Bulletin 267

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

August 2nd, 2015

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 12:2-11
Gospel: Lk. 18:9-14

Mon 3 No Latin Mass

Tue 4 Saint Dominic, Confessor

Wed 5 Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Thu 6 Transfiguration of Our Lord

Fri 7 Sacred Heart of Jesus


Join the Latin Mass community for a pot-luck dinner immediately following Sunday Mass on August 16th in the school cafeteria.

A plenary indulgence may be gained by visiting a church on the second day of August and reciting there an Our Father and the Creed.


Sanctifying grace and charity alone give supernatural life to the soul. St. Thomas says that while grace and charity sanctify the soul and unite it to God, these gifts are ordered for the good of others. St. Paul himself says: ...”all this without charity, is nothing.” Charity is always the most fundamental characteristic of the Christian soul. It is also the greatest gift the Holy Ghost can give us! “No man can say the Lord Jesus but by the Holy Ghost,” says St. Paul. A soul not vivified by the Holy Ghost cannot perform acts of supernatural value.

Humility is the virtue which allows us to practice charity. In the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, the Pharisee praises himself and is puffed up with pride. He cannot pray because he has no charity. Remember the words of St. James: “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Jas. 4:6. The pride of the the Pharisee is his condemnation, whereas the attitude of the publican is completely different. He is a poor man who knows he has sinned. In humility he trusts in God's mercy: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” God loves to pardon the humble! St. Augustine says: “God prefers humility in things that are done badly, rather than pride in those which are done well.” We are not justified by our virtues and good works, but by grace and charity!


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,


Father Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 260

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

June 14, 2015

Third Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1Pet. 5: 6-11
Gospel: Lk. 15: 1-10

Mon 15 -- No Latin Mass

Tue 16 – Feria

Wed 17 – Saint Gregory Barbarigo, Bishop & Confessor

Thu 18 – Saint Ephrem of Syria-Deacon, Confessor & Doctor

Fri 19 – Saint Juliana of Falconieri, Virgin



Deacon Joseph Kelly will be ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop James V. Johnston on Friday, June 12 @ 6:00pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...Kindly keep Deacon Kelly in your prayers. Fr. Kelly will offer his first Mass on Saturday, June 13 @ 9:00am here at St. Agnes. As Father Joseph Kelly he will also offer a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 2:30pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...JOIN US!


There will be a pot-luck dinner following Fr. Kelly's Solemn High Mass in the school cafeteria.


O Lord, reveal to us the infinite treasures of mercy contained in your Heart...


We must have confidence in the merciful love of Jesus Christ. “Rejoice with Me for I have found the sheep that was lost.” This is the story of the love Jesus Christ has for all mankind and especially for every individual soul. The good shepherd and the Sacred Heart of Jesus are both concrete expressions of the merciful love of Jesus and they urge us to go to Him with complete confidence!

The Heart of Jesus is thrilled with joy when we humbly acknowledge our faults to Him and implore forgiveness! We must ask Jesus Christ to help us penetrate the secrets of His infinite, merciful love!


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,


Father Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 259

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

June 7, 2015

External Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Epistle: 1Cor. 11: 23-29
Gospel: Jn. 6: 56-59

Mon 8 -- No Latin Mass

Tue 9 – Feria

Wed 10 – Requiem Mass + Fr. Peter Gaudient

Thu 11 – Saint Barnabus * Apostle

Fri 12 – Sacred Heart of Jesus—Mass @ 6:30am.


Would you like to learn more about spiritual warfare and the Catholic Church's role in it? Join me and Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD, from the Diocese of Tulsa, OK on June 5th 6th and 7th 2015. Fr. Ripperger is a Theologian, Thomistic Psychologist, Philosopher, Seminary Professor and Author. Fr. Ripperger will be speaking here at St. Agnes Cathedral (Pallotti Center) the first weekend in June. Topics will include:

--Spiritual Warfare
--Magisterial Authority and the Binding Force of Tradition

Lectures to be presented on:

--Friday @ 6:00pm--Traditions of the Liturgy


--Saturday @ 10:00am—Binding Force of Tradition
--Saturday @ 1:30pm ---Magisterial Authority and Related Virtues
--Saturday @ 6:00pm ---Spiritual Warfare Part I

--Sunday @ 10:00am ---Spiritual Warfare Part II


Deacon Joseph Kelly will be ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop James V. Johnston on Friday, June 12 @ 6:00pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...Kindly keep Deacon Kelly in your prayers. Fr. Kelly will offer his first Mass on Saturday, June 13 @ 9:00am here at St. Agnes. As Father Joseph Kelly he will also offer a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 2:30pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...JOIN US!


There will be a pot-luck dinner following Fr. Kelly's Solemn High Mass in the school cafeteria.


There will be a procession with the Blessed Sacrament following Corpus Christi Mass on June 7 @ 2:30pm concluding with benediction.


May Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time!

O Sacrament most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!

“Hidden God, devoutly I adore Thee, truly present beneath these veils: all my heart subdues itself before Thee, since all before Thee faints and fails.” (Adoro Te Devote).





In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,


Father Jeff Fasching

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

Bulletin 217

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

August 17, 2014

10th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 12: 2-11
Gospel: Lk. 18: 9-14

Mon 18 No Latin Mass
Tue 19 No Latin Mass
Wed 20 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot & Doctor
Thu 21 Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Widow
Fri 22 Immaculate Heart of Mary

Humility is the number one virtue we must strive every day to practice. There is no saint in heaven who did not learn how to be humble. In fact, we cannot hope to be saved without the virtue of humility. Christ exhorts us to learn from Him and to be humble of heart. Of all the things worthy of imitating our Lord Jesus Christ, He only asks that we be humble. It is through humility that we learn to practice all the other virtues. Without humility we have nothing. God exalts the humble and strikes down those who act with pride!

There is no greater act of humility than when Jesus Christ became flesh to save us from our sins. Let us beg God humbly for mercy as the publican in the gospel. Let us ask God to make us truly humble of heart!

In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 187

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

January 19, 2014
2nd Sunday After Epiphany

Epistle: Rom. 12: 6-16
Gospel: Jn. 2: 1-11

Mass Schedule January 20-24

Mon 20 No Latin Mass
Tue 21 Saint Agnes * Virgin & Martyr
Wed 22 SS. Vincent & Anastasius, Martyrs
Thu 23 Saint Raymond of Penafort, Confessor
Fri 24 Saint Timothy, Bishop & Martyr

The Blessed Virgin Mary’s prayers are so great in the eyes of God that they are always infallibly heard. Her merits are so great before God that her petitions cannot be rejected! Her prayers are so very powerful before God because she is His mother. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s prayers are in essence a command. It is therefore impossible that they are not always heard. Mary’s intercession is all powerful. Let us turn to Mary in our prayers and beg that she pray for us.

Fr. Jeffery Fasching

Bulletin 179

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

November 24th, 2013

24th and Last Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Col. 1: 9-14
Gospel: Mt. 24: 13-25

Mass Schedule November 25th through November 29th

Mon 25 No Latin Mass
Tue 26 Saint Sylvester, Abbot
Wed 27 Requiem Mass
Thu 28 No Latin Mass
Fri 29 No Latin Mass

Our next pot-luck dinner will be on Sunday, December 22nd following the 2:30pm Latin Mass in the school cafeteria. His Excellency, Bishop James Johnston will join us for Mass and dinner.

Saint Paul always encouraged his brothers to advance in holiness through prayer and intense effort! Sanctity is something that is not simply handed to us. We must work hard for it every day. We need the Holy Ghost to enlighten us with wisdom, understanding and strength. Saint Thomas Aquinas says: “it is not enough to have knowledge, for he who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it commits sin, therefore one must need to perform virtuous actions.” We have to rely on God for strength in order to do good.

We also have “the inheritance of the saints” in order to draw on the treasury of spiritual goods which the Church is constantly applying to its members. These include prayers, merits and sacrifices which benefit all of us! God has brought us out of darkness into His own wonderful light says Saint Paul. This has been through no merits of ours or any past service we have rendered to God, but only the merits of the only mediator, Jesus Christ!

In Christ,

Fr. Jeffery Fasching

Bulletin 170

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

September 22, 18th Sunday after Pentecost

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

Mon 23 Saint Linus * Pope & Martyr—No Latin Mass
Tue 24 Requiem Mass + John Scaria
Wed 25 Feria
Thu 26 Feria
Fri 27 SS. Cosmas * Damian * Martyrs

The next pot-luck dinner will be Sunday, October 6th following the 2:30pm Latin Mass.

It is entirely possible for one form of ritual to be more efficacious than another form. At the present time, we have two forms of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form. When one form is offered with greater solemnity, it tends to be more efficacious that one that is offered with less solemnity. The solemnity gives greater glory to God. Since Jesus Christ is the King and Ruler of the universe, He deserves a greater ritual than any earthly king!

The ritual of the Holy Sacrifice is a combination of prayers and gestures. Prayer itself has governing principles that make it meritorious, and these principles can be applied to the ritual of the Mass. Saint Thomas observes that vocal prayer is done in order to render God His due and to move man’s mind and heart toward Him. Prayer is an act of the virtue of religion and we pray as God’s creatures because it is our duty.

The same principle can be applied to the ritual of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The ritual of the Mass ought to be ordered to God and not to man, except insofar as man is served in order to serve God. In other words, God is the end of the ritual, not man. This follows the order of charity in which we love God first and then our neighbor for the sake of God. The ritual should not have man as its finality, but God. If it has man as its finality, it goes contrary to charity, which has God as its end. It will also go contrary to justice since one will not render to God through the prayers of the ritual what it due to Him.

In Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 107

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

June 17th, 2012 External Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Epistle: Eph. 3:8-12, 14-19; Gospel: Jn. 19:31-37

Mass Schedule June 18th through June 22nd

Monday –Saint Ephrem of Syria; Deacon, Confessor and Doctor-NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Saint Juliana of Falconieri; Virgin

Wednesday-Saint Silverius; Pope and Martyr

Thursday-Saint Aloysius Gonzaga; Confessor

Friday-Saint Paulinus of Nola

Thank you to Jim Gillett who planned and organized the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of Springfield! Thanks to all of you who participated and were involved in making this event with the Bishop a great success!

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus should prompt us to remember the infinite love which Jesus Christ shows us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. When we consider the life of Christ-- His suffering, passion and death, we must realize He didn’t stop giving of Himself after He wrought our redemption. He instituted the Eucharist before He died so that He could be with us until the end of time.

Christ gave His life for us on the cross. He continues always to give of Himself in the Blessed Eucharist. In so doing He shares with us all of His blessings! “Come to me all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” (Matt. 11:28). Christ gives Himself to us to be our strength and nourishment! When we possess Jesus Christ we possess all things!

Sincerely in Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching

Humility 2

Christ willed to be thought of as the lowest of men, a man of sorrow. The Holy of Holies has taken upon Himself the sins of all. In so doing, Christ has also taken upon Himself the wrath of God for our sins. Christ has been crushed under the omnipotent hand of God.

If Christ has been treated as such for taking on the sins of others, what do you suppose we ourselves deserve for having actually committed the sins? We are God’s creatures and are completely dependent upon Him. In Him we live and move and have our being. We are completely incapable of remaining in God’s friendship, of making any spiritual progress, of persevering or anything else without the grace of God.

We must therefore constantly humble ourselves before God. If we acknowledge our nothingness and sinfulness, God will draw close to us. He will purify us. He will love us. We must always keep our hearts contrite and humble in the presence of God. We cannot attribute to ourselves any talent, success or good work. All these things come by the hand of God.

If we want to be true friends of Christ we must love the hidden life as He did. We must be humble in our own opinions. We must recognize our sins. We must pray to God that we may see ourselves as we really are. Often we believe we are strong, sound, healthy and worthy of respect and admiration. We must be humble if we want to truly please Christ.

Learn of me says Christ, because I am meek and humble of heart, and your soul shall find rest and peace.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeffery Fasching

Humility

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18, 4).

What is humility? Humility consists in despising all want of any praise, recognition, honor and glory in this life. It involves seeking only the glory and honor promised us in our true and heavenly home. We cannot please God without humility, nor can we save our souls. Christ says: “Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18, 3).

Humility means not being boastful. We must not take pleasure in the praises that may come from other people. What is our attitude when we are corrected? Are we stubborn when it comes to our own opinions? Do we actively seek the praises of others? Are we obedient to those who hold authority over us?

Saint Augustine once wrote that “Jesus Christ does not say to us learn of me to work miracles, but learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart” (Matt. 11, 29). There can be no true devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus without sincere humility. If we want to be truly humble we must constantly ask God for this virtue. It is not enough to simply have a low opinion of oneself; we must truly believe it and accept it when others are of the same opinion.

We must constantly be aware of our imperfections and sinfulness and realize we are nothing but sinners without the grace of God. A truly humble person will rejoice when he is despised by others. He will never praise himself by his words or actions. He will not complain about the misfortunes God allows to happen to him, and above all he will pray much and speak little.

Saint Paul reminds us that we have enemies from within and without who lay traps everywhere for us. Love of humility is a great weapon against such people. If we truly want peace and we wish to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, we must seek God’s glory alone through humility.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the External Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In Christ’s entire life we see His humility as the number one virtue He put on above all others. We continue to experience His humility as He comes to us sacramentally in the Blessed Eucharist and pours out his infinite love through His Sacred Heart. As we continue to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us pray for the virtue of humility.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeffery Fasching