Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 5:53am

Requiescat In Pace: The Queen

Queen Elizabeth II has died at age 96.  She was the last veteran of World War II still in public life that I am aware of.  it was appropriate that her last official act was meeting with her latest prime minister to “kiss hands”.  She saw 15 of them, including Sir Winston Churchill.

 

 

My sainted mother was a Newfie of pure Irish descent, with fiery red hair and a tempestuous, but lovable, temperament to match.  She had small use for the British monarchy (she taught me and my brother all the traditional Irish rebel songs) except for the current reigning monarch who she adored.  My own fondness for Queen Elizabeth dates from the following:

 

 

Queen Elizabeth after 9-11, breaking with royal protocol, ordered the playing of The Star Spangled Banner at Buckingham Palace:

 

Let us return the favor:

 

 

She was a grand lady, ever a friend to our nation.  Her private life was without stain and she walked the walk of the Christianity she professed.  May she be going from a perishable to an imperishable crown.

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SouthCoast
SouthCoast
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 12:07pm

I remember, when Diana’s cortege paused in front Buckingham Palace, the gates opening, and the queen walking out, to, very formally, bow. It was one of the more truly amazing things I have ever seen, and I was deeply impressed. The Queen was, until the last, that one thing most antithetical to the World, the Left, and “Feminists”, a Lady.

Foxfier
Admin
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 12:11pm

At one point, the Queen was attacked in the media for having wrung the neck of a bird she’d just hunted and winged but not killed.

…next Sunday, she wore the feathers to church.

Rest in peace, ma’am.

MrsOpey
MrsOpey
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 12:53pm

May she Rest In Peace and God have mercy on her soul.

WK Aiken
WK Aiken
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 1:39pm

I truly wish we had somebody deserving of her stature to represent the USA at her funeral.

Ezabelle
Ezabelle
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 4:31pm

😢 Rest In God’s Eternal Peace your Majesty.

We woke up to the news in Australia and although we all knew it was going to happen one day (soon), it’s a real sense of loss and end of a remarkable era. Queen Elizabeth II was a strong and steady presence for Great Britain for a long long time, and for the entire Commonwealth. A beautiful lady who put her duty first. She will be a hard act to follow. God be with King Charles III.

Elaine Krewer
Admin
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 6:15pm

She passed on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary – Queen of Heaven – and a beautiful double rainbow appeared over Buckingham Palace just before her death was announced. Coincidence…. or not?

Ben Butera
Admin
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 7:50pm

Did you see the double rainbow?
Nice touch…

Clinton
Clinton
Thursday, September 8, AD 2022 9:58pm

God bless Her Majesty.
Her devotion to her duty is an inspiration.

R. Bernonensis
R. Bernonensis
Friday, September 9, AD 2022 8:52am

For 70 years Elizabeth was sworn to maintain the Protestant faith. Her ex officio status as heretic and schismatic forbids any sanguine speculation concerning her salvation. Let us pray for her, confident that God’s mercy and justice, which are commensurate, are done.

Bob Kurland
Admin
Friday, September 9, AD 2022 10:58am

My good lady made the following point: she has not seen any condolences from the Vatican. Is it the case that PF is, in this instance, more of an Argentinian than a Catholic? (Recall the Falklands War.)

Foxfier
Admin
Friday, September 9, AD 2022 2:39pm

K, that was classy. 😀

Bob Kurland
Admin
Friday, September 9, AD 2022 3:57pm

Thank you Pinky, my Good Lady and I are glad to be informed.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Friday, September 9, AD 2022 5:36pm

@ R Bernonensis –> that’s really rich, saying, “Her ex officio status as heretic and schismatic…”, given who currently occupies the Papal Throne: a heretical Marxist Peronist Caudillo. Look at the fruits of the post Vatican II Church, heading down the same road as Canterbury. At least Queen Elizabeth II tried to uphold tradition while Jorge Mario Bergoglio eviscerates it.

Ezabelle
Ezabelle
Friday, September 9, AD 2022 8:54pm

…forbids any sanguine speculation concerning her salvation.

Nobody is doing that here. We’re all praying for her soul and given her due credit as a long-standing head of state, where it is justly and rightly deserved. Catholic or not. Thank God it’s not up to us mere mortals to decide who gets to Heaven.

On that note- let’s not offer sanguine speculation concerning any catholics salvation simply because they are “catholic” by birth.

R. Bernonensis
R. Bernonensis
Saturday, September 10, AD 2022 12:37pm

Well, my dear Lucius, since the tradition she upheld — the one that matters here — was opposition to what the Roman Church has always taught, the comparison with someone who undermines those teachings from within the Church doesn’t reveal much difference in intention, just in effectiveness.
Ezabelle and Mr. McClary, you both allude to being Catholic by birth, but surely you will agree that besides the second birth of Baptism, what matters for salvation, infants and the mentally incapacitated excepted, is being Catholic by conviction.

trackback
Saturday, September 10, AD 2022 3:31pm

[…] from The American Catholic: Requiescat In Pace: The Queen – Donald R. McClarey, J.D. To a Vanished Empire – Donald R. McClarey, […]

Mary De Voe
Saturday, September 10, AD 2022 5:42pm

My prayers for Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Church of England was for her to bring her people back to the Catholic Faith. Queen Elizabeth II had that option. Saint John Henry Newman did it. Was Queen Elizabeth II not able to proclaim the Truth?

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Saturday, September 10, AD 2022 11:44pm

Prince Charles is no Queen Elizabeth. But we have no option.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 5:46am

@R Bernonensis –> Romans need to fix their own house before criticizing someone else’s. Remember the old adage about people behind glass walls not throwing stones. I despise fundamentalist triumphalism whether among Protestant Evangelicals or Catholic radical traditionalists. Always paying attention to the letter of the law even if that means damning someone else.

R. Bernonensis
R. Bernonensis
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 6:25am

But, Lucius, the Romans have the only house there is, desperately in need of repair these days, to be sure. And while unnecessarily throwing stones is an unwise policy no matter how you’re housed, it doesn’t follow that you must throw bouquets to honor an event you have no good reason to believe took place.
I might join you in despising “fundamentalist triumphalism” if I knew precisely what you mean by the term; if it’s “always paying attention to the letter of the law”, the law is what tells me not to judge, so I don’t, neither damning nor canonizing.

Ezabelle
Ezabelle
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 7:45am

Bernonensis – yes it matters to be Catholic by conviction if you understand this. But CCC states Non-Catholics and Non-Christians can get to Heaven.

1260 Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.

1281 [A]ll those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized.

I get the sense you know this too.

R.Bernonensis
R.Bernonensis
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 11:06am

Ezabelle, Pope Francis altered the Catechism to condemn capital punishment as intrinsically evil. Whether you think he was right to do so or not, the Catechism now teaches the opposite of what it once did, and was either wrong then or is wrong now.
Cardinals Dulles and Ratzinger both said (where and when I can’t recall now) that the Catechism has no authority apart from the magisterial documents from which its teachings derive. The footnotes for the paragraphs you cite give us Gaudium et Spes 22.5, Lumen Gentium 16 and Ad Gentes 7. All of these sources speak of the means of salvation being made available to all men, but none of them contradict the consistent teaching of the Church that those means necessarily include baptism and communion with the Catholic Church.
I welcome a response, if you care to make one, as I have no desire to have the last word or seem to, but I think we’d do well now to pray for the Queen instead of turning this into another EENS free-for-all.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 11:09am

Not going to argue. When Bergoglio is deposed & anathematized, then Bernonensis will have room to talk & point fingers. In the meantime, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” Rome ain’t everything. As for Elizabeth II, she was a good Queen. I hope the good Lord forgives those few decisions of hers that were bad, and remembers all the good she did. Equally, I hope the good Lord kicks Bergoglio in the seat of the pants all the way back to Argentina if they’ll take him back (which is doubtful).

Foxfier
Admin
Reply to  R.Bernonensis
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 12:07pm

Literally the first citation, section 22, paragraph 5:
All this holds true not only for Christians, but for all men of good will in whose hearts grace works in an unseen way.(31) For, since Christ died for all men,(32) and since the ultimate vocation of man is in fact one, and divine, we ought to believe that the Holy Spirit in a manner known only to God offers to every man the possibility of being associated with this paschal mystery.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html

The second:
16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.(18) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126) But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, “Preach the Gospel to every creature”,(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

And the third one is here but not so concise and on the nose.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651207_ad-gentes_en.html

R. Bernonensis
R. Bernonensis
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 1:41pm

Who’s pointing fingers, Lucius? I said we should pray for the Queen and not presume that she is saved. The reason I commented at all was because someone else attached significance to a rainbow and the date of her death, inviting the kind of speculation that is out of place.
And for what it’s worth, my right to an opinion does not depend on Bergoglio or you.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 1:55pm

Foxfire, I had no idea that the Catholic Church teaches that the Muslims and other non-Christians will go to Heaven without Christian baptism, repenting of their sins, & making Christ their Savior & Lord of their life. I simply do not believe that as it voids the need for & purpose of the plan of salvation. For the first time, I understand a lot of things that have gone on in the Church that made absolutely no sense to me. No wonder my bishop & PF are more interested in pushing the views of the Democratic Party than saving souls. Unbelievable.

Foxfier
Admin
Reply to  The Christian Teacher
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 3:38pm

TCT-
I have no responsibility for what you believe, be it what you said, or that God is going to be bound by a human sinfully or stupidly failing to inform another of the Truth.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 4:32pm

Foxfire, UH. No one said you are responsible for what I believe or the actions of others. Lol.
———————————
This is why PF made statements saying Christians should not try to convert people to Christianity from other faiths. Jesus, Himself, said that no one comes to the Father [God] except through Him [Jesus Christ.]

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 7:22pm

Baptism of desire is a very old doctrine of the Church.

Pope Pius IX 1846-1878

Singulari Quadam, 1854:
174. “It must, of course, be held as a matter of faith that outside the apostolic Roman Church no one can be saved, that the Church is the only ark of salvation, and that whoever does not enter it will perish in the flood. On the other hand, it must likewise be held as certain that those who are affected by ignorance of the true religion, if it is invincible ignorance, are not subject to any guilt in this matter before the eyes of the Lord. Now, then, who could presume in himself an ability to set the boundaries of such ignorance, taking into consideration the natural differences of peoples, lands, native talents, and so many other factors? Only when we have been released from the bonds of this body and see God just as He is (see John 3:2) shall we really understand how close and beautiful a bond joins Divine mercy with Divine justice.”

Quanto Conficiamur Moerore, 1863:
“…We all know that those who are afflicted with invincible ignorance with regard to our holy religion, if they carefully keep the precepts of the natural law that have been written by God in the hearts of men, if they are prepared to obey God, and if they lead a virtuous and dutiful life, can attain eternal life by the power of divine light and grace.”
—————————-

So Donald, what is the mechanism of payment for their sins without Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, & ascension into Heaven? Is that mechanism stated anywhere?

Foxfier
Admin
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 7:27pm

TCS- I am also not responsible for Pope Francis, nor your interpretations of him.

You were responding to my quoting of the cited documents for the Catechism in response to someone with questions about the authority of a claim.

Your demand for mere humans to provide the justification for what you agree is God’s long explicit choice is, again, not our problem.

Foxfier
Admin
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 8:16pm
CAG
CAG
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 8:36pm

Catholics pray for the dead. The only people we are supposed to assume are in Heaven are canonized saints. We pray for the souls of everyone else who dies. That includes the head of a schismatic sect in England. Why is this even up for debate on this site?!?

Mary De Voe
Sunday, September 11, AD 2022 10:21pm

“Baptism of desire is a very old doctrine of the Church.”
The newly procreated children of man have implicit desire for baptism as their souls are the most innocent and are closer to God than most. No scientist can deny that an innocent soul can contemplate his Creator as his body grows to help him do so.His heart beats at 18 days and his brain waves at 44 days, but he needs on his soul created in original innocence, reason and sovereign personhood to know, to love and to serve God.
The atheists look for the metaphysical realm through physical laws. With invincible ignorance to aid them, they find no God. Hmmm.
As a citizen of the state, the murderer in first degree, in stealth brings himself to Justice and he is executed through his own power of attorney.. Homicide inflicts scandal on the victim. Capital punishment is an educational process.
If we reverence the innocent and teach the guilty, mankind will become more like Jesus.

Foxfier
Admin
Reply to  CAG
Monday, September 12, AD 2022 9:45am

The only people we are supposed to assume are in Heaven are canonized saints

No, the only people that the Church has MADE A STATEMENT that we KNOW are in heaven, are the canonized saints; the very act of asking for prayers from the dead says that we believe they are in heaven.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Monday, September 12, AD 2022 4:31pm

Foxfire, you show classical bullying techniques when confronted with someone who disagrees with you. I have noticed it more than once. Advancing your feelings to some unidentified whole group of everyone else (so that you isolate —attempt to do so, anyway,) the person who has challenged you. Your unable to address people in a reasonable manner who disagree with you is not my problem or any of “our” problems. You might consider exercising or meditation or something to help with that hatefulness.

CAG
CAG
Monday, September 12, AD 2022 4:46pm

No, the only people that the Church has MADE A STATEMENT that we KNOW are in heaven, are the canonized saints

… Which is actually what I said, Foxfire. The only time we know someone is in Heaven is when the Church infallibly says so. And if we don’t know someone is in heaven, we should pray for the repose of their souls. Why wouldn’t we?

And I second what TCT said.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Monday, September 12, AD 2022 4:47pm

Donald, I have no problem with the concept of Baptism by Desire as I have been taught that concept by the way. But I was not taught the concept in relation to other religions’ gods like Allah, for example. Thanks for the patient, serious, explanations by the way. I will look more into this matter. Jesus’ death, burial & resurrection are the only means of salvation. The Bible says there is no other name under Heaven whereby man must be saved. And Jesus, Himself, said that He is the “way, the truth, & the life.” Blessings.

Mary De Voe
Monday, September 12, AD 2022 8:42pm

“the very act of asking for prayers from the dead says that we believe they are in heaven.”
Asking fro prayers and favors from the dead in purgatory may be a way for their souls to reach heaven sooner.

Frank
Frank
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 6:16am

“ Asking for prayers and favors from the dead in purgatory may be a way for their souls to reach heaven sooner.”
Great point, Mary. We are taught that the holy souls in Purgatory cannot pray for themselves, but can pray for others. This will of course be to their merit before God. And we can pray for them, to help speed their release. We don’t know, as has been remarked here, exactly which souls have attained the Beatific Vision and which remain in Purgatory, or even which have been condemned, but no prayer is wasted. If a soul is no longer in need of our prayers, the Church teaches that God will apply those prayers where they are needed.

Foxfier
Admin
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 9:31am

Foxfire, you show classical bullying techniques when confronted with someone who disagrees with you.

Lovely bit of DARVO to change the subject, there; rather than supporting your claims with evidence or reason, you attempt an attack on the individual in various manners, and get quite peeved when standard anti-bullying techniques are employed.

CAG-
There is a difference between those we know are in heaven, and we are not to assume that someone is in heaven; the saints need miracles to be recognized as saints, and that means we have to be asking them, which means we have to assume that they are in heaven in order to get evidence that they are in heaven.

Mary-
Oooh, that would be a good way to align the soul with God– and of course, if you’re in Purgatory, you’re getting cleaned up and going to heaven…..

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 10:25am

“Foxfire, you show classical bullying techniques when confronted with someone who disagrees with you.”

Foxfier is just being an outspoken assertive US Navy sailor girl. I love it! You go, girl!

Foxfier
Admin
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 10:34am

Thank you, LQC.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 6:24pm

“Foxfire, you show classical bullying techniques when confronted with someone who disagrees with you.”

Foxfier is just being an outspoken assertive US Navy sailor girl. I love it! You go, girl!
———————-
Which does not invalidate my statements in the least. Bullying techniques are the same no matter who uses them or why. Have a nice day.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 6:30pm

Foxfire, you show classical bullying techniques when confronted with someone who disagrees with you.

Lovely bit of DARVO to change the subject, there; rather than supporting your claims with evidence or reason, you attempt an attack on the individual in various manners, and get quite peeved when standard anti-bullying techniques are employed.
——————————
Bovine feces.
Since you want to get back on topic, explain the spiritual mechanisms from scripture that allow a Muslim to stand before God in the righteousness that is required to enter Heaven. Now, we are back on topic. Jesus Christ said that no man comes to the Father except through Him [Jesus.] Ok. I will wait.

Foxfier
Admin
Reply to  The Christian Teacher
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 7:40pm

:eyebrow raise: So interesting to see a variety of your standards on display.

Go back up to about this comment:
https://the-american-catholic.com/2022/09/08/requiescat-in-pace-the-queen/#comment-383804

And read the discussion, with the citations; you may wish to pay attention to what is actually said, rather than what you desire to have been told.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Tuesday, September 13, AD 2022 7:50pm

Foxfire, stop deflecting & projecting, please. Lol

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