First annual Mary Magdalene conference

The next chapter meeting will start on Friday evening, July 22 at 7PM. There will be presentations on the Magdalene to counter the silly errors put forth by the Dan Brown pot-boiler. Conference flier is here.

Further details of the weekend retreat will be posted as they become available.

July 22 is the feast of Mary Magdalene, patroness of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).

Although perfect love casts out fear...

...you need a place to start. The following illustrates the place of "fear of God" in the spiritual life, and in the "Great Commission."


The order which God observes in the conversion of souls is the same which He observes in the sanctification of the world, which first received the Ten Commandments and the Old Law and then the Gospel. The world had to experience the rigor of the Law before it could enjoy the peace and consolation of the Gospel. The work of the Law was to instill a fear of God, but the work of the Gospel is to console and encourage. But he who wishes to receive the spirit of love must first experience the fear of the Lord. He who wishes to know the consolation of the Gospel must fist pass through the fear of the Law.

Sometimes God changes this order and draws sinners to Himself with blessings and sweetness, lest they falter under the blows of discouragement and the fear of penance. But after they have been strengthened by the pledges of His mercy, He sends them sorrow and fear, which are later followed by peace and consolation. In other words, first is given the milk of spiritual sweetness and then the tribulation and the bitterness of contrition. When this has been done, the soul receives the pledges of the new love and grace which the Lord sends it as the first-fruits of glory.

It should be noted that this same order which is generally observed to lead the sinner to grace, is generally observed to lead a soul from one grace to another. For when the Lord wishes to lead a soul to higher things, He first prepares the soul with tears, desires, fears, afflictions of spirit, and pains of body. He desires that winter should precede the summer of the flowers and fruits of His graces. And the greater the graces which are to come, the greater the sufferings which precede them. Therefore, one should not become discouraged when he sees himself in this condition; rather, let him take this as a sign of the great mercies which God is preparing to bestow on him.

Ven Louis of Granada, Summa of the Christian Live, Volume 3, Chapter 46, The Conversion of the Sinner

Marker finally put in place

I've been guilty of being rather slow getting this done, but yesterday we finally got Gwen's marker placed.

picture here.

June Chapter council meeting

Sat, June 11. Meet at St. Mark for mass at 7:45AM, then after mass to John Keenan's house for the meeting and breakfast. Will be discussing October colloquium, Homedale, and next meeting.

Incorruptibles

There is a nice web page on incorruptibles here. included is our dear Bl. Margaret of Castello, with pictures. The web site, Living Miracles, is devoted to a file on documented miracles.

Todays Liturgy of the Hours

...contains the following gem from St. Augustine's Confessions

[Lord,] when you fill someone, you relieve him of his burden, but because I am not yet filled with you, I am a burden to myself.

Action at Homedale property

On Friday, May 20, the well driller started! pictures here and here. So far, the well is "spudded in," a great term for Idaho, wouldn't you say?

The ol' Yeller lawn mower (seen in pictures above) finally bit the dust. A 1972 JC Penny mower, we acquired it 5 years ago and have seriously abused it season after season. The first year I broke the transmission (split the cases). I obtained a replacement from a different make and hung it in with muffler U-bolts! The mowing deck tore itself to pieces two years ago, and we obtained a replacement from a junk & salvage mower back-yard business. This last year the gear shift lever broke off and mice ate the electrics, but we managed to get it back together again. This last expiration may be just that, the last.

After pricing the proper type of new equipment (and going into sever sticker-shock), I decided to add yet another item to my collection of vintage machines. In fact, this 1950 Ferguson TO-20 tractor was restored by Alen Mabe, an old aquaintance in the Idaho Vintage Motorcycle Club, and it will join my 1955 Matchless and 1953 Vincent as yet another old trusty beast in my stable!

Quirky...

We speak biblically of The Rock Who saves us,

but this is a bit different...
Now, there's something you don't see in my neighborhood everyday!

Belaboring the obvious

I found this quote in "Social Justice Review" this morning; as quoted by Abp Raymond Burke:

Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It's wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
- John Adams, 2nd US president, Oct 11, 1798

Meditation on the Holy Trinity

It the 15 books of his volume “On the Trinity,” St. Augustine explores the Trinitarian nature of God and how that is reflected in man, made in God’s image. For the thesis is simple enough; if God is a Trinity and we are made in God’s image, then how is that Trinity reflected in us? If interested, read the book. I’m going to skip to the end of this complex work and give you the preview of how it ends, then offer my own extension. May God come to my assistance.

read the rest here.

ASCENSION MEDITATION

Have you ever looked up at the clouds in awe and wonder, awe that in the cloud Jesus had left his apostles, and in wonder, that in the same way he will come again. When, Lord Jesus, O when will you return? O clouds which bring the rain which gives life to parched earth, when will you bring The Life?

Read the rest here:

PRAYER TO OBTAIN VIRTUES by Thomas Aquinas

Found this in the Summa of the Christian Life, Ven Louis of Granada, Vol 2

+++

O God, all powerful, who knowest all things, who hadst neither beginning nor end, who dost give, preserve, and reward all virtues; deign to make me steadfast on the solid foundation of faith, to protect me with the impregnable shield of hope, and to adorn me with the garment of charity.

Give me justice, to submit to Thee; prudence, to avoid the snares of the enemy; temperance, to keep the just medium; fortitude, to bear adversities with patience.

Grand me to impart willingly to others whatever I possess that is good, and to ask humbly of others that I may partake of the good of which I am destitute; to confess truly my faults; to bear with equanimity the pains and evils which I suffer. Grant that I may never envy the good of my neighbor, and that I may always return thanks for Thy graces.

Rest of prayer, click here

Formation director takes things in hand

John Keenan at the wheel!

Advice or discipleship?

Now that the church has a new vicar of Christ, she is garnering much (unasked-for) advice on what she must do to survive... St. Augustine commented on this very thing 1500+ years ago...

St. Augustine of Hippo Expositions on the Psalms
PSALM XXXV.

Let them not go before, but follow; let them not give counsel, but take it. For Peter would go before the Lord, when the Lord spake of His future Passion: he would to Him as it were give counsel for His health. The sick man to the Saviour give counsel for His health! And what said he to the Lord, affirming that His future Passion? "Be it far from Thee, Lord. Be gracious to Thyself. This shall not be to Thee." He would go before that the Lord might follow; and what said He? "Get thee behind Me, Satan." By going before thou art Satan, by following thou wilt be a disciple. The same then is said to these also, "Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that think evil against me." For when they have begun to follow after, now they will not think evil against me, but desire my good.

On Prayer - the door swings both ways

St. Augustine of Hippo
Expositions on the Psalms
PSALM CXLII

2. "I will pour out before Him my prayer" (ver. 2). What is, "before Him"? In His sight. What is, in His sight? Where He seeth. But where doth He not see? For so do we say, 'where He seeth,' as though somewhere He seeth not. But in this assemblage of bodily substances men too see, animals too see: He seeth where man seeth not.

For thy thoughts no man seeth, but God seeth. There then pour out thy prayer, where He alone seeth, who rewardeth. For the Lord Jesus Christ bade thee pray in secret: but if thou knowest what "thy closet" is, and cleansest it, there thou prayest to God. "But thou," saith He, "when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and He who seeth in secret shall reward thee." If men are to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before men: if God is to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before Him; and close the door, lest the tempter enter. Therefore the Apostle, because it is in our power to shut the door, the door of our hearts, not of our walls, for in it is our "closet,"--because it is in our power to shut this door, saith, "neither give place to the devil." But what is to "shut the door"? This door hath as it were two leaves, desire and fear. Either thou desireth something earthly, and he enters by this; or thou fearest something earthly, and he enters by that. Close then the door of fear and desire against the devil, open it to Christ. How dost thou open these folding doors to Christ? By desiring the kingdom of heaven, by fearing the fire of hell. By desire of this world the devil entereth, by desire of eternal life Christ entereth; by fear of temporal punishment the devil entereth, by fear of everlasting fire Christ entereth . .
. .

Music found!

A small thing, but a delight none the less!

The Liturgy of the Hours, Evening Prayer, Friday, Week 2 and Week 4, opens with the song

Father We Thank Thee
L. Bourgeois, 1543
From the Didache (110)
Tr. F. Bland Tucker

Considering the antiquity of the Didache (as in 110 AD), and the music it is set to is over 450 years old, I've long desired to find the music to this piece. Finally found it in: The People's Hymnal (yes, it has a red cover).

the music is here.

Third Order newsletter from Province of St. Joseph

eLumen is the Third Order newsletter of the Province of St. Joseph. Read the April edition here, then consider subscribing!

April Chapter meeting

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Monthly Meeting, 11:30 a.m. Mass; 1:00 p.m., St. John’s Cathedral, Rosary, Chapel (downstairs in Cathedral); potluck, St. John’s Center (across the street from Cathedral); meeting 2:00 p.m.
Subject: Prayer: Please see last months adgenda. We will continue the discussion on prayer.

Idaho Dominicana, Vol. IV, No. 6

Carmelites are now meeting monthly in Boise

The Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites is now meeting monthly in Boise. Meetings are at St. Marks, after morning mass, second Saturday of each month. Visitors are welcome.

I have a great fondness for the Carmelites, inspired by the writings of Teresa of Avila who was instrumental in my conversion to the faith. Before this chapter was founded, I made the observation that the Dominican Third Order was also contemplative. As it is often put, we are to share the fruits of contemplation for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. We are contemplative, just noisy contemplatives!

Bl. Margaret's feast day activities

April 13 is Blessed Margaret's feast day! All are invited to participate in sung vespers with the St. John's Cathedral Chancel Choir at 6PM. Our own Gayle Boyer will be on the organ, and yours truly will be hiding in the back row singing with the tenors.

Bl. Margaret is the (unofficial) patroness of the marginalized, and somehow she seems a good patroness for a choir that desires to sing the music which is the "treasure of the Catholic Church."

Dig a little deeper:
Actions of the Holy See on Liturgy and Sacred Music - 1903-1974
Why Don't Catholics Sing?

Welcome to the Idaho Lay Dominicans Blog

This is something new we will try out for getting information out to chapter members. Have patience with me as I learn!