Monday, May 16, 2016

Pentecost

Come Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost is the life-blood of the Church. He is all-powerful. After Christ had ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Ghost upon his apostles and they were filled with strength, confidence, boldness and an unwavering faith--even in the face of persecution and death!

We have received the very same Holy Ghost through baptism and confirmation. We should know without a doubt that we too have the power to trample upon the world! We have all power over sin and satan. When we possess the Holy Ghost we can accomplish all we set our minds to! The Almighty God dwells in our very being. He is within us!

Come Holy Ghost!

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Epiphany

The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ...

Epiphany means the Manifestation of God. Jesus Christ is God and Lord of the entire world! The star appears in the East, the water is changed into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, and tomorrow Jesus is Baptized in the Jordan by John..."This is my beloved Son," says the voice from heaven. All these miracles help us to recognize the Child Jesus as our God and King. They help us to adore Him with greater faith!

"We are the people of Your pasture and the sheep of your hand." (Psalm 94). Jesus reveals Himself to the world. We must beg Him to reveal Himself more and more to our own souls!

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Bulletin 276

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

October 4th, 2015

External Solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary

Epistle: Prov. 8:22-24,32-35
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Mon 5 No Latin Mass
Tues 6 St. Bruno, Confessor
Wed 7 Our Lady of the Rosary
Thu 8 St. Bridget of Sweden, Widow
Fri 9 St. John Leonardi, Confessor
Su 11 20th Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday, October 11th will be the final Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be offered at St. Agnes Cathedral. The Traditional Latin Mass will be moving to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Ozark, MO beginning October 18, 2015. Fr. Scott Sunnenberg will be the new celebrant for the Latin Mass here in Springfield.

I have accepted a new assignment at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Tulsa, OK. I will be offering Mass in both forms there. I will also assist with ministry to the school children and religious education students, youth groups, as well as hearing confessions and visiting hospitals. My duties will also include prison ministry and praying for deliverance for people who are suffering attacks by the devil. I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I begin this new assignment.

Sunday, October 25 is the feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. One may gain a plenary indulgence by the public recitation of the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Bulletin 275

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

September 27th, 2015

18th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: 1 Cor. 1: 4-8
Gospel: Mt. 9: 1-8

Mon 28 No Latin Mass
Tues 29 No Latin Mass
Wed 30 St. Jerome-Priest, Confessor & Doctor
Thu 1 St. Remigius-Bishop & Confessor
Fri 2 Holy Guardian Angels


Sunday, October 25 is the feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. One may gain a plenary indulgence by the public recitation of the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Jesus Christ has passed on to the Apostles and their successors in the priestly ministry the power to forgive sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, the are retained.” Jn. 20: 22-23. “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,” Mt. 18:18. Priests exercise the power in the sacrament of Penance. They act not in their own name but in Christ's—In persona Christi, as instruments of the Lord!

We should always approach Confession with respect, veneration and gratitude because we see Christ Himself in the person of the priest. The words of absolution are uttered by Christ Himself through the priest. This is why the priest says “I absolve you”, and not “Christ absolves you” from your sins! He speaks in the first person to fully identify himself with Jesus Christ Himself...St. Pius V.


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Bulletin 274

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

September 20th, 2015

17th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Eph. 4: 1-6
Gospel: Mt. 22: 34-46

Mon 21 No Latin Mass
Tues 22 St. Thomas of Villanova, Bishop & Confessor
Wed 23 Ember Wednesday
Thu 24 Our Lady of Ransom
Fri 25 Ember Friday


Our goal is this life should be to serve God perfectly. Faith is necessary in order to be saved. Hope is also necessary in order to have pure and right motives so as to please God in all our actions. But charity urges us to love God because He is infinitely good and He deserves to be loved.

Charity is a theological virtue that God infuses into our hearts by which we learn to love Him with our whole heart and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. We must pray each day that we learn to love God above all things, even ourselves! To love God means being willing to lose fortune, good name, parents, friends, children, husband, wife, even our own life, rather than to lose God by committing a mortal sin.

Man was created to love God, therefore we can only find happiness in God alone. God alone is capable of satisfying us and making us truly happy. Turn to Him!


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Bulletin 273

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

September 13th, 2015

16th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Eph. 3:13-21
Gospel: Lk. 14: 1-11

Mon 14 No Latin Mass
Tues 15 Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 16 SS. Cornelius * Pope & Cyprian * Martyrs
Thu 17 Stigmata of St. Francis
Fri 18 St. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor


Did you know that Catholic Prayer in Latin is more powerful than in any other language?
This appears to be the opinion reached by certain members of the clergy, in particular exorcists. In the book " Hostage to the Devil" by Fr. Malachi Martin, an interesting comment is made by the author which sheds light on this particular point. On page 460 of the book, while explaining the Ritual of Exorcism, Fr. Martin goes on to say...." Nowadays part of the text - especially well known prayers- are sometimes prayed in the vernacular (German, English, French, etc.), but among exorcists as a class of Church Ministers, there seems to be a persuasion born from experience that the Latin Text has some special unction and disruptive value for Evil Spirit.” What this observation tells us is that the Rite of Exorcism when prayed in Latin has a more powerful effect in expelling demons. Why would this be so?

First, let's look at why the Catholic Church chose Latin as its Official Language. In the early days of the Church, communication between Rome and the rest of the Church was slow. Documents had to be translated into the different dialects for the various regions where Catholicism had spread to. Once translated they had to be written by hand because the printing press had yet to be invented. It was a time consuming process. In order to expedite communication something had to be done. Latin was the international language at the time and so it was the logical choice.

The Church then decreed that Latin would be its Official Language and anyone who was part of the Church would have to speak it. The Church chose Latin for practical reasons. Perhaps what the Church did not realize at the time was the effect that this decision would have on Catholic prayer. But why?

The answer can be found in the Gospel of Matthew (16:18-19) where we read ....." you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church...and whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound also in Heaven.” Therefore when His Church decreed that Latin would be the Mother Tongue of Catholicism it bound Latin in Heaven.

If this were not true then exorcists would not have noticed such a dramatic difference whenever they prayed the Ritual of Exorcism in Latin. Does this mean that as Catholics we must become fluent in Latin? No. But you will find that learning the basic Catholic prayers in Latin (as well as attending the Latin Mass) will have a profound effect & be spiritually profitable.

Start off by learning the shortest prayers (Sign of the Cross, Glory Be, Hail Mary, etc) , then move on to the rest (Our Father, Apostle's Creed, Latin Rosary, etc). We must emphasize that all Catholics should always pray with fervor & faith no matter which language they speak. But if you decide to take your prayer to another level then do so in Latin.

--- Regina Magazine


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Bulletin 272

AINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching

September 6, 2015

15th Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle: Gal. 5:25,26; 6:1-10
Gospel: Luke 7:11-16

Mon 7 No Latin Mass
Tues 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 9 St. Gorgonius, Martyr
Thu 10 St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor
Fri 11 SS. Protus & Hyacinth, Martyrs

We must love others in order to fulfill the law of Christ. This is the “New Commandment.” Jesus says: “By this you will be known, by the love you have for one another!” Part of loving others involves fraternal correction. We cannot stand idly by while others are sinning all around us. But we must do it will all gentleness and humility. We must always be conscious of our own weakness and personal shortcomings. St. Augustine says that we must never take issue with another's sin without first examining our own conscience. Self-knowledge leads us to humility. We must always act out of love. St. Paul says we must examine our own conscience in order to discover what really motivates our actions. We must strive to always act out of love for God.


In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,

Father Jeff Fasching