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Ave Maria Meditations

St. Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619) Doctor of the Church

God is love, and all his operations proceed from love. Once he wills to manifest that goodness by sharing his love outside himself, then the Incarnation becomes the supreme manifestation of his goodness and love and glory. So, Christ was intended before all other creatures and for his own sake. For him all things were created and to him all things must be subject, and God loves all creatures in and because of Christ. Christ is the first-born of every creature, and the whole of humanity as well as the created world finds its foundation and meaning in him. Moreover, this would have been the case even if Adam had not sinned.

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

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Homily #081123 ( 24min) Play – On the Solemnity of Christ the King, Fr. Bonaventure places this in the teaching of Pope Pius XI who proclaimed this feast. He contrasts this to all those who deny the Kingship of Christ throughout history, starting with Pontius Pilate. He then underscores the sure hope we have in our difficult times, that Christ will be the absolute victor over any of the many modern Pilates. Long live Christ the King!!
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Roving Reporter #47 – Fra Roderic Interviews Fr. Peter Fehlner in Durham England ( 10min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fra Roderic travels to Durham England for the John Duns Scotus Mariological Symposium and meets up with Fr. Peter Fehlner, FI who is Chairman of the event.? Father explains the nature of the symposium and its Goals and goes into some detail of the surrounding countryside and its historical relation to Bl. John Duns Scotus and the English, Catholic intellectual world.

Ave Maria!

Ave Maria!

The Franciscans of the Immaculate are happy to announce in conjunction with the Day With Mary apostolate of England that we will be commemorating the 700th anniversary of the death of Bl. John Duns Scotus (1308) with a symposium entitled:

International Centenary Symposium on the Mariology of Bl. John Duns Scotus.

It will be held at:

Grey College, University of Durham, England
9th – 11th September 2008

Speakers include some of the most famous names in Scotistic Mariology: Fr. Stefano Manelli, Founder of the FI, Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, FI, Fr. Johannes Schneider, OFM, Fr. Alessandro Apollonio, FI, Timothy Noone of CUA, Fr. Timothy Finigan, of The Hermeneutic of Continuity, Fr. Joaquin Ferrer-Arrelano, Co-founder of Navarre University and many more.

Events will include a pilgrimage to Duns with Mass in the Parish Church celebrated by His Eminence Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien

Here is a poster that you can view and also print off to advertise at your parish:
Poster of Scotus Symposium

Here are some handy maps:
Locations in England and Scotland
Directions to Grey College
Site Plan of Grey College

Forms for those from the USA:
Booking Form for USA
Travel & Information Sheet USA

For those from England:
Booking Form for UK
Travel & Information Sheet for UK

More details will be forth coming.

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #41 – Conformity to Christ Crucified through the mediation of the Immaculate ( 7min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

After looking at the spiritual life at different angles based on the different persons found in the drama at Calvary. Father Maximilian speaks of the Alpha and the Omega of the spiritual life: Christ – who has the Absolute Primacy. The peak of the spiritual life, through the mediation of the Immaculate is: Transforming Union with the Beloved. This mystery of Christ the King on Calvary redeeming the world, summing all things under his Headship and uniting it to God the Father is made present in the Holy Eucharist in Holy Communion. Listen to Father Maximilian speak of souls becoming conformed to Christ through the Heart of the Immaculate.

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #36 – Fr. Maximilian and the Good Thief (6min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!
This episode Fr. Maximilian discusses St. Dismas, the Good Thief, who died with Christ, but confessed his sins and asked Him for forgiveness. Listen as Fr. Maximilian explains how Mary has a role in his conversion. He also covers the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne who converted with the help of Mary.
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This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI

The Cornerstone #30 – Fr. Maximilian Explains the Unique Role of Mary in God’s plan (8min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Continuing on the theme of Christ’s mediation of grace, Fr. Maximilian reflects on how Christ allows us to participate in His mediation. We are all actors or players on the stage of life, and, to borrow somewhat from Shakespeare, we each have a part to play in God’s plan. Do some participate more fully in God’s plan than others? Do all the children of God have an equal share in His mediation of grace? Listen now as Father Maximilian explains the uniqueness of Mary and her place on center stage.

Ave Maria!

This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI

The Cornerstone #29 – Fr. Maximilian explains the need for the Incarnation even if Adam had not sinned. (7min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Catholics often hear it said that, “If it weren’t for the fall (of man), there would have been no need for the Incarnation (of Christ).” “On the contrary,” according to Bl. John Duns Scotus. Christ is the mediator between God and man, sin or no sin. As He Himself said, “No man comes to the Father except through me.” The plan of our divine adoption as Children of God was established before the foundation of the world, and the basis of that plan was not the sin of Adam.Christ came first to elevate us in the spiritual order, and secondly to redeem us from the sin of our first parents.

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #28 – Fr. Maximilian Dean explains how Christ mediates Grace and why it matters. (7min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

If Christ is the one mediator between God and man, how exactly does He mediate grace to us?

According to Bl. John Duns Scotus, Christ mediates it 2 ways: ex unione and ex gratia. “Ex unione” refers to His very existence as the God-Man, which is a singularly unique union between God and His creation. But He is also the Mediator of grace to the elect “ex gratia,” that is, from the fullness of grace He possesses as the Son of Man.

So what’s the difference and why does it matter?

Listen now to Fr. Maximilian for another eye-opening and heart-opening teaching on the Primacy of Our Lord and Savior.

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #27 – Sin or no sin, Bl. John Duns Scotus believes that the Incarnation was God’s plan from the beginning. (6min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

“Click in” as Fr. Maximilian Mary recapitulates all that he has said thus far about the absolute primacy of Jesus Christ and prepares to launch into the subject of the mediation of grace and glory through the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Having established the absolute primacy of Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone will show where Our Lady fits into God’s plan and what that means for our spiritual life.

Ave Maria!

This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI

The Cornerstone #26 – The Incarnation: the test of the angelic spirits (7min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

According to the Franciscan thesis, Saints and Angels alike were predestined to grace and glory in Christ. “For it has pleased God the Father that in Him all His fullness should dwell, and that He should lead all things to unity [apokatallaxai] in Christ, whether on the earth or in the heavens…” (Col 1:19-20). The Angels are under the headship of Christ and receive grace and glory through His mediation as the “firstborn of every creature” (Col. 1:15). Interestingly, the Franciscan position on the test of the angelic spirits is this: they were shown the mystery of Christ, namely, that God in the Person of the Word would assume a created nature lower than theirs and that they would have to serve the Human Nature of Christ their King and God. The bad angels, the demons, said with Satan: non serviam (I will not serve). Whereas St. Michael and the good Angels declared, “Who is like unto God?”. Watch and learn more about the test of the Angels.

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #25 – The Headship and Primacy of Christ (6min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

A key for establishing the absolute primacy of Christ is the fact that the Word-made-flesh has a primacy over the Angels. In this episode Fr. Maximilian shows that for St. Paul and Bl. John Duns Scotus, Christ’s headship is not simply over fallen mankind, but over the Angels as well. Christ is the “Head over every Principality and Power.” (Col 2:17). His primacy is over “all things” (Col 1:18), both in the heavens (Angels) and on the earth (mankind). The headship and primacy of Christ over the Angels indicates that in God’s eternal plan He willed one, and only one, economy of grace, namely gratia Christi. Otherwise we would have to maintain that there were two economies of grace: the first, original economy of grace, gratia Dei, for Angels and Adam and Eve; then a second, better economy of grace for fallen mankind (not the Angels, since they would be under the gratia Dei). But the Franciscan thesis, rooted solidly in Scripture and Tradition, holds that God’s plan was always and only that Angels and Saints were to receive all graces through Jesus Christ as their Head, sin or no sin.

This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #24 – Christian Metaphysics, St. Paul Style (8min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

In this episode Fr. Maximilian Mary covers key points of Christian metaphysics based on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians. The language of the Holy Apostle reveals Christ as the Exemplary Cause of all creation: For in Him were created all things (Col 1:16); the Efficient Cause (secondarily) of all creation: All things have been created through Him (Col 1:17); and the Final Cause (secondarily) of all creation: All things have been created unto Him. (Col 1:17). Watch and discover why Christ is truly the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things (cf. Apocalypse 21:6). Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last! (Apoc. 1:17).

Ave Maria!

The Cornerstone #23 – Jesus Christ, the firstborn of all creatures (6min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

“He is… the firstborn of all creatures.” In reference to the Word-made-flesh St. Paul speaks of Christ as the “firstborn of all creatures” (Col 1:15) & “firstborn of many brethren” (Rm 8:29). To be the firstborn presupposes that He shares the same nature (created, human–hence the Word Incarnate); but how can the Incarnate Word be the firstborn since He is not chronologically the first creature or man born? St. Paul is speaking about God’s eternal design before the heavens and the earth were made! Jesus Christ is, from all eternity, foreseen FIRST, before all creation (and thus before foreseen sin). This is why he is called “the Alpha… the Beginning…” (Apoc 21:6). In God’s intention and eternal purpose, Jesus has absolute pre-eminence because He is first in God’s plan, the first predestined.

This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI Ave Maria!

Ave Maria!