The Radio Immaculata Show

In this second episode of "Philosophy for All," we analyse what a sign is and its difference from a symbol. Both sign and symbol point us to a reality beyond themselves. The sign and the symbol, without which we cannot live, are not the reality they point us to. Paul Ricœur (1913–2005), a French Philosopher, tells us that idolatry occurs when a symbol is mistaken for the reality. Idolatry, we can add, can also occur when the reality is mistaken for the symbol and everything becomes merely symbolic.Every first Sunday of the month, at 2pm, in St Jospeh's Hall - Tangier Road - Portsmouth (UK), we meet in person for a lecture on Philosophy open to and made easy for all.

With this first episode, we start a series on "Philosophy for All," investigating what Metaphysics is. In this first lesson we focus on the perception of reality with the help of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. How do we know what is real? How do we know that the reality we perceive is the final reality and not a mere appearance? What is real and what is apparent? Man is made for what is real and lasting: the ultimate reality.Every first Sunday of the month, at 2pm, in St Jospeh's Hall - Tangier Road - Portsmouth (UK), we meet in person for a lecture on Philosophy open to and made easy for all.

St Joseph's heart is the mystery to contemplate at this Holy Christmas to welcome with it God's greatest gifts: Our Lady and Jesus, our Saviour. Joseph was espoused to Mary in a very unique and holy way - a virginal one. Through her, he embraced Our Lord and became His virginal father. St Joseph's heart was the very place where these two mysteries were laid, prefiguring also the cave of Bethlehem.

The 1930s saw a frequent objection made to Christianity: since salvation is personal, Christianity would easily pave the way for individualism, where every Christian looks for his own happiness, forgetting all others. Henri de Lubac wrote "Catholicism" (1937) to reply to this objection by making the point of "social Catholicism." However, few years later, this concept, though well grounded in the Church Fathers, became ideologically ridden, so as to affirm that Faith and its celebration were merely social. What about today? Whilst it seems very odd to preach about saving one's soul, a 'communal salvation' has led to prioritise social issues, such as building up a more human society and ecology (detached from Christ). A strong Marxist component is now facing the Church from within. What is then salvation? The unity and the trinity of the Triune God should be reflected in this discorse. Saving souls is still the supreme law of the Church.

In this homily given on Christmas Day, Fr Serafino reflects on the mystery of the Word made flesh. The very difference between any philosophy, any natural religion, and Christianity is that the Word spoke and is made flesh. Incarnation is a gift not a right, as grace is a gift and never a right. Yet, in today's Church, as in the society, grace seems to be a right. Even blessings have become a human right. Christmas celebrated with faith and love is the way to regain the concept of 'gratuitous love,' by which we are mad creatures and Christians.

St Francis of Assisi heard the word of the Crucifix: "Go Francis and repair my Church." Only at the third church he arrived with the intention of refurbishing it, St Mary of the Angels, the Poverello understood the correct meaning of that mission: he had to build up the Body of Christ, purchased by Our Lord with his Blood. At the Portiuncula, St Francis was identified with the Mother of God to "give birth unto the spirit of Gospel truth" (St. Bonaventure). That was the beginning, a sort of Franciscan Annunciation. St. Francis, then, identified with Our Lady Co-redemptrix, gave life, as another Christ Crucified on La Verna, to the Church by generating Christ into many souls as well as into society and culture. The point is Co-redemption.

In this podcast Fr Serafino M. Lanzetta explores the historical and theological meaning of St Francis' Mission for the Church. There are quite a few similarities between the Church at the time of St Francis and the Church of today. It seems that one same heresy binds together that time and ours: pauperism, i.e., poverty seen as an end and no longer as a means. This led to overlap the institution and the charism. The institution had to be charismatic, forged by poverty, while the charism became the way of the Church replacing doctrine and dogma. Precisely what happens today. That's why St. Francis needs to come back.

In this podcast, Fr Serafino presents the truth about Our Lady's unique cooperation in our salvation. This cooperation can be defined as co-redemption. The 'co' does not express equality but company; the fact that Our Lady is with Christ, though under Him in offering the one price of our salvation. St. Francis of Assisi's mission was in fact co-redemtpive as well as St. Pio of Pietrelcina's, just to mention two Saints. How could they continue the work of Christ in time if there is no co-participation in His salvation? And if there was no active participation of Our Lady on Calvary on behalf of all the Saints? There would simply be a void between Christ and us. And yet, Christian life is co-redemption!PS The delve more into this mystery, you can watch our recent Marian Conference on this topic: https://www.themarianfranciscans.org/coredemptrix-symposium

Fr Serafino in this podcast explores the relationship between two fundamentals virtues, humility and purity, by contemplating them as one, though distinct, in Our Lady's life. And yet the question: which one comes first? St Bernard and St Bonaventure have their say. And we follow it.