Day: January 18, 2020

The Chair of Unity Octave

St. Peter, the Foundation Stone of Christ’s True ChurchThe Feast of St. Peter’s Chair at Rome is celebrated on January 18th. This important Feast was instituted, in part, in response to the ridiculous rumor spread by ignorant Protestant heretics that St. Peter had never come to Rome. Yet, following his seven year reign in Antioch, St. Peter did in fact travel to Rome to establish his See, and there shed his blood for our Crucified Savior. This Feast also enshrines the solemn dogma of Papal Infallibility, and the Supreme Apostolic Authority conferred upon St. Peter by Our Divine Lord. St. Paul the Apostle likewise came to Rome towards the close of his apostolic career, and was also martyred there for Christ. The Feast of his Conversion is observed on January 25th. Holy Mother Church has always united her praises for the Prince of the Apostles, St. Peter, with Her veneration for the zeal and holiness of St. Paul, a “vessel of election” for the spread of the infant Church. Thus, She has reserved eight days of solemn prayer–from the Feast of St. Peter’s Chair at Rome until the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul–for the observance of “The Chair of Unity Octave”; eight days of solemn prayer for the Apostolic Catholic Church. Continue reading →

Saint Peter’s Chair at Rome

(43 A.D.)

Saint Peter having triumphed over the devil in the East, the latter pursued him to Rome. But he who had formerly trembled at the voice of a poor servant girl now feared not the very throne of idolatry and superstition. The capital of the empire of the world and the center of impiety called for the zeal of the Prince of the Apostles. God had established the Roman Empire and extended its dominion beyond that of any former monarchy, to facilitate the propagation of His Gospel; and its metropolis was of the greatest importance for this enterprise. Saint Peter took that province upon himself and, repairing to Rome, there preached the faith and established his ecclesiastical chair. Continue reading →

Our Lady of Pontmain

It was in the winter of 1871 in the village of Pontmain, France, Eugene Barbedette was busy in his father’s barn helping prepare the animal feed. He stood briefly in the open doorway, admiring the beautiful evening. Suddenly the gaze of the 12 year old was held there, for opposite the barn and in a framework of stars, stood a beautiful lady – motionless – smiling at him. Continue reading →

Saint Anthony of the Desert

Patriarch of Monastic Life
(251-356)

Saint Anthony was born in the year 251, in Upper Egypt. Hearing at Mass the words, If you would be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, he gave away all his vast possessions — staying only to see that his sister’s education was completed — and retired into the desert. He then begged an aged hermit to teach him the spiritual life, and he also visited various solitaries, undertaking to copy the principal virtue of each. Continue reading →