A Sad Farewell to a Holy Friend, Fr. Tom Collins

Dear Friends, 

I call you friends because you've touched my life. Some of you with kind comments and promises of prayers I hardly deserve, others with nasty comments that invite me to humility and patience. And then there are the invisible readers some of whom I think also probably pray for me. How much I appreciate you all.

Those who are long-time readers of the blog have seen many articles from my dear friend, Fr. Tom Collins. He contributed numerous guest articles filled with wisdom and Catholic truth. What a gift!

 Father had a stroke recently and died of complications on Monday. How much he will be missed. 

Was the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima a Warning for the End Times?

On October 13, 1917, Our Lady made her final visit to the Cova de Iria in Fatima, Portugal. She produced the promised miracle. Not only did the sun dance, but it appeared to plunge toward the earth. Many of the terrified witnesses dropped to their knees and began to confess their sins and make a fervent act of contrition. The sun did not hit the earth that day, it returned to its place in the sky. But was that solar event a warning that a future chastisement would come through the activity of the sun?

Is God Trying to Get Our Attention?

I received an email from Fr. Tom Collins which sent me on a search about coronal ejection masses and what they can do? I'll post Father's email at the end. 

First, a definition. A coronal mass ejection according to Britannica is:

DELIVER US FROM EVIL: The Achilles Heel of Vatican II

Fr. Collins always cuts to the chase and his observations on the flawed attitudes that accompanied Vatican II certainly have been born out in its implementation whether intended or not by the council fathers. Despite efforts to reform the reform, the faithful continue to see serious desecrations of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, for example the recent "vampire Mass" in Germany. Even more scandalous, in February, at the installation of the Archbishop of Chapecó in Brazil, a female Anglican minister "concelebrated" and received Holy Communion. [Source] She wears the blue stole in the above photo. How can one fathom the faithlessness of all the Catholic priests who participated in that grievous sin against Christ?

God Loves Us! Don't Let Satan Rob You of the Truth!

What's a post about the crucifixion doing in Advent? Well...just think...God sent His Son to save us. That was His whole purpose in coming to earth. Even in that stable at Bethlehem, the crucifixion was symbolized. Jesus lay in a wooden manger, a place where animals eat. He died on a wooden cross in an area that served as a garbage dump. How many bones of dead animals cluttered the ground there? The joy of Christ's birth has in it the challenges and signs of future sorrow. Jesus was unwelcome in the town and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords had to find a borrowed stable to rest his head. Later He would be rejected by almost everyone and lie in a borrowed tomb. The love Jesus showed for us through His suffering and death and being pierced by a lance was mirrored in miniature in the piercing cold of the winter night in Bethlehem. Thank you to Fr. Collins for this reminder of what God did for us by sending His divine Son, the Word made Flesh. May we spend every day of Advent thanking and praising Him!

WHY JESUS HAD TO UNDERGO THE AGONIES OF HIS PASSION

by Fr. Tom Collins

In Honor of the Blessed Mother, Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces

In honor of the Blessed Mother as the intercessor who always takes our requests straight to the throne of God, I am re-posting Fr. Tom Collins two-part article. Our Lady is a mother and friend who will never fail us.

Fr. Tom Collins shares his view of Mary as Co-Redemptrix - Part A

Continued, Part B

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, it's the perfect day to say thank-you to the Blessed Mother. She was no "ordinary girl" as Pope Francis called her. She was and is the Immaculate Conception. Not one of us "ordinary girls" can claim that distinction.

Where is the New Evangelization Leading Us? To Comfortable, Complacent Christianity?

What is the "New Evangelization?" In light of Pope Francis scolding people for "proselytizing" and synodal clerics bragging about never baptizing an indigenous person, not to mention the messages that all faiths are paths to salvation....what exactly is the "New Evangelization?" Is there such a thing? Do we find it in Abu Dhabi with its monuments to Judaism, Islam, and, by the way, Christianity?

Guest Post: Fr. Tom Collins Shares His Views on Mary as Co-Redemptrix Part B

 Editor's note: See the first part of this article here. Keep in mind as you read this that God made man not only to be an individual made in His image and likeness, but to live in relationship with others. "It is not good for the man to be alone." [Genesis 2:18] The poet, John Donne, put it another way. "No man is an island." We are meant to be in a covenant relationship with God first and foremost, but also to be in relationship with our fellow man, the second great commandment.

The understanding of integral man as a covenantal being helps to bring into focus the profound spirit of self-abnegation (kenosis) to which God the Son committed Himself in the sacred mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption (It needs to be emphasized here that the Incarnation and Redemption are sacred mysteries, and not merely sacred historical events. As mysteries, they continue to engage and transform humanity throughout all of history). If God originally created man as a covenantal being, then the mystery of the Incarnation would require that God the Son take to Himself a covenantal human nature. In such a nature, the work of redemption is a covenantal mission and ministry. (It should be noted that this covenantal human nature, which God the Son embraced, was in stark contrast to the more aloof and hermetically-sealed type of spirituality embraced by many of the Pharisees) And it is shared in such a way that both Jesus and His beloved disciples participate in the struggles, sufferings, frustrations and glorification involved in the mystery of human redemption from the power of sin. 

Guest Post: Fr. Tom Collins Shares His Views on Mary as Co-Redemptrix Part A

Editor's note. Father's article is challenging but well worth reading. When I read a challenging article I ask the Holy Spirit for understanding. I've highlighted some of the unfamiliar terms Father uses and linked them to definitions. May we all grow in wisdom by immersing ourselves in the truths of the faith. A big thank you to Fr. Collins for his articles. Because of it's length, I've divided this post into two.

Part I

THE ORIGINAL BIBLICAL ANTHROPOLOGY IN GENESIS AS THE BASIS FOR DECLARING THE DOCTRINE OF MARY AS CO-REDEMPTRIX

By Fr. Tom Collins

Basic premises for these reflections:

1) Only Jesus is God incarnate - both as Person and Mystery.

2) Being and action are the same in God. He does not just love, He is love. Therefore Jesus' saving act is His saving being. Covenant is not only what Christ does, it is also intrinsically Who He is.

Competition or Completion? Can Christians Save Western Civilization?

This brief essay by Fr. Tom Collins offers much food for thought. Did God make us to compete with one another or to complete one another? Christian marriage certainly points to the answer. Love seeks the good of the other and, in seeking that good, magnifies its own good. Hence Mary, so totally dedicated to magnifying her Lord, teaches us the proper orientation to life and the secret to true happiness. May we follow in her footsteps which is the quickest way to know, love, and serve God and go straight to the feet of Jesus. The fate of Western Civilization depends on conforming our hearts, minds, and souls to the will of God. Will we embrace the solution?

Observations on the Decline of Western Civilization 

by Fr. Tom Collins

It is often noted that the decline of Western Civilization has been accelerated by the catalytic influences offered by the premises expounded by Freud, Marx and Darwin. In recent years, this decline has become increasingly evident in distortions of basic reasoning skills. Below are some examples.

Good Friday Reflection by Fr. Tom Collins

Jesus Carries the Cross, Titian

Editor's comment: Father makes important points. I've highlighted the ones that struck me personally. We are living in challenging times, but times that can make us saints if we cooperate with God's grace. May we never forget that "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve according to his purpose." So let us rejoice in the Lord always, especially when He allows us to participate in the salvation of the world by uniting our sufferings to His own. 

WE PROCLAIM CHRIST CRUCIFIED

by Fr. Tom Collins

Pope Francis and the New World Order Kenosis

Editor's Note: Fr. Collins wrote this at the beginning of the Synod on Synodality, but it is every bit as relevant today. The confusion among Catholics is rampant. I'm currently reading Archbishop Lefebvre's Open Letter to Confused Catholics which could have been written last night. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the current state of the Church, the gutting of all of her sacraments, the abuse of the Bride of Christ, and the absolute need to return to the faith of our Fathers. Confusion is always a sign of the devil. May we all seek the clarity of the authentic catechisms issued since the Didache, written in the late first or early second century. It's short and available online, a good place to start your catechism journey. Give us clarity, O Lord, in this age of chaos!

Pope Francis and the New World Order by Fr. Tom Collins

We have no right to salvation; it is pure grace, a gift from God!

THE GREAT FORFEITURE

by Fr. Tom Collins

Many saints through the ages have marveled at the many dimensions of divine love and mercy manifested in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Among these are the gracious generosity of God speaking to us through His Holy Word, the sacred mystery of transubstantiation (whereby bread and wine are transformed into the sacred Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ) and the sacred privilege of entering into a Holy Communion with the Eucharistic Christ. But there is another important dimension of the Mass that is just as important for a proper appreciation of the sacred mysteries ministered to us in this holy sacrifice, the Great Forfeiture.

As Lent approaches, a meditation from Fr. Tom Collins

WHY JESUS HAD TO UNDERGO THE AGONIES OF HIS PASSION 

One of the most harsh yet central teachings of Christianity is that, in order to save us, Jesus had to undergo all the torments of His Passion and Death (Lk 24:26).

Over the centuries, many have pointed out that, since Jesus is God, He could have redeemed us merely by shedding one drop of His Precious Blood. According to this perspective, it could be asserted that we were actually saved the day of His circumcision, when the first drops of His Blood were shed. But this is not what the Gospel proclaims, but rather Christ crucified.

A similar misunderstanding is that Jesus had to endure His Passion and Death in order to appease the just wrath of His Father, Who was infinitely offended by human sinfulness. This requires viewing God the Father as one, who severely punishes his children when they disobey his commands.  But this is not in harmony with the fact that God the Father so loved the world, even before we repented, that He sent His only Son to live among us and to lay down His life for our salvation. Thus all who believe in Him and are born of water and the Spirit in Baptism are able to share in eternal life with Him (Jn 3:16).  Thus it is that Jesus did not lay down His life for us to appease the Father, but rather to please Him (cf., Matt 3:17, 17:5; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22).

Sunday Meditation: Logic 101 from Fr. Tom Collins on the California Fires

I have a few comments before posting Fr. Collins' message.

Wildfires don't discriminate. Those living a Catholic life trying to obey God's commands can be caught up in devastating natural disasters along with their godless neighbors. Often the difference is in the reaction to tragedy. One L.A. family, the Halpins, came back to the ashes of their home where the only things standing were statues of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph. Their reaction? Pray and sing. As Andrew, one of the six adult children said, “We have to give everything to God. And if that means our home at this time, we choose to trust that we’re in the palm of his hand.” Amen!

Fr. Collins: Sloppy Morality Results when the Hierarchy Fails to Teach Clearly!

Editor's Note: I had to look up the definition of "lacunae." It is certainly not a word one hears or uses every day. Lacunae indicate deficiencies or gaps in something. There are certainly many deficiencies these days in the teaching (or non-teaching) the faithful receive about Eucharistic devotion. Fr. Collins points out many of them and his article invites serious reflection on our own treatment of the Holy Eucharist. Every one of us can contribute to the Eucharistic revival by the way we treat Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Are we among those chatting in Church or do we come dressed like we're going to the beach? Let us all examine our consciences and consider how we can give a more reverent example and witness when we are in the real presence of Jesus, our King and Lord! And a big thank you to Fr. Collins for another wonderful article. You can check out others by going to his page linked on the side bar.

LACUNAE IN THE EUCHARISTIC YEAR

by Fr. Tom Collins

A Reflection on the Assumption of Mary -- More than a Historical Event

By Fr. Tom Collins. 

As we celebrate Our Blessed Mother's Assumption into heaven, it is worth noting that this doctrine does not only point out an historical event, but also subtly indicates a mystery of faith, a spiritual dynamic, whereby communion with God is offering to engage and transform souls, who are willing to take time to contemplate the deeper dimensions of these teachings.

We see this in other Church teachings. For example, the Eucharist (as Word, Word-made-flesh, Sacrifice and Holy Communion) is not only the source and summit of the Church's life, but also the sustenance of that life. "Source and summit" alone could be interpreted to indicate a "salmon spirituality". Such spirituality implies that just as a particular river is the place where a salmon begins and ends its life, most of which is spent away from that river in the ocean, so also Catholics are free to embrace, what we used to call a "hatch, match and dispatch" spirituality (i.e., go to church to be baptized, married and buried). The fact that only a minority of baptized Catholics conscientiously participate in the Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation indicates the appeal of the implications of such a spirituality.

Has Worldly and Woke "Social Justice" Replaced the Gospel? A Reflection by Fr. Tom Collins...

Where exactly is this journey taking us? 

Editor's Note: Fr. Tom Collins raises some serious issues about our modern culture and its woke leadership aided and abetted by Church leaders. Often the priorities that guide many of our shepherds seem to coincide with the very worst goals of liberalism. Are some of our bishops hirelings of the federal government with their hands out for the proverbial thirty pieces of silver? What do you think? Is Father Tom speaking with the voice of John the Baptist warning the religious leaders of our day, like John did the religious leaders of Jerusalem? Remember Ezekiel and his "woes" to the false shepherds. May they listen to his voice and repent lest their miters and staffs end up littering the floor of hell.

Apparently, "social justice" requires that federal agencies, such as the IRS, CIA, FBI, CDC, the Justice Department, the State Department and the EPA, prioritize the targeting, slandering and suppressing of Trump and his supporters above all other concerns.

Thus they feel empowered:

On Papal Authority: Did Pope Paul VI Renouncing the Tiara have more than a Symbolic Meaning?

The last papal tiara, renounced by Pope Paul VI at the conclusion of Vatican II

Fr. Tom Collins and I have been having an interesting exchange about the crisis in the Church. He recently sent me the comment below about papal authority and the "tiara." I found it thought-provoking. Many seem to think that Pope Paul VI shunning the papal tiara was a good idea. Who needs all that pomp and circumstance anyway? When the pope placed it on the altar he called it the, “renunciation of human glory and power” and “the new spirit of the Church purified.” 

Fr. Tom Collins: The Injustice of the World's Secularist Social Justice!

It is worth noting the secularist “social justice” agenda, widely supported by a number of

“faithful Catholics in good standing” includes, among other things:

• The brutal barbaric butchering of pre-born babies in utero;