It seems rather shocking to me, but I’ve been a priest for over 17 years, and I’ve been in vowed religious life for over 26 years. I was blogging over 20 years ago. Time is definitely marching on.
All posts by: Fr. John Larson
Venerable Bede on Purgatory
The Venerable Bede died in 735. His tomb is at Durham Cathedral in England, currently an Anglican Cathedral. They sell the book of his History of the Church in England at their bookstore. Ironically, it contains a rather vivid description of purgatory, although the term “purgatory” did not yet exist when it was written. Here is the section, which contains a visit to the lowest level of purgatory, then hell, and then the highest level of purgatory.
Thus he related what he had seen. “He that led me had a countenance full of light, and shining raiment, and we went in silence, as it seemed to me, towards the rising of the summer sun. And as we walked we came to a broad and deep valley of infinite length; it lay on our left, and one side of it was exceeding terrible with raging flames, the other no less intolerable for violent hail and cold snows drifting and sweeping through all the place. Both sides were full of the souls of men which seemed to be tossed from one side to the other as it were by a violent storm; for when they could no longer endure the fervent heat, the hapless souls leaped into the midst of the deadly cold; and finding no rest there, they leaped back again to be burnt in the midst of the unquenchable flames. Now whereas an innumerable multitude of misshapen spirits were thus tormented far and near with this interchange of misery, as far as I could see, without any interval of rest, I began to think that peradventure this might be Hell, of whose intolerable torments I had often heard men talk. My guide, who went before me, answered to my thought, saying, ‘Think not so, for this is not the Hell you believe it to be.’
“When he had led me farther by degrees, sore dismayed by that dread sight, on a sudden I saw the place before us begin to grow dark and filled with shadows. When we entered into them, the shadows by degrees grew so thick, that I could see nothing else, save only the darkness and the shape and garment of him that led me. As we went on ‘through the shades in the lone night,’ lo! on a sudden there appeared before us masses of foul flame constantly rising as it were out of a great pit, and falling back again into the same. When I had been led thither, my guide suddenly vanished, and left me alone in the midst of darkness and these fearful sights. As those same masses of fire, without intermission, at one time flew up and at another fell back into the bottom of the abyss, I perceived that the summits of all the flames, as they ascended were full of the spirits of men, which, like sparks flying upwards with the smoke, were sometimes thrown on high, and again, when the vapours of the fire fell, dropped down into the depths below. Moreover, a stench, foul beyond compare, burst forth with the vapours, and filled all those dark places.
“Having stood there a long time in much dread, not knowing what to do, which way to turn, or what end awaited me, on a sudden I heard behind me the sound of a mighty and miserable lamentation, and at the same time noisy laughter, as of a rude multitude insulting captured enemies. When that noise, growing plainer, came up to me, I beheld a crowd of evil spirits dragging five souls of men, wailing and shrieking, into the midst of the darkness, whilst they themselves exulted and laughed. Among those human souls, as I could discern, there was one shorn like a clerk, one a layman, and one a woman. The evil spirits that dragged them went down into the midst of the burning pit; and it came to pass that as they went down deeper, I could no longer distinguish between the lamentation of the men and the laughing of the devils, yet I still had a confused sound in my ears. In the meantime, some of the dark spirits ascended from that flaming abyss, and running forward, beset me on all sides, and with their flaming eyes and the noisome fire which they breathed forth from their mouths and nostrils, tried to choke me; and threatened to lay hold on me with fiery tongs, which they had in their hands, yet they durst in no wise touch me, though they assayed to terrify me. Being thus on all sides encompassed with enemies and shades of darkness, and casting my eyes hither and thither if haply anywhere help might be found whereby I might be saved, there appeared behind me, on the way by which I had come, as it were, the brightness of a star shining amidst the darkness; which waxing greater by degrees, came rapidly towards me: and when it drew near, all those evil spirits, that sought to carry me away with their tongs, dispersed and fled.
“Now he, whose approach put them to flight, was the same that led me before; who, then turning towards the right, began to lead me, as it were, towards the rising of the winter sun, and having soon brought me out of the darkness, led me forth into an atmosphere of clear light. While he thus led me in open light, I saw a vast wall before us, the length on either side, and the height whereof, seemed to be altogether boundless. I began to wonder why we went up to the wall, seeing no door in it, nor window, nor any way of ascent. But when we came to the wall, we were presently, I know not by what means, on the top of it, and lo! there was a wide and pleasant plain full of such fragrance of blooming flowers th4t the marvellous sweetness of the scents immediately dispelled the foul stench of the dark furnace which had filled my nostrils. So great was the light shed over all this place that it seemed to exceed the brightness of the day, or the rays of the noontide sun. In this field were innumerable companies of men clothed in white, and many seats of rejoicing multitudes. As he led me through the midst of bands of happy inhabitants, I began to think that this perchance might be the kingdom of Heaven, of which I had often heard tell. He answered to my thought, saying, ‘Nay, this is not the kingdom of Heaven, as you think.’
“When we had also passed those mansions of blessed spirits, and gone farther on, I saw before me a much more beautiful light than before, and therein heard sweet sounds of singing, and so wonderful a fragrance was shed abroad from the place, that the other which I had perceived before and thought so great, then seemed to me but a small thing; even as that wondrous brightness of the flowery field, compared with this which I now beheld, appeared mean and feeble. When I began to hope that we should enter that delightful place, my guide, on a sudden stood still; and straightway turning, led me back by the way we came.
“In our return, when we came to those joyous mansions of the white-robed spirits, he said to me, ‘Do you know what all these things are which you have seen?’ I answered, ‘No,’ and then he said, ‘That valley which you beheld terrible with flaming fire and freezing cold, is the place in which the souls of those are tried and punished, who, delaying to confess and amend their crimes, at length have recourse to repentance at the point of death, and so go forth from the body; but nevertheless because they, even at their death, confessed and repented, they shall all be received into the kingdom of Heaven at the day of judgement; but many are succoured before the day of judgement, by the prayers of the living and their alms and fasting, and more especially by the celebration of Masses. Moreover that foul flaming pit which you saw, is the mouth of Hell, into which whosoever falls shall never be delivered to all eternity.
This flowery place, in which you see this fair and youthful company, all bright and joyous, is that into which the souls of those are received who, indeed, when they leave the body have done good works, but who are not so perfect as to deserve to be immediately admitted into the kingdom of Heaven; yet they shall all, at the day of judgement, behold Christ, and enter into the joys of His kingdom; for such as are perfect in every word and deed and thought, as soon as they quit the body, forthwith enter into the kingdom of Heaven; in the neighbourhood whereof that place is, where you heard the sound of sweet singing amidst the savour of a sweet fragrance and brightness of light. As for you, who must now return to the body, and again live among men, if you will seek diligently to examine your actions, and preserve your manner of living and your words in righteousness and simplicity, you shall, after death, have a place of abode among these joyful troops of blessed souls which you behold. For when I left you for awhile, it was for this purpose, that I might learn what should become of you.’ When he had said this to me, I much abhorred returning to the body, being delighted with the sweetness and beauty of the place which I beheld, and with the company of those I saw in it. Nevertheless, I durst not ask my guide anything; but thereupon, on a sudden, I found myself, I know not how, alive among men.”
The Courage of Christ
From The Courage of Christ by Fr. Henry Schuyler, S.T.L.
His experience, in the eyes of His fellow-men, was limited. Yet the mind of Christ was greater than the world He lived in. Through the supernatural light that filled it, He saw plainly before Him the one great work He was to accomplish. This and the various minor details that fitted into His plan for our salvation were present to His mind as He worked by day at the carpenter’s bench; as He sat in the evening by the open door of their little home; as He knelt at His mother’s knees in early life, or prayed in later years in the solitude of His room. Many a night we can picture this youth of Nazareth gazing up at the stars that lit the heavens of Palestine, thinking of the lost sheep He must rescue; thinking too of the opposition destined to be His lot, of the slight return His work was to receive; thinking, perhaps, of the treachery of Judas, of Peter’s denial. Before Him, as He prayed alone, there would flash the vision of Gethsemane, of Calvary and its cross, and oh! the hardest of all to bear, the sight of His mother weeping beneath the cross. He Himself could suffer, but to cause His mother pain; that mother who had so fondly bade Him gcod-night but a short time before; who even now, no doubt, was also kneeling in prayer for the world He was planning to save: this was almost unbearable. And yet, unless it were done, His work could not be accomplished. Well, so let it be. But then another dark cloud envelops His soul. His sufferings and the sufferings of His mother, even these would fail to save so many millions of men. He sees souls falling headlong into hell in spite of all. He sees some of His very followers indifferent to His plans, unwilling to help Him, to work for Him. And all this was present to His mind for years before He started His active work. No mind ever conceived a plan destined to be opposed so violently; no mind ever foresaw opposition so clearly; and no will ever persisted so unfalteringly as did our Saviour’s.
Commentarii in Sacram Scripturam (links to Latin texts)
The famous commentary of Cornelius a Lapide… links to the complete Latin texts
Tomus I: Commentary on the Pententeuch
Tomus II: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Kings I-IV, and Paralipomenon I-II, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, and Machabees
Tomus III: Proverbs
Tomus IV: Ecclesiastes, Canticle of Canticles, and Wisdom
Tomus V: Ecclesiasticus
Tomus VI: 4 Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, (Baruch), Ezekiel, Daniel
Tomus VII: Minor Prophets, Psalms, and Job
Tomus VIII: Gospels
Tomus IX: Epistles of Paul
Tomus X: Acts of the Apostles, Catholic Epistles, Apocalypse
Perhaps someday they will all be translated into English. (Well, I can dream, can’t I?)
Books about the Immaculate Conception from the 17th Century (in Latin, of course)
You might expect I’m going to link to full texts of some of these classics.
De Immaculata Beatae Virginis Conceptione ab omni originali peccato immuni Libri Quatuor, dicati sacrae maiestati Philippi 3 Hispaniarum regis by Aegidius a Presentatione. 1617. Translation: On the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Immune from all Original Sin.
Horizon Marianus sive De excellentia et virtutibus B. Mariae Virginis : tractatus novem, super totidem eius festa intra anni circulum ab Ecclesia celebrari solita by Fr. Bartholomaeo de los Rios et Alarcon. 1647. (Downloadable PDF) Translation: Marian Horizon, or of the Excellencies and Virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Geminum Sidus Mariani Diadematis, siue Duplex Disputatio de Infinita Dignitate Matris Dei, atque de eius Gratia habituali infinita simpliciter by Juan de Cardenas S.J. 1673. Translation: The Twin Stars of Mary’s Diadaem, or 2 disuptations about the Infinite Dignity of the Mother of God, and about her habitual infinite grace. It must be understood that he is using hyperbole here.
New Dawn in Scotland Online Conference
The pandemic is… mostly over in Scotland, but not enough to have a regular event
The Catholic Church in Scotland has an annual event which is still “virtual” this year, but that means we can all participate. Last year the videos were rather primitive, but this year (I’m guessing) they will improve the results.
Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer
As we return to normal (or not) during this time, I have to note that livestreaming among Catholics has increased exponentially within this year, and we Marians have found the level of interest rather amazing. We are getting lots of first-time visitors here at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy thanks to livestreaming of Masses, chaplets, etc.
One place that has been doing livestreaming, but not getting all that many viewers, is the internationally known Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer. Perhaps part of the reason is that only 2,467 people like their Facebook page. They have a YouTube channel, but once again, not all that many viewers, and only 290 subscribers.
Yet, if you’ve heard of Mary’s Meals, you have indirectly heard of Craig Lodge.
The people that founded it are the parents of Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow. He founded Mary’s Meals.
It boggles my mind that it is so obscure, but then again, it’s in the middle of nowhere in Scotland.
I’ve never been there, but fellow Marian Fr. Donald Calloway has.
I include a sample of Praise and Worship from their YouTube channel.
and also a short video of a conversion testimony produced by Craig Lodge:
Returning to the Blog
I managed to work out how to get back on this old blog, and now I’m ready to return to the blogosphere.
For me, the most important part of this blog is the links to the Latin works that can be found online, particularly the Summa Aurea de Laudibus Beatissimae Virginis Mariae.
But, this is only useful for people who can read Latin.
Someday, perhaps, some of these texts will be translated into English. Someday…
Benjamin Franklin on Dissent
It’s rather unusual for me to be quoting Ben Franklin, but I happen to be watching a TV special John Wayne put together called Swing Out, Sweet Land, and it had this quote from Franklin… a quote that is found barely anywhere on the Internet. This is the attitude we who are old enough to remember still remember.
“Let us be aware in these infant years of our beloved Republic. . . There are those who wait to celebrate our failure. Be not disheartened, this will always be so, for we have lighted our candle of liberty in a dark world and each of us is in charge of keeping it lighted. And though the winds of dissent may threaten our flame, despair not, remembering that a nation which allows dissent is stronger from with-in and brighter from with-out. For when dissent becomes a crime, hope becomes despair. …
“Dissent, but dissent honorably. Dissent with faith in your hearts, not despair. Dissent to rebuild not to destroy. Dissent from with-in for dissent from with-out becomes attack. Speak out for what you believe in at least as loudly as you speak against the system, for gentlemen, if ours is a generation to say democracy will not administer to the people, let it be a conscious decision arrived at only after every opportunity for man to rule himself has failed.” … Benjamin Franklin
Best Films?
It’s not unusual to see a “best films list” these days. So, why not do one myself?
I’m thinking here of films that have a message that is worth paying attention to.
Although some of these are fairly big movies, they are not Casablanca or Lawrence of Arabia. I am trying to look at movies that may not be on the radar of the average viewer.
1. Sergeant York
A pacifist sharpshooter during World War I? It’s a true story that could not have been made up, and full of Christian themes. The 100th anniversary of the events depicted occurs in 2018.
2. Call Northside 777
Another true story (with a few Catholic themes) that is quite gripping, and of course, has Jimmy Stewart.
3. Captains Courageous (1937)
I have decided not to include the trailer, because this movie is best seen without knowing anything about the story. Once again, Catholic themes come up, especially in the end.
4. The Human Comedy (1943)
The modern movie Little Boy has some similar themes, but this great old film is such a testament to a time when war was raging and uncertainty was still in the air, but eternal truths were also in the air.
5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
I decided against posting the trailer here, because once again, I think it’s a great movie to go into without a clue as to what is going to happen. But here, with John Wayne calling Jimmy Stewart a “pilgrim,” is a movie that is quite funny and quite serious, as only John Ford could make.
It so happens that every one of these films is in black and white, but that is not intentional. There are plenty of great movies down through the years. These are some I think might be a bit neglected.
The Return of the Blog
It was down for a while there, but it’s back. At this time, I would just like to quote from an Angelus address of St. John Paul II:
Mary, in fact, when considered in the fullness of the Church’s mystery and mission, not only expresses its independent personality, at the apex and at the beginning of the Church, but, in the dynamics of the history of salvation, she is also so intimately united with the Church that she seems to be an embodiment and a living image of the mystical personality of the Church herself, the Bride of Christ, signifying from the first moment of her existence all the wealth of grace that animates the Church.
Angelus Address, December 11, 1983
Catholic Documentaries
I’ve decided to highlight two Catholic documentaries I’ve seen recently. One that is quite touching is La Mama: An American Nun’s Life in a Mexican Prison. Here a clip from the beginning of the documentary:
The story is quite amazing. Antonia Brenner (1926-2013) shows such a particular charism–something that this one woman achieved, and that was her unique response to a difficult situation.
Another person who has made a huge difference, yet never really intended to is Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, who’s Mary’s Meals literally feeds over a million children. Learn the story, if you never have, by watching the complete documentary online: Child 31.
Each of these gives hope. One person can make a big difference. Cooperating with the will of God is not just transformative for the individual, but it can touch many, many lives.
St. Anselm of Canterbury and His Profound Marian Spirituality
Years ago I did a paper (somewhat legendary in the length of time it took for me to finish) on St. Anselm’s Mariology. Now that I’m teaching a Mariology class, I’ve dug out the old paper. It’s not bad! Well, it did take years to write.
Fr. Johann G. Roten, S.M. wrote some thoughts on St. Anselms’s Marian Spirituality, conveniently including the three famous prayers to Mary written by him.
Here’s a little from Prayer 3:
Palace of universal propitiation,
cause of general reconciliation,
vase and temple of life and universal salvation:
I have made too little of your praises,
and in a little man like me it is especially vile
to belittle your merits.
For the world rejoices in your love
and so proclaims what you have done for it.
O Lady, to be wondered at for your unparalleled virginity;
to be venerated for a holiness beyond all reckoning—
you showed to the world its Lord and its God
whom it had not known.
You showed to the sight of all the world
its Creator whom it had not seen.
You gave birth to the restorer of the world
for whom the lost world longed.
You brought forth the world’s reconciliation,
which, in its guilt, it did not have before.
St. Anselm recognizes the profound role Mary has played in being the Theotokos, the one who gave birth to God incarnate.
(Soon to be Saint) Stanislaus Papczynski
Yes, Pope Francis is scheduled to canonize the founder of the Marians on June 5 in St. Peter’s Square.
Yes, the Marians can finally say we have a saint–the founder of the congregation!
I hope to be there, although I’m going to have to travel all the way from California.
For further information about our founder, he has his own website: Blessed Stanislaus Papczynski
St. Bernardine of Siena’s Sermons on the Blessed Virgin Mary
Yes, you can find the Latin text online for free, but you can also get an English translation!
Tau Publishing has a translation available for sale. I’m using the text for a Mariology class. There are some profound thoughts about the Blessed Virgin here.