News coverage you can't avoid ...
I never watch Fox News but because of the attacks in Paris one channel in Minneapolis was streaming the coverage. First time I ever saw 'Shep' the news anchor. I heard of him before, and noted his name occasionally mentioned online before, but never saw him in action. I got the impression he and Michael Voris may have gone to the same broadcasting school. Now I know why people do not like Fox news - such drama. Even when Megan Kelly came on the air, she started to really work the drama and emotional tone of what she was reporting.
I know media distorts and sensationalizes the news - but I have never witnessed such blatant manipulation as I did last night during Fox coverage. I also do not listen to talk radio - ever, but some people in a place I once worked always had the radio tuned to Rush Limbaugh and other talk shows - the language and emotionally charged reporting/discussions were very similar to Fox. I'm convinced that explains why people are so nuts - they get their engines revved up by these media personalities and go online and freak out on their blogs and in the com boxes.
O Mary, Conceived without sin, pray for us
who have recourse to thee,
and for those who do not,
especially the enemies of the Church,
and those recommended to thee.
Signs - looking for signs ...
It's not a bad thing to do, it's very human, and in time of crisis, it helps one make sense of what is going on. Just don't get too attached to the signs - or read to much into them. I think I can do that a lot.
That said, I searched for something significant in the date of November 13. (I don't believe in bad luck or the Friday 13 superstitions.) I was looking for something associated with Our Lady. France is beloved by heaven - obviously singled out for many graces and favors throughout history by Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin. I especially wondered if the revelations of the Miraculous Medal played a significant role. However, the date November 13 did not appear to be significant. All I could find is that the last alleged apparition of Our Lady at Garabandal, Spain took place on that date in 1965.
Otherwise, November 13 is the memorial of Our Lady of Nanteuil, one of the earliest French shrines dedicated to the Virgin known for miraculous healing and as a designated pilgrimage site. A statue was found there and shortly before the French Revolution, the smile on the Virgin's face changed into a look of sadness. Otherwise I found no connection to the date related to Islam or an earlier victory over the Turks, such as at Lepanto and the Battle of Vienna - which is what I was hoping to find.
What I did discover however, is that the feast of the Miraculous Medal, which I know is the anniversary of Our Lady's apparition to Catherine Laboure at Paris in November 27, 1830, just might be significant in another sense. Kind of. The Parisian apparitions to Catherine are considered by many Mariologists to have initiated what has been known as the Marian Era in the Catholic Church, consisting of prodigies, apparitions, studies, definitions of Our Lady's prerogatives, as well as dogmatic declarations, and so on.
Curiously, in my online search, I re-discovered that Urban II launched the First Crusade on 27 November 1095 - I know!
I know nothing - but it seemed significant last night.
Have a nice day ...
Fox offers make-up deals on
pre-embalming.
I've only seen Shephard Smith once, and that was at the gym because they had TV's on the treadmills. I remember thinking, "Who the hell is this weirdo?"
ReplyDeleteMegyn Kelly? Never, ever liked her. Always thought she was obnoxiously trying to act all tough and in your face.
We don't watch any network news.
I do like to listen to Sean Hannity in the afternoon because he has all the principle players on as guests, and he lets them talk without constantly interrupting. He asks sensible questions and allows the guests to answer.
Haha! Can't recall where I heard criticism of Smith but I knew why last night. I don't think I have ever seen news anchors do so much acting - except in the movies.
DeleteI stopped listening to the radio about ten years ago - and that was Relevant Radio (Catholic) I think.
Maybe Fox can hire William Shatner.
DeleteThey did kinda - remember when Fr. Z was a commentator?
DeleteNo, I missed that - what a shame!
DeleteFacebook is awash in the tricolore and the Eiffel tower. You can even change your profile pic to superimpose a transparent French flag over it. I feel terrible for the loss of life in Paris but I couldn't help but be reminded of the recent spat of rainbows on FB recently. Everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon of the latest cause/crisis. I don't doubt their sincerity - but what are they are really changing by posting this stuff?
ReplyDeleteMy son wondered why other recent tragedies weren't covered to the same extent as this one. I'd say because we have become immune to people in the Middle East blowing each other up and also because Paris is a Western city. Not to mention that terrorism in Paris is going to sell a lot more air time, People magazine spreads and clicks and likes than anything that Muslims do to each other.
Sorry to sound so negative but I probably have news fatigue.
I'm thinking it's so big because it is the 2nd for Paris and really puts the war right in our neighborhoods now. It's escalating and will likely be repeated elsewhere. Before now - most of the suicide bombers were in the Middle East or Israel - now the Israeli style terror is becoming more widespread. The terrorists are embedded within the refugees.
DeleteAnd our new prime minister wants to invite 25,000 of them into the country by Christmas. I have no problem with real refugees but how do you properly process 25,000 people in 6 weeks?!
DeleteSo you're a fellow Canuck, eh, Angela M.? loL! yep my thoughts exactly. Even scarier ... my CTV news at 6 reported that a Syrian passport was found amongst debris or evidence collection. Great ... so now what I am to think about the Syrian refugees. My liberal friends say we shouldn't be judgemental and colour the refugees with broad strokes and do what Hungary did with the barbed wire fences (I agree with no fences .... that's treating people like animals in a zoo, only worse), but then is this how ISIS or the Muslim militants will spread terror .... Man we are really in for four years of panic (and maybe more here in Ontario cause I don't think enough's been done by Wynne to consider her "stupid" in the minds of most Ontarians and lukewarm Catholics.)
DeleteWynne's depraved sex education curriculum isn't stupid enough for most Ontarians?!
DeleteThis year ‘Black Friday’ falls on Nov 27…
ReplyDeleteWear the Miraculous Medal.
"Black Friday" is a consumer/commercial term. Unless you mean terrorists may target civilians while shopping?
DeleteEasy targets, as were those in Paris.
Delete1983, 17 December: Harrods was bombed by the IRA. Six were killed (including three police officers) and 90 wounded during Christmas shopping at the West London department store.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete“I was looking for something associated with Our Lady...”
ReplyDeleteHow about the sign of the Cross?
Associated with messages from Our Lady is what I meant. Of course, they still may be 'secret'. ;)
DeleteYesterday’s Gospel reading (Luke 17 : 26-27) was significant in light of last night’s disaster in Paris.
DeleteSo was the commentary given by Pope Francis that morning:
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-the-greatest-glory-is-god-everything-else-fad
Embedded terrorism is not a new phenomenon, especially in the UK. It existed for decades during the conflict in Northern Ireland – and hasn’t gone away. Even Christians aren’t immune from slaughtering each other.
Here’s a list of some of the terror incidents in Great Britain (but excluding Northern Ireland), mostly down to IRA attacks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents_in_Great_Britain
I remember the Northern Ireland stuff very well - and the Herrod's attack. I call it domestic terrorism - we had a little taste of that in the U.S. - this is International terrorism - it's WWIII.
DeleteIt's different.
Domestic terrorism - guerilla warfare, potentially heading towards civil war or revolution to be exact.
Delete“It's different.”
DeleteNot for the victims of terrorism. Terror is terror.
World War III? The war declared on the unborn.
So true. I get your point.
DeleteAhhh....."Pre-embalming"....Thank You for the only laugh-out-loud moment of the day....
ReplyDeleteHey Terry. Thanks for giving better commentary on the whole issue. Sadly the Katholic Krazies are ramping up the terror alert and the "slaughter the Muslims" comments again. One guy even said "There is justifiable killing." Wow, what spiritual and Satanic sickness in the minds of the Radicals Misrepresenting Traditionalists. Ironically, that is exactly the same think the Islamic extremists are thinking, all in the name of "Allah." Perhaps these RMTs want to kill in the name of Christ, and not in a Church mandated Crusade kind of way.
ReplyDeleteThank God your spiritual self is in the right place, and not with the Evil one.
Let us continue to pray for the eldest daughter of the Church since it is reported that a book has been written that claims that unless France changes her "liberty at any cost" attitude and maintains an open border policy well, the man who is said to have written that book claims that the Cathedral of Notre Dame will become a mosque by 2048.
ReplyDeleteSure, sounds like an outrageous claim but look what happened to the magnificent Cathedral in Turkey, Hagia Sophia.
Our Lady of Lourdes we join you in prayer for your children of your beloved France. May she never be lost to you.
Nov 13, 1918, the Allies occupied Constantinople.
ReplyDeletehttp://terrortrendsbulletin.com/2015/11/13/the-historical-significance-of-november-13th-in-islam/