Catholics need to 'Man Up' I guess.

A beard is a beard is a beard.

Buck up their swords and polish their shields.*

I didn't realize Fr. Longenecker does Catholic Man conferences.  In his latest article he has some decent advice - and not just for men I guess.  I know, it's just his handle, like his pop-Catholic advice.  One dumb idea after another - he blamed Brother Sun, Sister Moon for effete seminarians and priests last week.  I'm glad I'm not the only crackpot online.  Anyway, his latest is just so, so - though somewhat dismissive - I suppose it fits the Catholic man-talk strategy.

I say respond, react to the scandals any way you like - just let the hierarchy know you want straight answers and that you want to see reform.  In the meantime amuse yourselves, talk among yourselves, and enjoy the drama.

It's a great time to be Catholic, so long as one is content with a sufficiency and not worried about cashing in.

*Wait - I think I read that book.

I have a lot on my mind today ...

Minnesota State Fair Advice ...

The Viganò Manuscript

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano

What if Vigano's 'letter' was just a script for another Dan Brown novel?

I bet that's it.  Maybe a rewrite of one of Malachi Martin's books?  A reality TV show plot?  Many people are bringing up Malachi Martin, suggesting he was some sort of prophet.  Seriously, Vigano's letter fits in with all the prophecies and conspiracy theories and Goth-fiction stories from 1P5 and The Remnant over the years.  Even Fr. Z is scared. 

Anyway, I'm in a much better mood today.  I'm grateful for living in interesting times.

Maybe this was a sign after all?

This too?

Another omen?

Vigano lost me here ...

Babbo ... sweet Christ on earth.

It is a complete absurdity to give credence to a statement such as the following:

June of 2013, only a few months after Francis’s election — one notes that Viganò never says he explicitly mentioned any specific allegation against McCarrick. He also does a good deal of reading between the lines, and attributes motive:

I began the conversation, asking the Pope what he intended to say to me with the words he had addressed to me when I greeted him the previous Friday. And the Pope, in a very different, friendly, almost affectionate tone, said to me: “Yes, the Bishops in the United States must not be ideologized, they must not be right-wing like the Archbishop of Philadelphia, (the Pope did not give me the name of the Archbishop) they must be shepherds; and they must not be left-wing — and he added, raising both arms — and when I say left-wing I mean homosexual.” Of course, the logic of the correlation between being left-wing and being homosexual escaped me, but I added nothing else. - CWR

Okay then.  I'm fine now.

A man's enemies will be those of his own household. - Matt 10:36

Remember the saints who lived through anti-papist and schismatic times.  Some of them made mistakes about which pope was true, others, Like Catherine of Siena kept her eyes upon the true Pope, because she prayed and lived in intimate union with Christ, she stood by the Pope, united to the Church.  The Pope is Christ's vicar and as Our Lady pointed out, just like her Son, he will have much to suffer.  I seriously never expected the Pope would suffer this, not in modern times.  Talk about the Devil's final battle!  So we must pray and remain faithful to the Church, come what may.

This may be what the ugly side of clericalism looks like when threatened with reform.  I may be wrong, but I stand with our 'sweet Christ on earth'.

The following helps me to know my place when it comes to the current crisis of bishops:

"Only the Pope could correct the defects of the priests," (in Catherine's day), and not the laity who should always revere them, since Christ left to the Apostle Peter and his successors the key of His Blood, from which all the Sacraments gain life.  (Of course the author is speaking in the historical context - I used it here to point out that it remains true that only the pope can discipline bishops.)  "The Pope, with ardent faith recognised by Catherine as "sweet Christ on earth" and called with tender affection "My kindest daddy" is asked to work strongly for the reform of the Church. "Intervene to eliminate the stink of the ministers of the Holy Church; pull out the stinking flowers and plant scented plants, virtuous men who fear God". - S. Caterina and Priests.