Chiesa di Sant'Anna in Montesano, Salerno

Our one remaining confratello still vacationing in Southern Italy continues to send us pictures of his journey. He is having such an outstanding time, that he is seriously contemplating not coming back. If the photos he has been sending us even remotely does justice to the beauty he is experiencing, who could blame him? The latest batch just arrived from the Chiesa di Sant'Anna in Montesano sulla Marcellana, Salerno.

Ponderable Quotes from ‘Impact: Essays on Ignorance and the Decline of American Civilization’ by Ezra Pound

Ezra Pound

"The power of putrefaction aims at the obfuscation of history; it seeks to destroy not one but every religion, by destroying the symbols, by leading off into theoretical argument. Theological disputes take the place of contemplation. Disputation destroys faith, and interest in theology eventually goes out of fashion: not even theologians themselves take any more interest in it.

"The power of putrefaction would destroy all intrinsic beauty. It is spread like the bacilli of typhus or bubonic plague, carried by rats wholly unconscious of their role.

"Suspect anyone who destroys an image, or wants to suppress a page of history.

"Latin is sacred, grain is sacred. Who destroyed the mystery of fecundity, bringing in the cult of sterility? Who set the Church against the Empire? Who destroyed the unity of the Catholic Church with this mud-wallow that serves the Protestants in the place of contemplation? Who decided to destroy the mysteries within the Church so as to be able to destroy the Church itself by schism? Who has wiped the consciousness of the greatest mystery out of the mind of Europe, to arrive at an atheism proclaimed by Bolshevism?

"Who has received honours by putting argumentation where before had been faith?" (pp. 54-55)

* * *

"It must be understood that the whole of current taste in literature and the entire journalistic system are controlled by the international usurocracy, which aims at preserving intact the public's ignorance of the usurocratic system and its workings.

"Liberalism and Bolshevism are in intimate agreement in their fundamental contempt for the human personality. Stalin 'disposes' of forty truckloads of human 'material' for work on a canal. We find the liberals talking about the export of 'labour.'

"Liberalism conceals its baneful economics under two pre-texts: the freedom of the spoken and written word, and the freedom of the individual, protected, in theory, by trial in open court, guaranteed by the formula of habeas corpus. Enquire in India, or in England, to what extent these pretexts are respected. Ask any American journalist what freedom of expression is left him by the big advertisers. (p. 106)

* * *

"Usury and sodomy, the Church condemned as a pair, to one hell, the same for one reason, namely that they are both against natural increase." (p. 144)

* * *

"Today the whole Occident is bathed daily in mental detritus, that is, the 'morning paper' in ten millions of copies rouses the Western brain daily. Bunkus is called a philosopher, Puley an economist, and a hundred lesser specimens swarm daily over acres of print." (p. 199)

Reprinted from Impact: Essays on Ignorance and the Decline of American Civilization by Ezra Pound, Henry Regency Company, 1960

Feast of St. Fiacre

San Fiacrio, ora pro nobis

August 30th is the Feast of St. Fiacre (607-668), Priest, abbot, hermit, and wonderworker. Invoked against hemorrhoids and venereal diseases, St. Fiacre is the patron saint of gardeners, horticulturists, florists, greengrocers, herbalists, coachmen and taxi drivers. Traveling from Kilkenny, Ireland to Meaux, France, the holy anchorite founded a Benedictine hermitage and hospice for the poor in the Forest of Brodilium, now called Breuil. Many healing miracles are attributed to his intercession. 

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Fiacre. The accompanying photo of a 13th century silver reliquary of St. Fiacre was taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Evviva San Fiacrio!

Prayer to St. Fiacre

Dear God our Father, Giver of all good, we lift up our hearts to You in thanksgiving for who You are and for the power and majesty You manifest in the earth. We thank You for the sun, the rain, and the abundant fruits, flowers, vegetables and herbs You cause to spring forth in our gardens, fields, and flowerpots, all signs of Your never-ending love. Through the intercession of Saint Fiacre, patron of gardeners, please bless our fields and gardens with Your verdant blessings. Give us the strength and wisdom to tend our plants and all living things with care, diligence, and joy. May we bring forth a good harvest in due season. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Feast of the Holy Martyrs of Salerno (San Fortunato, San Gaio, and Sant'Ante)

Holy Martyrs of Salerno, orate pro nobis

August 30th is the Feast of the Holy Martyrs of Salerno, San Fortunato, San Gaio (Gaius), and Sant’Ante. Little is actually known about the Saints, except that they were beheaded for their faith during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian (303-310). Originally interred in a small chapel marking the spot of their execution near the mouth of the Irno river, the Salernitani were induced to move the Saints’ relics to safety behind the city’s walls to protect them from saracen raids in the first half of the tenth century. Enshrined inside the now demolished Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, they were translated again in 1081 to the Romanesque Duomo di Salerno and placed in a chapel dedicated to the Holy Martyrs.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to the Martyrs of Salerno in Italian. The accompanying photos, courtesy of Andrew Giordano, were taken at the Basilica Cattedrale SS. Matteo e Gregorio in Salerno during the 2019 Feast of San Matteo. The silver busts of the Holy Martyrs were made in 1680 by the great Neapolitan polymath, Giovan Domenico Vinaccia (1625-1695). Evviva San Fortunato, San Gaio, and Sant’Ante!

Preghiera a SS. Martiri Fortunato, Gaio e Ante

O nostri gloriosi Protettori, SS. Fortunato, Gaio e Ante, che pur di non abbandonare la fede nel Cristo, appresa dal presbitero salernitano S.Felice, preferiste insieme con lui affrontare il martirio, otteneteci dal Signore che la fede in Lui rifulga nella nostra vita pubblica e privata. Intercedete a che noi felici di essere stati chiamati alla fede, la rendiamo evidente in noi con l'obbedienza a quanto il Vangelo c'insegna. Pater, Ave, e Gloria

O santi nostri Patroni, illuminate le nostre menti! Fate che il vostro eroico esempio insegni a noi la coerenza nella nostra vita. Aiutateci ad essere cristiani con le opere, senza farci allettare dalle lusinghe del mondo. Che possiamo vivere, seguendo Gesù nell'amore del Padre e nell'essere d'esempio al nostro prossimo! Pater, Ave, e Gloria

O nostri celesti Patroni, che prima del martirio esortaste tutti ad abbandonare le dottrine false e bugiarde, pregate l'Altissimo, affinché un giorno, come voi foste nostri concittadini su questa terra, così noi possiamo divenire vostri concittadini nel cielo. Pater, Ave, e Gloria

Feast of Santa Rosa da Lima

Santa Rosa da Lima, ora pro nobis

Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gift of grace increases as the struggles increase. ~ St. Rose of Lima

August 30th is the feast of Santa Rosa da Lima (born Isabel Flores de Oliva), Virgin and Mystic. The first saint of the Americas, Santa Rosa da Lima is the patron saint of embroiderers, florists and gardeners. She is also invoked against vanity, by those who are derided for their piety, and for the resolution of family quarrels. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Rose of Lima. Pictured is St. Rose of Lima with the Child Jesus by Luca Giordano. Evviva Santa Rosa da Lima!

Prayer to St. Rose of Lima

Loving God, Saint Rose was a mystic and visionary who received invisible stigmata, and yet she often suffered from the feeling that You were distant. Despite how lonely this felt, she persisted in believing that You were indeed with her all the time, and she continually prayed to grow stronger in her ability to trust You. I ask her to intercede for me when my feelings tell me You are not near, and to pray most powerfully for all those I know who are right now experiencing loneliness because they are unaware of how close You are to them. Open our hearts to the reality of Your intimacy. Saint Rose, pray for us. Amen.

Chiesa Sant’Antonio in Pomarico, Basilicata

Our one remaining confratello still vacationing in Southern Italy continues to send us pictures of his journey. He is having such an outstanding time, that he is seriously contemplating not coming back. If the photos he has been sending us even remotely do justice to the beauty he is experiencing, who could blame him? The latest batch just arrived from the Chiesa Sant’Antonio in Pomarico, Basilicata.