If all that is true ...

What the war didn't finish ... churchmen did.

If Bella Dodd was telling the truth ...

Actually, I am now convinced she was, thanks to real friends who have supplied links to documentation and personal accounts.  Another friend, in an effort to reassure me also pretty much dismissed the conspiracy saying, 'In the end, it doesn't really matter does it? Because evil is always defeated in the end and Christ is victorious.'  That is true, I guess, Pope Benedict has reassured others in that manner, Jesus wins in the end, and so on - but look at what has been done to the faith and souls.

I was reading how Archbishop Weakland's memorial plaque in Milwaukee's Catherdral will be removed.  I was reminded how, knowing nothing about him except that he was a monk, when he was named Archbishop.  I took it for granted that was a good thing, that the liturgy would be enhanced, and Catholic teaching affirmed.  I laugh at my naivete now.  I wonder why I ever thought I knew so much about ecclesial life?  Then when the Cathedral was 'wreckovated' I decided I liked it, though I preferred traditional church design.  Now I'm thinking the iconoclasm of the post Conciliar period was perpetrated and imposed as a way of destroying faith and morals. 

Milwaukee Cathedral

Maybe I was 'indoctrinated' to like this crap?

I was rereading Fr. Altier's homily which mentions Bella Dodd and points to the origins of the crisis - in 1924.  In his essay Fr. Altier wrote:

What kind of men do you think might have been elevated to be bishops by somebody like this?

You now understand why all that we get is fluff and stuff instead of good homilies? You understand why there are problems in the world that aren’t being addressed? That’s what it is about. Where is the doctrinal integrity? Where is the moral teaching? Someone that is not living it is not going to teach it. Now there are, after this grand jury report came out a few days ago from Pennsylvania, there are several more states already talking about doing their own grand jury investigation. It will probably go all over the place, so I say that to simply say there is going to be more in the news coming up. - Source

A priest friend told me a year or so that I was wrong about some things, I expect Bella Dodd being the least of them.  Still recovering from the flu, I've been able to examine myself, my conscience, and it's pretty dark.  I've been easily swayed and misled, and worst of all, I've been convinced I have been right about almost everything.  And everyone else either was wrong or didn't understand.  I'm being deliberately vague about the kind and number of my character defects and sins, but I'm grateful to be able to see the log in my own eye and recognize I'm in no shape to point out the sins of others, much less try to correct them.

Indoctrinated, deceived, led astray, or not - I'm still responsible for my actions.

That's all.

The Dream of the Secret - T. Nelson [2013-2016]

I was forewarned.

Solemnity of St. Joseph

San José, refugio de pecadores

San José, refugio de pecadores, grabado, siglo XVIII. 

Archivo General de la Nación, México.

I want to go home ...

Recovering from the flu. 

I finally made it to Mass and confession yesterday.  I was able to spend time in adoration but had to leave because my cough, which sounds bad, was scaring other adorers.  I had to leave Mass early as well.

I just want to mention a couple of things I think need to change at Mass - especially in flue season.  Stop holding hands and giving the sign of peace.  Just stop it.  I have a feeling that could be how I got sick in the first place.  Not sure.

Now that I'm old, I have difficulty kneeling, so I have to go to confession face to face, because I can sit.  Face to face confession is distracting.  I don't know where to look, and I forget that I'm confessing to Christ and I get caught up in the personality of the priest, and sometimes get confused.  I'm not looking for approval or anything like that, but it sometimes breaks down to a more natural exchange - I'm not sure how well I expressed that.

In the Mass and contemporary homiletics, as well as face to face confession, there can be a self-conscious concern for 'performance' and an expectation of reward or at least approval and affirmation.  I wouldn't mind some reform of the Mass and the sacraments more in line with the traditional rites.

Just saying.  I don't want to spend the rest of my life complaining or arguing about stuff like this, it's just that I kind of get why younger people are attracted to the traditional rite.  There is something banal about the ordinary form as it is celebrated in parish communities.

The announcements before the final blessing along with some of the fund raising presentation performances,  strike me as especially disconcerting.  It's usually all in the bulletin or online.   What a huge distraction from any recollection attained in Holy Communion, despite the constant singing throughout the thanksgiving.  (If I remember correctly there was very little musical accompaniment during Lent - not now of course.)  No wonder a huge cacophony of greetings and conversation erupts immediately after Mass.

Looks like I'm whining again.  My apologies.  I'm just an ordinary layman, steeped in sin since birth.