Can You Hear Me Now?

Posted on by charliej373
Notre Dame Cross - Philippe Wojazer, Reuters
After the Fire Inside Notre Dame Cathedral – Photo by Philippe Wojazer, Reuters

By Charlie Johnston

The symbolism in the fire that destroyed much of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on the first day of Holy Week is so starkly obvious that almost everyone, including secular commentators, have opined about it. It is a metaphor both for the faithlessness that stalks the Church and for the precipitous decline of Western Civilization. I had an even greater shock as prelude to my Holy Week. I learned something about Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry that so shocked me it robbed me of sleep and peace for much of the weekend. It will become fully public knowledge sometime in the next few months. When it does, I think it will be a death knell for the industry. It certainly will facilitate criminal prosecution and cause even low-information observers to recoil in horror. If you think the left’s advocacy of infanticide was bad, you have only begun to scratch the surface. However bad you think Planned Parenthood is, it is worse than that.

Western Civilization was not a great culture because the people who built it were specially anointed, but because they adopted real prudence in making large policy decisions and because they recognized certain rights endowed to us by God, defended those rights, and gave their fealty to Christian principles, following the Lord in humble worship. Now we celebrate absurdities, mistaking willfulness for freedom, lust for love, and ‘spirituality’ for faith. We deny the objective reality of marriage, family life, sexuality and even gender, itself. Followers of a political and theological ideology are filled with a demonic zeal, determined to raze the temple, to bring it crashing down on all our heads. Once again, man has “lifted himself up against God, and sought to attain his goal apart from Him.” (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, #13)

That is why the picture above this article is so profound. The demonic zealots will probably succeed in leading us into intense and bloody strife for a time, destroying much of what many generations of faithful men and women have built over several millennia. Yet when you destroy the culture, when you rip society apart, when the temple is brought crashing down, the Cross of Christ remains. It is the instrument of our salvation.

The madness that has infected the globe bears down on us like an approaching comet bringing wreck and ruin in its wake. The only means of emerging from the rubble and rebuilding a just society is this same Cross of Christ that remains, amidst the ruins, as our hope.

Over the last decade, God has given us an abundance of signs in the sky, rumblings in the earth, tremors portending a great fall. We don’t listen.

God was willing to spare Sodom if Abraham could find as few as 10 righteous people in that benighted city (Genesis 18:16-33). I pray that all might repent, but increasingly I fear that some have given themselves entirely over to depravity, seduced by the satan’s false promises. It is not that they can’t hear God, but that they won’t hear Him. When the people of Moab revolted against the God of Israel, turning to strange gods and erecting profane altars, God sent Elijah to confront them – and sent fire from the heavens to consume both the profane altars and the soldiers who guarded them (2 Kings 1:1-16). Yet the last captain sent from the idolatrous king repented – and God spared him and his men.

In the Book of Esther, the evil Chancellor, Haman, erected a gallows on which he planned to hang Mordecai, elder of the Jews, as prelude to the murder of all the Jews in the kingdom of Persia. Haman forgot (if he ever knew) that all power flows from the hand of God. In the end, Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The Jews were spared and those who plotted their doom, destroyed.

A desperate struggle, a real fight, is almost certainly ahead of us. If we fight on purely secular terms as though it were a political struggle, we will descend into an orgy of violence – becoming the flip side of the same secular coin that features the malevolent image of the anti-God left. If we simply engage in mental prayer, refusing to live the prayer of doing, we invite a holocaust against us. When she was being examined before ever going out to battle, St. Joan of Arc was asked by learned Churchmen why, if God intended France to survive, did she not just leave it to Him. She replied that it was for us to fight the battles and Him to grant the victory. So it has been with every noble soldier of God for eons. So it will be for us now.

We are called to be true soldiers in a great battle of purification, but are called to be evangelists in the midst of it. We seek not the destruction of those who would destroy us, but their reclamation. If they will not repent, or at least leave us be, then there can be no compromise, only victory. The faith and freedom of our children and of all the families to come depend on it. We will be judged a century hence by our descendants on where we stood in these great and decisive battle between good and evil – and whether we stood at all. Follow St. Joan’s lead and call our opponents to repent – or depart from us.

God is calling us ever more insistently. Will you hear Him now? Or will you wait for fire to fall from the heavens?

 

 

 

 

222 thoughts on “Can You Hear Me Now?”

    1. Thank you, Charlie. It seems like things are hastening, like contractions anticipating the birth getting closer and closer. Onward to the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! I pray Our Lady helps us to remain faithful through the battle, and discerning of the tasks she calls us to.
      God bless all of you this Holy Week. The Triduum awaits with new Catholics coming into the Church all over the world at the Easter Vigil! Even in these dark times, we can see the rays of hope.

      Liked by 13 people

      1. Wow…when I looked at the Cross …my heart…and my eyes went immediately to the Pieta which never fails to break my heart….then the angel next to it ! Unbroken and of course thinking St. Michael….prayer and more prayer.

        Liked by 7 people

      3. So many standing and reciting the Rosary. These are the good people in France who still believe. Very heartening too many around the world, who watch these people on the ‘front line’ in France, and know the Blessed Mother is so much apart of their lives and into their history. God Bless and protect these people. And may they bring others to our Holy Mother’s Mantle for the protection of our Lord! Pray with deliberate dedication for their souls. ” For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion. Christ Has Died; Christ has Risen and Christ will Come Again! Amen”

        Liked by 8 people

  2. Soylent Green comes to mind.
    My true friend who died eight days after a horrid car accident so wanted to be out of here. She was 81 years old, had done the Life Offering, lost a grown daughter to a second bout of cancer, and LEFT ME BEHIND! I have been gut-punched.
    Yep, we were given a heads up in 1973. Oh, and what else happened that year.
    As a stranger said to me observing me interact with a few of my former students, “Still teaching, aren’t you?”
    Quantuummleaps but all relevant.

    Liked by 5 people

      1. Her fears are probably (I hope) overstated, Sean, BUT more than a few food and beverage companies have contracted with California-based Senomyx company to use flavor enhancers developed from stem cell lines from aborted fetuses. While advocates for Senomyx vigorously deny the larger charge that they use tissues from aborted fetuses, they do concede that they used cells from a 40-year-old line of stem cells in the development. Lifesite News has probably the best series on this subject. I would say it is very unlikely that they are using actual current aborted fetal stem cells, but over the last year and a half, every time I think I have plumbed the depth of the depravity of the abortion crowd, I discover startling new depths. I am coming to think it may be bottomless. In any case, human remains HAVE been introduced into the food chain, even if you count Senomyx’ most innocent construction of the explanation. I switched from Pepsi to Coke in large part because of Pepsico’s extensive involvement with this type of flavor enhancer.

        Liked by 9 people

        1. Again, Charlie, I’m having to reply to something other than the original post above. No reply button there. News has not spread far and wide yet about the fact that when Notre Dame was torched [yes staffers who went back in to try to save vome things – they stated they saw evidence the fires was set deliberately.

          BEYOND THAT, the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral was – according to Breitbart – only one of 12 set in French Catholic Churches in a one week period.
          https://www.breitbart.com/faith/2019/03/20/twelve-french-churches-attacked-vandalized-in-one-week/?fbclid=IwAR1zw4mTh-L-nEDYXAt6V2KlBQLPJ27TqQ2mgCV5HzzbXtnwYpc9K0fzsmA#

          All my love in Christ

          Desmond

          Liked by 9 people

            1. According to the Newsweek article, it is radical secularist/anachists and radial feminist groups attacking Catholic Churches throughout France.

              Liked by 3 people

              1. It could be. That was who was trying to torch the Cathedral in Argentine (Brazil?) when the faithful men formed a wall between the naked-topped feminists with the torches and the sacred building. Anf IF this is so, and there is war, HOW do we tell the good guys from the bad guys?

                Liked by 3 people

            2. Something in the back of my mind returned to the surface. Shortly after 9/11 (2002-03) I spoke with JTTF cops whom stated this same comment. The Perfect Day.

              “I {LTC Dave Grossman, US Army, Retired} have been told (by those conducting interviews with captured enemy combatants) that when we ask them “What is coming next?” they sometimes refer to the “Perfect Day.” You cannot understand what they are talking about if you do not understand the historical reference.

              The Sepoy Mutiny in India, in 1857, is an example of a Perfect Day. This was a spontaneous uprising by Muslims (and Hindus), with everyone giving the British their “best shot.” Nannies killed the kids, cooks poisoned the food, and shop owners murdered the British ladies as they came into the shop. And soldiers (sometimes complete units) killed their British officers and then used their weapons to attack the British.”

              http://rhinoden.rangerup.com/the-perfect-day-by-ltc-dave-grossman-usa-ret/

              Liked by 5 people

            3. There is a video on Youtube that shows Notre Dame chief architect Benjamin Mouton saying that 800-year-old oak does not catch fire without an accelerent. Security protocols were put in place to prevent this type of catastrophe according to numerous reports.
              That makes sense as this wood is almost petrified after 800 years. I don’t know what to believe anymore because of the lies being told about major events.

              Liked by 4 people

          2. Not the only report about Catholic Churches in France being vandalized and the Eucharist being attacked. Here’s a link to a Newsweek article written in March. https://www.newsweek.com/spate-attacks-catholic-churches-france-sees-altars-desecrated-christ-statue-1370800 The people of France are well aware of these attacks including a another church in Paris set on fire. Although the reporting here is that the authorities suspect a renovation accident; they are also saying the investigation as to cause has just begun. Either way I think the response to rebuilding Notre Dame is wonderful and not a shrug your shoulder response an arsonist with a political agenda would have expected.

            Liked by 3 people

          3. The fire set in St. Sulpice Catholic Church in Paris was definitely arson. The Newsweek article has a brief video of the fire as there were people in the church when the fire was set.

            Liked by 3 people

          4. Desmond, are you trying to respond to someone else’s comment or to Charlie’s original Post? If the latter, the general Reply button and comment field are always at the very bottom of the page, underneath all the existing comments, just above the black footer area. I hope that helps.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. Danke, I don’t see really well on high contrast surfaces. I more than seldom fail to see the obvious on computer screens – due to eyesight problems. Thanks again.

              Liked by 2 people

        2. Charlie, thank you for the link to the Lifesite news series on the subject of Senomyx, aka HEK-293. Sadly the FDA does not require it to be labeled as such on packaging. I have been sharing this link:

          https://www.naturalnews.com/049367_aborted_babies_flavor_chemicals_food_corporations.html

          along with this chart of food manufacturer monopolies:

          for some time. This year, I’ve lost over 20 pounds eating foods not *processed* which are not only healthier but obviously closer to God’s natural creation. It simply makes sense. ~ God is all good, man by the way of sin distorts/destroys…

          Liked by 9 people

          2. Shared on fb. Also your note about 20 lbs! That might make a difference. Here I had been thinking that if I avoided Kelloggs (have for years) I’d be ok. Thank you for the chart Jlynnbird!

            Liked by 2 people

        3. Charlie,
          Don’t know the year, but back in the ’80s there were stories going around the internet the Chinese were eating–God! it’s horrific, it pains me to even say it—you fill in the satanic horror! I stopped drinking Pepsi some years past when I heard they were in contract with a company similar to one you mentioned above. Pepsi took a big hit in sales after a boycott was called against them, I hoped the SOBs would go bankrupt..

          Liked by 1 person

        4. Charlie,

          Please don’t tell us infant DNA is in-our food. If so, where so we may avoid it.

          So angry, sick and disgusted!

          May truth prevail!

          Like

  3. Another good friend just texted me the same ‘quess’
    I can think of one food chain that uses the illum anatii in their ads.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I feel your pain, Charlie, the devil is on the rampage continually these days. Our governor in Iowa, pretended to be pro-life before election day and the pro-life warriors went to bat for her. As soon as she was elected, she appeared with her former opponent (who actually purchased a building here in Dubuque for Planned Parenthood to operate out of) and together they stated that they had many mutual goals to accomplish. So did we. It took seven years of constant picketing but they (PP) finally ran for the hills.

    She even tricked local pro-life groups to attend a proclamation ceremony in her office at the Capitol for Pro-Life Awareness Month in March. within two weeks she was so happy to know that the Iowa Senate voted 42-6 to approve the sale of contraception to all females over the age of eighteen. It was one of her legislative priorities.

    There is a GOP majority in the Iowa Senate, and evidently more than a few illiterate Catholics who spew the pro-life mantras in election season but are on the wrong side in key votes. To think they could pretend to be pro-life and not know that contraception is THE pipeline to multiple abortions, strokes, STD’s, and breast and other cancers.

    The scandal is what really gets to me. One of our local senators from Dyersville Iowa is an extraordinary minister at the Basilica and that is so hard to swallow for sincere, committed pro-life activists.

    Next Friday is our annual dinner, Tom Brejcha and Martin Cannon from the Thomas More Society are speaking and they are so terrific and have been on the front lines for decades. Best we have ever invited in my estimation. We need the shot in the arm they can give us but I am very bitter about the GOP betrayal. It has become a confessional matter for me.

    Thanks for keeping us in the loop. Your articles are so brilliant and your wit is so razor sharp it is always a thrill to see your stuff in my mailbox.

    Praying for you for strength and perseverance. . .

    Liked by 14 people

    1. Ah, Susan, I knew Tom somewhat when I was doing political work in Illinois. We had a mutual friend in Tom Roeser – and Tom Brejcha once vetted a piece I wrote on stem cells for some Congressman and others for the Constitutional law involved.

      Liked by 4 people

  6. Thank you very much Charlie. Please if you would go over what the prayer of doing is and how do we know if we are doing or not doing it. I appreciate this and you.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Think of Our Lady, Thankful. At the Annunciation, she was entirely docile to God’s will. Now to be told you are to be Mother of the Most High, the Messiah, seems at first glance, a pretty easy and honored yes. But think it through. She was betrothed to Joseph, so for this to be so, it would make her an apparent adulteress. Besides the problem with shaming her family and dealing with Joseph, adultery was a capital crime punishable by stoning in that time and place. Promise me an honor that would appear to make me guilty of a capital crime and I might reasonably ask that you bless someone else, instead. But in this case, Mary simply trusted God to take care of the details and was simply docile to Him.

      Fast forward a bit to when Mary gets the news that her cousin, Elizabeth, has a late-in-life pregnancy…which can notoriously be difficult. Now Mary might well have thought that shoot, the Lord took care of a lot more dire problems in my situation. I’ll leave it to Him. If she were a different sort of woman entirely, she could have thought, “Hey, I’m the Mother of the Messiah…it is WAY beneath my dignity to get involved with the pregnancy of an aged kinswoman.” Not Our Lady…she got up, hiked across the rugged hill country while pregnant herself, and went to help her cousin however she could. This was the prayer of doing. Mary knew when to leave the details to God…and also when we are to be God’s hands and feet on earth. Of course, she was full of grace. May we all have a measure of her grace.

      When I was near the end of my pilgrimage, on one very hot day in Greeley, Colorado I sat down for a while in the shade of a large tree just across the street from a humble little neighborhood to rest. I had been sitting there for maybe five minutes when, out of one of the little houses came a Mexican man and his young daughter (somewhere between 10-12 years old). They were carrying something and continued across the street. When they came to me, they gave me two freshly prepared home-made burritos and an orange soda. How it touched me as we chatted (the daughter had to translate for her father). They saw me sitting there…old and tired and looking homeless on a hot day…so they made this stranger something to eat and gave me something to drink. THAT is the prayer of doing.

      Contemplate James 2:14-17 to get a handle on the prayer of doing: “What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”

      When St. Joan took up arms to rescue France, that was the prayer of doing. When we see a need, then act to meet that need, we are giving witness to our faith by living the prayer of doing. Like faith itself, prayer that has no works attached to it in the face of need is barren.

      Liked by 17 people

      1. Trust , do and love ❤️ In the words of Charlie..

        Easy to type.. but …….

        “ Apart from me you can do nothing”

        Oh come Holy Spirit breathe upon us with fire of love ….

        Liked by 6 people

      2. Charlie,
        Thank you for the very beautiful commentary on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the teaching,, “When we see a need, then act to meet that need, we are giving witness to our faith by living the prayer of doing.” Our Blessed Mother Mary, as a teenage girl made the greatest act of faith and trust in God the Father when she said, “YES” to become the Virgin Mother of His Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. The magnitude of Mary’s response and the consequences of her faith in action are inestimable!

        Liked by 4 people

      3. Thank you, Charlie. So moment by moment as need arises, is that correct? Just asking as sometimes there is a confusion about attending to some pretty strong and chronic, daily family medical needs and also wanting to help others but not sure how to do that and not shortchange someone. Thank you and blessings!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Thankful, attending to those daily family needs with fidelity and love IS the prayer of doing. Forgive me, but I get frustrated when people routinely think, when I speak of my ordinary way and the prayer of doing, they think I mean they must do huge, heroic things. I mean live your daily work and duties with fidelity, love and persistence…living the ordinary way with great love IS Christian heroism.

          Liked by 2 people

    2. Set automatic pilot on the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart and keep your hand to the plow. ;-)!.
      Blessings to You.

      Liked by 8 people

    1. Welcome to commenting, Stella. It is a joy to see you here! Friends, Dear Stella is about Fr. Wang’s age and has been and continues to bless people with her God-given gifts as she lays down her life in service to His people.

      Liked by 9 people

  8. Speaking of Planned Parenthood please consider sending a donation to the Thomas More Society, 309 W Washington St, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-3207
    They are on the front line of battle in the courts defending Dave Daleiden and Ms Merritt.
    Their expenses are enormous and they could use some monetary help. And prayers!
    Thank you and God Bless You.
    Jacquie

    Liked by 7 people

  9. Amen, Amen. You have been so on my heart. I have been praying for you. Whatever Planned Parenthood has done this time, I imagine it is horrific. This piece is so totally true about praying and doing. We have to cooperate with Christ once we know what he wants!

    Liked by 12 people

  11. Thank you, Charlie. You put what is in our hearts into words. We are grateful. It strengthens the faith. I can’t wait to read about the increased debauchery of PP. I didn’t think it could get worse. It just makes me sick. I mean really sick. God bless you all!!

    Liked by 6 people

  12. With all due respect, Charlie, wish you would have kept the PP revelation tease under wraps until all could be revealed. Some of us have over active imaginations; as soon as I read, ‘recoil in horror’ (and) ‘infanticide’, an image of a Mengele type shadow wafting about their facilities popped in my head. Now I have to dial back so I don’t have nightmares. The Donald dawdled for 2 years, (before Pelosi returned), on one of his major campaign promises: defunding PP.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Maggie, the president is not an autocrat. He can’t rule on such without Congress. I was not a Trump fan before his election, but the fact is he has been the most aggressively pro-life president of my lifetime. He didn’t dawdle; the Vichy Republicans running Congress did. Had he not worked vociferously for it both in public and behind the scenes (where he is still doing so) I would agree with your take. When a man makes a promise and works strenuously for it, I do not blame him for the time it takes to get it done, but blame those who obstruct his path while pretending to share our pro-life values. I hated the last election results – but am very glad that most of those Republican incumbents who lost were Vichy Republicans. Good riddance.

      Liked by 17 people

      1. I know, hubby tries to tell me the same; my venting was misdirected. Anyway, re stem cells, when I asked my ortho specialist, (who uses them for joint injections), if they were from aborted fetuses, he reacted as if it were a preposterous notion. Your thoughts?

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Most stem cell therapies today use differentiated adult stem cells. Your question is NOT a preposterous one – and your doctor’s reaction rather troubles me. Just answer the question and show you where you can confirm it.

          Liked by 5 people

        2. Maggie, most injections of stem cells for such therapies involve your own stem cells, taken out of you and multiplied and then injected back into you, so there is no risk of rejection. Did the doctor remove cells or blood from you a few weeks prior and send them to a company that purifies and multiplies them?

          Liked by 3 people

          1. He takes out blood, spins in his own lab for plasma shots; will have to inquire more specifics about the stem cell procedure.
            Just realized though that the midwest has its own pro-life bioethical lab:
            ” The John Paul II Medical Research Institute advocates for medical research that recognizes the dignitiy of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. Also, the Institute advocates a new paradigm in research to address deficiencies in medical research and unmet medical needs.”
            https://www.jp2mri.org/about

            Liked by 3 people

      1. Me too Charlie. I have had abortion nightmares for years. I would get awoken in the night with the images of babies being ripped apart. I asked the Lord why he would show this to me as it brought me great sorrow and anguish. He told me he is showing me but a glimpse of the sorrow, and if he showed me all of it I would be crushed by the weight of it. He asked me to pray and act to fight this atrocity as much as possible. We have a ministry here called Mulier Care (named after JPII’s MULIERIS DIGNITATEM) and they provide ultrasounds for free and job help, babysitting, follow up care for mothers. It provides all kinds of care for momma and baby. It makes me weep to see the babies who have been saved by this ministry that takes such care of the mothers instead of judging them. Most of them feel trapped and many have been abused. This ministry is a light in the darkness for them. They have also helped abortion workers leave the industry and we saw the closing of the women’s center that performed abortions here.
        Additionally, I agree that Trump is the most pro-life President we have had in years. The only one I can recall ever to speak of the unborn in a State of the Union address. “Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother’s womb moments before birth,” “These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world.”

        “And then, we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he basically stated he would execute a baby after birth,” the president continued. “All children – born and unborn – are made in the holy image of God.
        Amen President Trump.

        Liked by 10 people

        1. VeilofVeronica Amazingly, the doctor who stated such a horrific scenario is still governor of Virginia! That is the worst part of it. The people of Virginia apparently have accepted such an act otherwise they would be clamoring for his removal.

          Liked by 4 people

          1. The only REAL recall is at the election box. Keep it in front of the voting public. This guy thinks killing born babies is just fine.

            Liked by 2 people

      1. Susan B. Anthony is the single most effective federal pro-life lobbying organization in the country. No other organization is even close. Just about everything Pres. Trump could do without Congressional approval he HAS done – and he has managed to get some things done with Congressional approval despite the obstructionism of Vichy Republicans who want the reputation of being pro-life without actually doing anything. (Sadly, many of the supposed pro-life organizations are the same…long on strutting and preening, short on any actual accomplishment for the unborn.)

        Liked by 9 people

        1. I, too, appreciate the work of the Susan B. Anthony List. However, I feel a twinge of heart-pain about your criticism (which I’ve heard from you more than once) of other pro-life organizations. The many that I’ve known and sometimes been closely involved with over the last thirty-three years ~ including well-known ones ~ have had positive though often unpublicized or even unknown effects as they’ve trudged faithfully along year after year, decade after decade, apparent defeat after apparent defeat, small gain after small gain ~ and still they keep going, little Davids against the Goliath Culture of Death. To be honest, I can’t think of one with which I am familiar that I would characterize as “strutting and preening, short on any actual accomplishment for the unborn.” Perhaps I’ve not encountered the ones you’re talking about.

          There are many ways to reach people. “There are many gifts but the same Spirit. . . .” (1 Cor 12:4-11). I, myself, became pro-life and have been sustained and strengthened during these thirty-three years without relying on the also-effective organizations you have mentioned in various posts.

          In recent years, my work hasn’t necessarily involved working for or donating to a designated pro-life 501(c)3 or something similar. Often I’ve worked directly in the trenches, in ordinary life, with Culture-of-Death-vulnerable people. In these situations, I always felt very grateful to the pro-life organizations and individuals that have helped equip me to “take the next right steps” in these real-life situations. I would say that this is true of a great many good-hearted pro-life people responding to situations in their day-to-day lives.

          Thanks for listening. God bless you, friend.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. The people in the trenches are almost all wonderful, sincerely motivated people, Sr. Bear. But I have had to work with many at top levels – and it is as I say. I don’t single out the negative ones publicly, as I don’t want to add to division. Rather, I single out those I know which are doing serious work – at the top as well as with the wonderful people who volunteer at the low levels. I don’t like that it is as I say, but I do say it because some of the groups (at the top levels) actually hurt the cause and actively work to help certify legislators who kill pro-life bills behind the scenes as being pro-life. At the top of any movement, there are always some who are willing to sell out in order to gain political influence. Establishment Republicans are not the only people who will sell their souls for a little bit of influence.

            So why speak of it at all when we need unity? Because the leaders of many of the pro-life groups do read me. The phonies know who they are. It is my little effort to let them know that if they get too brazen, I could change my mind about identifying them specifically. I know it can be hard on the deeply committed pro-lifers in the ranks and on the front lines. While I get irritated at politicians who sell out, at least they are honest about being in a competition for power and influence. I have a deep contempt for leaders of organizations such as this who do the same, in part because I am, surprisingly I suppose, a somewhat naieve idealist who thought no one could come to this cause except for the most noble purposes. That, sadly, is not true – and it hurt me to my core when I began to realize it.

            That said, even some of the phonies sometimes accomplish some good. It is just that when you work alongside them, you pray that they do not, while you are collaborating with them, have to choose between standing for the unborn in a case or enhancing their own influence, because they choose the latter every time. I even sometimes encourage my close allies to work with such a one, but only when they set it up on terms to appeal to that party’s interest, for you cannot count on them doing the right thing just because it is right.

            I’m sorry that this pains you, Sr. Bear. But I tell you, the opposite side knows very well who among our leaders can be compromised in exchange for the silver of influence – and they use that knowledge – to our detriment. It is a reality that you don’t have to deal with…but it is one I do have to deal with if we are going to take down Planned Parenthood and topple the culture of death. I think you would be shocked if you knew how many on our side have tried to topple, for example, David’s work or to get him to back off. The devil is without…and he is within. But I heartily agree with you that those troops who give of their time in the field are, to a person, noble and true.

            Liked by 5 people

            1. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain, Charlie. This is important information to hear and consider. I accept what you say as being sadly true, although I have not been exposed to these things in specifically pro-life organizations.

              However, I have been disheartened by actions and attitudes of people within organizations that OUGHT to be pro-life but whose leaders, employees, or volunteers sometimes act or speak otherwise.

              It’s a confusing world. “Be strong, take heart.”

              Liked by 4 people

              2. Indeed, Sean. One such unpleasantry occurred in my experience on Spy Wednesday in 1996, when some who OUGHT to support the teachings of the Church ~ did not. It’s one thing for the expected people (e.g., abortion clinic workers or supporters) to criticize. It’s quite another for people in parishes to complain when authentic Church teachings are presented. Spy Wednesday, indeed.

                Liked by 1 person

  14. We hear you Charlie. I am not shocked there may be revelations of monstrous, outrages of evil coming from the likes of planned parenthood. Too bad we can’t /never mind, God is taking care of things. Things are unraveling. People are beginning to wake up. The reckoning will soon be reckoning. Wow, what’s coming will surprise us all. God Bless to All…

    Liked by 9 people

    1. I remember that years ago Red Skelton said on his program why he said the nebulous “God bless” instead of the more meaningful “God bless you.” I think he said it had to do with not telling God what to do but am not sure and can’t remember his entire reasons. I thought I agreed with his explanation at the time but now I disagree. It seems so nebulous, general, lacking definiteness. God bless you actually is short for “May God bless you” and is not a command or demand to God. If anyone can shed light on this, please do so. May God bless you all. JAS

      Liked by 5 people

  16. Charlie, at the Chrism Mass tonight our Bishop rejoiced that the Cross at Notre Dame still stands. I thought of you, too, because the Cathedral Choir has a marvelous trumpet player. Fight on my friend!

    Liked by 7 people

  18. Well, so much happened so quickly. I just stopped in my tracks yesterday. All I could think was this was one of the most amazing signs, and no one was reporting on it. But the people of Paris understood. How could you not! The Holy Eucharist and the Crown of Thorns was removed…so maybe that was all that was necessary. The sadness is heart breaking, and a real (yes REAL) show stopper. We must explain to others the symbolism of this destruction. I wrote a comment on the fox news you tube channel, and asked people to read the apparition of our Lady of Sallete. May our Blessed Mother ask her Precious Son to have mercy on us all! It is beginning.

    Liked by 10 people

  19. In the Gospel for Wednesday of Holy Week, Jesus said, “…My appointed time draws near…” (Mt 26:18).

    When chief priests, scribes, and the elders of the people schemed about when they should arrest Jesus, they said “…not during the Passover festival, lest we cause an uproar among the people.” (Mt 26:5). But in spite of their most careful plans, that’s exactly when it DID happen. Jesus said, “no one takes my life away from me. I lay it down freely.” (Jn 10:18). The elders and the chief priests could plan all they wanted, but God was always in control of events.

    When Jesus said, “my appointed time draws near.” It’s helpful to note that the Hebrew word for time is “mo’ed,” which, in the Jewish mind, has the dimension of a divine appointment. God has ordained a specific points in time for the furthering of his plan. Nothing happens by chance, and the timing of events is never meaningless.

    That’s what I was musing on, when I learned of the fire consuming the Notre Dame, on Monday of Holy Week.

    I’m glad I wasn’t the only one. 🙂

    Liked by 12 people

    1. Agreed!

      I actually see it as a good thing. A symbol of the decay and almost total ruin of Christianity in France and a spark to light a fire of renewal and move Christians to action to defend the Faith.

      St. Joan of Arc Pray for us!

      Liked by 2 people

  20. And by the way, my WordPress icon has been the Rose Window of the Notre Dame for almost four years.

    I’m not trendy. I’m just ahead of the curve. 🙂

    Liked by 16 people

  21. The shining cross reminds us: Faith, like gold, is tested in fire. The flames of the crucible intensify.

    As if I wasn’t sure already. Last Friday, while I witnessed my students receiving their Confirmation, someone went in my office and stole my purse and every last coin I had in my desk. Three days of scrambling to recover all.

    We need to return to the practice of receiving the slap on the cheek at Confirmation. We will be persecuted and have to learn again to turn the other.

    Today is the feast of my patron, St. Bernadette, another French saint. We need warriors like St. Joan but suffering servants like Bernadette, too. Peace and Holy Week blessings to all, even for the one who, like Judas, loved money more than Jesus and tried to steal my joy, too. May he change his path this Spy Wednesday.

    Liked by 10 people

  22. Surreal is an understatement . The burning of Norte Dame is a defining moment as the world looks at the burning church weeping over what could have been and what has been. With nothing more than 5 percent at best Mass attendance each week in France , it seems strangely ironic that this holy cathedral of stupendous and nothing less than amazing grace standing the test of time would crumble in just a few hours while Parisians mourn. It reminds me of long lost “friends and family” showing up at a funeral of a dear loved one from long ago and wailing without ever really caring to spend time while their loved one was alive. Yes indeed , all of heaven weeps .

    Liked by 8 people

  23. My parish St Hillaire, here in Blanzay is along with the whole world is indeed in shock on the Fire at Notre Dame. Sunday mass was bursting at the seams , an occurrence that I have witnessed for the whole 16 years I have lived here. Our priest is faithful and orthodox and very humble. It is standard for 15 to over thirty male altar servers to serve each Sunday. We also have three current seminarians who attend the seminary at Bayonne. Needles to say the Bishop of that diocese is excellent. There other Priests and parishes like this in France. A sign of hope. To all.
    N’espere pas
    Christus Vinci

    Liked by 16 people

  24. The Kingdom of France is where all begins because the Kingdom of France is the Arm of God. As the eldest daughter of the Church it will be the first to be corrected then be made holy. It is from the Kingdom France that the present age of evil will be drawn closed & from where through the ashes of penance & true converision shall emerge the Holy Age of Fire. Notre Dame de Paris is not only the Cathedral for the entire kingdom it is also the planted seed. Let us see what comes to light, let us see the hand of God begin His work to set the world ablaze.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. From your link…

      “I n an instant, my heart was touched and I believed. I believed with such a strength of adherence, with such an uplifting of my entire being, with such powerful conviction, with such a certainty leaving no room for any kind of doubt, that since then all the books, all the arguments, all the incidents and accidents of a busy life have been unable to shake my faith, nor indeed to affect it in any way.”

      Beautiful. I love reading these accounts. Thank you for the link.

      Notice the properties of it.
      It exceeds understanding. (Paul?)
      You don’t see it, rather it is the means by which you see. (Lewis)
      It is more real than “all the arguments, all the incidents and accidents of a busy life ”
      It is unexpected.
      It reorients the individual.
      It is authentic.
      It is a gift.
      It is Individual

      Not mentioned in the article, but insisted upon by St,
      . James as a “proof”* of genuine faith, is the process of Sanctification with its fruits begins.

      It is universal, Catholic in your parlance, transcending time, culture, and all flesh.
      We recognize each other , for we are all reborn as Mr. Claudel.

      Anyhoo, that’s a few. I bet there are others. Please feel free to add to the list or take umbrage as you see fit.

      *not the right word.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Timothy, the one paragraph that you excerpted from Paul Claudel’s account is the one that has remained in my mind for many years. The effects of holy places saturated in sacraments and prayers are part of the grand Mystery of God.

        Grace ~ and his was a moment of Grace ~ transcends the limitations of scientific method. Remember, at that time in France and the Western world, some adherents of science denigrated the truths of faith, as if finite beings could perform experiments that would prove or disprove the validity of the transcendent God.

        There’s much to ponder in this age of conflicting world views and heavenly understandings.

        Liked by 2 people

  26. Athiests whose work I follow were punched in the gut by the symbolic toppling of their civilisation. Christ infuses Christendom and even they felt the barreness of hell rhat seeks to destroy us.

    I pray God puts a solid priest there to say the first mass after the fire.

    I am struck that God left the foundational elements.,,the stones, arches and beauty of the rose windiws…for beauty (please, give no thought to vanity here) is foundational . Christians create beautiful things as He creates beautiful things. Things which tne damned mar and hate.

    The roof burned away, the things that matter stand. I think He is showing us Himself there.

    The Age of Tolerance is over. It was short lived, not even 300 years old, and an instructive lesson from our Lord.

    We are Christians, This is Christendom.

    This is what it felt like before Lepanto. My knees feel like water. But! A Great Cloud of Witnesses, watches . We will do it.

    Liked by 12 people

  28. Dear Charlie Before I even knew of you I believed Our Lady n the Holy Ghost would come and save us. Then I found your website n was so happy that you felt the same way. But things did not work out as you thought they would n for a long time I have no longer heard you even mention the Rescue. Do you no longer believe She is coming n is already her working with us? My heart is heavy and our purification is continuous I m aware of who winds in the end but I rarely hear anyone speak of Our Lady n the Holy Ghost as this time I thought was given to them for sanctification. The first 2000 years CREATION to the FATHER , second 2000 REDEMPTION to the SON , the 3rd 2000 years to OUR LADY n HOLY GHOST? Do you still believe in our rescue any longer. As a young girl I always Felt that something spiritual would happen in my time I became a great believer in Fatima and hHer promises. All my life I have a long for the ERA of PEACE and the time that was coming. Now I am full of doubt pray for me! elizabeth. I’m not even sure if I can get this through to you I just needed to write to somebody that believed what I believed all these years! Thank you for listening!

    Sent from gramma

    GBNMKU GOD BLESS N. MARY KEEP YOU

    >

    Liked by 11 people

  29. I am so amazed at the comments by some. The insight and connections are remarkable. Thank you everyone! One quick question to Charlie about PP information: was this a visit from a heavenly being who gave you this info?

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Robill, Charlie has been assiduously working for an end to abortion on many fronts and he has shared with us that this work, in addition to his ASOH commitments, are part of his ongoing next right steps. Because of Charlie’s close connection to the work of David Daleiden and his CMP, we keep related material posted on the right side of this site’s pages which can be accessed via clicking on the Menu Bar. Thus, Charlie has come to the knowledge concerning PP by natural means.

      Liked by 4 people

      2. Also I should note that if the only way I got a piece of info was from a heavenly source, I would present it as such. When I say that some private revelation is very solid, sound and evocative, I never treat such revelations as established fact, even my own. I insist on normal means of verification, including with myself. Private revelation has sometimes led me to explore a certain area – and quite fruitfully. But I do not cite what it leads me to as fact until the evidence I have would have to be accepted even by an atheist.

        Liked by 6 people

  30. Thank you, Charlie. I observed the same thing about the fire and its symbolism to the fall of Christianity and the problems in the Church. None of my friends believed me. But, for me, it is as plain as the nose on my face. I am relieved other people see the same thing as me.

    I pray that it becomes obvious to others too. We all need to wake up and see the world and the events in it through the eyes of Christ.

    Liked by 6 people

  31. I dunno. I am getting a queasy feeling about this:

    https://www.kcci.com/article/french-billionaire-pledges-to-help-rebuild-notre-dame-cathedral/27158459

    The restoration is going to be a Corporate Industrial/State project. With what intent? My guess is it’s a 13 million tourists a year thing. A vanity thing. A symbol of the French State thing.

    I understand that the Church doesn’t own Notre Dame. The French Government owns it. Used to be the French Government and the French State and the French People were Christians and Catholic. Now? Not so much.

    Modern technology. They are counting on modern technology to build a marvel and tourist destination and to assuage the pride of the French ruling class. L’Oreal. Luxury Goods Group LVMH. Gucci.

    “Macron said the renovations to restore iconic 19th century spire, vaulting and two-thirds of the cathedral’s roof would be completed in time for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

    “We will rebuild the cathedral to be even more beautiful and I want it to be finished within five years,” Macron said.”

    “France’s richest businessman, Bernard Arnault, and his luxury goods group LVMH pledged 200 million euros ($226 million) for the reconstruction. Billionaire Francois Pinault and his son, Francois-Henri Pinault, who is married to actress Salma Hayek, said they were giving 100 million euros from their company, Artemis, the holding company owning auction house Christie’s and the main shareholder of luxury fashion houses including Gucci. French companies Total and L’Oreal each pledged 100 million euros.”

    It is to be a project of the International Elite and the Corporate State and French Politicians.

    I dunno. I am getting a queasy feeling about this.

    Liked by 12 people

    1. You could be right about this, but maybe it’s an opportunity for an awakening of their hearts. Perhaps we could all pray for the conversion of the hearts of those donating to this project, that the beauty of our faith, as it is shown through the beauty of Notre Dame, will spark a flame in them, a desire to know God.

      Liked by 10 people

  32. I’ve been thinking along the line of these things for a while now…

    Liberalism & socialism is a rebellion & rejection of God. We might as well say the architects of our modern day “Tower of Babel” is the anti-God left, who are secret societies. Globalism is a “cult” that promotes death & passive genocide. Carbon is a molecule of life, but globalists want to put a tax on carbon for the purpose of eventual justification of ending lives; a person is not worth the CO2 they are producing, as society is currently being guilted that meat from farm animals produces too much greenhouse gases, so stop eating meat. The “climate change” promoters are part of the globalist cult (of bankers, Freemasons, secret sects, & perverts)

    God wants us to change for the better, even if it means painfully pruning us, so that we may have life in Heaven. The left’s agenda promotes laziness, entitlement, hate through a false concept of equality, decay by (denying virtue & humility) & embracing of sins, dependence on government handouts instead of trusting & depending on God, and a disrespect & rejection of everything of God.

    I tried to organize my thoughts, I hope it’s not to hard to read…

    Liked by 7 people

    1. And yet how many realize or even care. Good productive thoughts. Just finished listening to Dane Wiggington on TradCatKnight podcast. Seems “they” are full steam ahead, are taking anything and everything dear and precious to us with them. HMMMM, wonder what is next!. Be prepared.
      Pray Pray Pray.

      Liked by 3 people

    2. Al, your insights are nicely detailed and these revelations (if you will) are becoming painfully more and more evident and may well be the catalyst we need to *act* in accordance with God’s plan.

      ❤

      Liked by 5 people

  34. The News Cycle seems to be slow today…. ?

    NEWS & MILINET: Articles for Christians – 17 April
    =======================================
    North Carolina ‘born-alive’ abortion bill wins final passage
    https://www.apnews.com/a9491c4a43224e19910a271de26ed899

    Backstory: Lit cross above the ruins offers hope amid Notre-Dame debris
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-notredame-backstory/backstory-lit-cross-above-the-ruins-offers-hope-amid-notre-dame-debris-idUSKCN1RS207

    Notre Dame, Our Mother at the Cross
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/notre-dame-our-mother-cross-esther-caswell/

    To Resurrect Notre Dame Is a Work of Faith
    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/to-resurrect-notre-dame-is-a-work-of-faith

    Trump offers Pope Francis, Macron US help with Notre Dame
    https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/439316-trump-offers-pope-francis-macron-us-help-with-notre-dame

    Restore Notre Dame as the Spiritual Center of Paris
    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/restore-notre-dame-as-the-spiritual-center-of-paris

    At Notre Dame, Faith Will Restore What Fire Took Away
    https://townhall.com/columnists/markdavis/2019/04/17/at-notre-dame-faith-will-restore-what-fire-took-away-n2544908

    France’s Soul Burns During a Time of Deep Public Distrust
    https://townhall.com/columnists/rachelmarsden/2019/04/17/frances-soul-burns-during-a-time-of-deep-public-distrust-n2544863

    MUELLER REPORT WILL SHROUD THE TRUTH: Corrupt Cabal Began Illegal Spying on Trump in 2015
    https://sidneypowell.com/media/mueller-report-will-shroud-the-truth-corrupt-cabal-began-illegal-spying-on-trump-in-2015/

    Report: DHS Warns Extremists Could Use Fentanyl [deadly synthetic opioid mainly originates in China] as Weapon of Mass Destruction
    https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/04/16/dhs-confirms-fentanyl-viable-option-weapons-mass-destruction/

    Nunes criminal referrals could affect ‘two dozen’ individuals, as GOP demands answers on apparent FBI stonewalling
    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-dropped-requests-for-necessary-classified-info-during-clinton-probe-and-gop-asks-why

    ‘Shadowy’ dark money network behind left-wing causes exposed in new report
    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dark-money-network-left-wing

    Brent Bozell: Trump-Hating Journalists Don’t Even Pretend to Be Objective Now
    https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nb-staff/2019/04/17/brent-bozell-trump-hating-journalists-dont-even-pretend-be-objective

    Dems Are Approaching Civil War
    https://patriotpost.us/articles/62455-dems-are-approaching-civil-war

    DAVID HOROWITZ UNVEILS THE LEFT’S HEART OF DARKNESS
    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/273494/david-horowitz-unveils-lefts-heart-darkness-frontpagemagcom

    Questions for Chase (Away) Bank
    https://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2019/04/17/questions-for-chase-away-bank-n2544904

    HEADLINES:
    In Aftermath of Notre-Dame Fire, Macron Urges Unity in Fragmented Nation

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Thank you CD, as always, for your hard work in finding links for us. I hope I can talk my husband into closing our Chase account! The behavior is abominable! Yes, the Christian, conservative persecution is full blown; most of the news about it just never gets widely read or known.

      Thanks again, Charlie, for your “cheer leading”; we really need it. At least I speak for myself. Some days feel so hard to get through. Love and blessings to you all.

      Liked by 8 people

  35. Charlie…stellar piece per usual…

    Charlie, I, Linda, a repenting sinner in need of a Saviour pray very much… I work, listen to Relevant Radio, holy hours weekly, most daily Masses, but not all daily Masses, feel very inadequate.

    .. I want to understand what it means to do the “prayer of doing,” and not just the mental prayer in which I described above…

    in all earnestness how do we do that??? Or will it just naturally occur by life’s coming events???

    All my love In Christ,
    Linda

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Linda, Charlie gave a beauotiful reply about the prayer of doing to Thankful: https://asignofhope379.com/2019/04/16/can-you-hear-me-now/#comment-27260

      In the spirit of one of this site’s patrons, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the prayer of doing is The Little Way. Absolutely every ordinary thing we do while intending to do so with love is a prayer of doing. God is calling us to partner with Him in reclaiming souls and rebuilding our culture and TNRS encapsulates the balancing of prayer and action.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Oh my gosh BeCkita thank you sooooo sooooo much…. I asked Jesus today at Mary’s funeral Mass to help me to do “the prayer of doing” and I was yet quite unsure if I was doing it AT ALL… lol…so of course. ..this makes total sense to me.. Little Flower is one of my FAVORITE saints being of French decent (Boissoneault) and I just LOVE her little way… Thank you Charlie, Beckita and Thankful for this great advice… I guess it’s what Charlies’s been saying all along…Acknowledge God, take the next right step and be a sign of hope to all those you meet along the way😄 dah!!! We mere mortals are so forgetful…lol
        All my love in Christ,
        Linda

        Liked by 5 people

        1. God bless you, Dear Linda. You’ve got it exactly: TNRS all the way. The beauty of the prayer of doing is how it becomes an antidote to the temptation that we let and/or expect God to resolve the messy disorder we have, collectively, created. Oh how we can do nothing good without Him. And oh how we need to rise up and follow Our Lady’s exhortation: “His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. (John 2:5)

          Liked by 3 people

    1. Oh my, Fr. Schall. I didn’t know. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. He was a great and holy priest that I loved to listen too and learn from. May God rest his sweet soul.

      Liked by 2 people

  37. I thought I had heard the worst about the abortion industry, and have been absolutely sickened by it all, and I shudder to think what news may be on the way. I think it is satanic and maybe even part of a cult of Anti-Christian worship.

    Liked by 5 people

  38. Hello from New Orleans! I’ve followed this blog off and on for a year or so and keep coming back. Charlie, you’re writings always touch me in one way or another. Thank you for this.

    I sit here now in the courtyard of Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. I often come to escape and pray. It’s beautiful. Pope John Paul II actually stayed in an apartment here I’m looking at right now. I don’t understand all of the dynamics, but there is a “Vatican” symbol outside. I’m in awe.

    I’m not a negative person, I’m a realist as you say you are too Charlie….ummmm…not one person I’ve talked to in this great city see the signs! Notre Dame Cathedral just caught on fire!

    It’s business as usual. I feel alone, a zealot, think everything is a sign. It’s quite exhausting and lonely.

    Forgive me for venting, but I know you guys understand.

    Saline

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Hoping you’ll consider hanging around regularly, Saline. The solidarity in this community is a mighty blessing with companionship, inspiration, and edification. And likely as not, there’s light-hearted playfulness to lift spirits. So, while it’s crazed and insane living with chaos, confusion and division all around us, this is an oasis of refreshment, a foretaste of the world renewed as we can already live a New Beginning right here and now in this place. God bless us one and all.

      Liked by 9 people

      1. Thank you for the quick reply Beckita. I have cherished your writings too!

        Not sure what the Good Lord wants of me, I want to scream Repent! Don’t forsake Jesus because of Judas!

        I’m falling on deaf, hard core, spiritual but not organized religious people.

        I feel such an urgency, I pray the rosary almost 24 hours a day. What’s amazing is, I am receiving beautiful signal Grace’s, I believe, if just being heard. Don’t give up! Our Lord and God is listening, even too a poor, poor sinner like me!

        Liked by 5 people

    2. Ah, Whodat, New Orleans has a very vibrant Catholic Community. I have spoken there three times I think…once to 750 people – and have not had fewer than, maybe 150, show up. Hang in there. Maybe head up to St. Peter Church in Covington. I have made a lot of friends there.

      Liked by 6 people

  39. “The clergy who served the Virgin during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries when Notre-Dame de Paris was first under construction were not playing dolls, nor were they tricked into their devotions by a bourgeoisie and peasantry too simple to understand the mysteries of the Trinity, as Adams claimed. Paris did not need such a beautiful cathedral merely to show off its wealth, nor to attract tourists. The medieval Parisians wanted such a beautiful cathedral for the sake of worship. They wanted a building as beautiful as the Virgin in whom the Maker of all things had taken his rest. They wanted a building as beautiful as Mary, the living temple of God.”

    From a lovely piece by Rachel Brown over at First Things.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Exactly what I yearn for Beckita .
      Yes, Charlie,I know the faithful at St Peters in Covington very well. Very good people. But New Orleans! My love..

      Liked by 5 people

  40. How absurd next right stepping sounds to a mind that restlessly wanders from one disappointment to the next. Something is happening this Lenten season, though. Don’t you perceive it? Hearts in rhythm and minds growing accustomed to focusing more on the Grace in each step. Keep this up and we’ll be marching soon.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Donna Cori Gibson lived in the Flathead Valley in western Montana for many years, Passion. Many years ago, we co-cantored at a Triduum celebration in a little church in the Swan Valley, a place equidistant from where we each lived. My favorite of her many works is her rendition of the Anima Christi. Around these parts, it’s often sung as a communion meditation. And I can no longer sing this hymn without praying: Passion of Christ, strengthen Charlie.

      Liked by 4 people

  43. Another article on the earth’s magnetic field, but this time on spiritdaily
    https://spiritdaily.org/blog/news/the-weakening-of-earths-magnetic-field-has-greatly-accelerated

    Could our earth’s weakening magnetic field be the true cause of “climate change”? Even with the elimination of freon and the ozone layer restored to normal, the sun’s rays are more dangerous than ever.

    I’m not sure what to think about the earth’s magnetic field claims, I wish we had more factual answers, the theories are just wild guesses. One thing is for sure, stay out of the sun’s direct light for an extended period of time as it only takes as little as 30 minutes to get a sunburn these days…

    Liked by 6 people

    1. The Servant of God Maria Esperanza, on every occasion when I was with her, said: “The earth’s core is unstable.” While I do know one function of the earth’s magnetic field is to protect us from solar winds with the charged particles which accompany them, in light of Maria’s concern, I had wondered what effect the weakening magnetic field has on the earth’s core and I discovered that a natural interplay between the two is a process: geodynamo. Too, I wonder how these things relate to the increased seismic activity in recent years. And I, again, encompass the words of Our Lady of Akita in these thoughts.

      Perhaps all of this is an outward sign that the inner working of hearts and societies must make a seismic shift, true repentance and a complete embrace of the Covenant Abba made with us. After all: “God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Surely our disordered ways with perverse sins have affected the natural world over which we were we given dominion, for the critters have habitats which must be protected.

      Back to the CORE of what we CAN do: Acknowledge God, take every next right step to which we’re called and allow Him to make of us a sign of hope.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Yes, and with the prophetic warnings of the earth burning, no-one would thought of the earth being burned slowly by slowly increasing sun radiation due to a inverse reduction of our earth’s ionosphere.

        If people would only repent of their pride & sins and turn back God in love & obedience.

        I often thought of the Bible describing the spiritual equivalent of physics, maybe spirituality & physics are not so separate from each other as people think…

        Liked by 7 people

        1. Insightful, Al. Praying – along with a cloud of witnesses who have gone before us, many of whom took Our Lady of Fatima’s words seriously and lived lives of prayer and sacrifice – yes, praying with all who are praying for a great harvest of souls who will make a return to the Lord. Our heart and eyes can remain on this great potential expressed in your words which, to me, are a prayerful heart cry: If people would only repent of their pride & sins and turn back God in love & obedience. In the same breath: Maranatha! and Let’s do it in His Holy Name!

          Liked by 6 people

      3. I think it is the unstable core that is shifting the magnetic field. I must be fluid and there is a shifting like an ocean current. I can imagine some great continental shifts or increased seismic activity for sure.

        Liked by 4 people

          2. It could also make us vulnerable from a large enough asteroid. If one were big enough, it could crack the surface like an egg shell and liquid core could ooze out. That would not be good. A lot more stuff would occur too with an asteroid hit. Not say’n it’s gonna happen; just say’n what could happen.

            Liked by 1 person

  44. NEWS & MILINET: Articles for Christians – 18 April
    ==================================
    Holy Thursday
    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/04/18/holy-thursday-4/

    What Is Passover?: The holiday’s history and observances
    http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/Jewish/What-Is-Passover.htm

    Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?–Jonathan Klawans
    http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/was-jesus-last-supper-a-seder/

    Was the Cross Really Necessary?
    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/was-the-cross-really-necessary

    Notre Dame: A Fiery Sign?
    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/notre-dame-a-fiery-sign

    Fr. James V. Schall, S.J., noted political philosopher, dead at 91
    https://aleteia.org/2019/04/17/fr-james-v-schall-s-j-noted-political-philosopher-dead-at-91/

    Jim Caviezel gave what may be the greatest Catholic address of the 21st century
    https://aleteia.org/2019/03/20/jim-caviezel-gave-what-may-be-the-greatest-catholic-address-of-the-21st-century/

    Pope celebrates Holy Thursday ahead of foot-washing ritual
    https://www.apnews.com/821890fe0d864b598ecf26b26a88d61d

    Notre Dame, Our Mother at the Cross
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/notre-dame-our-mother-cross-esther-caswell/

    Enormous Crowds Sing For Hours Outside Notre Dame’s Cathedral During Fire
    https://churchpop.com/2019/04/16/enormous-crowds-sing-for-hours-outside-notre-dames-cathedral-during-fire-video-inside/

    Yes!!! …. It’s Holy Week but Watchmen On the Wall still have have a job … Ya Know? ….. These-Days! ;-(

    JIHAD AGAINST CHURCHES
    The symbolism of Notre Dame burning.
    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/273515/jihad-against-churches-joseph-klein

    Worshipers Take Action to Defend Against Church Shootings
    https://christianlifedaily.com/worshipers-take-action-to-defend-against-church-shootings/

    Man caught with 2 gas cans entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, police say
    https://www.foxnews.com/us/st-patricks-cathedral-new-york-city

    THE HEAVY PRICE OF FEMINIST RAGE
    What actually remains of the “Feminine Mystique”?
    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/273489/heavy-price-feminist-rage-dennis-prager

    The Progressive Revolution: From Democratic to Liberal to Progressive to Socialist
    https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/04/progressive-revolution-ends-in-socialism

    Why We Cannot Be Silent
    https://stream.org/why-we-cannot-be-silent/

    U.S. Intelligence Institutionally Politicized Toward Democrats
    https://freebeacon.com/national-security/u-s-intelligence-institutionally-politicized-toward-democrats/

    HUGE!… John Solomon: Obama Administration Spying on Trump Began in January 2016 — Evidence Is Coming (VIDEO)
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/04/huge-john-solomon-obama-administration-spying-on-trump-began-in-january-2016-evidence-is-coming-video/

    BOOM! Joe diGenova on Collusion Investigation: “It All Started in the Obama White House – The Chickens Are Coming Home to Roost”
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/04/boom-joe-digenova-on-collusion-investigation-it-all-started-in-the-obama-white-house-the-chickens-are-coming-home-to-roost-video/

    Chairs of five House committees issue a stunning demand of AG Barr about the Mueller report
    https://www.theblaze.com/news/democrats-demand-barr-cancel-presser

    The Mueller Report On Trump-Russia Collusion Isn’t Released…And The Liberal Media Is Already Melting Like Chernobyl
    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2019/04/18/the-mueller-report-isnt-released-yetand-the-liberal-media-is-already-melting-like-chernobyl-n2544984

    Vicious: This Reporter Has Taken The Liberal Media To The Woodshed For Its Russian Collusion Myth Peddling
    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2019/04/17/icymi-this-editor-torched-the-liberal-media-after-muller-report-showed-no-trump-n2543639

    Crowd Sings National Anthem After Approving Patriotic Police Cars
    https://stream.org/crowd-sings-national-anthem-after-approving-patriotic-police-cars/

    Four Truths That Will Probably Get You Banned from a College Campus in 2019
    https://townhall.com/columnists/spencerbrown/2019/04/17/four-truths-that-will-probably-get-you-banned-from-a-college-campus-in-2019-n2544941

    Students ruthlessly harass Border Patrol agents visiting university for presentation. Video of the incident is appalling.
    https://www.theblaze.com/news/college-students-harass-border-patrol-agents

    Rashida Tlaib Calls for Hunger Strikes to ‘Shut Down ICE’
    https://freebeacon.com/politics/rashida-tlaib-calls-for-hunger-strikes-to-shut-down-ice/

    Illegal Alien Released by Obama’s DHS Charged with Killing Father of Ten
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/04/17/illegal-alien-released-by-obamas-dhs-charged-with-killing-father-of-ten/

    Feds: 1 in 4 Inmates Are Foreign-Born, Costing U.S. Taxpayers $1.4B Annually
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/04/17/feds-inmates-foreign-born-1-4b/

    Serbian Opposition Leader Warns Americans Not To Ignore Radical Islam
    https://www.oann.com/serbian-opposition-leader-warns-americans-not-to-ignore-radical-islam/

    Who Needs Tyranny With a Democracy Like This?
    https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/04/who-needs-tyranny-with-a-democracy-like-this/

    HEADLINES:
    The right to say the word ‘God’–Lathan Watts
    The Chaplain, the Cathedral Fire and the Race to Rescue Notre-Dame’s Relics
    France holding daylong tribute to Notre Dame firefighters
    Scandal-plagued Virginia Dems see money dry up
    Mick Jagger Saved By US Healthcare, Eschews Socialized Medicine In UK
    Wild bee species critical to pollination on the decline

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE & Blessed Holy Thursday!!

    PS:
    I’m sure I’m not the only one who awakens with some song/tune in their head. Maybe something you heard on the radio the day before …. or ???
    Anyway, the 30 year old song, “Don’t Know Much”, was “in my head” and it’s a pleasant song though not one of my top 100 as I’m a 50s-70s Rock-n-Roll kinda guy. I started listening to Oldie Stations before this song became a hit…. sooooo? ….. I decided to look it up (I didn’t know title but remembered some lyrics). Aaron is a good Catholic R&B Guy from NO and featured on EWTN’s Christmas Show.
    This was a big hit love song but it occurred to me as … I really listened to it …. It could, quite easily, be a Divine Mercy …. Jesus, I Trust in You …. Hymn.

    “Don’t Know Much” (1989) – Aaron Neville/Linda Ronstadt

    Liked by 6 people

    3. I read ‘Why we cannot be Silent’. Such incredible sadness we are living thru. The only consolation is the rapidity of the collapse. Our children are being stolen from Him, but I trust His grace to re-fill them (and us) again.

      Like

    2. Thanks for this find, Sean. Much to consider here.

      In my small world, one person ~ a devout Evangelical for whom I have much respect ~ went out of her way to talk to me about this, with great sympathy. (Other Evangelicals did, too.) The circumstances didn’t permit a thoughtful, leisurely discussion, but I would like to follow up with her.

      People are noticing and pondering.

      Liked by 1 person

  46. Holy Thursday.

    There have been more than one occasion when I’ve cried myself to sleep — literally — thinking about the horrors of abortion and it’s close cousin, contraception. The successful passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 was one such occasions.

    No one looks forward to hearing evil news — and I believe you, Charlie, that it will indeed be a shocking bombshell — but if it expedites the demise of Planned Parenthood and other such organizations who do satan’s bidding, I say quite soberly: “Let’s hear it.”

    I am patient about most aspects of the Storm and believe events will unfold in their due time, but I’m growing impatient about this upcoming battle to crush and dismember the abortion industry. Beyond the ever-growing pro-life movement and the daily prayers of millions, the abortion mills seem to continue to operate at full throttle.

    This battle between preventing abortion versus preserving the “right” to murder babies will be a fight to the death, wont it? Ugly, violent conflicts may spring up across the world, I imagine, especially after seeing the faces of glee in Ireland upon the legalization of abortion there. This isn’t a battle between good and evil…it’s a battle between good and insanity. Fighting an insane opponent can get unpredictable. So expect anything to be fair game in this conflict as logic and reason have no place on the opposing side.

    Lord, forgive my impatience.
    Jesus, I trust in you.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. “This isn’t a battle between good and evil…it’s a battle between good and insanity. Fighting an insane opponent can get unpredictable. So expect anything to be fair game in this conflict as logic and reason have no place on the opposing side.”
      So true, on so many levels.

      Liked by 4 people

    2. Good Friday.

      Patrick, after reading your comment last night, stirring in my sleep, I had recalled and was pondering something I’d read that told of PP disposing of waste into the soil that is used to grow the food we consume. After waking up and looking for the source to share in a link, I learned that it may also be added to our water supply, in a much more recent article:

      How Planned Parenthood Has Turned Us All Into Cannibals
      https://joshpeckdisclosure.com/how-planned-parenthood-has-turned-us-all-into-cannibals/

      In addition to that, I’ve read several sources who are keeping a running total of holistic doctors/lab techs/healthcare industry researchers that have discovered potential cures and/or evils in which they were about to uncover/expose were found dead over several years. In looking to share a link, I was not surprised to find SNOPES has now labeled this research as “conspiracy” which just validates the data more, imho.

      https://www.healthnutnews.com/category/holistic-doctor-deaths

      I discovered Charlie and TNRS through Wendy, who posted Charlie’s Birmingham video. She is a holistic practitioner and she and her beautiful Catholic Family Apostolate serve the needs of sick children. Please keep her and all advocates shinning a light in the dark in your prayers.

      This morning when I was looking to find links to site these unfolding truths, I found this most disturbing article. Lord, have mercy, we know not what we have done, continue to do and aid and abet with our silence.

      MOFFIT: Planned Parenthood should announce opening of abortion centers for MEN in the name of gender equality – NaturalNews.com
      https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-03-25-abortions-for-men-planned-parenthood-gender-equality.html

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Hi Jen. I hope I wasn’t responsible for disturbing your sleep too much. Thank you for sharing all of this because I wasn’t aware of any of it….although I might now have trouble sleeping myself tonight.🙂

        In a different context but eerily similar nonetheless, the words “cannibalism” and “elixir” were in the back of my mind when I wrote my piece.

        PP disposing of “waste-human-remnants” into the soil and water supply? There aren’t even proper words for this insanity! I use the word “remnants” here because the other parts get sold to biotech research companies for $800 a pop. I don’t know what to make of this story yet, Jen; need time to process it. But I will say this: it fits their M.O.

        This information about the death of holistic doctors and researchers is surprising news to me too and is also quite disturbing. (The only other conspiracy death-list I’m familiar with revolves around the Clintons.)

        Despite how hard it is to tolerate such troubling news, some of us have an obligation to stay knowledgeable about what’s going on in secret. Why? Because we must shed light on the evil and bring it out from the shadows so we can all fight it and defeat it.

        Weird how reading about crazy things can make one feel a bit crazy too. Pure madness. Mad as a hatter.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Amen Patrick, it is insanely evil; diabolic. The subject matter of PP being discussed here has stirred up thoughts of writings and research that I have read over the years/decade and stored up if a window of opportunity presented itself to mention. I do not know what/whom to believe 100% so while I am weeding out data/sources, I hold information close to the vest, so to speak and pray and discern.

          I’ve been emboldened as of late to be more vocal, online and in person. It is highly unlike me. I do feel a Divine prompting and am acting accordingly, much to my own surprise and demise with the die-hard naysayers. ❤

          Liked by 3 people

          1. I feel that stirring in my heart to take action as well, Jen, beyond just stating my opposition. Hearing Abby Johnson has lit a fire in me. We’ll see where in this battle the Lord brings us in the days and years ahead.

            Liked by 1 person

      2. Holy Saturday.

        Hi Jen. I put this second reply to you here to move the conversation forward. I saw this recent video with Abby Johnson making the pro-Life case in a hearing prior to a Heartbeat Bill vote in Kentucky. The bill was approved, praise God.

        Abby. Is. Awesome.

        She mentions the disposal of remains into the public wastewater system. Ghastly.

        May God bless this wonderful woman.

        I understand if you must remove this video as it’s not unlike my description of a Mirena insertion, though far worse. You know, the most difficult part to listen to was the woman at the beginning who made a callous, twisted description of her own abortion. The only way for a woman to emotionally deal with and justify this sin is to color it in a way that differs from reality (lie to herself).

        If you removed the above video, people can search YouTube:

        “Abby Johnson of Movie Unplanned DESTROYS Abortion Arguments at Hearing.”

        She did indeed brilliantly destroy their argument. I need to memorize this speech.

        Liked by 5 people

        2. Abby is an excellent advocate and speaker. She did not mince words. I am encouraged by the behind the scenes video Patrick. Thank you for sharing it. Happy Easter Vigil. ❤

          Liked by 2 people

        3. Notice the body language of the woman who aborted her child.

          When she said proudly “…and I had an abortion” she turned her eyes away from those she was addressing.

          Then as she describes her perception of her abortion experience, her face flushes deeply. If you hop to the beginning of her talk and back to her abortion comments, the color change is noticeable. She is deeply wounded.

          This is actually a very good sign for it indicates she DOES feel guilt. Her futile words cannot console her nor cover up her shame. This is the first step, and in the future she may become genuinely remorseful and penitent….the only path to her healing.

          Liked by 3 people

  49. I find myself in an increasingly cynical place. I’m afraid I’ve not been feeling much of a sign of hope for others lately. I have no faith that, no matter how horrific these hidden revelations about pp are, that it will make a difference. Truth and facts have become relative in our society, as have the rule of law and justice. It would be nice if the bad actors would actually feel the consequences of their actions once in a while. I know that God’s war is already won. I’m just feeling weak and shell-shocked in these battles along the way. I would appreciate your prayers.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I know it must be terribly hard to see the Ireland you love brought so low, Jayman. Last weekend I had a lot of trouble sleeping because of depraved offenses growing – specifically at Planned Parenthood. For the first time in over a year, the fleeting thought passed through my head that maybe I should just head into the mountains, live off the land, and sit this all out. It was fleeting, because it would be a betrayal of everything I believe and stand for…it would make my whole life a meaningless joke. I also thought fleetingly that maybe God ought to just write us all off as a bad business, wipe us all away, and start again. then I remembered that that is largely how the satan thinks.

      Over a year ago, a somewhat prominent person in the pro-life movement asked me, “Charlie, since you know God is going to ultimately set things right, why spend so much effort on all of this?” He was serious – and weary, himself. I responded that God will show Himself – and when He does, I want Him to find me hard at work tending to the garden He assigned to me, rather than laying back waiting for Him to solve it all without my participation. Those that wait for God without working are like the man who buried the talent. God expects us to bring Him increase.

      Yet, oh, how I identify with your weariness. For me, if it is overwhelming, I will allow myself to wallow for a day or two – and I mean a FULL wallow. Then I get up after my permitted wallowing period is up and get hard at it again. I find I waste less time devoting a day or two to full wallow than trying to struggle valiantly through when I am just so weary. If I do the latter, the weariness can stretch on for weeks. With the former, I purge it all within a few days. Maybe it will be helpful to you. (I think the full wallow helps because you get disgusted with your own inertia…and the anger at your wallowing helps fuel new resolve after a few days. We are all wired differently, but maybe it will be useful to you.) I pray you live to see Ireland once more the glorious emerald God intends it to be.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. So a quick full wallow is better than a half wallow or a shallow wallow or even better than a shallow wallow under a willow in a hollow in the willowwacks. 😎

        Liked by 6 people

        1. Hmmm…I have not tried the latter just yet so I can’t say for sure, but I have come to prefer the quick, full wallow, as intriguing as a shallow wallow under a willow…sounds.

          Liked by 3 people

      2. Such heartening and down-to-earth advice Charlie. Thank you. I was wondering why you have spoken abut Ireland to jayman and then it dawned on me, this jay is our American friend jayman and we also have a friend, jay, who is jaykay from Ireland. Nevertheless your counsel is a gem for all. Taking you with me in spirit of prayer to the Good Friday service which begins soon, jayman. May the Passion of Christ strengthen you… and all in our community who may be in the midst of some tough slogging.

        Liked by 4 people

        2. So does does that qualify as a “Bing”, eh? 😛

          Yep, me jaykay. Me da Paddy!

          Lovely that you’ve posted the Marco Frisina ” Anima Christi”, Beckita. We often sing that version. Also, we’ve just finished learning his “Jesus Christ, you are my life”. Very up-tempo.

          While I dread what may come out concerning PP because of the horror, I hope it will be cathartic, in the sense of cleansing and moving to action, for so many who have heretofore just shrugged and passed on. Very little will move the true zealots, unfortunately, and their Wormtongues in the MSM will continue to shill for them of course. Still, since we’re now embarked on the Divine Mercy Novena, perhaps we can make a special effort during these days to bring their sterile hearts under His awesome Mercy? One of the great promises concerns conversion, after all.

          Anyway, a happy and Blessed Easter to all here.

          j(kay) 😎

          Liked by 4 people

          1. A bing extraordinaire, J, and that’s sayin’ something on a site dedicated to the ordinary way. 🥳 Would love to hear your choir! Gosh how I delighted in Pope JPII swaying and singing with the WYD kids as Jesus Christ You Are My Life was belted out by the masses with great fervor and joy. You do realize you’re the Jay among three fine Jays: jaykay, jayman and did you figure out who that Cee Jay dude happens to be?

            As for the lost and broken who keep ramming the anti- Gospel agenda, I know God loves each one as much as any of us here and I’m prayin, to the end, that His Personal Intervention will shock the idiocy and blindness out of each of them that they recover their senses, drop to their knees, and beg for mercy. Will all do so? No. But I don’t know who will, so I keep praying for all of them.

            Happy Easter to you, J!
            🌺🌻🌷🌼🌹🌸💐

            Liked by 1 person

      3. Thank you, Charlie. However, I am not from Ireland. I do live rather close to University of Notre Dame, home of the Fightin’ Irish. Thank you for the prayers. Your point about the parable of the man who buried the talent strikes a chord with me.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. I used to think that brooding would snap me out of it, but a brooding wallow is just exhausting. A common thread with NDE’s seems to involve a person’s realization (during some sort of life review) that God often placed a great deal of importance on stuff we consider minutiae.

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Ah well, when I wallow, there is a certain amount of brooding…but it is distracted by reading light novels or watching movies. My mind seems to work out things on its own when I distract myself. When I wallow, I largely don’t think at all about problems, except to the extent I can’t avoid it. I distract myself.

          Liked by 1 person

      5. I get the clear picture that God will save us through the instrumentality of His servants (us) and not without our doing our assigned parts, after all it is through our sins that we have arrived at this sorry state of affairs in the first place. I am reminded of the admonition “Work as if everything depended on you, pray as if everything depended on God.” Both are true. May God bless and guide all here.

        Liked by 3 people

      6. What rhymes with wallow…swallow. Hymm… pie is good. Though in this ADK region Noon Mark Diner pies are an awesome treat after a hike…err or a road trip.

        Liked by 5 people

        1. This MIB3 movie was very clever and very funny. I still chuckle about the Andy Warhol scene.

          Girl: Andy, Yoko’s here to see you.
          Andy Warhol: [under his breath] Oh Yoko. [in character] Tell her I’m filming this man eating a hamburger, it’s… transcendent. Okay, now the pickle!

          Andy Warhol: K! You’ve got to fake my death. I can’t listen to sitar music anymore!
          Young Agent K: All right, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll talk to X. [leaves]
          Andy Warhol: K, I can’t tell the women from the men!

          Liked by 2 people

    2. No matter how little fruit our efforts produce, we will be rewarded. The results are not up to us. Scripture says we water, but God causes the growth. Hang in there Jayman!

      Liked by 5 people

  50. I would like to remind everyone that the very important Devine Mercy chaplet novena begins today. May God bless and guide all here.

    Liked by 7 people

Comments are closed.

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.