faith formation: Do the Opposite--"AGERE CONTRA"-- Spirituality 101; Fr. Mark Goring

 Here Fr. Goring explains a principle in the spiritual life of "AGERE CONTRA"--"To act against". A term in ascetical literature to describe the deliberate effort one must make to strive to overcome his evil tendencies, by doing the opposite of that to which he is sinfully inclined.

Amazing World: The incredible ibex defies gravity and climbs a dam

 Nature is so full of curious wonders. These mountain goats can scale a share cliff of a mountain dam.

faith formation: Manifestation of Conscience

 Fr. Goring is on fire with pearls of wisdom for the spiritual life. Here  talks about how one should pray to know your soul as God sees it. To know your faults and sins, especially the ones you are not conscious of.

 

 

There was a practice of revealing your innermost thoughts to your spiritual father in religious orders, but it was not the sacrament of confession. The practice has fallen out favor because of abuses and other complications. There is a problem of the inner and external forum.

For example a married priest shouldn't hear his wife's confession, unless it is a dire emergency. It makes interpersonal relationships very complicated.

It creates complications because similar to the seal of confession, "manifestations of conscience" has a kind of seal of secrecy, and confidentiality, which makes it hard to navigate when one, as a superior, can act or can't.

To curb such abuses  Pope Leo XIII, 17 December 1890, "Quemadmodum" forbade both mandatory manifestation of conscience and the practice of superiors inducing their subjects to make such manifestations.

faith formation,: Guardian Angel Prayer is Not a Joke - Fr. Mark Goring, CC

 Fr. Goring is spot-on, on this. My sister got me praying to my guardian angel on a regular basis and I can tell you amazing things happen.

Another thing to consider is our guardian angel has no other job; other than to help you to get to heaven and protecting you. I mean the saints in heaven are patrons of other causes, nations, and peoples. Not that that diminishes them in any way, but your guardian angel is your best friend, he has nothing to do but help you-- this is all!

And it isn't like he is just helping you till he get another job. After you die he will still be with you in heaven. He will not get reassigned to someone else, he is your absolutest bestest friend.

faith formation: Step by Step --Patience Wins

Some more great thoughts from Fr. Goring.

Perseverance and trusting  the Lord gains everything.

Romans 5:3-5
"…Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.…"

Founding of Christendom: Succession of Popes begins: Popes St. Linus and St. Cletus -- post 13

Little information survives about the governing of Rome during Emperor Vespasian's ten-year rule.

After successfully defeating Judaea, and Nero's death, with a succession of equally doomed  emperors in one year,(known as: "The Year of the Four Emperors") Vespasian became Emperor.

Emperor Vespasian reformed the monetary system of Rome, initiated several ambitious construction projects, including the building of the Roman Colosseum. Through his general Agricola, Vespasian increased imperial expansion in Britain. After he died at age 69, in 79 AD, he was succeeded by his eldest son Titus, becoming the first Roman emperor to be succeeded by his natural son, and establishing the Flavian dynasty.

Deposit of the Faith: The Ancient Jewish Roots of the Catholic Church - John Bergsma

 Here is an excellent interview about the continuity of the Faith from ancient Judaism to the Catholic Church. It is choppy at parts because of  a bad connection, be patient; it worth listening to.

Taken from the you tube channel:

Intellectual Conservatism