Let There Be Light!

Posted on by charliej373

Let there be light

By Charlie Johnston

Last Tuesday was the Feast Day of St. Pius X – and also my first full day back in Denver after two and a half months. When I went to Mass, the Priest was not who I expected. Rather, it was a Priest known for his heterodoxy. I had long ago decided that I would find something else to do if I came upon this Priest, as I hate leaving Mass angry and offended. But I decided to stay to see if he would speak on the scandals and, if so, whether there would be any sense of contrition or responsibility in his homily. Whoo boy, I was treated to one of the most ugly, ignorant, profane homilies I have ever managed to sit through.

He began by blaming the scandals largely on the pre-Vatican II Church, pronouncing the “spirit of Vatican II”  to have blown a breath of fresh air throughout the Church. Sourly, I thought that a tree is known by the fruit it bears – and massive sexual predation at the highest levels is not what I would call “fresh air,” much less good fruit. This Priest never speaks without congratulating himself repeatedly on what a profound and enlightened intellect he has. He noted that the traditionalists want to go back to the bad old days before the fresh air blew through – but that is because of their intellectual deficiencies. He remarked that they even have a society, something like the St. Peter Society. It took remarkable restraint to keep from jumping up and shouting that it is the St. Pius X Society – and this on his feast day. (There is a Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter which is traditionalist but entirely faithful to the Magisterium – and the Society of St. Pius X which is traditionalist and dissents, in some cases, from the Magisterium) Sadly, I don’t think he was being sly; I think he really did not know. He is one of those worldly sorts who thinks their intellectual acuity does not involve knowing actual facts and stuff: it is the ideological pretensions that make “wisdom,” not any intellectual rigor. He did speak highly of St. Pius X, but bizarrely intimated that Pius would be one of the heterodox, progressive cohort if he were around today.

The Priest spoke of what a step backwards the Church took with the papacy of St. John Paul II, though he excused John Paul because that Pope was clearly a backwards, unintellectual rube from a communist country who had little experience of the world and so was held captive by the Deep State of the curia of the time. (I am not making this up). He bemoaned that John Paul did not really understand Vatican II, so that held us back. Again, I resisted the crushing urge to tell him that St. John Paul was one of the primary architects of the documents of Vatican II – and his papacy gave them their authentic interpretation, contrary to the “spirit of Vatican II” nonsense all the Bishop Wormtongues were – and still are – peddling. It was painful to hear this befuddled fellow denigrate the acumen of one of the greatest intellectual giants the Church has ever produced. But in a peculiar way, it caused me to sympathize with him somewhat. For the first time I thought to myself, “He really doesn’t know much of anything.”

He closed by urging frequent reception of communion while denigrating the Sacrament of Confession. He noted that some people are thinking of leaving the Church because of the scandals. His solution was to just let them go, respecting their free will. Really, I am not making this up. Afterwards, several people told me they were surprised that my head did not just explode. I was too busy thinking that, man, we really are going to need a bigger boat.

In the few days since I have been back home, I have been deeply contemplating the trouble we are in throughout the world, in our country, and mainly in the Church. We’ve got a whupping coming, and that right soon. Several things strike me about the Church scandals going forward.

First, this time, the Bishops need to speak plainly and stay away from obfuscating clericalese. I know many of them think it makes them sound like St. Thomas Aquinas, but the reality is that it is usually a pale parody of the vibrant words of such as Sts. Thomas Aquinas, Augustine and John Paul. It mimics the style while neglecting the substance. A better example for how to speak on this would be from the Apostles Paul and Peter. They spoke plainly on impenetrable things. The best example of who to imitate is Christ, Himself – God in the flesh. The Lord often spoke mysteriously, but the things He wanted to drive home He did with plain speech and vivid, earthy metaphors. It is a mark of our limitation, not our sophistication, that we often speak so formally and pompously to get our point across. Unlike Christ, we struggle to explain complicated things clearly and simply, so we camouflage our limitations with a word salad. On this one, the Bishops had best speak plainly if they would be heard. The best statement I have heard thus far came from Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison, Wisconsin. It was clear, blunt and did not mince words. I hope others are taking note.

Second, I have heard some suggest that the laity must take control in this. I have long said that this is the moment for the authentic apostolate of the laity – but this is a bridge too far. It was Christ who entrusted the governance of the Church to His Apostles, the Bishops. I am not about to start contradicting Christ, thinking I have a better plan. It is the Bishops who must steer this ship. But as I said, we, the crew, have the right to demand that they do not abuse us and don’t drive us into the shoals. We, the laity, have failed our duty to those clergy have lived faith by treating the wolves with the same deference we treat the shepherds. In so doing, we have enabled the wolves, the Judas Bishops, and enfeebled the devout. St. Paul speaks of this several times, most clearly in Galatians 1:6-10: “…there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ, but even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.” Our refusal to demand sound doctrine is a huge part of the problem. Paradoxically, while no Bishop should abdicate his responsibility to lead and decide, the wisest Bishops will entrust investigations of these horrors to the laity. Portland’s Archbishop Alexander K. Sample has taken the leading role in this in his Archdiocese. We will be able to tell who is just giving lip service from who means it by what they do, not so much what they say. And yes, though we must not presume to take the wheel of the ship, we must hold Bishops to account for proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, not some Gospel of their own vain imaginations.

Third, remember that in Pope Leo XIII’s vision of the satan’s conversation with the Lord, the satan swore to destroy the Church, not just pervert the hierarchy. Do NOT let your zeal for your reform cause you to become an unwitting ally of the satan’s plan. It is going to get much uglier. The Judas Bishops have no timidity; they will try to leverage this to destroy more faithful clerics than they already have. Some may even throw on a phony cloak of orthodoxy, like the late Rev. Marciel Macial, once leader of the Legionnaires of Christ. The secular world wants to destroy the Catholic Church and will try to leverage the same. Many innocent Priests are going to be accused – sometimes by scabrous, wolfish clerics. I think back to when Our Lady told me, just before the Dallas Conference in 2002 that “they will scarcely acknowledge my Holy Son.” It infuriates me that, even as they met, some in attendance were mouthing empty pieties while plotting how to keep their fleshpots running and how to derail those who would deprive them of them. It brings home a larger dimension of what Our Lady was saying. Judge righteous judgment.

This will become a preponderant theme here for a time. The temptation for many will be to abandon the faith, to look the other way and leave someone else to take care of it, or to let growing rage scorch both the just and the unjust. Don’t do it. If you do you become participants in the satan’s scheme. We are the children of light, called to be the light of the world, called to carry the light of Christ to the world with power, conviction and clarity. Paper-shuffling, bureaucratic clericalism is bad enough, but we are faced with a satanic clericalism that blasphemously uses the things of God to feed its disordered and unnatural lusts. I have long said we live in the times described in Revelation 12 – and I would not be surprised if the number of the clergy that is completely corrupted will be similar to the number of angels cast out of heaven for the same reason. God will cast them out IF we make common cause with those brave clerics who, often persecuted and cowed, are prepared to rise to the forefront and follow the Lord’s command to “feed my lambs.”

I direct you to Fr. Richard Heilman’s Roman Catholic Man site, which is leading the charge for The Holy League’s 54-day Novena for Our Nation, to culminate with the National Rosary Rally in Washington, D.C. on October 7.

I will close with some lengthy and slightly modified, excerpts from a message I sent to my team about a week ago:

“There has been much that is significant going on in the world. All the foundational pillars from which we receive a sense of security have, indeed, crumbled. 

We can all see a little better what I was getting at when I have often said that, in some ways, things would be far worse than what we could imagine and, in some ways, not nearly as bad. People’s imaginations insist on seeing a “War of the World’s” apocalyptic scenario that isn’t quite coming, while failing to appreciate the horror of finding that almost all the institutions we rely on are either betrayers or have been internally betrayed. Who can you trust? When that question arises in such a comprehensive way, you know a truly deep horror.

Of course, we can always count on God – but for many (most) even that gets strained as all the visible pillars of support are shown to be visibly corrupted. This gets, really, to the heart of my message – to be a sign of hope. If our only reliable source of security is in God, then we must hold fast to that source…always acknowledging God, then very deliberately taking the next right step (knowing full well that in our feebleness, it will sometimes be the wrong one – but knowing equally well that when we steadfastly acknowledge God, He will set us  right even when we have set ourselves wrong), and then BE a sign of hope to those around us. Now is the time when the third leg of that triune formula I set forward comes to the forefront. In a time when so many trusted people and institutions have turned out to be frauds and active betrayers, the question is not where to find hope: we find hope in the same place it has remained solidly anchored from time immemorial – in God. We are, of course, a sacramental people. We need those visible signs of God’s invisible grace…but in these times, we are most urgently called to BE visible signs of God’s invisible grace…thus, be a sign of hope to those around you.

I, too, am affected by the hideous nature of all the revelations gushing forth with ever greater force. I will tell you that, since the beginning of the year, what I hear frequently – insistently, if not forcefully – is the phrase, “Let there be light.” It is not like any locution or apparition I have ever had…and I am by no means sure this is not just from within me. But, glory! It is insistent. Rising too, but ever so very slowly. But insistent, like a primordial force. So, lest I get distracted by the winds and the waves growing around us, I focus ferociously on the things I know I would want the Lord to find me at should He come: re-building the culture of life. I seriously doubt it will stay the trials we have before us, but I KNOW it will help enable us to deal with them far better…

…The main point here is that I am working at concrete things that are perfectly aligned with the larger spiritual goal. That way, whatever happens and whenever it happens it is all seamless – seamlessly devoted to rebuilding a culture of life that is the fertile eco-system for a healthy Christian culture. I may have to stop everything suddenly if things go dramatically south – but only so as to work at a different aspect of what I am already working at…being a sign of hope. This is what we all should do. Do specific, concrete things that help along the larger goal…which is to re-build the City of God. Care for your children, work at your Parish, do the things that Christ always directed us to – and with solid muscle behind it…but remain supple enough to move seamlessly into whatever else may be required to get to the Triumph…Prepare for what you can reasonably foresee but have no care about what you can’t – knowing that so long as you are acknowledging God, He will prepare you for what you have not taken into account – and know that you will have surprises. Remember that much of this is designed to remind each of us that He is our ONLY source of security…and to ram home to our feeble minds that He is all the security we need.

I cringe a little any time anyone asks me about when anything might happen. Ha! Throughout my life I have been deadly, chillingly on point on interpreting the what…but I REALLY stink at interpreting the when. So the key for me, as well as each of you, is to remain steadfastly prepared to acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope at every moment and in every circumstance. That is enough. Which does not mean you cannot look at the signs of the times, only that you must remain focused on your duty before God and to your neighbor. Certainly, from a purely temporal standpoint, one has to wonder if the election results, whatever they may be, will be accepted. Having already encouraged and fomented violence, will the left accept a loss without going full-bore violent revolt? Should they win, would they hesitate in the least at resuming their effort to destroy Christians and impose their will in an authoritarian, or even brutally totalitarian, way? In that case, aren’t normal people obligated to fight for freedom? I don’t know for sure how it will develop…what I do know is that I can be steadfast in acknowledging God, taking the next right step, and being a sign of hope. I prepare for those things I can reasonably foresee and don’t worry about those I can’t, trusting that God will show me the way as I need it.

I contemplate the growing refrain stuck so long in my head, “Let there be light.” Light, of course, reveals the rot that has accumulated. It is worse than I thought…and we are only at the surface of what I fear will go very deep, right into the heart of our culture. Light also cleans and sanitizes…the dark flees the light. Right now, (the dark) is screaming and howling as it flees. But there is still another sense of it all…to be a sign of hope is to be light. Christ is the light of the world…and that is the light we carry to a world broken and weary from its own terrible sins and offenses. Pray – and work – to be clear vessels through which the light of Christ will shine through with pure clarity…revealing, sanitizing and bringing hope. (Remember, to work diligently at a noble resolve is a particularly refined form of prayer -the prayer of doing, which is much neglected in these times.)  And, so, I repeat to you what has been most in my heart, mind and soul throughout this year:

Let there be light!


366 thoughts on “Let There Be Light!”

  1. Maybe I am not too bright or something; but I can not imagine Archbishop Vigano would tell lies about something so serious as misconduct on the part of senior members of the Church.

    He is 77 years old, his life is behind him. All he now has to do is get ready to meet his Maker. Publishing a bunch of lies or even a few lies would not be worth losing his immortal soul over. And telling lies about such matters would be tantamount to damning his own soul.

    It seems to me these men do not get the courage to speak out until after retirement. Poor Cardinal Burke seems to have paid a high price for daring to question the Holy Father; but how many others would dare raise their heads above the ledge. Only the true brave hearts.

    We need to pray for all those in the hierarchy, God help them, they are after all only human, and it takes guts to risk losing your job, or losing the outward appearance of brotherhood among you piers.

    I always thought the Holy Father was like a father to everyone, even the Cardinals. But this does not seem to be the case. Poor Holy Father, I do believe he takes advice from those around him, and they seem to use him for their own purpose, ill advising him far too often. For shame on them, making Holy Father appear so gullible. And may God have mercy on us all.

    Liked by 10 people

  2. When I was ten or so, I came home from school one day to find my parents sitting together in the dining room looking smug. As I passed them and they both started smiling. I went up to my room . . .and oh my gosh. Everything I owned was in the middle of my floor in a giant pile. Even my mattress. My mom came up and said “You’ve been shoving stuff all over the place for years, when you would ‘clean your room’ it was just to shove things out of sight. Now we’re going to put your room together the RIGHT way.” She was right, I had become adept at cramming things in all sorts of places. The room would look clean, drawers nicely closed, bed made . . . but don’t open the drawers or the closet. Definitely don’t look under the bed! I have been thinking about these times like that instance. My parents knew that I did not have the capability of really cleaning my room, because I had got it into such a secret state of disorder that there was no way undo it except for a massive clean-up effort that would also serve to teach me an important lesson. So we’re in the time of tearing open the drawers stuffed with everything but what’s supposed to go into the drawers. All the garbage is coming out, all of the corruption, the evil, the glaring lack of spiritual wealth, all of the disorder. It’s messy and looks hopeless, but it’s better to do that than to continue on with a clean looking room that’s a disaster underneath.
    Part of the reason we’re in this mess is because the Church lost sight of its own identity. Its members have not trusted in God, they trusted in themselves. We’re not a cleverly run bureaucracy, we’re not a board room of wizards. There is a spirit of consumerism in the Church today that must be expunged. We are not ‘consumers’ of religion. The laity are not useless ignorant cattle and the priests are not Church clerks. We’re the Body of Christ. We radically depend on the life of God for the preservation of Truth. It’s a completely different focus than how we’re used to thinking these days. In this world today we do not really think that we depend on God in any sense. So it’s time to rip everything up, expose what needs to be exposed, change our understanding of our relationship to God and with His help, get it right.
    I write with big ideas and grand abstract images . . . but these things help to shape the concrete decisions that must be made. Life doesn’t have to be so . . . political. We act like we are responsible for the FUTURE for ALL TIME, and really, we’re not so powerful. We should pay attention more to things like what Padre Pio said, “Pray, Hope and don’t worry.”

    Liked by 17 people

    2. And since then, “Oh Kathy, would you like some ‘help’ cleaning your room?”. “Ah, no dad, thats ok, I got it, really…”

      She would actually warn her siblings, ‘you don’t him to help, trust me’ 🙂

      Actually, the disaster was a form of mercy. The level of disarray was too disheartening for a child to deal with. This way the room was cleared (except for the pile in the middle) so each item could be placed properly or tossed…

      Ok, now, I have to go and continue cleaning the basement which is in similar disarray. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Katherine, what wonderful parents! What a great analogy for the Church. It was a life lesson for you and now for our beloved church.

      Liked by 2 people

    4. And I read yesterday that the retiring bishop of SanJose just purchased a $2,300,000 (yes million) 5 bedroom, 3,000+sq ft house to live in by himself the rest of his days…..

      What joy my family of 9 would have to have a house that big!

      No cooruption anywhere….
      So do bishops give up their vow of poverty when they become bishop? Just wondering?

      Like

      1. The vows of a secular priest do not include a vow of poverty. They may own property and manage their own financial affairs. A vow of poverty is, usually, made by those who are ordained into religious orders, such as the Franciscans.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. I don’t think we ought to rush to judgement here. I have no doubt that the underground tentacles are far reaching and do extend to high levels of the Church, but his allegations re the pope seem incidental and lacking in substance. Time will tell if they are true, but the collective traditionalist glee at smelling his blood in the water is equally as disturbing to me as the possibility of his guilt. Poor judgement and shakey ideology while enabling and infuriating in their own right do not make him complicit based on one angry traditionalist accusation. It reminds me of Charlie’s saying about Martin Luther burning down the castle to kill the rats. I just wonder if we should be wary of fueling any fires until more facts come out… especially as embattled pope weary conservatives who would have more temptation to do so. ???

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Hi, Irish7! How goes it, and how’s the family? 🙂

      I’m with you: the lawyer/skeptic in me is compelling me to reserve judgment until I see some hard evidence to back up the allegations about the Holy Father. The former papal nuncio appears to be a man of honor who is well respected, and the Holy Father has done himself no favors by his words and actions up to this point; but I still want to see a paper trail… or at least a trail of people with first-hand knowledge and capable of corroborating the accusations. And in any event, I need to remind myself to pray for everybody involved.

      Liked by 7 people

  4. Since the pontiff was in Ireland, perused an Irish RC blogger to get a pulse on the millennial culture. What an eye opener; here’s a snippet:
    “I have found that Emer and Connor are not the exception among young Irish people who abort their child. During the past 15 years I’ve done as much crisis pregnancy counseling as possible, from my time in university to present day, and I have found that binge-drinking (which is a very accepted vice in Ireland) plays a huge role, while contraception is the enabler. Some examples are painfully etched in my mind. The mother from Tipperary who dumped her 17-year-old daughter on a street near an abortion clinic where I met the young girl. The teen was in a cycle of drinking ‘til she blacked out, and she’d gotten pregnant during one of these times. Her mother felt she had done her best by putting her kid on the Pill, so the daughter ‘could have her fun’, but they never thought a child would result from the ‘fun’. Resolute she did not want a grandchild who was pickled in alcohol, the Irish mammy said she wouldn’t speak to the daughter until after she had the abortion. Despite my best efforts to help the young girl, she went through the clinic doors crying and whimpering like a new-born baby herself. ”

    Entirety can be found here under, ‘Ireland’s Toxic Romance’
    http://thepathlesstaken7.blogspot.com/

    Oh, how I miss the innocence of the idyllic movie, The Quiet Place, with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara

    Better to end on a positive note, this will restore hope, from the same blogger who’s actively pro-life.
    http://thepathlesstaken7.blogspot.com/2017/12/catching-sight-of-child-saved-from.html

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Minor correction, the classic movie is The Quiet Man; I had just read Bishop Barron’s review of
      the recent movie, A Quiet Place, hence the mix-up.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. In truth, Marie, it was never actually like in those movies, but it’s accepted that they were light of heart and never intended to be taken really seriously.

        Nevertheless, it was a simpler place and despite the relentless propaganda we’ve been subjected to “Catholic Ireland” was probably a better place on the whole than the current reality. As my dear departed dad used to say: “It was the Church that civilised this country”. He was an educated man, with a good knowledge of history, and what he meant was that the standards of behaviour and morality that came from the Church were far superior to what any pagan society had – and hence people did accept them without coercion seeing that they were clearly better. You could not have had such a mass conversion practically overnight otherwise.

        The unspoken corollary of his comment was that when the Church was rejected, then all it stood for (civilisation in the proper sense) would be abandoned also. So it has come to pass, and hence we get the scenario as was illustrated in the blog you linked to, with the breakdown of standards of morality and people behaving little better than animals in heat.

        Although, I’m puzzled by his reference to the mother “who dumped her 17-year-old daughter on a street near an abortion clinic”. We don’t have actual abortion clinics, even yet despite that filthy referendum as the enabling legislation hasn’t passed, so he must mean an abortion referral clinic.

        Liked by 2 people

  5. I confirm our leaning toward the theme of light. In fact, just before Charlie’s post, I’d written to several local leaders, ending with:
    Pray for our Church; the light is revealing how.

    Liked by 3 people

  6. A sincere and gentle reproach from Agent9 and diplomatic reply from B. I cherish all companions on the journey, and give all the benefit of a doubt… but that came off as a bit cynical (with no qualifying info), and I have no doubt that John’s family and loved ones would beg to differ.

    Not this or anything in particular, but maybe a little light is shed on a propensity here to formulate too many opinions on what we get from too many second-… third-… etc. -hand sources. Anyone here have first hand knowledge? Know John personally? Whether or not I agreed with things he apparently said or did, what cause to do anything more grieve a soul, pray and trust in Mercy.

    What really is this business of “Let There Be Light” all about? I think we had all better consider that the major business at hand pertains to the Light illuminating us –– each of us individually –– at the core.

    Then after our individual trials, if we haven’t completely crumbled at that point, we can bear that Light to others in the only vessels worthy of bearing it. Humble ones.

    What is in front of us? What are we living? Firsthand.

    Or, we can limp on with the usual diversions and continue comment fruitlessly, occasionally piling on as expected.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. I agree. I actually did know McCain personally. He very much was not my cup of tea, but I pray that we treat the dead with compassion and respect. I saw the piece that got through. I am sure it was a mistake, for the harshness of it surely violated comment policy. This just is not how we speak here.

      Liked by 7 people

    2. I really appreciate the wisdom in your comment, Michael. I especially like this line, “Then after our individual trials, if we haven’t completely crumbled at that point, we can bear that Light to others in the only vessels worthy of bearing it. Humble ones.”

      Thank you for getting the essence of mine.

      AgentJ9 (I get a kick out of my son calling me “Special Agent J9”.

      Liked by 2 people

  7. Archbishop Vigano has accelerated things. Perhaps now there will others? There will be more breaking one way or the other. There must be. All the evil circles must come out from hiding.

    Buckle up.

    Do not be afraid.

    Let there be light; the choice to know and act is ours. Not everyone can handle it. Prudence.

    Liked by 18 people

    2. “Perhaps now there will others? There will be more breaking one way or the other. There must be. All the evil circles must come out from hiding.” Fr. Chris

      This continues to be my prayer: May all that is hidden be revealed. May both the evil and the good be known in clarity that we may judge with righteous judgment.

      Liked by 8 people

  8. It is disappointing to say the least. All of this. Just a few months ago i was concerned about our American hierarchy and how they seem to have been negligent in preaching the full Church teaching on subjects of sexuality and marriage, and somewhat clueless in allowing so much dissent to go on in their Dioceses. I thought they were perhaps spending too much time on administration as tends to happen, or weren’t being informed about all of what was going on. I’m afraid i have been naive. It didn’t occur to me that so many at the Bishop level were not only aware of what has been happening but are complicit, and in many cases driving efforts to undermine their own church, even reveling in illicit behavior themselves. It is no wonder nothing has been preached in this area. It’s one thing to struggle with sin and be ashamed of it, but many in positions of Church power glorify it and persecute those who disagree.

    I carefully read the Vigano testimony, and i would be shocked if it were at all untrue. It just has the feel of truth. It’s almost all verifiable information. Usually lies seem slick, or wordy but with no real information, or use tricky political wording (like most of what Wuerl has said since this has come out), or are just short denials. For example, when Wuerl was asked if he moved priests around in Pittsburgh who were suspected of wrong doing, he said “that was not our policy.” MM hmm. Using the word “our” to subtly shift responsibility. Referring to policy. It was a yes or no question. He didn’t say “no I did not do that.” He said “that was not our policy.”

    Vigano names names, provides dates, references letters and notes, 11 pages worth. Why would someone produce such an elaborate testimony naming so many people if it couldn’t be verified? Some of it was speculative, but the important bits just seem like they probably happened. I guess i could be wrong, but it really seems true.

    I’ve tried to give Pope Francis the benefit of the doubt on all this out of respect, but I’m at the point where i just don’t buy the argument anymore that the Pope is being given bad guidance. That may be true as well, but he is not a stupid man. A significant chunk of his choices for Bishop, Cardinal and close advisor are some of the worst offenders in abuse and/or cover-up both sexual and financial. He must know this. A leader can only take the ignorance claim so far. Where there is a LOT of smoke there is fire. Vigano claims that Pope Francis said he wants “shepherds” and not idealogues in the US hierarchy. Fair enough. Good. But these men he is picking are wolves. Trusting people who you know have a decades-long record of sexual abuse and misconduct to tell you who are proper “shepherds” shows to me a massive error in judgment. Or complicity. I hope it’s the former,and I hope i’m wrong.

    Liked by 8 people

  9. From the Daily Express a few hours ago. I suspect the souls of those scandal mongers who are “at the top” in the media will burn alongside those “at the top” who are guilty in leading the charge of apostasy and those who have perpetrated and covered up abuse.

    I was with the Pope in Phoenix Park and having put the question to many “What do you think of Pope Francis?” my impression is that the Irish people hold him in great affection and high regard. I did not have one negative response.

    While they were shocked and angry at the abuse and cover up of the abuse of children they did not blame the Holy Father and were also shocked and angry at the abuse he himself has suffered at the hands of the media.

    Just as many here on ASOH have adopted the strategy of witholding financial support of the Church as a means of bringing Church administration into line so the media relishes the idea of bringing the Church to its knees financially by encouraging punitive litigation at every opportunity.

    “Where there’s muck there’s brass” is an old but very true saying and the media has manufactured and spread much muck with the sole end of making money for itself and taking money from the Church in the name of so called justice.

    It almost reflects the Marxist maxim of “No progress without struggle: where there is no struggle, create struggle.” The idea is that the struggle will destroy the old order in which the power of God’s love fed the faithful by one in which the ideology of atheism will reign supreme and self sufficiency rather than dependence on God will rule the day.

    In former times the word ‘Communism’ was often prefixed by the adjective ‘atheistic’. It has always been the aim of Communism to displace God and to this end it has deceived the world into believing that the enemy of Communism is Capitalism but it is not: it is God. “And I will create enmity between her seed and your seed.” But the head of Satan will be crushed and Mary, The Lady of All Nations, will lead the charge to victory.

    So the great deceipt is that love of money rather than the love of God is that which Communism wishes to promote “You cannot serve God and money” and if you try to nothing but chaos will result.

    In Garabandal we were told very clearly and definitely that the coming Tribulation is Communism. It was the very word that Our Lady used to describe the Tribulation. She used no other word.

    We are in the preamble to the full effect of the coming afresh of Communism and its full effect will indeed be terrible. The child seers were given a preview of its terror and suffering just as the child seers of Fatima were given a vision of hell. I will not attempt to dilute and soften the hardness of these words.

    In Sundays gospel we were told that many turned away because of the hard words of Jesus. He did not soften them. We know there is no compromise in Truth. Our answer can only be yes or no.

    And we are blessed with knowlege of the way in which we can safely arrive at the correct response by always turning to the One whose words are Spirit and give eternal life. To that end we were exhorted to give the Eucharist better reverence and devotion and to think on the passion of Jesus.

    Every day Pope Francis suffers the martyrdom of Peter and it is a death of a thousand cuts. They say that paper cuts are the worst and the newspapers of the world have inflicted many such cuts on our Holy Father and The Body of Christ which is The Church. The media, the most powerful weapon of Capitalism is the most destructive weapon imaginable in the hands of Communism.

    Many more cuts are yet to be suffered but as in the words of song “we will still rise yet and be a nation again”, a Holy Nation, a people set apart as we rise with Christ in the Triumph of His Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of His Mother.

    And I believe Pope Francis will be there at our side as his heroic virtue is vindicated and he takes his place with the elect of heaven.

    Liked by 4 people

  10. This was the newspaper quote that I meant to include in my latest comment.

    “Former Archbishop Vigano writes he now believes Francis was being “deceitful,” gauging whether Mr Vigano “was an ally of McCarrick or not.”

    “Mr Vigano is a conservative who has clashed with the more liberal Francis.

    His letter also accuses a number of other high-ranking ecclesial figures, some of whom have also had conflicts with Mr Vigano in the past.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Mr. Vigano? Since he hasn’t been laicized addressing him as “Mr.” is a sign of disrespect.

      As far as his “conflicts” with “other high-ranking ecclesial figures”, here is another take from Dr. Robert Moynihan:

      “Some years ago I met a Vatican employee who was an old friend whom I had not seen for years because she had left Rome. But she had returned and was working closely with Vigano. I asked her about him — it was the time of the “Vaticleaks” scandal. She said: “Of all the officials in the Roman Curia, he is the most honest, the man of greatest integrity, that it has been my pleasure to come to know.” It was her opinion. But there were elements in the description that corroborated what I myself knew — that he had fought against cronyism and corruption in the Roman Curia with great vigor for many years.”

      Liked by 7 people

    2. Just not buying it Joe. The conflict comes from leftism/progressivism/socialism/communism. All those isms support sexual freedom and abortion. PERIOD. The pope has supported McCarrick and his ilk, period. If supporting the definition of abortion as murder and the support of limiting your sexual exploits by Christ’s definition of love (Vigano/Chaput/Sample/Morlino) is in conflict with McCarrick and PF’s choices for cardinal, it is righteously so. This is exactly the same conflict dumped on us by the LGBT gang in government and society. How many sexes do they now define? I have heard 40 or so. Come on, we all know exactly what the McCarrick’s of the world were gunning for – gay marriage in the CC through the dissolution of the definition of the Eucharist and the state of grace needed to receive.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. I do have a caution, Joanne, for us all… To say “we all know” is something no one can presume. I think it is better for each of us to speak in terms of “I think” or “I believe.”

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Joanne
        I have just typed a long reply to you into my phone and lost it. I don’t know what you are not buying but it’s not what I was offering. Pope Francis has clearly declared his opposition to the homosexual lobby.
        Everything to do with Satan is a smoke screen whose purpose is to blind us to the love of God. He uses both Communism and Capitalism to that end and moulds their form according to his strategy of the day. Why on earth would you think I am not clear about the evil intent of McCarrick? He is a prime example of putty in the hands of Satan and he has put himself in those hands.

        Liked by 2 people

    3. It was predicted from the time Bp. Vigano released his letter, that he would be crucified by the media. I would never trust most of them, especially in this country where I know their habits of attack. This has nothing to do with conservatives vs. liberals, but good vs. evil in the Church. My 2 cents worth.

      Liked by 4 people

  11. If the report is true that Holy Father said he had nothing to say about Archbishop Vigano’s statement regarding misconduct in the hierarchy, and we should think about it carefully and make our own conclusions. What stood out to me is; this smacks of an individual who has been advised by legal council to say….”No Comment” to any accusations.

    Anyone who watches the police investigations programmes on TV, will have learned that those who are innocent always try and provide all the assistance they can to prove their innocence; while those who are guilty say “No Comment.” In other words it is a challenge to prove it when someone is found out in a crime.

    And to take Holy Fathers own advise when asked about the child abuse; Holy Father said parents should believe their children and report it straight away. So to apply Holy Fathers own advice to Archbishops statement, we should believe the Archbishop and a full investigation should be put in motion. IMHO

    I think it is very unfair for anyone to think there must be an ulterior motive from traditionalists in all this. There is no doubt abuse of minors and seminarians has happened, and cover ups have been done. Which has meant lies have been told by senior Church officials, and it would appear proven in some instances. To make this a traditionalists V modernists issue it to abuse the victims of abuse all over again. Some of us have still not come to terms with the betrayal of our trust in the Church. Nothing to do with traditionalists or modernists or liberals. BETRAYAL OF TRUST is the issue.

    Right now it feels to me like we are governed in the Catholic Church by Apostates. In other words the true men of God are silenced by those who have chosen to serve satan instead of serving Jesus.

    To me the lies are a mortal sin against the 8th Commandment of God. And sexual misconduct is a mortal sin against the 6th Commandment of God.

    I am having to come to terms with being governed by men who clearly do not believe in God or His Commandments. Did Jesus not say; “If you love Me, keep my Commandments”?

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Julia, Thank you for your comment and I push the “LIKE” button.

      In reflection, I am just an ordinary person and I know hardly anything about Church stuff except the important stuff and to try and keep on a path of holiness and grace. I am a sinner. I wish to comment on what is happening lately and what I think.

      Firstly, I reiterate our Holy Father’s question/answer, “Who am I to judge?”

      I don’t want the Holy Father to be implicated in this scandal! I want him to be holy as God is Holy. I pray and sacrifice for him. I’ve put my trust in him. BUT the clouds of darkness are starting to come over the Chair of Peter. I can’t see the goodness coming from that Chair anymore. I feel a sinking sense of unbelievable betrayal. I look with amazement and quietly question his silences; his “mistakes” such as the handling of the Chile scandal; his being asked to explain and qualify his statements that seem to go against doctrine and our questions to him that are a reasonable thing for us to do BUT again, no answer; his choice of advisers and surrounding himself with men of questionable reputations’; and so many others things he has been doing or not doing that don’t seem normal. I have been excusing Holy Father by blaming others and his advisors for his questionable actions. It is becoming apparent to me that I have not understood what was transpiring. I didn’t realize where some of the leadership of the Church was trying to take us.

      I wonder, has God given us a Pope that we deserve? These past few week’s of revelations have been heartbreaking and shocking. My first reaction was denial and now I keep thinking “What has he done!!?” Has the spirit of Judas ascended the Chair of Peter?

      The only comfort I have right now is when I gaze on Jesus, our saviour, nailed to the cross. Jesus loves us so much! I feel sick over all of this. But that is good because it means my heart hasn’t hardened against sin. I still have my picture of the Pope on my mantel and even though it is being tarnished, I am still praying for him and all those involved in this unveiling. Thank goodness God has sent His Mother to guide us through this. I hope these things being revealed don’t get excused and swept under the carpet. However, I have a feeling there will be more blood shed before we are cleansed.

      God bless everyone here! Thank you Charlie for giving us this safe place to reflect and vent. Thank you Beckita and all you wonderful souls for being “family” around the table and patiently hearing me out.

      Catherine

      Liked by 2 people

    1. I believe a partial illumination is happening now, Rose, in that our consciences are being illumined as people and events are being unmasked for who they are and what has been occurring… how we respond further reveals… we, each, are revealing our hearts to God as we make our way through these days. I’m also one who believes in a discrete event to come as the traditional interpretation of the Warning to which Our Lady spoke in Garabandal. Indeed, I think, it will be a might moment of Let There Be Light!

      Liked by 3 people

  13. I encourage everyone to read Dr. Robert Moynihan’s very calm, reasoned and balanced assessment to the situation. This is one of his “Letters” that he writes from Rome. I received the letter via email. Unfortunately, it is not on his website yet. Thus, I am going to cut and paste the letter as I received it. It includes a reply to Vigano’s charges from Cardinal Cupich.

    Sunday, August 26, 2018
    “I say this sincerely: Read it attentively and make your own judgment. I will not say a word about this. I believe the document speaks for itself.” —Pope Francis, on Sunday evening, August 26, while flying back from Ireland to Rome, in response to reporters’ questions about his reaction to allegations made in an 11-page “Testimony” released the previous day in Italy by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, Vatican nuncio to the United States under Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, from October 19, 2011, until end of May 2016, in which the retired nuncio alleges that Pope Francis knew five years ago that former Cardinal McCarrick sexually molested seminarians, and did nothing about it

    =======================

    The Pope and Vigano

    Things tonight are out of balance, unclear, confusing.

    And yet, the matter is of the utmost importance, so the need to gain clarity is very great.

    Who is telling the truth, and what is that truth, in the matter of the Church’s response to the abuse of children (pedophilia), and, in general, in response to the seeming increased acceptance of “non-chastity” (whether heterosexual, or homosexual), among seminarians and in the ranks of the ordained clergy, in recent decades of Church history?

    The Vigano Allegations and the Silence of Francis

    There are many things that cannot yet be known about the allegations made by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano yesterday, which the Pope refused to comment on today.

    So here is an attempt to set forth some markers. But it is not, yet, an attempt to fully set forth the truth of the events that have transpired. And already it seems that that may never be possible, for there are archives that must be opened, which seem unlikely ever to open, if we are to truly progress in our knowledge of the truth of these matters.

    Here are simply a few “fixed points” in a vast sea of confusion and uncertainty.

    On Saturday, a former Vatican nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, now 77, a lifetime Vatican “insider” and a man entrusted by Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis with a number of significant posts in the Church — so, arguably, generally esteemed by good and holy men during his career — published a signed text (I have confirmed with Vigano that the text is his) in which he makes absolutely shocking allegations.

    Among them, that Pope Francis, along with other high Vatican officials, despite being informed more than five years ago (on June 23, 2013, Vigano affirms, saying it was he himself who told the Pope) that the Vatican already for some years prior to that had compiled a “thick” dossier of alleged acts of sexual molestation committed by then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick against numerous seminarians (none of them children, so, none of them acts of pedophilia — though there has now emerged an allegation that McCarrick sexually molested an 11-year-old altar boy in a church decades ago), did nothing.

    That is, he affirms that, during these past 5 years, the Vatican, under Pope Francis, did not open any canonical process against McCarrick, that is, ignored the many allegations of misconduct.

    McCarrick this summer resigned from the College of Cardinals and is no longer a cardinal — this itself is very shocking, very unusual, hasn’t happened in decades — and so, as a consequence, McCarrick should no longer be called “Cardinal McCarrick.”

    McCarrick resigned following a ruling in June on two of the allegations against him by a New York Archdiocesan tribunal, which judged the allegations “credible.”

    However, and note well, there has still never been any trial or judgment on any of the accusations against McCarrick, so even what is really true or false here has not been adjudicated.

    McCarrick has said he “does not remember” the cases; and, as I understand it, it is not even yet clear what will happen with regard to these cases, whether we will ever get any clarity as to exactly what McCarrick did or did not do.

    For Vigano, in any case, this lack of displaying “zero tolerance” by Pope Francis, in the face of the many allegations against a man seemingly credibly accused of serial acts of sexual abuse, was evidently sufficiently outrageous that Vigano decided to call for Francis to resign his post as head of the Church.

    This is of course another shocking “fact” among so many.

    How could a career Vatican official publicly call for the Pope to resign? And do it alone, without any others associated with him? Was he out of his mind? What were his true motivations?

    Good questions.

    Logically, it would seem, there must be some reasons to explain his decision at this time to come forward and be a “truth-teller” — like the many victims in the US in recent months who have come forward to “speak truth” about sexual molestation and abuse in Hollywood, etc.

    We can tick off some of those reasons simply based on “common sense.”

    Perhaps three principal ones might be these (but everything in what follows is of necessity very partial and very speculative):

    1) Vigano has personal reasons, like a personal vendetta against Pope Francis; for example, he has been an archbishop for many years, and is now 77, has never been made a cardinal; perhaps he is irritated by that oversight; or perhaps Francis has overlooked some of Vigano’s friends as well; there could be many factors and variations, but the bottom line would be, Vigano has a personal motivation (that we do not know, yet).

    I believe such factors may play a role in these events, but not the principal role. The way Vigano has written his letter is at times emotional, but it also written in a way that speaks to ecclesial issues, not to his own personal issues. I would exclude this as a major factor.

    2) Vigano is serving someone else, some group or lobby, ecclesial or political, financial or theological, that has “put him up to it” — for many possible reasons; perhaps this is the “old Guard” in the Curia, men who feel Francis threatens their positions, their beliefs, their vision for the Church; perhaps Vigano is or would like to become the leader of this hypothetical group… even propose himself as a possible leader for the Church(!); stranger things have happened. On this point, there are of course multiple variations., almost infinite variations, I might say…

    But, Vigano comes from an old and wealthy Catholic Milanese family; he has no need of personal wealth, so there seems to me little likelihood that he would act as anyone’s “agent” in this matter; I do not think he has been “paid off.” I would exclude that idea. I think he is acting in prima persona — as an independent agent. I could be wrong. And I do not know if he has allies, and if so, who they might be. But I would exclude that he is acting for others, as a “stalking horse.”

    What then? Perhaps….

    3) Vigano has theological or ecclesial reasons; that is, he really believes the situation in the Church, and in the world, is today so serious, so dangerous for souls, that the Church must have leaders who lead with courage and vision and coherence between their action and their words to protect the faith and the flock; and he believes the leadership of Francis has, for various reasons, become so dangerous and harmful to the Church, in this historical situation, that Francis should voluntarily set aside the papacy — because chaos would result from any attempt to remove him against his will — and so Vigano has, as it were, “hit upon” the McCarrick case — where Vigano believes he has personal knowledge of Francis’ lack of coherent leadership — as a convenient “wedge case” to help “dislodge” Francis from the high post he holds — asking Francis to do this of his own free will…

    Does this third scenario have some likelihood of being true?

    Perhaps. We will have to wait and see.

    For the moment, there is quiet.

    From Saturday evening through Sunday evening, for about 24 hours, Vigano’s allegations spread around the world on the internet.

    On Sunday evening, Pope Francis, on his papal airplane returning from Ireland to Rome after a two-day visit to the Emerald Isle for The World Meeting of Families was asked about Vigano’s open letter: “Read attentively and make your own judgment. I will not say a word about this.”

    That is where we are at the moment.

    ==============================

    What is at stake

    Determining who is telling the truth matters, and determining what that truth is matters, because the present intolerable confusion is destroying the Church.

    It is destroying the faith of many. It is leading to an exodus of good men from seminaries. It is leading good priests to suffer throughout their lives under false suspicions about them. It is leading to bitter divisions in the Church. It may split the Church. And there are forces in the world that would love that to happen.

    In shepherding, the role of pastors, shepherds, is to protect flocks of sheep, who cannot protect themselves from cunning, rapacious wolves. The wolves come and eat them quite easily, without vigilant shepherds with staffs, and other weapons.

    The chief pastors of the Church are bishops. They are led by the man elected Pope, Bishop of Rome (we have two of them now, one active, one praying, which is a further cause of our disorientation, because such a situation has never existed before).

    And now we are on the verge of two Synods, one in one month’s time on young people and their discernment of their life “vocation,” and the other next October on the evangelization of the Amazon region.

    And at both of these Synods it is expected that proposals will be brought forward for a married priesthood, in part as a response to the scandals that have been so widely and devastatingly publicized since 2001 in the Church and in the world.

    So the “army” of the Latin Church, those 400,000 or so priests who act as vigilant shepherds to protect the flock, and who have done so while sacrificing things they may have desired, like wives and families, but who through their dedication have in past centuries made the Church a formidable institution — the longest-lived continuing human institution in the world — may begin to have a new discipline, with unpredictable consequences.

    But this is not all.

    It is not simply a matter of a holy, chaste priesthood dedicated to protecting the “flock” who are little prepared to protect themselves (I speak of sheep trying to avoid being eaten by wolves).

    Not only is that priesthood in danger, but also in danger is the entire concept of holiness as something desired by the absolute ground of our being, which we believe to be personal, a Person (as mysterious as that evidently is) whom we call God… desired by God because He Himself is Holy, and He wishes us to be “like Him.”

    So, the absolute centrality of holiness.

    Without holiness, nothing.

    In other words, all of traditional Christian teaching on how to live holy lives, sacrificing one’s own “desires” and “passions” in order to “conform oneself” to Christ, to love one’s neighbor as a brother or a sister, with a profound love, as one loves a brother, a son, a sister, a daughter, a father, a mother, is now being challenged… all of this is at stake…

    And this is where an appeal seems in order, at this juncture.

    An appeal above the heads of the priest and bishops to the chief bishops, to Francis, and also to Benedict, the bishop and former bishop of Rome… an appeal to notice something real, but not yet fully recognized by many….

    An appeal to recognize that a flood of money, a tsunami of propaganda, a lava-flow of media imagery and interconnected argumentation of favor of “self-expression,” “individual fulfillment,” without any thought of conformity to Christ has altered the equations of out culture.

    For this reason, ours is no longer an age when we can dialogue with the world to gain insight into the nobility of the human aspiration for self-fulfillment “by any means possible” while leaving Christ out of the equation.

    We must return to His teaching, to the discipline of “conforming ourselves to Christ,” no matter how difficult.

    Do Pope Francis and Emeritus Pope Benedict see this?

    Do they see the risk of not keep Christ at the center of our teaching?

    Do they see that the greatest poverty is the loss of Christ as our model, as our life, as our inspiration, as our savior, as our very being?

    Do they see that yielding to “the world” on all of the points that are being proposed with ever greater insistence, with very clever and eloquent and persuasive arguments, backed by mountains of money, is yielding to a spirit that forgets Christ, ignores Christ, betrays Christ, is “anti-Christ”?

    Do they not see that the greatest abuse of our children is to leave them alone in front of the winds of the doctrines of this world of 2018, not protecting them from the whirlwind of confusion, and lifelong misery, and alienation from Christ Himself, that these new doctrines bring in their wake?

    This is what threatens us; this is what our shepherds must discern; this is what we expect and need from Rome, from the bishops of Rome.

    ========================

    Here is an article that contains a response to Vigano’s “Testimony” from Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago. It was reported by NBC Chicago (link).

    Cardinal Blase Cupich Responds to Allegations Levied by Former Church Official

    Cardinal Cupich strongly disputed the nuncio’s remarks

    By Mary Ann Ahern

    Cardinal Blase Cupich is speaking out against claims made by the Vatican’s former representative in Washington, D.C.

    After the Vatican’s retired ambassador to the United States levied serious accusations against senior church leadership, including Cardinal Blase Cupich, the head of the Chicago Archdiocese issued a strong response to the allegations.

    Cardinal Cupich, in Ireland for Pope Francis’s visit there, issued a statement concerning the shocking memo, which was critical of Pope Francis.

    Retired Cardinal [Note: this is an error, he is an archbishop] Carlo Maria Vigano, who had been the nuncio, the Pope’s representative in Washington DC, confirmed the release of the 11-page memo released late Saturday.

    His testimony states both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis were aware of allegations that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick abused seminarians and regularly invited them into his bed.

    Vigano says while Benedict sanctioned McCarrick, Francis lifted those sanctions and McCarrick went on to play an important role as an adviser.

    Vigano was critical of the appointments of both Cardinal Cupich and Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark. Vigano suggests that Cupich and Tobin’s appointments were orchestrated by McCarrick, and Cardinals Maradiaga and Wuerl.

    In his statement Cupich says “the former nuncio is confused about the sequence of these events.” He calls Vigano’s remarks “astonishing” and notes any conversations they had were supportive and congratulatory.

    “Pope Francis has made it clear that he wants pastoral bishops, and I work each day to live up to that expectation in collaboration with many fine lay and religious women and men, my brother priests and brother bishops,” Cupich said. “I am proud to serve the church in Chicago and I am grateful for the help I receive.”

    Cupich also responded to Vigano’s remarks concerning “the causes of clerical sexual abuse as it relates to homosexuality.”

    The cardinal pointed to the study done by the John Jay School of Criminal Justice which states “the clinical dates do not support the hypothesis identity or those who committed homosexual sexual behavior with adults are significantly more likely to sexually abuse children than those with a heterosexual orientation or behavior.”

    Finally, Cupich says the Vigano testimony, which he places the word “testimony” in quotation marks, needs “a thorough vetting” before “any assessment of their credibility can be made.”

    Here is the full statement made by Cardinal Cupich:

    “The former nuncio makes a number of references to me in his ‘testimony.’

    “The first is in the sentence: ‘This is how one explains that, as members of the Congregation for Bishops, the Pope replaced Cardinal Burke with Wuerl and immediately appointed Cupich right after he was made a cardinal.’

    “The former nuncio is confused about the sequence of these events. In fact, I was appointed to the Congregation for Bishops on July 7, 2016, and was named a cardinal on October 9, 2016.

    “The second reference to me is in the sentence: ‘The appointments of Blase Cupich to Chicago and Joseph W. Tobin to Newark were orchestrated by McCarrick, Maradiaga and Wuerl, united by a wicked pact of abuses by the first, and at least of coverup of abuses by the other two. Their names were not among those presented by the Nunciature for Chicago and Newark.’

    “I consider these remarks astonishing. The only substantial conversation I have ever had about my appointment to Chicago with the former nuncio was on September 11, 2014, when he called to inform me of the appointment. The former nuncio started the conversation by saying: ‘I call with news of great joy. The Holy Father has appointed you the archbishop of Chicago.’ He then congratulated me upon hearing of my acceptance. That is the extent of any conversation I have ever had about this matter with the former nuncio.

    “Moreover, the former nuncio personally participated in my installation ceremony in Chicago in November 2014 and personally presided at the imposition of the pallium the following summer, and on both occasions offered only supportive remarks and congratulations.

    “As to the issue of my appointment to Chicago as well as the question of episcopal appointments in general, I do not know who recommended me for the Archdiocese of Chicago, but I do know that Pope Francis, like his predecessors, takes seriously the appointment of bishops as one of his major responsibilities.

    “Pope Francis has made it clear that he wants pastoral bishops, and I work each day to live up to that expectation in collaboration with many fine lay and religious women and men, my brother priests and brother bishops. I am proud to serve the church in Chicago and I am grateful for the help I receive.

    “The third and fourth references to me deal with my statements on the causes of clerical sexual abuse as it relates to homosexuality. Any reference I have ever made on this subject has always been based on the conclusions of the ‘Causes and Context’ study by the John Jay School of Criminal Justice, released in 2011, which states: ‘The clinical data do not support the hypothesis that priests with a homosexual identity or those who committed homosexual sexual behavior with adults are significantly more likely to sexually abuse children than those with a heterosexual orientation or behavior.’

    John Jay researchers came to this conclusion after reviewing many studies on the topic. Their scholarly work is not to be dismissed out of hand.

    “As for the rest of the ‘testimony,’ a thorough vetting of the former nuncio’s many claims is required before any assessment of their credibility can be made.”

    ================

    Letter from a reader

    “Yet this story will die… unless Vigano is given a stage to further elaborate on his testimony.

    “He needs to answer why he decided to come clean only now. Is he ill and truly afraid to meet his Maker? Or is there more to it?

    “The interviews should not come from so called Catholic right wing/Francis hater media, but from serious and balanced journalists such as you who will not just lob soft ball questions at him.

    “Finally, it will die if other bishops and cardinals are not becoming vocal 1) to give testimony to Vigano’s good character as a faithful priest (as did Chaput today), 2) come clean about what they knew (somebody should interview Cardinal Re for example, or Wuerl 3) to ask the Pope hard questions about what he knew and when.

    “At this stage we should not rush to judgment but ask hard questions to help the Truth to come out.”

    —from Switzerland

    ========================

    Letter from a reader

    “How certain do we feel of the veracity of Archbishop Viganò story. He seems very trustworthy overall. No doubt Pope Bergoglio will go after him with full merciless vengeance.”

    —from a reader

    My reply: Some years ago I met a Vatican employee who was an old friend whom I had not seen for years because she had left Rome. But she had returned and was working closely with Vigano. I asked her about him — it was the time of the “Vaticleaks” scandal. She said: “Of all the officials in the Roman Curia, he is the most honest, the man of greatest integrity, that it has been my pleasure to come to know.” It was her opinion. But there were elements in the description that corroborated what I myself knew — that he had fought against cronyism and corruption in the Roman Curia with great vigor for many years.

    =============================

    “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” —Blaise Pascal (French mathematician, philosopher, physicist and writer, 1623-1662)

    =========================================

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Thank you for sharing this piece, Frank. Two points especially speak to me:

      1. Determining who is telling the truth matters, and determining what that truth is matters, because the present intolerable confusion is destroying the Church.

      2. Not only is that priesthood in danger, but also in danger is the entire concept of holiness as something desired by the absolute ground of our being, which we believe to be personal, a Person (as mysterious as that evidently is) whom we call God… desired by God because He Himself is Holy, and He wishes us to be “like Him.”

      So, the absolute centrality of holiness.

      Without holiness, nothing.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Here is a bit of direction for *dealing with* the frenzy that is unfolding within the Church right now, from the dear Frank Friar aka Father Nick that I really enjoyed. I do wish he would not say et cetera so much. It reminds me of Yule Brenner in “The Kind and I.” Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 😀

        “Read prudently, listen wisely, pray humbly, and act courageously!”

        ❤

        Like

  14. I do agree wholeheartedly with your comments. I am so happy that the nuncio spoke out. It is not so much what you say, but your actions speak louder than words. When Pope Paul Vl said, SMOKE IS IN THE CHURCH, He was very prophetic. Now the church is on fire, it is being purged of the filth. Pray for our good Bishops and priest, who have been suffering during this Pontificate.
    MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST SAVE US AND THE WHOLE WORLD.

    Liked by 3 people

      1. I think she refers to the fact that poor Nuncio Sambi went in for a simple medical procedure and ended up dying. It was shocking to all his family.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. From what I have read, Nuncio Sambi was the one who was to secretly advise cardinal McCarrick of Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to have the cardinal removed and go into seclusion. In conveying this message a horrendous argument broke out between Sambi and McCarrick. It is after this argument that Sambi unwent the medical procedure in Baltimore that he died from. Now it seems that there is doubt that McCarrick was told of Pope Benedict XVI’s decision because he was travelling, etc.. There is a very heavy implication in former Nuncio Vigano’s statement that Sambi’s death was suspicious. That’s my reading of that situation. This is very serious allegations that Archbishop Vigano has made.

          Liked by 1 person

  17. Charlie and Beckita,

    Based on the enormous amount of conversation, I believe those that follow this blog are going to need your leadership now more than ever before.

    Continual reminders that God is in charge! And that Jesus said more than anything else, “Do Not be afraid”!

    These are going to be very rough times for us to defend the bride of Christ to our peers who are always eager to criticize.

    The ripple effect of this purification is going to be huge. We will likely see households and friendships torn apart.

    Perhaps God, in His Wisdom, was preparing the American Catholics for these times through the election of Trump. We all got a little taste of what it is like to be a “deplorable”.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. All of what you say is true, Lucy. I have already experienced the division within my family and with friends as we make our way through this difficult transition.

      Liked by 6 people

  18. Any response that does not stick to the issue at hand but digresses in order to support a position is suspect in and of itself and does little to make a valid point. In this time of heresy and betrayal by high level clergy, the laity is in a similar situation to the time of the Arian heresy which denied the divinity of Christ and had seduced 80% of the clergy, it was the laity who through their steadfastness, prayer and fasting, their pressure on the clergy, that saved the Church and helped bring it back to a united and true faith. So, let us step up to the present challenge we all face, seek to know the complete and unbiased truth, seek the guidance and aid of the Holy Spirit and dedicate ourselves to prayer and fasting during this unfolding Rescue until it leads to the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Lord Jesus, Mother Mary, St. Joseph, St. Michael the Archangel, and all you saints and angels of heaven and earth and all you holy souls in purgatory we ask your prayers, intercession, help and guidance in this paramount endeavor.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Just a Sojourner,
      Thank you. Upon reading your intersession prayer, I felt compelled to pray a Rosary Mystery and fast on this day.
      Cheers.

      Liked by 4 people

  20. I finished reading this “let there be light” and decided to continue and read the Bible. When I open the Bible spontaneously, I usually look to the upper left reading passage. John 12:34 commences the first verse on the page.

    Catholic Study Bible

    John 12:35-36

    35 Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

    36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.

    Catholic Study Bible

    John 12:37-50

    37 Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him;

    38 it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

    39 Therefore they could not believe. For Isaiah again said,

    40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.”

    41 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of him.

    42 Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

    43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

    44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.

    45 And he who sees me sees him who sent me.

    46 I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

    47 If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

    48 He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.

    49 For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak.

    50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me.”

    Liked by 3 people

  21. Just read an article where Cardinal Burke has confirmed his confidence in Archbishop Vigano.

    As far as I am concerned that is as good as an impeccable reference; because I do feel Cardinal Burke is a man of impeccable character. At least as good as any man can be. And he is not a man to be fooled by those around him.

    I do support the Rosary on the 1st Month requested by Cardinal Burke for the intentions of the good of Holy Mother Church.

    I also by the Grace of God join in the Friday Fast recommended here on this site for the intentions of the good of Holy Mother Church.

    We don’t need to be afraid as long as we fast and pray and follow Charlie’s advice; take the next right step.

    There is an old saying; Right conquers Might. We just might not be around to see the end of this; but we have a duty to stay and not give up.

    What came to me so powerfully when all this horror became public was how Jesus saw every sin and horror that would ever be committed in the Garden of Gethsemany, and He did not give up on us. We can not give up on Our Dear Lord if the going gets rough after all He has done and suffered for us.

    And never forget He died for sinners not the just. These sinful clergy are more in the Sights of our Saviour because of their sinfulness. The greater the sinner, the greater the Mercy offered by Jesus. We must trust Jesus and pray for the worst of them as well as the wounded ones in all this. IMHO

    Liked by 8 people

  22. After reading all of this I went to Father Heilmans site to see what his thoughts were..I’d advise all of you to do the same.
    Well worth reading..

    Liked by 5 people

  24. A Statement from the USCCB today: http://www.usccb.org/news/2018/18-143.cfm

    President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Renews Commitment for Greater Effectiveness and Transparency in Disciplining Bishops

    August 27, 2018

    WASHINGTON— Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued the following statement.

    Cardinal DiNardo’s full statement follows:

    “In communion with the Holy Father, I join the Executive Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in taking upon ourselves his exhortation, ‘this open wound [of abuse] challenges us to be firm and decisive in the pursuit of truth and justice.’

    “On August 1st, I promised that USCCB would exercise the full extent of its authority, and would advocate before those with greater authority, to pursue the many questions surrounding Archbishop McCarrick. On August 16th, I called for an Apostolic Visitation, working in concert with a national lay commission granted independent authority, to seek the truth. Yesterday, I convened our Executive Committee once again, and it reaffirmed the call for a prompt and thorough examination into how the grave moral failings of a brother bishop could have been tolerated for so long and proven no impediment to his advancement.

    “The recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò brings particular focus and urgency to this examination. The questions raised deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers, innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the guilty may be left to repeat sins of the past.

    “I am eager for an audience with the Holy Father to earn his support for our plan of action. That plan includes more detailed proposals to: seek out these answers, make reporting of abuse and misconduct by bishops easier, and improve procedures for resolving complaints against bishops. Inspired by his recent letter to the people of God, and his motu proprio of two years ago, As a Loving Mother, I am confident Pope Francis shares our desire for greater effectiveness and transparency in the matter of disciplining bishops. We renew our fraternal affection for the Holy Father in these difficult days.

    “To the survivors of abuse and the families who have lost a loved one to abuse, I am sorry. You are no longer alone. Since 2002, hundreds of professionally trained staff across the country have been working with the Church to support survivors and prevent future abuse. Nationwide, the Church has a zero-tolerance policy toward priests and deacons who abuse, safe environment training, background checks for those working around children, victim assistance coordinators, prompt reporting to civil authorities, and lay review boards in dioceses.

    “In other ways, we have failed you. This is especially true for adults being sexually harassed by those in positions of power, and for any abuse or harassment perpetrated by a bishop. We will do better. The more she is buffeted by storms, the more I am reminded that the Church’s firm foundation is Jesus Christ. The failures of men cannot diminish the light of the Gospel. Lord, by the help of your mercy, show us the way to salvation.”

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Becks, I think this USCCB letter is good, but misses a Mich bigger picture. The abuse is a subset of a far greater problem and that is the embracing of homosexuality in the church. Bishops and priests who not only practice it, but those who embrace or teach that it is ok need to step down or be censored.

      If one struggles with this as a weakness and admits this as a problem and is working to amend his ways and acknowledges the churches teaching that it is disordered, then this is a different story and this priest should be allowed to stay.

      In acts, when the new believes asked Peter what they should do. His words were “repent”.

      Blessings!

      Doug

      Liked by 6 people

      1. So true, Doug. Bishop Morlino certainly nailed the point you’re making when he wrote his pastoral letter. And I think the USCCB will more clearly realize what you’re getting at once their investigation presses deeply into the issues.

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Yes. He did nail it Becks. Not sure if anyone has placed this link here yet, but here is another one of which is the best I have heard to date. Lambzie and I wept for the church and embraced each other (she wept much more than me) in comfort and prayer. Lambzie has a cousin who was in the seminary (St. John’s in Brighton, MA) back in the 80’s. He left and has since been living with his male partner. He said to Lambzie back then, “if you only knew what went on there”. Cardinal O’Malley is investigating this seminary now for how prevalent the culture was(is) there. I hope he is sincere about getting to the root of the issue and cleaning it up. God bless you Becks! You are a Holy gem here!

          https://straphaelcrystal.org/homily/august-19-2018/

          Liked by 2 people

  25. Here’s today’s statement from the Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, Bishop Robert Morlino, who was formerly the Bishop of Helena, Montana, and I have known him to be an orthodox, wise and brave prelate. Knowing his own integrity and wisdom, I value his insight. But each one must discern as s/he does.

    In the first place, I would like to affirm my solidarity with Cardinal DiNardo and his statement on behalf of the USCCB, particularly in two respects: 1) In his statement, Cardinal DiNardo indicates that the recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó, former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, “brings particular focus and urgency” to the examination by the USCCB of the grave moral failings of bishops. “The questions raised,” Card. DiNardo says, “deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers, innocent men may be tainted by false accusations and the guilty may be left to repeat the sins of the past.” 2) And, Card. DiNardo continues, “we renew our fraternal affection for the Holy Father in these difficult days.”

    With those convictions and sentiments, I find myself completely in solidarity.

    However, I must confess my disappointment that in his remarks on the return flight from Dublin to Rome, the Holy Father chose a course of “no comment,” regarding any conclusions that might be drawn from Archbishop Viganò’s allegations. Pope Francis further said expressly that such conclusions should be left to the “professional maturity” of journalists. In the United States and elsewhere, in fact, very little is more questionable than the professional maturity of journalists. The bias in the mainstream media could not be clearer and is recognized almost universally. I would never ascribe professional maturity to the journalism of the National Catholic Reporter, for example. (And, predictably, they are leading the charge in a campaign of vilification against Archbishop Viganò.)

    Having renewed my expression of respect and filial affection for the Holy Father, I must add that during his tenure as our Apostolic Nuncio, I came to know Archbishop Viganò both professionally and personally, and I remain deeply convinced of his honesty, loyalty to and love for the Church, and impeccable integrity. In fact, Arch. Viganò has offered a number of concrete, real allegations in his recent document, giving names, dates, places, and the location of supporting documentation – either at the Secretariat of State or at the Apostolic Nunciature. Thus, the criteria for credible allegations are more than fulfilled, and an investigation, according to proper canonical procedures, is certainly in order.

    I might add that my faith in the Church is not shaken in the least by the present situation. Similar situations, and worse, have occurred in the past – though perhaps not in these United States. It is time for us to renew our conviction in that final article of the Nicene Creed: Credo… et unum, sanctam catolicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam, which literally translated means, I believe the Church, as one, holy, catholic and apostolic. The Church is the body of Christ and, as yesterday’s Gospel reading put the question, “Lord to whom shall we go, you alone have the words of eternal life?”

    May our Blessed Mother, the Mother of the Church, and Mother of Bishops and Priests, intercede for us, along with St. Michael the Archangel, as we continue our battle against the ancient foe.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Ah. Bishop Olmsted is one who I know personally and have had firsthand dealings with. He is indeed a holy servant of Christ, rock solid and trustworthy in my opinion. Just so happens that he confirmed all three of my children and my wife as well. I was confirmed by Bishop Crowley, a giant of a man who could deliver a thunderous homily and rouse the congregation like no other. More like these, please.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. What a beautiful connection with Bishop Olmsted, MP. I, too, have had interactions with him. Truly, a great prelate. Hopefully, our good bishops will continue to rise and speak for a complete investigation.

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Thanks, Charlie for your message. I said to myself recently….”where is Charlie?” I miss hearing from him. “ You never fail us Charley. You are a great source of hope to all of us. You speak the truth, and the truth sets us free. In my old age, I have come to learn that God’s timing is not the same as I want. But I have also learned that I must remember every day without fail that it’s not my will but the Will of God be done. This is not easy as most people know. However, “where else can we go?” Either we have Faith, or we don’t. Either we have trust, or we don’t. It’s our choice.

    As far as I’m concerned, the mess in the world, in our country, and in our Church has blown up beyond belief since Roe vs. Wade in the early 70’s. That must have been the last straw in God’s eyes. The world has deteriorated ever since. My husband and I are taking part in the Holy League’s 54-day Novena for our Nation which ends on October 7. I am trying to fast on Monday’s and Fridays until dinner time. Any extra efforts we make will be to our benefit.

    However, Charley’s predicted correctly when he said that Hillary would not be our next President. Can you imagine where we would be now if she were elected? Trump has many enemies, but at least he’s pro-life. That in itself is a ray of light.

    Things may get worse before they get better, but I believe with all my heart that a triumph will take place…..all in God’s timing. Our job is to pray, hope……..and don’t worry (St. Padre Pio)
    ……..and fast, if possible (that’s my suggestion).

    Anyway, Charlie, I appreciate the comments and views of all your followers. We all need to support each other in these dark times.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. A close friend of mine has two brothers who are priests. One told her that Archbishop Vignano’s letter has caused a thermonuclear explosion in the church. Says that Vignano may go down in history as one of the greatest men in the history of the church. Her other one told her —
      At Blessed Sacrament in DC today [Sunday, I assume], Fr. Percival D’Silva closed his homily by calling on Archbishop Donald Cardinal Wuerl to resign as Archbishop of Washington. He received a standing ovation.”

      Liked by 7 people

  29. Here’s an original source… McCarrick’s own words.

    Excerpted from the video:

    “We sat down. This is a very brilliant man, a very influential man in Rome. We talked about a number of things. He had a favor to ask me for [when I returned] back home in the United States.

    But then [the influential Italian] said, ‘What about Bergoglio?’

    And I was surprised at the question.

    I said, ‘What about him?’

    He said, ‘Does he have a chance?’

    I said, ‘I don’t think so, because no one has mentioned his name. He hasn’t been in anyone’s mind. I don’t think it’s on anybody’s mind to vote for him.”

    He said, ‘He could do it, you know.’

    I said, ‘What could he do?’

    He said, ‘[Bergoglio] could reform the Church. If we gave him five years, he could put us back on target.’

    I said, ‘But, he’s 76.’

    He said, ‘Yeah, five years. If we had five years, the Lord working through Bergoglio in five years could make the Church over again.’

    I said, ‘That’s an interesting thing.’

    He said, ‘I know you’re his friend.’

    I said, ‘I hope I am.’

    He said, ‘Talk him up.’

    I said, ‘Well, we’ll see what happens. This is God’s work.’
    That was the first that I heard that there were people who thought Bergoglio would be a possibility in this election.

    McCarrick went on to say in his talk that when his time came to speak to all the cardinals prior to the vote, he urged them to elect someone from “Latin America” who could identify with the poor.

    He then went on in his talk to praise Pope Francis to the American Catholic students as a “pastor” greater than previous popes. “I think we have maybe never had a ‘pastor’ in so long a time,” he said.

    He continued: “[Francis] has an understanding of human nature, an understanding that, though he says some things that maybe would surprise us, but the interesting thing is that if you examine what he is saying, it is what the Church has said all the time. Maybe not what the canonists have said all the time, or what different theologians have said all the time. But the teaching of the Church all the time is the teaching of Pope Francis.”

    McCarrick predicted at that time that Francis “if he has two years, he will have changed the papacy.”

    “The longer he is in, the more I think it is likely that we could say that he has changed the papacy,” he stated.

    (All of this is discussed in this article from 2017: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/they-gave-pope-francis-four-years-to-make-the-church-over-again.-heres-how)

    Liked by 2 people

    2. This explains why the children are being taught such deviant sex in school and at such an innocent time of their lives. The changes proposed are evil and immoral. The homosexual promotions are so wide spread and tainting the future generation of humanity. Anyone who promotes and supports these changes need to be shut down and may our Blessed Mother’s heel crush the head of the evil one. God bless everyone here.

      Catherine

      Liked by 5 people

      1. We’re in union of prayer and deeds, Cathe, for the protection of all, including our young people so at risk for being propagandized with the lies of our Mother’s adversary..

        Liked by 4 people

    3. Freemasons like Pope Francis–Some people have suggested that “this very brilliant influential man in Rome” was Gustavo Raffi who on March 14, 2013 said: https://www.grandeoriente.it/il-gran-maestro-raffi-con-papa-francesco-nulla-sara-piu-come-prima-chiara-la-scelta-di-fraternita-per-una-chiesa-del-dialogo-non-contaminata-dalle-logiche-e-dalle-tentazioni-del-potere-temporale/ (You can click on the translate button.)
      “With the election of Pope Francis nothing will ever be the same again. With Pope Francis, nothing will be more as it was before. It is a clear choice of fraternity for a Church of dialogue, which is not contaminated by the logic and temptations of temporal power”
      “A man of the poor far away from the Curia. Fraternity and the desire to dialogue were his first concrete words. Perhaps nothing in the Church will be as it was before. Our hope is that the pontificate of Francis, the Pope who ‘comes from the end of the world’ can mark the return to the Church-Word instead of the Church-Institution, promoting an open dialogue with the contemporary world, with believers and non-believers, following the springtime of Vatican II.”
      “The Jesuit who is close to the least ones of history,” Raffi continues, “has the great opportunity to show the world the face of a Church that must recover the announcement of a new humanity, not the weight of an institution that closes itself off in defense of its own privileges. Bergoglio knows real life and will remember the lesson of one of his favorite theologians, Romano Guardini, for whom the truth of love cannot be stopped.
      “The simple cross he wore on his white cassock,” concludes the Grand Master of Palazzo Giustiniani, “lets us hope that a Church of the people will re-discover its capacity to dialogue with all men of good will and with Freemasonry, which, as the experience of Latin America teaches us, works for the good and progress of humanity, as shown by Bolivar, Allende and José Martí, to name only a few. This is the ‘white smoke’ that we expect from the Church of our times.”

      Liked by 2 people

  30. I am posting this link from an earlier reply by Beckita, because I think it is VERY important to read it to the end. The link recommends Catholic lay people write to their Bishop and two other senior Hierarchy demanding an investigation. The names and addresses are at the end of the inserted link.

    And I am convinced this is the time to add action to prayer and fasting. I think it is what Charlie would call the NEXT RIGHT STEP, in fighting the good fight and supporting the good holy brave men of God who are finding the courage to put their neck on the block for the sake of the Church.

    https://www.romancatholicman.com/news-of-archbishop-vigano-has-hit-the-curia-like-an-atomic-bomb/

    Beckita, I hope you don’t mind me reposting the link. Doing this in case anyone missed it.

    Liked by 5 people

  31. Yesterday my husband and I returned from a week spent at our cottage in Canada.The 11hours in the car gave me much time to read all that I could and pray about all that is happening in the church our country and the world. Again I must say Charlie you were right on.. I’d like to share something with you that happened to me a number of years ago..I campaigned heavily for Mitt Romney ,not so much for him but against Barack Obama as the first time I laid eyes on Obama and heard him speak at the democratic convention I looked at my husband and said “we are in big trouble”.The night of the election my husband went to bed early as we could see the outcome was going badly..I watched it to the end and went to bed..I laid there in silence tears running down my face wondering how this man could have been elected again..It was as if GOD was sitting next to me and spoke I heard this plainly in my heart “This is the way it had to go..If Romney would have been elected the people would have remained complacent it must get so bad for this is the only way people will come back to me”.. This has never been a political battle it has and is a spiritual battle ..plain and simple good versus EVIL. I know in my heart GOD had a hand in the election of Donald Trump and it’s amazing throughout the Bible whom GOD chooses to bring forth his Will.There is not a person I can think of that could stand up against the evil that assaults him by the minute. He speaks of GOD more than any previous president I have ever heard and DEFENDS the unborn and he loves America and the people,it’s funny I liken him to the super hero in battle with the Mr. Evil of the world. Anyway on to this present nuclear bomb in the church..I remember reading about a group of concerned Catholics asking President Trump to open an investigation into the election of this current Pope alleging Obama Hillary and Soros among others had a hand in outing Pope Benedictand getting this Pope in..I also read an Italian site speaking about the group of Catholic Bishops etc behind his election and it was very bad ..I have watched him over time and I have never had a good feeling about him although I know only GOD knows his heart. Something seems very “off” about him, I am not trying to jump on the bandwagon condemning him ,but this has always been my intuition. I as everyone else have no idea what is coming and I have a feeling it wiil get very rough and yes Charlie we are in for a whupping yet this is what has to happen GOD is cleansing the world. ASI have previously stated I am sickened at what is taking place all over the world directly against GOD and worse is being accepted.Last night as I lay awake praying and speaking to GOD and JESUS and MARY and ST. Michael and all the saints asking for them to please help us..all of us whom love them so much ..I realized they are.. It is showtime and the cleansing has begun now we are to pray with all the might we have and draw even closer to the Lord ..let him use us yes to be a light and to be his soldiers in this battle.All must choose who to follow there can be no sitting on the fence..the devil owns the fence..Let us go forth to serve the Lord and pray unceasingly.. Keep our eyes on CHRIST. One further thought..the pediphile ring Hillary supposedly is involved in worldwide with her ilk?. How deep does this go?.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Good Pope… Bad Pope… Who is to say? We’ve had good Popes in the past and they were ignored. God has allowed the current Pope Francis to perhaps get people off their complacent lukewarm asses, and think about their faith for a change. Perhaps our current crisis in the church will make everyone appreciate & more obedient to a holier future Pope.

      God can remove anyone he deems unworthy, so let’s not worry too much about Pope Francis, in the end, the Immaculate Heart will triumph…

      Liked by 2 people

  32. The beat goes on and Pandora is out of her box! We should all be happy about that but tell ourselves, hourly, to stick with Righteous COLD Anger, clear thinking and common sense action. I can’t help but come to the conclusion that the conjunction of Trump Winning and the, I hope, Final Confrontation of The Faithful vs. satan is at hand …. and is NO coincidence!!?? ….. and we have been Warned in apparitions, prophecy (ancient/modern) and Papal writings/speeches alluding to 100 year satanic attacks, Smoke of satan and Final Confrontation!
    “JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU”!!

    MILINET: Articles for Christians – 28 August

    Italy journalist says he helped pen bombshell against pope
    https://apnews.com/351a31e0144845afb58ff2ed345ceda9/Italy-journalist-says-he-helped-pen-bombshell-against-pope

    Former altar boy says he stole thousands from archdiocese as payback for abuse
    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/27/former-altar-boy-says-stole-thousands-from-archdiocese-as-payback-for-abuse.html

    Protestants Should Care Deeply about the Catholic Catastrophe–DAVID FRENCH
    https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/08/catholic-sex-abuse-scandals-should-matter-to-protestants/

    Opinion: A Catholic Civil War? Traditionalists want strict adherence to church doctrine. Liberals want the doctrine changed–Matthew Schmitz

    Yeah!!! Those nasty Conservatives!!!

    Vatican Power Struggle Bursts Into Open as Conservatives Pounce–Jason Horowitz
    https://www.nytimes.com/by/jason-horowitz

    Ya can’t read the below unless Ya want to pony-up $$ to WashPo. Rest assured that like the paid editors/reporters of the NYT and the rest of SlimeStream “Media”, WashPo has absolutely no love for Christians or His Flock and while pretending sincerity will do everything to confuse The Faithful and protect/further the Global Left Agendas of godless Socialism, Abortion and Perversion.

    “The former Vatican ambassador behind the explosive allegations against the Catholic Church is no stranger to intrigue”–Anthony Faiola

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 6 people

  33. Dr. Taylor Marshall is a good man, an erudite one who teaches and preaches, far and wide, via his website. He was an Anglican priest who discerned not to become a Catholic priest when he and his family converted to Catholicism. What I especially appreciate about his theory – a plausible one – in connecting the dots via facts is his humble conclusion that what Archbishop Vigano asserts in the 11 page testimony could be lies OR it could be completely true. May God bless us with a complete revelation of what we must address.

    Liked by 6 people

  34. Robin, I’d never heard this, “the devil owns the fence.” VERY good, very visual. Stay away from the fence. Each soul MUST choose: curse or blessing, life or death, the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of Mammon. To choose not to choose ie to sit on the fence is the same as choosing death. STAY AWAY FROM THE FENCE–good advice.

    Liked by 4 people

  35. Yes… How can anyone portray Vatican II as a victory & success, when evil separated many people from their holy faith during it’s reign? Flawed thinking for sure…

    Just like liberalism, people who think liberal are devoid of reason, compromised their faith to nothing, and do anything to be part of the group which includes persecuting those who reject liberalism. These people are already dead inside, that they might as well be zombies attacking those who still have the life of Christianity still in them.

    Like

    1. Al, my experience with having conversations with liberal minded people is what you noted. They seem to be so illogical. It’s really impossible to debate a topic.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Actually, I think they are logical. They just start with one major false premise and that is generally that God does not exist or is not what we understand him to be. This leads to that man is an end unto himself where as believers, we understand the existence of God and that man is not an end unto himself. This is what I see where the break through needs to occur before they understand our logic. It generally takes love and patience along with the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts. Blessings!

        Liked by 2 people

  36. It seems Archbishop Vigano is now on the run.

    He has left Italy for parts unknown. Fearing for his life. Apparently he has left a series of dead man switches should he never be heard from again.

    https://onepeterfive.com/the-amazing-story-of-how-archbishop-viganos-report-came-to-be/

    From the story linked above:

    “The archbishop says, “I am 78 years old, and I am at the end of my life. The judgment of men does not interest me. The one judgment that counts is that of the good God. He will ask me what I have done for the Church of Christ, and I want to be able to respond to him that I defended her and served her even to the end.”

    The heart of the matter is that Pope Francis also knew, according to Viganò. And yet he allowed McCarrick to circulate undisturbed, making a joke of the bans imposed on him by Benedict XVI. Francis knew at least since March 2013, when Viganò himself, responding to a question asked by the Pope during a face-to-face meeting, told him that in the Vatican, there is a large dossier on McCarrick, and he needs to read it.

    The sexual abuses constitute a phenomenon more extensive than anyone could imagine, and it is not correct to speak of pedophilia, because the overwhelming majority of cases deal with homosexual priests who go hunting for teenage young men. It is more correct, says the archbishop, to speak about ephebophilia, if anything. But the main point is that the web of complicity, silence, cover-up, and reciprocal favors extends so far that there are no words to describe it, and it involves everyone at the highest levels, both in America and in Rome.

    My question is thus the most naïve of all: “Why?”

    The response of the archbishop freezes my blood: “Because the cracks of which Paul VI spoke, from which he said the smoke of Satan would infiltrate the house of God, have become chasms. The devil is working overtime. And to not admit that, or to turn our face away from it, would be our greatest sin.”

    It is almost too much to comprehend. We live in a world of confusion, darkness and what Sr Lucia called diabolical disorientation in the Church. A boiling crisis.

    We need to pray for Archbishop Vigano.

    What to make of it all? Cling to the basics. The sacraments. The Mass. The Rosary. Contemplate the birth, life, preaching, healing, signs, wonders, miracles, death and resurrection of Jesus. Study Jesus like you have never studied anything before in your life. Read everything you can about Jesus and the times and places he lived in. “I am the Way”. Jesus is the Halakha. Commit yourself to living the Halakha that Jesus’ Gospel of Good News is all about. Commit yourself to living Righteously. In a time of darkness, fear, confusion and a sense of abandonment. Walk with Jesus. Keep calm.

    Whatever comes.

    Liked by 3 people

  38. From Where Peter Is – comment on the demand for Pope’s resignation:

    “Also, if I’m allowed to be blunt, trying to force the Pope to resign because you don’t like his teachings is not the Catholic way to act. And no, trying to hide behind concern for the abuse scandals and the well-being of the Church does not cut it, because the bias of many people is showing. They never liked Francis in the first place and want to see him gone from the Chair of Peter. You do not save the Church by acting like this… the correct way to help the Church is through repentance and humility on your part: repentance of the grave sin of dissent and scandal whenever Francis’ papacy and magisterium were undermined; and humility to acknowledge that you don’t know everything about Church doctrine and that Catholicism is meant to challenge your own worldview, not just the worldviews of others.”

    In this, I find in Pope Francis’ reaction to Arb. Viganò a paradigm of how we should be acting. He didn’t pile up on the stampede, he didn’t add to the mudslinging, nor did he find ways to excuse himself by accusing others and blameshifting. He simply, in a very calm and dignified way, stimulated an objective and dispassionate investigation from third parties and entrusted himself to whatever the outcome may be, for he doesn’t fear truth, but rather is confident that truth will vindicate him. Regardless of what may come, most of us could learn much from this attitude.

    Like

    1. In my view, Joe, this writer is attributing motives to others in ways s/he cannot possibly know is in the hearts and minds of those who are concerned about all that has and is currently unfolding. S/he generalizes with the proverbial “They.” For sure, there are those who have complained about Pope Francis since the day he was elected. Others initially received him with great caution and still others opened wide their hearts to him. Along the journey of his papacy, it seems more and more have become concerned.

      Yes, helping the Church through repentance and humility and, in fact, using all the means we have at our disposal to grow in personal holiness will ripple through Christ’s Mystical Body, strengthening our own faith and the faith of all. As one strives in these ways, s/he can honestly question these events as they are and the wonder about the people involved, reading and researching trusted sources, looking at various pieces of evidence in an attempt to be informed and to process what is before us. I believe it must be a very hard time for each of us who truly love the Church.

      Liked by 2 people

  39. Reluctance to choose does not necessarily mean “sitting on the fence”. Choosing truth is what is important because Truth is a person–Jesus. The search for “the truth” can, in many ways, be misleading depending on the source. And discernment of truth today may be turned upside down within 24 hours.
    Two things from Sundays readings:
    from Joshua: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” and
    from John: “Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would
    betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
    unless it is granted him by my Father.”

    Choose God first and “the truth” will follow. Surrender completely to God’s will.
    https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/Abandonment.htm

    In his book “Into Your Hands, Father”, Wilfrid Stinissen describes three stages in surrender, the last of which is “one is so completely abandoned to God that one has become a pliant tool in his hands. Now it is no longer I who do God’s will, but God who accomplishes his will through me.”
    I also liked Father Z’s suggestion:
    wdtprs.com/blog/2018/08/wherein-fr-z-rants-a-baptized-person-in-the-state-of-grace-is-terrifying-to-demons/

    Liked by 4 people

  40. This just in…….confusion reigns…..

    “Friends, do not be tricked into disunity. The Holy Father is saintly and should be supported, defended and followed.”

    Dear lay apostles,

    Below is an excerpt from Whispers from the Cross. It feels very timely.

    Friends, do not be tricked into disunity. The Holy Father is saintly and should be supported, defended and followed.

    Let us all concentrate fiercely on our own work and our own personal holiness.

    With love,

    Anne, a lay apostle

    Excerpt from Whispers from the Cross by Anne, a lay apostle

    Monday, November 10, 2008

    “On the other side as a possibility is that we will not move toward unity, but further away from unity. In that case, while Jesus never wills a schism, He will allow one. He will have no choice. He will have to act protectively for the preservation of the purity of the Church. The ramifications of this would be very sad for all of humanity because the strength and vigor of the Church impacts all humanity. In the case of a schism, is it possible that God’s authority will move with the break away faction? No. It is not possible but He is so merciful that He will not abandon those in error.

    God’s authority and power and revelatory graces will remain with the Chair of Peter. He will be present there, even until the end of time.

    Is this idea of schism a real threat? Well, I think it is. I think what we are experiencing in the past period may be many small schisms. We can think of them like small tears in the fabric of a cloak. If there are enough tears, and these tears join, we will get big tears that actually separate a piece of the cloth from the cloak. What remains? A smaller cloak which is less capable of effectively fulfilling its function which is to warm a body, in this case, the Body of Christ. Men of good will can only control this in as much as they defend God’s truth in our faith and in as much as they do so in a spirit of humility, love and conciliation. Men of good will can only control this in as much as they seek to move to unity with the Holy Father in any and all areas where they are tempted to disunity.

    How would I handle a situation where I am tempted to disunity to our Holy Father? I have experienced this in my life and I simply had to eventually conclude that I did not fully understand the teaching. I sought understanding and eventually Jesus delivered it to both my head and my heart.

    I was certain of a couple of truths at that time. One, I was not the Pope. Two, it was probable that I lacked the full picture. I surmised that if someone had to move, it was most likely me.

    If we can all accept that we do not know everything, we will be a good starting point for unity.

    Tuesday, November 11, 2008

    There are those who will say that disunity or schism is always a threat in our Church. They are correct and we have seen these things occur in the past. However, we will not be accountable for anything that occurred on someone else’s watch. We will be accountable for what occurred on our watch if we fail to follow God’s will for us and stand up when we should.

    We must accept that schism is never the Lord’s plan. It is the enemy’s plan. We must accept that schism is the enemy’s goal, his priority in destroying the greatest receptacle of God’s truth on earth, that is, the Catholic Church. If we correctly view schism as our enemy’s constant goal, we must also view it as a constant threat and a constant area where we do maintenance work on ourselves, our organizations and our relationships with other holy organizations. We have to continually shore up our defenses.

    We always return to the need for humility. Will the reader throw this writing down because I repeat myself and talk of humility incessantly? People fly past the word, acknowledging its importance but we must stop at the word and examine ourselves.”

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  41. “Friends, do not be tricked into disunity. The Holy Father is saintly and should be supported, defended and followed.”

    Not if he knew about sexual abuse and actually reinstated McCarrick. That is the question – what did Pope Francis know? He asks us to make up our own minds – he does not deny – and looking at all the evidence we have, it looks as if he did know.

    Liked by 2 people

  42. We are living in some wild and wooly times, in the spiritual realms and in the physical world. I would like to stick my head the sand but alas, God knows better than I.
    For those of you who keep up on the physical world, Dutchsinse had quite a earthquake update Sunday night, https://youtu.be/zMMQSEhaM-c.

    Liked by 2 people

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Published by charliej373

Charlie Johnston is a former newspaper editor, radio talk show host and political consultant. From Feb. 11, 2011 to Aug. 21, 2012, he walked 3,200 miles across the country, sleeping in the woods, meeting people and praying as he went. He writes on cultural, global and political issues from an orthodox Catholic perspective. He emphasizes that we find God most surely through the ordinary, doing the little things we should with faith and fidelity. His constant refrain is that, to live real joy, we must acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around us. He lives in the Archdiocese of Denver in the United States.