Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1938-1940

BI 'HOP' ' ._ ER 10~ T Broadcast-Ch1cago. 11-li-'39

"This i~ the history of the world. Eve, the first ,,·oman, disobeyed: ::\1ary, the second Eve, elevated to 'our tainted na– ture'' solitary boa t,' surrendered her will. Eve heard the voice of the tempt– er and yielded; l\iary heard the same unholy voice hurl blasphemie against Her Son, the Son of Ju tice, and turned the maledictions into prayer. Eve reached forth her hand to the tree of the forbidden fruit; Mary put forth her hand and heart to the Tree of the Cross and there received the guardianship of the human race. Eve wantonly sacri– ficed the spouse through whom she had received her being; Mary assists as co– redemptress at the sacrifice of her Son to whom she gave being. Eve after her rebellion became the mother in the or– der of nature of a race doomed to sick– ness and death. Mary, throug'h her submission, became the Mother and Me– diatrix of all grace, the sanctifying life of the soul. "The martyrdom of the Virgin Mary began with her knowledge from prophe– sies of the sufferings of the Messiah. It endured through the years, reaching a climax during the three hours of agony. Not only at Bethlehem but every mo– ment of her life 'she pondered in her heart' (Luke II:19) the details of Cal– vary's tregedy. None but a mother's heart can fathom this mental anguish as the thought of the first Christmas night, the joyful mysteries of His divine childhood, the tender, sweet infancy, the first cries, the childish lispings. "And the same royal prophet who compared the frail new-born babe to a 'flower of the field' (Is. XI :6) has also foretold 'from the sole of the feet unto the top of the head, there is no place that has been spared from blows; all are bruises and pallor; all is swollen be– neath the blows; there are no swathing bands (as at Bethlehem) to envelop Him, no liniments and no oil to mollify His wounds." Is. I :6). So the grief– wrung heart of the Virgin sees fulfilled in dread reality the awful picture in the Book of Job: 'Before His days be full, He shall perish; and His hands shall wither away. He shall be blasted as a vine while its grapes are in the first flower ...Liars rise up before His face. Fury has assembled against Him and menaced Him. They have ground their teeth against Him.' (Job XV :32, Job XVI :9-10) 'His enemies beheld her Di– vine Son with terrible eyes; they have opened their jaws against Him. They have outraged him and struck him in the face.' (Job XVI:9-11). "Behold the m 1 an-the reproach of men and the outcast of people. Mary could scarcely recognize her Divine Son in the thorn-crowned, bloody spectacle before her. "Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bosra, this beautiful one in his robe wnlking in the greatness of his

. '·It is a privilege deeply cherished to Join in the~e devotions under the in pir– ation of the ervite Fathers \d10, for over seven centuries, lrnve been the most devoted apostles of our Mother of Sor– ro,,·s. l\fay we not recall ,,ith fervent thanksgiving the beautiful story of that blessed foundation when on the Feast of the As~umption in the year of 1233 seven noblemen of Florence, Italy, as– sembled to pledge anew their love and loyalty to the l\Iother of our Sa,·ior. While they recited the prayers of the Little Office in her honor, the Glorious Virgin appeared and invited them to forsake the world for a more perfect life. "Six years later, this same group was honored by a second apparition in which Mary Immaculate bade them spread devotion to commemorate her seven dolors and presented them with the black habit which to this day the consecrated Servants of Mary wear in her honor. "Thase. zealous ,nissionaries distin- guished alike for learning and piety pre ache d throughout Europe and America devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ and the Sorrows of His Holy Mother. "And now w1tne s the results every– where in our own beloved United States. A marvelous awakening stirs countless numbers of the faithful to ac– company the Queen of Martyrs along the way of the Cross. How wonderful are the dispensations of Divine Grace which brings us out of darkness into the marvelous light-light that radiates from the Cross of Calvary. Truly it is the light shining in the darkness! No one need trudge along the narrow and rugged pathway alone, confused and helpless because the way is illumined by the tender mercies of God. Even t.he habitual sinner, if willing to take but one small step will find a nail-pierced hand outstretched caressingly to lead him gently where the grace of repent– ance and a good confession restores peace and sanctity. "Thanks be to God that not only the fervent, but men, women and children rise from cold indifference to e~thusi– astic clients eager to carry on under the banner of the Cross. "The abundant graces of this devo– tion bring thousands of fallen-away Ca– tholics back to the fold and urge the luke-~arm to the worthy and frequent recept10n of the sacraments. Indeed

trength? And ans•.:t;er echoes down the ages, 'I that ~peak Jus– tice and am a defender to sa,·e' ... 'Why then is thy apparel red and thy garments like theirs that tread in the ,:vine press?' You, my dear people, who live near the Cross have heard His sad response, 'I have trodden the wine press alone and of the Gentiles,there is not a man with me.' (Is. LXIII:4). "The deathless love of the Virgin Mary rose with the tide of her sorrow and Jesus who had just spoken to the penitent thief and rescued him. from a sordid past, let His gaze fall on her who was destined to suffer incomparable anguish in exchange for incomparable innocence. "'Woman, behold thy Son.' 'Son, be– hold thy Mother.' (John XIX :26 l Christians, you have heard the charge of Christ. Ever since the time these words were utte1·ed, mankind has been enfolded in the loving intercession, the maternal devotion and the certain pro– tection of the Virgin Mary. Thirty– three years before she had given Christ to the world. Now He is returned to her loving arms, trembling with grief, the way the world gives everything back, broken and torn, disfigured and dead. "Ah, yes, the poor mother now bowed under the weight of sorrow, her heart transfixed with a seven-fold sword, is not thinking of her own woes. She will– ingly, valiantly offers the sacrifice of her Divine Son to God for us and for our salvation. "Oh Mother of Sorrows and Queen of Peace, through the merits of thy tor– ments at the foot of the Cross, hear t,he plea of thy children throughout the world, beg for all mankind, especially those in the throes of War, the grace of enlightenment that without Christ there can be neither peace nor prog– ress. Intercede with thy Divine Son to lift the darkness that enshrouds men's souls for this is an evil that God alone can cure. Only when the light of the soul is rightly focused can men see the true perspective. Lead us frequently, weekly at least, to the banquet table there to be united with Christ in the living bread that comes down from Heaven so that our 'strength will be as the strength of ten because our hearts are pure.' Oh, Queen of Martyrs and Mother of Sorrows, the hymn we loved to chant in childhood comes back to us tonight and again we pray: " 'Thou that hath looked on death, aid us when death is nigh, 'Hear thy heart's lonely sigh, thine too, hath bled.' the solemn

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this is the fruit of all devotion to Marv' Jlelp of Christians, because with ·~ mother's insight, she knows how the heart of Jesus yearns to be united ·with the souls of men in Holy Communion. _"For you_ cannot be q child of Mary without bemg drawn closer to Christ. Did she not toil with Him up the steep road to Calvary in the most heart– rending of all sacrifices. But you see everywhere the contrasts of life-the forces of evil bent on destruction and counter efforts to build u ).