When I'm up before the early bird....

Well, it was one of those nights. I turned the light off around eleven, slept somewhat fitfully, and was wide awake at 4:30. So what does one do (after making coffee) when it's still pitch dark out and absolutely quiet? (Even the early bird is still in bed.) Here's my answer: Read morning prayer in my Magnificat, sit down with the unread stack of Wanderers, and then write a letter to my granddaughter.

The first article in The Wanderer that caught my eye was a reprint of Fr. John Hardon's commentary on the Real Presence. So many Catholics no longer believe and my granddaughter is working as the Admissions Director at a Catholic high school. She will have many opportunities to witness to her belief that Christ is really there in the school chapel simply by her reverence and frequent visits. 

So I was going to clip the article and mail it.

Barron's Letter to a Suffering Church Falls Flat!

I finished reading Bishop Robert Barron's Letter to a Suffering Church last night at adoration. After reading a review, I ordered a copy thinking perhaps my husband and I would offer to purchase several hundred copies for our parish family.

Last night I changed my mind.

The book is short, only 100 pages of large, well-spaced print, hence, I suppose, its description as a "letter." The five chapters focus on the sex abuse crisis (The Devil's Masterpiece), Biblical teaching on sexuality (Light from Scripture), a concise history of some of the past bad times in the Church with bad clerics (We Have Been Here Before), a cogent argument for not leaving the Church (Why Should We Stay), and finally what comes next (The Way Forward) and a brief conclusion.

I was with Bishop Barron for the first four chapters and liked very much his emphasis on the Holy Eucharist, the primary reason we should never leave the Church. Where else can one receive Jesus - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity -- to nourish both body and soul? Nowhere. No wonder Peter responded to Jesus' question whether he would leave saying, "Where can we go?...You have the words of eternal life."

I'm Praying for Cokie Roberts Today...

Not because I liked the woman, but because I hope she doesn't go to hell. The worldly habit of eulogizing into secular sainthood every person who dies is a disservice to them. At the moment of death every one of us will stand before the Judge who will say one of two things:

"Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into my joy. 

Or...

Thoughts on Schism -- Is it Immanent?

Is it time for the schism yet? Let me check my watch.

A sensible analysis from One Mad Mom 

Schism for Dummies -- Mad Mom brings up the German situation in passing while she tells us what is NOT schism (in case you were worried that being alarmed about the pope makes you schismatic).

"The Medium said that the camel is my spirit animal!"

You walk into your doctor's office
and see this...

After yesterday's post on the girl calling her mother "Whore-bag", I have another story to tell you about our insane, lost and anti-God secular culture.

Yesterday at work a colleague and I were standing there minding our own business when a woman suddenly appeared before me. She had a large reddish tote-bag type pocketbook and sticking out of it was - I kid you not - a camel's head. 

Of course it wasn't a real camel's head with skin and hide and hair. Instead it was made from different cloths in a patchwork design with sparkly objects and little round mirrors intertwined here and there, and it had huge round black patent leather eyes. 

I greeted her, then of course looked at the camel. Anyone who carries a large camel's head around in their pocketbook obviously expects to be asked what on earth it is and why they're carrying it around.

Lying Liberals and their "Gutter Politics": Kavanaugh Gets it Again.

Brett Kavanaugh is in their gunsights again....

via GIPHY

Liberals never give up slandering if it can advance their cause. And if going back to re-slander someone they weren't able to destroy first time around...hey...it's slander redux.

The verbal AK 47s are out en masse being carried by all the Democrat candidates as well as personal friends of Bill. How many have connections to now-deceased serial rapist and child molester Jeffrey Epstein? We'll never know because there are few investigations of virtue-signaling liberals and Epstein isn't around any more to tell the tale and expose his partners in orgy.

Yikes! Another Sky Ride - Another Headshaking Press Conference....Francis Says Catholics Should Obey the United Nations and Schism is No Problemo

Now remember, I want you all to obey the United Nations. 

I recently read an article that says when you fly your blood oxygen level can be dangerously reduced, especially if you have a lung problem. Pope Francis had a portion of his right lung removed when he was a teenager. So does oxygen deprivation explain some of the crazy things he says when he's sky high at 35,000 feet?...

...Like we should all obey the U.N.

Girl flippantly calls her mother "Whore-bag"

Millennials vomit filth out of their mouths every day, all day. Last month a 30 year-old co-worker was leaving our company to work at another job 40 miles away. This young woman, slovenly and loud, had a mouth on her like a sailor. Actually, sailors have a cleaner vocabulary than this girl. I had previously suggested to management that they speak to several of these young people about their language in front of customers. It might be the vulgar way they talk to their peers, but does any company want to employ foul mouthed young adults? "That is so sh - - -y!"  "Oh that fuc - - r is so funny!" "What the h - ll do you want that for?" "A - s h - - e!" "Holy c - - p!" "F - - k you." And on and on.

Before the one girl left she and I happened to be working together so I took the opportunity to speak to her myself. Very nicely but firmly I said, "As my parting gift to you, I will tell you something. Something important for you to remember as you go into your new employment. Something important for you to think about for the rest of your life."

Not a Sunday Meditation, but a Great Story: How Donald Trump Fixed the Wollman Ice Rink

People love stories. Jesus told stories, Can you imagine the laughter from the poor in the audience when Jesus said it's easier for a camel to get through the needle's eye than for the rich man to get to heaven? I can just see people turning to each other, nodding, and giving the elbow nudge.

Miscellaneous Meanderings from a Wandering Mind

My mind has been wandering all over the planet since I got up at 6:45 -- to Canada...to the Amazon rain forest...to Nashville and the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Wheeling...to Kazakhstan...Whew! I'm tired already.

Here are just a few miscellaneous meanderings from my wandering mind.

From Canada: We still have heroes among us and it's good to remember them when we are tempted to abandon hope. Remember, all discouragement comes from the devil. No matter how bleak things look, God is sending us prophets. One of them is Mary Wagner. Please pray for her and those whose lives she touches, both inside and outside of jail.