CAPG's Blog 

"The bishop saying Mass, administering the sacraments or preaching the Gospel is the most perfect image of Christ. He does so according to the laws of the universal church. In him the clergy and people see Christ the Bishop of eternity. "He that receiveth you receiveth me. He that despiseth you despiseth me." That relates not only to the Pope. to the bishop, but in a less degree to any pastor, to any minister of Christ. For the ministers of Christ preach not themselves but "Christ and Him crucified."

The bishop is the head of the diocese. He is the father of all the faithful in the diocese. For he brings forth his spiritual children, his priests and clergymen by rite of holy ordination. They are the images of himself. The Priests he ordains are his sons whom he brings forth to God. He feeds his children by the words of life, by good example, by heavenly food, by the teachings of eternal life.

Happy is the diocese and the clergy who have a bishop after the heart of Jesus Christ, who lives the life of the Master.

The good bishop loves his clergy; looks on them as a father on his children; he upholds the good priest; he rewards the men of God; he defends the weak; he treats them with justice, benignity, gentleness, kindness; he is clothed with the bowels of the mercy of Jesus Christ, with forgiveness looking down from on high on those who falter on the way.

Behold his name will be called blessed, his clergy and people will love him, they will uphold him; like Moses on the mount, they will stand under his weary hands, strengthening him till he gains the victory over all enemies of the Lord and of his church. Both clergy and people will love him because he is "like unto the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth" who "for us men and for our salvation left the bosom of his Father, came down from heaven and was made man and dwelt among us: to show pastors how to rule their subjects."

Holy Mass in bombed St. Paul Cathedral in Münster, 1946 r.(c) Aschendorff Verlag

"Regrettably, it may be that some will label as schismatics those who disagree with the changes being proposed. Be assured, however, that no one who remains firmly upon the plumb line of our Catholic faith is a schismatic. We must remain unabashedly and truly Catholic, regardless of what may be brought forth. We must be aware also that it is not leaving the Church to stand firm against these proposed changes. As St. Peter said "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (Jn. 6:68) Therefore, standing firm does not mean we are seeking to leave the Church. Instead, those who would propose changes to that which cannot be changed seek to commandeer Christ's Church, and they are indeed the true schismatics."  Stand Firm in Your Faith, Bishop Strickland, Diocese of Tyler

Prayer for the Holy Church

Lord, God of virtues, turn Thy loving face towards us and save us!

Thou didst banish idolatry from the world, and didst plant the vine of the Church with so much care, that carefully revealed truth was made known in all parts of the world. The cross of Jesus Christ has been everywhere adored, the prophecy has been fulfilled which announced that one day the true faith should fill the whole world.

But too soon heresy, that wild beast coming forth from the forest of hell, came to lay waste that vine, so that error is now reigning in many kingdoms of Europe. And what is still more deplorable is that in countries that have remained faithful the Faith has now become an object of persecution on the part of the unbelieving.

Ah, my God! We beg Thee to turn Thy face to us, and behold now Thy vine has been laid waste. Look on it, visit it, and repair the damage done to it by its enemies: they have despised and turned into derision Thy Church, Thy Scriptures, Thy precepts, Thy maxims, in a word, all holy truths.

Call to mind O Eternal Father, that in order to obey Thee and to cultivate this vine according to Thy holy will, Thy Son Jesus Christ made himself the Son of Man; call to mind that He consecrated the sweat and fatigue of His whole life to planting it.

We pray Thee, then, through Thy love for this divine Son, to hear our prayer: do Thou vouchsafe to govern and preserve the Holy Church; do Thou vouchsafe to humble her enemies. We pray Thee, hear us. St. Alphonsus' Prayer Book (1888)