CAPG's Blog 

"Our need of divine help is as great today as when the great Dominic introduced the use of the Rosary of Mary as a balm for the wounds of his contemporaries.

That great saint indeed, divinely enlightened, perceived that no remedy would be more adapted to the evils of his time than that men should return to Christ, who "is the way, the truth, and the life," by frequent meditation on the salvation obtained for Us by Him, and should seek the intercession with God of that Virgin, to whom it is given to destroy all heresies. He therefore so composed the Rosary as to recall the mysteries of our salvation in succession, and the subject of meditation is mingled and, as it were, interlaced with the Angelic salutation and with the prayer addressed to God, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We, who seek a remedy for similar evils, do not doubt therefore that the prayer introduced by that most blessed man with so much advantage to the Catholic world, will have the greatest effect in removing the calamities of our times also. "

Source: On the Devotion of the Rosary (Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, 1883)

Bishops Are Free To Speak About Politics

You cannot be Catholic and a Democrat

 When a person is presented for baptism, the priest meets him at the door of the Church, to denote, that as he is not as yet of the number of the faithful, he has no right to enter into that sacred place; and there, after asking what he demands from the Church, and telling him the conditions on which the demand will be granted, he proceeds to prepare him for receiving it as follows:

By BAPTISM WE RECEIVE A NEW AND SPIRITUAL LIFE.

First, He breathes upon him, and says, Depart from me, thou unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Ghost the Comforter. This ceremony is taken from the example of God himself, who having ''formed man of the slime of the earth, he breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul," Gen. ii. 7; and from the example of Jesus Christ who when communicating to his Apostles the Holy Ghost, he breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," John xx. 22. And it signifies, that by baptism we receive a new and spiritual life by grace through the operation of the Holy Ghost, who is given to us, and makes us his temples.

Second, He makes the sign of the cross upon the forehead, and upon the breast, because God ordered all those that belonged to him to have "the mark Thou set upon their foreheads," Ezek. ix. 4. which is "the seal of the living God," Rev. vii. 2; and denotes that the person who receives it begins now to be one of the flock of Jesus Christ, and will, by the Sacrament of Baptism, soon be admitted to his fold, according to that of our Savior, "other sheep I have who are not of this fold,
them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd," John x. 36. Now, this sacred sign is planted on the forehead, to show, that after baptism we should never be ashamed of the cross of Christ, nor afraid to profess his doctrine; and is implanted on the breast, near the heart, to show that we should love the cross of Christ, and cheerfully submit to bear whatever portion of it he shall be pleased afterwards to lay upon us; being assured, that, "if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him," 2. Tim.
ii. 12.

By BAPTISM WE ARE SOLEMNLY DEDICATED AND CONSECRATED TO GOD.

Third, He puts a little blessed salt into the person's mouth, saying, Receive the salt of wisdom; may it be unto thee a propitiation unto life everlasting. The ceremony is taken from a command of God in the old law, which says, "Whatsoever sacrifice thou offerest, thou shalt season it with salt," Lev. ii. 13. Because salt is an emblem of wisdom or discretion, without which none of our actions are agreeable to God; and Christ himself says, "Have salt in you," Mark ix. 49, meaning
that heavenly wisdom of which he says, "Be ye, therefore, wise as serpents, and simple as doves," Matth. x. 16. This ceremony therefore, denotes that by baptism we are solemnly dedicated and consecrated to God, as a sacrifice and oblation to his holy will; and that we ought ever after to preserve our souls from the corruption of sin, by the salt of the heavenly wisdom, by which alone we ought to regulate our whole life and conversation. Now our Savior proposes the wisdom of this serpent as an emblem of the wisdom of a Christian, because, as that animal, (according to what St. Chrysostom tells us,) when pursued by its enemies, uses all care to preserve its head, whatever becomes of the rest of its body; so the wisdom of the gospel teaches us to be only solicitous for the salvation of our souls, and ready to part with every thing else rather than to lose our souls, according to that of our Savior, 4 i What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his, own
soul!" Mark viii. 36.

BY BAPTISM WE ENTER THE CHURCH OF GOD.

Fourth, The priest proceeds to the exorcisms, by which, in the name of Jesus Christ, and through the merits of his death upon the cross (the sign of which is here frequently made upon the person to be baptized) he commands the devil to depart from the soul, whom God has chosen to be admitted to the grace of baptism, and orders him to give place to the Holy Ghost, who comes to take possession of him and make him his temple. This he does in consequence of that power over unclean spirits, which Jesus Christ left to the pastors of his church, to whom he "gave power over unclean spirits to cast them out," Matth. x. 1; or as St. Mark expresses it, "he gave them power to cast out devils," Mark iii. 15; and St. Luke, "He gave them power and author- ity over all devils," Luke ix. 1. By this means, the person being prepared to be admitted into the Church, as one delivered in a great meas-
ure, from the power of Satan, and belonging to Jesus Christ, the priest introduces him into that part of the church where the baptismal font is, saying, Enter into the Church of God, that thou mayest have part with Christ unto everlasting life. And while they are proceeding to the font, the priest, together with the person to be baptized, (or his godfather and godmother, if he be a child) recite with an audible voice, the apostles' creed, and the Lord's prayer, to show that it is only by true faith in Jesus Christ that we are entitled to enter into His Church and become members of it.

Fifth, Then the priest recites another exorcism, and at the end of it touches the ear and nostrils of the person to be baptized with a little spittle, saying, Ephpheta, that is, be thou opened into an odor of sweetness; but be thou put to flight, 0 Devil, for the judgment of God will be at hand. This ceremony is taken from the example of Jesus Christ, who when they had brought to him "one that was deaf and dumb— taking him aside from the multitude, he put his fingers into his ears; and spitting, he touched his tongue, and— said to him, Ephpheta, that is, be thou opened; and immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right, Mark vii. 32; and by it is signified, that, as Jesus Christ, by this ceremony, cured the deaf and dumb man, so, by the grace of baptism, the ears of our soul are opened, to hear the word of God, and the inspirations of his Holy Spirit; and that obeying his holy will manifested to us by this means, we become "an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God," Philip, iv. 18; and likewise, by our good example, "a good odor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish," 2 Cor. ii. 15. These are the ceremonies which go before baptism, and which are, as it were, a preparation for it.



THE SACRED OBLIGATION OF BAPTISM.

Q. What are the ceremonies that accompany the sacramental action?

A. As baptism is a covenant between God and the soul, there are two essential conditions required on our part to prepare us for receiving it, to renounce for ever, the devil and the world, and to adhere to Jesus Christ by faith; wherefore, being now arrived at the sacred font, First, The person to be baptized, (or his godfather and godmother, in his name) makes a solemn renunciation of the devil, and all his works and pomps, declaring, that he renounces, for ever, the service of the devil, and that he detests all the maxims and vanities of the world, which are the pomps of the devil, and that he abhors all sin, which are his works; that he embraces the service of Jesus Christ, and vows and promises to adhere constantly to the maxims and rules of his gospel, and to continue his faithful disciple. This is the sacred obligation in which we engage at baptism, this is the solemn promise
we make, upon the keeping of which our eternal life so much depends.

Second, Then the priest anoints him with holy oil on the breast and between the shoulders, making the sign of the cross, and saying, I anoint thee with the oil of salvation, in Christ Jesus our Lord, that thou mayest have life everlasting. This ceremony is taken from the example of what God did in the. old law, where he commanded, that all those things which immediately regarded his service and were to be sanctified for that end, and consecrated, should be anointed with holy oil; as is declared in the' thirtieth and fortieth chapters of Exodus, where he says, "And thou shalt consecrate all with the oil of unction, that they may be most holy, Exod. xl, 11. Now, the outward unction with oil is an emblem of the inward grace of the Holy Ghost, which sanctifies the soul; for, as oil gives light, warms, cures wounds, and strengthens weak parts, so the grace of the Holy Ghost enlightens the
understanding, inflames the heart, cures the wounds of the soul, and strengthens its weakness. Hence of our Savior it is said, that "God anointed him With the Holy Ghost," Acts x. 38. And St John says to his disciples, "You have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things,' 9 1 John ii. 20. This ceremony, therefore, signifies, that the person to be baptized, having renounced the devil and undertaken to fight manfully against him, will receive a plenteous grace from the
Holy Ghost in baptism, to direct him in this warfare, to assist him and strengthen him to resist all his spiritual enemies; and, at the same time, is consecrated to God by this Holy unction for this purpose. He is therefore anointed on the breast, to show that this grace will fortify his breast with great courage and resolution; and between the shoulders, to show that the grace of baptism will sweeten the yoke of Christ, and make the burden of his commands light, easy, and even delightful
to him.

Third, The priest interrogates the person to be baptized concerning his faith in the blessed Trinity, and in the incarnation and death of our Savior; because our Savior says, "he that believes and is baptized shall be saved," Mark xvi.; to show that faith is a previous disposition necessarily required before baptism; which, as children cannot actually have themselves, their godfathers and godmothers answer for them, with the obligation of seeing them instructed in the faith, when they come to an age capable of it. Lastly, The priest inquires if the person be willing to be baptized, because none can receive baptism against their will; and getting his consent, he immediately baptizes him t and thus administers the sacrament.


CEREMONIES USED AFTER BAPTISM.

Q. What are the ceremonies used after baptism?

A. First, The new Christian is immediately anointed on the crown of the head with holy chrism, in imitation of the anointing of kings and priests by God's command in the old law; and signifies that royal priesthood, to which we are raised by baptism, according to that of St. Peter, "you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation," 1 Pet. ii. 9.

Second, lie is clothed with a white garment, as an emblem of the spotless innocence with which his soul is adorned; and the priest, when he puts it on him, prays that he may carry it unstained before the Judgment-seat of Christ.

Third, A lighted candle is put into his hand, as an emblem of the light of good example, which he is obliged to give by obeying the commands of Cod, according to what our Savior says, "so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven," Math. v. 16. While the priest gives him this candle, he exhorts him to preserve this baptism and keep the
commands of God free from stain.

Fourth, The priest then gives him his leave to depart in peace.

source: The manual of the holy Catholic Church by Fr. James J. McGovern 1906 

It is quite generally believed that of all the mortals who journey through life’s weary pilgrimage, the Catholic priest is the most fortunate. For the priest, who is true to his exalted vocation, lives of the life of grace, has God as his  portion in time and eternity, may well be envied. It is not, however, to the spiritual blessings enjoyed by the true priest men refer when calling him fortunate. “What a fine time the priest has,” says one, “plenty to eat and nothing to do.”
 Such is the popular view of priestly life. The real priest is a very different sort of man. The guide and ruler of his flock, his every word and act is closely observed. His most heroic acts of self-sacrifice and virtue pass unnoticed, his
slightest imperfection is magnified and trumpeted abroad. Though he labors for years with the most disinterested zeal for the good of religion, depriving himself of the pittance to which he is entitled for his own support that the poor may be provided for and the faith preserved among the youth; though for long years he makes of himself a very martyr for the benefit of his people, if but one error of judgment be found in his life’s work, all the good effected is forgotten and his one mistake alone held in lasting remembrance. The approbation of men not being the object of the priest’s life, the world’s verdict matters little to him so long as he is conscious of having done his duty; nevertheless, men should endeavor to be just to one another, even in trivial matters.

The ideal priest has a pleasant life of it. He says his daily Mass, recites his office, amuses himself with the little children, visits his people, and lives to a ripe old age. No trouble, no labor of any kind. The real priest finds souls going to perdition for want of religious instruction. He must found and support Catholic schools. He finds the intemperate habits of the people undermining faith and proving a stumbling-block in the way of searchers after the truth. He must wage war against a powerful element among his flock. He finds family feuds of long standing to be overcome. There are perhaps several opposing factions in the congregation. The church, through some cause or other, is burdened with debt, or stands in need of repairs. The poor of the parish must be attended to. Here is work enough to do, and done it must be. Money is needed to support the schools. The expenses of the church must be met and money is required wherewith to meet them. The poor must live, and money is necessary for their support. The orphans require aid. Again money is needed. As Catholic charity knows no limit, the real priest makes known to his people these various needs of religion, confident that many will heed his words and correspond with his wishes. But how many there are who seem to think that the priest is begging for himself when he appeals for money on these different occasions! Listen to some members of the congregation leaving the church on a Sunday after a “money-sermon” has been preached. We recently heard a young man, the recipient of many favors from his pastor, pouring forth his pent-up indignation because his good pastor had asked him to contribute a few dollars toward a charitable object. The ungrateful wretch could not understand what the priest did with all the money he received, though he understood very well that the priest had never received any money from him. This young man’s parents died when he was six years old, and the writer of this article knows for a positive fact that the priest’s money was once used for paying for food and clothing for this same young man. He was educated by his pastor, and it was owing to his influence that this young ingrate now holds a splendid position.

Busy days and often sleepless nights, financial difficulties, disappointments, misrepresentation, exposure to heat and cold and contagion—these are a few of the temporal blessings enjoyed by the priest here below. Add to these the fact that after a long life of usefulness one mistake may suffice to cast him adrift upon the world without means and without friends, and the life of the average priest appears in its true colors—a life of weary anxiety and suffering; a life awaiting no human reward, but expecting the reward of the life to come.

Source: Truth, (A Monthly Magazine for the Dissemination of the Truth concerning the Doctrines, History, and Practices of
 the Catholic Church.) Published by The International Catholic Truth Society. Rev. Fr. Wm. F. McGinnins, D.D. Editor-in-Chief NY Vol. XIX. April, 1915 NO.4

The priest may never, under any circumstances reveal what he has heard in a sacramental confession; it is never lawful to manifest the least thing told by a penitent in confession. It is a grave sin, a sacrilege to make known the least sin, the knowledge of which was acquired by a sacramental confession. Not even to save his own life or the life of the penitent, not even to save the soul of the penitent, may the priest break the seal of confession. in most countries, the civil law recognizes the sacred character of this seal and does not oblige the priest from this solemn obligation of secrecy; outside of confession, he may not speak of confessional matter even to the penitent without the latter's express permission. What is told in confession ends there, as far as the confessor is concerned. History records that the priesthood has been true to this secret trust; priests have been severely punished, many exiled, some martyred, because they refused to reveal the secrets of the confessional. Catholic people recognize this fact and know that their trust and confidence will never be betrayed by their confessor.

Source: Our Young People, 1916

The Rev. Thomas F. Conkley, D.D. answers this question in a manner that ought to satisfy anyone anxious to know, he says:

Almighty God understands the Latin language, and our prayers are said to Him, not to the congregation. 

The Catholic Church is ruled by the most learned and most brilliant intellects in the world. Consequently, they must have a good reason for everything they do or believe. Hence in advance, we ought to assume that if there is anything in the Catholic Church we do not understand, the fault is our own, not the fault of the Catholic Church, and that more education on our part will reveal the reason for such belief or practice of Catholics.

The Catholic Church has been in the business of saving men's souls for nineteen hundred years. She has had more experience than any other institution in the history of the world. She must, therefore, have a good, solid reason for everything she does, otherwise she would not continue the custom. Therefore, when she uses the Latin language in her public and official religious services we know that a very wise motive lies behind the use of Latin.

The Catholic Church uses the Latin language because Latin is NOT a foreign language. The use of Latin makes the Catholic Church the only international cosmopolitan, universal Church, and prevents it from being a mere national church.

The Catholic Church uses the language because Latin is stable, permanent, unchangeable. So is the Catholic Church fixed, stable, permanent, unchangeable.

A Catholic learns in his earliest years to follow the services in the Latin language, ans wherever he roams over the broad earth, he finds the same holy Latin tongue, the same sonorous Latin phrases, the same unchangeable Latin sentences, the same century old Latin diction, saturated by the blood of martyrs, and consecrated by saints and sages. This is one of the things that makes a Catholic feel at home anywhere in the world.

Every Catholic prayer book contains an exact translation of the Latin prayers at Mass and at all other public religious services, so that every Catholic is quite familiar with everything that is said. Ask your Catholic neighbor for a prayer book and see for yourself.

The Latin language is used only at the official, public religious services of the Catholic Church. In private devotion, Catholics can say their prayers in whatever language they please; and prayers said by the priest with the congregation are always in their own language.

The Catholic Church is the Church of all nations; therefore it uses a language intelligible to educated people in all nations. It would be difficult to think of the Catholic Church as the universal, world-wide Church of Christ if it used the English language exclusively!

Modern languages are changing continually. The unchanging Catholic Church cannot use a changing medium as the vehicle of its expression.

The Catholic Church uses Latin because priests and vast numbers of people know the Latin language. The possession of such knowledge should be a badge of distinction, rather than an object of complaint.

To assist at religious services in the Latin language no more interferes with our devotion than assisting at grand opera in Italian, French, or German interferes with our appreciation of the music.

If you want to know what Shumann-Heink or Tetrazzini is singing, you must take a libretto with you; if you wish to known what the priest is saying at Mass, take your prayer book with you.

The use of Latin beats down national and racial barriers, and tends toward the universal brotherhood of man, since all nation kneel side by side, and recite the self-same prayers, in the self-same Latin tongue.

Objection to the use of Latin comes, not from Catholics, who appreciate the verbal dignity of Latin, but from non-Catholics who do not know Latin at all. Catholics do not bother their heads about what non-Catholics do; they have quite enough to do to attend to their own business. This would be a good rule for every one to follow.

Source: Our Your People, 1916

To me nothing is so consoling, so piercing, so thrilling, so overcoming as the Mass said as it is among us. I could attend Masses forever and not be tired. It is not a mere form of words, it is a great action, the greatest action that can be on earth. It is not the invocation merely, but is I dare use the word, the evocation of the Eternal. He becomes present on the altar in flesh and blood, before whom angels bow and devils tremble. This is that awful event which is the scope and the interpretation of every part of the solemnity. Words are necessary, but as means not as ends; they are not mere addresses to the throne of grace, they are the instruments of what is far higher, of consecration, of sacrifice. They hurry on as if impatient to fulfill their mission. Quickly they go, the whole is quick; for they are all parts of one integral action. Quickly they go; for they are awful words of sacrifice, they are a work too great to delay upon; as when it was said in the beginning: "What thou doest, do quickly." Quickly they pass; for the Lord Jesus goes with them as He passed along the lake in the days of His flesh, quickly calling first one and then another. Quickly they pass; because as the lightning which shineth from one part of the heaven unto the other, so is the coming of the Son of Man. Quickly they pass; for they are as the words of Moses when the Lord came down in the cloud, calling on the name of the Lord as He passed by "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth." And as Moses on the mountain, so we too "make haste and bow our heads to the earth and adore." So we all around, each in his place look out for the great Advent, "Waiting for the moving of the water." Each in his place, with his own heart, with his own wants, with his own thoughts, with his own intentions, with his own prayers, separate but concordant, watching what is going on, watching its progress, uniting in its consummation; not painfully and hopelessly following a hard form of prayer from beginning to end, but like a concert of musical instruments, each different but concurring in a sweet harmony, we take our part with God's priest supporting him yet guided by him. There are little children there and old men and simple laborers and students in seminaries, priests preparing for Mass, priests making their thanksgiving; there are innocent maidens and there are penitent sinners; but out of these may minds rises one Eucharistic hymn, and the great Action is the measure and the scope of it." Cardinal Newman.

Source: The Mass and Vestments of the Catholic Church, 1909, Msgr. John Walsh

"We established, on one side of the grounds, a quarantine department. There we detained, for a number of days, every one with permit seeking admission to the camp....This precaution against introducing the plague into the camp, was very desirable, and it worked most admirably. The dangers of a panic, which might disperse the camp, were thus obviated. Every one felt the more secure, and the elements of harmony and peace were strengthened.

Of course, we did not entirely depend upon human precaution to protect us. The most of those admitted to our camp were Catholics; hence, one of the first building erected on the grounds was a little church. It was on wheels, and located at one end of our main, on Father Mathew Avenue, beneath the shades of a forest tree. It was dedicated in honor of the Sacred Heart of our Divine Lord, and we all looked upon it as the Ark of our safety. There, during the place, I celebrated Mass almost every morning, and recited the rosary and gave benediction of the most blessed sacrament every night, when, after the day's labor in the plague-stricken city, I returned to rest at the camp, and be consoled by the prayerful greetings of our poor, faithful people, who daily feared that I would be stricken down. These esteemed greetings afforded me many a relieving joy amidst the most gloomy days of the awful plague....

The plague raged every-where through the country districts around us. Its victims form even the very confines of the camp, were being daily carried to their graves. Out of our population of about 400, we had only ten deaths from fever. in each case the fever was contracted in the city. It did not spread in the camp. In fact we had not one certain case, of a fatal or unfavorable result, contracted in our camp: Providence must have assisted us.

William Walsh, Rector of St. Bridget's Church, Memphis, Tenn. December 5, 1878

Source: A History of the Yellow Fever, the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878 in Memphis by John Mc Lead Keating

Answer here.