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Issue 336
The Grotto in Lourdes with Our Lady’s Statue by Joseph-Hugues Fabisch (1812 - 1886)- (Photo credit: Denis Jarvis)
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2 FAMILY SURVIVAL
Catholic Voice
11th February 2022
Road Map To The Survival Of The Catholic Family Mother Miriam of the Lamb of God, O.S.B
The enemy continues his battle for the destruction of the family. I say that knowing, as I pray you do, that the “gates of Hell will not – ever – prevail against God’s Church. Nor will evil ever triumph over our Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart. “I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Indeed, this is a time – perhaps the time – of tribulation of which the prophets have spoken. Whatever the time frame, it is absolutely clear that all of Hell is blanketing the world, both within and without the Church. It is time for us to put a survival plan into place – sooner than later. Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Kazakhstan, one of the holiest, most courageous and most orthodox bishops of the Church today, grew up with his family under the terror of a communist regime. This is an excerpt from his amazing testimony, given in an interview with LifeSiteNews: “I would say that I had the privilege to live in a time of persecution of the faith and of the Church, because such persecution gives you a foundation for all your life. It is a grace. And therefore, in some way,
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Editor: Anthony Murphy editor@catholicvoice.ie Telephone: 059 8627268 ROI 00353 59 8627268 Outside ROI Keep up to date with news and articles via The Lumen Fidei website www.lumenfidei.ie
Mother Miriam speaking at our Conference of Catholic Families - Dublin 2018
I would not characterise the time of persecution always negatively. God uses these circumstances of persecution in several degrees for our [good], to purify our faith, to strengthen our faith. So, in this way, I would see the persecution [coming] from the modern society — as you [mentioned], against the family — also as a chance to be purified, to be strengthened.” Bishop Schneider said that “being a Catholic ‘family’ in the truest sense of the word is the key to survival.” In this most outstanding interview, Bishop Schneider gave Catholic parents the roadmap to surviving in what he called, a “heretical wasteland.” 1. See persecution as a grace from God for becoming purified and strengthened, not simply as something negative. 2. Become rooted yourself in the Catholic faith through study of the Catechism. 3. Protect your family’s integrity above all else. 4. Catechise your children as your first duty. 5. Pray with your children daily, such as litanies and the Rosary.
6. Turn your home into a domestic church. 7. In the absence of a priest and Sunday Mass, make Spiritual Communion. 8. Withdraw your family from a parish spreading error and attend a faithful parish, even if you have to travel far. 9. Withdraw your children from school if they are encountering immoral danger in sex-ed. 10. If you cannot withdraw your children, establish a coalition of parents to fight for that right. 11. Fight for parental rights using available democratic tools. 12. Be prepared for persecution in protecting your children (see first point). “From my experience of the time of the persecution,” Bishop Schneider continued, “the vital importance POSTAL DELAYS There have been significant postal delays recently via the postal service which may affect delivery of Catholic Voice and orders placed with us. Please accept our apologies however it is beyond our control.
FAMILY SURVIVAL 3
11th February 2022 Catholic Voice is the family, the integrity of the family, and that both parents are deeply rooted in the faith. This is then transmitted to the children. I would like to say that the children have to receive the faith with the milk of the mother. And then the first task of the parents is to transmit to the children the purity, the beauty, the integrity of the Catholic faith in a simple manner.” Here below, Beloved, is the wonderful fruit of a son raised in a godly household whose parents, in good times and in bad, would not compromise the Faith or neglect to teach their son to honour the God who called them to Himself, even as he calls us to Himself. From the Book of Tobias (Tobit): “Tobias of the tribe and city of Nephtali, (which is in the upper parts of Galilee above Naasson, beyond the way that leadeth to the west, having on the right hand the city of Sephet). When he was made
Dear Reader,
captive in the days of Salmanasar king of the Assyrians, even in his captivity, forsook not the way of truth. But every day gave all he could get to his brethren his fellow captives, that were of his kindred. And when he was younger than any of the tribe of Nephtali, yet did he no childish thing in his work. Moreover when all went to the golden calves which Jeroboam king of Israel had made, he alone fled the company of all. And went to Jerusalem to the temple of the Lord, and there adored the Lord God of Israel, offering faithfully all his first fruits, and his tithes. So that in the third year he gave all his tithes to the proselytes, and strangers. These and such like things did he observe when but a boy according to the law of God. But when he was a man, he took to wife Anna of his own tribe, and had a son by her, whom he called after his own name. And from his
infancy he taught him to fear God, and to abstain from all sin. And when by the captivity he with his wife and his son and all his tribe was come to the city of Ninive (when all ate of the meats of the Gentiles) he kept his soul and never was defiled with their meats. And because he was mindful of the Lord with all his heart, God gave him favour in the sight of Salmanasar the king. And he gave him leave to go whithersoever he would, with liberty to do whatever he had a mind. He therefore went to all that were in captivity and gave them wholesome admonitions.” (Tobias 1:1-15) I hope you will take time to read the Book of Tobias/Tobit with your family. You will see that Bishop Schneider’s “roadmap” for the family is not a “survival guide” only; it is a roadmap for all times – in peace or persecution, in prosperity or in want.
Catholic Voice Update
I would like to thank our readers for their continued generosity with both prayers and donations which have kept us afloat in these difficult times. Please keep them coming. We live on a financial knife edge. We rely entirely on the generosity of our readers to keep the magazine in print and to expand its readership, which is vital for its survival so that we can continue to promote the good news of the Gospel no matter how hostile modern society is towards Christianity. In doing so you are keeping alive one of the last independent Catholic journals; we have no owner, no interest group telling us what we can or cannot publish, no censor sitting at the editor’s elbow telling him to take out ‘unwoke’ words; just a few willing hands who create the magazine every two weeks. Thank you for donating. It is much appreciated. HOW TO DONATE: 1. Online - Visit www. catholicvoice.ie and click Donate. 2. By Telephone call 059 8627268 - (00353 59 8627268 outside ROI) to pay by credit/debit card please leave your phone number and name and we shall return your call. 3. Send a cheque or postal order (made payable to Catholic Voice) with the reply coupon to Catholic Voice, St Michael’s House, Castlemitchell South, Athy, County Kildare, Eire.
Yours in Christ Anthony Murphy
Anthony Murphy Editor and Publisher
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