From the editor

Saints are the torches that illuminate human history. Their holy lives form a bright thread of virtue running through the ages which is firmly fixed to the fabric of the Church’s teaching. At times this thread glows and glitters brightly, at times, it appears delicate, faint and fragile. In the darkness of our age, it may seem to have broken and its light gone out, leaving those searching for it feeling abandoned in the dark unable to find their way forward. The light of the saints today is most notable by its absence.

There are, perhaps, two consolations in this situation. Firstly, the pursuit of personal holiness and a firm belief not only in its possibility but also in its necessity. Practical assistance in this is readily available from the invisible society of innumerable saints. Indeed, the one who is genuinely interested in holiness is never alone! Nor is he ever bored. Sin is boring because it can never satisfy our soul. Virtue and sanctity, on the other hand, are always fresh and new, capable of endless patterns and combinations for the glory of God. We need only consider the immense variety of saints to be convinced of this.

Secondly, we can keep the examples of saints always before our eyes which will also greatly assist us with the first task. Paying tributes to the saints is a simple way to keep their example alive. The eclipse of the Church by those who despise her from the world and from within can be lifted, even if only a little, by studying the saints and invoking those who have given her great honour.

Pope Saint Pius V is such a saint and in this issue, we wish to honour him (p.25). The Pope who laboured for the Church to shine in her true splendour – in the fullness of truth (countering the Protestant revolt issuing the Catechism of the Council of Trent), in her liturgy (the Roman Missal), in her prayer (the Breviary), in her laws (the Code of Canon Law), etc – brought it all together in personal devotion and holiness. Our consideration of this beacon of the 16th century is made all the more appropriate by the 450th anniversary of the great Battle of Lepanto this October – a battle where, thanks to the holy Pontiff, Christianity triumphed over the Ottomans. The light of faith conquered the power of darkness and it can do so again.

It is hard to imagine anything that makes the darkness of our age more visible than the systematic destruction of our children’s innocence through sex education programmes in schools, including Catholic schools in England, with the blessing of our bishops. Whilst abortion kills the body of an innocent child, these programmes kill the soul, which is an even greater loss. And these evils go hand in hand. Former Planned Parenthood employees admit that the abortion industry pushes sex education to create a market for abortion. And even programmes that try to respect innocence, move this topic from the home to the public sphere, thus destroying the natural reserve of children. In this issue, Dr Tom Rogers returns to describe the disturbing new Relationships and Sex Education regime one year on from its introduction. He offers parents some practical advice on how they might resist (see p.10). Of course, for our children, as for ourselves, it is not enough to avoid sin, we must become holy.

Becoming holy is not an abstract idea but a concrete requirement for each of us. If we attain all of life’s good fortune – health, wealth, and prestige but do not become holy, this life would be a failure. And if in the eyes of the world, we appear a failure but become holy, we will have fulfilled the purpose for which we were created: namely, to know, love and serve God. Holiness, therefore, promotes man’s true happiness and the glory of God. But how to be holy? By following God’s will for us. How to do that? By studying the masters of holiness – the saints! In this task, we can turn with confidence to our Blessed Mother whom Saint Pius V declared the special help of Christians – Auxilium Christianorum, Ora pro nobis!

EDITOR Maria Madise

EDITORIAL BOARD Liam Gibson John Smeaton

DESIGN & PRODUCTION EDITOR Selina Fang

VOICE OF THE FAMILY 7 Bell Yard London WC2A 2JR United Kingdom

Email: editor@voiceofthefamily.com www.voiceofthefamily.com/calxmariae

DISCLAIMER: Great care is taken to credit photos and seek permission before publishing. If you have a query regarding copyright, please contact the Editor. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. Donations for the continuation of this magazine in print will be gratefully received by Voice of the Family at the address above or online via: www.voiceofthefamily.com/donate

Calx Mariae seeks to contribute to the rebuilding of Christian civilisation by providing features and analysis in the areas of life, family and culture. Our aim in producing this magazine is to strengthen our readers in the faith and in their witness to the truth about human life and the family. Calx Mariae is published by Voice of the Family, formed in support of Catholic teaching on the family. The following truths are particularly at the heart of Voice of the Family’s work:

9 Marriage, the exclusive, life-long union of one man and one woman, is the foundation of a stable and flourishing society and is the greatest protector of children, born and unborn. 9 The procreative and unitive ends of marriage cannot licitly be separated; the rejection of this truth lies at the root of modern attacks on life and the family. 9 Parents are the primary educators of their children and the protection of this right is essential for building a new

“culture of life”.