Our Lepanto Moment: The Splash Heard Round the World

This is the lead article from the Fall issue of the Les Femmes newsletter which isn't on line yet. You can check out past issues in our archive of articles.

When Alexander Tschugguel traveled from Austria to Rome to attend a conference prior to the Amazon Synod, he had no notion of making a big splash in the Catholic World. But when he saw the Pachamama idols desecrating the Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina, the 26-year-old felt he had to act. He told his wife he thought he should remove the idols. She advised him to consult a priest. Is it morally licit? They prayed many rosaries and he asked a trusted priest. “May I remove Pachamama from the church?” The priest’s swift reply? “You may not do it; you must do it!” And so he did. Splash!

Topsy and Tuptim Meet at Chik-Fil-A to "Dialogue" on Chapter 4's "New Paths to Dialogue"

Synod Dialogue!

Topsy and Tuptim meet in the Chik-Fil-A parking lot and walk toward the building together.

Tuptim: Wow! It's great to see you again, Topsy. I missed you. How was the reunion?

Topsy: (laughing) I was only gone five days. The reunion was great! I met some of my husband's relatives for the first time and what a testimony to family! There must have been 200 people there! We were celebrating the reconnection with a young man given up for adoption 53 years ago! It meant a lot to me because my own mom was adopted and we never knew anything about her family. Those were the days when adoptions were closed. Maybe someday one of these DNA ancestry groups will bring a re-connection to my mom's family of origin. That would be exciting!

(They enter the building.)

The Pope Francis Commercial: But What Is he Selling?

THIS?  

Watch the video below with the realization that most Catholics are so badly catechized since Vatican II that they don't believe in the Real Presence nor do they believe in many core doctrines like the sanctity of human life, the nature of marriage, the reality of sin, the existence of hell, the sinfulness of contraception, fornication, abortion, sodomy, etc.

Imagine you know very little about your faith. What message would you take from this video?

Religious Syncretism in the Diocese of Arlington

My friend, Jane, was deeply disturbed by a front page article in the Arlington Catholic Herald  (7/2/13) depicting an ecumenical service at the diocesan Cathedral of St. Thomas More where Buddhists, Muslims, and Protestants all prayed in their traditions for religious liberty. The picture in the Herald appears to have an open tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament removed (Thank God!), but the event contributes to the widespread belief that all religions are the same (syncrectism). See my comments and links after Jane's letter.

Open Letter to Bishop Loverde about His Fortnight of Freedom at St. Thomas More Cathedral

Freedom? Liberty?

Sorry, no. Neither was honored at this event. Truth was discredited. The sanctuary was desecrated. Christ was offended. The cathedral should be re-consecrated.

I Am the Lord Your God, You Shall Not Have Strange Gods Before Me: The Scandal of False Ecumenism

As Catholics we are called to evangelize other faiths, not to bring them into the sanctuary to worship their false gods. It seems that all the churches where these atrocities occurred, even in the sanctuary, should be required to be resanctified. How can this be rationalized with 2000 years of Catholic history? As St. Paul says, can a man join his body to a harlot? Can a Roman Catholic pray with a pagan or feminist who worships Isis? How can the Vatican participate in the Parliament of World Religions. Religious indifferentism is a sin against the first commandment. A "pan religious melting pot" is anathema to Catholicism, but it's still going on. No wonder we are in so much trouble. Have mercy on us, Lord our God.