A Memorial Day Prayer‏

Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, when
flowers were placed at the graves of Union and
Confederate soldiers. On this day we honor all who
have died in service of our nation.

Dear God our Father,

Your word tells us, “Unless the LORD build the house,
they labor in vain who build. Unless the LORD guard
the city, in vain does the guard keep watch” (Psalm 127:1).

Thank You for those who have guarded not only our
cities, but our country, allies, and many other communities
from unjust and unprincipled aggressors. On this Memorial
Day, with a solemn and sacred spirit, we pause to remember
and honor the brave men and women in our Armed Forces
who gave up their lives for their fellow Americans at
home and abroad.
Many were young and many were married, with their loved
ones praying for them back home; but they were each fighting
to protect the freedom we enjoy when they were called to make
the ultimate sacrifice.

Dear God, please bless our heroes and heroines with Your
mercy, grace, and peace. Bless also their families and
friends. May Your perpetual light shine upon them; and may
their souls and the souls of all our faithful departed rest
in peace. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

St. Thomas the Apostle to Close

From the very first whispers even unto the present moment, not a single kindness was shown to the people of St. Thomas the Apostle. Their sufferings were mocked and magnified by the greed and callousness of their administration, especially Fr. Norm Tanck. I don't care how many people say we shouldn't single an individual out. When a wrong has been committed, it is the duty of the lay faithful to address it. This is what we are doing.

Fr. Tanck has lied and offered false truths to the people of St. Thomas. As their priest, he should have been leading their defense, but that task was thrown to the ground by his treacherous hands. We were obliged to pick it up, for the sake of genuine charity, caritas. Fr. Tanck will also be the new pastor of the St. Irondequoit community, as it's been termed. He will be assisted by Fr.'s Horan and Leone.

As of now, the parish will be closed on September 1, 2010. This is not official yet, but we have it from a very reliable source. The diocese is certainly in a hurry to destroy the faith in Irondequoit. And I wonder why? Could it be that they see their political agendas and "renewal" efforts failing? Do they blame the orthodox members of the diocesan Church for this? Do the administrators of the diocese not realize that the people of St. Thomas and St. Salome have only followed the Church loyally? Why does the diocese root out the sane parishes, the kind and focused faithful, and the devoted laity, to bring down the hammer of their "leadership"?

The closing of these two parishes is nothing less than a political maneuver hidden behind a facade of people who have been made to feel important and righteous. The IPPG should be ashamed of itself. What Catholic, nay, what human, would willingly turn on his own family? Only the mentally infirm and the traitorously inept would even think to attempt such a thing. And yet these individuals have done more than formulate thoughts- they turned them into dangerous and daunting weapons of canonical destruction.

To the parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Salome - stop contributing to the weekend collections. If the diocese says you don't have the money to support yourselves, don't try to argue otherwise. Make them bleed.

Start getting organized to sue for your money back. Your renovation(s), repairs, enhancements, etc. are your own - you have a right to what you paid for. Do not give one more penny to the diocese, to your parish, or to the CMA. They do not deserve your money, nor are they worthy to sit at your feet and beg for the "scraps off your table." They are the dogs that devoured your spiritual well-being. They deserve no special consideration.

Get to work, friends. Start writing to religious orders, other bishops, and friends who now people. We need to find a buyer for this property, or at least, someone who can take it over at no cost to the diocese. This is the job of another group separate from Cleansing Fire, so I will let them get to work on their own time.

God will not reward the impious. God does not give aid to those who desecrate His holy Church.

Our Lady of Divine Compassion, comfort us in our time of need and sorrow, and pray for the souls who have led us to our doom. They have more need of prayers than anyone else.

Bishop Clark's Decree Regarding the Future of Irondequoit

Folks - there's nothing more which I can say. Just read this. Nothing good can come of this:

Update from Dr. K, 8:18 PM: I believe this decree is dealing with the dissolution of the five parishes as separate parish entities (similar to what happened with Peace of Christ). It does not appear to call for closure of any particular church building. Were closure to be decreed, it would seem that such would need to be clearly stated in the document. I am not sure what this may mean for STA at this point in time. Has the diocese decided to give STA time to prove it should remain open, like was awarded to Holy Name? Is another decree of closure soon to follow? Has the diocese accepted the addendum of St. Thomas (to keep it open) which was attached to and sent along with the IPPG recommendation?

We will post updates as information arrives.

Bishop Accepts IPPG Proposal

Cleansing Fire has learned that Bishop Clark has accepted the IPPG recommendation to merge the Irondequoit parishes into one. However, whether or not the parishes to be closed were mentioned specifically has yet to be determined. I will keep you all up to date with whatever news comes to us. Please check back often, and spread the word.

As if pressured by the fates, Fr. Tanck included in this weekend's bulletin one more slap-in-the-face for St. Thomas the Apostle parishioners. To read his piece in the cluster bulletin, click here. Why is it that when people need a pastoral priest the most, they are confronted with veiled accusations of faithlessness?

Probably the same reason that the orthodox in Rochester are punished for their faith by the administration.

Another thing you should note, is that Fr. Tanck's announcement this evening is the first time he has been present at a weekend Mass at STA in seven weeks. Could his views be any more obvious to the casual observer? I think not.

Bishop Clark, remember that you are a representative of the Holy Apostles. Let this knowledge, and your conscience, dictate your decision, not the politicking of those with whom you have surrounded yourself.

St. Thomas the Apostle, pray for us. St. Matthew the tax collector, and holy Apostle, pray for us. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us.

Jesus, a Nice Guy

I would just like to share, briefly, the gist of a homily I heard today. Those of you who watched EWTN's Mass, or went to one around the DoR, will have noted that the Gospel is that which deals with the cleansing of the temple. The Mass I attended had a priest presiding (rare, I know), who gave this little bit of insight which is ideal for us who zealously seek to restore reverence to our own "temples." And, no, I wasn't anywhere remotely close to Our Lady of Victory, so don't even think about it.

"We see Jesus get angry. Now, don't get me wrong. Jesus was a nice guy. A great guy. He got hungry, because He was fully man, and He probably got cranky too, because He was fully man. Some of you are probably thinking, 'God shouldn't get angry like that. It's scary.' Well, what we see today in the Gospel is called 'righteous anger.' Would that we be consumed with the same passion to cleanse our parishes of the abuses we see perpetrated in the sight of God. What clearer directive do we have, friends, than this? God cleansed His own temple. Imagine all the pigeons flying out, all the coins rolling down the temple steps, and why? Because God's anger was brought upon these perpetrators of sacrilege. He will not permit Himself to be profaned, and that is what drove Our Lord's divine anger."

Bishop Morlino on Eucharistic Reverence

This was sent to us by a dear friend of the blog. Many thanks go out to her and her family. May God bless such kind-hearted and sincere Catholics.

The video below is of Bishop Morlino discussing reverence at Mass. His insight is invaluable, and should be given, in a spirit of precise charity, to all your administrators, your pastors, your sacramental ministers, or what ever else you may have. He states, "No one intends to be irreverent." I could not agree more. Our lay preachers think they're doing the right thing. They love the Church, but in a very inappropriate way. Just like a 15 year old boy may "love" his girlfriend after a night of passion, that love is misplaced and juvenile. There's something there, but it's trounced and destroyed by the effects of sin. No one, unless they are instruments of Satan, seeks to destroy that which they know to be good. No one, unless they are instruments of Satan, would follow a path they know to be wrong. However, if we permit these people to walk in these ways, to continue embracing the metaphorical girlfriend, we testify to be in error ourselves, for we are doing nothing to bolster the good which we perceive, the good which Our Lord perceives.

Submissions for the Vocatus Es Contest

The following are submissions for the create-your-own vocations poster for Rochester. Enjoy! We'll start voting once we have several posted. Send your submission for funny or serious DoR self-designed posters to me at cleansingfire@live.com.

Submitted serious vocations poster:

- Submitted by Anonymous Photo credits: jdbradley and CarbonNYC

- Submitted by A.G.

- Submitted by Anonymous 

- Submitted by Nod, from  http://blynken.blogspot.com/

Submitted humorous vocations posters:

- Submitted by Emma

- Submitted by Nate

- Submitted by Nate

- Submitted by anonymous

- Submitted by Ben and Mary Anderson

Liturgical Reform

This video sets forth very clearly exactly what we (and others like us) mean when we talk about "reform of the reform."

You Know You're in Good Company When . . .

. . . at daily Mass, the priest sings "Dominus Vobiscum" and every single person responds in flawless unison, "et cum spiritu tuo."

And you also know you're in good company when, on a similar note, every single person can sing the chant ordinaries without picking up a book.

That's the real spirit of Vatican II. The sooner you grasp that, the sooner you become a citizen of reality.

Biblical Cartoons.

Sacred or Secular Music at Mass?

Can you tell the difference?? from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.

Announcing the Brand New "Vocatus Es Contest"

The Diocese of Rochester is trying (and I give them some credit for that) to recruit men to the priesthood through these posters you've seen here and in your parish atria and gathering spaces. However, most men aren't called through feel-good posters, but one-on-one interaction with priests. There is something so fraternal about the priesthood, something which gets forgotten or trivialized in these posters. Sure, the little boy at the altar looks cute enough. "Aww, he's soo wittle!" But that's not what rouses vocations awareness.

And so I'm challenging you all to design two posters:

#1 will be a serious poster, asking young men to answer the call to the diocesan priesthood.

#2 will be a comedic poster, embracing the fruits of your snarkiness. I will post ALL submissions, presuming they aren't inappropriate, and we will vote on them in due time. 

You can submit for one or both categories.

What do you get for all your hardwork? How about a brand new Cleansing Fire t-shirt! If you want, I'll even autograph it for you. Just promise you won't sell it on eBay. Yes, I'm just that awesome. Runners up will receive, in order of achievement, a Cleansing Fire medal for second place, and 10 Cleansing Fire prayer cards for third place.

So get to work! I want to see your Vocations Awareness Posters! Send your submissions in the Vocatus Es Contest to me at cleansingfire@live.com. Do it now, and maybe

A Nod of the Miter Goes To . . .

. . . you, the readers. Yesterday evening, we surpassed 100,000 hits. That means that we have had thousands of people, in the Diocese of Rochester and outside of it, reading of our plight and our efforts. You, dearest friends, have turned this blog into a success. We have conducted ourselves for almost a full year in the ways of light-hearted sanctity and jocularity, bringing comfort, affirmation, and an occasional smile to your besieged hearts.

We have "admonished the sinner" and "instructed the ignorant," two of the spiritual works of mercy so integral to the life of the Church. While we have our detractors, even in our own midst, their words fall on deaf ears, and are heard by individuals whose apathy and sluggishness prove their unwillingness to risk great things for the sake of the greatest, that is, the Holy Eucharist, brought to us each and every day in the Mass. Without a proper respect and zeal for the King of Kings, we can have no genuine recourse, in this life or the next.

And so, as we near our First Anniversary, and all the festivities there-upon, I want to thank you all for your continued support and readership. People always tell me, not knowing my blogging identity, "you know, all those blogs, they're run by cranky old white men who can't deal with reality." You, friends, are proof that this is not so. Just look at our followers on Facebook - almost half of them are in high school or college. The others are young parents of large families, converts, devoted single people, and those who have stayed true to the authentic teachings of the Church through the tumult of the 60's and 70's. We are the real face of diversity. The sooner these aging liberals realize that, the sooner God's will may be realized.

Your humble host and friend in orthodoxy,
Gen

Needed: Baby Swing, Highchair/Stroller

If any of you would like to help Mary Jost at the Focus Pregnancy Help Center, she sure could use many things.

She most especially needs baby swings, highchairs and stroller. With the nice weather, the mothers want to take their babies out in a stroller. The Center always needs diapers from newborn and up.

So if any readers would like to make a very significant contribution to a most worthy cause, please call Mary at 200-9477. She would be very grateful for any contribution that you could make.

From Rome

Cardinal Arinze on Kneeling, Communion Rails, and Eucharistic Reverence

Prayers needed to stop this abortion

A very good friend called to ask all of us to pray to stop an abortion that is scheduled take place early tomorrow morning. The doctors (?) talked her into it. Please say some prayers that the abortion does not happen. Thank you.

In Honor of Our Dear Lay Administrators

Another "Epic Limerick" for your perusal.

I found myself mumbling in Latin,
The words more luscious than satin.
So I spoke them aloud,
In the midst of the crowd,
And that's when this story did happen:
The alb-clad lay preacher rose tall,
And gave a most sobering call:
"I feel I've done wrong,
Misleading this throng,
And piercing their souls with this awl."
At this the old woman reached down,
Picked up an awl, stained by blood brown,
She spun it about,
Beginning to shout,
"I drove all my faithful downtown!"
So I kept up my feverish pace,
Running this linguistic race,
Mumbling old prayers,
Despite all the stares,
In this dark, sterile, liberal place.
The awl was a menacing tool,
Which she used in a spirit most cruel,
When one would oppose her,
With intent to depose her,
She'd challenge that bloke to a duel.
So the awl pierced many a soul,
To defend her illicit role,
And those who survive,
Must carefully drive,
To escape the clutch of this troll.
But then, alas, she lamented,
Admitting her soul was demented,
She dropped the awl,
And discerned her call,
Te be a nun, and contented.

On This Day O Beautiful Mother

In honor of Our Blessed Lady. Catholics of a certain age will definitely remember singing these hymns, especially when First Holy Communion fell on Mothers Day.


On this day, O Beautiful Mother!
On this day we give thee our love;
Near thee, Madonna, fondly we hover,
trusting thy gentle care to prove.

On this day we ask to share, dearest Mother,
thy sweet care;
Aid us e'er, our feet astray, wandering from
thy guiding way.

Queen of Angels, deign to hear, thy dear
children's humble pray'r;
Young hearts gain, O Virgin pure, sweetly
to thyself allure.

For the Crowning of the Blessed Mother, this was probably sung more than any other hymn.



The hymn below can and does get Catholics to sing with gusto to the Virgin Mother of God. It is one of those hymns that Catholics seem to love to sing. This is not the version from that stupid "Sister Act".

Mozart's Veni Sancte Spiritus

This is the closing portion of the piece - definitely worth a listen.