Going back to the beginning.

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return..."

Ash Wednesday reminds us of the curse which fell upon our first parents.  This was made clear this past week from the readings taken from the Book of Genesis for Mass, which preceded Ash Wednesday this year.

“Cursed be the ground because of you!
In toil shall you eat its yield
all the days of your life.
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you,
as you eat of the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your face
shall you get bread to eat,
Until you return to the ground,
from which you were taken;
For you are dirt,
and to dirt you shall return.” - Genesis 3

I think we need to get back to the beginning to understand the evils of the day, to understand our need for repentance and conversion.  We need to know what happened then, and what caused us to be like this now.  We need to recognize how the serpent tricked the woman - and how he continues to trick us, convincing us we can be like gods, deciding for ourselves what is good and evil.  Therein lies our original sin, a sin which always calls God a liar.

The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.” - Genesis

As I read these passages it seemed to me that if in our fasting from food, we 'chew on' or 'ruminate' these verses, the Holy Spirit will remove our confusion regarding gender, sexuality, marriage and family - and vocation.

We are stardust, we are golden, we are caught in the devil's bargain,
And we got to get ourselves back to the garden. - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

- kinda/sorta. ;)

Well! I'll be! Looks like the Patheos Catholic channel got themselves another ____ on the blogroll.

What?

Song for this post here.  (No dancing on Ash Wednesday.)

Seriously:  Congratulations Larry!

Screenshots: "Brought me to tears..."

“Oh, that today you would hear his voice: ‘Harden not your hearts.’” - Hebrews 3


One site highlighted/linked to a post by Michael Sean Winters discussing the Holy Father's homily this past weekend.  I commented on the homily/Angelus address yesterday calling it The Perfect Joy of Pope Francis.  Winters said he was moved to tears by the Holy Father's words - I had been as well - I just didn't say it because it seems to me people are crying online all the time.  Usually because they don't like the Pope and what he says or does.  Though Winters reads the Pope's words as a sign of hope for some new direction for the upcoming Synod, he nonetheless was deeply moved by what the Holy Father calls us to.

"Pope Francis is asking us how we interact with the lepers of our time, the marginalized. Do we even know them? Do we love them?" - Winters

I don't really read the NCR but once again I find myself agreeing with a writer who is roundly criticized by 'conservatives' online.  Michael Sean Winters writes from a more liberal POV than most writers I do read, agenda driven - or not - many bloggers I do read, write from a more traditional POV .  I don't think I fit well into any category of liberal, trad, conservative, what have you.  Others may want to box me in a given category - but I know I can't fit in - I can't be faithful to the expectations of others.

That said, it seems to me, a group of people may have unwittingly hardened their hearts against the Holy Father.  I say that because not a few appear prepared to not only question but have become so suspicious as to actually reject everything he says or does.  A mind set has been 'set' - the Holy Father refers to it as a fearful, narrow and prejudiced mentality.   It is in effect, a hardening of the heart.  Commenting on today's Gospel the Holy Father warned:

He warned: "This is evil and we all have this ability to destroy". As Lent begins, the Church “invites us to reflect on this”. Pointing to today's Gospel where Jesus rebukes the disciples who are arguing among themselves about having forgotten to bring bread. The Lord tells them to “watch out,guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod". He gives the example of two people: Herod who "is bad, a murderer, and the Pharisees who are hypocrites." In doing so, Jesus reminds them of when he broke the five loaves and urges them to think of the Salvation, of what God has done for all of us. Pope Francis went on to note that "they did not understand, because their hearts were hardened by this passion, by this evil need to argue among each other and see who was guilty of having forgotten the bread". - Vatican Radio

"they did not understand, because their hearts were hardened ..."

That is scary.

The same site which linked to the NCR Winter's article linked to  an article criticizing the Pope for referring to the martyrdom of the 21 Coptic Christians beheaded on the Libyan beach as "the ecumenism of blood."  Clearly meaning that the martyrs belong to all Christians: "The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard. It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians! Their blood is one and the same. Their blood confesses Christ."

"I would now like to turn to my native tongue to express feelings of profound sorrow. Today I read about the execution of those twenty-one or twenty-two Coptic Christians. Their only words were: 'Jesus, help me!' They were killed simply for the fact that they were Christians. You, my brother, in your words referred to what is happening in the land of Jesus. The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard. It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians! Their blood is one and the same. Their blood confesses Christ. As we recall these brothers and sisters who died only because they confessed Christ, I ask that we encourage each another to go forward with this ecumenism which is giving us strength, the ecumenism of blood. The martyrs belong to all Christians." ~ Pope Francis

The author contemns the Holy Father's words claiming he is using the martyrdom of these men to promote an agenda - ecumenism:

I agree with anyone who calls these valiant men martyrs for Jesus Christ. However, I do not think that the heroic deaths of these Coptic Christians, who died with the name of Jesus on their lips, should be exploited by anyone for any agenda whatsoever. It is wrong to shamelessly advance in the name of your own projects men's real sacrifices to further your agenda, namely, in this case - ecumenism. - Bones

The author's readers agree with him.  It is such a ridiculous accusation, I'm practically speechless.

Another American blogger takes down the Holy Father's homily Winters wrote about in an attempt to correct the Pope's scriptural commentary:

In his homily to his see, he portrays Jesus as walking around healing 'nearly everyone' He came upon. 

"That com-passion which made him draw near to every person in pain!"

He most certainly did not. - Crusader

Amazing, huh?  Who would dare limit the mercy of God?  Our Lord cured everyone who came to him: "He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick..." - Matt. 8:16   "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power ... he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." - Acts 10:38 .

"There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." - John 21:25

BTW - The only reason comment moderation is on is that I'm getting spam from China and the Middle East.  Not sure how it gets published.

The Perfect Joy of Pope Francis

"No pit is so deep that his love is not deeper still." - Betsy Ten Boom

I love what the Holy Father said in his homilies and at the Angelus yesterday.  It reminds me of so many sayings of the saints when speaking of the tender mercies of Our Lord.  I have experienced it myself - that 'deep calling unto deep' - how Christ meets us in the very depths of our misery.  It is the mystery of the falls he experienced along the road to Calvary.  I have sensed it within my soul.  When I have fallen into the depths and mire of the worst sin - at times there was a sense in my soul that Jesus was there, that he looked at me with love.  As if he was waiting for me.  Though fallen and trampled in the dust under the weight of the cross, his teeth filled with gravel, he looked at me in my fallen state, and his look touched my soul ... He was there already, sharing my shame.

It seems to me this is the message Pope Francis is conveying - even though some may reject it - and while he himself is denounced and shut out, much in the same way as Francis of Assisi represented in his parable of Perfect Joy.  It seems clear to me the Holy Father rejoices in this 'outcast state' - sharing in the cross of Christ, despising its shame, much as St. Paul wrote to the Hebrews ...

Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood.
Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that he bore. - Hebrews 13:13

It seems to me this is what the Holy Father is teaching.  I want to excerpt a couple of things from his allocution yesterday to document and hopefully keep in mind.

“God's mercy overcomes every barrier, and Jesus' hand touches the leper. He does not keep a safe distance and does not act by proxy, but rather He directly exposes Himself to contagion by our malady; and it is precisely our malady that becomes the locus of contact: He, Jesus, takes our ailing humanity from us and we take His healthy, restorative humanity from Him. This happens every time that we receive a Sacrament with faith: the Lord Jesus 'touches' us and gives us His grace. In his case, we think especially of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which cures us from the leprosy of sin”.

“Once again the Gospel shows us what God does when faced with our sickness: God does not come to 'give a lecture' on pain; neither does He come to eliminate suffering and death from the world; rather, He comes to take upon Himself the burden of our human condition, to bear it unto the end, to free us in a radical and definitive way. Thus Christ vanquishes the ills and sufferings of the world: by taking them upon Himself and defeating them with the strength of God's mercy”.

Today, the Gospel passage of the healing of the leper tells us that if we wish to be “true disciples of Christ, we are required to become, joined with Him, instruments of His merciful love, setting aside every type of marginalisation. To be 'imitators of Christ' before the poor or sick, we must not be afraid to look them in the eye and to draw closer with tenderness and compassion, to touch and embrace them”, explained the Pope, adding that he often asks those who help others to do so “looking them in the eye, without being afraid to touch them, so that the gesture of aid may also be a gesture of communication”.


“We too need to be accepted by them”, he continued, “A gesture of tenderness, a gesture of compassion. … If evil is contagious, so is good. Therefore, good must increasingly abound in us. Let us be 'infected' by good, and spread good to others!”. - Angelus: Good is contagious.

"...it is precisely our malady that becomes the locus of contact."

More Coptic Martyrs

Even if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality. - Common for Martyrs

CAIRO (AP) — A video purporting to show the mass beheading of Coptic Christian hostages was released Sunday by militants in Libya affiliated with the Islamic State group. 

The killings raise the possibility that the Islamic militant group — which controls about a third of Syria and Iraq in a self-declared caliphate — has established a direct affiliate less than 500 miles (800 kilometers) from the southern tip of Italy. One of the militants in the video makes direct reference to that possibility, saying the group now plans to "conquer Rome." - Story

Whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it in eternity, says the Lord. - Common for Martyrs

Do not sell your birthright for all the world.  No matter what compromise, what alternative lifestyle is offered you, do not surrender your soul.  Keep the faith.  Put no trust in princes, in riches, in comfort, developed doctrine, or false peace.  Pray.  Pray.  Pray.

Queen of Martyrs!  Pray for us!

Canonization approved for Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified, OCD

“Holy Spirit, inspire me. 

Love of God consume me. 

Along the true road, lead me. 

Mary, my good mother, look down upon me. 

With Jesus, bless me. 

From all evil, 

all illusion, 

all danger, 

preserve me.”

Great news from the Consistory.

Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified Baouardy was born Maria Baouardy in Abellin, a village in Upper Galilee, near Nazareth, in 1846 of Arab parents. She was baptized in the Melchite Greek Catholic Church. From early youth she experienced many sufferings together with extraordinary mystic phenomena. In France, she entered the Carmel of Pau. She was sent to India to found new Carmels, and then to Bethlehem, where she died in 1878. She was beatified by St John Paul II in 1983. - Vatican Radio

Every time I'm tempted to doubt - heaven provides a sign!  This is joyous news.  Bl. Miriam, aka 'the Little Arab' is a wondrous saint - a wonder worker.  Her history is the stuff of medieval hagiography - her life itself was miraculous.  She is a sign from heaven in our times of crisis.


An excerpt from a biography of her life:

Little Mariam Baouardy, now known as Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified, was professed on 21 November 1871 as a Carmelite Religious. Prior to that action she was subjected to severe supernatural adversities. One of the most terrible was diabolic possession for a period of 40 days. She persevered in her simple child-like faith in God the Son and His Holy Mother Mary. Her rewards were those reserved for the most privileged of humans. She was fixed with the stigmata of her crucified Savior, experienced levitations, transverberations of the heart, knowledge of hearts, prophecies, possession by the Good Angel, and facial radiance. Again and again she would say, “Everything passes here on earth. What are we? Nothing but dust, nothingness, and God is so great, so beautiful, so lovable and He is not loved.”

Sister Mariam of Jesus Crucified had an intense devotion to the Holy Spirit, Possessor of the Truth without error or division. Through the Melkite Patriarch Gregory II Sayour, she sent a message to Pope Pius IX that the Church, even in seminaries, is neglecting true devotion to the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Her prayer to that great Unknown was: “Holy Spirit, inspire me. Love of God consume me. Along the true road, lead me. Mary, my good mother, look down upon me. With Jesus, bless me. From all evil, all illusion, all danger, preserve me.” This simple prayer has gone around the world. - Finish reading here.

There you go ~n from San Francisco ...

Fr. Z just posted a milestone - so what's the big deal?  Ask him.

I noted a week or so ago that Fr. Z has a lot of hits - because his site meter was clicking a new reader every second - or less.  And someone got mad at me.  I wasn't being at all critical of Fr. Z - simply remarking on how incredibly popular he is and he has no one sponsoring/promoting him.  His blog is a totally independent entity.

Today Father noted a new milestone.  Congratulations.

BTW - the other day I was reading something at his site and once again noted the site meter whirling.  I watched it for a minute or so - guess which were the most popular posts readers were searching/clicking on?  Mostly Ash Wednesday stuff, such as: "Can lay people distribute ashes?"  "Should infants get ashes?"  "Can my cat get ashes?"  I made the last one up.

So anyway - Fr. Z has to be the most influential Catholic priest blogger in the world... He's the go-to priest for rubrics!

I think we may need a little bit more formality...

A newly-created cardinal kneels before the Pope at St Peter's in the Vatican. 

In this great shot, you can see the train of the cappa flowing down the steps. 

The Pope imposes the cardinal's galero on his head, 

covered with the cappa's hood. Circa 1960. - Source

The sense of the sacred is otherwise diminished.

I don't really care very much what the pope and the cardinals do or discuss at their consistories - especially as it concerns curial reform and all of that.  I don't have a need to know all the intrigue and politics that goes on.  I don't care that an American wasn't made a cardinal, or this and that one was snubbed, and so on.  All of that 'stuff' is unedifying to me.

Likewise, the lack of formalism - especially the disdain for it - is unedifying as well.

I know Cardinal Burke seemingly goes everywhere in pontificals, and I understand because of that, many people make fun of him.  The disrespect contributes to the erosion of reverence and respect due to the hierarchy.  I know because I've joked about the cappa and choir vesture myself.  Lately I've noted I have a hard time taking it seriously, and when I see photos of this or that prelate - in choir vesture or not, I sense an initial interior inclination to scoff.  I try to mortify the suggestion of course, but it is difficult to avoid the critical spirit when so much is published.

Just thinking out loud here.

BTW:  Pope Francis gave red hats to 20 new Cardinals today.  He instructed them beautifully:

In his homily, Francis reminded his newest collaborators that being a cardinal isn't a prize or fancy entitlement, but rather a way to serve the church better in humility and tenderness.

He warned them that not even churchmen are immune from the temptation to be jealous, angry or proud, or to pursue their own self-interest, even when "cloaked in noble appearances." - AP

source

 "Don't dress down for the poor, they won't respect you for it."  - Imelda Marcos

Impaired Judgement? Or Catholics don't know what they are talking about?

Same thing, really.

At least for me.  The other day I mentioned something about Pope Benedict's resignation and how it seemed to me he was fleeing the wolves, with the caveat, "though my judgement may be impaired ..."  Meaning, I don't have all the facts.  Not having all the facts means impaired judgement.  Which is probably why so many Catholics online don't really know what they are talking about.  Even when they cite Aquinas or St. Toonces or Raymond Arroyo, or NBC Nightly News.  (Brian Williams' judgement may have been impaired by something else - otherwise I believe absolutely everything that is said on nightly news - esp. when he spoke.  Why else would he have had roles on 30 Rock?  And if Sarah Palin never read anything, I don't have to either.)

So here's what I think, "though my judgement may be impaired ..."

Hilary Clinton is having cosmetic surgery/work done - that is why she isn't around right now.

I knew you were wondering.

70 Years After: Remembering Dresden ... February 13 and 14, 1945

When fire fell from the sky ...

after a night illumined 

by an unknown light.

“You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace...

"The war is going to end: but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the Pontificate of Pius XI... 

"When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father." - Our Lady of Fatima

Dresden after the devastating British bombing campaign of February 1945. 

'The purpose was simple: to kill civilians, to destroy cities and to crush German morale.' 

Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis

"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful...

"The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by my Son. Each day, recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and the priests...

"The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, and bishops against other bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their Confreres. The Church and altars will be vandalized. The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord." - Our Lady of Akita

 "Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful..."

6 months later, Hiroshima, August 1945.

3 days later, Nagasaki, August 1945

World War II was the deadliest military conflict in history. Over 60 million people were killed, which was over 3% of the 1939 world population (est. 2 billion). - Source

50 Shades of Grey - No full frontal ...

Harvey Korman and Cloris Leachman, High Anxiety

I don't read a lot of fiction and I never read fan fiction.

I know vaguely what 50 Shades of Grey is about and that it is a best seller.  One can't miss the fact that it is talked about incessantly, especially now that it has been made into a movie - which has been panned pretty much because it doesn't show much actual porn and no full frontal nudity - whatever that means.

Religious people are making their condemnations heard, and bloggers are picking up the hits by writing about it - me too - hence the title of the post.  LOL!

I don't know - about 490 years ago St. Teresa's dad forbade her to read the racy romance novels of the day - but she did.  Every era has its evil books.  It is right to condemn them, but it also helps promote them when we all jump on the band wagon.  Just saying.

Anyway - did you know Dorothy Day read Lolita?  When I was in high school that was the dirty book to read.  Before that it was Lady Chatterley's Lover and Tom Jones.  Boring.  I just thought it funny Dorothy Day read Lolita - I can't find the entry in her Diaries because the page listed in the index is wrong.  I'll come across it another time.

I always had the understanding that women preferred to read eroticism, while men preferred the visual.  Perhaps that's why the 50 Shades movie is not especially graphic - no full frontal shots - it's a chick flick - and deep down, girls feel threatened by a man's _____.

Oddly enough, I've never liked porn.  It never became an addiction or something I sought out for itself.  There but for the grace of God...

There is a classic bit of advice confessors always gave - "Never, ever have or keep porn in the house."  Now with computers and smart phones, an added caution: never click on it.  Someone used to send stuff to me in the mail and I threw it out as soon as I realized what it was.  I understand its potential to arouse.

Bonus!  Never watch Oprah or read Richard Rohr, Fran Ferder, or Chris West either.

BTW:  I have comment moderation on because I've been getting spam comments from foreigners.  What?

Thinking of St. Bernadette

I think the sanctity of St. Bernadette is very often underestimated.  I also think those who portray her in the newest plays and films misinterpret/misrepresent her - much in the same way as the film "Therese" overly romanticized the life of St. Therese.

I also think there are many similarities between St. Bernadette and St. Catherine Laboure.  I think they were very simple, practical and uncomplicated - and excellent examples of the 'little way' of St. Therese, before she conceived of it as a sort of 'doctrine'.

I also think that if we want to know what the Blessed Virgin was like when she lived on earth, we should study the life of St. Bernadette and St. Catherine - and St. Therese.

As for those who claim to see or hear Our Lady today - maybe not so much.  In fact their lives may be the best way to discern if their supernatural experiences are worthy of belief.

Just a thought.

I may be wrong.

Oh.

And.

Don't listen to me.

A timely message from Bishop Athanasius Schneider

“We are now standing in the face of the 

greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced." - St. John Paul II

"It is a sad truth that we are in a time of great crisis in the Church."

I'm sorry folks, I can't remain in denial forever, I can't keep pretending everyone else is nuts and I'm okay.  I can't just keep winking as compromises are continually proffered and promoted.  

Something is really wrong, we all know it.  What to do?  I was sent the following letter of advice this morning ...

It is a sad truth that we are in a time of great crisis in the Church. God is with us, however. You have asked me what the faithful can do to combat the errors spreading through the Church. I would like to answer with some suggestions:

We must create groups of true Catholics, scholars, families, and clergy who will spread courageously the full Catholic truth, especially on the Church’s teachings on the family, on nature, and the commandments of God.

As a means to this aim, we must make use of all the resources that the modern world offers to us. We are not confined to waiting for the media to spread these messages. We do not have to wait for each individual pastor to preach them from the pulpit. We should embrace the new media forms that allow us to spread the Gospel and the teachings of our Holy Mother, the Church. We should take our message to the Internet, publish it on websites, blogs, and social media.

But we must not forget to engage with our fellow Catholics in more traditional ways. We should organize conferences and symposiums on a scholarly level. We should use these to create publications, papers, and books that can be used as a reference and broaden our discussion.

We should also create a movement of Catholic families, of “domestic churches”, to witness, defend and spread the integral faith and the teaching on family, marriage, and the order of nature.

We must, at this dangerous time, be courageous in illuminating the truly Gnostic and revolutionary character of the “Kasper agenda,” demonstrating the continuity of the Divine doctrine on marriage and its practice throughout the two thousand years of the history of our Church. We should inspire the faithful with examples of holy husbands, families, children, and teenagers. We should demonstrate, on the one side, the real beauty of a marital, family, or single life in chastity and fidelity. On the other side, we must point to the demonstrated ugliness, unhappiness, and schizophrenia of a life against the divinely-established order.

To give hope to those who are struggling, it is important for us to give examples of repentant Catholics from the past and present time. Those who converted from their sinful life in adultery, divorce, or sodomy. - Finish reading here.

It makes sense.

H/T Diane at Te Deum 

Editing

What?

I've been going through and deleting negative posts - mostly about priests and bishops - especially as they concern scandal.  It's difficult to recall everything I've written.  Going through the archives takes time and is rather tedious.  Perhaps it can be a Lenten exercise?  I actually cringe at some of the titles of my posts and the subjects I've addressed - so far outside my competence.  I've written pompous, judgemental and outrageous posts just as bad as bloggers I've often criticized have done.

Who do I think I am?  (That guy in the photo?)

Song for this post here.

Something to think about ...

"Where are apologists of our days, who would announce to men in a clear and comprehensible manner the threat of the risk of loss of faith and salvation?" - Archbishop Jan Pawel Lenga

One can observe at all levels of the Church an obvious decrease of the “sacrum”. The “spirit of the world” feeds the shepherds. The sinners give the Church the instructions for how she has to serve them. In their embarrassment the Pastors are silent on the current problems and abandon the sheep while they are feeding themselves. The world is tempted by the devil and opposes the doctrine of Christ. Nevertheless the Pastors are obliged to teach the whole truth about God and men “in season and out”. - Reflections on some current problems of the crisis of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Jan Pawel Lenga. Taken from Rorate Caeli.

Vaccines DO NOT Cause Autism.

I just saw it on nightly news - so it's true.

(They make your kids gay though.)

Uncanny look-a-likes ...

Lady Mary, Downton Abbey

Bruce Jenner

It's all making sense now.

Song for this post here.

Signs in the heavens! A message for the prophets of doom and gloom ...

In the centre of this image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, 

is the galaxy cluster SDSS J1038+4849 — and it seems to be smiling. - Read more here.

Song for this post here.

Blame the Masons

The 3D model of a Masonic lodge interior

I came across a photo of a Masonic Lodge and decided to search Google for more examples of Masonic temple interiors.  It became obvious to me why some people insist the Novus Ordo and the renovation of the sanctuary in many Catholic churches is Masonic.  I knew that, but never thought much about it since Jewish synagogues are somewhat similar as well.  In fact many religions have a similar 'floor plan'.  Indeed, many medieval Catholic cathedrals are said to be modeled after the original temple in Jerusalem... constructed by stone masons.  Nothing new there, but just for fun, I thought I'd post a few more Masonic photos for my conspiracy theorist readers.

Traditional Masonic Lodge interior.

Doesn't this remind you of how people

who may not be able to receive Communion

go up for a blessing?

Scottish Rite Temple.

That looks exactly like a monastic church.

But it isn't.

Look at the arrangement at the UN.

It looks exactly like a Masonic temple.

It isn't.

I found this under "Jesuit Vatican" 

- note the set up is very similar 

to the Masonic Lodge.

But it isn't.

Every.Single.Cotton.Pickin.Time … and again.

I bet she gets really scared when she sees her backseat headrest in the rear view mirror too.

Many, many, many years ago, when I used to smoke, and went to start the car, after having forgotten to turn the radio off the last time I drove, I'd totally freak out when the sound came on.  So I get it.

ChurchMilitant TV: Another scrutiny ...

"Wait a sec. I’m sorry, but I gotta call bullshit on this." - LarryD

Larry at Acts of Apostasy calls them out.

Voris and Niles, that is.

On their promotional material/tactics.

Read more here.

So I said, "You want a PeeWee?

I can be a PeeWee - then they

went and hired Arroyo anyway!"

Why Catholics should boycott "Selma".

Bad costume design.

The nuns who marched never dressed like that.  I hate it when costume designers make up nun's habits.  The entire movie is now lost on me.

What?

The 2015 Grammys

LOL!

The highway to hell is wide, and many choose to travel it.

I only watched the beginning of the show.

AC/DC opened.  They did Highway to Hell and the audience wore horns.  It seemed appropriate.

The music pretty much stays the same.

What was Prince wearing?

And Madonna?

Everyone is a star.

Then I watched Downton.  Crazy Edith took off with her kid.  So pathetic.

Grantchester is a much better show.  It was all about queers last night.

ROFLMAO!

Kudos!

"We join with Cardinal Burke, and say, 'If the pope persists, we too shall resist!'”

Adding to the confusion and fears ...


The interview, the blow back, the new resistance, the new schism?


I don't know ladies and gentlemen, but you're not making things better.


Screenshot:  For Cd. Burke to now say that he will resist if the situation warrants is, in my opinion, a significant escalation 

... more

This made my day: Photo of the Pope visiting a shanty-town in a Roman suburb ...

Pope Francis made a surprise visit to a shantytown on Rome’s outskirts on Sunday, 

stunning poor residents, many of them from his native South America.

I was immediately reminded of the famous photo of Pius XII going to the people at San Lorenzo after the bombing of Rome.

Calling out the gossip mongers.

Miraculous Communion of St. Catherine, Beccafumi

A Correction.


Catholic in Brooklyn has a terrific post going after Church Militant, Mic'd Up, The Vortex for the recent coverage on homo-priests.

In January, Michael Voris did a Vortex episode entitled, "GET OUT!" in which he once again attacked the "homosexual and homosexual-friendly clergy" of the Catholic Church. He, as is his usual custom, wasted no time in condemning those he accuses: 

"These weak men, these weak leaders have absolutely no right to work out their psychological illnesses and depravities through the priesthood and episcopate.

And yes, they are depravities. For a man who is a practicing homosexual, or struggling with trying to explore his identity, to do that on the Church’s watch is beyond horrible." - Voris

Voris played his usual deceptive games by talking about "gay priests" while showing films of gay pride parades which have nothing to do with any Catholic priests. But it is a way of manipulating people into thinking that these priests he is accusing are right there in the parades. - Catholic in Brooklyn

The CinB article continues taking down the original presentation by Voris, including Voris' quote from Catherine of Siena on God's condemnation of homosexual acts and the fact that even the demons flee from the sight of such unnatural vice.  The author went beyond the famous passage from The Dialogue citing excerpts containing what God the Father went on to say concerning those who attack and denigrate His ministers who though they sin against nature, they remain His 'chosen, His anointed, stewards of the body and blood of His only-begotten Son'.  It's an awesome account.  I feel badly for not noting it myself, since it has been many years since I read The Dialogue myself.

Let the reader go here to read the entire post, I would just like to print one more excerpt which should give all of us pause ...

God the Father says that those engaged in the practice of persecuting priests and bishops "regardless of how good or evil they may be" actually puts them in service to the devil himself:

"This chain binds the persecutors of the blood one with the other, and as members bound up with the devil they have taken on the function of the devils. The devils make every effort to lead my creatures astray, to lure then away from grace and drag them down into the guilt of deadly sin so that others may share the evil that is in themselves. This is what such people do, neither more nor less. As the devil's members, they go about undermining the children of the bride of Christ, my only-begotten Son, undoing them from the bond of charity and binding them up in the wretched chain where they will be deprived of the fruit of the blood along with themselves.

The links of this chain are pride and self-importance along with the slavish fear that makes them lose grace rather than risk losing their temporal powers. So they fall into greater confusion than ever, since they have forfeited the honor of the blood. Their chain is welded with the seal of darkness, so that they do not recognize into what great trouble and wretchedness they have fallen and are making others fall. this is why they do not change their ways. They do not know themselves, but blind as they are, they take pride in their own spiritual and bodily ruin.

O dearest daughter, grieve without measure at the sight of such wretched blindness in those who, like you, have been washed in the blood, have nursed and been nourished with this blood at the breast of holy Church!  Now like rebels they have pulled away from that breast out of fear and under the pretext of correcting the faults of my ministers -- something I have forbidden them to do, for I do not want [my anointed ones] touched by them." - The Dialogue/Catholic in Brooklyn

A big thank you to Mary of Catholic in Brooklyn blog for following her conscience and offering this excellent post, inspiring all of us to examine our conscience and repent.

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O my God!  I am heartily sorry for having offended you, my God!  Forgive me for calling out the faults of others, especially your ministers, who have washed me numerous times in the precious blood of your only begotten Son.  Have mercy upon me a miserable sinner.  Lord Jesus Christ!  Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

The Saints of the Northern Thebaid

St. Sergius and the Bear

I've been watching some things on PBS about bears, and I was reminded of St. Sergius and the bear, as well as other saints who made friends with wild animals.  It appears the phenomenon is not limited to saints.  In fact, BBC Nature is what I watched about the bears in my 'part of the woods'.  

I only have stuffed bears and a cat who pretends to be a bear.  She tried to eat me yesterday.

Young St. Sergius, Mikhail-Nestero

Never listen to the Devil.

Detail: Garden of Earthly Delights

Hieronymus Bosch

I always say that.  Why?  Because he lies.

So if you hear someone talk about what the Devil told them about rectal emissions - ignore it.

The Devil lies.

I wrote about it here, and repeat it today.

I came across a commentary on the Gospel for today, offering an explanation as to why Jesus commanded the demons he drove out, not to speak.

"The reason why Jesus forbade the devils to speak was to teach us not to believe them, even if they say true.  For if once they find persons to believe them, they mingle truth with falsehood." - Theopylact of Ohrid

It is the same with 'New Age' Catholic spiritual guides and heretics.  They collect what seems good to them from other cultures and religious systems and concoct a syncretic-cocktail of error, with a shot of truth.  Of course, though it may be dangerous to the faith, one may read or study and listen to anyone.  When one moves beyond Jesus and the Church - then one knows they have left the narrow way that leads to life.


Random thought:

"The male penis is not a weapon or a mere tool, but it is a means of making contact, 

literally "reaching out" for the other, not to hurt or invade, 

but to pleasure and delight – mutually! . . . 

Not just me, and not just the other, but both simultaneously. 

Is that not an ideal metaphor for what all human relationships should be? 

And maybe even what morality should be." - Richard Rohr