The Birthday of the great G.K. Chesterton!

Today is the birthday of the great Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) He is definitely one of my heroes and I pray daily for his Beatification. Here are just 3 of my favorite quotes

“An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.” – On Running After Ones Hat, All Things Considered

"Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a coloured pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling." - On Lying in Bed

"Paradox simply means a certain defiant joy which belongs to belief" - Heretics

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons.Chesterton in his study

Does everyone have a Guardian Angel?

It is a certain teaching of our Faith that each of us has a Guardian Angel from baptism

"Every one of the faithful has his own special guardian angel from baptism. (Sent. certa.)" (Ott, L. (1957). FCD. 120–121)

Furthermore, "According to the general teaching of the theologians, however, not only every baptised person, but every human being, including unbelievers, has his own special guardian angel from his birth. This view is biblically founded on the words of Our Lord. Mt. 18:10" (ibid)

"See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." (Mt 18:10, Douay Rheims)

A look at the Early Churchʻs understanding of Mt 18:10 further reveals the Churchʻs teaching

“Therefore are they not to be despised for that they are so dear to God, that Angels are deputed to be their guardians” (St. Anselm)(Catena Aurea, Thomas Aquinas, S., & Newman, J. H. (1841).

“I esteem it, O my God, an inestimable benefit, that thou hast granted me an angel to guide me from the moment of my birth, to my death.” (St Augustine, De dilig. Deo. Medit. c. xii)( Haydock, G. L. (1859). Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary)

Also the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas address the question of ʻwhether each man is guarded by an angel?ʻ, in his Summa Theologica

“Jerome says: Great is the dignity of souls, for each one to have an angel deputed to guard it from its birth.

I answer that, Each man has an angel guardian appointed to him. This rests upon the fact that the guardianship of angels belongs to the execution of Divine providence concerning men.” (STh., I q.113 a.2 s.c.–resp)

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons.The Guardian Angels. Pietro da Cortona

Pentecost Sunday - ʻThe Father is greater than Iʻ

The Gospel for Pentecost Sunday was from John 14:23-31. What did Jesus mean when, in verse 28, he says “for the Father is greater than I”?

It is an important question to address. In fact Cardinal Newman points out in his “The Arians of the fourth century” that this verse was often used by the Arians to attempt to show that the Son was not consubstantial with the Father. The Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary (1859) concisely demonstrates the orthodox interpretation of this verse and also refutes the false claims of the Arians:

“According to the common exposition, Christ here speaks of himself, as made man, which interpretation is drawn from the circumstances of the text, Christ being at that time, going to suffer, and die, and shortly after to rise again, and ascend into heaven, all which agree with him, as man, and according to his human nature. But the Arians can take no advantage from these words, (though with divers of the ancient Fathers, we should allow them to be spoken of Christ, as the Son of God:) the Father may be said in some manner to be greater than the Son, if we consider the order of the divine processions, that is, that the Father is the first person, and proceeds from no other; whereas the Son proceeds from the Father. If any one, says S. Chrys. will contend, that the Father is greater, inasmuch as he is the cause, from which the Son proceedeth, we will bear with him, and this way of speaking: provided he grant that the Son is not of a different substance, or nature. S. Athanasius allows the same, and takes notice, that though the Father is said to be greater, yet he is not said to be better, nor more excellent, than the Son; because they are one and the same in substance, nature, and other perfections. Wi.—The enemies of the divinity of Christ here triumph, and think they have the confession of Christ himself, that he is less than the Father. But if they would distinguish the two natures of Christ, their arguments would all fall to the ground. Jesus Christ, as man, and a creature, is inferior to his Father, the Creator; but, as God, he is, in every respect, equal to him. S. Basil, S. Aug. &c.—Others, likewise, answer it thus: Following the confused opinion of the world, and even of the apostles themselves, who as yet only considered Christ as a prophet, and as a man, eminent in virtue and sanctity, he was less than the Father. S. Chrys. Leont. Theophyl. Euthym.—And likewise the title of Father, (as we generally use the word) is greater, and much more honourable, that that of Son; and in this respect, Christ is inferior to his Father. S. Athanas. S. Hilar. S. Epiph. S. Greg. Nazianz. and S. Cyril.—But this appellation, though really true, does not destroy the equality of the persons, because Christ has declared, in numerous other places, that he is equal to the Father; that he is in the Father; and that he and the Father are one.”

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons. Pentecost. Jean II Restout. 1732

The Sign of the Cross (Signum Crucis)

The ʻSign of the Crossʻ (Signum Crucis) is one of the most basic of Catholic prayers and is usually the first prayer that Catholic children learn. It is also one of the most ancient and powerful prayers in the Catholic prayer arsenal. 

The ecclesiastical writer Tertullian alludes to using the sign of the cross in his De Corona Militis, cap. iii. around the year 200A.D. It is also seen throughout the Early Church, in conjunction with the words ʻIn the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghostʻ, for the convection of baptism as well as a defensive sign against harm and evil (St. Cyprian, Tr. de Laps. , De Unit. Eccles. & L. 2, Testim., 258 A. D.)

Many early Martyrs of the Church, like the Twenty-three Christians of the company of St. Abundantius, also signed themselves on their way to their execution (303 A.D) (The Book of Saints. 1921)

Holy Church has always recognized the power of this prayer that has been used by Catholics throughout history and has even generously attached indulgences to the person that makes the sign of the Cross:

"The faithful, as often as they devoutly sign themselves with the sign of the Cross, with the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: "In the name of the Father," etc., are granted: An indulgence of 3 years." (Apostolic Brief, July 28,1863; Ap., February 10, 1935) (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum n.55)

* Dont know how indulgences work? Check out THIS POST

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons (PD1923). Cristo attorniato da angeli e santi. 526AD

Chesterton on Theology, Religion, and God

“Theology is only thought applied to religion.” - The New Jerusalem

“If there were no God, there would be no atheists.” – Where All Roads Lead

“The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion, but, on the contrary, of its liberality and humanity. It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted: precisely because most things are permitted, and only a few things are forbidden.” – ILN

“The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.” – Introduction to the Book of Job

“It has been often said, very truely, that religion is the thing that makes the ordinary man feel extraordinary; it is an equally important truth that religion is the thing that makes the extraordinary man feel ordinary.” – Biography of Charles Dickens

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons. G.K Chesterton

Pilgrimage to Kalaupapa on the Feast of St. Damien

I was blessed to return to Kalaupapa (Home of Sts. Damien and Marianne Cope) with several members of our parish this past Friday, May 10th, on the Feast of St. Damien. It is such an awesome place. Here is a very short photo/video compilation of our visit. Sts. Damien and Marianne Cope, ora pro nobis!

Here are the links to other posts I have made about St Damien and St. Marianne Cope or about my previous visits to Kalaupapa

Mahalo e Ke Akua! St. Marrianne Cope!     

Mass on the Altar of a Saint with Fr. Lee, FSSP

St. Damien of Molokai, Patron of Hawaii     

A journey to the home of St. Damien of Molokai          

St. Augustine on the Necessity of being Catholic

"One cannot have [salvation] except in the Catholic Church. Outside of the Catholic Church one can have everything except salvation. One can have honor, one can have the sacraments, one can sing the alleluia, one can answer Amen, one can have the Gospel, one can have faith in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and preach, but never can one find salvation except in the Catholic Church."


(SERMON TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH OF CAESAREA, Chap. 6) (The Teachings of the Church Fathers. J. R. Willis, Ed.)

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons. St Augsutine