Blog2026-06-19T17:33:38-05:00

The movement of the human soul, and human society in general, from its fallen chaotic state towards divine order is at the heart of the Blog of Padre Pio Press. Writings, ponderings, and reflections on this movement of the soul are authored by Fr. Cliff Ermatinger and by the occasional Guest Contributor. The articles and recordings are relegated to the following areas:

Western
Culture

Order with Chaos

Spiritual
Growth

Chaos Seeking Order

Traditional
Liturgy

Divine Order Offered
to Restore Order

Spiritual
Combat

Resisting Absolute Chaos

During the Month of June, Which is Devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Padre Pio Press Invites Its Readership to Join In Saying:

    in the morning The Litany of Humility
The Litany of the Sacred Heart at night   

In Reparation for All the Ways He is Blasphemined,
Consolation for All The Times He is Ignored,
and Veneration for All that He Continues to Give to Us.


During the Month of June, Which is
Devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Padre Pio Press Invites Its Readership to Join In Saying:

in the morning
The Litany of Humility
:

 and at night,
The Litany of the Sacred Heart

In Reparation for
All the Ways He is Blasphemed,
Consolation for All the Times
He is Ignored,
and Veneration for All that
He Continues to Give to Us.


Come, Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the LORD

Part I in a Series by Pseudo-Ermatinger  

Soria Moria by Theodor Kittelsen (1881)Soria Moria by Theodor Kittelsen (1881)

Gregory the Sinaite instructed those who desired to pray to take a guide, lest they get lost in the venture.  Who then should we take for our guide?  There is a two-fold temptation; the first, to chart our course using our wiles or to despair that no sure guide can be found.  The first is to wander aimlessly in the dark of hubris and the second is to remain fixed in place blinded by the noonday devil.  

If the Sacred Scriptures were before us, would we […]

By |January 14th, 2022|Categories: Pseudo-Ermatinger, Spiritual Growth|

St. Augustine, What is Prayer?

Question 001

What is prayer?

… prayer can be compared to the breath of the soul…this life is for praying, (while) in heaven there will be no praying only praising… In prayer we turn to God alone, because… we are all beggars before God…we can only plead.

from St. Augustine Answers 101 Questions on Prayer by Fr. Ermatinger.

 

In the prayers of this life, man is a threefold beggar; 1.) As a creature, everything that he has and ever will have comes from God’s magnanimity. 2.) On account of his sins and turning away from God, he has forfeited all and can only hope upon God’s mercy. 3.) On account of […]

By |January 12th, 2022|Categories: Spiritual Growth, St. Augustine on Prayer|

St. Augustine, is there Prayer in Heaven?

Question 101

Will our prayer finally come to an end in heaven?

…Augustine makes our primary occupation in heaven to be prayer…in the form of singing God’s praise with an everlasting Alleluia.  “For when we come to our rest after [our Earthly] labors, God’s praise will be our sole occupation, for there [in Heaven] our task will be Alleluia [which is to praise God].  For once the labors of this life and this world itself ceases, there will be an unceasing fullness in Alleluia… For there our food will be Alleluia, our drink will be

By |January 9th, 2022|Categories: Spiritual Growth, St. Augustine on Prayer, Traditional Liturgy|

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