Canadian Prime Minister's Holy Communion Scandal!

[Leanne Larmondin
Ecumenical News International
Jul 10, 2009]

Just days before a scheduled audience with Pope Benedict XVI, the Canadian prime minister, an evangelical Protestant, was in hot water after taking communion at a Roman Catholic funeral, contrary to church protocol.

When the incident was initially reported, it was suggested that Prime Minister Stephen Harper slipped the consecrated host into his pocket or service leaflet, but his spokesperson and another attendee said he did consume it.

Others who witnessed the ceremony, though, point to a clip posted online at the video sharing Web site YouTube that shows the Canadian leader accepting the host, a thin wafer, from a priest, but he is not seen raising it to his mouth.

The incident took place at the State funeral in Memramcook, New Brunswick, of Roméo LeBlanc, Canada's former governor general.

Catholics believe that that once consecrated by a priest, the communion host and wine are the actual body and blood of Jesus and not merely symbols of Christ's Last Supper. The church reserves communion for Catholics only.

Monsignor Brian Henneberry, vicar general and chancellor in the diocese of Saint John, told the Telegraph Journal newspaper in Saint John that he received a complaint from a Catholic. He called for an explanation from the prime minister's office about what happened to the wafer. The issue of whether the prime minister consumed the host aside, the matter was simple, say church leaders and spokespersons: as a non-Catholic, Harper should not have accepted communion.

"In terms of the celebration of the Mass, coming up for communion is reserved for Catholics," said Neil MacCarthy, communications director for the Archdiocese of Toronto. "That is not meant to be exclusive but, rather, inclusive of those who believe [that the host is the body of Christ]."

At funerals and other events that might gather members of other religious traditions, priests often state prior to celebrating the Eucharist that only Catholics may receive communion, although that apparently did not happen at the New Brunswick service.

Non-Catholics are often invited to receive a blessing, by approaching with their arms crossed over their chests.

Mr. MacCarthy said it was clear there was no malice on the prime minister's part and it was regrettable that his advisors had not adequately prepared him for the ceremony. Still, he said, the issue was a good opportunity to educate the wider community about what Catholics believe about communion.

"It is definitely a difficult issue for non-Catholics and even some Catholics to understand, but it is a core belief of ours, that communion is not just symbolic," Mr. MacCarthy said.

Mr. Harper was scheduled to meet the Pope on July 11 after the meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight industrial nations in L'Aquila, Italy.

For original article, click here

SSPX gets Criticized for Defending Pope and Church

In this month's issue of the SSPX (Germany) newsletter Mitteilungsblatt, there was enormous outrage among many German politicians, activists, Jews and Catholic bishops concerning an article condemning homosexuality and the CSD (gay pride parade). The article went on to explain how the CSD was a 'perverse' movement which made a fool of both the Pope and the Church. Below are some photos of the CSD gay pride parade which took place last year:

Witch-hunt for SSPX ‘Gay haters’ - Germany

Within the last 24 hours, there has been a huge media uproar in Germany concerning an article which appeared in the latest issue of the SSPX newsletter ‘Mitteilungsblatt’. The article goes on to explain how the CSD (Christopher Street Day = Gay pride parade) had mocked both the Church and the Pope in its previous parade last year in Stuttgart. Father Franz Schmidberger (District superior of SSPX - Germany) today released a statement (see below) concerning the ‘false interpretation of a text within the latest newsletter’.

There has been much opposition to the Society calling the CSD a ‘perverse’ movement, which is used as “propaganda...for the sin of Sodom”. The German Catholics Bishops Conference (Bonn) later distanced itself from the Society's claims.

The following sentence which was taken from an article within the SSPX newsletter 'Mitteilungsblatt' has been severely misinterpreted by the German press: "How proud we are when we read a history book and find that in the Third Reich there were courageous Catholics who said: 'We do not want this madness!". As a result, the Society is now being branded as a new ‘Nazi hate group’ and there are many politicians, activists, Jews and Catholic Bishops (in particular) who will stop at nothing to prevent the SSPX from gradually being reconciled with Rome.

Below is a statement from Fr Franz Schmidberger district superior of SSPX - Germany which was released today (03/07/09) on the Society's website:

[Based on ‘Google Translation’]

False interpretation of a text within the latest newsletter

In the newsletter of July 2009 there was an appeal for a peaceful demonstration at the Christopher Street Day rally in Stuttgart. [The article was] to encourage all Catholics, to model themselves on those men and women, which in the years of Nazism raised their voices against the blatant sins against the fifth commandment of God, even at the risk of their lives.
Catholics are always prompted to raise their voice not only when a totalitarian regime systematically flouts human dignity, but also when public groups raise up against the moral order - in this case against the sixth commandment of God.

We note that our reference to the Nazi injustice was completely misunderstood. According to the CSD, we have neither the intention nor the facts to equate the Nazi regime. We would however point out that according to Christian moral standards, the concern of the CSD is immoral. This is what we wanted the public to understand by our demonstration.

Father Franz Schmidberger, District Superior

[For the original German statement, click here]

I leave you with the relevant message of Our Lady of Fatima: “If my requests are heard, Russia will be converted, there will be peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecutions of the Church; the good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, she will be converted, and an era of peace will be conceded to humanity.”

Cardinal Newman soon to be Beatified

(Times Online)

Pope Benedict XVI today cleared the way for Cardinal John Henry Newman to become a saint.
The Pope issued the decree that allows the beatification of England’s most significant convert to Roman Catholicism.
Cardinal Newman, who founded the high church Oxford Movement in the Church of England before going over to Rome in 1845, is set to become the first non-martyr saint in England since the Reformation.
The Pope opened the way for the beatification in 2001 by officially recognising the healing of Jack Sullivan, a Catholic deacon in the US, as a miracle resulting from the intercession of Newman...more

SSPX 2009 Ordinations - Zaitskofen

Here are a couple of photos from the SSPX ordinations which took place yesterday in Zaitskofen (27/06/2009).

SSPX Rosary Crusade Video

The Society of St. Pius X has decided to undertake its greatest rosary crusade of 12 million rosaries for the consecration of Russia to Our Lady's Immaculate Heart. This bouquet will be presented to the Holy Father in March 2010. The superior of the Society: Bishop Felly, also encourages us to make many sacrifices during this time. To enter the amount of rosaries you wish to offer for the SSPX Rosary Crusade, please visit: http://www.sspx.co.uk/page9.htm

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus came into the Catholic faith through a Catholic sister known as Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). At the age of 24 Margaret Mary entered the Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial in France. She began to have visions of Our Lord and on December 27, 1673, on the Feast of St. John, she began to have visions that lasted for eighteen months. Jesus told her that she was to become his instrument in spreading devotion to his Sacred Heart. While kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, Our Lord appeared to her and invited her to "rest a long time on His Divine Breast". Jesus revealed to here the marvels of the love that His Sacred Heart had for mankind.
Jesus said to her: "MY DIVINE HEART IS SO FULL OF LOVE FOR MEN AND FOR YOU IN PARTICULAR THAT, NO LONGER ABLE TO CONTAIN WITHIN ITSELF THE FLAMES OF ITS BURNING CHARITY, IT MUST SPREAD THESE FLAMES BY MEANS OF YOU, AND IT MUST MANIFEST ITSELF TO MEN IN ORDER TO ENRICH THEM WITH ITS PRECIOUS TREASURES. I HAVE CHOSEN YOU TO ACHIEVE THIS GRAND CRUSADE OF LOVE."
The Sacred Heart of Jesus from that time was revealed to her on a regular basis in vision. According to Saint Margaret Mary, His Divine Heart was "more radiant than the sun and as transparent as crystal," with its adorable wound visible, and as a "furnace" of burning flames.
In June, 1675: during the feast of Corpus Christi, while praying before Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Monstrance. Our Lord revealed His Heart to her and said: "HERE IS THE HEART THAT HAS SO LOVED MEN AS TO SPARE NOTHING FOR THEM, EXHAUSTING AND CONSUMING ITSELF IN ORDER TO PROVE ITS LOVE FOR THEM; AND IN RETURN I RECEIVE, FROM MOST OF THEM, ONLY INGRATITUDE."
Jesus asked her to have a special feast established in honor of His Sacred Heart on "the Friday after the feast of Corpus Christi." Jesus asked us to receive Holy Communion on that day and to make atonement by an act of reparation.
Jesus asked her to have an image made of His Sacred Heart and promoted throughout the world with special promises to those souls who would display His image of His Sacred Heart.
She consulted with her enlightened spiritual director whom God had given her. On the following Friday, June 21, Father de la Colombiere, her priest-director, and Saint Margaret Mary consecrated themselves to the Sacred Heart. With great sufferings and humiliations, Father de la Colombiere and Saint Margaret Mary made every effort to spread the new devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The Lord Jesus revealed to Saint Margaret Mary the following promises to those souls who would honor the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus:
"1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
"2. I will establish peace in their homes.
"3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
"4. I will be their secure refuge during life and above all in death.
"5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.
"6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
"7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent.
"8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
"9. I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.
"10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
"11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
"12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the first Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

For original article, please click here