Thought for the Day from St. Paul about the "Ravening Wolves" in the Hierarchy

Here is a sobering thought from St. Paul. Before he headed to Rome to meet his death he met with the elders at Ephesus. He told them they would never see him again and warned them of the threat that would come from within from "ravening wolves...not sparing the flock." 

I thought of Archbishop Lefebvre as I read this and his Open Letter to Confused Catholics outlining the damage done by the wolves within. St. Luke blew the warning trumpet in Acts chapter 20 quoting St. Paul with whom he traveled. That warning is most appropriate today as well as we see the devastation caused by wolves in Roman collars "not sparing the flock," wolves from among "your own selves," the hierarchy:

Where is the Vatican Going and What's at the Other End of the Dark Tunnel?

I'm not sure what the appropriate word is for the way the Vatican is going. Puzzling, baffling, idiotic, contradictory, chaotic? Dare I say satanic? Confusion and chaos are always signs of the evil one and, as Pope Paul VI so famously said, "Satan's smoke has made its way into the temple of God through some crack."  [Source]

Rome calls the SSPX rebels and the recently consecrated bishops as well as the two consecrating bishops excommunicated and schismatic. Meanwhile, the chaos and rebellion against the Vatican from within goes on unchecked and unpunished everywhere else. The Communist Chinese are allowed to appoint bishops and persecute the underground Church unopposed. Bishops in the name of synodality promote all kinds of doctrinal deviations. Freemasons rejoiced over the election of Francis and Leo walks in his footsteps. One Peter Five did a three part series titled Why Do the Freemasons Love Pope Francis? [Source] The Masons described Francis as "a radical agent of change." Interesting, eh? 

So what is the appropriate word for the Vatican's response to the crisis in the Church? Do they even admit there is a crisis? Or is the crisis part of the change agents' plan with or without the deliberate cooperation of the hierarchy? They don't need to be Masons or Communists, just think like them.

Pope Leo XIII and the Freemasons' Alta Vendita

In 1884 Pope Leo XIII had his famous vision of the devil asking God for 100 years to tempt the world and try to destroy the Church. Who did Satan use in his war against the faith? Freemasonry among others!

Works of Mercy and the Gift of Friendship

We went to the funeral yesterday of a wonderful man. We've known him for decades and although we weren't close family friends, we had many connections through the pro-life movement. As we were getting ready I thought what a great opportunity it was to practice both a corporal work of mercy, bury the dead, and a spiritual work of mercy, pray for the living and the dead. Not only that, but we saw several people we knew and rejoiced in the brief moment allowing us to renew our friendships.

So many people are gifts, some for a lifetime, some for a season. A relative once questioned my statement about being a friend to another relative whom my husband and I supported at a crucial time. She said, "You aren't friends." It was true that we hadn't had much contact for several years, but I still objected. My reply was to ask if the Good Samaritan was a friend to the wounded Jew. How much of a relationship did they have? Did the Good Samaritan ever meet the man again or had he already recovered and gone when he returned to the inn? To stand by someone in need and then lose touch altogether or even go low contact doesn't erase a time of friendship when someone may have been in great need.

Pray the Rosary to Survive the Scourge of Modernism and Keep the Faith!

Is Freemasonry on Anyone's Radar Screen?

A guitarist I never heard of, Bruno Battisti D'Amario, died last week and was scheduled for a funeral at the Basilica Santa Maria in Montesanto. And then the fat hit the fan. The man was a freemason. Not just any freemason, but an upper echelon grand poobah in the lodge:

In a statement released in tribute to the musician, the Grand Orient of Italy (GOI) revealed his membership in Freemasonry and, above all, the importance of the responsibilities he had held within it. Bruno Battisti D'Amario was presented as the founder of the Giuseppe Leti lodge in Rome and as the composer of the official anthem of the Grand Orient of Italy. He had also twice served as president of the Regional College of Venerable Masters of Lazio and as a councilor of the Order. [Source]

Sunday Meditation: Do We Govern Our Greatest Passion?

The homily at Mass this morning offered a serious challenge. Father described our greatest passion as the desire to speak. When I think of "passion" I have rarely thought about speaking with the tongue. We speak in other ways with our body, hence the term body language, but how many equate passion with speech? I daresay few.

Today is the Yard Crawl! Who Wants More Stuff?

The first full weekend in August is the Route 11 Shenandoah County Yard Crawl, miles and miles of cast-off stuff looking for a new home. Where will it all go?

When we drove to Raphine, VA last Sunday, I noticed storage facilities all over the place even in what some would describe as being in the middle of nowhere. People own so much junk that they fill up their homes and then rent facilities so they can accumulate even more. It actually reminds me of the vomitoriums of ancient Rome, purge and then refill!

I'm not surprised when I see storage facilities around the cities, but out here in the country? I understand when you are getting ready to move that you might need a temporary place to declutter and give your home a more open feel to enhance the sale. But how many people fill up a storage space and never ever even look at what's in there? I've come to think of it as the graphic display of a degenerate culture buying space to serve as their junk closets! Gosh! I can't even deal with my junk drawers!

A Nagging Family Question that Won't Stop Being Asked

Do you ever get a question in your head that keeps asking itself, like an endless loop revolving and repeating over and over. For a long time I've had this question sneaking up on me at odd times. I hear the question and I really haven't attempted to answer it. Why now? Because I was reading several substacks from women who've attended conferences on relationships. They didn't bring up my question, but it hovered around what they discussed.

Here's the question:

Are grandparents important in the lives of their children and grandchildren?

That question leads to several others:

Fauci Being Held in Contempt! Disappointed in John Fetterman.

 

"Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Western Civ Has Got to Go!"

Western civilization is on the chopping block. The globalists want a world where everything has been tossed in the blender and been homogenized. And it's been going on for decades. Remember the 1987 protest at Stanford when Jesse Jackson led students opposing the required humanities course on Western Civiliazation? "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Western Civ has got to go." And it's been going ever since at an accelerated rate, although their attack wasn't the first.

The Quality of Mercy

Last Sunday, Father preached on mercy which is a subset of charity. There's plenty of false mercy out there these days. We see it preached by those who tell us to "welcome the strangers" invading our shores. Meanwhile, Spain saw a one-day influx of about 60,000 Moors from Morocco, pouring into the city of Ceuta. According to news reports the invasion was facilitated by sex traffickers and most of those entering were young men. What does that do to a country if they allow it to continue citing "mercy?"

Thought for the Day on St. Dominic’s Feast

 St. Dominic is certainly a saint for our time. Zeal for God’s house consumed him. He devoted himself to fighting heresy with the Blessed Mother’s weapon of the rosary. How wise of us if we do the same. 

I have the blessing of being a daughter of St. Dominic because he’s my Confirmation patron. St. Dominic, pray for us.

Will We See the Conversion of Anthony Fauci?

I was thinking about Chuck Coulson the other day. You remember Coulson right? And his involvement in the Watergate scandal back in the Nixon administration? He ended up serving seven months in federal prison for obstruction of justice. It changed his life and brought about a mid-life religious conversion. After release he founded Prison Fellowship and spent the rest of his life spreading Christianity calling for a common witness with Catholics resulting in release of "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" published in 1984.

What made me think of Coulson? The Congressional hearing with Anthony Fauci where he took the 5th in response to every question including the color of his tie. 

The COVID Chickens are coming home to roost!

There's a great post on Substack about the COVID debacle and those responsible for killing millions of people across the globe with their poisonous "vaccines." They made a virus much more lethal to humans and, by accident or perhaps deliberately, let it escape the gain-of-function lab where it was created. Dr. Science Fauci showed his arrogance and hubris in recent weeks and there is some satisfaction to see him finally exposed for the villain he is. Read the article:

The Delicious Humiliation of the Man Who Poisoned the World and the Ignominious Death of 'The Science'.

Guest Post: Daniel Graham Gives a History Lesson on the Crisis in the Church

I'm delighted to post this article from Daniel Graham, author of Lex Orandi, a book that 
gives a side-by-side comparison of all the sacraments before and after the changes made in the spirit of Vatican II. Every concerned Catholic should know exactly what we've lost. I highly recommend Dan's book. Only when we understand what's been lost can we be like the woman in the parable who sweeps her house looking for her lost coin and rejoicing when she finds it. Those of us who defend the faith of our fathers are also like the man who sold everything to buy the pearl of great price. When one has a treasure, he protects it. And that is what Archbishop Lefebvre did. Those of us who go to SSPX chapels love the faith, love the Church, and love the papacy. Read the encyclicals of Pope St. Pius X and then read those of Pope Francis to see the conflict. Will the real defender of the faith please stand up. Don't get lost in the weeds. Be at peace and soldier on.

The Conflict between Modernism and Tradition

by Daniel Graham

"But the Greatest of These is Charity"

Charity seems to be in short supply these days inside the Church. I stumbled upon the blog of a professor at an orthodox Catholic college whose statements about those who defend sacred tradition shocked me. He targeted specific people, called the SSPX a "cult" all of whose members and lay faithful are excommunicated and in schism. And then he went on by condemning to hell all those who question the magisterium. All I can say is I'm glad He's not God although he seems to be usurping God's role as King and judge.

Frankly I was appalled. I've seen some of his work in the past and never would have guessed he could sink to the level of name calling, rash judgment, and lack of charity exhibited in his rants against the SSPX and other "Trads."

Can We Hope for Holy Bishops?

I'm a regular reader of Fr. Gordon MacRae's website, Beyond These Stone Walls. For those
unfamiliar with Fr. MacRae, he was caught up in the sex abuse frenzy, was falsely accused, refused to plea deal down to a two-year sentence by admitting guilt for what he did not do, and has spent decades falsely imprisoned. Today, Father posted the forward to a book, Hope Springs Eternal in the Priestly Breast, by Australian priest, Fr. James Valladeres. The book includes many details of Fr. MacRae's Gethsemane experience. The plan is to publish the book chapter by chapter as occasional posts on Father MacRae's website.

The Issue isn't the SSPX Consecrations; It's the Revolution in the Church!

 

I don't always agree with Michael Matt, but the video below is excellent. Matt discusses Bishop Thomas Paprocki's recent  statement that the SSPX have become Protestants. Bishop Paprocki is wrong.Without being disrespectful, Matt questions the bishop's opinion and raises profoundly troubling issues about the crisis in the Church. Central to his talk is the fact that the fight is not really about the SSPX consecrations, but rather the revolution in the Catholic Church. We need to pray for good bishops like Paprocki who, I sincerely believe, will, at some point, recognize and respect the actions of the Society and the emergency that necessitated it. With regard to Matt's video, if you don't want to commit to the entire 50 minutes, there's an abridged version that's twenty minutes shorter which I also posted below.

Great News From Steubenville! St. Joseph the Worker College Plans to buy the Masonic Temple.

I was so happy to see the announcement that St. Joseph the Worker College plans to purchase the Masonic temple in Steubenville, OH. Our granddaughter lives in Steubenville, with her husband and infant son. When we head back to Wheeling, WV to visit my husband's siblings and their families we always have the double joy of visiting our granddaughter as well. She and her little family are precious to our hearts.

On the FSSP Chaplaincy in Front Royal and the SSPX

St. Francis de Sales advises the faithful to always put the best construction on other people's actions and the most critical on your own. So I will do that with Bishop Burbidge's decision to invite the FSSP to start a chaplaincy here in Virginia. Since it is being formed "to serve primarily in Front Royal," it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that a primary purpose is to close (by attrition) the SSPX chapel currently in Linden "which remains in a state of irregular communion."

I can't read the bishop's mind but I will presume that he really does care about his diocesan flock and not just the money the diocese is losing which, in view of the on-going SSPX building fund donations, is approaching two million dollars.

The Post Retreat Culture Shock

Is it too soon to go on another retreat? Returning to the world after a retreat is always a bit of a culture shock. For almost a week I:

• didn't have a single phone call
• didn't see a single newscast
• didn't hear or read a single bit of bad news 
• didn't read a single e-mail

Back From Retreat and I'm Exhausted!

Not complaining, just explaining. Five days of silence was a real gift, but not, by any means,  a restful silence. One can be silent and working. Think of a Trappist monastery where the monks all pray (ora) and then go to their work in silence (labora). Some monks garden raising a crop to make jellies and jams. Some might suit up to work the apiary, checking the bees while praying for a sweet golden harvest. Some make fruit cake or roast and pack coffee beans. I once saw two monks up on ladders picking pecans at Clear Creek Abbey in Oklahoma. But all their work is wrapped in silence. 

Some things are worth repeating. May we all love the truth and always speak it in charity!

I'm on a silent, Ignatian retreat this week and scheduled a few posts before I left since I will be completely off the internet and my phone: nothing but silence, the conferences of the priest, the rosary and hours, Confession, and sitting with Jesus in the chapel. What a blessing to have that quiet time. I thought this post from 2023 is timely since many are suffering for the truth today. So I'm resurrecting it and hope you find it helpful. Please pray for the happy repose of the soul of Fr. Hardon. He was a tremendous warrior for the Lord. I heard him speak a number of times and had the blessing of attending the last retreat he offered before his death in 2000. Please pray for me as I will for you during my retreat.

Our Duty: To Suffer for the Truth!

Every now and then a theme crops up everywhere I look and demands attention. Over and over the echoes roll over me like a tidal wave: on social media, in news feeds I follow, in magazines I read, etc. Often it has a lot to do with what's happening in my life at the moment. "Pay attention!" my guardian angel reminds me, "This is important!"

Are You the Fourth Monkey? Are You Deaf, Dumb, Blind, and Lost Your Mind?

I get some silly comments on my blog but one of the silliest and most patently absurd is this:

"[T]he Pope, no matter how sinful he might personally be, can never mislead you spiritually."

A Lovely Memory of a Past Retreat with a Holy Priest Now Gone to His Reward. Fr. Buckley, Please pray for us.

I wrote this post in 2019 as I prepared to head off for my annual Ignatian retreat. If you've never made a silent, Ignatian retreat I heartily recommend it. Remember, the posts this week were pre-set. I am not on the internet or my phone and will not be moderating comments. Please pray for the happy repose of Fr. James Buckley, FSSP, who died in 2023. A priest once told me that there's no one deader than a dead priest because he has no biological family to remember and pray for him. But a good and holy priest has hundreds, perhaps thousands of spiritual sons and daughters and so I pray daily for Fr. Buckley and all the priests who have touched my life, especially those in danger of hell fire.

Praying for You While I'm on Retreat; In Your Kindness, Please Pray for All the Ladies on the Retreat! 

The Decline of Gravitas in a Culture of Whiny Child Adults

This morning at Mass, our pastor read a letter from Fr. Davide Pagliarani to the lay faithful about the current situation between the SSPX and the Vatican. It offered consolation and encouragement, something the laity certainly haven't received from our father in Rome sad to say. It also manifested a virtue that one seldom hears about today -- gravitas, a seriousness and dignity, not to mention respect and concern for the laity. It was inspiring to listen to it. It's not published online yet, but no doubt will be by the time I return from my retreat. I'll post it then.

Sunday Meditation: What would Pope Leo IV think of the Crisis in the Church?

 

As I posted yesterday I'm going on a silent Ignatian retreat this week from Sunday evening (tonight) until Saturday morning, July 25th. I've scheduled some articles on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but will be completely off the internet starting this evening. 

I won't be moderating comments either. You are welcome to leave them, but they'll sit in the combox until I return on on July 25th. I will be praying for all my readers while I'm on retreat. Please pray for me as well.

For those who read regularly you've seen my open letter to Bishop Michael Burbidge about the treatment of the laity in the decree of Pope Leo and the explanatory note from Cardinal Fernandez. I mailed the letter on Monday, July 13th, but delayed publication out of courtesy for the bishop. Then I scheduled the letter's publication on Friday, July 17th. 

Let's Get One Thing Straight. The SSPX Did Not Claim to Have the Papal Mandate!

I've read a number of posts by those claiming the SSPX lied during the consecration of the bishops by claiming the papal mandate. But, in the course of the consecration Mass, when asked if they had the papal mandate, Bishop Fellay did not say "Habemus," (We have it.) Instead he called on the notary, Fr. Foucauld Le Roux, to read a declaration of necessity which implicitly recognized the lack of the papal mandate. The sedevacantist site, Novus Ordo Watch, where I found the text of the document, says this indicates that the SSPX recognizes Leo as a legitimate pope and are living a contradiction by acknowledging the conciliar church but refusing to obey its pope. Hmm....

Open Letter to Bishop Michael Burbidge with Cover Letter to Apostolic Nuncio: We are are not excommunicated schismatics!

OPEN LETTER TO MOST REVEREND MICHAEL BURBIDGE, 

BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

July 13, 2026

Your Excellency,

How grateful I am for your vocation to the priesthood and the privilege of calling you my spiritual Father. We met only once several years ago after Fr. Clarence Trinkle's funeral at St. John the Baptist. I left by the front door thinking to slip away quietly, but you were standing alone next to the hearse only a few feet away. I stopped, genuflected and kissed your ring, introduced myself, and thanked you. I considered our brief exchange providential and was delighted to receive a personal blessing. I recall that meeting today as I write in grief over the recent decree of excommunication of the SSPX bishops. Since my purpose is not to defend the Society consecrations, I will not address that topic.

The Rome of Cognitive Dissonance and Doublethink

There's a psychological term that applies in spades to our age of confusion and chaos. It's called "cognitive dissonance" in the language of mental health and "doublethink" in the language of dystopian literature. Both terms mean the same thing: the act of trying to believe two contradictory things at the same time. 

Sadly, modernist Rome has become the icon of cognitive dissonance and doublethink. The Vatican pays lip service to the unchanging Catholic faith taught for two millennia, while, at the same time, undermining it with modernist claptrap. One bishop says contraception and abortion are wrong. Another says there are circumstances when they're not. Moral relativism takes center stage in the synodal church where sexual deviance is love. 

Fatherly Concern or Papal Politics?

A reader on Substack sent me a link to an interesting article from Integrity Magazine. 

Analysis suggests Leo’s last-minute ‘heartfelt letter’ to SSPX 

was sent to ensure harshest possible punishment

Sad thought, but in view of the pope's refusal to meet with Fr. Pagliarani or even reply to his letters.... Draw your own conclusions. Does Pope Leo act like a father to a flock he loves with a father's heart? Did Francis?

SSPX Files Appeal of July 2nd Decree

Below is the Society's press release of yesterday announcing their appeal of the July 2nd decree of excommunication and schism. This act indicates several important things. First of all, the Society recognizes the authority of Rome. If they didn't they would just walk away. The appeal of the decree shows a recognition of papal authority. The Society has never rejected the papacy; they reject the novelties and errors being introduced in violation of the Catholic faith. They stand with Eternal Rome!

Guest Post: Tactics to oppose so-called Reproductive Freedom Amendments

By Robert G. Marshall ( bio - articles - email ) | Jul 07, 2026

It is true that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This is good to remember when combatting misleading “Reproductive Freedom Amendments” (RFAs) to state Constitutions. In 2026, these measures will be on the ballot in Virginia and Nevada, and will “enshrine” a deadly mix of soul-compromising social mayhem policies that destroy lives, erase parental rights, and usher in extremely, radical social and legal policies.

Missouri has placed on the November 2026 ballot a reversal of the 2024 approved Reproductive Freedom Amendment which greatly expanded abortion, abolished all parental responsibility and authority, and severely impacted families. On November 3rd, Missouri pro-lifers must vote YES! But in Virginia and Nevada, they must vote NO on RFAs.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place!

Hardness can be subjective. If one has a feather in one hand and an egg in the other which one is harder? Obviously, the egg. On the other hand if one replaces the feather with a stone, which one is harder? If you don't know have an egg/stone fight and see.

Those of us connected to the SSPX these days find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. The rock is the faith taught by Peter and the apostles that has been continuous throughout the centuries. Yes, changes have taken place, but always in accordance with Scripture and Tradition. Divine revelation ended with the last apostle. There can be no changes to revealed doctrine and morality. Sins against chastity, like sodomy, can't be evil yesterday and legitimate signs of love as declared by some bishops in good standing today. Any so-called shepherd who proclaims it is a hireling at best or a ravening wolf in shepherd's clothing.

Sunday Meditation: Discernment, Disagreement, Conscience, and the Fullness of the Truth

I follow a gentleman on Substack, D. B. Doherty, whose views on the SSPX situation conflict strongly with my own. I think it's an intelligent practice to study both sides of an issue to help discern where the fullness of the truth lies. That's what I've been doing ever since COVID sent us to the SSPX in recognition and appreciation of their zeal for souls. Up to now, I've found the arguments for the SSPX more convincing than those against them. So I continue, in good conscience, to attend the chapel. But I also continue to examine the arguments presented by those who disagree who I see as people of good will. I ignore the others. Let them rage.

Doherty, describes himself as an "armchair theologian." He warns that all of us who continue to connect ourselves to the Society are in serious spiritual danger. Recently, he posted this article:

How to Defend the SSPX and Accidentally Risk Your Soul

The Grace of Simple Pleasures that Make You Smile

What makes you happy? What makes you smile? What simple pleasures fill you with joy? 

I think I never grew up. One of my favorite possessions is my doll collection. In the morning when I say my prayers, read, and meditate I sit opposite the cabinet filled with (some) of my dolls. I think of them as the congregation of the Church Militant. Lots of nationalities are represented and two nuns, one a teaching nun and the other a missionary. 

I'm not so attached, however, that I can't give one away. I recently shared one with a little first communicant I was talking to after Mass. I also gave away a lovely Irish doll that had a music box inside. You see I smile over my dolls, but I love to have them bring smiles to other little girls. 

Is the Crisis in the Church Real?

I

I've been disappointed in Cardinal Sarah's statements criticizing the consecraton of the bishops without a papal mandate. It's not the first time in Church history that a bishop disobeyed the pope. In fact, Pope John Paul II, when he was bishop of Krakow, under the policy of Ostpolitik, was  forbidden to ordain priests. He disobeyed Pope Paul VI's order that no above ground or underground ordinations should take place. He disobeyed and suffered no consequences and, in fact, became pope. 

The Honey Harvest Brings Thoughts of God's Goodness: Taste and See

Life is more than a continuous argument (in the Socratic sense) about the faith, with all the scandals and errors infecting the poor Bride of Christ. Not that the faith should't imbue everything we do, but some things testify to the simple art of living in joy. You get up in the morning, say your morning prayers, offer the entire day to God, and think of Him frequently during the day blessing Him for everything. It's a good practice to spiritualize all the events of the day, especially the simple things. 

When my children were growing up, I prayed for my husband and each child as I folded their laundry. That kept me thinking about them and presenting them to God as I completed a necessary and sometimes tiresome chore. The same with cooking meals. I think about who will eat this food that God has so generously provided. "Bless us, O Lord and these Thy gifts."

"They have the buildings, but we have the faith."

Neo-Arians take note!

Letter of Saint Athanasius to His Flock (4th Century A.D.)

"May God console you! ... What saddens you ... is the fact that others have occupied the churches by violence, while during this time you are on the outside. It is a fact that they have the premises --- but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true Faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the Faith dwells within you. Let us consider: what is more important, the place or the Faith? The true Faith, obviously. Who has lost and who has won in the struggle --- the one who keeps the premises or the one who keeps the Faith?

Who Will Ordain the Priests? Anyone?

Today is, in the old calendar, the feast of Cyril and Methodius, slavic brothers who became bishops. As missionaries they were sent to catechize the slavs in the east since they spoke their language. As I was reading their story in Butler's Lives this morning I came across this:

In 863 the two brothers set out with a number of assistants and came to the court of Rostislav (Prince of Moravia); they were well received and at once got to work....The Byzantine missionaries, armed with their pericopes from the Scriptures and liturgical hymns in Slavonic, pursued their way with much success, but were soon handicapped by their lack of a bishop to ordain more priests. The German prelate, the bishop of Passau, would not do it and Cyril therefore determined to seek help elsewhere.

Thinking about Gratitude for the Three Fs: Faith, Friends, and Family

Gratitude!

I was thinking about it on Saturday while we celebrated 250 years of this great country. And how grateful I was to see all the enjoyment of the day with family and friends. What a blessing going in the pool with our little two-year-old grandson who sat on the steps and splashed with glee. What joy! What laughter! O beautiful for summer skies and little toddlers' feet!

Sunday Meditation: Be at Peace, Avoid Bitter. Zeal.

I've stopped going to several websites by Catholic authors because of the bitter tone and nasty language they use. I hate seeing Pope Leo called names (or even Cardinal Fernandez, although I use his common nickname, Tucho). There is something cringe-worthy about seeing Fernandez in lipstick and a clown nose. Perhaps my reluctance over this approach is because of my long experience as a pro-life activist. 

Of Validity and Excommunication and the Insanity of the Present Time

I have some really smart readers and how blessed I am to learn from them. In fact, I appreciate and pray for all my visitors even the trolls. They are particularly helpful to my retaining my sense of humor. 

But as for my fellow well-catechized Catholics, often I'm humbled by what they share.  So today I'm offering a few recent comments that are so smart and insightful they deserve wider viewing. Thank you to all my faithful readers for your kindness and prayers.

The first comment is about Pascal's wager. You've no doubt heard of it. Pascal defended the wisdom of living and acting as if you believe in God. You have nothing to lose (unless you consider living a virtuous life instead of a licentious one a loss). When you die, if there is no God you will be none the wiser. If there is a God and you lived the virtuous life of the believer, you go to heaven to glorify God forever. On the other hand, if you lived a sinful life ignoring God's laws, you will meet the God you didn't believe in and go to hell. Isn't the wiser course obvious?

Challenge for the Fourth of July: Read the Declaration and the Constitution

I'm giving you easy access to the Declaration. And here's a link to the Constitution. Know what you celebrate! It's not about the burgers, soda, and ice cream treats! Have a blessed 4th and thank God for this amazing country. Keep her strong and good. Pray the rosary daily!

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

When, O Lord, Will Our Weeping Turn to Joy?

Well, not only did they do it, but they are doubling down with a sledgehammer. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has released another document describing how the priests and lay faithful can reconcile with the Church now that we're excommunicated. [See document] 

I hate to say it, but I'm beginning to find the entire thing ridiculous and it smacks of Kabuki Theater or perhaps a story from Mad Magazine. Sad, yes, incredibly sad, but ridiculous as well. 

Cardinal Fernandez has stated publicly in his writings that no one goes to hell. And then he threatens with hell fire anyone who remains with the SSPX. So you can be an active sodomite, perform abortions with impunity and still be praised at the Vatican, enjoy an adulterous union, etc. Does anyone in the magisterium even mention contraception these days? But if you belong to the SSPX you are destined for hell. Don't pass go; don't collect $200.

Wow! I'm Excommunicated By My Papa...or Am I?

This photo says it all. My mom always said, "Birds of a feather flock together." So here we have the scandalous porn-writing head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith sharing an intimate moment with the pope, il papa, my daddy in the spiritual life. I'm heartbroken and shaking my head after reading the explanatory note from Fernandez. [Published at the end.]

Are We Rebels? NO! NO! NO!

I've been reading the headlines from the mainstream media about the SSPX consecrations of bishops in Econe yesterday. Over and over, they call us rebels and use words like "defy", "in defiance", "schism", "schismatic", etc. Here are some of the headlines:

New York Times: Rebel Catholic Group Consecrates 4 Bishops Risking Break with the Vatican

MSN: Pope Leo Faces First Major Crisis as Catholic Rebels Defy Him

Watching the Consecration of the New Bishops for the SSPX

Thanks to LifeSiteNews for this. You can send them a donation here. You can read my comments at my substack account. 

ÊCONE, Switzerland (LifeSiteNews) — The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) is celebrating the consecrations of four new bishops today, July 1.

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

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

Another Monday: But Not an Ordinary One

No indeed. This is no ordinary Monday. It begins the week leading up to the SSPX consecration of bishops on Wednesday, July first. In 1988 Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated four bishops calling the event Operation Survival. The traditional Mass and sacraments likely would have disappeared without his actions. One could call the Wednesday consecrations Operation Survival Redux. It's a sad thing that the Vatican let it come to this, but the pope and Cardinal Fernandez have shown their willingness to allow and even enable dissent and heresy while they punish orthodoxy. 

I began my day with morning prayer and reading from the Credo Catechism by Bishop Athanasius Schneider. I'm in the section on faith, a providential place to be this week. 

The Powerful Witness of Persecution

I was talking to a friend last Friday after our holy hour for priests and she made a brilliant point about what's happening these days in the modern, post Vatican II Church. Here's the question. In the history of the Church over the millennia, who were persecuted and martyred? Who were executed in the Roman Coliseum and covered with pitch and set on fire to light Nero's garden? The Pharisees? The Sadducees?

No indeed! It was those who were faithful to Christ and His Church -- completely faithful! You know, the believers who refused to the point of death to offer a pinch of incense to the false gods.

Traditio Part III -- Giving One's Life

Part I - What is a Priest?

Part II -- Catholic Missionaries Across the World

Part III -- Giving One's Life 

 

Want Your Children to Be Geniuses? Take the Challenge!

I recently read an important article that I recommend to every parent who reads my blog. 

Charlotte Mason and John Senior Agree: Great Books Are Not Enough

"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in."

Years ago, no actually decades ago, I read an article in Parade Magazine that keeps coming back to me these days. It was during the height of the AIDS epidemic and told the personal human interest story of a young, active homosexual man. In the early days of his lifestyle choice, he discarded his parents because they would not approve. He slandered them to all his homosexual friends and maintained no contact for years. 

Ho-Hum, Another Synod....Does Anyone Care?

From Vatican News:

The heads of the Church's continental bodies have gathered in Rome this week for three days of meetings dedicated to the next phase of the Synod on Synodality, according to a press release issued by the General Secretariat of the Synod on Monday.

The meeting, taking place on June 23-25, brings together representatives of continental ecclesial organizations from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and North America, accompanied by coordinators of the continental synodal teams.

The Gift of Counsel and the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit: A Roadmap to Holiness

When our children were growing up and didn't particularly like vegetables, I always had them take seven beans or seven peas, etc. and recite the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. I thought of the gift of counsel as the Holy Spirit enabling us to offer wise advice to others. But this morning as I was reading the meditation in my Benedictus prayer book I read this by Fr. Barthélemy Froget, a French Dominican theologian who wrote frequently on the indwelling of the Holy Ghost:

The Battle of Front Royal Continues with Arrival of FSSP Chaplaincy

I've been more than a little amused at all the chortling over Bishop Burbidge establishing a  chaplaincy for the FSSP under the patronage of Our Lady of Victory. [See the announcement here.] "Isn't it wonderful? What a brave bishop! How grateful we are!"

Really? I'm sincerely grateful to Bishop Burbidge for a number of things, and I can even be grateful for this, since the only result can be to bring more people to recognize the glory of Sacred Tradition and the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). But I'm also a realist. This is the same bishop who severely reduced the availability of the TLM in accord with Traditionis Custodes. Except for the three parishes where it remains inside the church, the TLM was exiled to gyms and multi-purpose rooms where it continues. And in 2024, after renewing the indult, the three parish churches were ordered to substitute a Latin Novus Ordo (NO) for the TLM once a month. [Source] You see, it is all about "weaning" the laity away from the TLM (the Mass Pope Benedict said could not be abrogated.). We must conform to every jot and tittle of Vatican II and to the "new Mass" that grew out of it by the influence of probable Freemason, Annibale Bugnini.

Make me a river of grace, Lord!

The other day I read this statement from a therapist: "We can't diagnose people who are not in the room." Sounds like common sense, but do most therapists pay attention? How many listen to one side of the story and make judgments about the absent person or persons?

I went to someone for grief counseling for about six months several years ago. During the course of our discussions she suggested a diagnosis for a family member I was dealing with. At the time I didn't think anything of it, but after reading the statement above, I thought about it again. Sometimes it's hard to diagnosis the person talking to you. How can you possibly diagnose someone you've never met just by listening to a description from a third party who may be giving you a distorted picture? 

Franz Werfel, an Author Worth Celebrating!

Once upon a time there was newspaper of note that published wonderful articles and astounding editorials, book reviews, and human interest stories. Yes, the New York Times used to operate according to the journalistic principal of reporting the news objectively not twisting and perverting it. But that was a long time ago!

I thought about that while I was looking up information on Franz Werfel's novel, The Pascarella Family. I found a fascinating review in the Times written in 1932 describing it as a "fairy tale."

Franz Werfel's Romantic Novel; "The Pascarella Family" Is Old-Fashioned Pure Narrative, With a Distinctly Fairy-Tale Atmosphere THE PASCARELLA FAMILY. Translated from the German of Franz Werfel. 437 pp. New York: Simon & Schuster. $2.50.