And So the Easter Season Ends

The Easter season ended with the feast of Pentecost last Sunday. Looking back we see how the Passion began -- with the betrayal of Judas with a kiss. We have spent Lent and Eastertide thinking about Jesus, offering prayers and sacrifices and giving alms. Then we spent 50 days rejoicing at our salvation proved by Christ rising from the dead.

Will we now return to "ordinary time" by once again betraying Him? Have we changed at all in the 40 days of Lent and the 50 days of Easter?
The author of the excerpt below is Fr. Frederick William Faber, a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism and a follower of John Henry Newman. What zeal he had for the "Faith of Our Fathers," which he articulated when he wrote the well-known hymn. Think of how many in the Church overlook and coddle heresy today. How many Judases betray Christ with a kiss. Read Fr. Faber's meditation and weep. Let us take it to heart and pray for a Catholic awakening, especially among the clergy!

Of Miracles and Bad Shepherds

It's looking like the site of Noah's ark really has been found. Will the skeptics mock? Often when I read an article about evidence for biblical events and miracles I think of this quote:

“For those who believe in God no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God no explanation is possible.”

The quote is often attributed to Franz Werfel who wrote Song of Bernadette, because the film included a similar quote in the introduction. It does not appear in the historical novel, however, although Werfel's powerful testimony to the Lourdes miracles proclaims it without words. 

Sunday Meditation: "Wickedness in the High Places"

I came across the phrase "wickedness in the high places" this morning while I was reading the meditation for the day in Benedictus. We're certainly seeing plenty of that these days. Earlier this week I blogged about the queer Mass in Germany aired on the diocesan website. The "presider" priest may not occupy a high place in the diocese, but his bishop does. And that Mass was, indeed, wicked and scandalous. 

The Heresy of Americanism and the Serious Sin of Abandoning the Great Commission

The Exhortation to the Apostles -- James Tissot (1836-1902)

This was the lead article from the Spring issue of the Les Femmes newsletter. Vol 21 #1  2016. I'm republishing it here because so many people have been sucked in by the heresy of Americanism and the rather arrogant belief in American Exceptionalism. Both of these beliefs have as their foundation the false beliefs of the French Revolution. And many Catholic prelates including Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore Catechism fame, who promoted Elizabeth Seton's educational efforts, got caught up in the enthusiasm and desire to be politically accepted. The desire for human respect is a trap that catches many. July 4th seems a good day to reprint it.

Heresy, the American Experiment, and the Great Commission of Christ

O Lord Give Us Holy Priests! Preserve us from the wolves supporting AUSCP

Examine this picture carefully.  It's from the website of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP) who just ended their annual confab in San Antonio on the very fashionable River Walk. See any roman collars? See many young men?  The theme was "Sex and Spirituality Pastoral Considerations." I had to laugh when I saw that, but not surprised. Dissident and heretical clergy always seem to have one thing on their minds: sex, sex, and more sex. 

Are Some Catholics Fomenting Schism?

Some commenters on my blog insist that I take a position on whether Francis is or is not the pope. I've always replied that to make that decision is definitely "above my pay grade." In fact, it's above the pay grade of almost every Catholic on earth. And if it isn't, if someone is truly competent to come to that determination because of his ecclesial or scholarly position, he should bring his argument privately to those with the competence to act; that is, the college of cardinals. 

Whether Francis is a valid pope will soon be a moot point. He is clearly not going to live much longer. Then we will see the next conclave and, since Francis has nominated a majority of the current voting bishops, 78% in fact (Source), it is likely that the next pope will be cut from the same cloth. Hopefully, the cardinals are sick of the confusion and chaos of the past decade and will make a better choice. We need a holy, faithful pope. Will we get one? Let's pray for him and those with the electoral duty to protect the Church.

Take Heart: The Crisis in the Church is Terrible, But We've Seen Others!

Some say we face today the worst crisis the Church has ever experienced. Perhaps it's true. Horrifying things occur on an almost daily basis. Satan's influence pollutes the Church in many places. But take heart. The Church rose and grew in the midst of crises in the first century and has seen one after another ever since. Has there ever been a time of universal peace without difficulty and persecution? Church history overflows with periods of crisis.

Michael and Christine on Valentine's Day! Aren't They a Cute Couple?

I just watched the Valentine's Day Vortex, "Leading People Astray." It's the perfect title for every Church Militant (CM) blather episode since they are experts at doing exactly that. This episode happened to be an excerpt from a long interview with Tim Gordon by the darling duo, Mike and Christine. I couldn't stomach the entire interview. I just watched the short Vortex. That was enough!

Censorship on My Bookshelf -- I Rejoice to Burn the Works of Heretics!

The book burner is at it again. I'm organizing my library of Catholic books and have been going through my Mary shelves.

I have a lot of books that I inherited from a Catholic priest, many of which were gifts to him. The one I picked up this morning has an inscription indicating it was a Christmas gift. The book, Mary and Your Everyday Life by theologian Bernard Haring, C.SS.R., has an Imprimi Potest (approval by a religious superior that a book may be printed) and an Imprimatur (approval to publish by an ecclesial authority which can be the author's own bishop). 

So...does this book about the Mother of God cut the mustard, so to speak, to remain on my bookshelf? 

Short answer?

To All Those Who Think Every Pope is the Reincarnation of St. Peter....

One of the meditations (my favorite) in the Spiritual Exercises is on The Two Standards. The retreatant is presented two scenes. On a hill near Babylon (the city of confusion) Satan appears to be seated on a high throne surrounded by terrifying demons. Smoke fills the air and the howls of the demons assault the ears. Satan urges on his minions to attack all the followers of Christ to gather them into his hellish kingdom. He advises them with wicked strategies for debasing consciences.

The second scene is a plain around Jerusalem (the city of peace) where Jesus gathers all under His banner urging His followers to go out and spread the words of faith, bringing all to a knowledge of His love and mercy.

Can the Pope be a Heretic and Remain the Pope? Is Francis a Heretic?

Francis: Pope or Anti-Pope?

The question about Francis and his heretical positions was raised in 2019 in an open letter signed by 19 theologians/priests/church leaders. Since then, dozens of others added their names to the letter and thousands of Catholics signed a petition for the bishops of the world to respond to the letter. Today, the information below was on Bishop Rene Gracida's website. Has Pope Francis embraced positions that are "heretical in the strict sense?" And if he has, what is the current state of the papacy? We live in challenging times, friends. In this month of the Sacred Heart let us pray unceasingly for our Church. The flock are immersed in the slough of confusion and sinking and there are few rescuers with ropes and life boats offering help. God save us! 

Want a Sure Litmus Test to Measure Your Bishop? Is He Forcing Communion in the Hand?

Archbishop Wester "presided" at the
2018 Assembly Mass of AUSCP.

US archbishop bans Communion on tongue, claims it’s ‘not crucial’ how Catholics receive

How many liberal bishops like Wester will use the coronavirus as a pretext to ban Communion on the tongue and demand parishioners receive in the hand?

Well...how many bishops enabled the sex abuse scandal with coverups and moved abusers around? I expect to see more liberal bishops follow Wester.

One good thing is that he can hardly ban Communion in the hand without banning Communion under both species. How can he claim putting the host on the tongue is a risk while allowing a communal cup to be passed from mouth to mouth? I wish that practice would disappear forever! Intinction yes, communal cup with hordes of LEMs (lay extraordinary ministers) NO!

This Tells You All You Need to Know about the Apostolic Nuncio, Christophe Pierre...

US Representative of Pope Francis to Participate in Assembly of Heretical Priests

Yup! This tells you all you need to know about the nuncio. It also is one more indication of where Pope Francis stands who chose this man for our poor country. Archbishop Pierre received all the details about AUSCP's heresy (Association of U.S. Catholic Priests) several months ago. They promote married priests, women priests, priestless parishes run by laity, promotion of the LGBT agenda, etc. ad nauseum. Don't just trust the Lepanto Institute; check out their own website. Do you think the nuncio is ignorant of all this? If he is, he's irresponsible and unfit for his post. If he isn't ignorant, he's a wolf in sheep's clothing and unfit for his post.

Sunday Meditation: God is Our FATHER and Jesus is the SON of God!

The lying tongue of Bishop Bode on display

Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabrück, the vice president of the German Bishops’ Conference is a man. If he weren't, he couldn't be a Catholic bishop. He's a little confused these days on the nature of Jesus Christ, the God-MAN.

Bode is head of the German "synodal path" forum on Women in Ministries and Offices of the Church along with Professor Dorothea Sattler. Recently, in an interview with the diocesan newspaper Kirchenbote, Bode said:

“For us, Christ became a human being, not a man.”

Speaking Truth to Heresy: The Growing List Calling Out the Disastrous Amazon Synod

Who are these synod fathers who betrayed Christ
by carrying the Pachamama idol into the synod hall?

A growing list of clerics and others are condemning the idol worship at the Vatican and urging reparation.

A New Buzz Phrase for the Lexicon of Catholic Liberals: The "Francis Magisterium"

Just tell those recalcitrant bishops in the U.S. it's the "Francis magisterium" and they better obey!

What's a liberal pope and his liberal "magisterium" to do?..

...When his critics question his authority over innovations he's introduced into Holy Mother Church including pagan idols like Pachamama.....

WHAT TO DO?

....When his critics express horror at the company he keeps and question his giving a Vatican voice and platform to those who promote abortion, contraception, homosexuality, population control, eugenics, etc.....

"Whom the Gods Would Destroy, They First Make Mad!" (Plus the Mad World of the Amazon Synod)

Shaman Isidoro Jajoy "blessing" participants
in pre-synodal meeting in Colombia

And there's plenty of mad in the Church these days! Also queer as in "strange, odd" (adjective) or "spoil, ruin" (verb). Here's the first:

Catholic School Hires “Queer” and “Non-Binary” Dance Teacher (Please Protest)

Nowadays it seems that "Catholic schools" and "scandal" often go together. (Think Jesuit colleges!) 

But then again so does "Catholic politician" and "scandal" in many cases. 

2020 Candidate Joe Biden Identifies as Catholic, But Breaks With Church Teaching

A Saint for Our Time: Terrorism, Invasion, and Political Upheaval Marked St. Augustine's Life!

Today is St. Augustine's feast day. I generally do a little research about the saint whose feast day we're celebrating. Today it was St. Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo. His early life of licentiousness certainly is a common mark of many in our time. His embrace of heresy certainly links him even to many of our clergy, although that was before his conversion unlike his bishop brethren of the modern age whose careers of lust and greed have so scandalized the faithful.

Augustine lived in tumultuous times. That's another link to us. Here's what I read at the Columbia College website:

When Augustines' pupil Possidius came to compose a biography of his master (which still survives), he spent little time detailing his master’s ideas; instead, he wanted to highlight for posterity all of the manifold controversies and personal dangers faced by Augustine throughout his life. So we hear, for example, about terrorists called Circumcellions from the so-called Donatist heresy, who launched raids on Catholic churches with a crude tear gas made of lime juice and vinegar, and allegedly laid an ambush to kill Augustine himself. Finally, Augustine lived to see the catastrophic invasion of Africa by the Vandals, and Possidius gives a vivid picture of the struggle to assemble and safeguard his works amidst the general destruction. Possidius’ biography also appends a letter in which Augustine encourages anxious bishops not to flee, so as to provide a ‘place of refuge’ for the displaced. The psychological conflicts depicted in the Confessions are intense, but also largely interior and personal. It is salutary, then, to remember that Augustine was far from detached from the political upheavals that marked the period in which he lived.

Is Pope Francis a Heretic?

One Peter Five reports that a group of theologians, scholars, and clerics are raising the question:

In the seemingly interminable war between Catholics and Pope Francis, another salvo has been fired. This time, it lands a bit closer to the target. 

In a 20-page open letter addressed not to the pope, but to the bishops of the Church, 13 Catholic scholars, some of them clergy, state that they “accuse Pope Francis of the canonical delict of heresy” and ask the bishops of the Church to “take the steps necessary to deal with the grave situation of a heretical pope.”  Read more here.

Does This Make Heresy Official? Pope Francis Raises Buenos Aires Affirmation of Adultery to Status of "Authentic Magisterium"

You too can be Henry VIII and
annul your own marriage!

Pope Francis has raised his letter to the Buenos Aires bishops affirming their interpretation of the Amoris Laetitia, along with their original letter, to the status of an Apostolic Letter. He also stated this is part of the "authentic Magisterium" of the Church. The pope did this in the form of a papal rescript. Rorate Caeli explained what that is and followed with a question:
troubling document

"Rescripts are responses of the pope or a Sacred Congregation, in writing, to queries or petitions of individuals. Some rescripts concern the granting of favours; others the administration of justice, e.g. the interpretation of a law, the appointment of a judge." Rescipts generally have the force of particular law, however, as in this case, only "when they interpret or promulgate a general law, are they of universal application." Since papal rescripts answer an inquiry - could this rescript be a direct reply to the dubia of the Four Cardinals?

Rorate goes on: