Dear TIA,

I'm wondering how Traditional Catholics should respond to disasters that occur locally. Obviously, we should help repair our own church and those who are within it first, but then what ...

Should we be helping the Novus Ordo Catholics, then Protestants? How does one prioritize what to do and/or how to do it? We recently experienced a very large scale disaster in our local community that will have very long term affects. Only a few in our church were personally affected.

Please help me better understand how best to respond.

     Thank you very much,

     E.S.



TIA responds,

Dear E.S.,

The parable of the Good Samaritan stands as an example of charity that we must follow. If you pay attention in that parable, the first person to pass by and deny help to the victim was a priest, probably a Pharisee who upheld the correct doctrine. Notwithstanding, he turned his back on the victim. The one who came to his assistance was a Samaritan. The Samaritans represented a kind of schism inside of Judaism.

The parable shows us that there are some situations where the appeal of Natural Law is stronger than any other. In these extraordinary situations, we should help our fellow men who suffer by giving them what they need in that disaster.

What are the limits of this action? Should we be involved in ecumenical social activity against poverty?

We believe the limit is marked by the situation itself. When the victim of robbers is helped and brought to his home or a hospital, our duty is accomplished. To return some days afterward to see if he still needs something would be charitable as well. When we assist victims of a natural disaster by seeing to their wounds and and first needs for some days, we did what nature and Catholic charity ask from us. The public civil power should take care of the rest.

We do not need to try to resolve the victim's situation forever, but just his/her immediate and urgent needs in that emergency. When the emergency ceases, so does our duty.

Any ecumenical initiative as such taken on under the pretext of helping the poor or seeking social justice and peace should be avoided.

We hope these words will help you.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondent desk

Dear TIA,

I recently came across this shocking news reporting on Lutherans in Finland and Sweden. This situation shows, I believe, the path the Catholic Church may be taking tomorrow if Our Lady does not intervene soon, as she predicted in Fatima. Since I did not know about these horrors that took place in 2009, I imagine others also don't. So I guess this news will interest your readers who didn't hear about it.

This is the summary of it: Olli Aalto, in the photo at left "was" a male Lutheran minister in Finland. Although he was a homosexual, he was married and had three daughters. He underwent a sex change surgery and now, as a "woman," he continues to exercise his ministry with the full approval of the Lutheran Church of Finland, which supports the "ordination" of women.

The photo at right shows Eva Brunne being "consecrated" bishop of the diocese of Stockholm by the archbishop of Sweden Anders Weirvd. She is known for being a lesbian. You may check the sources in Portuguese here and here.

Continue the good work. I follow your site everyday.

     M.C., Brazil

TIA,

My wife and I were in slow-moving traffic the other day and we were stopped behind a car that had an unusual Obama bumper sticker on it. It read: "Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

When we got home my wife got out the Bible and opened it up to the scripture. She started laughing & laughing. Then she read it to me. I couldn't believe what it said. I had a good laugh, too.

Psalm 109:8 - "Let his days be few and brief; and let others step forward to replace him."

At last - I can honestly voice a Biblical prayer for our president!

Let us all bow our heads and pray...

     C.F.

Dear TIA,

In addition to the comment posted recently entitled, "Experiments with Hybrid Animals" you may wish to follow this link.

This is just terrifying.

     Sincerely,

     P.F., Australia

TIA,

Regarding your posting on the liturgical dances of Sister Nobili, I wonder if Mary Magdalene danced after she was "converted."

S.S.


TIA responds,

S.S.,

According to the best Catholic tradition reported in the lives of saints, some time after the death of Our Lord, St. Mary Magdalene went to France and spent the rest of her life as a hermit making penance for her past life. Her bones can be venerated at the Basilica of Vezelay, in France. There is no record of dancing in her life after her conversion.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

Dear TIA,

To those who have doubts about the powers of the Wonder Worker St. Philomena, cast them aside. She is still with us and still working many miracles even in these most difficult times when it seems there is very little in the supernatural realm aiding us.

The Dear little Saint has continued her protection of my son in the military. He is in the special forces and just returned safely from his 5th and most dangerous deployment. I know he would not be here without her continuous aid.

She has given countless other protections to me and my family as we struggle through these dark days. No wonder she was named "Filumena" daughter of light. Pope Gregory XVI said, "Pray to St. Philomena. Whatever you ask for she will obtain for you." He called her the wonder worker of the 19th century. She is still working wonders in the 21st century.

     E.A.M.

TIA,

His feast day is August first not the second.

Best wishes,

A.P.



TIA responds,

A.P.,

Thank you for the correction. Even if there are credible sources like Roman Catholic Saints that give his feast as August 2nd, we are changing the date to August 1st on our website. You are right on target. Also the Congregation of the Redemptorists, which was founded by the Saint, commemorates his feast on August 1st.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

TIA,

Salve,

Let's just quit prayer and read Harry Potter, his values are good!

Please read this article from Zenit that tells us that Harry Potter books and movies are good examples. What's next? Harry Potter book clubs in parishes?

J.P.

Hello TIA,

I would like to ask, is the Tridentine Creed in itself infallible? Especially, is the part "This true Catholic faith, outside of which no one can be saved" infallible?

This would be very useful to know, since it so strictly excludes non-Catholics.

     Thank you in advance,

     M.J.A.



TIA responds,

Hello M.J.A.,

A dogma of faith is an infallible doctrine proposed by the Church in which Catholics should believe to continue to be Catholics. A Creed is a summary of the principal dogmas Catholics have the obligation to confess and defend. You see, therefore, that the Creeds are infallible as well.

We hope this simple reasoning may help you.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

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