Standing with the Pope.

I am not ashamed to stand with the Pope and remain faithful to the Holy Catholic Church.

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons,Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them who are eternal truth and wisdom, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith I intend to live and die. Amen.

That said, with the help of grace, I will embrace the confusion, the temptation to discouragement and doubt, and every fear, confident in the promises of Christ and the protection of the Mother of God.

I read an essay from Emmett O'Reagan who writes Unveiling the Apocalypse.  It's very long but quite helpful - to me at least - in putting things in perspective.  A huge, immense perspective, if you will.  I copied a section to share here:

Emmett begins this particular selection, writing:  As I have already explained in the post Pope Benedict XVI on the Chronology of Apocalyptic Events ...

In the vision of Saint Hildegard, the face of the Church is stained with dust, and this is how we have seen it. Her garment is torn – by the sins of priests. The way she saw and expressed it is the way we have experienced it this year. We must accept this humiliation as an exhortation to truth and a call to renewal.

Now notice the similarities here between the words of the Holy Father and those of Sr. Lucia during her interview with Fr. Fuentes:

Sister Lucy also told me: "Father, the devil is in the mood for engaging in a decisive battle against the Blessed Virgin. And the devil knows what it is that offends God the most, and which in a short space of time will gain for him the greatest number of souls. Thus the devil does everything to overcome souls consecrated to God, because in this way the devil will succeed in leaving the souls of the faithful abandoned by their leaders, thereby the more easily will he seize them." 

"That which afflicts the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Heart of Jesus is the fall of religious and priestly souls. The devil knows that religious and priests who fall away from their beautiful vocation drag numerous souls to hell. The devil wishes to take possession of consecrated souls. He tries to corrupt them in order to lull to sleep the souls of laypeople and thereby lead them to final impenitence. He employs all tricks, even going so far as to suggest the delay of entrance into religious life. Resulting from this is the sterility of the interior life, and among the laypeople, coldness (lack of enthusiasm) regarding the subject of renouncing pleasures and the total dedication of themselves to God."

A connection between these words of Sr. Lucia and St. Hildegard's vision of "filth" within the Church clearly seems to have been on Pope Benedict's mind here, since he uses basically the same themes and symbolism during his visit to Fatima in 2010:

"As for the new things which we can find in this message today, there is also the fact that attacks on the Pope and the Church come not only from without, but the sufferings of the Church come precisely from within the Church, from the sin existing within the Church. This too is something that we have always known, but today we are seeing it in a really terrifying way: that the greatest persecution of the Church comes not from her enemies without, but arises from sin within the Church, and that the Church thus has a deep need to relearn penance, to accept purification, to learn forgiveness on the one hand, but also the need for justice."

Cardinal Ratzinger again alluded to St. Hildegard's writings describing the current state of the Church as a woman whose garments are soiled in his famous Way of the Cross sermon in 2005, just before he ascended the papacy:

"Should we not also think of how much Christ suffers in his own Church? How often is the holy sacrament of His Presence abused, how often must he enter empty and evil hearts! How often do we celebrate only ourselves, without even realizing that he is there! How often is his Word twisted and misused! What little faith is present behind so many theories, so many empty words!

How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the Priesthood, ought to belong entirely to him! How much pride, how much self-complacency!" 

"Lord, your Church often seems like a boat about to sink, a boat taking in water on every side. In your field we see more weeds than wheat. The soiled garments and face of your Church throw us into confusion. Yet it is we ourselves who have soiled them! It is we who betray you time and time again, after all our lofty words and grand gestures. Have mercy on your Church... You stood up, you arose and you can also raise us up. Save and sanctify your Church. Save and sanctify us all." - OL of Knock, Jacob's Ladder, and the Short Time of Satan

The very worst is upon us right now - people within the Church are violently attacking the Holy Father - especially online.  Many people are calling for his resignation and so on.  He needs our prayers and sacrifices even more now than ever.  If he has made mistakes, Our Lord will correct him.  How worldly interpretations of the crisis distract us from a supernatural perspective is frightening to me.  The section quoted from Sr. Lucia helped me understand a bit better, that the proper response for me is deeper prayer and penance - renouncing pleasures - and to accept purification-chastisements in a spirit of sacrifice - at least to try.

"That which afflicts the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Heart of Jesus is the fall of religious and priestly souls. The devil knows that religious and priests who fall away from their beautiful vocation drag numerous souls to hell. The devil wishes to take possession of consecrated souls. He tries to corrupt them in order to lull to sleep the souls of laypeople and thereby lead them to final impenitence. He employs all tricks, even going so far as to suggest the delay of entrance into religious life. Resulting from this is the sterility of the interior life, and among the laypeople, coldness (lack of enthusiasm) regarding the subject of renouncing pleasures and the total dedication of themselves to God." - O'Reagan

The Vatican is preparing a response to Vigano ...

Grand silence.

The Cardinals, that is.

I can't wait.  (Trying not to be cynical.)

The C-9.

The six present for the September meeting were: Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state; Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Sean P. O’Malley of Boston; Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Germany; and Giuseppe Bertello, president of the commission governing Vatican City State.

The three who were absent were: 85-year-old Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile, who is facing questioning over his handling of abuse allegations; Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Congo, who turns 79 in early October; and 77-year-old Australian Cardinal George Pell, who currently is on trial in Australia on sex abuse charges. - Catholic Herald

I wonder if Maradiaga will have anything to say about his seminarian scandal?  What a group.

Like I said, I'm trying hard not to be cynical.

In an interview, Cardinal O’Malley, speaking about sexual abuse survivors stated: “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”  He was talking about listening to abuse survivors and how the Church wants to insure it doesn't happen again, and so on.  Hopefully they will begin with the proper formation of priests and who is admitted to seminary.  With Maradiaga on the Council of Cardinals, I wonder how that will go?  The focus on issues of abuse and survivors is one thing, hopefully they won't use it to deflect attention away from the corruption, which has been exposed by the McCarrick revelations, not to ignore the seminary scandals in Honduras and elsewhere over the years.

The Holy Father wants us to be silent and pray. I will try.

As John of the Cross said, "Controlling the tongue is better than fasting on bread and water."

Remember how dumb I was?

Paglia 

Duomo di Terni 

I'm better now.

Not sure if I shared this with you here...Goin' up yonder!

Giving up.

Until the Holy Father speaks and addresses the issue of sexual abuse and cover-up I have no interest in what any Catholic has to say on the subject, be they cardinal, archbishop, bishop, priest, religious or laity.

I'm going to confession now.

Song for this post here.

Our Lady's Birthday

You, O little Mary, Maria Bambina, are the Cause of our Joy! Your appearance in the arms of your mother announces that the Word of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, will soon appear in your arms. And you have but one desire, one joy: to give us your Son, to draw us to Him, that your joy might be ours and that our joy might be fulfilled. Amen

I am all thine, and all that I have is thine, O most loving Jesus,

through Mary Thy most holy and Immaculate Mother.

Just a thought ...

I'm sincerely and honestly sad about the crisis in the Church. I don't think I have ever felt such sorrow. I no longer feel anger or betrayal, but genuine sadness. I thank God for this grace.

Catholics are fed up?

And wouldn't object to a federal investigation?

Who is Austin Ruse to make a claim like that?  What Catholics are saying that?  What do these people believe?  Are they really Catholic?  Or do they worship Trump and the U.S. Government?

It’s possible the president does not know what the Vatican is really doing to handle the crisis. Someone should tell Trump that Pope Francis and his men have been content to remain silent and allow media cutouts to slander the accuser, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who released his j’accuse two weeks ago.

President Trump should understand that Catholics are fed up and would not object to federal intervention into this crisis. Consider that high-ranking officials of a foreign government have covered up the criminal sexual assault of American men and boys. This is how this crisis should be viewed by the U.S. government. 

The U.S. government should request that the Vatican release all documents related to McCarrick’s sexual assaults. There are files in the Vatican embassy in Washington DC and in various offices in Rome. Again, the President should act as if that criminal behavior against Americans was covered up by officials of a foreign government. - Ruse

Bringing it on themselves.

These people believe Government can fix everything, that Trump can make the Church great again.  They are willing to surrender their religious freedom to the Government.  They don't know what they are asking, they don't know of what spirit they are.

Mr. Ruse and his fellow ideologues have lost any shred of credibility they maybe once had.  This proposal is sheer demagoguery.  You cannot serve God and mammon.  History demonstrates the lunacy of government intervention in the Church.  Be careful what you wish for and the precedent you are willing to sell Peter for.

NB: To be sure, criminal acts should be prosecuted, and victims should be free to alert the police when crimes are committed, as in the case of sexual abuse of minors and rape.  Mistakes were made when victims appealed to chanceries and bishops in the past.  However, sexual misconduct with adults, as in McCarrick's case is probably not a criminal offense.  It's sexual harassment most likely, but if victims did not report, or were ignored, and a culture of abuse ensued, I'm not sure it is a criminal offense in the same way as abuse of minors. I'm not a lawyer.

It should be noted that as in the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report, several priests who were listed for 'credible charges of abuse' were either found innocent or their cases dismissed - nevertheless, their names remain on the list of priests with credible allegations.  This is how it works in every diocese.  It's one thing to have a DA or Grand Jury to review records, it's quite another to call on the Trump Administration to intervene.

"When we try to use the federal government to intercede in religious affairs, it inherently weakens the unique character of Christ's kingdom." - Jimmy Carter

Mexico

Spain

Fun painting.

I'm working on Nativity backgrounds for a priest friend of mine.  The photo shown here is part of a series I did for a creche a few years ago.  They are fun to paint because it's all imaginative - just a landscape with romantic scenes.  I looked up my old photos to see how they compare, so far my new stuff is darker.  This kind of thing is fun to do.

As politicized white folks screaming at each other doesn't meet any credible standard of "news" - Whispers

What's that supposed to mean?

Just kidding, kinda.  A friend sent me the Rocco quote this morning.  I love how people use 'white folks' to insinuate some sort of racist motive - or not.  Last week Cupich suggested the enemies of the Pope didn't like him because he's Latino - I thought that was stupid too.  Especially considering Francis is Italian, born in Argentina.  Anyway, he was deflecting as usual.

Talk about politicized.

Mass hysterics ... Now Catholics want the Government to step in?

Blognic in an egg.

(I depicted Thomas Peters in the papal tiara.)

Catholic Vote Thomas Peters is sounding more and more like Michael Voris.

Church Militant says Catholic Trump supporters would like the trump administration to step in an resolve clergy sex abuse scandal and make the American Church great again.

Politically conservative, angry Catholic Trump supporters want the federal government to take action and end the scourge of sex abuse and cover-up by Catholic clergy and leaders, and these are the voters among Catholics that Trump needs to pay attention to - regular Mass attending Catholics. - CM

Peters has lost it as well, writing:

I have come to the difficult conclusion, along with Hugh Hewitt and others, that a government-led investigation into the Catholic hierarchy is probably the only means at our disposal to be an example for the universal church for how to uproot this network of corruption inside our church and yes, to get priests and bishops to begin speaking out and turning each other in, following the trail back to the loggia of Rome. 49 more state attorney generals and the Attorney General using every means at their disposal to discover which bishops and cardinals have endangered children by moving predator priests, have orchestrated cover ups to protect abusive priests and bishops and cardinals and have individually and collectively preyed upon young men and seminarians. Open up the files. Follow the paper trail. Deposition. Subpoena. Jail. - CatholicVote

You Mr. Peter's think like American lobbyists and political pundits.  Talk about partisanship and tribalism - who knew uber-Catholics would be the ones to bring on the persecution?  They literally have more faith in the secular government and Trump than in Christ and the Church.  Be careful what you wish for Poodles.

"Christ wins in the end." - Pope Benedict

Be careful what you wish for.

Protests too much ...

What?

Me thinks.

These days, just be careful who is outing who, Poodles.

That's all.

“Express how you feel and then be quiet. Because the truth is humble, the truth is silent, the truth isn't noisy." - P. Francis

When the lies and hypocrisies are exposed, the lusts and indecency out in the open ... 

Amid the shouting, Jesus walked in peace through the midst of them.

I think this is what is happening - the shouting and accusations and stories circulating within ourselves, keep us from recollection and prayer.  The fighting - the competition between politics and religion and our social calendars and agenda; the betrayal of trust, the hypocrisy, the in-fighting, the name calling, vanity and greed, placing our trust in all that is not God, the lying ...  

So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. - John 8:59

We encounter Christ rejected, in the sin that wears a thousand faces.

How could we possibly have the heart to mock these people or to hate them, this multitude of sinners with whom we rub shoulders?

The solitude of God in fraternal charity; it is Christ serving Christ, Christ in the one who is serving and Christ in the one being served. - Madeleine Delbrel

He walked in peace through the midst of them. 

The world revolves, the cross remains the same.  It's not just a pious platitude.  Misguided churchmen think the papacy will become irrelevant, that the Church will collapse, and everyone feels an urgent need to call out warnings, making calls for battle, and so on, yet Christ remains with the Church.  He remains with us, in his silent loving action in the Eucharist.  The same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

I need to try and make reparation.

There is a time for everything,

a time to be silent,

 and a time to speak. - Eccl 3:7

Nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor ...

Eternal Father, 

we offer You the Adorable Face of Your well-beloved Son,

 for the Honor and Glory of Your Holy Name, 

and for the salvation of all men. Amen.

The Readings for Today.

I've gone too far online, I've sat among the scorners and offered reproaches against my neighbor, slandered and/or spread scandalous theories and speculation regarding the moral life of those I don't know.  Once again, I've engaged in spreading gossip regarding the scandals in the Church.  This isn't what religion is all about - this isn't religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father.  This behavior has nothing to do with true devotion and reparation.

This morning I understood how the Holy Face of Jesus is the perfect reflection of what the Church suffers, and how all of the reproaches, scorn and contempt filling the Internet have fallen upon the Holy Face of Jesus - in his sacred passion of course, but also once again in the current crisis the Church is going through.  I am guilty. I need to try and make reparation.  

Many of us have aligned ourselves with factions which are more political in nature - identifying as liberal or conservative and so on.  The Church has to be above that.  I think that would be the message of Christ's silence before Pilate, and likewise, his silent loving gaze in the Veil of Veronica, and in the Eucharist.  He remains silent.  I may be wrong, but it seems to this is a mystery we cannot lightly attribute to anyone save Christ and the Church.  

I look at the Holy Face, covered with blood, sweat, spittle, bruising from slaps, covered once again in the barrage of daily scorn and contempt, and shouts, repeating in our own mendacious manner: "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him."  We keep doing it.

I have to try to make reparation.

Happy indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingers in the way of sinners
nor sits in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord
and who ponders his law day and night.

He is like a tree that is planted
beside the flowing waters,
that yields its fruit in due season
and whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper.
Not so are the wicked, not so!

For they like winnowed chaff
shall be driven away by the wind.
When the wicked are judged they shall not stand,
nor find room among those who are just;
for the Lord guards the way of the just
but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

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.

I have never been so sad, or felt more betrayed.

Ex-Nuncio Accuses Pope Francis of Failing to Act on McCarrick’s Abuse. 

The Holy Father venerated the relics of Matt Talbot today.

Pope Francis stops to pray before the relics of the Irish dock worker who overcame his alcohol addiction.

An alcoholic who, thanks to a vote, managed to overcome his addiction. Matt Talbot, a Dublin worker who died in the 1920s, receives the homage of Pope Francis who stops to venerate his relics in Our Lady’s Church in Lourdes, Dublin. Talbot was a drunkard during his youth: he worked on the harbor docks, he slurred and spent all his money on wine and beer, so that none of his friends or companions wanted to offer him more to drink.  Story here.

Venerable Matt Talbot pray for us and for those most in need of grace and mercy.

Pope Francis kissing a cross that belonged to Venerable Matt Talbot.
(Saturday 25th August 2018, 3:25 pm)

An artist I like.

Stefano Di Stasio is an Italian visual artist who was born in 1948 in Naples, Italy.
He lives and works in Rome and Spoleto.
Di Stasio participated in the Quadriennale di Roma in 1986, 1992 and 2000.

He participated in the Biennale di Venezia, with his personal space, in 1984 and 1995.

Per più informazioni leggi qui: https://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2017/08/Stefano-Di-Stasio.html
© Tutt'Art@ | Pittura * Scultura * Poesia * Musica |

Can't stop it now ...

le déluge!

So much will be unraveling now ...

Don't be surprised.

Pray for the Holy Father and the bishops in communion with him.  I think this is part of the prayer and penance Our Lord requires right now.

The call to prayer and penance from the Holy Father is very serious and urgent.  We need great charity to respond.  Ask for it.

St. Bernard

If only those who are incapable of remaining continent would fear to profess perfection rashly and to assume the title of celibacy...it would without doubt have been better to marry than to burn (1 Cor 7:9), to be saved in the humble ranks of the faithful than to live less worthily in the lofty ranks of the clergy and be more severely judged...They abstain from from the remedy afforded by marriage and give themselves up to all forms of vice.  (On Conversion, a Sermon to Clerics, trans. Bernard Saïd, OSB)

Cry of the faithful.

Powerful stuff.

Fr. John Harvey wrote a great book, The Truth About Homosexuality, The Cry of the Faithful - the title comes to mind frequently as the McCarrick scandal unfolds - which is why I titled this post Cry of the faithful ...  The laity and select priests are all speaking out concerning the truth of homosexuality.  Many pundits online are stopping their ears and protesting that people are doing that, accusing those who do so as homophobic, and/or engaging in a witch hunt, and so on.  Most of us are only speaking out on the topic simply to help explain how and why a conspiracy of silence and complicity existed as long as it has among the bishops and select clergy.

Fr. Z has a very courageous post discussing why clergy, specifically priests, have often been blocked from reporting sexual abuse by fellow priests, and or sexual improprieties engaged in by homosexual clerics.  (This would also apply to heterosexual misconduct of course, but as I've tried to point out in my own posts, there is a different dynamic within homosexual culture.)

That said, Fr. Z offers just one tidbit I left out in my posts, especially as concerns secrecy in the Church and it is the dilemma of the seal of confession.  I thought of it while writing about secrecy in the Church earlier.  I recalled the time a confessor shared something about a religious brother in his community who engaged in sexual sins, saying he made frequent confessions, and probably would keep repeating the same sins until he died.  I don't allow myself to discuss any more details of that encounter, which happened decades ago, but I wasn't consoled - believe me.  Long story short, he would never have been able to say anything outside the confessional if the brother ever was arrested for indecency, nor would he ever be able to inform his superiors that he had some issues - since he was bound by the seal of the confessional. 

Fr. Z points out that sometimes malefactors deliberately use the confessional to buy silence and pretty much ensure protection. 

Also, as a priest, there are the truly sacrilegious ways that some of these agents of Hell will work to shut up priests who don’t and won’t putt from the ruff. They use the Seal of the confessional against the solid non-queer priest confessor. They go to confession to a good confessor to bind him by the Seal. Of course that is pretty underhanded, satanic even. It is a horrible sacrilege. A lot of good priests know that if they hear something in the confessional they must never ever talk about it. They don’t know what to do, and, in prudence, they clam up about their brethren. This is one reason why the Church’s law discourages a superior of hearing the confessions of those under his authority. - Fr. Z

So yeah, like I keep saying, it is a homosexual problem - but it is even more so a problem of corruption which festers and spreads easily in a homosexual culture of secrecy and deviancy.  Few are willing to admit that.

Fr. Z said it was the hardest post he has ever written.  It's more than helpful for many of us, I think.  It helps explain what he had to endure throughout seminary, and it also demonstrates how difficult this scandal is for good priests and good bishops to endure.  Fr. Z will remain in my prayers.  God bless him.

Sheep without a shepherd.

They keep smiling and laughing.

You know God has to act.

When it has gotten this bad.  He has to act - especially when faithful Catholics are dismissed as homophobes and blamed for getting the bishops they deserve.  Blaming the oppressed for the sins of the fathers.  These really and truly are sins that cry to heaven for vengeance.

Watch and pray.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Anselmo Lopez

St. Maximilian Kolbe

"St. Maximilian Kolbe, Martyr of Charity", Neilson Carlin

As a child, Maximilian had a vision of Our Lady, who offered him two crowns, one for chastity, the other for martyrdom.  He explained:

"... the Blessed Mother appeared to me holding in her hands two crowns: one white the other red. She looked at me with tenderness and asked me if I wanted these two crowns. The white one signified that I would preserve my purity and the red that I would be a martyr."
[...]
In 1973 Paul VI beatified him and in 1982 John Paul II canonized him as a Martyr of Charity. - Source

St. Maximilian offered his life in exchange for a prisoner who was to be executed.  he died by lethal injection, after many days of starvation.  Kolbe's death was truly a heroic act of the most perfect charity by which he won his martyr's crown.  Since his canonization, the Saint's intercession is often sought for people addicted to drugs because of the manner in which he died.  However, I see his death foreshadowing the growing practice of euthanasia we hear about in our times: withholding nutrition and hydration, as well as lethal injection.  That is exactly how Kolbe was put to death - although much more cruelly, no clinical pretensions to comfort.  On account of this, Kolbe must be considered a major patron of the pro-life movement, especially for the abolition of the death penalty and to stop the trend towards euthanasia.  

The Benedict Option of Ampleforth and Downside Abbeys ...

One monk, Fr Piers Grant-Ferris was convicted of 20 counts 

of indecent assault against 15 boys 

from Ampleforth’s junior school, in 2005.  

Source

"Appalling"

Two leading Roman Catholic schools "prioritised monks and their own reputations over the protection of children", a report says. 

"Appalling" abuse was inflicted on pupils at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire and Downside in Somerset over 40 years, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said. - BBC

"Isaac from the Thebaid said to his brothers, 'Do not bring boys here. Boys are the reason why four monasteries in Scetis were deserted.'"

Thinking with St. Francis of Assisi

I think I will observe the Lent of St Michael again this year.

Information for the Lent of St. Michael here.

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

‘The Church is opposed, and the priests are despised because of the bad ones who give scandal. Help Me, by suffering, to repair for so many offenses, and thus save AT LEAST IN PART, humanity precipitated in a slough of corruption and death’. - Our Lord to Blessed Elena Aiello (1954)

Infinitely sad ...

Imagine how many souls are led astray ...

Sometimes I get really, really scared. 

Gotta give it up ...

This is good - from Bishop Barron.

I have to let my participation in any discussion fade away.  I hurt too many feelings with my commentary.  I'm so sorry.

The McCarrick Mess | Word on Fire

So what should be done? The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has no juridical or canonical authority to discipline bishops. And even if it tried to launch an investigation, it has, at the moment, very little credibility. Only the Pope has juridical and disciplinary powers in regard to bishops. Hence, I would suggest (as a lowly back-bencher auxiliary) that the bishops of the United States—all of us—petition the Holy Father to form a team, made up mostly of faithful lay Catholics skilled in forensic investigation, and to empower them to have access to all of the relevant documentation and financial records. Their task should be to determine how Archbishop McCarrick managed, despite his widespread reputation for iniquity, to rise through the ranks of the hierarchy and to continue, in his retirement years, to function as a roving ambassador for the Church and to have a disproportionate influence on the appointment of bishops. They should ask the ecclesial version of Sen. Howard Baker’s famous questions: “What did the responsible parties know and when did they know it?” Only after these matters are settled will we know what the next steps ought to be. - Read more here

Will our sons be safe in seminary? Who wants to know?

1994 film "Priest"

Will our children be safe in the Church, and will our sons be safe in seminary?

In 1994 there was a film Catholics called out as blasphemous and anti-Catholic. I saw it and thought it played true, the only negative for me initially is that it seemed to be a film arguing against clerical celibacy. There was more to the film than that however, which seems now almost prophetic.

The opening scene, if I remember correctly, featured a parish priest going across town with a huge crucifix that he smashed through the bishop's mansion window. It played out featuring a pastor with a 'wife' and a young curate attracted to men who acts out when the going gets tough ... just like real life folks.

So we gotta get a grip and stop and think - the film many resisted turned out to be pretty true to life. In fact, we were all told about what was going on way before the news stories broke. I was told too. Now every one of us seems to be reacting in anger as the priest in the opening credits did, when he attacked the corrupt bishop. Sometimes, as the film suggests, there is reason for that.

Remnant 

Watch out for the fanatics.

What's happening, right now, today, is online pundits and critics are talking about 'decimating' the bishops in a way that sounds more like the posse marching over to burn down Dr. Frankenstein's lab and kill the monster than thinking adults discussing what to do. Granted, bishops like Wuerl are suggesting some pretty dumb fixes, but so are people like those who call for an 'inquisition' - I'm not sure we know of what spirit we are when we suggest that type of thing.

Something needs to be done, that is for sure, but I think the crazy talk doesn't do much. I really think people need to listen to moms and dads this time. Real Catholic parents - faithful Catholic parents, like Katrina R Fernandez for one. The very worst thing about bishops and priests is they usually dismiss the women - like Christ's disciples did in the Gospel, they usually say, 'get rid of her'!  Like the corrupt judge in the Gospel, they won't even give them a hearing ...

What Cardinal McCarrick's abuse represents is an attack upon the family. He slithered into the trust of parents and corrupted their kids - the swimsuit photo makes that perfectly clear.

Start listening to parents, to moms and dads, now.

Recruiting vocations.

The wind was against them ...

For I am the LORD, your God,

who grasp your right hand;

It is I who say to you, Do not fear,

I will help you.

We have the choice of two Gospels today.  Both uniquely sufficient for the day - and the evil thereof.

The wind was against them, and they were terrified.  Anxious.  Attempting to cross over the lake amid a tempest, all by themselves.  Jesus demonstrates we can't do it alone - we need to remain where we are, with the companionship he permits, and he pulls us to himself, not letting one of his little ones to be lost... scolding us gently, calming the tempest, his face so close to ours, we can feel his breath - his lips speaking against ours.  "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  So let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind ..."

I have grasped you by the hand in the depths of your misery, I know how to heal you, I know you, I have come to save sinners, I grasp you.  No one who comes to me will I ever reject.

If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.

Song for this post here.

Charlotte Rae

1926 - 2018

She played Sylvia in Car 54 Where Are You?

She was my favorite character.

RIP

The Feast of the Transfiguration of Hiroshima

It was the strangest thing ...

This morning at prayer, I began lectio with Exodus 24 - when the Glory of the Lord covered Sinai and God called Moses ... the Lord was seen as a consuming fire ...

My first thought was 'this is so amazing that this reading is used to commemorate Hiroshima.  I knew it was the feast of the Transfiguration, but I remembered  it is also the anniversary of Hiroshima, and in my mind ...  My 'confusion' was disconcerting for a moment - at my age that's a genuine concern.  However, I've long wondered about the mystery of light which occurred on Mt. Tabor, foreshadowed in Moses' encounter on Mt. Sinai, and the 'mystery of iniquity' which detonated over Hiroshima on this date.

The mystery of iniquity.

That was the word I woke up to this morning - and it influenced my meditation - hence my idea that Hiroshima was a sort of 'epiphany' of the mystery of iniquity... fortunately, my personal meditations are not to be trusted. 

Today is the anniversary of the death of Bl. Paul VI as well.  Now he was a prophet... 'somehow, through some fissure, the smoke of Satan has entered the Church ...'

I wonder what could mean?

Mass Chat

Never mind.