Legion of Mary Blog

Mary is the Tree of Life, and Jesus is the fruit of that tree. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were denied to eat the fruit from the Tree of Life. Until that time, before they “knew” good from evil, they were allowed to eat of it.

The meat from the sin offerings and the passover meal were shared by entire Jewish families — the children were not excluded.

Jesus Christ did not only come to save only the old people, but to save all people. When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, we were opened up a new chance — a chance to be baptized and then to be forgiven of our guilt from the ancient sin of Adam and Eve.

We all, old and young, were given a chance to recieve the Fruit from the Tree of Life, to recieve Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and divinity.

From the first days of the Church, children recieved regularily the Eucharist. At the Council of Trent the Church said, “That infants and children not yet come to the use of reason may not only validly but even fruitfully receive the Blessed Eucharist is now the universally received opinion.”

Over time, in some Catholic communities, there was no longer an understanding that the Eucharist is indeed the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Some think it only a symbol. These people have long argued that children cannot participate, because for those people it was mearly a statement — not sustaining food. Sadly, the custom in much of the US is today to deny Jesus Christ to the children.

Pope Benedict XVI has asked the the United States Conference of Catholic Bisohps re-think how it administers the sacraments of initiation, and to do so considering the traditional practice of giving Holy Communion immediatly after Confirmation, immediatly after Baptism, as part of the same right, for infants — just as is done for adults entering the Church; and as it is done currently for Eastern-Rite Catholics (note: Pope Benedict XVI, himself, is an Eastern-Rite Catholic as pope).

A Motu Proprio is:

The name given to certain papal rescripts on account of the clause motu proprio (of his own accord) used in the document. The words signify that the provisions of the rescript were decided on by the pope personally, that is, not on the advice of the cardinals or others, but for reasons which he himself deemed sufficient. The document has generally the form of a decree: in style it resembles a Brief rather than a Bull, but differs from both especially in not being sealed or countersigned. It issues from the Dataria Apostolica, and is usually written in Italian or Latin. It begins by stating the reason inducing the sovereign pontiff to act, after which is stated the law or regulation made, or the favour granted, It is signed, personally by the pope, his name and the date being always in Latin. A Motu Proprio was first issued by Innocent VIII in 1484. It was always unpopular in France, where it was regarded as an infringement of Gallican liberties, for it implied that the sovereign pontiff had an immediate jurisdiction in the affairs of the French Church. The best-known recent example of a Motu Proprio is the instructions issued by Pius X on 22 November, 1903, for the reform of church music.

The phrase motu proprio is frequently employed in papal documents. One characteristic result of its use is that a rescript containing it is valid and produces its effect even in cases where fraud would ordinarily have vitiated the document, for the words signify that the pope in granting the favour does not rely on the reasons alleged. When the clause is used in dispensations, the latter are given a broad interpretation; a favour granted motu proprio is valid even when counter to ecclesiastical law, or the decisions of the pope himself. Consequently, canonists call the clause the “mother of repose”: “sicut papaver gignit somnum et quietem, ita et hæc clausula habenti eam.”

Source: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York

Dear President
Greetings from Concilium

September 14th 2007 will start the Centenary year of the birth of Venerable Edel Quinn. It is an appropriate time to bring to mind a few details about Edel, her life in the Legion of Mary and position in regard to the Cause.
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According to the Council of Trent, “That infants and children not yet come to the use of reason may not only validly but even fruitfully receive the Blessed Eucharist is now the universally received opinion.”
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In the recent issue of the Catholic Virginian, Bishop Dilorenzo of the Richmond Diocese reminds the faithfull that Pastoral and Finance Councils of Parishes are advisory and have no authority to make decisions.
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Nothing has been removed from the Tidewater Curia website, but you’ll notice some minor organizational changes. The main sections are:
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According to the Holy See, the 10 Commandments for driving are:

I. You shall not kill.

II. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

III. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

IV. Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.

V. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

VI. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

VII. Support the families of accident victims.

VIII. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

IX. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

X. Feel responsible towards others.

The full document is online on: the Holy See Website

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 2007 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received His Beatitude Chrysostomos II, archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus. The archbishop affirmed that he had come to Rome to give the Pope “a fraternal kiss of peace and, after a centuries-long non-fraternal journey, to build new bridges of reconciliation, collaboration and love.”
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