She Said She Couldn't Wait Until We All Die

The demonic hatred and rage was truly amazing

There I was at work last Thursday minding my own business when I looked up and saw a girl about age 22 needing help with her credit card. The man in line ahead of her was from Virginia and mentioned the constant traffic backups in Washington, DC and how that same problem has followed him here to Florida. 

The girl picked up on the tail end of the brief conversation and said, "Well, I wish I were there right now. I'd love to join the protest." The conversation went like this:

Words, words, words!

King Haakon VII

My mom was a dictionary reader. I don't read a physical dictionary much. Why would I when so much information can be accessed on-line? I do like to look up the etymology of words however. And sometimes I get curious about things -- like words that develop from people's names. There's a word for those words: eponyms! 

We were watching a film the other day about the Nazi invasion of Norway, The King's Choice. Fascinating movie with plenty of historical information. (Prepare for a digression.) I never knew, for example, that the king of Norway was elected by the people. He was actually a prince of Denmark, Prince Carl, but when Norway separated from Sweden and the king of Sweden voluntarily abdicated, Norway asked him to become king. He only agreed if the people wanted to continue the monarchy rather than choose a republic. They voted to keep the monarchy and he ascended the throne in 1905 choosing a historic Norwegian name, King Haakon VII. 

A good quote to meditate on. Keep the faith!

“The Magisterium of the Pope and of the bishops has no authority over the substance of the Sacraments. Therefore, no synod – with or without the Pope – and also no ecumenical council, or the Pope alone, if he spoke ex cathedra, could make possible the ordination of women as bishop, priest, or deacon. They would stand in contradiction to the defined doctrine of the Church. “It would be invalid,” - Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller

Think about that when the synod starts spouting heresy and taking the local churches in various places into schism.

Propaganda Isn't Necessarily a Dirty Word! Truth vs. Deception!

John Steinbeck wrote The Moon Is Down as a propaganda novel during World War II. (See my original post about it here.) The book was almost immediately made into a film which was released in 1943. I watched the movie last night and in the credits was a note that war bonds could be purchased in the theater. Interesting bit of trivia. 

Monday Meandering Thoughts and Questions

• 

  Bartolome Esteban Murillo

  I'm currently reading The Life and Glories of Saint Joseph by Edward Healy Thompson, M.A. Despite the lack of information about St. Joseph in scripture, the Doctors of the Church, and many spiritual writers have written widely about this silent saint. We know he was the "son of Jacob" from St. Matthew's gospel which gives us Joseph's natural geneology. St. Luke gives us, on the other hand, his legal geneology as the "son of Heli." Both statements are true. He was the natural born son of Jacob, but the legal son of Heli, as his son-in-law. And who was Heli? According to a number of the spiritual writers who take this view, it was Joachim the father of Mary. The names Heli, Eliachim and Joachim are synonymous in scripture. If this view is correct, and the reasoning presented by the author is convincing, then Jacob and St. Ann, Mary's mother and Joachim's wife, were siblings, so Mary and Joseph were cousins. The author believes that the reason for St. Luke's genealogy was to emphasize Mary's genealogy. The book is fascinating and I recommend it for anyone who wants to know St. Joseph better. 

Did the SSPX Really "Cover Up" the Fr. Rostand Case?

We're often given one-sided salacious stories framed in the worst possible light. This is especially true when the source has something to gain from putting the worst construction on the events and then magnifies them. The scandal of SSPX child abuser Fr. Arnaud Rostand is being used, once again, to bludgeon the SSPX. Every reader of the scandal is being led to presume that the leadership of the SSPX covered up Rostand's abuse and moved him around like the McCarrick crowd. After all, that's Fr. Rostand's claim and, of course, this priest abuser couldn't possibly be lying. Remember when McCarrick claimed he was really a good guy and didn't understand why he was being treated so badly? Narcissism is common among both homo and hetero sex abusers. Why would anyone believe anything they said?

God Ordained Science! The "Signs in the Heavens" Lead Us Straight to God!

The scientific facts of astronomy lead us straight to God. Did you watch the solar eclipse with a sense of awe? Listen to this sermon and see how science reveals God. God is the God of science! Those who claim that there is a conflict between religion and science know very little about either religion or science. "Mary reflects the Son." Jesus is symbolized by the sun and Mary by the moon. The moon reflects the light of the sun, like Mary magnifies the Lord. And one little fact of trivia. Many heavenly bodies are named after Jesuit astronomers. Science and the Catholic faith are united because the Creator of the world is the Lord of science. Monks, priests, nuns and Catholic laymen gave us many of the scientific truths we know today. (Check these two sources to be amazed: religious scientists and laymen.) Watch this amazing video and pray for God's great gift to us to be magnified: the faithful and holy priesthood!

 

Never Lose Hope: A Letter from E.B. White

One of the reasons I remain on Facebook despite its censorship and bias is reflected in the beautiful article below that my sister posted on her wall today. In fact, I liked it so much I looked for the source and found the book it came from on Amazon, Letters of Note, compiled by Shaun Usher. Guess what? I ordered the book.

I've always loved Charlotte's Web and The Trumpet of the Swan. Both those children's classics are filled with hope. Charlotte gives Wilbur hope and saves his life. Louis the Swan, born without a voice, finds a way to woo and win Serena as his mate.

In the story of Pandora's Box, when all the evils are released into the world, one little thing remains -- hope. Let's never forget it!

In 1973, E.B. White wrote the following reply to a Mr. Nadeau, "who sought White's opinion on what he saw as a bleak future for the human race."

"Dear Mr. Nadeau:

"The Flies Have Conquered the Flypaper!" The Human Spirit Can Never Be Defeated by Evil!

One of my favorite books is The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck, a novel he wrote as propaganda for the allies during World War II. It tells the story of a little unnamed coastal coal-mining town conquered by an invading force. The enemy have taken over most of an unnamed country across the water from England. I've always thought of it as a village in France, but it could be one of the Scandinavian countries, Norway, Denmark, or Sweden. Steinbeck interviewed many refugees from those countries and used their stories to develop his plot. And the book is a masterpiece in my opinion in both effective propaganda and literary merit. I've listened to the audio book at least half a dozen times and read it as well.

Despite its popularity in the occupied countries of Europe (It was translated, copied, and reprinted in the tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands.), Steinbeck was shocked at the criticism at home. He treated the enemy like human beings rather than cartoon villains. Some thought he was "naive" and the book was too sympathetic to the enemy. On the contrary, it shows how people who are basically decent get caught up in evil, often maneuvered like pieces on a chessboard by godless politicians. Haven't we seen that often enough with the treatment of our own children and grandchildren sent off to fight and die in useless foreign wars? Have you read the book or watched the film, 13 Hours, about the Benghazi debacle? Some things never change!

Murdered by Hospice and Hospitals: It's Happening Before Your Eyes!

Sr. Philip Burle, murdered!

I read years ago about elderly patients in the Netherlands who feared they would be euthanized if they went into the hospital. It was a reasonable fear. "Termination of life without request" is not a rare situation. It is increasing in every country that promotes assisted suicide. And too often the deliberate murder of the patient is involved even when they desire to live. 

The Bioethics Observatory of the Catholic University of Valencia has a number of alarming articles exposing the increasing incidence of deliberate euthanasia of patients. You can read some of them here. While the high profile cases make the news, most of those hastened to the morgue are invisible.

Sr. Dede Byrne saw her close friend, Sr. Philip Marie Burle, medically murdered. She vowed to expose what happened and worked with others to create a film outlining the last days of Sr. Philip Marie. Watch the trailer No Mercy: The Catholic Culture of Death. You can also request to join the group, Murdered by Hospice. More and more families are experiencing the government-incentivized murder of their loved ones by stealth euthanasia. Please share information about this documentary with others, especially those with loved ones in nursing homes or hospice. 

More on Dignitas Infinita: Is It the Prelude to the Denial of Hell?

At yesterday’s press conference on “Dignitas Infinita”, I asked DDF Prefect Cardinal Fernández: “If man has infinite dignity, how can he be condemned to the eternal suffering of Hell? And why are original sin and its effects never mentioned in the document?” His response below: pic.twitter.com/6odajldIq7

— Diane Montagna (@dianemontagna) April 9, 2024

(To see the statement enlarged click on it and it will open in a new window. Then click on the text.) 

Years ago on a Cursillo weekend, I spent several hours in the stairwell late at night discussing hell with a young woman who didn't believe there was a hell or, if there was, that no one went there. At the end of the evening, she had changed her mind.

Dignitas Infanita: "as Hollow as a Sounding Brass or a Tinkling Cymbol"

Does Francis respect the human dignity of all,
or are some animals more equal than others?

Another day, another Vatican document. This one says more by its grave omissions than by its content.

The introduction to the article about Dignitas Infanita (DI) at  Voice of the Family offers a sad commentary on the state of the Vatican's pronouncement: 

...the failure of Cardinal Fernandez to identify the worldwide promotion of the contraceptive mentality, as well as its logical extension, the homosexualist agenda, as a grave threat to human dignity leaves the words of his landmark Declaration ringing as hollow as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

I agree! Contraception is the root of many of today's sexual sins, which threaten the dignity of everyone, especially our youth. The article goes on: 

Expect to Be Sicker, Dumber, and Less Safe Thanks to DEI Tyranny!

Near misses and close calls in the air are on the rise! Could DEI be the reason?

When you call a plumber or hire a mechanic, or someone to build your house, do you care what color his skin is or just how good he is at his job? The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) crowd care. That's why the woman who runs the Department of Energy has almost no background in anything that matters. A soil geologist with no expertise in physics, no knowledge of nuclear power is running the nation's science programs. What is she good at? Wokism illustrated by puplishing on things like "A Critical Feminist Approach to Transforming Workplace Climate." Yikes! Here appointment testifies to the stupidity of the DEI tyranny! We can all look forward to being sicker, dumber, and less safe thanks to DEI!

Live a Real Life not a Virtual LIfe on the Internet!

All it takes is a click to enter the virtual world of gaming instead of living!

A few weeks ago I posted the Les Femmes lead article from the winter edition about screen addiction. You can check it out here. (Part 1, Part 2)  After the print issue went out (I send it to all the priests in the diocese.), I received a message from a friend, a pastor at a large parish who outlined his own personal experience with a teenager in crisis. 

The Annunciation and the Solar Eclipse -- Just a Coincidence -- or a God Incidence?

"And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." [Rev 12:1]

Interesting, isn't it? The Feast of the Annunciation was moved from its normal date of March 25th because of Holy Week and Easter Week. That change in date to April 8th put the feast on the same day as the solar eclipse.

A Message from the Real Mother Cabrini about Faith, Family, and Country

I did not like the film about Mother Cabrini which missed the essence of her humble and obedient nature and her intense love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As portrayed in the movie, she seemed more in love with herself and her vision than with Christ.

Despite the saint's firmness when following God's will, she was a profoundly humble and obedient religious who treated others with respect. I particularly disliked the screaming scene in the movie where she insulted the fictional mayor's fictional assistant. What a slander against a holy woman who wished to model herself on Our Lady!

The Answer

Got Gratitude? It Does a Body Good!

My Thanksgiving cactus bloomed abundantly at Thanksgiving. It continued to bloom at Christmas. The show continued in celebration of Easter and there is no sign that it is giving up yet. New blossoms continue to form. This has never happened before and I've had this plant for at least a decade. This morning I was reflecting on why I am being so blessed with continuous blooms and I decided that the Lord is giving me a metaphor through this gorgeous cactus.

It's all about gratitude!

God’s Time Isn’t Our Time

A friend gave me a subscription to a Scripture study site for Christmas. I’m doing the introductory course on the Old Testament. A dozen lessons in, one thing particularly strikes me. God’s time is not our time. God makes a promise and then He waits and watches. 

"A Liturgy from Hell"? Traditionis Custodes Cannot Suppress the Traditional Latin Mass

As regular readers know, I'm a big fan of Chronicles Magazine. The February issue included an article by George Kendall an octagenerian who grew up with the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), but "for much of his life...has been a conservative Novus Ordo (NO) Catholic." Kendall's article, A Liturgy from Hell, illustrates his return to tradition and the realization that the liturgical chaos after Vatican II decimated Holy Mother Church. He laments the fact that "...our hierarchy was foolish enough, all those years ago, to twist a great parable, selling the pearl of great price in order to buy a truckload of trash chosen by committee."

Whoa! Let me pause here to emphasize that the NO, although seriously deficient and more Protestant than Catholic, is a valid Mass. I hesitate to call it a "truckload of trash."

Important Message from Bob Marshall about Protecting Virginia's Children and Parental Rights!

I received the message below today from former Virginia delegate Bob Marshall, a hero for life! We need to stop this evil legislation. Even if you don't live in Virginia, send the governor a message through his chief of staff. Governor Youngkin's resistance to the abuse of children can help parents in other states push back against the mutilation and moral destruction of our children and grandchildren! Please take action!

Write Governor Youngkin:
via his Chief of Staff, Jeff Goettman - Jeff.Goettman@governor.virginia.gov.
or his Policy Director, Ali Ahmad ali.ahmad@governor.virginia.gov to VETO HB 609 and SB 237

Thank you, Delegate Bob Marshall

Governor Youngkin:
Please VETO HB 609 and SB 237 to prevent minor’s access (without parental consent) to Abortifacients, Abortion, Contraception, Sterilization or “Transgender” Drugs. Please include the policy points below in your VETO message for HB 609 and SB 237 to secure public support for your actions!

A Time to Laugh: When Trolls Crawl Out from under their Rocks

A troll dressed like an
angel is still a troll!

I thought I'd repeat this post after reading some comments on a group to which I belong that  discusses the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). I was appalled at some of the unkind and judgmental comments responding to a simple question that could have been answered yes or no. Instead, the writers attacked the motives of the individual illustrating their own sin of rash judgment and an incredible lack of charity. Really? What were you doing in Lent that you responded to a fellow serious Catholic with such sarcasm and vitriol on Holy Saturday. Maybe it's time to go into the silent tomb and lie next to the body of Christ and beg for mercy from His Sacred Heart. We would all do well to spend time doing that. Perhaps the next time I can't sleep at night I will ask my guardian angel to roll back the stone and escort me into the tomb.

At any rate, I wrote this column during the COVID lockdowns as will become apparent as you read it. We all have troll tendencies. I grew up in a sarcastic household and have spent my life trying to purge the temptation to sarcasm from my character.

May all my readers have a blessed Easter week basking in the joy of the risen Christ.

The Church Teaches the Social Kingship of Christ IN THIS WORLD!

Jesus said, "All power is given to Me on heaven and on earth!" We must bend the knee to Christ in this life because he rules over us! The constant teaching of the Church is that states must submit to the rule of Christ the King. Viva Cristo Rey!

He Has Risen As He Said....Alleluia!

Have a blessed Easter basking in the joy of the resurrection. Glory to God in the highest!

Fra Angelico (Italian, ca. 1395–1455), Noli me tangere, 1440–42.
Fresco from the convent of San Marco, Florence, Italy.

A Holy Saturday Sermon from St. John Chrysostom

He descended into hell by Gustave Dore (1832-1883)

I'm breaking my Holy Week silence a few hours early to share a wonderful Holy Saturday sermon sent to me by a dear friend and colleague who used to sidewalk counsel with me at an abortuary in Alexandria next door to Bishop Ireton High School. May it lead us all to a greater sense of gratitude for Christ's monumental event of salvation. The patriarchs and faithful of the Old Testament waited thousands of years to be released from their dark prison as they looked toward the coming of the Savior. May we pray in profound gratitude today and sing Hosannah with them for our release from the devastating consequences of sin!

Transgender Children in the Making

Back when a man was a man and a woman was a woman

Last week I was invited to go with friends to Big Sky, Montana, to their condo at the ski resort. I don't ski but the younger people did while my friend and I (we've known each other since nursery school at age 3 in Old Orlando) sat in the restaurant sipping wine. One day we all took the ski lift to the top of the mountain and ate "linner" (lunch/dinner). Later for dinner we had popcorn, blueberries and cheese. One night after a real dinner of elk ribs we went to the bar next door and had fireball shots. I'd never had those before...they taste like cinnamon. Each night in the evenings everyone played the game of Sequence.

Holy Week: Pick Up Your Cross and Follow the Lord!

Simon Helps Jesus to Carry the Cross -- Titian c.1490-1576

This Lent I made Suffering with a Purpose: How to Turn Failures into Victories and Pain Into Joy, part of my daily meditation. Each chapter focuses on a Station of the Cross. A first reading offered so much food for thought that I began re-reading the book as soon as I finished it. The author, Fr. Hubert Van Zeller, has been like Dante's Virgil to me. I will be praying for him this Holy Week in thanksgiving for his wonderful work of God.

Bishop Schneider: Fiducia Supplicans "is an insult to reason....an abuse."

The first subject discussed in the video below is Fiducia Supplicans, the magisterial document on blessing homosexual and other "couples" in mortally sinful "unions." According to Bishop Schneider, we must protest respectfully and ask the pope to retract the document. 

The interview is amazing. I recommend it. Bishop Schneider is one of the most important and courageous voices in the Church today. He warns us that, "The enemies are not sleeping. The good ones they are sleeping and the enemies are awake and very busy to promote their agenda."

True Confessions from an Addict - Part 2

Read part 1.... 

Certainly, games that glorify killing police are immoral like one I won’t name that shows an officer in a uniform like those worn by Chicago police. The officer is brutally murdered after begging for his life. Other games that offer “decision points” where the player can choose to engage in realistic sodomy or fornication are also sinful. But there is nothing wrong with playing Scrabble on-line any more than pulling out the board and the letter tiles. The question is, do gamers make entertainment an idol?

TRUE CONFESSIONS FROM AN ADDICT - Part 1

From The Truth Vol. 28 #4 Winter 2023-2024, the Les Femmes newsletter  

by Mary Ann Kreitzer

I have a confession to make. I’m an addict. One night recently I spent about four hours feeding my addiction. Every time I finished one hit, I told myself to stop, but I didn’t. “This is ridiculous!” I kept telling myself. But then I started up again. How many fellow addicts imitate me? Probably millions, maybe hundreds of millions.

St. Joseph, Pillar of Families, Pray for Us!

St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, as depicted by one of my favorite artists,
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617 - 1682). St. Joseph, please pray for our families.

 

Sunday Meditation: Need Patience? Contemplate your Savior Scourged at the Pillar!

Flagellation of Christ by Rubens (1577-1640)

“If you need patience...contemplate the mystery of your Saviour scourged at the pillar.

Some people major in the minors over modesty!

I'm a big fan of Dymphna's blog, especially her random thoughts posts. This item caught my eye recently:

A priest posted a photo of his 90 year old mother and asked for prayers because she passed away. One person complained that the mother was wearing pants and chastised the loving son for showing an immodest photo. My brothers, if you experience temptation looking at a 90 year old woman I suggest that you step away from the Internet, possibly forever for any reason other than work, and get yourself to the nearest priest for spiritual guidance because ....something aint right.

I didn't see the picture, but I doubt a 90 year old woman was wearing skin tight pants with a plunging neckline top. 

How Can You Identify a Bad Bishop? Sometimes it's Easy!

 Gustavo García-Siller

Unfortunately, we have numerous examples of bad bishops in this country. That sad situation leads me to shake my head ruefully while reading the quote attributed to St. John Chrysostom:

The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path.

Two weeks ago I did a post about the Archbishop of San Antonio, Gustavo García-Siller, persecuting a good Catholic family and essentially trying to destroy their retreat center (their livelihood) by banning any diocesan events there. It led to groups violating their contractual obligations, an obvious serious moral violation against the eighth commandment, especially with no evidence of wrongdoing. The archbishop violated every Catholic admonition on how to handle disagreements. If you have a mind to, you can read the original post:

Is there no limit on the injustice bishops are willing to inflict on faithful Catholics?

For all the moms and grandmoms walking the Martha path

I had to laugh this morning as I was reading chapter seven of Fr. Scupoli's Treatise on Peace of Soul. He wrote that we should "remain in a state of perfect self-denial like Mary at the feet of Jesus, instead of busying ourselves with many things like Martha."

Put First Things First: Love God and Maintain Your Peace of Soul!

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

One of the books I use for regular spiritual reading highly recommended by St. Francis de Sales, The Spiritual Combat by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli (c.1530-1610). My edition contains an additional work by the priest, Treatise On Peace of Soul. Along with Imitation of Christ, Imitation of Mary, Humility of Heart, and, of course, holy scripture; Fr. Scupoli's books offer a rich feast for meditation.

Our first duty is love of God. Nothing takes precedence over that: not love of spouse, love of children, or apostolic work. Part of that duty is maintaining our peace of soul. And so I offer the following as a thought for the day. I will be reflecting on it during my adoration hour this afternoon as I pray the Stations of the Cross:

God does not dwell in a soul which He does not first inflame with a love of Him and charity for others; for Christ Himself said He came to set the world on fire.

What Kind of Deep Hell Is This?

The Burning Up of God's Image

The Earthly Trinity, the Image of God on earth in which man participates in creation, is the FAMILY - MAN/WOMAN/CHILD. The FAMILY is made in God's Image. 

We've all heard of lesbian "families" but this one is particularly horrifying. As a true story, it's a living example of the demonic destruction of God's Image. 

Let's call our lesbians Mindy and Dee...

What happens when universities abandon the pursuit of truth and instead....

...are "securing brutalism in the world that they were founded to oppose?"

It's a question raised by Jeffrey Tucker in an article in the Epoch Times titled, What Happened to Intellectual Life? In view of the investment parents make in the higher education of their children, it's an important question and Tucker's analysis is spot on.

Sunday Meditation: The Nature of Love

I recently read an article about courtly love in the Middle Ages that began, "Love is the universal feeling." (my emphasis) Is that an accurate statement? If it is, then -- can one also say that "hate" is a universal feeling...or anger...or the desire for vengeance? 

St Issam of Egypt and Companions - 21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya

                                        St Matthew Ayariga      St Issam Baddar Samir                                

"A stopped clock is right twice a day." Bergoglio got it right with the 21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya. I can't say much for Blessed Carlo Acutis and definitely nothing for Servant of God Pedro Arrupe, SJ, but the 21 Coptic Christian men beheaded by ISIS terrorists on the beach at Sirte, Libya deserve to be known saints of the Coptic Church and, yes, of the Catholic Church as well.

Cabrini: A Worldly, One-Sided View of a Saint!

I checked out two reviews of Cabrini before deciding to go see the film for myself. One gave it a glowing review. The Catholic mom called it one of her five top movies of all times. The other, Thomas Mirus at Catholic Culture lamented the almost complete omission of any spirituality. 

Last night I went to see the film and make up my own mind.

I really wanted to like this movie; I didn't.

Flee the Cities!

4th black SE Pennsylvania mass shooting in “less than a week.”
But MSM will not report this.
But if a white person shot 4 MASS Shooting would be everywhere!

Report: 8 Wounded After 3 Suspects Open Fire at Philadelphia Bus Stop https://t.co/iPLRw0Kxgz via @BreitbartNews

— Mr.RCM10001 (@RCM9953) March 7, 2024

This was the fourth shooting in Philadelphia near or on SEPTA buses in ONE WEEK! 

Fiducia supplicans opens a priest to the demonic!

In a recent interview with LifeSiteNews, Kyle Clement, a lay associate and assistant to exorcist, Fr. Chad Ripperger, discussed the dangers of Fiducia supplicans. I've highlighted what I consider particularly important. Let us commit to prayer and fasting for priests. We need holy priests who refuse to be caught up in the insanity of our woke culture and woke cult infecting Holy Mother Church!

FROM THE INTERVIEW

Is Just War Theory Dead? Are Babies Just Collateral Damage?

Bombing of Yassin Mosque in Gaza City --
Are Churches, synagogues, and mosques appropriate targets during wars?

Regular blog visitors know that I'm a big fan of Chronicles Magazine. The January issue ran a sobering article titled Sowing the Seeds of Future Terror by Mark G. Brennan. I recommend it for anyone who is an unbridled cheerleader for Israel's response to the horrible terrorist attack of October 7th. Yes, Hamas deserves our condemnation and Israel has a right to defend herself, but do the peaceful civilians in Gaza, the babes in arms and innocent children, deserve annihilation for the sins of Hamas?

The Cowboy Career of G.K. Chesterton

(Left to right) Lord Howard de Walden, William Archer, J.M. Barrie, G.K. Chesterton and Bernard Shaw, in the middle of making the cowboy film How Men Love. From Peter Whitebrook, William Archer: A Biography

My curiosity over Chesterton continually leads me into highways, biways, and labyrinthian detours. I presented at one of our monthly Chesterton bookclub meetings on Saturday and chose a unique format which hadn't been done before. Not having time to do any serious research, I suggested that, since Chesterton had so many eclectic interests, why not have the book club members share about whatever they happened to be reading. No doubt Chesterton would have been interested in it, since he was interested in just about everything! They could choose anything at all: any genre, any author, whatever. It could even be something they were reading to their children. I love picture books as a matter of fact and, with his love for children and his childlike enthusiasm, I know Chesterton probably did too. After all, his favorite book was The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald. Not only that, but he wrote a book for children called Coloured Lands with stories, poems, and his own drawings.

Is America Collapsing Like this Ancient Barn? It's Not Hopeless!

I love Victor Davis Hanson and enjoy his columns in the Epoch Times and his interviews on TV. We don't agree about everything, but his opinions are so thoughtful and thought-provoking that I always find myself stopping to reflect as I read. The article below is one such thought-provoking, not to mention inspiring articles. Is it a metaphor for our country? I hope so, because perhaps the 1,000 years of survival mentioned by one of the contractors will be our happy fate. Let us pray for our country and all resolve to build on the strength of the past for a solid future, but always according to the will of God. May Jesus Christ be praised!

Ode to a Collapsing Barn.

By: Victor Davis Hanson

 

Part One - February 20, 2024 

Bishop Strickland's Heartfelt Plea to His Brothers in the Episcopate!

I suspect the Vatican had no idea what they were in for when they dropped the nuke on Bishop Strickland. He has become a voice of encouragement and hope for persecuted Catholics. At CPAC recently he had the courage to boldly address the evil of IVF and the terrible consequences for the millions of preborn infants abandoned in the deep freeze. How many bishops will treat that monstrous evil with the same silence they treated Humanae Vitae's condemnation of contraception? Where are the bishops with the courage of the apostles in whose footsteps they supposedly walk. Every bishop can trace his succession back to one of the apostles. Do they mirror their successor's courage and willingness to face martyrdom?

Then a few days ago Bishop Strickland released a letter to all the bishops of the world. John Henry Weston reads the letter in the video below, but I've also included the text below. Pray for Bishop Strickland and all his brothers. We need them to address the crisis in the Church and the world and prepare us for the increasing persecution. May Jesus Christ be praised.

Is there no limit on the injustice bishops are willing to inflict on faithful Catholics?

San Antonio archbishop cancels Catholic family business

The video contains shocking stories. If you watch only one part, look at the treatment of Deacon Gene and his wife beginning around minute 35. It's horrifying what they were put through. Money was apparently more important to the diocese than protecting a victim of sexual harassment. So much for all the lip service!

Be like the Repentant Magdalene! Christ is Waiting for you in the Confessional!

 

Bergoglio Is the New Muhammad

IMPOSTURE
Definition: act or an instance of deceiving others, especially by assuming a false identity 
Similar: pretense, deceit, deception, hoax, trick, ruse, fraud, trickery, artifice, false

Jorge Bergoglio, posturing as the Vicar of Christ, is fast inventing a new religion from the remains of the Catholic Church that he's currently deliberately destroying. Using the Seven Marks of Imposture we see that Bergoglio fits the description of an impostor, picking up pieces of Catholicism here and there and changing them into something else entirely, exactly as his predecessor Muhammad did 1400 years ago. Muhammad was not stopped then, and so far no one has stopped Bergoglio now.

When Doctrine and Scripture are Stumbling Blocks -- Ask for Understanding!

Expulsion of Adam and Eve by Benjamin West circa 1800

I've mentioned before that Larry and I are studying Bishop Schneider's Credo, the Compendium of the Faith for Lent. The other evening we came across a teaching that was one of those difficult ones. It was in Part 1, Chapter 6 #224-226:

#224 -- Is the dignity of the human person rooted in his creation in God's image and likeness?

This was true for Adam, but with original sin the human person lost this resemblance and dignity in the eyes of God. He recovers this dignity through baptism, and keeps it as long as he does not sin mortally.

What are you reading for Lent?

Prayer and study are an important element of the Catholic life, especially during the season of Lent when we are invited to grow closer to the Lord. Since "ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ" obviously it's important to read the Bible. I usually focus on the four passion narratives during Lent and always read Pierre Barbet's meditation from Doctor at Calvary on Good Friday. You can read it free online. 

Do You Want to be Happy for the Rest of Your Life? There's a Way!

Owen Francis Dudley

I've been re-reading Owen Francis Dudley's series on the Masterful Monk which is recommended by Fr. John Hardon in his Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan. Dudley was an Anglican priest who converted to the Catholic Church in 1915 and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1917. Like Anselm Thornton, who became the Masterful Monk of the series, but was a doctor, he served in the British Army (as a chaplain) during World War I and, again like Thornton, was wounded. 

Dudley's series addresses the problem of human happiness. It explores the meaning of suffering and exposes the moral quandary after the war when many rejected the belief that a good God could allow the horrors of trench warfare, poisoned gas, etc. that marked that horrible waste of human life.

Sunday Meditation: How Has Your Lent Started?

Thinking about penance and almsgiving! Charity is better than giving up chocolate!

Meet Fifi LaFoo!

This Lent I'm thinking about penance and almsgiving in a new way. After a homily last Sunday about the Lent's focus being about charity not suffering, I've decided to do penance and almsgiving a little differently. I will still be avoiding sweets and between meal snacks (I'm not much of a snacker anyway.), but I will focus on acts of charity. Sometimes those are harder than skipping the glass of wine or the chocolate bar. And giving up your time to serve someone difficult can certainly be a penance.

Almsgiving is taking on a different look too. Mother Teresa used to talk about the loneliness of many souls and their need for love. I've mentioned my sister, Jeanne, before who is in deteriorating health in a nursing home in Frederick, MD. It's a round trip of over three hours to travel from the Valley for a visit. And I confess, I'm not one of those folks who loves to hop in the car and take a drive. Nevertheless, my husband and I have embraced that trip for Lent increasing our visits from about once a month to once a week instead. We pray several rosaries which makes the trip fulfill all three Lenten practices. It's not an easy visit since my sister is depressed and often hostile and angry. It shows in her treatment of both family and staff. And I confess that I have often let Jeanne's mood and ill treatment infect me with resentment and impatience. Mea culpa. That's when I need to remember that feelings need to be under the control of the intellect and the will, something with which I've struggled all my life.

This Land is Your Land! Pray for her and your local community!

Woodstock, VA historic courthouse

Does it make you angry to see the evil global elitists doing everything they can to destroy not only our country, but all the sovereign nations of the world? Love of your homeland is a virtue.  According to St. Thomas Aquinas it is man's nature to be  a “civic and social animal.” (ST, I-II, 72.4) Society begins in the family, the basic building block of every community. If the family is moral and strong, a nation will be moral and strong. That's why communist philosophy always strikes at the family. Orwell showed that masterfully in 1984 where children were encouraged to spy on their parents and report them for violations against Big Brother. 

A Little Reality Check for the Lying, Child Abusing Psychos Preaching Transgender Ideology!

 

How to Teach a Student to be a Critical Thinker!

We would all do well to imitate the calm demeanor and calm questioning of this professor. He is obviously a student of Socratic and his method. Kudos to him and what a blessing that he is so young. It gives me hope for the future. There are actually some sensible teachers out there.

This is utterly brilliant. A student accuses @jk_rowling of being transphobic. This teacher skilfully dissects the claim and challenges it by asking questions.

He teaches not what to think, but how to think critically.

Watch until the end.
You see the epiphany in real-time. pic.twitter.com/x00gWdOugc

— Lee Harris (@addicted2newz) February 3, 2024

The Spoonful of Poison in Fiducia Supplicans

Don't worry, your holiness, no one will notice
the spoonful of poison in the document. I was careful.

A number of people are claiming that Fiducia Supplicans (FS) is completely orthodox and there's no problem with it -- at all. And I agree that the document was written to carefully disguise the spoonful of poison it contains. Let's face it, that's how the devil often works. He doesn't mind orthodoxy one bit as long as he can insert the tiny deadly morsel. And Francis is absolutely excellent at doing it with the help of his cronies in the curia. The document reminds me of the death scene in I Claudius when a single poisoned mushroom is in the dish. A little poison can be very effective as FS is illustrating already.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Happy Happy Church! 
(Trains in the Sky)

Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton was a British author made famous in the modern era from the Peanuts cartoon character, Snoopy, and his eternal quest to write a book beginning with Bulwer-Lytton’s classic opening, “It was a dark and stormy night.” 

"The sardonic Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, held annually since 1982, claims to seek the opening sentence of the worst of all possible novels - that is, one which is deliberately bad."

Below are a few bad first sentences from books in the religion category.

PAPAL AUDIENCE SERIES: "Planes and Trains and Acrobats" - Riding his magic carpet made of steel across the Vatican sky over St Peter's (because he no longer trusted Boeing 747's Shepherd One) the pope, in his best Arlo Guthrie impersonation, sang, "Good morning, TLM Catholics, how are ya?" then in a sinister voice said, "Have you not heard the news that before the day is done, one more feckless rigid doctrine will have faded like a bad dream into the disappearing Catholic Church?" but suddenly his train fell from the sky crashing into Santa Marta where the numerous scantily-clad Vatican acrobats were housed.

What Are You Reading?

Have you ever heard the expression, "You are what you eat?" That may be true physically, but there's a more important reality about man than his physical body -- his soul. And I think a more real expression is, "You are what you read." 

Time to Think about Making Praying Arms for Lent

I love spending time with my grandkids. Two of the local grandsons decided awhile back that they want to do "cooking day" with Grandma every week. So for the past month or so we meet weekly to learn cooking skills and enjoy the results. One of the big benefits is that it gets them away from the computer games. They bring their Ipads to do math tutoring with their grandfather (They're home schooled), but that's it. Bike riding, board and card games, and cooking are the fun for the day. They are becoming quite the little chefs.

The Time Has Come...

...to take down the Christmas tree. I feel like singing this song skipping the part about times of being sad. Not a single one of those -- except a little nostalgia over the past remembering friends and family who are gone now. So many wonderful Christmases from my childhood going out with Daddy on Christmas eve to buy the tree and coming home to decorate it. Going to Midnight Mass with my family and coming home to open our stockings before we went to bed. Getting up on Christmas morning to the profusion of packages. (Gifts for parents and ten children make quite a pile!)

Will the Pope Listen? Stop Laughing!

We're in a mess and the bishops don't seem too eager to help get us out of it. Where are the U.S. bishops? Why isn't a single bishop on this list?

Priests and scholars call for withdrawal of Fiducia Supplicans.

Good News: EARLY SPRING from Weather Expert Phil!

Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Early Spring at Groundhog Day Festivities

Can We Know the Immortality of the Human Soul by Natural Reason?

For Lent, Larry and I are reading Bishop Schneider's Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith. Since Septuagesima Sunday is the beginning of Lenten preparation, we began last Sunday with the Preface, Introduction, and the beginning of Part I on Faith. Today we were discussing some of the questions and one presented a bit of a challenge. Part 1 #8 asks, "What are the truths of the natural order?" The answer: "Truths that human reason can discover and demonstrate without the help of 'grace, e.g., the existence of God, His providence, and the immortality of the soul."

How Would You Live This Day if You Knew It Was Your Last?

I get a daily meditation in my inbox. Today's was on death. Depressing thought, eh? But a necessary one! St. Robert Bellarmine used to tell his priests they should preach on death once a month. Some of the saints thought about their death every day. One saint (Can't remember who at present.) would imagine himself in hell when he examined his conscience and would ask himself what he did that day to earn eternal damnation. Pondering on death is a powerful medicine. I think one of my Lenten resolutions will be to imitate the saint and examine my day in the light of death. We're all going to die. It would be good if we are well-prepared and ready when the unforseen moment arrives. As Fr. Buckley always told us on retreat: "Death is certain; the hour of death is uncertain."