ICEMANforChrist

This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Introduction to Hosea

Hosea, a prophet from the Northern Kingdom, preached in his homeland, which he addresses as Israel, Jacob or, frequently, Ephraim. Hosea began his mission in a period of prosperity, the last years of Jeroboam II (783–743 B.C.). This was followed by a period of internal instability, with intrigues at the royal court leading to the assassination of several kings. Hosea witnessed the revival of Assyria, the Syro-Ephraimite war, and the numerous treaties the Israelite kings made with Egypt and Assyria to survive. Hosea’s long ministry (ca. 750–725) seems to have ended before the capture of Samaria in 722/721. The only information the text provides us about the life of Hosea concerns his marriage. Even if we cannot reconstruct what happened exactly, the text as it now stands speaks of three moments in the relationship: first love, separation, reunion. This marriage is a symbol of the covenant between the Lord and Israel. Hosea speaks about the first love, the short period of Israel’s loyalty in the desert, which was then followed by a long history of unfaithfulness lasting until his day. Hosea accuses Israel of three crimes in particular. Instead of putting their trust in the Lord alone, the people break the covenant: (1) by counting on their own military strength, (2) by making treaties with foreign powers (Assyria and Egypt), and (3) by running after the Baals, the gods of fertility. Israel thus forgets that the Lord is its strength, its covenant partner, and giver of fertility. This unfaithful behavior will lead to Israel’s destruction by Assyria, but God’s love will have the last word. The back and forth movement from doom to salvation is typical of the Book of Hosea. Hosea began the Old Testament tradition of describing the relation between the Lord and Israel in terms of marriage (e.g., Jer 3:1; Ez 16:23; Is 50:1). The New Testament uses the marriage imagery to describe the union between Christ and the Church (e.g., Mk 2:19–20; Eph 5:25).[1]

NOVEMBER 6 First Wednesday

Hosea, Chapter 10, Verse 3

For now they will say, “We have no king! Since we do not FEAR the LORD, the king—what could he do for us?”

Christ is the strength of the weak and the humble confidence of those who trust in him.

Christ says to us,

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. (Jn. 10:27)

First Wednesday[2]

Our Heavenly Father desires all three hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to be honored. And so along with devotion to Jesus on First Fridays, and to Mary on First Saturdays, Our Father longs for us to add devotion to St. Joseph on each First Wednesday of the month.

"The Sacred Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have been chosen by the Most Holy Trinity to bring peace to the world." It is at God's request that "special love and honor be given to them" to help us "imitate" their love and their lives, as well as "offer reparation" for the sins committed against them and their love.

The St. Joseph First Wednesday devotion is:

1. Pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary - remembering St. Joseph's love, his life, his role and his sufferings

2. Receive Holy Communion - in union with the love St. Joseph had for Jesus the first time and each time he held him - his son, his God and Savior - in his arms.

In the approved apparitions of Our Lady of America, St. Joseph revealed:

· "I am the protector of the Church and the home, as I was the protector of Christ and his Mother while I lived upon earth. Jesus and Mary desire that my pure heart, so long hidden and unknown, be now honored in a special way.

· Let my children honor my most pure heart in a special manner on the First Wednesday of the month by reciting the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary in memory of my life with Jesus and Mary and the love I bore them, the sorrow I suffered with them.

· Let them receive Holy Communion in union with the love with which I received the Savior for the first time and each time I held Him in my arms.

· Those who honor me in this way will be consoled by my presence at their death, and I myself will conduct them safely into the presence of Jesus and Mary."

Consecration to St. Joseph[3]

Today would be a good day to start or renew the 33-day Total Consecration to St. Joseph that would end on December 10^th The Feast of Loreto (the holy home of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph).

St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) popularized a consecration to Jesus through Mary, recognizing that placing one’s life into the hands of Mary as mother and queen would provide a surer way of coming close to her Son. De Montfort developed a 33-day preparation period and act of consecration, renewing one’s baptismal vows, on a major feast day of Our Lady. Drawing upon this important devotional practice, Father Donald Calloway proposes a similar consecration to her spouse, St. Joseph, in his new book, Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father (Marian Press, 2020). The book leads through a 30-day preparation period through its three sections, the first of which examines Joseph’s titles in his litany, the second of which looks at the wonders related to his life and role in the Church, and the final of which offers prayers to him. Although his arrangement may be new, the book contains acts of consecration to St. Joseph written by St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Bernadine of Siena, and St. Peter Julian Eymard.

Father Calloway explains the importance of this devotion to St. Joseph and why one should make a consecration to him: It “means that you acknowledge that he is your spiritual father, and that you want to be like him. To show it, you entrust yourself entirely to his paternal care so that he can lovingly help you acquire his virtues and become holy. Total consecration to St. Joseph means you make a formal act of filial entrustment to your spiritual father so that he can take care of your spiritual wellbeing and lead you to God. The person who consecrates himself to St. Joseph wants to be as close to their spiritual father as possible, to the point of resembling him in virtue and holiness Saint Joseph, in turn, will give those consecrated to him loving attention, protection, and guidance”. For those who have already done the consecration to Jesus through Mary, Father Calloway recommends this consecration as well: “God desires that all his children be committed to the love and care of a mother and a father” (ibid.).

Father Calloway rightly points out that now is the time of St. Joseph. We need Joseph right now as a protector of the Church so that she may experience renewal. We also need him as a protector of purity and the sanctity of family. We need him as a guide for working and living in the world in faith and obedience. In order to strengthen our daily devotion to him, I would also propose the following prayer based on the Bible’s references to his role (including the prefigurement of the Old Testament):

Joseph, Son of David, you are the just man the Lord placed over His house. You did what the angel commanded and so we go to you in time of need. O adopted father of Jesus, pray to your Son for us. Amen.

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

The Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.

· Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

· Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

· Novena to St. Joseph

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY

SECTION ONE-THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY

CHAPTER ONE THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH

Article 1 THE LITURGY - WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY

Day 147

II. Christ's Work in the Liturgy

Christ glorified . . .

1084 "Seated at the right hand of the Father" and pouring out the Holy Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments he instituted to communicate his grace. the sacraments are perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify.

1085 In the liturgy of the Church, it is principally his own Paschal mystery that Christ signifies and makes present. During his earthly life Jesus announced his Paschal mystery by his teaching and anticipated it by his actions. When his Hour comes, he lives out the unique event of history which does not pass away: Jesus dies, is buried, rises from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father "once for all."⁸ His Paschal mystery is a real event that occurred in our history, but it is unique: all other historical events happen once, and then they pass away, swallowed up in the past. the Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast, cannot remain only in the past, because by his death he destroyed death, and all that Christ is - all that he did and suffered for all men - participates in the divine eternity, and so transcends all times while being made present in them all. the event of the Cross and Resurrection abides and draws everything toward life.

. . . from the time of the Church of the Apostles . . .

1086 "Accordingly, just as Christ was sent by the Father so also he sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This he did so that they might preach the Gospel to every creature and proclaim that the Son of God by his death and resurrection had freed us from the power of Satan and from death and brought us into the Kingdom of his Father. But he also willed that the work of salvation which they preached should be set in train through the sacrifice and sacraments, around which the entire liturgical life revolves."

1087 Thus the risen Christ, by giving the Holy Spirit to the apostles, entrusted to them his power of sanctifying: they became sacramental signs of Christ. By the power of the same Holy Spirit they entrusted this power to their successors. This

"apostolic succession" structures the whole liturgical life of the Church and is itself sacramental, handed on by the sacrament of Holy Orders.

. . . is present in the earthly liturgy . . .

1088 "To accomplish so great a work" - the dispensation or communication of his work of salvation - "Christ is always present in his Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is present in the Sacrifice of the Mass not only in the person of his minister, 'the same now offering, through the ministry of priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,' but especially in the Eucharistic species. By his power he is present in the sacraments so that when anybody baptizes, it is really Christ himself who baptizes. He is present in his word since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church. Lastly, he is present when the Church prays and sings, for he has promised 'where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them."'

1089 "Christ, indeed, always associates the Church with himself in this great work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified. the Church is his beloved Bride who calls to her Lord and through him offers worship to the eternal Father."

. . . which participates in the liturgy of heaven

1090 "In the earthly liturgy we share in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until he, our life, shall appear and we too will appear with him in glory."

World Saxophone Day[4]

November 6 is Saxophone Day, an unofficial holiday that celebrates the woodwind instrument popularly used in jazz, classical music, and military ensembles. The day honors saxophonists and commemorates the birth anniversary of its inventor Adolphe Sax. Born in Belgium in 1814, Sax was an instrument maker and musician who designed and introduced the Saxophone in 1840. It was first adopted for use in military bands and soon became a popular instrument played in a concert band and in chamber music. Chamber music is a type of music played by a group of small instruments - ones that usually can fit into a small room or chamber. Today, the Saxophone is used extensively in jazz and other kinds of dance music and in symphony orchestras around the world.

Many Different Types

The Saxophone comes in many different varieties, though most saxophonists usually use one of the four most popular types. These are tenor, baritone, alto, and soprano saxophones. The tenor saxophone is usually used in jazz and rock music bands, while the baritone saxophone tends to be reserved for jazz solos. The Alto Saxophone is easy to play and therefore used to train beginners. The Soprano plays the highest pitch among all saxophones and is also often played in jazz bands. Other saxophones include Mezzo Soprano, Sopranino, Tubax, Bass and Contrabass.

How to Celebrate?

· Are you a saxophonist? Bring out your instrument and play some music with a band or solo for your family and friends.

· Attend a chamber music, jazz or symphony orchestra concert. Keep an ear out for the Saxophone notes.

· If you have always wanted to learn how to play the Saxophone, today is the day to get started.

Dara’s Corner

Don't forget to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1 to the 8th.

· Talk Money Week

o Here is free financial software you can download

§ https://archive.org/details/MSMoneySunset

· How to celebrate Nov 6th

o Start your day with a calming activity to celebrate Stress Awareness Day. Try yoga or meditation to relax your mind and body.

o Incorporate healthy eating by preparing a nutritious breakfast.

§ Open an advent calendar and enjoy a plate of nachos on National Nachos Day.

o Explore Benjamin Banneker’s legacy by learning about African American history or stargazing.

o Embrace the spirit of Wobbly Wednesday by trying a new workout or dance routine.

o Watch a survival movie to channel the theme of being Marooned Without a Compass.

o Engage in coding tutorials to support National Ladies Learning Code Day.

o Host a movie night with your dog in honor of the Dog Film Festival.

o Educate yourself about healthcare fraud prevention for Report Home Health Care Fraud Day.

o Listen to soothing saxophone music for National Saxophone Day. I have been to where the Saxophone was invented in Dinant Belgium when my father as stationed there in the Army.

o Wear a cozy sweater for International Sweater Vestival.

o Shoot some hoops to celebrate National Basketball Day.

Daily Devotions

· Unite yourself in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Authentic Feminism

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Resurrection of the body

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary

[1]http://usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Hosea&ch=

[2]https://enteringintothemystery.blogspot.com/2018/12/dont-forget-first-wednesday-devotion-to.html

[3]https://denvercatholic.org/pray-the-new-consecration-to-st-joseph-beginning-feb-16/

[4]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/2018/11/06/

The Moral Responsibility of a Catholic in This Historic Election

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Candace’s Corner-Election Day-Vote Life

· How to celebrate Nov 5th

· Imagine waking up to a day filled with ginger pride, horse races, fireworks, takeout cravings, and football frenzy – all rolled into one exciting day!

o Start your morning by flaunting your fiery locks for National Love Your Red Hair Day. Embrace your unique hair color and feel confident in your own skin.

§ Next, immerse yourself in the thrilling world of horse racing with Melbourne Cup Day. Place friendly bets with friends or family, or simply enjoy the excitement of the races.

o As the day transitions into evening, join in the festivities of Bonfire Night and Guy Fawkes Night by organizing a cozy bonfire with friends. Delight in the crackling flames and dazzling firework displays while reminiscing over the historical significance of the night. Craving a quick and delicious meal?

§ Celebrate National Chinese Takeout Day by ordering your favorite Chinese dishes to enjoy by the bonfire.

· Cap off the day with the adrenaline of American Football Day. Gather your friends for a friendly game or watch a match together while munching on some snacks. Whether you’re a sports enthusiast or a casual viewer, football day is all about bonding over a shared love for the game.

NOVEMBER 5 Tuesday

ELECTION DAY / GUY FAWKES NIGHT

Jonah, Chapter 1, verse 16:

¹⁶Seized with great FEAR of the LORD, the men offered sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Those leaders, who stop seeking new challenges; stop growing, inevitably stop leading. John Maxwell states, “When we stop sacrificing, we stop succeeding.”[1]

If you want to become a great leader, you must be willing to make sacrifices.

1. There is no success without sacrifice. Every person who has achieved any success in life has made sacrifices to do so.

2. Leaders are often asked to give up more than others. Leaders have to give up their rights. Leaders need to learn how to put others ahead of themselves. It’s not easy, but you need to give up more than the people you lead.

3. You must keep giving up, to stay up. John Maxwell takes the Law of Sacrifice even further when he states that ‘If leaders have to give up to go up, then they have to give up even more to stay up’. Today’s success is the greatest thread to tomorrow’s success. There’s always a cost involved in moving forward. The day you stop being willing to pay the price is the day when you stop creating the results you desire.

4. The higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifice. You’ve probably noticed that the higher the position, the fewer the number of people able to step in. It’s not because there’s a lack of capable people. It’s simply because there’s not enough people willing to pay the price. From my childhood I remember learning about the utopia of communism – they tried to make everybody equal. Everybody should have the same rights and the same pay. The problem with this is the law of sacrifice. There will always be some who will be willing to sacrifice more, while others will not be willing to do anything extra. No philosophy of equality will ever be able to overcome this mindset. It’s the inner job. You must decide for yourself how much time, effort or other sacrifice you’re going to assign to a specific job, project or task. The Law of Sacrifice states that those who do will go up. And those who continue doing this will stay up.[2]

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY

SECTION ONE-THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY

Day 146

1076 The Church was made manifest to the world on the day of Pentecost by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the "dispensation of the mystery" the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation

through the liturgy of his Church, "until he comes." In this age of the Church Christ now lives and acts in and with his Church, in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what the common Tradition of the East and the West calls "the sacramental economy"; this is the communication (or "dispensation") of the fruits of Christ's Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church's "sacramental" liturgy.

It is therefore important first to explain this "sacramental dispensation" (chapter one). the nature and essential features of liturgical celebration will then appear more clearly (chapter two).

I. The Father-Source and Goal of the Liturgy

1077 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us before him in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."

1078 Blessing is a divine and life-giving action, the source of which is the Father; his blessing is both word and gift. When applied to man, the word "blessing" means adoration and surrender to his Creator in thanksgiving.

1079 From the beginning until the end of time the whole of God's work is a blessing. From the liturgical poem of the first creation to the canticles of the heavenly Jerusalem, the inspired authors proclaim the plan of salvation as one vast divine blessing.

1080 From the very beginning God blessed all living beings, especially man and woman. the covenant with Noah and with all living things renewed this blessing of fruitfulness despite man's sin which had brought a curse on the ground. But with Abraham, the divine blessing entered into human history which was moving toward death, to redirect it toward life, toward its source. By the faith of "the father of all believers," who embraced the blessing, the history of salvation is inaugurated.

1081 The divine blessings were made manifest in astonishing and saving events: the birth of Isaac, the escape from Egypt (Passover and Exodus), the gift of the promised land, the election of David, the presence of God in the Temple, the purifying exile, and return of a "small remnant." the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, interwoven in the liturgy of the Chosen People, recall these divine blessings and at the same time respond to them with blessings of praise and thanksgiving.

1082 In the Church's liturgy the divine blessing is fully revealed and communicated. the Father is acknowledged and adored as the source and the end of all the blessings of creation and salvation. In his Word who became incarnate, died, and rose for us, he fills us with his blessings. Through his Word, he pours into our hearts the Gift that contains all gifts, the Holy Spirit.

1083 The dual dimension of the Christian liturgy as a response of faith and love to the spiritual blessings the Father bestows on us is thus evident. On the one hand, the Church, united with her Lord and "in the Holy Spirit," blesses the Father "for his inexpressible gift in her adoration, praise, and thanksgiving. On the other hand, until the consummation of God's plan, the Church never ceases to present to the Father the offering of his own gifts and to beg him to send the Holy Spirit upon that offering, upon herself, upon the faithful, and upon the whole world, so that through communion in the death and resurrection of Christ the Priest, and by the power of the Spirit, these divine blessings will bring forth the fruits of life "to the praise of his glorious grace."

Election Day[3]

Election Day refers to the day on which general elections in the United States are held. Presidential elections are held every 4 years and the elected president will then be sworn in and take office the following January 20th, a day known as Inauguration Day. Election Day is always held on the first Tuesday in November in the US.

Election Day Facts & Quotes

· Elections held for federal offices only occur on even-numbered years.

· There is no law in the Constitution or Federal mandate which requires electorates to vote in accordance with the popular vote of their state.

· There are 538 Electoral College members. In order to win the vote for President of the United States, a candidate must obtain at least 270 of these votes.

· Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

· Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual--or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country. - Samuel Adams, The Writings of Samuel Adams, Harry Alonzo Cushing, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1907), Vol. IV, p. 256.

Election Day Top Events and Things to Do

· Register to vote prior to Election Day.

· Attend a local polling place and cast your vote.

· If voting by absentee ballot or mail-in ballot, make sure it arrives on or before Election Day.

· Be informed about the candidates and new amendments on the ballot before going to the polling place.

· Attend an Election Day party.

2240 Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one's country:

Pay to all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

[Christians] reside in their own nations, but as resident aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners. . .. They obey the established laws and their way of life surpasses the laws. . .. So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it.

The Apostle exhorts us to offer prayers and thanksgiving for kings and all who exercise authority, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way."

Remember the souls in purgatory, especially politicians who are nearly there or someplace worse Joe Biden Abortion King and Nancy Pelosi Abortion Queen

Prayer:[4]

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Holy Souls, Pray for us.
For the souls of our families We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our friends, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our enemies, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all pagans, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all priests, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all religious, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of the just, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all sinners, We pray Thee, O God.
For the Holy Souls in Purgatory, We pray Thee, O God.
For those who have none to pray for them, We pray Thee, O God.

O almighty and eternal God, we beg Thee to have mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and we ask Thee also to listen to the prayers of the Blessed Souls in our behalf. Amen.

Guy Fawkes Night[5]

Known as Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night, Gunpowder Day focuses on the plot by Guy Fawkes and other conspirators to blow up Britain’s parliament in 1605. Rebelling against the persecution of Catholics by King James I, they planned to kill the monarch during his visit to parliament. But the scheme was foiled, and the traitors executed. Families construct an effigy of Guy Fawkes to be burned on a bonfire that evening. Fireworks are also set off to add to the celebrations. Public displays are also held, and the biggest celebration of Gunpowder Day is in Lewes in East Sussex, England. Six bonfire societies host their own fireworks displays and gargantuan bonfires. After sunset, a large procession of all of the societies moves through Lewes. Many members carry flame torches and a river of fire can be seen flowing through the town during the evening.

· Smell the smoke? Don't forget to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1 to the 8th.

Hatred of All Things Catholic[6]

The Gunpowder Plot is debated to this day. Some see it as a widespread Catholic plot instigated and led by the Jesuit priests living underground in England—much like it was painted in the 1606 trials of the conspirators. Others argue that there was no conspiracy at all; it was a government-inspired fabrication created by double-agents to use in the propaganda war against Catholics. Conspiracy theories aside, here’s what we know of the Gunpowder Plot. It began in an atmosphere of harsh anti-Catholic persecution. After the excommunication of Queen Elizabeth in 1570 and the threatened invasion of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Catholics were viewed with suspicion in England. They were an alien force that could rise up at any moment on papal orders, overthrow the Crown and eradicate English Protestantism. Or at least that was the excuse. While English leadership would always argue that its concern with Catholicism was purely political and not based on religious beliefs, in fact it harbored a deep hatred of all things Catholic.

As the 17th century began, a host of harsh legal penalties punished Catholics in England for practicing their faith. Mass could not be legally celebrated anywhere. Those laity caught attending a clandestine Mass could face heavy fines or jail. Priests caught saying Mass—or simply exposed as priests—were jailed, deported, or executed as traitors. Even rosary beads were considered contraband. Children could not be baptized or married according to Catholic rites. Every person over the age of 16 was required to attend the local Protestant Church every Sunday or face heavy fines. Mass, therefore, was said in secret in private homes by priests who were hidden by the Catholic community itself. Those Catholics willing—and able—paid the fines for not attending Protestant services. Others remained Catholic at heart, attending Mass when they could, but went to Protestant services either because they could not afford the fines or because they feared public retribution.

Hopes Raised—and Dashed

But by the turn of the 17th century, many within the English Catholic community had some hope for relief. With childless Queen Elizabeth growing older, they pinned their hopes on a successor that would lift these onerous restrictions. While some daydreamed of a Catholic prince or princess from the Continent—a foreign invasion by an alliance of Catholic sovereigns—others fixed their hopes on King James VI of Scotland. Son of Mary Queen of Scots, whom many believed to be a martyr for the faith after her execution in 1587 for allegedly plotting to overthrow Elizabeth, James was the most likely successor. He was married to a Catholic convert, Anne of Denmark, and rumors swirled within Catholic circles (including the Holy See) that James might be open to conversion himself, or at the very least open to Catholic toleration. James did absolutely nothing to discourage such rumors and, particularly with the papacy, encouraged them. After James, while in Scotland, misled Pope Clement VIII about his potential conversion, the pope certainly looked favorably on him. So, when Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603, and James was formally declared her successor, Catholic hopes soared. Such hopes dimmed almost immediately, however, as Catholics noticed that, in honor of his succession, the new King James granted routine pardons to everyone but murderers and Catholics. When the first Parliament of his reign was called for the spring of 1604, King James made his position on Catholics very clear. In February of 1604 he demanded that all priests be thrown out of his realm, and in March he complained bitterly of alleged Catholic growth to Protestant leaders. In April a bill was introduced to class all Catholics as outlaws.

Clever like a Fawkes

A younger generation of Catholics in England had grown up with Elizabeth’s persecution and the hope for relief under her successor. Sick of a world where advancement could only come through denying the faith, a small number had become truly militant. They longed for a new Spanish invasion after the disastrous defeat of the Spanish Armada. Among those who travelled to Spain in the hopes of securing a promised invasion was a young soldier named Guy Fawkes. Once James was enthroned and a Protestant succession secured through his heirs, the desperation among these young Catholics only grew. The Spanish, looking to end the age of conflict with England, were making it clear through negotiations with the new monarch that they were willing to sell out their fellow English Catholics. The pope, who had also made his desire for peace known, disapproved any acts of violence. The Jesuits in England made very clear that they supported the papal position. By and large, this reflected the position of English Catholics. Though their hopes were dashed by the apparent hostility of King James to Catholic toleration, they knew that any violence would only make a bad situation intolerable. The Bye Plot of 1603, a scheme to hold the king in the Tower of London until he granted Catholic toleration, had involved disgruntled Catholics. But the Plot was nipped primarily because underground Jesuit priests tipped off the government. King James was so grateful that he extended some pardons to a few Catholics jailed for their faith. In May 1604, a group of disaffected young Catholics held a meeting. Abandoned by Spain, the plotters believed that every peaceable means had been tried and failed. The decision was made to blow up King James and his Parliament, a plan they believed would lead to a foreign invasion, a Catholic uprising, or the restoration of a Catholic monarchy. After making their pledge, they attended a Mass celebrated by a Jesuit priest who was completely ignorant of what had taken place. Parliament was suspended out of fear of the plague, so the handful of plotters spent their time drawing a few more into the conspiracy. Fawkes began to stockpile gunpowder in the cellar of a house that extended under the Parliament building. In a world overrun with spies and double-agents, Fawkes was already known to English authorities as a dangerous man.

Catholics Reveal the Plot

In late June of 1605, Fr. Henry Garnet heard the confession of another Jesuit priest, who revealed to him the outline of a plot that had been confessed to him earlier. Horrified, Fr. Garnet—who could not reveal what he knew because of the seal of the confessional—wrote to Rome asking the new pope, Paul V, for a blanket papal condemnation of violence. When it was announced that Parliament would be delayed again, Fr. Garnet believed that the danger had passed. He was mistaken. The plotters proceeded, even when an anonymous letter was sent to a Catholic lord, warning him to stay away when Parliament opened in the fall. The lord passed the letter on to Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, secretary of state to Elizabeth and King James, and a persecutor of all things Catholic. On November 1, 1605, Cecil informed the king of the mysterious letter. The cellar under Westminster was searched, cords of firewood to ignite the blast were discovered, and Fawkes, found skulking about, was arrested. The rest of the conspirators fled. The Gunpowder Plot was foiled. The core conspirators were tracked down and a number were killed in an ambush. The survivors were arrested. It was at this point that Cecil began his campaign to recast the Gunpowder Plot as a Jesuit conspiracy, though the Jesuits in England had been outspoken against violence. Taking advantage of the paranoia after the plot was revealed, Cecil made certain that the Gunpowder Plot was not viewed as a conspiracy by a handful of fanatical Catholics. Instead, it became a vast Catholic intrigue against the throne and English Protestantism caused by "the perfidious and cursed doctrine of Rome." The Venetian ambassador described the anti-Catholic talk that was everywhere in London: "Here they attend to nothing else but great preparation for the annihilation of the Catholic religion."

Annihilate the Catholics

After the original plotters were executed, a virtual program against Catholics began, focusing on the Jesuits. Fr. Garnet was eventually arrested, tortured, and executed on trumped-up charges of complicity. He refused to renounce the faith and was venerated as a martyr for generations. Though never formally canonized, to this day many believe him to be a saint. The impact of the Gunpowder Plot on English thinking was so great that not until 1828 would Catholics be finally "emancipated" in England and allowed a full range of common English rights, including the right to vote. As a point of comparison, in America that number of years would have denied Catholics the ballot from 1776 to the incumbent candidacy of the second George Bush.

Fact Check

A few quick points to remember about the Gunpowder Plot:

· Prior to his accession, King James I deceived Catholics about what toleration he would allow, even misleading the pope about a possible conversion. His duplicity had its own role in generating the Gunpowder Plot.

· The Gunpowder Plot, although real, was not a widespread Catholic conspiracy. Most Catholics were horrified when it was discovered, knowing that it would lead to heightened persecution. That it most assuredly did—over two centuries’ worth.

· The actual conspirators were a small handful of young Catholics. While it cannot be said for certain what involvement double-agents might have had in an era where men such as Robert Cecil were creating the world’s first police state in England (aimed specifically at Catholics), there were young Catholic men willing to engage in the plot, even if they were duped.

· The Jesuits in England did not devise, guide, or lead the Gunpowder Plot. In fact, they tried to deter any violence based on the limited knowledge they had of the plot. The Jesuit superior in England thought he had successfully put the plot to rest.

· Cecil’s attack on the Jesuits was a calculated plot against all things Catholic. His propaganda campaign was meant to show that the enemy was not limited to the conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot but comprised the Catholic Church itself.

· The Gunpowder Plot established the climate for the infusion of anti-Catholicism into every aspect of English life.

· The number of Catholic urban legends created as a result of the Gunpowder Plot is legion. Standard stereotypes and canards include the conniving Jesuit, priests seducing innocent women, the sacrament of penance as a tool to "forgive" sin before the sin has been committed, Catholic plots to overthrow states, Catholics owing a secular allegiance to the papacy, Catholics as unreliable aliens—the list goes on and on.

Shortly after the Gunpowder Plot was discovered, Parliament declared that November 5 would be celebrated annually as a day of thanksgiving. It became known as "Guy Fawkes Day" and the common practice was to have bonfires and to burn the pope in effigy—a practice that continues in parts of England to this day.

Candace’s Corner