Seeing a lot of the "gates of hell" quote. Of course, I've had lots and lots of conversations with smarty-smart learned types about what, exactly, that really means. In the end, it was clear that it does not mean that the Church structures that we are used to seeing are going to survive. The conclusion reached in these discussions was something along the lines of, "As long as there is one Catholic left on that day," and, "Try to be that guy."
The Church will remain "visible" because this is one of its indefectible marks, but the question will be, "visible to whom?"
The late, lamented Mario Palmaro leaves us with a last note of encouragement:
In some little, out of the way church there will be always be a priest who celebrates the Mass in a holy way; in a little apartment a solitary old woman with unshakeable faith will say the Rosary; in a hidden corner of a House of Divine Providence a Sister will look after a baby considered by all as having no worth. Even when all seems lost, the Church, the City of God, continues to radiate its light on the City of Man.
~
Beautiful quote.
ReplyDelete--Dorothy
agreed..beautiful palmaro quote
ReplyDeleteLovely and pious words. May he rest in Peace.
ReplyDeleteI take heart too from Matthew 18:20.
"For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
The Greek says, "will he find *the* faith on earth? Makes it even more scary.
ReplyDeletebeautiful quote - tears in the eyes
ReplyDeleteLouise L