Sometime last year, I tried going on a keto diet for a a couple of months and it resulted in a flat tummy and shedding about 10 pounds (and exercising daily). Since then I have tried to maintain it but it’s so hard to totally abstain from carbohydrates like rice, and noodles especially when one is a Chinese (Fàntǒng) . Maybe you can have better success with more determination than me, so I share below all the information on the ketogenic diet that I have gathered from a few sources. I do realise that there’s much written information about this topic already but I just thought I would share with you a diet which is achievable. The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) is a low carb, high fat diet that offers many health benefits. The keto diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Ketogenic diets can cause significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has some health benefits especially for those with diabetes. In fact, many studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve your health as it may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. “Ketogenic” is a term for a low-carb diet (like the Atkins diet). The idea is for you to get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbohydrates. You cut back most on the carbs that are easy to digest, like sugar, soda, pastries, and white bread. What is ketosis? Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs. It occurs when you significantly reduce your consumption of carbohydrates, limiting your body’s supply of glucose (sugar), which is the main source of energy for the cells. Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils. It’s also important to moderate your protein consumption. This is because protein can be converted into glucose if consumed in high amounts, which may slow your transition into ketosis. Practicing intermittent fasting could also help you enter ketosis faster. There are many different forms of intermittent fasting, but the most common method involves limiting food intake to around 8 hours per day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. Blood, urine, and breath tests are available, which can help determine whether you’ve entered ketosis by measuring the amount of ketones produced by your body. Certain symptoms may also indicate that you’ve entered ketosis, including increased thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination, and decreased hunger or appetite. What are the benefits of ketosis? In the long term, it can suppress your appetite leading to a lower calorie intake. As well as contributing to weight loss, ketosis may have several health benefits, such as reduced seizures in children with epilepsy. The bottom line weight loss. lower blood sugar levels. reduced seizures in epileptic children. Different types of ketogenic diets There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including: Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet. It typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs (9Trusted Source). Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high carb days. Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts. High protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs. However, only the standard and high protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes. The information in this article mostly applies to the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), although many of the same principles also apply to the other versions. Ketogenic diets can help you lose weight A ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and lower risk factors for disease In fact, research shows that the ketogenic diet may be as effective for weight loss as a low fat diet. What’s more, the diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake. One review of 13 studies found that following a very low carb, ketogenic diet was slightly more effective for long-term weight loss than a low fat diet. People who followed the keto diet lost an average of 2 pounds (0.9 kg) more than the group that followed a low fat diet. What’s more, it also led to reductions in diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels. How long does it take to start losing weight on keto? After your first week of following the keto diet, you will likely see a significant drop in weight. On a “normal” diet with a caloric deficit and regular exercise regime, most people can expect to lose one to two lbs a week, while those following a keto diet typically see a drop of anywhere from two to ten pounds. Ketogenic diets for diabetes and prediabetes Diabetes is characterized by changes in metabolism, high blood sugar, and impaired insulin function. The ketogenic diet can help you lose excess fat, which is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome. One older study found that the ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by a whopping. A small study in women with type 2 diabetes also found that following a ketogenic diet for 90 days significantly reduced levels of hemoglobin A1C, which is a measure of long-term blood sugar management. Another study in 349 people with type 2 diabetes found that those who followed a ketogenic diet lost an average of 26.2 pounds (11.9 kg) over a 2-year period. This is an important benefit when considering the link between weight and type 2 diabetes. What’s more, they also experienced improved blood sugar management, and the use of certain blood sugar medications decreased among participants throughout the course of the study. Other health benefits of keto The ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases such as epilepsy. Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits for a wide variety of different health conditions:
Foods to avoid Any food that’s high in carbs should be limited. Here’s a list of foods that need to be reduced or eliminated on a ketogenic diet:
Foods to eat You should base the majority of your meals around these foods:
A Sample Keto Meal Plan for 1 week To help get you started, here’s a sample ketogenic diet meal plan for one week: Monday breakfast: veggie and egg muffins with tomatoes lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, olives, and a side salad dinner: salmon with asparagus cooked in butter Tuesday breakfast: egg, tomato, basil, and spinach omelet lunch: almond milk, peanut butter, spinach, cocoa powder, and stevia milkshake (more keto smoothies here) with a side of sliced strawberries dinner: cheese-shell tacos with salsa Wednesday breakfast: nut milk chia pudding topped with coconut and blackberries lunch: avocado shrimp salad dinner: pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli, and salad Thursday breakfast: omelet with avocado, salsa, peppers, onion, and spices lunch: a handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa dinner: chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, and a side of grilled zucchini. Friday breakfast: sugar-free Greek, whole milk yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder, and berries lunch: ground beef lettuce wrap tacos with sliced bell peppers dinner: loaded cauliflower and mixed veggies Saturday breakfast: cream cheese pancakes with blueberries and a side of grilled mushrooms lunch: Zucchini and beet “noodle” salad dinner: white fish cooked in coconut oil with kale and toasted pine nuts Sunday breakfast: fried eggs with and mushrooms lunch: low carb sesame chicken and broccoli dinner: spaghetti squash Bolognese Always try to rotate the vegetables and meat over the long term, as each type provides different nutrients and health benefits. For tons of recipes, check out these 101 healthy low carb recipes and this keto shopping list. Healthy keto snacks In case you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy, keto-approved snacks: fatty meat or fish cheese a handful of nuts or seeds keto sushi bites olives one or two hard-boiled or deviled eggs keto-friendly snack bars 90% dark chocolate full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa powder bell peppers and guacamole strawberries and plain cottage cheese celery with salsa and guacamole beef jerky smaller portions of leftover meals fat bombs Keto tips and tricks Although getting started on the ketogenic diet can be challenging, there are several tips and tricks that you can use to make it easier.
Tips for eating out on a ketogenic diet. Many restaurant meals can be made keto-friendly. Most restaurants offer some kind of meat or fish-based dish. Order this and replace any high carb food with extra vegetables. Egg-based meals are also a great option, such as an omelet or eggs and bacon. Another favorite is bun-less burgers. You could also swap the fries for vegetables instead. Add extra avocado, cheese, bacon, or eggs. At Mexican restaurants, you can enjoy any type of meat with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. For dessert, ask for a mixed cheese board or berries with cream. Side effects and how to minimize them Although the ketogenic diet is usually safe for most healthy people, there may be some initial side effects while your body adapts. There’s some anecdotal evidence of these effects often referred to as the keto flu. Based on reports from some on the eating plan, it’s usually over within a few days. Reported keto flu symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting. Other less common symptoms include: poor energy and mental function increased hunger sleep issues nausea digestive discomfort decreased exercise performance To minimize this, you can try a regular low carb diet for the first few weeks. This may teach your body to burn more fat before you completely eliminate carbs. A ketogenic diet can also change the water and mineral balance of your body, so adding extra salt to your meals or taking mineral supplements may help. Talk to your doctor about your nutritional needs. At least in the beginning, it’s important to eat until you’re full and avoid restricting calories too much. Usually, a ketogenic diet causes weight loss without intentional calorie restriction. Risks of the keto diet Staying on the keto diet in the long term may have some negative effects, including risks of the following: low protein in the blood extra fat in the liver kidney stones micronutrient deficiencies A type of medication called sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for type 2 diabetes can increase the risk for diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that increases blood acidity. Anyone taking this medication should avoid the keto diet. More research is being done to determine the safety of the keto diet in the long term. Keep your doctor informed of your eating plan to guide your choices. Supplements for a ketogenic diet Although no supplements are required, some can be useful.
Exercising while on a keto diet. The ketogenic diet may be better suited for low intensity, steady state forms of physical activity than high intensity bursts of exercise. Jogging, biking, rowing, and doing yoga are just a few examples of physical activities that may be especially beneficial on keto. While you can also include any other activities that you enjoy as part of your workout routine, you may find some high intensity exercises a bit more difficult on the ketogenic diet. Over time build up to a combination of weight training and cardio, aiming to exercise 3-5 times a week. In combination with a ketogenic diet, exercise will bring a whole range of complimentary health benefits and improve general wellbeing. Avoid hard training and high intensity bouts of physical activity when on a keto diet. But if you are already on a hard training and high intensity workout plan, it is recommended that you carb up about an hour before and after the workout,, as high intensity workouts require glucose energy. It’s recommended to sticking to low intensity, steady state activities during your workout is a simple strategy that can help maximize the many potential benefits of the ketogenic diet. Excercises that help burn fat. “After about 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise, your body starts burning mainly fat,” says Dr. Burguera. (If you're exercising moderately, this takes about an hour.) Studies across the board show that running for just 15-30 minutes will kick-start your metabolism and burn some serious fat, both during and after the exercise itself. ... EPOC (refers to the elevation in metabolism - the rate that calories are burned), can last from 15 minutes to a whopping 48 hours; so that 30 minute run could keep you burning fat for 2 whole days. https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/things-you-need-know-about-exercising-keto-diet https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/working-out-on-keto#best-exercises-for-keto Frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about the ketogenic diet. 1. Can I ever eat carbs again? Yes. However, it’s important to significantly reduce your carb intake initially. After the first 2 to 3 months, you can eat carbs on special occasions — just return to the diet immediately after. 2. Will I lose muscle? There’s a risk of losing some muscle on any diet. However, protein intake and high ketone levels may help minimize muscle loss, especially if you lift weights. 3. Can I build muscle on a ketogenic diet? Yes, but it may not work as well as on a moderate carb diet. For more details about low carb or keto diets and exercise performance, read this article. 4. How much protein can I eat? Protein should be moderate, as a very high intake can spike insulin levels and lower ketones. Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the upper limit. 5. What if I am constantly tired, weak, or fatigued? You may not be in full ketosis or be utilizing fats and ketones efficiently. To counter this, lower your carb intake and revisit the points above. A supplement like MCT oil or ketones may also help. 6. My urine smells fruity. Why is this? Don’t be alarmed. This is simply due to the excretion of by-products created during ketosis. 7. My breath smells. What can I do? This is a common side effect. Try drinking naturally flavored water or chewing sugar-free gum. 8. I heard ketosis was extremely dangerous. Is this true? People often confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is dangerous, but the ketosis on a ketogenic diet is usually fine for healthy people. Speak to your doctor before starting any new diet. 9. I have digestion issues and diarrhea. What can I do? This common side effect usually passes after 3 to 4 weeks. If it persists, try eating more high fiber veggies. The bottom line A ketogenic diet can be great for people who: are overweight have diabetes are looking to improve their metabolic health It may be less suitable for elite athletes or those wishing to add large amounts of muscle or weight. It may also not be sustainable for some people’s lifestyles and preferences. Speak with your doctor about your eating plan and goals to decide if a keto eating plan right for you. Due to recent events in my life, it has made me recall the fond memories my family and I had with visiting priests from S.S.P.X. I would like to share with you my family’s story. In recalling, I first thought of producing a video showing the history, of S.S.P.X. coming to K. Lumpur, then I remembered that I did make such a video 10 years ago while I was a guest at the SSPX German girl’s school, when I sent my daughter, Maria, there (to show how we are part of SSPX "family"). The school was: St.-Theresien-Gymnasium Schönenberg Watch the video below. Maria was 12 at that time. (ya, so young but that was the maximum age allowed). There were much tears shed when I left her there. My wife couldn’t bear sending her off so she didn’t come on that trip. After 2 months of struggle, Maria was able to cope with the school system and communicate in German. The school was impressed that she did well throughout, but sadly her time there was only a year because, the school found out later that officially they were only allowed to accept students from the E.U. Maria was so sad to leave, at the end of the school year, but it was the most memorable fulfilling experience she ever had. St. Theresien-Gymnasium is a wonderful school for girls run by the S.S.P.X. sisters and headed by Sr. Maria Michaela. It is an Accredited Private Grammar Boarding School for Girls. It was in 2011 that Fr. D. Couture (former District Superior of Asia) who recommended us this school, after having the opportunity to visit it. The wonderful experiences of my 3 days stay there, made me wished I was a 12 year old girl attending school there too. I was drawn to the wholesome and happy school environment noting the high German standards. The most significant memory was the musical life there; whenever the headmistress intoned a hymn all the girls would sing. In 2013, SSPX girl’s school, St. Dominic’s Girls’ College in Whanganui, N.Z. (managed by Dominican nuns) was opened to accept boarders, and with the recommendation of Fr. Laisney, who was close to my family, we sent Maria there. At that time, we already had some friends from Malaysia and Singapore who had settled there within the Catholic community living around the location of SSPX priory, which included the church and school. They were some consolation for Maria being there. My wife and I visited once and we thought of staying for good because of the wholesome Catholic community there. Eventually in the following years we helped convince 6 other Malaysian girls to attend school there too. Maria eventually spent 5 memorable years there and graduated with awards. My older boys also had their secondary school education at SSPX schools. At 15, my eldest, Nigel, spent more than 2 years at the St. Michael’s school in Burghclere, Newbury, England. Because of his stint there, Nigel has been teased as the Englishman in the family. To complete their secondary school education (Cambridge ‘O’ and “A” Levels), Nigel and Daryl, my 2nd son, spent 2 years in the SSPX’s Holy Cross Minor Seminary in Lake Bathurst NSW Australia. While they were there, another Malaysian boy, Jonathan Peters and Christian Warella from Jakarta, Indonesia was with them. My third son, Gabriel, followed suit a couple of years later. Regretably, my 4th son, could not attend as the minor seminary closed. So after home schooling he completed his education locally. Thanks to their education and experiences at Holy Cross my boys could contribute to the liturgy and the choir whenever we have Mass. Why did we send our children so far away to complete their secondary school education? Well in the ‘80s the education in Malaysia began to deteriorate and proper Catholic schools became non-existent. Having since late 1993 embraced traditional Catholicism, due to our growing relationship with SSPX priest and our love for the Latin Mass, we decided that our children should have a solid Catholic education and spiritual life. The encouragement from Fr. De Merode, who was our spiritual director then, inspired my wife to start home schooling for our children whose ages were then ranged from 4 to 12 yrs. Each one was home schooled until the age of 15 years, then they were sent to SSPX’s boarding schools, as described earlier. When SSPX first came to Kuala Lumpur, we had the first Mass said in our friend Gregory’s home in T.T.D.I. This was sometime in late 1993. Fr. Gentili was the first priest who came all the way from Whanganui, N. Zealand. Masses then were available about 3 months at a time. Eventually Fr. Laisney took over and he too was coming from N.Z. Around 1993/1994 when SSPX began establishing in Manila, Philippines, they sent Fr. De Merode and Fr. Morgan (former District Superior of Asia) to give us Mass here in K.L. Eventually in 1999, the Singapore priory was established and other priests began to alternate in visiting us in K.L. like Fr. Couture, Fr. Mcmahon, Fr. Vachon, Fr. Salvador, Fr. Onoda, Fr. Todd and many more. I can’t recall chronologically when each one f them came. Sometimes we had “bonus” Masses when priests on transit stop over in K.L. All the while we had Masses at our homes in T.T.D.I and at our friend Jimmy’s home in Section 14 P.J. so we hosted them in our homes. Their visits usually fall on a Friday/Saturday and stayed until Monday mornings and sometimes longer if they are on a short holiday. Of course we also introduce to them the hospitality of Malaysia. During their stay with us, Jimmy would volunteer to take them to visit the historical sites of Malacca (about 2hrs by car) to visit the tomb of St. Francis Xavier. On the Saturdays, that they are here with us, the priests would spend time talking to us about the faith, answering questions, teaching us how to serve Mass and various ceremonies and giving us Catechism. Spending time with them helped us grow in fervour in our faith. In 2000, we were then able to offer a small shop-lot in Sungai Buloh to be the chapel which was named: The Sacred Heart of Jesus. Masses were more regular from monthly to weekly until we had regular Sunday Masses from 2014/2015, I think. The 4 bishops: Bishop Tissier, Bishop Gelaratta, BishopFellay, and Bishop Williamson, all visited the chapel here while it was still at Sungai Buloh. It was Bishop Tissier who blessed the chapel in 2000. The other Bishops visited to perform confirmations for the faithful. Over the years, we had conferences, pilgrimages to local shrines and charity works organized together with the visiting priests. Even the faithful from Singapore joined us on the pilgrimages, especially to Malacca. We also joined pilgrimages organized by SSPX, led by Fr. Couture for the Asia district, to Chartre, Fatimah, and Lourdes. These were important events but not as important and significant as the 5 day Ignatian retreats (5 days of silence spent with Our Lord, with spiritual conferences and meditations) that were organized for the benefit of the faithful here in K.L. and Singapore and held at locations here in Malaysia and Singapore. I think we had a dozen or more of such retreats led by Fr. Couture, and his assistant priests during these many years. In 2006, thanks to students from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, we were able to have Mass for the first time at the home of one of the students. We brought Fr. Davide to K.K. and after the Mass we had a little holiday there. Eventually a proper Mass centre, a chapel was set up and in the following years we even brought Bishop Gelaratta accompanied by Fr. Couture to visit K.Kinabalu. In 2008, we managed to register a society, with the guidance of Fr. Davide and Fr. Couture, and lawyers, and officially formed a society to legalize our invitations to SSPX priest to say Mass in K. Lumpur, Malaysia, a Muslim country. The society: Friends of the International Society of St. Pius X. We applied it in 2006 and the process took 2 years, for the local Registrar of Societies to approve. With the society registered, the Chapel could operate legitimately and continue to invite and host the priests and not be accused of breaking local laws. Since then we were able to publicly promote the Latin Mass at the chapel and today the majority of local Catholics here know of our existence and the traditional Catholic community here are gradually growing. 27 years relationship with SSPX from 1993 to 2020. We treasure our ties with the many priests who have visited and guided us and especially of those whom we have built good relationships with and are dear to us. May our children continue to grow and love the traditional Catholic faith and the Latin Mass and abiding in God’s will for the many years to come. We are thankful that Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in his dedication and his love of Christ, who had through his various SSPX seminaries in Europe and USA, continue to give us holy traditional Catholic priests to enable the spread of the traditional Latin Mass (the true Mass) and the Sacraments throughout the world. May these priests uphold priestly holiness which was the crux of what Archbishop Lefebvre taught in the formation of priests. Deo gratias! ( Thanks be to God!) The End with S.S.P.X. Relations
April 2021. Sadly after 29 years of being loyal to SSPX, the relationship with them has ended due to their mistreatment and abuse of the authority of the current District Superior of Asia and priests. The Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is owned and managed by our local association and the District Superior wanted absolute authority over the chapel and the community here, in managing our association, when according to the Malaysian Registrar of Society ( R.O.S.) rules, foreign priests cannot be members but can only be visitors/guests. The visiting priests and the previous District Superiors, in the past had no issue with this regulation and had accepted it. The close co-operation and problem free relationship with them is testament to this; but not now. We have always respected the priests’ authority in all religious, spiritual matters and had never opposed it. Our association committee members are accountable to R.O.S. and can be legally prosecuted for not abiding to the regulations but not the priests. Is this behaviour according to the missionary philosophy of their founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre? His main aim was to give the Traditional Latin Mass and the Sacraments to faithful who want them; not to own and run the Mass centres. The 29 years of loyalty did not account for anything to them, there was no consideration of any compromise but their insistence for absolute control; therefore we parted ways. Having cut-off ties with us, they have set-up another Mass centre in another township and used our chapel’s name and prohibited the committee and some members from attending Mass there. What does such actions say about them? They tarnish the traditional priesthood and their founder’s name. Well by their fruits you shall know them. May God enlighten them in their errors and have mercy on them. "The true priest loves souls, gives himself to them, sacrifices himself for them for the love of God. He gives himself to souls as he gives them the Eucharist. He gives them Jesus by teaching and by Holy Communion. All of his priestly life thereby becomes a Mass. The holy priest lives his Mass and brings all those around him to live it, as well. He leads them to understand that all of our lives ought to be a Mass, a total oblation, a continual sacrifice of ourselves, out of love of God and out of love of neighbor. That is the ideal of the true priest, an ideal which brings him a lasting joy and peace of soul." Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s own words in his book Priestly Holiness. Catholic priests are expected to be caring, compassionate and understanding. They should be exemplary as they are looked up to as good role models and are often asked for their opinion or advice. They are approachable and friendly, someone people will not be afraid to go to. We address priests as Fathers, and fatherliness is one of the virtues I love in a priest. Because as children we look up to and rely on our fathers, so we need a father in our spiritual life to guide us well, to nurture us into what God intends us to be - holy. "The life of the priest is the continuation of the life and action of Christ," St. John Vianney Priests serve the Catholic Church here on earth daily through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the other sacraments. The Roman Catholic Church also teaches that her priests are "Alter Christus," which means literally "another Christ." "The priest is indeed another Christ, or in some way he is himself a continuation of Christ." (Pope Pius XI, Encyclical on the Priesthood). In confession they stand in persona Christi and work with Christ to bring us forgiveness from our sins. In our Catholic faith, we are taught to be holy in order to attain heaven. If a priest is not holy, how can he inspire his flock to be holy; how can rectors in seminaries inspire the seminarians to be holy. Without holiness there will be no sainthood and all who attained heaven are saints. Therefore they should be holy to inspire holiness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis,” (CCC 1548). It states further, “This priesthood is ministerial. That office…which the Lord committed to the pastors of his people, is in the strict sense of the term a service. It is entirely related to Christ and to men. It depends entirely on Christ and on his unique priesthood; it has been instituted for the good of men, and the communion of the Church. The sacrament of Holy Orders communicates a ‘sacred power’ which is none other than that of Christ. The exercise of this authority must therefore be measured against the model of Christ, who by love made himself the least and the servant of all,” (CCC 1551). There are of course also bad priests which throughout the history of the Church you can find them even the Popes. It is because of our human nature and the influences in each individual’s life, like how one was brought up as children and how well was one’s formation as a priest. A bad priest may simply be arrogant, self-centred, inconsiderate, insensitive, selfish, rebellious, etc. These characteristics come about due to the lack of humility and charity in his conduct and speech. More people leave the church because of bad priests rather than because of disagreements over dogma. Thankfully, bad priests are not the norm, but when they do surface, they can wreak havoc. A good priest can spend years building a parish community, inspiring fervour and active participation in the liturgy, recruiting volunteers for the parish ministries and to help the neighborhood poor. A new pastor (a bad one) can destroy all that work in a few weeks. Whether they are good or bad, as one sees them, out of respect for the office of the priesthood, we should pray for them because they are chosen by God to be priests to serve the Church and her communities. Why say prayers for priests? Because, as St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, once said “After God, the priest is everything.” Not so long ago, Pope Benedict XVI asked for many prayers for priests and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood, reminding us all that “the priest is a man totally belonging to the Lord, because it is God himself who calls him and who establishes him in his apostolic service. And precisely being totally of God, he is totally of mankind, for all people.” Priests can be strengthened by our prayers to live their vocation well and as God calls them to live it in a way that is holy and pleasing to Him. We should pray for priests daily - especially because of the deep hatred Satan has for priests. Daily offer up a special prayer, like a litany or a short prayer, for a priest that you know or who is your spiritual director. It would be of great help to him. May the prayers of the whole Church lead all priests to a greater holiness of life so that they may ever more resemble Christ the true priest and truly represent Christ in the salvation of souls. A good example of a priest is in this little story of Rev. Fr. Giuseppe “Beppi” Sarto (Pope St. Pius X), a loving caring selfless priest.
Giuseppe Sarto was born on June 2, 1835 in the little Italian town of Riese. He was the second of ten children of Giovanni Battista and Margherita (Sanson) Sarto. His family circumstances were humble. His father was a village messenger and postman, and his mother helped out as a seamstress. Especially from his mother, he received a deeply religious formation, and even as a child, he felt a strong call to the priesthood. He helped to form young men with the caring heart of Jesus. In 1884, Pope Leo XIII named him as bishop of Mantua. The following paragraphs describe a period of his life when he was Bishop of Mantua in 1884 to 1893. In the diocesan circular he announced his coming visit. Many a good pastor had tears in his eyes as he read the message: My visit with you is a consolation for the Bishop; nothing can give a father more pleasure than to visit his children and know them. If you have up till now shown me your loyalty, I cannot return love and gratitude better than by coming to you. I want to talk to you face to face, and to confirm mutual confidence when I bless your children. I want to observe your need, to dry your tears; to advance your temporal as well as spiritual welfare. Every pastor should know that when he invites me to his table and shares with me his daily bread I will depart from him completely satisfied. I know the distressed conditions of my dear pastors; therefore, I wish that at my visit just the ordinary meal be served. (The Bishop also forbade any demonstration at his receptions.) But I would greatly rejoice to find the faithful at early morning preparing for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Holy Communion. I come to you to remind you that Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of our faith, the same today as yesterday, the same from eternity to eternity. They may like it or not, but I will recall the erring, I will seek the wandering even if thorns tear me; I will go into the wilderness to call back the lost sheep which the Lord has entrusted to me. In the summer months of 1885, Bishop Sarto started the visitation of his diocese. The scorching sun seemed to wither all life. The Bishop manifested everywhere his love and goodness although much was disheartening. In many places he noticed a lack of proper training of the children; the non-observance of Sunday; lack of fervour; the reception of the Sacraments; lack of right family spirit; the pastor’s lack of zeal for souls. Again and again he listened patiently to the complaints of the pastors, many of whom were discouraged about their parishes. Bishop Sarto advised, criticized, and encouraged; but all was done with charity and patience. More than once his hand tightened into a fist when he met indecency. Often a threatening frown appeared between the sharp observing eyes; but always he forced himself to suppress the harsh word that threatened to escape his lips. Even his admonitions were given in a tone that bespoke a loving heart. Sometimes the Bishop appeared before the pastor was aware of his presence. Thus it would happen that the pastor found the Bishop in the confessional when he entered the church. “O dear Brother,” the Bishop would console the embarrassed pastor, “allow yourself a little more rest. I heard the confessions because I didn’t want the faithful to wait longer.” It was impossible not to notice a hint to greater punctuality, but even that was seasoned with love. The Bishop suffered much on these trips. The bad weather and the drought of summer caused exceedingly great damage. With depressed heart the RIESE village boy saw the disaster in the fields, the thirsty cattle in dry meadows, the destruction in gardens and vineyards. Here and there he stopped the wagon and spoke to the farmers about their scanty crops and sympathized with them in their need. Now and then he observed how the fear of the oncoming winter showed in their eyes. Occasionally he heard hard words from people who were tempted to doubt the goodness of God. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes, as His Judgement sees best. We can do nothing but beg Him for mercy,” he cautioned again and again. In the villages he wanted to be taken to the poorest families. He went to the bed of the sick, and though he could not always help them physically, he always left words of consolation that gave new courage. In Castelbelforte the worried pastor told him that within a few days three hundred of his parishioners intended to depart for America. The Bishop had tears in his eyes when from the pulpit he addressed the emigrants: “ I am not judging whether your new home will give you bread and work, but my heart is heavy to see so many of my children leaving their country and going to a strange land. You want to leave your home, depart from the parish in which you have been baptized and received the Bread of Heaven for the first time, where you spoke your holy vows in matrimony, and where thousands of times you heard the word of God. How could it be otherwise than that I experience deep grief and sincere heartache.” He extended to them words of warning and the promise that his love, his interest, and his prayers would follow them no matter into what land they might go. A bad winter and heavy spring rain brought hunger into the land. Mothers came to Bishop Sarto leading their children who had hollow cheeks from hunger. Bishop Sarto gave what he could, changing into money whatever he could pawn. He was soon well acquainted with the pawn dealer in Mantua. Again and again he robbed his sister’s storeroom. One day shortly before mealtime Maria stepped into her brother’s office and exclaimed very excitedly: “There must be thieves in the house. Someone has taken the roast from my stove.” “Perhaps it was the cat,” responded the Bishop nonchalantly. “But a cat wouldn’t steal both roast and pot,” objected the cook. “It seems to me that you do not sufficiently supervise the house or the thief could not have taken even the pot. But I know the thief.” The Bishop smiled. “I will tell you who executed the villainy.” “Where is the thief?” demanded Maria. “He is sitting before you, child.” “You , Brother?! Well I should have guessed it. You are up to your old tricks.?” “Yes , I have not improved. But do not be disturbed, little sister. A man who has a sick wife came and begged for help. I had no money. What else could I have done? So I took the pot with roast and gave it to him.” “But what shall I put on the table?” Maria complained. “Anything at all,” said the Bishop casually. “Luckily, I am just now without my secretary. Don Santimon has returned to his own diocese. His place will be taken by Don Giovanni Bressan, one of my dearest pupils from Treviso. Moreover, he was born in Castelfranco.” “Yes but there is nothing for us two to eat,” bemoaned the unhappy cook. “Have yo some bread and cheese?” “Yes, but that is all.” “that will suffice for us two, or won’t it?” “For me it is enough; but you cannot keep your strength with such food.” “Go through the streets of Mantua, and you will see many people who have very little strength. God will provide for us.” “Had I known that in the Bishop’s palace I would have nothing to cook, I would have remained with Mother,” sighed Maria. “Would you like to go home?” asked the bishop clasping her hand. “No, no, I shall remain; or you will completely ruin yourself,” answered the girl in a gentle voice. The seminary was the bishop’s serious worry. During the time of the greatest scarcity the clerics has to be sent home as there was nothing fr them to eat. Occasionally a person brought something in answer to the Bishop’s pleading. Especially did the poor and needy help, but what they offered was not nearly enough for so many hungry students. One day a poor woman appeared at the palace door and brought the Bishop a single egg for the clerics. “Well, if 149 eggs would be added to this one, there would be enough for one meal in the seminary,” smiled the Bishop sadly. But he accepted the gift with the same gratitude as he accepted the ducats which Senator Dibagno, or Count Gonzago, handed him. As usual, hunger was followed by a plague in parts of the country. Again the “Blue Death” swung his scythe. Luckily, the diocese of Mantua was practically spared, but the pest raged in the bishopric of Treviso. The Bishop anxiously inquired in his letters about his dear ones at home and about his former students. Finally the doors of the seminary were opened again. A good harvest had helped matters a great deal. Bishop Sarto himself went daily to the classes where he conducted lessons in moral theology and in other subjects. With particular zest Bishop Sarto devoted himself to Church music which up until that time had received little attention. He gathered the seminarians around him and practiced the scales to determine the best voices. He composed Masses which the clerics sang the plain chant, the true music of the Church. Gradually, Bishop Sarto was able to give the seminary the proper guidance and to provide the necessary faculty members but it was a long and hard pull and was accomplished only through great sacrifices. The school for future priests always remained in his heart of hearts His great love and care. Excerpts taken from Chapter 20: According to his on heart; From the book Flame of White. .................................................................................................................................................................... Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was well-known, throughout his life, to be a man of great integrity. He was unwavering in his principles, honest in all of his dealings, and charitable to a fault. |
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AuthorAn artist, entrepreneur, a loving family man, 30 years a Catholic traditionalist upholding traditions for the love of God. Shop for Catholic giftsArchives
January 2024
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