Standing in the rain for the Lord

I received this message today from David Bereit, the man behind the 40 Days for Life Campaign. Read it and rejoice - another life saved by prayer and fasting. Check the 40 Days for Life website and see if there's a location near you. You may be God's hands to reach out to a woman considering abortion and her little unborn child.

FROM DAVID BEREIT:

One of the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil participants in Kalamazoo, Michigan tells an amazing story of what God can do with two guys standing in the rain.

On a recent morning, he went to spend time in prayer in front of the abortion facility. When he got there,it was pouring."I decided I would stay in the car and pray and when it lightened up I would get out and stand in frontof the abortion clinic and pray," he said. "After all, I could pray just as well in the car as in front of the clinic."

But then his prayer partner arrived. "I told him to get into the car -- we could pray here."

"No," he said politely. He wanted to pray in front of the clinic.

"I didn't need any more convincing." As they stood there praying in the rain, "we must have been an odd sight! What were we thinking? What good could be accomplished standing in the rain?"

The rain came down even harder as a young couple drove in with a baby in a car seat. One of the men made eye contact with the woman and he knew immediately -- she was there for an abortion.

She went into the clinic, but came out ten minutes later. The two men rushed to her with their umbrellas. She was pregnant, she told them, and the child was not her husband's. It was he who insisted on an abortion."She was a fallen away Christian who had just returned to God," said the volunteer. "We told her that God had never left her and that He was always with her and would always be with her in all of her decisions. She felt pressure from her husband, the abortion staff and the doctor and that's when she asked to go outside to see us. "It turns out the woman had made an appointment with her pastor that morning but something came up and it was canceled. So she kept her appointment for the abortion.

Her pastor was her last chance, she thought, and that had fallen through. Maybe God did not hear her prayer. Now, she said, it was too late."But just as they were turning into the abortion clinic she had seen us," said the volunteer. "Two guys standing in the pouring rain, wet and soaked --praying. She knew we were praying. She couldn't believe it; God had answered her prayer after all! He sent two strangers to stand out in the rain and wait for her!"The men consoled her, told her God loved her and that she was not alone. "We held hands and the three of us prayed the Lord's Prayer." She went back inside, and two minutes later, they all came out and drove away.She waved to the men as they left.

"What a powerful God we have!" said this 40 Days for Life vigil participant. "God had made his love and presence known to all of us that morning. Many lives were touched; a life may have been saved." Meanwhile, it kept raining. College students passed by as they ran to a nearby bus stop. "Some of the students looked at us kind of funny," he said. "After all, we were just two guys standing in the rain."

Would General Patton's Manly Christmas Card Send the Snowflakes to Their Safe Spaces?

At Christmas time in 1944 the U.S. Army was struggling against, not only the evil Axis forces, but against the weather. Two months of continuous rain had bogged down Allied progress and now, in December continued to hinder troop movements. 

With Christmas approaching, General Patton asked Chaplain Fr. James O'Neill to compose a prayer to be delivered to the 250,000 soldiers of the Third Army under his command inviting them to pray to God for an end to the rain and victory against the German Army. The chaplain included a personal message commending the courage of the soldiers and wishing them a Merry Christmas. Approval and signing of this Christmas message by General Patton took place on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The message was delivered in mid December about the time the Battle of the Bulge began with the Nazis soon encircling 15,000 troops in Belgium around the town of Bastogne with a massive German force of 50,000.  The rain, preventing air cover, kept Patton from coming to the rescue and the American troops were in danger of running out of ammunition and being overrun. But shortly after the prayer effort began (The Christmas letter was delivered to the troops around December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shortly before it's December 14th letter date.), the rain stopped, the fog lifted, and the skies cleared.

Prepare for the Chastisement, Virginia. The Tyrants Reign!

Virginia elected the most evil slate in our history last November. Abigail Spanberger represents the farthest of the far left favoring abortion up to birth, enabling transgender "girls" the opportunity to rape and injure our daughters and granddaughters by allowing them in girls' bathrooms and locker rooms and to compete against them in sports, etc. You name a liberal cause, no matter how evil, and Spanberger supports it. Her Lieutenant governor is just as bad and Jay Jones, the Attorney General fantasizes about murdering his opponent and celebrating the death of his children. What a trio! And what does their election say about Virginia voters? Read the Old Testament about the infidelity of the Israelites and the condemnation of Yahweh. It's not a pretty picture.

List of Bishops Callling for Investigations and Action: It's Growing by the Day!

Time for a serious investigation and a cleansing in the Church starting with McCarrick's
 pew mates Joseph Tobin and Blase Cupich, and of course Donald Wuerl wherever he is!

I'm not sure who put together this list, but it's growing by the day. And who is NOT on it is as interesting as who IS. Many bishops are calling for an investigation and are praising the integrity of Archbishop Vigano. Although, frankly, just coming out with a statement supporting an investigation is no proof of orthodoxy and fidelity. For example, Bishop Soto has been a cover-up agent in the Sacramento Diocese as well as giving aid and comfort to pro-abortion politicians. On the other hand he told a "gay" conference in 2008 that homosexual relations are sinful. Some participants walked out. Bishop Konderla is another puzzle. After taking over in Tulsa he threw out the  Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope, a traditional order of nuns. Intolerance for the traditional liturgy in consecrated life is hard to understand. At the same time, Konderla has been a strong advocate for babies in the womb. Sometimes it's hard to sort out the players. Orthodoxy is the great test. Cafeteria bishops have a credibility problem. Anyway, I pass this on. Some of these statements are powerful. Bishop Morlino, Bishop Paprocki, Bishop Olmstead, and Bishop Vasa are among my favorite bishops and, of course, the great Bishop Schneider -- but sadly he is not one of our U.S. bishops. Let's pray one day he'll be ours because we call him Il Papa!

Random Memories on March for Life Day 2016

March for Life 2016 

So many marches: in the rain, in the snow, frigid temperatures and mild, sunshine or clouds. How many out of the 40+ was I there? Thirty-five? I haven't gone in a few years because of health issues. I never thought when I started marching in 1974 that we would still be fighting to save the babies over forty years later.

The early years when the March began at the Capitol: Jessie Jackson speaking so eloquently in defense of the babies then turning traitor to become a champion of killing -- while so many black babies are slaughtered. Oh, the tragedy of greed for money and power and how it brings down those who could be great leaders for life.

It's Going to Be a Hot Week; Good Time to Think about Hell

The weather report for the next week is grim: in the 90s every day but feeling over 100. Fourth of July is expected to be a scorcher here in northwestern Virginia especially if the humidity is high. Thank God for it. Miserably hot weather invites us to reflect on the reality of hell. Despite the statement of Cardinal Fernandez that everyone will be saved, they won't. And no, Bishop Barron, we cannot have a reasonable belief that all will be saved. Why would God die on the cross for the salvation of souls if, in the end, He's the Candyman who welcomes everyone at the Pearly Gates with chocolate bars regardless of the way they lived. He didn't ignore the rebellion of the angels; why would He ignore ours? 

Sunday Meditation: How Can We Be Happy in Heaven if Our Loved Ones Aren't There?

Funerals turn the minds of the faithful to the four last things: death, judgment, heaven or hell. That's not too surprising when you think about it. Even those who have little or no relationship with God must think about "What's next!" when they attend a funeral. "Is this really all there is?... Where is my loved one, friend, acquaintance, colleague now?...What will happen to me after I die?" 

Reading Part 2 of the Amazon Doc: Topsy and Tuptim Bewail Bureaucrat Bishops who Act Like Politicians

The crypt church at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Topsy and Tuptim attend noon Mass in the crypt Church at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. It's the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene and after Mass they pray the rosary together asking St. Mary to intercede for the protection of Holy Mother Church. Finishing their prayers, they go out into the lower lobby and visit the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes to light candles, they continue conversing as they walk over to the shrine cafeteria, get lunch, and select a table.

Tuptim: Things are in such a mess. We sure need the help of Our Blessed Mother to clean things up and give us bishops who are real shepherds who will protect the family of the Church!

Lent and the Number 40

I keep coming across the number 40 this Lent. Today was another reminder. It's the feast of the 40 martyrs of Sebaste. Since I hate the winter cold, this story strikes me particularly hard. I think of the poor soul who failed to persevere and died in the warm bath. Is he in an even hotter place now? It's hard to imagine that, under such torture, a person gives full consent of the will to the evil act. I'm praying for him today. I hope he is in the company of his fellow soldiers today glorifying God.

"Neocons are the Dylan Mulvaneys of American politics"

The pimps of war past and present. 

Lew Rockwell has a great article outlining The Real U.S. Goal in Ukraine written by Karen Kwiatkowski, a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and political activist. I know Karen casually. She lives in my neck of the woods and, for a time, I was active in the same Republican women's group with her. She's a firebrand, smart and dedicated. 

Boycott the CCHD Collection along with Other Thoughts for Thursday

• The CCHD (Catholic Campaign for Human Development) collection is coming up. This is the fraudulent pocket picking of pew sitters to divert Catholic contributions to groups that lobby for liberal Democrats and support abortion, contraception, and sodomy. Check out the Lepanto Institute report and see how the collection funds intrinsic evils. Don't give a plug nickle; do put in a note that you will not be supporting the parish until they issue an apology for passing the basket to enable evil. I made the video above 16 years ago. Nothing much has changed at the CCHD except it's worse than ever. It's way past time to eliminate that group for good. Add prayers and penance to your boycott.