orphans...Come, hope of the poor...Come, star of sailors, port of the shipwrecked. Come, O shining glory of all the living...Come, your who are the holiest of the spirits. Come and take pity on me. Conform me to yourself. (John of Frescamp, 1060 To the Holy Spirit)

Elementary Classic Latin Texts

Gesta Romanorum is among the fine selection of classic latin texts provided at this Saint Louis University website which is very user friendly.

Here is a blog that specializes in Latin classics.

Custody of the Eyes

Priestly Purity has at least three aspects:

Custody of the eyes (an essential form of modesty) is the moat,

Celibacy is the solid ground,

Chastity is the castle fortress.

It all starts with the eyes, we must focus and constantly refocus on Christ (God)!

El Gran Catecismo de Deharbe

The Baltimore Catechism is the best English language catechism for its didactic method and its concise content of all of the basic truths of the Catholic faith. It is by far the easiest and the best. And, to my knowledge, it has never been translated into Spanish.

Now, half of the Catholic population of the U.S. (and of the world if you include those who speak Portuguese) are Spanish speakers! Someone should consider undertaking the translation and the publication in economical editions of the various levels of that excellent catechism.

Furthermore, I have found a public domain Spanish edition of an even better (more comprehensive and more precise) Catechism (El Gran Catecismo de Deharbe) which was published and heavily used during the time of Vatican Council I and may have been one of the sources for the Baltimore Catechism for all I know. Check it out! Could someone publish it as is? That would be a great service to the country, to the Church and to the world!!! It is most necessary in the present "educational emergency", as Pope Benedict calls our present modern situation.

Motherhood is Based on Holy Marriage and Virginity

Great mothers are first of all holy and devoted and chaste wives.
And holy and faithful wives are first humble and chaste virgins until their holy marriage. (Notice Eve's virginal serenity with the Father and completely directed toward her future husband).

It is no accident that the greatest Woman, the Woman of all women, is the Ever Virgin Spouse of Saint Joseph. She brings holy marital dedication and virginal integrity to divine maternity.

May is the month of Mary and today is Mother's Day, to honor Her, first of all, the Mother of all Maternity, the humblest and most faithful daughter of Almighty God, the very Mother of God.

World's Bishops' Conferences' Links, etc.

My Austrian Catholic News Link, Oesterreich, has a list of very high quality authoritative links to bishops, principal dioceses and bishop conferences around the world, which I have included in my list of Great Links under the title of Kathlinks.

Particularly interesting are the links for various Eastern Catholic Rite Churches, e.g. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church website.