Showing posts with label eternity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eternity. Show all posts

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Bulletin 221

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

September 14th 2014

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Epistle: Phil. 2: 5-11
Gospel: Jn. 12: 31-36

Mon 15 No Latin Mass
Tue 16 SS. Cornelius * Pope, & Cyprian * Martyrs
Wed 17 Feria
Thu 18 Saint Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor
Fri 19 Saint Januarius & Companions, Martyrs

Our next pot-luck dinner will take place in the school cafeteria on Sunday, September 14th immediately following the 2:30pm Mass. All are invited. In conjunction with the potluck dinner J.B. Kelley's family business will have their “traveling gift shop” set up in the Saint Agnes cafeteria to offer Catholic books, bibles, 1962 missals, DVD's, devotional items, Mystic Monk coffee and tea, and many other gifts.

If you have a special request for a book or other item, please contact J.B. Kelly prior to September 14th. This is provided as a service to the Latin Mass community with thanks to J.B. Kelley.

In addition to serving as celebrant for Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) here at Saint Agnes Cathedral in Springfield, Fr. Fasching continues to serve as chaplain to the non-Catholic hospitals in the Springfield area. These include Cox South, Cox North, Cox Walnut Lawn, Ozarks Community Hospital, and Select Specialty Hospital.

Fr. Fasching also assists Father Paul Wightman, O.M.I., with his parishes including Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mansfield; Sacred Heart, Mountain Grove; Saint Leo the Great, Ava; Saint William, Gainesville; and Saint Michael, Cabool.

As you know, there is no scheduled Latin Mass during the week on Mondays. This is Father Fasching's day off. You are asked not to attempt to contact him on this day.

You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul and strength. God promises an eternal reward to those who faithfully keep His commandments. On the other hand, God threatens eternal punishment to those who do not. If we find ourselves constantly troubled in this life, it is because we fail to keep the commandments of God faithfully! God has said: “If you keep my commandments faithfully I will bless you in many ways; if, however, you transgress them, you will be cursed in everything you do.” If we wish to be truly happy in this word insofar as we can, there is no other means but that of keeping God's commandments faithfully. The minute we turn aside from God's path, both body and soul will be unhappy not only in this life, but possibly in the next life as well! Eternal happiness truly depends upon our ability to faithfully observe the commandments which God has given us. God rewards in this life those that are faithful to Him.

The Scriptures themselves show us that all those who chose to observe God's commandments were always happy. God never abandons those who do what God commands them to do. In the Book of Genesis Adam is a great example! As long as Adam observed God's law faithfully, he enjoyed a blissful state in absolutely every respect. His body, soul, mind and all his senses were directed to God alone. He even kept company with the angels of heaven! The bliss of our first parents would have remained forever had they continued faithful to their duties. But unfortunately we know that this happy state did not last long. The evil one, so jealous of such bliss, robbed them of all their possessions which they should have enjoyed for all eternity. The very second they chose to transgress God's commandments, everything went wrong with them. Troubles, cares, sickness and fear of death and punishment in the next life took the place of their former bliss. Their lives became nothing but tears and sufferings!


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching

Friday, July 4, 2014

Bulletin 211

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

July 6, 2014

4th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Rom. 8: 18-23
Gospel: Lk. 5: 1-11

Mon 7 SS. Cyril & Methodius, Bishops & Confessors-No Latin Mass
Tue 8 Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, Queen & Widow
Wed 9 Feria
Thu 10 Seven Holy Brothers, Martyrs and SS. Rufina & Secunda, Virgins & Martyrs
Fri 11 Feria

The scriptures remind us that we are pilgrims on a journey. We do not belong to this world. Heaven is our true homeland and we must acquire it by God's grace and our own good works. We shouldn't seek after too much happiness in this world because before we know it the time will come for us to leave it. We must prepare for eternal life now.

When we keep death before our eyes we learn to despise the goods of this world. We live well when keep in mind our last day. God has prepared for us a home with Him in heaven. We must use this life to make ourselves ready!

In Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Bulletin 202

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

May 4, 2014

Second Sunday after Easter

Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 21-25
Gospel: Jn. 10: 11-16

Mon 5 Saint Pius V, Pope & Confessor-- No Latin Mass
Tue 6 Feria of Paschaltide
Wed 7 Saint Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr--No Latin Mass
Thu 8 Feria of Paschaltide
Fri 9 Saint Gregory Nazianzen; Bishop, Confessor & Doctor

Mass on Sunday, May 4 will be at 7:00pm

No Latin Mass on Wednesday, May 7 due to the spring clergy gathering

God has created souls in His own image. The soul of man has been created by the very breath of God. God has loved our souls from all eternity. He has made us to share in His divine glory. God’s love for the human soul is shown most clearly in Jesus Christ who redeemed us from sin and Hell. Christ purchased our souls with the price of His own blood! We must therefore realize the infinite value of the soul. We must never do the slightest thing that might give scandal to our brothers. If we do then we sin against our Redeemer!

In Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching



Monday, July 15, 2013

Bulletin 161

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

July 21, 2013 9th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 10:6-13; Gospel: Luke 19:41-47

Mass Schedule July 22 through July 26

Mon 22 Saint Mary Magdalene, Penitent—No Latin Mass

Tue 23 Saint Apollinaris, Bishop & Martyr

Wed 24 Feria

Thu 25 Saint James the Greater, Apostle

Fri 26 Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary

God has called mankind in His gracious goodness to a destiny surpassing its natural powers. We were created for heaven and eternity. God has elevated our nature by endowing it with supernatural life! This is a sharing in His divine life! God gives us grace as a pure gift, but we must receive it and cooperate with it in order to grow in union with Him. In Catholic tradition, this free cooperation with grace that permits us to grow in divine life is called merit. Merit may be defined as a good work freely done that is worthy of a promised reward. It may be defined as the right to a promised reward because of a good work done.

When God, in His mercy, freely justifies the sinner and gives the life of grace, with this gift He bestows the capacity to cooperate with grace and thus grow in the life of grace. This capacity is what is meant by merit. For example, a man mows your yard and you pay him twenty dollars. When the person is done he deserves the amount you agreed to pay him. He has merited his work. An athlete wins a marathon. He runs faster than all the other runners. He has merited the coveted first place prize!

Although the noun “merit” is not a biblical term, it has been traditionally used to express a complex of ideas that are found in the Bible. It is similar in this respect to words like “Holy Trinity,” “Bible,” “Holy Eucharist,” “Holy Orders,” “ordination,” etc., which are also not found in the Bible but which express realities taught in the Bible. The reality of merit is expressed in the Bible under images such as reward, repayment, wages, prize, crown, which God as a just judge promises to give to men because of good works done during their life on earth.

Jesus Christ often speaks of the reward that will be given for good works. For example, to those who suffer persecution for His sake He says: “Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven” (Mt 5.11f).
“When you give pray, do it in secret, “and your Father who sees in secret will repay you” (Mt 6.6). When you fast, do not appear to be fasting, “and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you” (Mt 6.18).
He urges His disciples not to store up earthly treasure but instead to store up treasure in heaven (Mt 6.20). When Peter asked Jesus what the disciples can expect for having given up all things to follow Him, Jesus says: “Everyone who has given up home, brothers or sisters, father or mother, wife or children or property for my sake will receive many times as much and inherit everlasting life” (Mt 19.27-29).

In Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Bulletin 156

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

June 16, 2013 4th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Rom. 8: 18-23; Gospel: Lk. 5: 1-11

Mass Schedule June 17 through June 21

Mon 17 Saint Gregory Barbarigo, Bishop & Confessor- No Latin Mass

Tue 18 Saint Ephrem of Syria; Deacon, Confessor & Doctor

Wed 19 Saint Juliana of Falconieri, Virgin

Thu 20 Saint Silverius, Pope & Martyr

Fri 21 Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Confessor-NO LATIN MASS

The next pot-luck dinner will be on Sunday, June 30 in the school cafeteria immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass. All are invited to attend.

There will be no Latin Mass on Friday, June 21st.

We are all going to die, but we cannot be certain when that day will come. We must never lose sight of the fact that death is certain for all of us. Here on earth we are pilgrims on a journey. The letter to the Hebrews reminds us: “For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come.” Our true home is in heaven with God. We must therefore be careful to seek after too much happiness in this life and thus expose ourselves to the danger of misery in the next. Our true home is an eternal home. We are souls who have faith. We must use our lives here as a preparation for the day we meet Jesus Christ as our Judge.

When we frequently think of the reality of death we are able to detach ourselves from the goods of the earth. If we often consider how we must soon leave this world, we will learn to despise riches, pleasures and honor in this life. We know not the day or the hour. Now is the time to make ready.

In Christ,

Father Jeffery Fasching