The Passing of a Friend

On 3rd February our very good friend and benefactor, Mr John Friel passed away after a long fight against cancer.

John was our first parishioner and supporter on Stronsay and had lived on the island since the early 1980s.  Over the 15 years since our arrival here in Orkney, he provided invaluable assistance in the building of our monastery as well as being a regular at Holy Mass on Stronsay.  One of our priests was with him for the hour leading up to his death repeating the prayers for the dying, and encouraging his soul in its last agony.

It was John's great wish to be buried on Papa Stronsay.  His body was brought to Papa Stronsay the day before the ceremony and laid in the chapel.

After the sung funeral Mass the procession made its way to the Monastery cemetery.

There was something very beautiful and special about the procession as it made its way along the beach, the sun setting as the day began to close.

Fr Yousef Marie conducted the burial.  John's two brothers, Philip and Glenn, were present also.

As is our custom once the burial ceremony is over the grave is immediately filled in.

All the men present take it in turns to do their part, while the rosary is prayed.

It brings finality and a sense of completion.

Br Nicodemus Mary plants the funeral processional Cross.

John's dearest wife, Marilyn, lays flowers on his grave.  Our prayers and our deepest sympathies go out to her.

A final blessing upon his final resting-place.

We owe a great deal to John Friel.  We hope we will continue to be the beneficiaries of his solicitude in the form of intercession from his eternity.

Requiescat in pace. Amen.

For John: Considerations on Sedevacantism, I

Dear John W.

This evening, you sent us a comment on a post 

that nearly two years ago

was written on the subject of Sedevacantism. 

Providence has given the prompt. 

We address these blog posts to you.

St Alphonsus often quotes the Holy Scripture verse that says: 

"With desolation is all the land made desolate, 

because there is none who considereth in his heart."

(Jer 12:11) 

I invite you 

and all readers who have taken the Sedevacantist "position" 

to mull over some Sedevacantist points worthy of consideration.

Fr. Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga, S.J. 

(Oct. 12, 1899 - April 28, 1976). 

Let us consider that this priest was spiritual father of Sedevacantism: 

He was the first to announce that 

there has been no true Pope from the time of Pius XII; 

or, according to the position, if,

for the sake of argument John XXIII was validly elected, 

he fell from his papacy 

at some moment during the Second Vatican Council.

Let us consider carefully: 

Fr. Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga announced that there was no Pope 

only in 1971...

... 8 years after the death

of Pope John XXIII 

(+ 3 June, 1963)
or
13 years after the death
of Pope Pius XII
( + 9 October, 1958).

Conclusion: 

For between 8 and 13 years 

the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world 

did not know that it had no Pope.
But that is impossible!

For, if that were true,
the Ecclesia docens, the Teaching Church
[which is the bishops in their divinely authorized capacity 
of teaching the faithful in matters pertaining to salvation 
and sanctification]
was duped!

Which would mean that is all the Bishops of the Church
were left in darkness 

about this vital information pertaining to salvation. 

It would mean that the Holy Ghost left the Church in error 

for between 8 and 13 years.....
...no...
 Sedevacantism is not credible.

  Consider the mystic Padre Pio: 

He could read hearts, he bilocated, he had the gift of prophesy 

and he bore the stigmata wounds of Our Lord. 

Padre Pio said Mass until 23 September 1968.

He named Pope John XXIII in the Canon of the Mass. 

Was this prophet who could read hearts also duped

perhaps for 5 years, perhaps for 10 years?

Consider again the Ecclesia docens, the Teaching Church: 
(The Bishops in their divinely authorized capacity 
of teaching the faithful in matters pertaining to salvation 
and sanctification.) 

Which portion of the teaching Church 

considered that Pope John XXIII was not the Pope? 

(They were all together at the Council with John XXIII. 

John XXIII was before the eyes of 2,100 bishops.
All could hear and scrutinize him.
They could talk together.
The didn't even need to call a Council, since they were in one.

Could it ever get better than that?)

There was no portion of the teaching Church

that arose to contest Pope John XXIII as the true Pope;

There was no portion of the Ecclesia docens, 

that even doubted the papacy of John XXIII.

there was not even one bishop.

Consider the case of a real Antipope: 

Some part, large or small, of the Teaching Church, the Bishops, 

guided by the Holy Ghost, 

immediately knows the Antipope is there and declares the fact. 

This is not the case with the Sedevacantism of
Fr. Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga. 

He was not part of the Teaching Church.
His theory is a dangerous error and causes
fatal spiritual delusions and the loss of souls. 

Dear John,

Pope John XXIII was a real Pope, a holy Pope
and here is the proof:

Six years before 1971,
 when Fr. Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga published his book,

on 26 May 1966
John XXIII worked this stupendous miracle.

In the light of this miracle John,
consider your own soul and renounce your position. 

Miracles decide questions and resolve doubts.
They cut to the chase.
This miracles proves that John XXIII was a true Pope.
This miracle proves that the theory of Sedevacantism is wrong.

Blessed John XXIII,
pray for your child John
and for all who cling to the delusions of Sedevacantism.

Deep Silence, Mutual Listening, Continual Prayer

Deep Silence.

Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves.

Mutual Listening.

By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible.

Thus the Pope speaks to us about the internet, blogging and social communications. We are involved in Internet communications. We hope that our sites also breathe religious silence.

Silence

The latest edition of our newspaper Catholic is in the post.
It opens the subject of continual prayer.
I invite you to subscribe to this newspaper and read quietly
- away from Internet, in deep listening silence -
about the continual prayer.

Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

Attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God.

Pope Benedict XVI.
24 January 2012.

He who prays is certain to be saved.
He who does not pray is certain to be damned.
All the elect are in heaven because they prayer.
All the damned are in hell because they did not pray.
St. Alphonsus

Text of the letter prophesied to Father Hermann Cohen by the Curé of Ars.

Father Hermann Cohen's mother died
without receiving Holy Baptism.
In the eyes of the unwise
'she died as an unconverted Jewess'
in spite of the many prayers offered for her by her priestly son.

I have translated the following from his life
which will be of interest for all of us
who pray for souls that seem to live and die
without the grace of conversion.

Note that Fr. Hermann
had consecrated his mother to Our Lady
hundreds of times and offered many prayers for her salvation;
he never lost hope in his mother's cause.


Rev. Fr. Hermann Cohen, O.C.D.

The last moments for Mrs. Cohen arrived on 13 December 1855. Father Hermann was preaching Advent in Lyons at the time and he announced this sad news to his friend in these terms:

"God has struck a terrible blow to my heart. My poor mother is dead ... and I remain in incertitude! However we have so much prayed that we must hope that something has passed between her soul and God during these last moments that we cannot know about. ..."

We can easily imagine the pain of Father Hermann in learning of the death of his mother. He had so much prayed and so much had prayers said for her conversion, and she came to appear before the tribunal of God without having received holy Baptism! ...

" I also have a mother," would he write one day, "I have left her to follow Jesus Christ, she no longer calls me her 'good son'. Already her hair is silvered, already her brow is furrowed, and I am afraid to see her die. Oh! no I would not like to see her die before loving Jesus Christ, and already for many years I await for my mother that which Monica awaited for Augustine..."

God seemed to have despised all his prayers and rejected his loving and legitimate desires. His faith and his love were put through a harsh trial. Nevertheless, if his sorrow was deep, his hope in the infinite goodness of God would not allow itself to be struck down. ...

Saint Jean Marie Vianney
Curé of Ars

A short time later, he confided to the Curé of Ars his disquiet about the death of his poor mother who died without the grace of Baptism. "Hope!" replied the man of God, "hope; you will receive one day, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception a letter that will bring you great consolation."

Six years waiting.

These words were almost forgotten, when, on the 8th December 1861, six years after the death of his mother, a Father of the Company of Jesus handed to Father Hermann the following letter.

(The person who wrote this letter died in the odour of sanctity; she was well known in the religious and ascetical world by her written works on the Eucharist.)

The letter read:

On the 18th October, after Holy Communion, I found myself in one of those moments of intimate union with Our Lord, where he made me so feel his presence in the sacrament of His love that Faith seemed no longer necessary to believe him there.

After a short time, He had me hear His voice and He wanted to give me some explanations relative to a conversation that I had had the night before.

I remember that, in that conversation, one of my friends had manifested her surprise that Our Lord, who has promised to accord everything to prayer, had however remained deaf to those of Reverend Father Hermann who had so many times addressed Him to obtain the conversion of his mother; her surprise went almost as far as discontentment, and I had had difficulty in having her understand that we must adore the justice of God and not to seek to penetrate its secrets.

I dared to ask of my Jesus how it was that He, who was goodness itself, had been able to resist the prayers of Father Hermann, and not grant the conversion of his mother.

This was His (Our Lord's) response:

Why does Anna always want to sound the secrets of my justice and why does she seek to penetrate mysteries that she cannot comprehend?

Tell her that I do not owe my grace to anyone, that I give it to whom I please and that in acting in this way I do not cease to be just, and justice itself.

But that she may know that, rather than not keep the promises that I have made to prayer, I will upset heaven and earth, and that every prayer that has my glory and the salvation of souls for object is always heard when it is clothed in the necessary qualities.

He added: "And to prove to you this truth, I willingly make known that which passed at the moment of the death of the mother of Father Hermann".

My Jesus then enlightened me with a ray of His divine light and had me understand or rather to see in Him that which I want to try to relate.

At the moment where the mother of Father Hermann was on the point of rendering her last breath; at the moment that she seemed deprived of awareness, almost without life; Mary, our good Mother, presented Herself before Her Divine Son, and prostrate at His feet, She said to Him: "Pardon and mercy, o my Son! for this soul who is going to perish. Yet another instant and she will be lost, lost for eternity. I beseech you, do for the mother of my servant Hermann, that which you would like to be done for your own, if She was in her place and if you were in his. The soul of his mother is his most precious good; he has consecrated her to me a thousand times; he has consecrated her to the tenderness and solicitude of my heart. Could I suffer her to perish? No, no, this soul is mine; I will it, I claim it as an inheritance, as the price of your blood and of my sufferings at the foot of your Cross."

Hardly had the sacred suppliant ceased speaking, when a strong, powerful grace, came forth from the source of all graces, from the adorable Heart of our Jesus, and came to enlighten the soul of the poor dying Jewess; instantly triumphing over her stubbornness and resistances.

This soul immediately turned herself with loving confidence towards Him whose mercy had persued her as far as the arms of death and said to Him: "O Jesus, God of the Christians, God whom my son adores, I believe, I hope in Thee, have pity on me."

In this cry, heard by God alone and which came from the intimate depths of the heart of the dying woman, were enclosed the sincere sorrow for her obstination and for her sins, the desire of baptism, the express will to receive it and to live according to the rules and precepts of our holy religion, if she had been able to return to life.

This leap of faith and hope in Jesus was the last sentiment of that soul; it was made at the moment when she brought towards the throne of the divine mercy. Breaking away the weak bonds which held her to her mortal casing, she fell at the feet of Him who had been her Saviour (a moment) before being her Judge."

After having showed me all these things, Our Lord added:

"Make this known to Father Hermann; it is a consolation that I wish to accord to his long sorrows, so that he will bless, and have blessed everywhere, the goodness of the heart of my Mother and Her power over mine."

Totally unknown to Reverend Father Hermann, the poor invalid who has just now penned these lines is happy to think that she has perhaps spread a little consolation and balm on the still bleeding wound of the heart of this son and priest. She dares to ask the alms of his fervent prayers, and she likes to believe that he will not refuse to one, who, even though unknown to him, is united to him by the sacred bonds of the same faith and of the same hopes. ..."

What appears to add great authority to this letter, is that it had been announced six years in advance by the venerable Cure of Ars.

End of translation.

(pp. 126 - 129, Vie du R.P. Hermann, en religion Augustine-Marie du T.S. Sacrament, Carme Dechausse, par M. l'Abbe Charles Sylvain, Paris, 1883.
From the French life of Rev. Father Hermann, in religion Augustin-Marie of the Most Holy Sacrament, Discalced Carmelite, by Fr. Canon Charles Sylvain, Paris 1883.)

Publised with the approbation of and recommendation of His Grandeur Mgr. Gay, Bishop of D'Anthedon, Auxiliary of His Eminence Cardinal Pie, Bishop of Poitier, 4 Dec. 1880
and of His Grace Mgr. de la Bouillerie, the Archbishop of Perga, Coadjutor of Bordeaux, 23 July 1881
of His Lordship Mgr. Adolphe-Louis Perraud, Bishop of Autun and Member of the French Academy, 8 March, 1882
and of the Most Reverend Father Luc of St. John of the Cross, Father General of the Discalced Carmelites, 4 May, 1880)

The approach of winter darkness

Our Lady of Sorrows,
Papa Stronsay.

On Wednesday we celebrated the feast of the
Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Like the Holy Cross and the Mother of Sorrows,
the Gospel of the Mass was also
poignant and veiled.

Ambulate dum lucem habetis...
Walk whilst you have the light...
(Jn. 12:35)

Last night I thought again of these words from the Gospel while
looking across at our little boat moored in the quiet water.
The scene was bathed in spectacular light,
the light of the setting sun;
we approach the eighth day
after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
which is the 21st September
the Equinox
and the winter darkness.
Ambulate dum lucem habetis...
Walk whilst you have the light
that the darkness overtake you not...
So many souls die every night, alone and far from God.
St. Teresa saw innumerable souls falling into hell
like snow flakes.

Whilst you have the light believe in the light,
that you may be the children of the light.
These word goad us to look at ourselves.
The light of our lives is fast fading,
perhaps death is closer than we think.
How do I stand with God?
How long since I last made a good Confession?
The Holy Gospel and all creation,
the sun and the seasons and the years
cry out to me:
O Child of God
born from the side of the Saviour
O Child of Mary
received at the foot of the Cross:
Ambulate dum lucem habetis...
Walk whilst you have the light
that the darkness overtake you not...
Remember your life is fading
... one day soon it will be too late.
Do what you have to do,
while you are still able.

On the 21st September,
the Equinox will herald the taxcollector's conversion
and the Gospel of the Mass will conclude with the words:
Non enim veni vocare iustos, sed peccatores.
For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.
(Mt. 9:13)

What joy is given to the Heart of Jesus
when a person hears His voice and returns to Him;
He came for us
He died for us
He wants us
He wants me
and
He wants you before it is too late.

Brothers on their way to Night Prayers.

The Infant Jesus
looks out in expectation
to see who's coming home.
Confession with sorrow for sins gives joy to His Heart.

May the beautiful light of the Holy Gospels
shine upon us as Winter darkness covers the earth.

Work continued on the chapel today.

We are hoping for the work to be finished
before the weather is too rough.

One side was finished before the wind got up.
The summer is not quite over...

St. Alphonsus:
The greater number of men still say to God:
Lord we will not serve Thee;
we would rather be slaves of the devil,
and condemned to Hell, than be Thy servants.
Alas! The greatest number, my Jesus
- we may say nearly all -
not only do not love Thee,
but offend Thee and despise Thee.

Ambulate dum lucem habetis...
Walk whilst you have the light
that the darkness overtake you not...

Replies to some questions.

Replies to a set of questions
regarding the posts on Sedevacantism/Sedeprivationism.

Dear Friend
I have thought over your comments and make the following replies.

1 How do you know that Fr Arriaga and Fr de Lauriers work no miracles?

If these well known traditionalists worked stunning miracles (or even some small wonders) it is fair to believe that the whole of the traditional world would be alerted to the fact very quickly.

This is because any miracle that they worked would be a confirmation of the Sedevacantist or Sedeprivationist doctrines that they taught.

2. Miracles may be slow in coming; vide. Cardinal Newman.

Yes, we could have a long time to wait for a miracle from the founders of the Sedevacantist or Sedeprivationist movement.

However, Pope John XXIII worked his stupendous miracle less than three years after his death; in fact on what would be the first day of the Novena before his 3rd anniversary.

3. Not all true popes work miracles. Did Pius XI?

Yes, you are right of course. Not all true popes work miracles after their deaths. But that is not the point here.

The point is this:
The Sedevacantists say that there has not been a true pope since Pius XII.

The fact that Pope John XXIII has worked his miracle proves:
a) that he is in heaven,
b) that he was a true Pope and
c) that therefore the sedevacantist theory that there has been no Pope since Pius XII is wrong. That is all we set out to demonstrate.

4. Do you not think that there is something distasteful, not to say scandalous, about ad hominem attacks on traditionalists who have been in their graves for many years now (35 years in the case of Dr Arriaga).

Certainly we want the dead to rest in peace and we pray for their souls.

For over 35 years their sedevacantist or sedeprivationist theories have been a constant attack on the persons of the five Popes who have legitimately filled the Chair of Peter since Pius XII. Their distasteful scandal cannot be readily repaired without a comparison between the grave of John XXIII and the graves of the authors of these pernicious errors.

For over thirty years noisy Sedevacantist arguments have dominated this question –many of them ad hominem, like the supposed scandals of Pope John XXIII (claimed to be a Freemason, a Heretic, the Usurper of Siri, etc).

We take the case from the arena of human arguments to that of the supernatural level.

The miracle introduces the judgment of God and demonstrates that John XXIII, quem Deus commendat, is a Blessed Pope and was a true Pope.

On the contrary, those who have attacked John XXIII as an anti-pope or ‘material’ pope only, are left in their silent graves; their theories have not been supported by Heaven.

Since we want to help souls find their way to the true Shepherd, the Vicars of Christ, it is necessary to demonstrate that the maligned Vicar of Christ, Blessed John XXIII was indeed a true Pope as are his successors.

5. Do you not think that it is better to explain why a theory is incorrect, rather than attack the man?

Until now the Sedevacantist/Sedeprivationist theories have been argued with cartloads of paper and gallons of ink.

In this world the voice of truth is easily drowned out.

For those souls who have lost faith in the validity of the Popes, more arguments are not going to help. Even the voice of the Church will not help because they believe it to be the voice of a Newchurch. In the chaos of this darkness what can help us? Not more arguments! No.

Where can help come from?
Emmite lucen tuam et veritatem tuam: ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua. In our situation it is a mercy from Heaven that God directly sent forth His light and His truth that souls may be conducted and brought back to His holy hill and the tabernacles of the Church.

The theorists are dead, long buried; they lie in silent graves. But, then, from among the dead, the silenced voice of their opponent is heard; he has the last word on the matter. His voice is loud, clear, full of charity; it awakens a dying nun and heals her instantly and in such a way that she lives thereafter as a walking miracle... Emmite lucem tuam... John XXIII is a brilliant shaft of light on the validity of the “Post Conciliar” popes.

6. Should traditionalists be attacking one another, rather than the enemies of the church?

When sheep and lambs are lost to the Chief Shepherd because of erroneous doctrines it is charity to try to bring them home. If God has given a miracle to prove the Sedevacantist theories wrong it is a duty to speak up and publicise it.

Whoever holds the sheep away from the Chief Shepherd is not his ally even if he speaks from the Papal Bulls and recognises the Assumption of the Blessed Mother.

7. I don't believe you are doing yourself any long term credit by this line of argumentation.

Credit is not the goal.

We began this to help a soul called “Lost Sheep.” To help a soul is a great privilege. Our Lord gave His life for this soul.

For our part, we have tried through the blog posts to secure Lost Sheep along the road of returning to the Church. Since Lost Sheep cannot be the only one in this situation we have published the response for others to find.

It is like everything else, we have to do what we think is right and pay the price for it. The cost is never too much.

The Chief Shepherd.

Truly tragic -the Episcopal Consecrations of the "Thuc Line" founders.

The story of the "Thuc Consecrations" is, briefly,
a tragic one.
The prestigious Archbishop of Hue in Vietnam
pictured above
agreed in 1981 to consecrate three bishops
who are the origin of the "Thuc Line Bishops"
still operating.

Only two need to be considered
since the third played only a minor role.

Their names are
Bishop des Lauriers and Bishop Carmona.

Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục.

(October 6, 1897–December 13, 1984)

Michel Louis Guérard des Lauriers, O.P.
(1898 - 1988)
Consecrated bishop 7 May, 1981.

Moisés Carmona y Rivera
(1912 - 1991).
Consecrated bishop 17 October, 1981.

Rue Garibaldi, Toulon.

I personally never knew the Vietnamese Archbishop
before the time of my two visits to his residence at 22, rue Garibaldi, Toulon,
in the district of Var, in France.
The first time was in March 1981...
The second in January, 1982.
- Fr. Noel BARBARA.

22, rue Garibaldi in Toulon as it is today.

"The Archbishop lived in a very poor and dirty apartment
on the first floor of an old tenement building.
In appearance, it was a simple flat that was longer than wide,
with a small side kitchen.
On the right was a modest bed.
In the corner was a table
on which he celebrated the traditional rite
as codified by Saint Pius V every morning.
There were many pious images, a pile of "pocket books,"
two chairs
and five cats that appeared to be everywhere."
- Fr. Noel BARBARA.

As he only had two chairs, the Archbishop sat on his bed
and Father Barbara sat opposite him.
The room was so small that Father Barthe
had to place his chair behind the Archbishop.

This is the setting for the consecration of the
founder of the Thuc Line bishops.
A cramped "dirty" bedroom,
five cats,
a corner table
...and a telephone.

In 1981 France was not under persecution.
Why were the Episcopal Consecrations not performed even in a hotel room?

The Mass of the Consecration of a Bishop
was twice celebrated up against the window.

There were not three altar cloths
for there was not even one altar cloth.

The dial up telephone was left where it was,
its telephone wire came onto the table;
also a box of matches.
Episcopal Consecration of Bishop des Lauriers.
(Click on the images to make them bigger.)

Ask yourself:
Is this the Sacred Action that was necessary
for the continuation of the Priesthood
and of Apostolic Succession
in the Church?

Episcopal Consecration of Bishops Carmona and Zamora.
(Better view of the telephone.)

Tragic days ~ the story has not ended.

Blessed Pope John XXIII's miracle had taken place
13 years earlier than these lamentable acts.


By that glorious miracle
of God's Right Hand
Sedevacantism is judged wrong
and deadly to souls.

Blessed John XXIII
~quem Deus commendat~
in your stupendous miracle
approved by God,
pray for us
and for the return of all our brethren
who seem lost to Sedevacantism!

Who lies in a silent grave - I

Some traditional Catholics do not want to recognise
that Pope John XXIII was a true Pope
others dismiss his beatification and holiness of life.

I am struck by words often prayed in the Divine Office:
Fratres: Non enim qui seipsum commendat, ille probatus est;
sed quem Deus commendat.
~
Brethren: For he is not approved who commends himself,
but whom God commends.
(2 Cor. 10:17-18 ).

Blessed Pope John XXIII
has been raised to heavenly glory
in proof of which, through his intercession,
Sister Caterina Capitani was instantly healed
as we have related.

Some would not commend him
but
God commends him!
Blessed John XXIII
~ quem Deus commendat.
Meanwhile
the grave wherein is laid
the body of the
'very wise doctor and priest',
Father Joaquin Saenz y Arriaga,
the Spiritual Father of the Sedevacantist movement
is silent.

During his life many approved him,
lauded his intelligence,
attended his lectures,
acknowledged his leadership above the Pope's,
and saw his actions as vital for the survival of the Church:
But his tomb is silent.

As of yet he has produced no miracle
to prove that his more than 50 books were right.
Brethren: He is not approved who commends himself,
but whom God commends.
(2 Cor. 10:17-18 ).

Fr. Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga, S.J.
(Oct. 12, 1899 - April 28, 1976).
(Mexican).
Doctor of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law,
international lecturer,
author of over fifty books
including:
"The new Montinian Church",
"Sede Vacante: Paul VI is not a legitimate Pope",
and
"Vacant See."

He believed and taught that
the claimants to the papacy after Pope Pius XII
were invalid claimants.
As a result of this, in 1972,
he was excommunicated by Cardinal Miranda
and the Roman Catholic bishops' conference of Mexico.

Fr. Sáenz died of cancer on April 28, 1976.
He lies in a silent grave.

Tu es Petrus,
et super hanc petram ædificabo Ecclesiam meam.
(Mt. 16:18)
Hic est lapis,
qui reprobatus est a vobis ædificantibus...
(Act 4:11).
Thou art Peter
and upon this rock I will build my Church.
(Mt. 16:18).
This is the stone
which was rejected by you the builders.
(Act 4:11).

Blessed John XXIII
~quem Deus commendat~
in your stupendous miracle
approved by God,
pray for us!