He Is Risen As He Said...

ALLELUIA!

Easter: the Season of Saints and Hypocrites

And one hypocrite really takes the cake. How can Obama, a man who champions abortion up to birth and beyond, talk about the "least of these?" The man rivals the whited sepulchres full of dead men's bones. It would behoove him to remember that the blood of the little ones calls out to God for vengeance.

Obama: We Will Follow Jesus in 'Seeing Everyone, Especially the Least of These, As a Child of God'

Blessed John Newman's Meditation on the Lord's Passion

Hat tip to Richard for sending this along.

Discourse 16. Mental Sufferings of Our Lord in His Passion

EVERY passage in the history of our Lord and Saviour is of unfathomable depth, and affords inexhaustible matter of contemplation. All that concerns Him is infinite, and what we first discern is but the surface of that which begins and ends in eternity. It would be presumptuous for any one short of saints and doctors to attempt to comment on His words and deeds, except in the way of meditation; but meditation and mental prayer are so much a duty in all who wish to cherish true faith and love towards Him, that it may be allowed us, my brethren, under the guidance of holy men who have gone before us, to dwell and enlarge upon what otherwise would more fitly be adored than scrutinised. And certain times of the year, this especially, call upon us to consider, as closely and minutely as we can, even the more sacred portions of the Gospel history. I would rather be thought feeble or officious in my treatment of them, than wanting to the Season; and so I now proceed because the religious usage of the Church requires it, and though any individual preacher may well shrink from it, to direct your thoughts to a subject, especially suitable now, and about which many of us perhaps think very little, the sufferings which our Lord endured in His innocent and sinless soul.

A Hero Celebrates the Triduum with Jesus

Fr. John Malloy died on Wednesday, a hero gone home to His Lord. What a heroic example of the manly priest, unafraid to stand up to the evils of the world. I'm sure Fr. Hardon met him at the pearly gates so they could pray together for the Church in the United States. With intercessors like these two holy priests, we can hope for a revival of the faith here in our beloved, but sick and wounded, country

Fr. Malloy, please pray for those of us who continue to fight on in the Church Militant. Please pray that God will grant us the same zeal and energy with which you fought for the faith in the belly of the beast there in San Francisco.

Read about Fr. Malloy here.

Good Friday Silence

Fr. John Hardon: Servant of God

I had the great privilege of making two retreats with Fr. John Hardon. A friend recently sent me the video below asking me if a photo in it was me? It was and I had no idea it had been included in a video. It was taken at the last retreat he gave for the Marian catechists which was held in Windsor, Canada. My sister Carol and I were thrilled to be on the retreat with Father and took the opportunity to get a snapshot before we left.  I thought another retreatant took it with Carol's camera, but maybe not. I have no idea how it ended up in the video. What a funny world! Fr. Hardon, pray for us!

Homosexuals Acting Out at the Supreme Court

These folks exhibit arrested development. They are permanent children, not innocent children though. And they are engaged in a perpetual tantrum. Gosh, it gets old. Pray for them, but keep telling the truth. Pretending that something is true doesn't make it so. Two men or two women CAN NEVER BE MARRIED! It's that simple. Their body parts don't fit together.

Infiltrating the Death Peddlers' Camp

Fr. Paul Marx (RIP), that fearless grandfather of pro-life activism, often infiltrated the camp of the enemy to report on their diabolical activities. I remember vividly his descriptions of the cold-blooded discussions at pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia conferences where gruesome death methods were matched with gruesome "jokes."

The tradition goes on as the article below illustrates. Pray for all those who fearlessly, like Joshua's spies, infiltrate the enemy's camp to uncover their plots and plans.

Undercover at a Pro-Abortion Conference

Come See the Village That Raises the Child

If you want to see the village that raises the children, come to my house for Easter Dinner. We will be a crowd of 30 including us, four of our five children with their spouses and children, one grandchild from our fifth child's family (we brought her back with us from Texas recently), and one of my siblings and his wife in the "grand" generation. What a happy chaos it will be with lots of praying and playing together.

Our first visitors arrive tomorrow. We will have our own indoor village with a one-bedroom "house" for each couple and two "dorm houses" for the girls and boys. The children will help with the chores and cleanup and will have the benefit of lots of adult guidance as they enjoy our village trampoline and playground and engage in an enthusiastic Easter egg hunt. Yes, it will be a joyful village celebration including honoring all the March and April birthdays to say, "We're glad you were born!" There can never be too many children or too many birthdays in a big Catholic family. Like Mother Teresa said, that's like saying there are too many flowers.

So Much for Obama's Promise of Lower Health Care Costs

20,000 pages of regs and growing!

So...you voted for Obama because you wanted everybody to have great healthcare at low or no cost. Only the rich would pay more, right? Did your bubble burst yet? Health care premiums are going up-up-up and away out of sight! And it's likely to be even sky-higher by 2016. So while health care costs rise with Obama's hot air promises, keep your own feet on the ground and face reality. It won't help your pocketbook, but it may impress on your mind the real damage of liberalism.

Obamacare Guarantees Higher Health Insurance Premiums -- $3,000+ Higher

We're only just beginning to see the impact of Obamacare and who can possibly know what's in those 20,000 pages of regulations expanding from the 2,000 page original bill. Among them is the likelihood of a tax on smartphones since they can contain medical apps. But not to worry; you'll find out what's in the bill and the 20,000 pages of regulations - especially this time of year, i.e., tax time. Because, remember, as Chief Justice John Roberts pointed out, Obamacare isn't about health care -- it's a tax bill and you all who love our tax and spend president basically gave him unlimited power to tax you into the grave. And since the bill hits the young the most, you young liberals can pat yourself on the back as you pony up your "fair share." Because, obviously you are the rich who Obama promised to tax more!

Cronyism in Gay "Marriage" Case?

Gosh! Who woulda thunk it? An openly gay judge conniving with attorneys to overthrow the will of the people and impose a perverse definition of marriage on the state? Unthinkable? Or is it just business as usual among activist judges imposing their will through judicial legislation? Think about it...no matter what the people vote for, judges can just make it disappear...poof!...by finding new rights in the penumbra of the Constitution. What a carnival trick!

Email Reveals Chummy Relationship between Judge Walker and Winning Attorneys in Gay Marriage Case

Pope Francis: Meditation on Holy Week

Brothers and sisters, good morning!

I am pleased to welcome you to my first general audience. With deep gratitude and veneration I am taking up the "witness" from the hands of my beloved predecessor, Benedict XVI. After Easter we will resume the catechesis on the Year of Faith. Today I would like to focus a little on Holy Week. With Palm Sunday we began this week - the center of the whole liturgical year - in which we accompany Jesus in His Passion, Death and Resurrection.

But what does it mean for us to live Holy Week?

Just who is Notre Dame's "lady?"

University of Notre Dame Looks to Hire LGBTQ Director

Notre Dame used to honor the Blessed Mother. Her image towers over the campus. But these days Notre Dame's "lady" is more likely to be a lesbian. It's time for someone to mount the dome and remove the statue there. Not only is Mary's presence a lie, since the university honors neither her nor her son, but it is also a blasphemy in view of the numerous scandals perpetrated by the administration. Their actions are the equivalent of plastering Mary with elephant dung like the notorious blasphemous art work.

But what is worse in God's eyes? For a secular, unbelieving bigot to desecrate an image of Mary or for a prestigious, well-known Catholic university run by men whose order is named for Mary's Son Jesus to promote perverse lifestyles,  celebrate lewd sex, and honor those who advocate murdering the innocent? I don't think that question is hard to answer. Jesus always held the Israelites to a higher standard because they were His chosen own.

And the writing is already on the wall that Notre Dame will cave on the HHS contraceptive mandate. Fr. John Jenkins chortled in February over President Obama's bogus "compromise" which was nothing of the sort. Does anyone really believe the Notre Dame administration will fight for a faith they already treat with contempt? And many Catholic schools caved long ago.

Tonight I watched A Man for All Seasons. I had a different feeling about the movie than I've ever had before. We are living it. Not only does our Church in the United States lack men like Thomas More who stand for the truth, but many are clones of the pathetic little swine Richard Rich who perjured himself for Wales. How many men like Fr. Jenkins at Notre Dame will sell themselves to party with the powerful and pander for federal money? We live in tragic times. But nothing's new under the sun. Fr. Jenkins reminds me of Richard Rich. His duplicity during the Obama commencement debacle and his vicious treatment of the protesters known as the Notre Dame 88 speak for themselves. Pray for him and other clerics of his ilk who bring such disgrace on our beloved Church.

Caiphas? No...Cardinal Dolan who Loves the Rich and Powerful

...and in Holy Week no less. "Boot-licking and lap-dogging" Dolan supporters will no doubt make excuses as they did when he honored Obama at the Al Smith dinner. How low can this prince of the Church go? When Jesus castigated the "hypocrites" and "whited sepulchres" he wasn't just talking about the pharisees of his day, he saw all the heretical and apostate clerics marching in lockstep down the centuries assisting the blood sacrifice of abortion and the perversion of sodomy. Maybe it's time for a GAP project outside St. Patrick's Cathedral.



"The most evident mark of God's anger, and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world, is manifest when He permits His people to fall into the hands of a clergy who are more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds. They abandon the things of God to devote themselves to the things of the world and, in their saintly calling of holiness, they spend their time in profane and worldly pursuits. When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people and is visiting His most dreadful wrath upon them." Saint John Eudes

About Marriage: Two Pictures Worth Two Thousand Words!

Will we sink deeper into the sulphur pit or will the Supreme Court uphold the sanctity of marriage?

Florida Atlantic University Apologizes for "Stomp on Jesus" Inciident

Once again, an event illustrates the power of one. ONE student (that we know of) stood up and refused to participate in the offensive violation of his religious rights. God bless this Mormon student. (Were there no Catholics in the class?) Stand up for the truth and for the respect our Lord and Savior deserves. And never underestimate the impact of one bold warrior for the truth!

Read more here.

It didn't hurt that Republican Governor Rick Scott got involved! Of course, this was no doubt a political blessing for him since the professor, Deandre Poole, is vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party -- nothing like a rep from the "party of sensitivity and tolerance" exhibiting insensitive intolerance. But how stupid can the professor be not to recognize such an act was likely to cause a firestorm? Suppose the student had asked the professor if he could write Martin Luther King on the paper? Or Allah? Or Ghandi? The exercise was obviously bigoted. So where was the professor's brain? Or has anti-Christian bigotry become so second nature to liberals that they are too blind to see it?

If you've ever seen the film Life is Beautiful, you may recall the Nazis using antisemitic and pro-Aryan items in student textbooks. Math word problems disparaged Jews with the stereotype of the greedy Jewish businessman. The classrooms of the U.S. today are following the Third Reich's hellish example as this episode (among many others) illustrates.

Parents, be vigilant, and raise your children to be critical thinkers who never obey an authority that orders something immoral!

Well No Wonder the White House Tours Were Cancelled....

....Don't you lock your house when you go on vacation? Ah...if only the rest of us amongst the hoi polloi of the world had the money and leisure to take all those vacations. What a lovely world it would be!

More than a vacation a month for the first family

Get Ready for Another Roe v. Wade...

...mandating legalization of same sex sodomy as "marriage." Oh yes, we all have a right to define marriage to be whatever we say it is and the Supreme Court is reviewing two cases that could result in  the Roe case for homosexuals who want to play house and call it marriage. The first case is Hollingsworth v. Perry seeking to overturn California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex "marriage." Of course, the Supreme Court in the past had no trouble overturning the will of the people and making their votes irrelevant. They used the "penumbra" of the Constitution to do it and we all know they can find anything they want there to legislate from the bench. The second case relates to the Defense of Marriage Act, a piece of federal legislation protecting marriage that Obama very publicly refused to enforce. So, here we are again, with the courts addressing a moral issue, a sin, that "cries to heaven for vengeance." How will they decide? I'm not optimistic, but perhaps it just means they bring us closer to the day of judgment. As Padre Pio said, "Pray, hope, and don't worry." And remember that "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve according to His purpose." Keep loving the Lord and loving your neighbor and all will be well no matter how bad things look!

What are the cases all about?

Ahead of Supreme Court Arguments, Sunday News Shows Favor Gay Marriage Supporters

Portland Teacher Facing Dismissal for Opposing Planned Parenthood

Do you think he'd be facing dismissal if he had the kids write Jesus on a piece of paper and told them to put it on the floor and stomp on it?

Starbucks Doesn't Want Your Money If You're a Person of Faith...

...so don't give it to them for heaven's sake! Read the article and CEO Howard Schultz's comments here.

If everybody who has traditional values stops buying their over-priced lattes, maybe they'll change their tune. But apparently Schultz is so sure of the way the world is going, he isn't worried. And in view of the growing approval of homosexual sodomy masquerading as marriage, maybe his optimism isn't surprising. But don't despair.

But those of us who believe in God and in God's moral laws choose God over Mammon no matter what the outcome. So Catholics and other people of faith, stop feeding idols! Let's encourage Chick fil A to add coffee drinks to the menu. Give us a choice, Mr. Cathy! And if your only choice is giving up lattes, offer it up for an end to sins of lust!

Why Does DHS Need Weapons of War?...

...unless it's planning a war against the people of the United States.
I'm reposting this without permission of the author, but I suspect he would be happy to see his letter (below) go viral. It is overdue for the Congress to demand answers as to why a homeland organization is stockpiling weapons that before this have been limited to our military fighting foreign wars. Why does DHS need these weapons unless they are planning to use them during the next Waco or Ruby Ridge federal assault against American citizens?



Ret. Army Captain Terry M. Hestilow warns DHS's Arms Build-Up a “bold threat of war” against AmericansSubmitted by Betty Liberty on Sun, 03/24/2013 - 12:08
in Peace / WarTexas

Posted with permission of Ret. Captain Hestilow:

http://imgur.com/a57ICQr

Re: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and that agency's preparation for war against citizens of the United States of America.

To Senator John Cornyn:

The Soviets and Barack Obama

The thing that disturbs me about the story below is that Tom Fife only began telling it in 2010.  At least that's the earliest it seems to appear. Did he reveal it earlier as he saw Obama rising? If not, why not? Would a commie operative really expose so much of the Soviets' plan to an American who might take it to the CIA? Or was she so arrogant she didn't think it would matter?  What's happening in the U.S. today seems to confirm the truth of what he says.... What do you think about this?

Global Elite Picked Obama Long Before Voters

Never Forget: The Soviet War against Religion

Militant atheism such as existed in the former Soviet Union and in other socialist countries like China and Cambodia leads inexorably to murder for no other reason than belief in God. As the persecution against Christians rises in our own country we need to have our eyes wide open to what happened historically in other countries where militant atheists did all they could to annihilate Christianity: the French Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, the Mexican Revolution - all involved the persecution and murder of people of faith. Consider a donation to bring this project to fruition. Those who forget the horrors of history are likely to repeat them.



Read more here.

Sunday Meditation: Poems for Holy Week

I was putting away some books I bought at the library used book sale. ($3.00 a bag!) and found the poetry of Robert Frost. After reading a few of my favorite poems, I got to thinking about Lenten and Holy Week poems. After a little research here are a few to ponder and perhaps delight in. One by a Protestant, one by a martyr-saint, and one by a notorious sinner who repented and entered the Church on his deathbed like the good thief. Isn't God wonderful?

TO KEEP A TRUE LENT.
By Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Debbie Wasserman Schultz Tells Hard Luck Story

Omigosh! The sequester is reducing Congressional staff to near starvation according to Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (D. FL). Aides, she says, are being "priced out" of a good meal which actually costs about the same as McDonalds at the food service spots in the office buildings around the hill.

When my husband was a senior executive working for the Marine Corps, he took his lunch most days. But mayhe those poor Democrat staffers don't know how to make a sandwich, poor things on their $60 - $160 thousand salaries. Next thing we know we'll see soup lines snaking around the Capitol, staffers holding tin cups and fainting from starvation. Is this woman real? Or is she a comedian with a bad writer?

Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Sequester nearly starving staffers

Biden Stays at London, Paris Hotels; Two Nights, $1 Million

He shoulda stayed home and put the money toward reducing the impact of the sequester. Except we all know that the impact of the sequester is nil and just a game played by Democrat politicians. Any suffering is deliberately inflicted on the peasants by our American nobility. Does anyone think Nancy Pelosi will see a reduction in her expense account? As for Joe, I can almost hear him say, "The people cry for bread, let them eat cake."

Read the Tale of Two Mothers...

...and ask yourself whom you would rather resemble - Andrea Bomberger who vowed as a little girl to love the unwanted or Margaret Sanger whose whole adult life was committed to eliminating the unwanted whom she considered "unfit."

Read Andrea's Story told by one of her adopted sons. I guarantee you will be uplifted and inspired. Thank you, Lord for men and women like Andrea and her husband who gave so many "unwanted" little ones a happy Christ-centered family!

Stomp on Jesus?

A Florida university professor instructed a classroom of students to write the name Jesus on a piece of paper, put it on the floor, and stomp on it! I am not kidding. And then, when a student (Mormon) refused, the professor suspended the student from his class. Even more unbelievable...the university backed the professor.

Think about this. Do you think for a minute this professor would tell his students to write the name Allah on the paper or Mohammed or Martin Luther King or Barack Obama? Heck no! That might offend Muslims or blacks. But offending Christians has become a proof of your tolerance and diversity. (Don't ask me to explain it; I can't and liberals never need to explain anything. Being liberal means never having to say you're sorry!) ,

If you find this unbelievable, I don't blame you, but you can read all about it here. This is what passes for education today. Anyone care to join me in shouting, "The emperor is buck naked!" And the professor is an intolerant bigot who should be fired!

Snipping Babies' Spines -- The Ugly Truth of "Safe, Legal" Abortion

There are monsters among us, but you'd never know it from the biased reporting of the mainstream media.

Gosnell Abortion Clinic Worker Admits Snipping Spines of 10 Babies

Big Three Networks Ignore Abortion Doc Who Snipped Babies’ Necks

Hey, revealing the truth about butchers and bottom feeders in the abortion industry might hurt their business and endanger the unholy sacrament of abortion. Spilling innocent blood has always been a mark of the diabolical. Think of Rwanda, the Spanish Civil War, and the continuous genocidal slaughters of the 20th century. One day, we will be condemned as a vile culture that killed its own future, just like we condemn the Aztecs for their bloody sacrifices. May God have mercy on America and put an end to the slaughter of the innocent.

Canon Lawyer Urges Archbishop Cordileone to Withhold Communion

Nancy Pelosi receiving Communion in Rome at the pope's installation where she is no cause celebre is understandable. She Is, after all, as Dr. Ed Peter's says America's problem, not Rome's. But isn't it time that someone cares enough about this obstinate public sinner to warn her -- for the sake of her own soul? Dr. Peters thinks so:

For her sake, therefore, and for those confused by the chronic scandal she gives, Pelosi needs to be formally warned against taking holy Communion for so long as she promotes, as consistent with our Catholic faith, a variety of gravely immoral policies (per cc. 916, 1339); ministers, meanwhile, in her environs need to be directed to withhold Communion from her till advised otherwise by the competent ecclesiastical authority (per c. 915). [i.e., that means Archbishop Cordileone in California and Cardinal Donald Wuerl in Washington, D.C.]

Read more here.

Now, won't it be interesting

The Scandal Continues: Biden and Pelosi Committed Sacrilege at Papal Mass

Well, the White House has confirmed it: Pelosi and Biden went to Communion sacrilegiously at the papal installation Mass. (Huffington Post article.) What I found especially hypocritical, however, was Cardinal Wuerl's statement:

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, part of the conclave that elected Francis, has said he would offer Pelosi communion despite her views on abortion because he didn't believe communion should be used as a weapon. "We never -– the Church just didn't use Communion this way. It wasn't a part of the way we do things, and it wasn't a way we convinced Catholic politicians to appropriate the faith and live it and apply it; the challenge has always been to convince people," Wuerl said in a 2010 interview. His position would logically extend to Biden. The vice president's bishop, Francis Malooly of Wilmington, Del., has also said he would not deny communion to Biden.

Denying Communion to a public heretic (a person who denies at least one doctrine of the Church)

Do Something Beautiful for God Today

Wouldn't that be a lovely daily resolution for the rest of Lent? Here are some suggestions to myself:

Call an ailing elderly relative to say I love you and I'm praying for you. 

Read a story to a grandchild. 

Sing a song of praise to God in thanksgiving for all His blessings. 

Pray a decade of the rosary for each of my nine godchildren. 

Send a note to a friend telling her she's a real blessing to my life.

Richard Dawkins Exposed as Spineless Wimp!

Richard Dawkins has no problem ridiculing the Christian God, but, asked about the God of the Koran, he ducked the question claiming he doesn't know anything about Islam.

Hahahahaha....how dumb does he think we are? Here's the Fraters Libertas take on Dawkins' sudden tongue-tied silence: 

It's funny how these confident, cocksure prophets of atheism-who barely have time to take a breath between slamming the tenets of Christianity and Judaism-often get curiously tongue-tied and shy when the subject of Islam comes up. The idea that Dawkins doesn’t “know so much about” the God of the Koran is absurd. Of course he knows about Islam. And the same disdain and disregard that he has for Judaism and Christianity should surely apply to Islam as well.

The truth is that bashing and mocking Judaism and Christianity

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church

Pray for us!

See more of Michael O'Brien's artwork here.

You Can't Trust the Secular Media to Get It Right - La Republica Article a Case in Point

And often they are irresponsible (and sometimes deliberate) in getting it wrong. The claim that Pope Benedict resigned because of blackmail from an underground homosexual cabal at the Vatican is a case in point. La Republica's article is a classic case of an article based on little information and absolutely no evidence. No one had the dossier, because it was NEVER leaked! But the media made all kinds of assumptions about its content. Ah...speculation is so thrilling and open-ended!

Well, now Fr. Marcel Guarnizo, whose interview with Ignazio Ingrao "sparked" the "media firestorm," wants to set the record straight. All the speculation about "prelates being blackmailed, money being stolen, swirl upon swirl of innuendo and rumors in Rome and around the world" is speculation. "None of this has been verified."

Fr. Guarnizo asks:

If I, as a professional journalist state that prelates are being blackmailed by a gay lobby, does this not presuppose that I know who and why, or at the very least, have sources who have substantiated these allegations before I rush them into print? As a responsible news reporter, am I not compelled to determine that there is some news and not just empty speculation? Am I not morally obliged to determine, when repeating the claims of another publication—such as La Repubblica—that the report it quotes exists, that someone has seen it, and that it says what in fact actual, reliable witnesses purport that it says?

He goes on to describe an interview with the author of the original article who says the secular media frenzy took his original article in a direction he never intended and drew unsubstantiated conclusions.

Media distorting a story? Wow! Wouldn't that be unusual?

See more:
http://vimeo.com/61886628
Fr. Guarnizo interview with author
Death of Journalism at the Irish Times

The Benghazi Cover-up Continues

Check it out here. Why are the survivors being silenced? Do I need to answer that question? Lindsey Graham says the survivor stories are harrowing. It's time to stop the politics as usual cover-up and hold those responsible accountable.

Sequester Doesn't Stop Lavish White House Party

The hoi polloi may be suffering from the sequester (Closed mess halls for our troops being among the most despicable - it's been going for quite awhile!), but you'll never see the Obama's cancel a lavish party or vacation. Check out the St. Paddy's day party.  You can almost hear Michelle saying, "The trooops have no eggs? Let them eat arugula and lobster."

A Reflection on Pope Francis' Liturgical Style

Fr. Longenecker describes our new pope's liturgical style here. And I offer a bit from the article for reflection:

There are a couple of things to remember here. First of all, in the United States the liturgy wars are part of a bigger cultural divide within the American Catholic church. Liberal liturgy very often also means liberal theology. Often the big box Catholic Churches with their praise bands and “gather them in” style are also full of cafeteria Catholics and left wing Obama-voting ideologues, while the traddy congregations are full of right wing members of the John Birch society with “You’ll get my gun when you pry my cold dead fingers from around it” bumper stickers on their cars. (I’m exaggerating to make a point). Naturally, therefore, the liturgy starts being about much more than the liturgy… 

In the developing world however, the more informal modes of worship are much more of a general cultural phenomenon. An informal style there doesn’t necessarily carry all the baggage it does here. Just because a priest, bishop or pope is a bit more informal in his style of celebrating doesn’t mean he is a theological liberal or will compromise the faith. Indeed, everything about Pope Francis indicates that he is not only completely orthodox in theology and moral teaching, but that he has suffered for being so.

Oh Please...Cardinal Mahony Channels the Holy Spirit?

I read Cardinal Mahony's blog now and then for amusement. And now we know he never decided to vote for Cardinal Bergoglio. The Holy Spirit made him do it:

I picked up my pen to write, and I began. However, my hand was being moved by some greater spiritual force. The name on the ballot just happened. I had not yet narrowed my thinking down to one name; but it was done for me. 

I wrote it, then trembled deeply. That's when I knew the Holy Spirit was fully working within the Church of Jesus Christ, and that my role was not to "select" the new Successor to Peter, but to "write down" his name--a name that had been given to me.

On the Other Hand...

I feel a little like Tevye these days with all the conflicting reports of Pope Francis. A traditional blogger says we can't trust him because Mahony is so enthusiastic about his election. But then I read that the orthodox Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet threw his support to Cardinal Bergoglio during the conclave to secure his election. On the one hand, his ecumenical activity is criticized as syncretism, but on the other hand the Eastern Orthodox patriarch will attend the installation, the first that time has happened since the Eastern and Western Churches split in schism nearly 1,000 years ago. Traditionalists are upset about what they describe as Pope Francis' hostile reception to Summorum Pontificum, but, on the other hand, Robert Moynihan shared correspondence with a friend from Argentina who said it was permitted and any problems were due to priests who weren't trained to say it properly.

We are living in interesting and often confusing  times which brings me back to my friend Tevye, a kind of everyman, who constantly converses and sometimes remonstrates with God. One statement seems appropriate for our own times.

"Sometimes I think, when it gets too quiet up there, You say to Yourself, 'What kind of mischief can I play on My friend Tevye?'"

The difference between our mischief and "God's mischief" is that His always has a purpose and is always for our good.

News on Tuesday's Papal Installation Mass

Robert Moynihan reports on it here. Check out the Mass booklet here. Lots of Latin and the Credo I sang in choir as a youngster. Oh, this will bring back fond memories. I can still sing that Latin Credo although I don't get many opportunities to do it. The Roman Canon is also in the program to link up this Mass with the history of our faith remembering especially the long line of Roman martyrs which included all of the earliest popes. I expect this to be a solemn and beautiful liturgy. Let us pray it is not marred by the scandal of Catholic heretics Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden receiving Communion sacrilegiously. Our Lady, Queen of the Church, pray for us.

Pope Francis Has a Past and We Should Recognize It

I have high regard for Marielena Montesino de Stuart and her reporting.

Each of us has a personal history that tells something about us. Marielena's article below serves as a curriculum vitae of Pope Francis, although a partial one. It is better to enter this time with eyes wide open. Ignorance and naivete are not virtues. Let us pray for Pope Francis and our Church.

FRANCIS (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) an Argentinian Jesuit from "the end of the world"-- may end up taking you there...

Obama Sells Access to the Rich, Shuts Out the Poor

White House tours close, but presidential dog-walker and calligraphers continue. The rules of the sequester game include shutting down things that will inconvenience the hoi polloi while continuing to cater to the rich and famous. We've seen it before. Budget measures that include: closing and reducing hours at DMVs, shutting rest stops on interstates and turnpikes, reducing post office hours, and generally anything that makes people upset. It's a political trick that both parties practice, but the Dems are EXPERTS! Remember Jimmy Carter shutting off the monument lights? How come they never cut the bridges to nowhere, the Hollywood special deals, and the other pork? Easy...it might stop their political donations. It's Monday and business as usual inside the Beltway!

I'm a Lloyd Marcus Fan

He's a black man with common sense who refuses to follow the "Vote for Obama because he's black" crowd.

My Black Family

Obama's election is one of the most racist events in U.S. history. The only reason he's in the White House is because he is black. And he's not even descended from black slaves. Rather, his roots are among the black slave traders. As Marcus points out, Obama is at war with black family values and he is actually a proponent of black genocide. Anyone who endorses abortion favors the annihilation of blacks who represent only 12% of the population but have nearly 40% of the abortions. If you have an elementary understanding of math, you can easily see that abortion discriminates heavily against blacks. And it's certainly no accident, since organizations like Planned Parenthood locate their abortion mills in minority areas.

Please pray for smart black men like Lloyd Marcus, Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, and Ben Carson that they will influence their own families and other blacks to wake up and smell the bigotry.

I always found it ironic when I was sidewalk counseling to have the pro-choice bullies calling me a bigot when I was trying to save every single baby targeted for murder regardless of color. Whether the moms were Irish white Catholics, Mexican Hispanics, brown-skinned Middle Eastern Muslims, or Asiatic Oriental Hindus I would do anything to help the moms choose life for their babies. I even talked about fate to the Wiccans. Life is precious and God never made a baby by accident. Some of these godly black men know it and are witnessing to the truth. May their numbers grow to be an army!

Will the Country Return to Common Sense?

Ben Carson for president in 2016!

And Then There are the Concerns about the New Pope

A commentator on one of my blog posts says I've presented an unbalanced picture of the new Holy Father and I probably have because I know little to nothing about him except what I've read in the past few days. But in the interests of balance I'll present this view of Pope Francis' work in Argentina. It does give one pause. And I would say, it also gives one great reason to pray.

The Horror! A Buenos Aires journalist describes Bergoglio

But as the first comment following the article said, "Mastai-Ferretti was a freemason before becoming Pope Pius IX. Point? All this despair is pure folly."

Agreed! Count two ten and say a novena for Holy Mother Church and our new holy father. 

Robert Moynihan on Pope Francis

There's been plenty of commentary on our new pope in the secular media. Don't waste your time on it. They rarely get it right. On the other hand, one of my favorite commentators on what goes on in Rome is the editor of Inside the Vatican, Robert Moynihan. Here's one of his letters written a few days ago that give a multitude of insights into the character of the new pope. Pope Francis sure isn't shy about breaking tradition - from going to pay his own hotel bill to not following the pro-forma act of renaming current Vatican officials to their posts. This pope will certainly be interesting to watch in the days ahead. A few random thoughts that occurred to me while reading Moynihan's letter. 

Pope Francis and the Jesuits

Will Pope Francis rein in the Jesuits?

 Interesting question considering he's one of them. And he's a little hard for them to go after because of his simple and humble lifestyle. But wouldn't it be great to see the new pope go after the horrible scandals at Jesuit schools: performances of the V-Monologues, sponsoring pro-abortion internships, queer film fests, etc. ad nauseum. So...will Pope Francis be able to reform his order and challenge them to renew Catholic education? It would be a tall order, but one for which we can pray.

Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!

Enjoy Atheist Penn Jillette...

...as he puts heretical Catholic, Piers Morgan, to shame.

An atheist can be a truth seeker and this man obviously is one. He respects the internal consistency of Catholic orthodoxy. His logic is impeccable. If we believe that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church, then Catholics (Take note, Piers!) MUST accept what is defined as doctrine. To do otherwise is, as Jillette points out, the position of Martin Luther. So be consistent, Piers. Either stop dissenting and be a real Catholic or go join a Protestant sect. ECUSA (Episcopal Church USA) would fit you nicely and it's strongly linked to the Brits' collapsing Anglican Church. 

Pray for Penn Jillette! His defense of the Church in the video deserves our thanks!

Another Great Story about Pope Francis

I presume everyone has heard that the pope told his flock in Argentina to stay home and give their air fare money to the poor. But did you hear that his shoes were so shabby that, before he left for Rome, friends bought him a new pair? It reminded me of "Fr. Baby Doe," Fr. Norman Weslin who wore both a shabby cassock and shoes held together with duct tape. I like this man's simplicity. Francis is a good name for him.

And now for a little humor.

Cardinals are like "Old Wine"...

....Some gets better with age, but some turns to vinegar and is undrinkable! Cardinal Mahony comes to mind.

Will Pope Francis be the Mouse that Roars?

The blogs are a-twitter with posts about the humble style of our new pope. The photo says it all.

But as I look at our new pope's bold acts condemning abortion and euthanasia, homosexual marriage and adoption, liberation theology, etc. I think perhaps the cardinals have elected the mouse that roars.

I am particularly impressed with his simple lifestyle, something his brothers would do well to imitate.

So let's all pray for Pope Francis. He cares deeply about evangelization and, let's face it, we certainly need that with the sorry state of education among Catholics, many of whom reject fundamental doctrines.

As for the conclave watchers who wanted a new type of pope who would reject everything the Church teaches by approving contraception and abortion, blessing divorce, advancing the homosexual lifestyle, approving women's ordination, and generally turning the Catholic Church into ECUSA (Episcopal Church USA), eat your heart out. This man loves the Church. It ain't gonna happen.

Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of the Clergy, pray for our new Holy Father and for the flock he shepherds.

Some Common Sense From Taylor Marshall on our new Holy Father

Take a deep breath and count to ten! Visit Canterbury.

Traditionalists Express Concern about Pope Francis....

...but that's not the entire story.

Apparently Cardinal Bergoglio was less than friendly to Summorum Pontificum when it was released and refused permission in his diocese for its implementation. Rorate Coeli has carried information on this. But that's not the entire story of this man and one of those commenting, Brian Kopp, (amidst the gloom and doom crowd) had this to say:

I have no concerns whatsoever about the continued growth of the TLM under our new Pope Francis.

One of Cardinal Bergoglio last writings as Archbishop of Buenos Aires

Let's get to know our new pope by reading his words. The text below is from the pope's Lenten message to his flock in Argentina:

Lent is presented us as a shout of truth and certain hope that comes us to say “Yes, it is possible to not slap on makeup, and not draw plastic smiles as if nothing happened.” Yes, it is possible that all is made new and different because God remains “rich in kindness and mercy, always willing to forgive” and He encourages us to begin anew time and again. Today, again, we are invited to undertake a Paschal road toward Life, a path that includes the cross and resignation; a path that will be uncomfortable but not fruitless. We are invited to admit that something inside us isnot going well, (in society or in the Church) to change, to turn around, to be converted.

Today, the words of the prophet Joel are strong and challenging: Rend your heart, not your clothing: be converted to the Lord, your God. These [words] are an invitation to all people, nobody is excluded. 

Rend your heart, not the clothing of artificial penance without [an eternal] future.
Rend your heart, not the clothing of technical fasting of compliance that [only serves to keep us] satisfied. 

Rend your heart, not the clothing of egotistical and superficial prayer that does not reach the inmost part of [your] life to allow it to be touched by God. 

Rend your heart, that we may say with the Psalmist: “We have sinned.” 

“The wound of the soul is sin: Oh, poor wounded one, recognize your Doctor! Show him the wounds of your faults. And, since from Him our most secret thoughts cannot hide themselves, make the cry of your heart felt [to Him]. Move him to compassion with your tears, with your insistence ¡beg him! Let Him hear your sighs, that your pain reaches Him so that, at the end, He can tell you: The Lord has forgiven your sins.” (St. Gregory the Great) 

This is the reality of our human condition. This is the truth that approaches authentic reconciliation between God and men. This is not a matter of discrediting [one's] self-worth but of penetrating, to its fullest depth, our heart and to take charge of the mystery of suffering and pain that had tied us down for centuries, for thousands of years, [in fact,] forever.
Rend your hearts so that through this opening we can truly see. 

Rend your hearts, open your hearts, because only with [such a] heart can we allow the entry of the merciful love of the Father, who loves us and heals us. 

Rend your hearts the prophet says, and Paul asks us – almost on his knees – ”be reconciled with God.” Changing our way of living is both a sign and fruit of a torn heart, reconciled by a love that overwhelms us. 

This is [God's] invitation, juxtaposed against so many injuries that wound us and can tempt us temptation to be hardened: Rend your hearts to experience, in serene and silent prayer, the gentle tenderness of God. 

Rend your hearts to hear the echo of so many torn lives, that indifference [to suffering] does not paralyze us. 

Rend your hearts to be able to love with the love with which we are beloved, to console with the consolation with which we are consoled and to share what we have received. 

The liturgical time the Church starts today is not only for us, but also for the transformation of our family, of our community, of our Church, of our Country, of the whole world. They are forty days so that we may convert to the same holiness as God’s; that we become collaborators who receive the grace and the potential to reconstruct human life so that everyone may experience the salvation which Christ won for us by His death and resurrection.

In Case You Missed It...

Habemus Papam! You certainly get a sense of the excitement of the crowd as they see the white smoke and wait to meet the new pope. The pope comes out on the balcony late in the tape and speaks in Italian to the crowd below. It really is a lovely moment.



And now we begin to find out who Pope Francis is. Will he imitate his namesake and "rebuild the Church?" Watch the papal liturgy next Tuesday on the Feast of St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, for a good indication of what his election means for us. The Eucharistic liturgy is central to the faith. Let's pray that what we see next week reveals a man committed to the sacred liturgy.

Here are ten fast facts about the new pope.

Keep praying!

Could Benedict Be Reelected?

Another interesting article from the "Quo vadis" file. Robert Moynihan's letters are always interesting and this one is especially so. He knows the Vatican inside, as Editor of Inside the Vatican, and out. If you haven't signed up to receive his letters, I recommend you do. They are always fascinating.

Catholics and Same-Sex Marriage

We see a lot of claims that Catholics support same-sex marriage. What about Catholics who take the faith seriously, i.e., attend Mass regularly? A recent poll showed that those who attend Mass weekly and are registered to vote oppose same-sex marriage by 55% vs. 36% who support it. Badly or non-practicing Catholics, on the other hand, support same-sex marriage 63% to 29%, which just goes to show that being in the habitual state of mortal sin (missing Mass on Sunday without a serious reason is a MORTAL, i.e.  sin) makes you stupid. Anyone who can't tell the difference between the uses of the reproductive system vs. the excretory system and uses the one as if it's the other is not only stupid, but exposing himself to disease.

So let's hear it for keeping a clear head by attending Mass every Sunday (more often if possible) and for conforming our minds and hearts to God instead of to the prince of this world whose name is Lucifer! Lucifer loves same-sex marriage because it not only contributes to physical death, but spiritual death as well. As St. Paul says, "One sees in them (i.e., those who "gave up natural intercourse with women and burned with lust for one another") men without conscience, without loyalty, without affection, without pity....Your hard and impenitent heart is storing up retribution for that day of wrath when the just judgment of God will be revealed."

Lent is a good time to repent. Please pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy often this Lent for yourself and for those immersed in habitual mortal sin. Think of the joy in heaven if your prayers and sacrifices are the source of bringing a poor sinner to repentance and salvation. Lord Jesus, have mercy on poor sinners!

Happy Birthday to Alice von Hildebrand!

...who turned 90 today. Visit the von Hildebrand Legacy Project and discover the wonder of both Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand and their contributions to the Church.

Praise God Squared!

Quadruplets turn one. Mom refused abortion or selective reduction!

One Type of Secession that seems to be Working

Suburbs Secede from Atlanta

Sounds like common sense to me. Let the corrupt cities reap what they sow.

Napolitano on U.S. drone program: "It's a crime for you...to lie to the government...

...why isn't it a crime for the government to lie to us?....When the president thinks he can willy nilly use drones however and whenever and against whomever he wishes and then lie about it, we have a problem....The legal justification [for drones] was hogwash!"  More here.

Why Does DHS Need 2700 of These?

Where do you think DHS plans to use these armored vehicles? New York City? Chicago? L.A.? Your home town? It's pretty clear, the government is preparing for civil unrest. You almost get the sense they are looking forward to it! They have contracted for 1.6 BILLION rounds of ammo in the next few years. Is it plausible that all those rounds are needed for target practice? And what do you think of those "targets" in my previous post? I'm a pacifist by nature and I trust in God not guns, but anyone with eyes can see that the most dangerous assault on the U.S. at present is from our own government. When talking too much about the Constitution makes you a suspected terrorist or asking police their authority for stopping you at a random check point or belonging to a "hate group - Christian identity," or "violent anti-abortion extremism" whatever that means, or using cash (all these categories are included in FBI flyers, more) it's pretty likely that almost any citizen can fit their definitions.

You're Under Surveillance

Whoa! Technology can be a great benefit, but it can also be used by tyrants to dissolve all your rights. This video presents some chilling information about the current state of the government using illegal surveillance to collect information about innocent Americans. As one of the reporters says, we are already in a police state, a "soft" police state. Much information is being gathered illegally not only by government, but also by private agencies. Using the "war on terror" and "national security" and unconstitutional provisions like the Patriot Act, the government is militarizing domestic law enforcement and appears to be preparing for citizen opposition with massive ammo buys and targets that show average citizens: pregnant women, children, the elderly, etc. The first way to fight is to pray, the second is to do the duties of your state in life, the third is to resist the unconstitutional attacks by government. Watch this for an eye-opening look at how close we are to tyranny.

Pope Benedict's Final Tweets

It's not too surprising that the pope's final messages to the world talked about the joy of knowing and loving Jesus Christ. God bless our pope emeritus. May his final days, months, and years bring him the joy he wishes to others. Arrivederci, Papa Benedict!

Feb 27 
"If only everyone could experience the joy of being Christian, being loved by God who gave his Son for us!"

Feb 28
"Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives."

Pray this Daily for the Cardinals in Conclave

Conclave Novena Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send down your Spirit over the conclave. Let the Holy Spirit inspire the hearts of the cardinals, that they may choose the man most pleasing to You, as Successor of Peter and Your Vicar on Earth. May Mary, Your Mother and Mother of the Church, be our Advocate. Amen.

The Papal Conclave...

...to start on Tuesday. Pray hard!

When Was the Last Time You Were Stopped at an Unconstitutional Checkpoint?

Every now and then I get stopped on my own street for a license check. I sympathize with the police officers. I suspect they are looking for illegals. There are many in this area because of the chicken packing plants in the valley. Nevertheless, what they are doing is an unconstitutional violation of the fourth amendment that protects us from "unreasonable search and seizure...and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause." So I think I will respectfully decline next time I get stopped. It's time to stop cooperating with the unconstitutional infringement of our rights.

Should Obama Be Able to Kill American Citizens....

...on his own authority and without due process. Eric Holder says he has the authority. But if a president can target an American citizen for death, and send a drone to kill him, why can't he send officers to arrest him? Our Constitution demands due process? No president has the right to kill citizens without trial. This is tyranny plain and simple and it bodes ill for the future if Congress does nothing to stop it.

We've already seen Americans murdered on our soil when the Clinton administration committed atrocities at Ruby Ridge and Waco. Enough is enough!

Eric Holder says Obama can use drones to kill U.S. citizens on American soil.

Too Funny...But Is It True? I Doubt It.

This video reminded me of the reason I began home schooling...not because the parochial school (where I was teaching) was bad, but because of the family breakdown and what it was doing in the classroom. It also reminded me of one really obnoxious parent who, whenever you tried to talk to her, lashed out in anger to blame the school (or me) for her child's problems. She wasn't the least bit interested in solving them, only in justifying herself. Fortunately, most of the parents were not like her or it would have been a very loooong year.

.

Two Mothers Who Died for the Faith

I've often heard people complain that there are so few lay women who are saints. But today, the feast of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, we celebrate two Roman martyrs, both mothers, who were killed in the early persecution of the Church (203 A.D.) under Septimus. The courageous women, one a member of the nobility and one a slave were sisters in suffering. They faced wild beasts in the arena, but the crowds called for an end after the two women were thrown by a rabid heifer. They were then executed by having their throats cut. Both left behind infants. Felicity's baby daughter was born only two days before her execution and adopted by a Christian woman. How their motherly hearts must have suffered for their children! And yet, they encouraged others to stand firm in the faith. They are the patrons of mothers separated from their children both by death and other circumstances like war and persecution.

St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, please intercede for all mothers, especially the mothers of aborted children whose separation from their little ones involved cooperating in deliberate murder. Help them to repent and to embrace Perpetua's last admonition to her brother to "stand firm in the faith and love one another." St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, pray for us.

Petty Despot Obama Cancels White House Tours

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From the Family Research Council: Petty Despot Residing in the "Peoples' House" Locks 'Em Out! Cancels tours but not his pricey vacations or his administration's boondoggles.

The Golf War
March 6, 2013 - Wednesday

Most Americans already felt locked out of the White House on an ideological level--and now they're being physically shut out too! Determined to manufacture some kind of crisis in the sequester, President Obama is canceling White House tours before D.C.'s busiest tourist season. Due to "staffing reductions," senior officials say, the White House no longer has the ability to accommodate the taxpayers footing its bills.

The decision grabbed headlines, as it was designed to do, but mainly for the pettiness motivating it. The "people's house" is now the President's pawn in a PR battle to prove that the administration wasn't exaggerating the effects of the sequester's automatic cuts. Most conservative members are blasting the move--and rightly so. If the situation is dire enough to cancel White House tours, why isn't it dire enough to cancel the President's multi-million dollar vacations or the government's extravagant conferences? The President is willing to inflict pain on eighth graders, says the Wall Street Journal, while Agriculture officials drink their way through California wine country on the taxpayers' dime. Politico found at least six times where the President stretched the truth to try to create fear about the sequester.

And at least one Congressman is sick and tired of the White House's charade. Yesterday, our good friend Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) filed an amendment that would have given the President a taste of his own medicine. As part of the continuing resolution to fund the government, or CR, Gohmert took a swing at the President's golf game by asking the House to block our "green" from the putting greens. Under his measure, no public funds could have been spent transporting the President or Secret Service to a golf course until he lifts the ban on White House tours.

Unfortunately for Louie, House leaders, who had promised a more "open Congress" than the last few, were too busy blocking all amendments to give the proposal a chance. To the disappointment of FRC and the thousands of Americans who've lost their most basic freedoms under ObamaCare, House Republicans pushed for a "closed rule" on the six-month government funding extension. That means no amendments--including Rep. Gohmert's--were considered along with the CR.

RedState's Erick Erickson was one of the many frustrated bystanders. "This is a vote that will allow Republican leaders to bring to the floor of the House of Representatives the continuing resolution without having to deal with Congressman Gohmert's amendment," he writes. "It will also prevent Republicans from being able to defund Obamacare"--or protect the religious freedom or rights of conscience of those subject to it. Instead, the GOP leadership did what it's done for the last several months: continued pushing off legislation that addresses one of their base's major concerns. And since the CR is one of the year's few must-pass bills, the leadership is offering no real pathway forward for measures like Rep. Diane Black's (R-Tenn.) Health Care Conscience Act. Attaching it to the CR would have been one way to guarantee a vote on Black's language in the Senate. Now conservatives are left wondering what options remain for language that 76% of the public support.

Fortunately for the GOP, there was at least one piece of good news from "snowquestered" Washington. Despite two tries, the President's pick for the D.C. Circuit Court, Caitlin Halligan, failed to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to consider her nomination on the Senate floor. After packing the bench with extremists, the President will be short at least one anti-marriage, anti-gun, pro-abortion activist judge. Thanks to all of you who contacted your senators and asked them to vote no on Halligan. Together, we can make a difference.

My Old Parish Continues to Outdo Itself!

We lived in Alexandria and attended St. Louis Church for about 28 years. I was the pro-life coordinator there for a long stint. All five of our children attended the school and three graduated from it. I even taught in the school for a year before deciding to home school the two youngest because of the breakdown of the family and what it was doing in the classroom.

But I loved the parish and the school and I am so pleased to see that they are still so active in promoting the faith and teaching the children about the faith in such creative ways. The photo below is on their website showing the "cardinals" in conclave to elect the next pope. Most of the boys were altar servers and perhaps one day a few may actually be wearing roman collars (and cardinals robes?). Congratulations to the pastor, principal, faculty, and parents who arranged all this -- and, of course, to the children. What a perfect teaching moment! And don't you just love the Swiss guards?

When Will the Conclave Begin?

The cardinals of the world continue to gather in Rome.

One hundred fifteen will ultimately participate in the election of the new pope, although several dozen non-voting cardinals will attend. Scotland's disgraced cleric, Cardinal Keith O'Brien has recused himself saying he will withdraw from public life and the Cardinal from Jakarta, 78-year-old archbishop emeritus Julius Riyadi Damaatmadja, SJ, will not attend for health reasons which reduced the 117 electors to 115. The start of the conclave is still undetermined as the cardinals hold preliminary meetings.

Meanwhile,

Bury the Dead, A Corporal Work of Mercy

In Lent we remember the passion and death of Our Blessed Lord. Somehow, funerals during this time seem to me to share in a special way in the death of the Lord. That's how I felt this morning at the funeral of a dear man who was a deacon at our parish until he retired a few years ago. He was 87 and a veteran of World War II and the Battle of Iwo Jima. The closing hymn from the service was taken from the Navy Hymn, the verses relating to Marines. I heard that same hymn at my own father's funeral in 1985. He also was a World War II veteran and a survivor of Pearl Harbor. These two men were linked across the years by their service to God and country. It is comforting to think of the veterans meeting together to share stories and pray for their families still on earth. Daddy never knew our deacon, but I'm certain they would have liked one another because they were both honest men without guile like that true Israelite Nathaniel whom Jesus saw under the fig tree.

To bury the dead is a corporal work of mercy; to pray for the dead a spiritual one. Tonight I'm offering my rosary for the repose of the soul of the deacon and the comfort of his wife and family. I pray that he will be welcomed into the heavenly banquet where he and my dad will sing the Navy/Marine hymn together. "Eternal Father, strong to save...have mercy on them."

Remember Fr. Kunz

When Fr. Kunz was murdered he was working with Roman Catholic Faithful fighting the homosexual cabal in the Chrurch. Please pray that his murder may finally be solved. He was a good and faithful priest. More here.

Hmm...First Lightning, Now an Earthquake? What are you waiting for?

It begins to look like a real shake-up of the Church! And perhaps a last call for the world!

Earthquake Strikes Near Castel Gandolfo

First lightning strikes St. Peter's dome the day the pope announces his abdication. Now an earthquake between Rome and Castel Gandolfo. What next? Are these the "signs and portents" described in Acts of the Apostles when our first pope preached to the people of Rome on that first Pentecost?

It shall come to pass in the last days, says God that I will pour out a portion of my spirit on all mankind....I will work wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and a cloud of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of that great and glorious day of the Lord. Then shall everyone be saved who calls on the name of the Lord.

Are you calling on the name of the Lord? If not, what are you waiting for? None of us knows the day or the hour of our last opportunity to repent. Remember the people at the time of Noah who were eating and drinking and marrying up til the day of the flood. There's no time to lose. God is calling and watching eagerly for our return  like the Father of the prodigal son. Let's not keep him waiting.

By the way, the full moon the other night was bright red as it rose over the Valley.

Oh Dear....

The Queen of England is in the hospital with a stomach bug. Can one even think of a world without her sitting on the throne of England? I was only 5 or 6 when she became queen. During her reign we have had six popes: Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI. It's likely she'll see a seventh ascend the chair of Peter since her illness doesn't seem to be life-threatening, although at her age (86), any illness is potentially serious. So pray for the queen and for the Catholic Church in her poor country which, like the Church in ours, is under assault, especially from Judases within.

The Supreme Court Pegged It: Obamacare is a Giant Tax Increase

And who do you think will pay the premiums? Do corporations and businesses pay taxes? Heck no! They pass them on to the consumer. And that's exactly what's happening with Obamacare which is a giant tax increase. Already, insurers are being dunned for billions of dollars and they are...guess what...passing those increases on to the insured! Read about it here. And now you know why Obamacare included hiring beaucoup IRS agents as one of its provisions. It was NEVER about healthcare.

And while we're talking about Obamacare consequences have you heard about the 29ers and the significance of 49? Well, folks, employers must offer health insurance to employees who work 30 hours a week or pay severe penalties. So...many businesses are now hiring part-timers, especially fast-food franchises which have a very small profit margin. It's a question of necessity: cut employee hours or go out of businesses.

Other businesses that might expand are keeping their roles at 49 employees, because they are exempt until they hit the threshhold of 50 workers.

So what does all this mean? Small businesses will not expand and offer more jobs and many businesses will eliminate fulltime employees. Thank you, Obama, for killing jobs, hurting workers, and raising the cost of health insurance. The average family will see an increase of $300 this year with an even bigger increase next. And you liberals thought Obamacare would be free. But...maybe you can still get a free cell phone.

Senior Boomers Take Note! The Chickens Come Home to Roost!

Hospital Readmissions Penalized

All the seniors who voted for Obama because of health care promises will be getting some very rude surprises! Seniors are among patients most likely to be readmitted to hospitals after major surgeries and other conditions. But hospitals are on notice that they'll be penalized for readmissions and some are already experiencing it. How eager do you think those facilities will be to readmit seniors for a complication related to a previous admission no matter how sick they are? (Take two aspirins and go to bed and call the local funeral home.)

I am tempted to ask, shouldn't decisions about treatment be between a patient and her doctor? Why should a government board have any right to look over the doctor's shoulder? But let's face it, Obamacare is not about what's best for the patient -- it's about imposing socialized medicine on the country. And some patients will be more expendable than others. Better take your vitamin D3 and stay healthy, because it's "Sayonara, Seniors!" for you if you get sick.

Ah well, it was the baby boom generation who welcomed the sexual revolution, feminism, the drug culture, and the ridicule of godliness and patriotism. Those chickens are now coming home to roost. Repentance anyone?