Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:01 Before we get going. There's a questionnaire at each door. It's a little questionnaire to help you to turn your temperament. It's taken from a booklet called the four temperaments by Reverend Conrad Hoc. It's useful in the spiritual life to know what your temperament is, your temperament. Basically they have these old fashioned words, but whether you get excited quickly and calmed down quickly, get excited quickly, calmed down slowly, get excited, slowly, calm down quickly or get excited slowly, calm down slowly. Those are what the four temperaments are based on that this temperament or this disposition will help you know something about progress in spiritual life in particular, things you have to look out for. So if you take this questionnaire, it's not ideal, um, but it'll get you in the ballpark. If you don't know, you just take that and take it seriously. We'll try to see if it's possible to have it posted on your Santa's too. But if you do that then in a few weeks when I talk about spiritual growth, new temperaments who have some idea of how it fits in to you. Otherwise, I'm just kind of preaching in a thin air and yet to figure out later, then you'll be able to pay more careful attention. What am I, most people are a mixture of two, the temperaments, but uh, some people are very dominant. One particular type. At any rate, uh, it'll help in your growth to holiness. That means said, we'll get started here.
Speaker 1 01:16 Certainly one of the most bewildering phenomenon the past 40 years has been incredible success of the feminist attack upon the traditional roles of Catholic women. As a result, we can see on the one hand a rejection and belittling of true femininity, rejection of the beauty and the mystery of woman is such and ever God given role to be a living icon of the church or living icon, the blessed Virgin Mary. On the other hand, we see a corresponding obsession to be able to do whatever it is the boys do. The situation has gotten so ridiculous that we now have convents full of unhappy wiccans and confused, angry women stocking about pretending to be priestesses and saying mass. Last December, in the midst of all this disaster, the congregation for clergy a should have document as a clear call for Catholic women to reassert their God given role in the church once again to find their authentic place and the divine economy document is entitled Spiritual Motherhood for priests.
Speaker 1 02:22 It's about 40 pages long. It's chalk full of stories about married women, single women and religious women, and it's fantastic. When I read it, I kept thinking, I can't believe this. I dislike reading something published by 10 books or something. I couldn't believe what I was reading. Okay. That being said, let's turn to the document quote. The vocation to be a spiritual mother for priests is largely unknown, scarcely understood, and consequently rarely lived. Not withstanding its fundamental importance, it's a vocation. It's frequently hidden to the naked eye, but meant to transmit spiritual life independent of age or social status. Any woman can become a mother for priests. This type of motherhood is not only for mothers of families but is just as possible for an unmarried girl, a widow or someone who is ill is especially pertinent for missionaries and religious sisters who have given their lives entirely to God for the sanctification of others.
Speaker 1 03:29 Pope John Paul the second even thank the child for her motherly hill quote, I also express my gratitude to bless it just Senta for the sacrifices and prayers offer for the Holy Father whom she saw suffering greatly. Close quote, okay, the guys conserve mass and some of us can even say mass, but none of us can be a spiritual mother, but any woman can to get some idea of incredible significance of this, of the power and the dignity of this role, the value that God himself places on it. We'll consider just two stories from this document. The first to the story about the power spiritual motherhood and the second is an example that the women of our community can certainly imitate. Now there's a lot of important story points about the first story that we're not going to have time to point out, but it's something to really ponder.
Speaker 1 04:25 Take to heart and potter. Okay, here we go. Quote. In 1869 a German das and bishop was sitting together with his guest, Bishop William Emmanuel Kettler from Mainz. During the course of their conversation, the Diocesan Bishop brought up his guests, extremely blessed it. Apostolic Bishop Kettler explained to his host, I thanks for everything that I have accomplished with God's help to the prayer and sacrifice of someone I do not even know. I can only say that I know somebody has offered her whole life to our loving God for me, and I have the sacrifice to think that I even became a priest. He continued. Originally I wasn't planning on becoming a priest. I had already finished my law degree and thought only about finding an important place in the world to begin acquiring honor, prestige, and wealth and extraordinary experience held me back and directed my life, done a different path. One evening. I was alone in my room considering my future plans of fame and fortune when something happened, which I cannot explain, was I awake or asleep? Did I really see it or was it just a dream? One thing I do know, it brought about a change in my life. I saw Jesus very clearly and distinctly standing over me, a radiant cloud showing me his sacred heart. A nun was kneeling before him. Her hands raised up in prayer from his mouth. I heard the words she prays unremittingly for you.
Speaker 1 06:13 I distinctly saw the parents of the sister and her traits made such an impression on me that she has remained in my memory. To this day. She seemed to be a quite an ordinary lay sister. Her clothing was very poor and rough. Her hands were red and callous from hard work, whatever it was, a dream or not. It was extraordinary. It shook me to the depths of my being so that from that moment on, I decided to consecrate myself to God in the service of his priesthood. I withdrew to a monastery for a retreat and I talked about everything with my confessor. Then at the age of 30 I began studying theology. You know the rest of the story, so if you think I've done something admirable, now you know who really deserves a credit, a religious sister who prayed for me. Maybe without even knowing who I was, I am convinced I was prayed for and I will continue to be prayed for in secret and that without these prayers, I could never have reached the goal that God has destined for me.
Speaker 1 07:16 Do you have any idea of the whereabouts or the identity of who has prayed for you? Asked the Diocesan Bishop? No. I can only ask God each day that well, she is still on earth. He blessed repay her a thousand fold for what she's done for me. The next day, Bishop Kettler visited a convent of sisters in a nearby city and celebrated holy mass in their chapel. He was distributing the holy communion to the last trove sisters. When one of them suddenly caught his eye, his face grew pale and he stood there, emotionless. Finally regained his composure. He gave holy communion to the sister who Neely and recollection, unaware of his hesitation. He then concluded the literature. The bishop put, invited him the previous day, came and joined him at the convent for breakfast. When they'd finished, Bishop Kettler asked the mother superior to present to him all the sisters in the house.
Speaker 1 08:09 Before long, she'd gathered all the sisters together and both bishops went to meet them. Bishop Kettler greeted them, but it was apparent that he'd not find the one he was looking for. He quietly asked the mother superior, are all the sisters really here? She looked over at the group of sisters and then said, your excellency. I called them all, but in fact, one of them is not here. Why didn't she come? She works in the Barn, answers superior, and it's such a commendable way than an enthusiasm. She sometimes forgets other things. I would like to see that sister request the bishop. A little while later, the sister had been summoned, stepped into the room again. Bishop Kettler turned Pale and after a few words to all the sisters, he asked if he could be alone with the sister who had just come in. Do you know me?
Speaker 1 08:54 He asked. I've never seen your excellency before. Have you ever prayed for me or offered up a good deed for me? He wanted to know. I do not recall that. I have ever heard of your excellency. The bishop was signed for a few months. Then he asked, do you have a particular devotion that you like? The devotion to the sacred heart of Jesus was the response you have. It seems the most difficult task in the convent. He continued. Oh no, your excellency, the sister Connor. But I cannot lie. It is unpleasant for me. And what do you do when you have such temptations against your work? For things that cost me greatly, I grew accustomed to facing him with joy and enthusiasm out of love for God. And then I offered him up for one soul on earth to them. God chooses to be gracious as a result.
Speaker 1 09:44 I have left completely up to him and I do not want to know. I also offer up my time of eucharistic adoration every evening from eight to nine for this intention. Where did you get the idea to offer up all your merits for someone totally unknown to you? I learned that while I was still out in the world, she replied at school, our teacher, the parish priest taught us how we can pray and offer our merits for our relatives. Besides that, he said that we should pray much for those who are in danger of being lost. Since only God knows who really needs prayer. It is best to put your merits at the disposition of the sacred heart of Jesus, trusting in his wisdom and omnipotence. That is what I've done. She concluded and I always believed that God would find the right soul hold or you Kettler asked 33 your excellency.
Speaker 1 10:35 She answered the bishop, paused a moment. Then he asked her, when were you born? The sister stated her day of birth. The bishop gasped. The birthday was the day of his conversion back then. He saw her exactly as she was before him now and have you any idea whether your prayers and sacrifices had been successful. He asked her further, no, your excellency. Don't you want to know our dear God knows when something good happens and that is enough was a simple answer. The bishop was shaken, so continue this work in the name of the Lord. He said the sister knelt down immediately at his feet and asked for his blessing. The bishop suddenly raised his hands and said with great emotion, with a power and trusted to me as a bishop, I bless your soul. I bless your hands and their work. I bless your prayers and sacrifices yourself for Annunciation in your obedience.
Speaker 1 11:28 I bless this specially your final hour and ask God to assist you with all his constellation. Amen. Sister answered calmly then stood up and left. The bishop profoundly moved, stepped over to the window in order to compose himself. Sometime later he said goodbye to the mother's superior and returned to the apartment of his bishop friend. He confided to him. Now I found the one I have to thank for my vocation. It is the lowest and poorest lace sister of that convent. I cannot thank God enough for his mercy because this sister's prayed for me for almost 20 years on the day she first saw the light of the world. God worked my conversion, accepting in advance her future prayers and works. What a lesson and a reminder for me should I become tempted to vanity by a certain amount of success or by my good works, then I can infer and truth. You have the prayer and sacrifice of a poor made in a convent stall to think I want a small and lowly tasks appears of little value to me. Then I will also remember the fact what this May does in humble obedience to God, making a sacrifice by overcoming herself is so valuable before Lord our God that our merits have given rise to bishop for the church close quote.
Speaker 1 12:47 So that's the first example and it's something to think about.
Speaker 1 12:51 The second is something to imitate. The example of verge of Lou in northern Italy, a town which yesterday I looked it up, has it population of 1,213 people quote Lou would still be unknown to this day if some of the mothers of Lou had not made a decision that had important consequences. In 1881 the deepest desires of many of these mothers was for one of their sons to become a priest or for a daughter to place her life completely in God's service under the direction of their parish priest. They gathered every Tuesday for adoration of the blessed sacrament. Ask The Lord for vocations. They received holy communion on the first Sunday of every month with the same intention after mass. All the mothers pray to particular prayer together, imploring for vocations to the priesthood. The prayer that the mothers of Lube prayed was short, simple, and deep.
Speaker 1 13:47 Oh God. Granted, one of my sons may become a priest. I myself want to live as a good Christian and want to guide my children always to do what is right so that I may receive the grace of God to be allowed to give you a holy priest. Amen. Do the trusting prayer of these mothers and the openness of other parents, an atmosphere of deep joy and Christian piety developed in the families, making it much easier for the children to recognize your vocations. When the Lord said many are called but few are chosen. We can understand that many are called, but only a few respond to that call. No one expected the God would hear the prayers. These mothers in such a dramatic way from the tiny village of Lu came 323 vocations, 152 priests, gaseous and religious, 171 nuns belonging to 41 different congregations.
Speaker 1 14:39 As many as three or four vocations came from some of the families. One of the priests from Lou, bless it, Philip Rinaldi always fondly recalled the faith of the families. Lu, a faith that made our fathers and mothers say, the Lord gave us her children. And so if he calls him, we can't say no close quote. So this little village of Lu produced 323 vocations. Three things. First, the mother's prayed before the blessed sacrament once a week specifically asking the Lord for vocations. Second, on the first Sunday of the month, they made a communion for the same intention. And third, after mass they said that simple prayer, begging God for vocations. Now how hard is that?
Speaker 1 15:30 So here's my proposal to all the ladies and I mean all of them right down to the age of first communion. That's how old the boys had to be before they can come up here and assist at the altar. Plus it just sooner was seven when she started the project for the poor. Ladies, I'd like to challenge you all to imitate the women of Lieu. Become spiritual mothers. Pray once a week for vocations before the blessed Itzhak when if that's possible. Obviously we don't live in a little small town right next to the church. So if it's not possible to pray before the bus had sacrament, pray at home in front of a pitcher. Statue of the sacred heart. I just learned about this this week, so I haven't put everything together, but so for right now I'd like to suggest that you see a memory asking her lady to conform you more perfectly to her.
Speaker 1 16:16 Obviously she's the most perfect spiritual mother. And then pray. Let Litany the sacred heart asking our lord to grant us vocations. So memorize for conforming to our lady litany or the sacred heart to our lord asked him for vocations. Then ladies possible on the first Sunday of the month, please offer up your communion asking for vocations. And then after the, we say the prayers after mass, you could say a prayer begging our Lord God for vocations. This gives me a few weeks to get it printed up on cards and adapt it so that both physical mothers and spiritual mothers can say it. If anybody has suggestions, pray about it and letting me know. But I'll think I'll just adapt it by changing two words in the, in the prayer at the women from Lou. I mean, you can't argue with success. Okay? So that's my challenge. Am I request? All right, let's close. Any woman can become a mother for priests. This type of motherhood is not only for mothers, the family, it's possible for an unmarried girl, a widow, someone's ill. It's a fundamental importance for the church ladies, and praise your God given role in the church and do something beautiful
Speaker 2 17:27 for God.
