Prayerful Antidote

After retiring from a career in the Air Force, I began a militant spiritual career, so to speak, in the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, now the World Apostolate of Fatima, and I am hoping to make it to 90 to celebrate the apostolate’s approaching centennial.

I appreciated very much your editorial “The Rosary’s Power” (May 17 issue). Changing a sword into a rosary seemed to add credibility to Padre Pio’s description of the Rosary as the weapon for these times. In these dark times, with ISIS and Boko Haram wreaking havoc in the world, it is encouraging that help is on the way.

There is no common ground between good and evil, or between a god of violence and a God of peace and mercy.

It breaks my heart when I think of what might have been, were the words and promises of our Blessed Mother at Fatima for praying the Rosary every day taken to heart.

But we did have the new and more terrible war, and even that had no impact on the increasingly faithless world. The centennial is almost here, and the world is no better off than in 1917.

Thank you for your valiant effort to promote the power of our Blessed Mother and the Rosary.

         Bob Rowland

         Kaufman, Texas

 

Luther and Cardinal Marx

Relative to your coverage of the push of various forces within the Church to alter Catholic teaching on marriage and the sacraments:

Has Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Germany (“German Prelate Breaks Ranks With Cardinal Marx, Insists on Fidelity to Rome,” April 5 issue) never heard of Martin Luther’s rebellion and disassociation from Rome and where his path ended? Is the Church in Germany so desperate that he and his followers want to follow a similar road to spiritual destruction?

Thank God Cardinal Paul Cordes has objected to the pronouncements of Cardinal Marx and Bishop Franz-Josef Bode and has insisted on fidelity to Rome. In a time of so much discord and disconnect to moral and religious teaching, as taught by the magisterium of the Church, the world needs more clear teaching and faithfulness to Rome, not less.

         B.J. Martin

         Fort Collins, Colorado

 

Parable’s Relevance

As a number of articles in the Register show, the recent Sunday Gospel on the Parable of the Mustard Seed is extremely relevant to the Church today. 

This parable states: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, it is the largest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).

Clearly, the tree is the institutional Church. But what most people do not realize is that the birds perching in the branches are the devil’s messengers.

Today, the Church has more than its share of birds perching in its branches. These are Churchmen who are trying to turn settled Church teaching upside down by legitimizing homosexuality. I personally find it both amazing and appalling how open and bold these efforts are.

It is said that before the Church can come into its full glory, it — like Christ — must first pass through a final Passover. And who is to say that this demonic attempt to exterminate the Church will not be by Nero-like persecution, but instead by the gentle seduction of secularization — i.e., accommodating the Church to the modern world? Isn’t this what we are witnessing today?

Many years ago, when I first read Jesus saying, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8), I couldn’t fathom that happening. Now I can.

         Peter Skurkiss

         Stow, Ohio

 

The editor responds: It’s also important to keep in mind Christ’s promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. That is not to say that we should sit back and let everything happen around us, but that reassurance should be foremost in the minds of the faithful to boldly proclaim the Good News in our words, our example and our prayers.

 

 

Grace Abounds More

With the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 26 ruling to make same-sex “marriage” legal in the United States, we have entered the latest round of secular persecutions of the Church by this age’s version of Herod, unfortunately greatly enabled by high-profile unfaithful Catholic legislators and jurists.

To remain faithful will come at a high cost, and time will show who is willing to pay it.

But when sin abounds, grace abounds more. We are guaranteed by our Father that the Church will prevail against all assaults, as it has for 2,000 years.

Those who remain in the barque will be able to joyfully proclaim, like Paul: “I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.”

         Jim Takach, M.D.

         Little Rock, Arkansas