The Hermeneutic of Continuity

Today is St Philomena's Day so happy feast day to all those named after her and to all those who have a special devotion to her. In the Year of the Priest it is appropriate to remember the great love that St John Vianney had for St Philomena. Here is a Litany to St Philomena composed by the Curé of Ars. For many people, the only thing they know about St Philomena is that she "didn't exist", and therefore how silly it is to have devotion to her. The relatively recent scientific report shows that those who had the courage to doubt the blanket of doubt had good reason, and those who had devotion to her were not so foolish after all. As well as St John Vianney, these devotees include Bl Pope Pius IX, St Pius X, Bl Bartolomo Longo, and, of course, Ven Pauline Jaricot, founder of the APF . See: The Saint Philomena Question Answered .

Happy feast day to all fellow-devotees of St Philomena. The Saturday morning Mass at Blackfen is according to the usus antiquior so we had the Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary with commemoration of Sts Tiburtius and Susanna. To make up the odd number of collects, I added a commemoration of St Philomena. In honour of her feast day, here is a Novena prayer that you might like to use: O faithful virgin and glorious martyr, St Philomena, who works so many miracles on behalf of the poor and sorrowful, have pity on me, Thou knowest the multitude and diversity of my needs, Behold me at thy feet, full of misery, but full of hope. I entreat thy charity O great Saint. Graciously hear me and obtain from God a favourable answer to the request which I now humbly lay before you (here specify your petition.) I am firmly convinced that through thy merits, through the scorn, the sufferings and the death thou didst endure, united to the merits of the Passion and Death of Jesus thy Spouse, I sha...

I just heard of this by email: Tomorrow (Tuesday 5 June) at 7pm at Our Lady of Willesden Shrine (1 Nicoll Road, London, NW10 9AX) with Mgr Giovanni Braschi, Rector of the Sanctuary of St Philomena, Italy 6 - 7pm Holy Hour 7 - 8pm Mass, Veneration of a first class relic of St Philomena, Novena 8 - 8.30pm Talk on St. Philomena Devotional items from the Sanctuary available News of Pilgrimages to the Sanctuary from London Contact saint.philomena@ntlworld.com There was also a Rosary Rally at Knock over the weekend, organised by the Universal Archconfraternity of St Philomena. Mgr Braschi announced a new book by Mark Miravalle, published by the Archconfratenrity, called Heroic Christian Purity, St. Philomena, Patroness of Purity/Wonder Worker. The release is due for 10 August 2007 in honour of the day St. Philomena arrived in Mugnano del Cardinale, Italy.

One question which arose in the discussion about St Philomena is that of whether a papal decree of canonisation is infallible. St Thomas Aquinas said that because of divine providence, the Church was not liable to error in the matter of canonisations.* St Robert Bellarmine and St Alphonsus (among many others) also taught that the Pope was infallible when he canonised a saint. The majority opinion is that it is "theologically certain" that a canonized saint is in heaven. In 1837, Pope Gregory XVI confirmed a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites approving the public cultus of St Philomena including a Mass and a fourth lesson in the Office. This is often asserted to be a "canonization" but it is not the same thing. I believe that St Philomena existed and that many miracles have been worked through her intercession but I don't think that we can use the "infallible canonisation" argument in her case. More generally with regard to canonisations, it is ...

A correspondent has sent me a link for the Universal Living Rosary Association of St Philomena , founded by Ven Pauline Marie Jaricot who was cured at Mugnano through the intercession of St Philomena. A member of the Association undertakes to pray a decade of the Rosary every day - decades are assigned as fifteen new members join up. The website gives the following summary: This is a "perpetual" rosary. That is, you accept to pray your daily mystery faithfully for the remainder of your life. These obligations do not bind under pain of sin, but your effort and desire to remain faithful are necessary. Your decade may be offered at any time of the day or night. A regular quarterly newsletter, "Dedicated Decades," is posted to every member. The intentions of the Association are: The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the honor of St. Philomena our patroness and protectress. There are currently over a million members of the Association around the world. The UK p...

As I rather expected, there were one or two skeptical comments about my post on St Philomena. It is instructive to see the appalling article in the old Catholic Encyclopedia which illustrates the influence of rationalistic prejudice at the beginning of the 20th century which infected even Catholic circles. I am indebted to Jason who posted a link in the combox to a comprehensive article by Mark Miravalle on the Present Ecclesial Status of Devotion to St. Philomena . Two points from his conclusion which seem particularly pertinent: Nineteen acts of the Holy See during the pontificates of five popes were issued in positive promotion of popular devotion to St. Philomena, in the forms of liturgical cultus, archconfraternities, plenary and partial indulgences Numerous saints, blesseds, and venerables have testified to the reality and exceptional intercessory power of St. Philomena, including Ven. Pauline Jaricot, Bl. Anna Maria Taigi, St. Peter Julian Eymard, St. Peter Chanel, St. ...