Showing posts with label chastity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chastity. Show all posts

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Bulletin 253

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

April 26, 2015

Third Sunday After Easter

Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 11-19
Gospel: Jn. 16: 16-22

Mon 27 -- No Latin Mass

Tue 28 – Saint Paul of the Cross, Confessor

Wed 29 – Saint Peter of Verona, Martyr

Thu 30 – Saint Catherine of Sienna, Virgin

Fri 1 – Saint Joseph the Workman—No Latin Mass


Saint Agnes Cathedral celebrates First Holy Communion Mass on Sunday, May 3rd at 2:00pm.

The Latin Mass on Sunday, May 3rd will be at 7:00pm.


We must stay true to the faith even when pagans criticize us! Enemies of the Church want to insult us and cause us to suffer! We must lead exemplary lives so as to be a good example to all. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). When we give good example we draw souls closer to God. “There would be no need for preaching if our lives were beacons of virtue-no call for words if we had deeds to show.” (St. John Chrysostom).


The saint says that there would be no pagans if we were truly Christians—if we kept Christ's commandments, if we put up with unjust treatment and deception, if we blessed those who cursed us, if we returned good for evil. “No one would be such a monster not to embrace the true religion immediately if we really lived like that” (Hom. On 1Tim, 10).

Our evil inclinations wage war against our souls says St. Peter. It takes constant effort and prayer to conquer our passions and overcome temptation! We cannot be humble without being despised. We cannot be chaste without mortifying our bodies. We cannot be patient unless we are willing to allow people to offend us. We cannot acquire virtues without the effort it involves to live them! Holiness is a battle!


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,


Father Jeff Fasching

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Bulletin 164

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

August 11th, 12th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 2 Cor. 3: 4-9; Gospel: Luke 10: 23-37

Mass Schedule August 12th through August 16th

Mon 12 Saint Clare, Virgin—No Latin Mass

Tue 13 Feria

Wed 14 Vigil of the Assumption

Thu 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Mass @ 10:30am

Fri 16 Saint Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be as 10:30am on Thursday, August 15th.

Our next pot-luck dinner will be held on Sunday, September 8th immediately following the 2:30pm Mass in the school cafeteria. All are invited to attend.

Sloth is one of the seven deadly sins. Sloth is defined as laziness or carelessness to do right and to practice virtue because of the trouble attached to it. Christian modesty is a virtue, but it has been forgotten even among Catholics today. We need modesty in order to protect chastity. We cannot restore chastity to the individual, the family or the society as long as modesty is either ignored or violated on such a large scale as it is today!

There have been no fewer than five modern Popes who have time and again issued directives on Christian modesty in order to refute all the modern errors. Is this not why Jesus Christ established in His Church the Supreme Teaching Authority?! Christ did this to protect the Church from errors and to correct the clergy, the teachers and the parents who, intentionally or in good faith, would propagate errors.

Unfortunately, anyone who in today’s culture dares to advocate traditional Christian modesty is considered, even by a large number of Catholics, a scrupulous person, or a nut. However, remember that Christ said this would be the price one must pay who strives to be loyal to Him and His Church and not to the world.

Pope Pius XII has said: “Mainly through sins of impurity do the forces of darkness subjugate souls.” This same message was given by Our Lady of Fatima: “The sins that lead most souls to hell are the sins of the flesh.” Impurity has become the ruling passion of the world due to a general breakdown of modesty. It is like a spiritual cancer slowly eating away the spiritual life of souls. The question becomes: “is it a losing battle to go against the ways of our culture with respect to modesty and chastity?” The answer is this is exactly what Satan would like us to believe. Our silence would be leaving the entire field of morality in his blood thirsty hands. Pope Pius XII has pointed out the seriousness of our world situation as well as the remedy-confident recourse to The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Our Popes have taught the following: A dress cannot be called decent which is cut deeper than two fingers breadth under the pit of the throat, which does not cover the arms at least to the elbows, and scarcely reaches a bit beyond the knees. Furthermore dresses of transparent material are improper. Does my back, stomach or shoulders show? Does my back or stomach show when I bend or stretch? When bending over does my blouse hang down and open for everyone to see? Is my blouse or top tight? Is it more loose fitting or is it too tight and revealing? Can one see the outline of my underwear through my tight-fitting clothing? Blouses and tops that are too tight are very immodest and say a lot about the woman who wears such a blouse or top. Lastly, how much flesh is showing? Modesty is not just about how much of our skin is showing, but how much of our feminine shape is showing.

Father Jeff Fasching



Saturday, October 6, 2012

Bulletin 121

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

October 7th, 2012; External Solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary

Epistle: Prov. 8:22-24, 32-35—Gospel: Lk. 1:26-38

Mass Schedule October 8th through October 12th

Monday –Saint Bridget of Sweden, Widow-- NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Requiem Mass + Joyce Spencer

Wednesday-Saint Francis Borgia, Confessor

Thursday-Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Friday-Feria

There will be a potluck dinner on Sunday, October 7 immediately following the 2:30pm Mass in the school cafeteria. All are invited.

Jesus Christ loves pure souls. His Mother Mary was immaculate. His foster-father was the just and chaste Joseph. His well-beloved disciple was the virgin apostle. Over the course of centuries Christ has surrounded Himself with a legion of chaste priests. Nothing soiled can approach his altar. Pure souls are the crown of Christ’s glory, the strength and beauty of the Church, the confusion and terror of demons!

Priestly chastity is a precious pearl, but we are all called to live chaste lives! God has left our human nature with a tendency toward evil, its passions, and its secret connivance at sin. But at the same time He has poured out prodigally upon us His divine strength through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. We have been given mortal bodies with frailties, inconstancies and revolts, but Christ has prepared us for heavenly food, the bread of angels, His Body and Blood, to extinguish within us the fire of sin, to renew our strength and to sustain our courage!

God permits the angel of Satan to lay snares for us, to subject us to incessant combats, but Christ has confided us at the same time to His Mother. She has crushed the head of the serpent! She will always fight for you if you are faithful in appealing to her for aid. With her help you are sure to triumph. But know well that it is necessary to watch and to pray even to old age, even until death. Be courageous! No one is tried beyond his strength! No one will receive a crown unless he fights manfully!

Be chaste. How miserable your heart will be if you simulate virtue when your conscience accuses you of wickedness! In today’s culture we are in almost constant contact with the slime of sin. Vice speaks to us, looks at us, surrounds us and pursues us wherever we go! How can we avoid filth unless we are vigilant? We must keep a firm and constant hold on the divine hand of God!

Chastise your body and bring it into subjection. Flee from the occasion of sin. If to avoid sin it is necessary to sacrifice your eye or your right hand or your very life, do not hesitate. Otherwise you will fall, you will perish. Confess your faults humbly. Have recourse to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Virgin Most Pure, that you may fight your battle with strength and confidence!

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Bulletin 120

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

September 30th, 2012; 18th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: I Cor. 1:4-8; Gospel: Mt. 9:1-8

Mass Schedule October 1st through October 5th

Monday –Feria-- NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Holy Guardian Angels

Wednesday-Saint Theresa of the Infant Jesus

Thursday-Requiem Mass + Carmelina Machado

Friday-Sacred Heart of Jesus

There will be a potluck dinner on Sunday, October 7 immediately following the 2:30pm Mass in the school cafeteria. All are invited.

Jesus Christ emphasizes His power to forgive sins in today’s Gospel. However, we must remember that God does in fact inflict punishment upon those who remain obstinate. The Scriptures do not mention any sin so severely chastised as the sin of impurity. There are many examples, but perhaps the most popular is the great deluge. It was because of sins of impurity that God sent upon the earth the great flood, when it rained for forty days and forty nights. With the exception of eight people along with Noah and the ark, all were destroyed. Saint Isidore writes: “There is no vice which so much enslaves men to the Devil as impurity.” It isn’t enough to simply fight impurity; we must win the victory and root the sin out of our lives permanently!

We must pray and flee from all occasions to sin in order to be successful in our efforts. It is impossible to conquer this vice without God’s assistance. If we are tempted to sin against chastity, we must immediately turn to God for help. We should pray the Hail Mary and repeat the Holy name of Jesus Christ. We must rid ourselves of the thoughts instantly; otherwise Satan will redouble his efforts to attack.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching