Concerned that the evil one has intensified his efforts to overwhelm and undermine the Church Militant, we have decided to underscore the importance of virtue in a world so enticed by vice. This void in virtue has not only jeopardized countless souls on earth, but greatly hindered the dire needs of the Church Suffering, those poor souls who languish in Purgatory and depend so on the prayers and goodness of God's Church Militant on earth. In order to help spur the graces and stir consciences, the Church Triumphant realizes the saints in Heaven must intensify their efforts to reinforce the teachings of the Church Jesus Christ established nearly 2000 years ago. It is necessary to awaken Catholics everywhere from their slumber. It is necessary for salvation.
The Creed of the Roman Catholic Church has always been the unchanging doctrine of the Communion of Saints which teaches that the souls in Heaven (Church Triumphant), the souls in Purgatory (Church Suffering), and living souls on earth (Church Militant) all compose the Mystical Body of Christ . He is the Head, we are the members.
Satan would have us believe otherwise, that we can be part of the head and that is fallacy, that is heresy. False teachings have been rampant in these times and the sad thing is that so many have fallen prey to the half-truths. Many have experienced a spiritual Alzheimers in recalling what the Church has always taught, finding it difficult to remember the truths set down prior to the past 40 years. That is the way the evil one has wanted it. With such onslaughts underway in these times, as evident from the intercepted "Memorendamns" that we are also bringing you, we have sought other avenues to help remedy the imbalance.
The first and foremost tool is prayer. It is the answer to everything. It is necessary that we adore God as our Creator, thank Him for His many favors, petition Him to bestow His blessings on all, and seek forgiveness to reconcile with Him and our fellow man. There is only one prayer that incorporates these four ends and that is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. No prayer is greater.
The second most powerful prayer is the one bestowed by His Most Blessed Mother Mary: the Holy Rosary. Each Ave Maria is a bouquet that she presents to the Triune Divinity. There is no more powerful intercession in all the celestial realm for she is Queen of Heaven and earth.
There are many other prayers and deeds we can practice such as making frequent visits to be with Christ, present in the Most Blessed Sacrament Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. There are many deeds we can perform such as the spiritual and corporal works of mercy that go so far in not only gaining great grace for us, but count as reparation for the souls suspended between Heaven and earth. They wait interminably, helpless to help themselves, depending solely on the other components of the Mystical Body.
In times past saints were honored and emulated; their lives, virtues and accomplishments were exalted. Over the past 40 years they have slowly, but surely been systematically removed from our churches, from our liturgy, from our memories. This is not good. They are saints for a reason. Not to tout their own laurels, but to serve as role models and encouragement for the Church Militant. This has been lost on the past few generations. To continue on this course would be drastic for the traditions that must be passed down.
In keeping with the trends of the time, we have decided to help reinforce the unchanging truths and virtues through a theoretical discussion that might take place in the Heavenly regions.
These lively and enlightening confabs with the saints will be patterned in the popular round-table discussion format so popular on today's news magazine shows and news networks. They are, in fact, very similar to what the versatile actor-comedian-writer-instrumentalist-producer-director Steve Allen introduced several decades ago in his PBS series "Meeting of the Minds" in which famous people from history would gather in a hypothetical engagement on the issues of the modern age.
We have chosen to call these small engagements of a few saints discussing the issues of today simply "Saints Preserve us." Unlike Allen's concept, there will be little confrontation for that is never the way of the Church Triumphant. They will seek to support and encourage, but also caution and challenge. You see, they've been there, they had a lifetime as well to learn. They, too, were as human as we are. They, too, made mistakes. Through the grace of God they learned from those faux pas and have merited an eternal reward for their diligence. Now they seek to impart that wisdom to their brothers and sisters connected with them in the great Communion of Saints.
Many may be so naive as to think the saints of old are out of touch with the struggles God's children face today in this new enlightened age. Again, one of satan's tricks is to deceive and sow mistrust. In "Saints Preserve us" we will endeavor to bring you saints who, in recalling their own experiences, will illustrate how well they do relate with the toils and trials we all undergo each day.
In choosing a moderator for this panel we thought and prayed long on the ideal saint to ask the questions, to coordinate so many holy personalities, to keep them on the subject matter at hand. The idea of the great doctors of the Church came to mind, even the Blessed Mother. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was even given consideration. However, in the final analysis, the consummate one to coordinate the discussions of these holy heroes, was the one known for his virtue and silence. With all the others talking, who better than a man of few words who spoke volumes through every virtue? The ideal choice was Saint Joseph. After all, if he was the choice of the Most Blessed Trinity to guard and guide the Holy Family, then he had to be the obvious choice to conduct these uplifting discussions and help point the way for the family of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of which he is the Patron.
For those who might find it incredulous that the saints could speak to all of us in such a manner, we might ask - are you not putting limits on God? Remember we speak to Him constantly through prayer, and we speak so often to the saints in asking them to intercede for us.
Prayer is communication. Communication involves interacting - sending and receiving. Why would we think prayer is merely a one-way communication? This humble effort of "Saints Preserve us" is an attempt to show how the Church Triumphant is responding.
Again, these are hypothetical in theory, but factual in essence for the saints' responses are gleaned from much prayer and research. We hope you enjoy these informal discussions. Please feel free to share them with others. May they be a blessing to all in our everyday life, spurring each of us onward to our Heavenly goal.