24 August 2020

First Friday Mass & Devotions - 4 September 2020

 


Traditional Latin Mass
Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Offered in reparation for sins committed against the Sacred & Immaculate Hearts.
First Friday, 4 September 2020, 7:00 PM
(Confessions begin at 6:15 PM; Holy Rosary at 6:30 PM.)

Litany of the Sacred Heart, Act of Reparation & Act of Consecration after Mass.

St. Titus Church
952 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa PA 15001

Celebrant: Fr. Jean-Luc Zadroga, OSB,
Administrator Pro Tem of St. Titus Parish

After Mass, Father will bless religious articles, with a special blessing for Benedictine religious articles.  Please bring your religious articles to be blessed.


Sponsored By:
Knights of Columbus Woodlawn Council 2161
Traditional Latin Mass Guild

The Traditional Latin Mass is offered at St. Titus Church on First Fridays at 7:00 PM and the 3rd Sunday of the month at 12 noon.  View the complete 2020 Traditional Latin Mass schedule here.

17 August 2020

In Honor of Christopher Columbus

The Columbus Memorial surrounded by its veil,
Washington, DC, 8 June 1912.
(Source)
 

The following resolution was passed at the 138th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, 4-5 August 2020:

WHEREAS, in 1492 Christopher Columbus obtained permission and financial support from the King and Queen of Spain to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new trade routes; and

WHEREAS, on October 12 of that year, Columbus’ expedition landed in what is today the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, immediately erecting a cross and naming the island San Salvador, in honor of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World; and

WHEREAS, Columbus set forth a policy that his men were to treat the native people in the new world with respect and sentenced to death men who disobeyed this order, which resulted in his own arrest and return to Spain in chains; and

WHEREAS, the 16th century historian Bartolomé de las Casas, who exposed terrible abuses of native peoples, defended Columbus’ motivations saying, “…I knew him well and I know his intentions are good;” and

WHEREAS, on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas, Pope Leo XIII reflected on Columbus’ strong Catholic faith writing, “it is fitting that we should confess and celebrate in an especial manner the will and designs of the Eternal Wisdom, under whose guidance the discoverer of the New World placed himself with a devotion so touching,” and ordered the celebration of Solemn Mass of the Most Holy Trinity in honor of the occasion; and

WHEREAS, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison similarly commemorated the anniversary by declaring a national Columbus holiday that year to provide, “expressions of gratitude to Divine Providence for the devout faith of the discoverer, and for the divine care and guidance which has directed our history and so abundantly blessed our people;” and

WHEREAS, following this anniversary of Columbus’ voyage, memorials and celebrations in honor of Columbus became popular in the United States as ways to celebrate the Catholic history of the Western Hemisphere and to speak out against anti-Catholicism in the United States; and

WHEREAS, at the height of the nativist and anti-Catholic sentiment of the late 19th century, Columbus was chosen as the Order’s namesake because he was  one of the few Catholics considered a hero of American history, and because the founding members of the Order  believed the explorer symbolized that faithful Catholics can also be patriotic  American citizens; and

WHEREAS, in 1906 the Knights of Columbus advocated for the construction of a monument in Washington, DC in honor of Columbus and, when it was completed in 1912, President William Howard Taft presided at the dedication ceremony which was attended by several foreign ambassadors, thousands of Knights of Columbus, and thousands more interested spectators leading to the observation that “every possible vantage point was filled;” and

WHEREAS, several states began establishing holidays in honor of Columbus and, following the strong urging of the Knights of Columbus and several civic organizations, the United States declared Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1937; and

WHEREAS, the strong Catholic identity associated with Columbus Day led the Ku Klux Klan to denounce the celebration of the holiday as a “papal fraud” and even burn a cross at a Knights of Columbus celebration of Columbus Day in Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, to further accomplish its anti-Catholic goals in the United States, the Klan, and other nativist forces, began the trend of disparaging Columbus suggesting he was not a hero of western history, but rather just another foreign conqueror who was guilty of genocide, slavery, and oppression; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, these claims have been repeated leading to the propagation of further misinformation about Columbus and actions to abolish references to Columbus and remove monuments and commemorations to Columbus’ life – many of which were first established by Catholic immigrants seeking to establish  their place in American culture and fight discrimination.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Knights of Columbus remains steadfast in its support of Christopher Columbus as our namesake; state and federal holidays established in his honor; and, public monuments and commemorations dedicated to his life and historical contributions; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call on state and local leaders to establish separate monuments, or other commemorations, that properly honor the contributions and centuries-long history of the native people of North America; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that we commit our prayers for greater civility, peace, and understanding between all peoples to the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Patroness of the Americas, and namesake of Columbus’ lead ship on that historic 15th century journey.


President Taft speaking at the unveiling of the
Columbus Memorial, Washington, DC, 8 June 1912.
(Source)


31 July 2020

Latin Masses to Resume in August

Traditional Latin Masses at St. Titus Church will resume in August with the following schedule:

First Friday
7 August 2020, 7:00 PM
Followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Litany of the Sacred Heart, Act of Reparation & Act of Consecration.

Vigil of the Assumption
14 August 2020, 7:00 PM

3rd Sunday of the Month
16 August 2020, 12 noon

Holy Rosary & Confessions begin 30 minutes prior to Mass.

Saint Titus Church
952 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa PA 15001

Celebrant: Fr. Jean-Luc Zadroga, OSB,
Administrator Pro Tem of St. Titus Parish

Sponsored by:
Knights of Columbus Woodlawn Council 2161
Traditional Latin Mass Guild

The Traditional Latin Mass is offered at St. Titus Church on First Fridays at 7:00 PM and the 3rd Sunday of the month at 12 noon.  View the complete 2020 Traditional Latin Mass schedule here.

20 July 2020

Requiescat In Pace


Requiem Mass

Thursday, 23 July 2020
10:00 AM

Saint Titus Church
952 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa PA 15001

Joseph V. Zahorsky+
1927-2020
Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery

Charter Member of the
Knights of Columbus Woodlawn Council 2161
Traditional Latin Mass Guild

V. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine.
R. Et lux perpetua luceat ei.

16 July 2020

A Message from the Supreme Knight

Columbus Fountain, Washington, DC
(Source)

Brother Knights:

We are all aware of the troubling events that are occurring today, including attacks on statues of historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and our Order’s namesake, Christopher Columbus. Statues of saints have also been vandalized, including those honoring St. Junípero Serra, St. Louis and even the Blessed Virgin Mary, and houses of worship and other religious symbols have been attacked. These are not merely attacks on statues and history. They are increasingly attacks on Catholics and people of faith.

In the late 19th century, the Knights of Columbus took its name at a time of intense anti-Catholicism. Our founding members wanted to show that Catholics played an essential role in the exploration and development of America since its earliest days, and that a Catholic could be both a good citizen and a good Catholic.

However, anti-Catholicism persisted. In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan tried to stop Columbus Day celebrations and opposed Columbus statues simply because Columbus was a Catholic. We opposed the KKK then and have continued to stand up against bigotry directed at Catholics and others.

We stood up against the persecution of Catholics in Mexico in the 1920s, spoke out for the Jews of Germany in the 1930s and worked for religious freedom behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Today, we are rebuilding Christian communities in the Middle East that were targeted for genocide. Each of us can be proud of our history of standing up for the most vulnerable among us.

While our faith calls us to be respectful of different perspectives, acts of vandalism are crimes against all who cherish democracy and mutual respect. The Knights of Columbus remains firm in its condemnation of all forms of racism and violence, including political violence. With churches, statues, and religious symbols subject to vandalism and attack, we call upon elected officials and leaders at every level to defend the religious freedom of all.

Vivat Jesus!

Carl A. Anderson
Supreme Knight
Knights of Columbus
1 Columbus Plaza
New Haven, CT 06510
15 July 2020

01 July 2020

Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord 2020


Hail, Precious Blood, flowing from the wounds of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, and washing away the sins of the whole world.

From The New Roman Missal by Fr. Lasance:

Blessed Pius IX instituted this feast in thanksgiving for the deliverance of the Apostolic See from the violent revolutionaries who had expelled the pope to Gaeta. In 1849, with the assistance of the French army, they were vanquished and the pope was able to return to Rome.

The meaning of this devotion is closely akin to that of the Sacred Heart. The Precious Blood is the price of universal redemption, which love would not have to be anything less than itself. There is very close connection between the Heart and the Blood not only because, according to St. John, after the death of Jesus, blood and water flowed from His wounded Heart, but because the first chalice in which that divine Blood was consecrated and vivified was precisely the Heart of the incarnate Word.

The Mass is of quite recent composition. In the ancient Roman rite the Mass of Passion Sunday was especially intended to recall to the remembrance of the faithful the infinite value of the Blood of Jesus Christ.


ALMIGHTY, eternal God, Who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son to be the Redeemer of the world, and hast willed to be appeased by His blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so incessantly to worship the price of our salvation, and to be so defended by its power from the ills of this life on earth, that we may enjoy its everlasting fruit in heaven. Through the same. Collect.  Mass of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord.

07 June 2020

Trinity Sunday 2020



Open Letter to President Trump
from Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò
Vigano crest 2
June 7, 2020
Holy Trinity Sunday
Mr. President,
In recent months we have been witnessing the formation of two opposing sides that I would call Biblical: the children of light and the children of darkness. The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity, while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority. And yet the former are the object of a sort of discrimination which places them in a situation of moral inferiority with respect to their adversaries, who often hold strategic positions in government, in politics, in the economy and in the media. In an apparently inexplicable way, the good are held hostage by the wicked and by those who help them either out of self-interest or fearfulness.
These two sides, which have a Biblical nature, follow the clear separation between the offspring of the Woman and the offspring of the Serpent. On the one hand there are those who, although they have a thousand defects and weaknesses, are motivated by the desire to do good, to be honest, to raise a family, to engage in work, to give prosperity to their homeland, to help the needy, and, in obedience to the Law of God, to merit the Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, there are those who serve themselves, who do not hold any moral principles, who want to demolish the family and the nation, exploit workers to make themselves unduly wealthy, foment internal divisions and wars, and accumulate power and money: for them the fallacious illusion of temporal well-being will one day – if they do not repent – yield to the terrible fate that awaits them, far from God, in eternal damnation.
In society, Mr. President, these two opposing realities co-exist as eternal enemies, just as God and Satan are eternal enemies. And it appears that the children of darkness – whom we may easily identify with the deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days – have decided to show their cards, so to speak, by now revealing their plans. They seem to be so certain of already having everything under control that they have laid aside that circumspection that until now had at least partially concealed their true intentions. The investigations already under way will reveal the true responsibility of those who managed the Covid emergency not only in the area of health care but also in politics, the economy, and the media. We will probably find that in this colossal operation of social engineering there are people who have decided the fate of humanity, arrogating to themselves the right to act against the will of citizens and their representatives in the governments of nations.
We will also discover that the riots in these days were provoked by those who, seeing that the virus is inevitably fading and that the social alarm of the pandemic is waning, necessarily have had to provoke civil disturbances, because they would be followed by repression which, although legitimate, could be condemned as an unjustified aggression against the population. The same thing is also happening in Europe, in perfect synchrony. It is quite clear that the use of street protests is instrumental to the purposes of those who would like to see someone elected in the upcoming presidential elections who embodies the goals of the deep state and who expresses those goals faithfully and with conviction. It will not be surprising if, in a few months, we learn once again that hidden behind these acts of vandalism and violence there are those who hope to profit from the dissolution of the social order so as to build a world without freedom: Solve et Coagula, as the Masonic adage teaches.
Although it may seem disconcerting, the opposing alignments I have described are also found in religious circles. There are faithful Shepherds who care for the flock of Christ, but there are also mercenary infidels who seek to scatter the flock and hand the sheep over to be devoured by ravenous wolves. It is not surprising that these mercenaries are allies of the children of darkness and hate the children of light: just as there is a deep state, there is also a deep church that betrays its duties and forswears its proper commitments before God. Thus the Invisible Enemy, whom good rulers fight against in public affairs, is also fought against by good shepherds in the ecclesiastical sphere. It is a spiritual battle, which I spoke about in my recent Appeal which was published on May 8.
For the first time, the United States has in you a President who courageously defends the right to life, who is not ashamed to denounce the persecution of Christians throughout the world, who speaks of Jesus Christ and the right of citizens to freedom of worship. Your participation in the March for Life, and more recently your proclamation of the month of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, are actions that confirm which side you wish to fight on. And I dare to believe that both of us are on the same side in this battle, albeit with different weapons.
For this reason, I believe that the attack to which you were subjected after your visit to the National Shrine of Saint John Paul II is part of the orchestrated media narrative which seeks not to fight racism and bring social order, but to aggravate dispositions; not to bring justice, but to legitimize violence and crime; not to serve the truth, but to favor one political faction. And it is disconcerting that there are Bishops – such as those whom I recently denounced – who, by their words, prove that they are aligned on the opposing side. They are subservient to the deep state, to globalism, to aligned thought, to the New World Order which they invoke ever more frequently in the name of a universal brotherhood which has nothing Christian about it, but which evokes the Masonic ideals of those who want to dominate the world by driving God out of the courts, out of schools, out of families, and perhaps even out of churches.
The American people are mature and have now understood how much the mainstream media does not want to spread the truth but seeks to silence and distort it, spreading the lie that is useful for the purposes of their masters. However, it is important that the good – who are the majority – wake up from their sluggishness and do not accept being deceived by a minority of dishonest people with unavowable purposes. It is necessary that the good, the children of light, come together and make their voices heard. What more effective way is there to do this, Mr. President, than by prayer, asking the Lord to protect you, the United States, and all of humanity from this enormous attack of the Enemy? Before the power of prayer, the deceptions of the children of darkness will collapse, their plots will be revealed, their betrayal will be shown, their frightening power will end in nothing, brought to light and exposed for what it is: an infernal deception.
Mr. President, my prayer is constantly turned to the beloved American nation, where I had the privilege and honor of being sent by Pope Benedict XVI as Apostolic Nuncio. In this dramatic and decisive hour for all of humanity, I am praying for you and also for all those who are at your side in the government of the United States. I trust that the American people are united with me and you in prayer to Almighty God.
United against the Invisible Enemy of all humanity, I bless you and the First Lady, the beloved American nation, and all men and women of good will.
vigano signature


+ Carlo Maria Viganò
Titular Archbishop of Ulpiana
Former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America