The Sound of Distant Thunder Draws Near

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

(I have not posted for a while. I have been working on a rather complicated piece, thinking each day I will get it done, so not posting anything else. Today, though, I post this repeat from earlier in the year just after Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned.

It is an ominously weird time. The impeachment follies this week are downright bizarre. So now for a Republican to inquire into Democratic scandal for which there is video proof that not only did the Democratic official do it, but bragged about it, is an impeachable offense? If exposing Democrat corruption is an impeachable offense, I hope Donald Trump gives the House Democrats about 100 more charges to add before the next month is over.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who almost a decade ago told us we would have to pass Obamacare to find out what is in it now tells us we must impeach Trump in order to find out why we did it. At least, in a ‘one flew over the cuckoo’s nest’ sort of way, she is consistent.

House Democrats have adopted a Red Queen ethos: Shouting, “Off with his head!” they insist on passing sentence first and determining facts later. It is a practice that will soon topple all vestiges of the rule of law and of liberty if it is not quickly checked.

Many Christians and conservatives are convinced that this will badly backfire on the malicious Democrats who peddle it. I am not so sanguine. Back in 2008, when a top GOP operative was trying to recruit me for messaging, I declined in part because I thought we might have reached a tipping point; that the stupids had become the majority. If that was the case, we would just have to crash and be prepared to rebuild afterwards. I hope that the majority in this country is not so maliciously ignorant to think this can lead to anything but collapse. I know that events of the next year or so will reveal completely who we have become as a people. In his ‘House Divided’ speech, Abraham Lincoln said, “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then judge better what to do, and how to do it.” Over the next 14 months, we will come fully to know where we are and whither we are tending.

Here then, is the piece I wrote after the fire at Notre Dame. It is worth pondering again as things continue to ramp up – CJ):

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. (Note – this was when I first learned that abortionists were killing some born and living babies by dissecting them, a fact now public because of the preliminary hearing in the criminal charges against David Daleiden-CJ) 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?

317 thoughts on “The Sound of Distant Thunder Draws Near”

  1. Amazing, Charlie, how this piece is ever more poignant today as when you first wrote it! Here, again, we’re reminded to strive in trusting God to lead us as He intervenes with surprise tactics and strategies far beyond what we can now perceive or ever accomplish while we balance next right steps via the deeds He will inspire us to do in the moments of each day and night.

    We cannot sit on our arses expecting Him to be a magical God while we assume a puppet position. No. He profoundly honors us – for He does call us His friends – by inviting us to enter the mysterious dynamism of co-creating in the midst of the horror, disorder and disarray all around us.

    Thank You, Holy Spirit, for filling each of us anew with PEACE and TRUST beyond measure, HOPE that never fades and unending LOVE to fulfill the particular mission (man our posts) entrusted to each one. Lead us, King of kings and Lord of lords! What YOU want, we want.

    Liked by 14 people

      1. I belong to the Grace Force. It’s not too late to join. I have found it very beneficial to know other Catholics and some non Catholics are ready to do battle! I also find Charlie’s posts very edifying. God bless you.

        Liked by 9 people

    4. Now it is openly stated we are in a “soft”civil war. That it is world wide hadn’t crossed everyone’s mind yet. It’s in Canada, France, Hong Kong, the UK, Central America, South America, Japan, China, Iran, Israel, etc. So it is World War III based not on geo-political lines but on culture. Pray, pray, pray. Prayer is the basis of authentic Christian culture; so it is the main bulwark in this culture war.
      I have a prayer for the New Pentecost which we so badly need right now. Perhaps, Charlie, I could send it to you first to get your take?
      All virtue will be tested. Failure is not what hastens when we mess up; it’s what happens if we don’t get up and try again.
      Pray, pray, pray,
      and, in prayer, –
      Charge!

      Liked by 9 people

      1. Thank you for commenting, Fr. Chris. You are precisely naming the worldwide war being fought on cultural lines which Charlie has been writing about since the inception of the TNRS blog and the very first public visit he made back in 2015 when he traveled the country to hearten people and give them courage to take every next right step to which Holy Spirit would inspire them. We are definitely pray-ers here with many – if not most – who enlisted in Our Lady’s Army via her call since Fatima which has been re-echoed at Akita, Betania, Medjugorjee, Garabandal and Amsterdam among other places graced by our Mother’s Presence. We consistently encourage each other to pray, fast and sacrifice in reparation and for mitigation of chastisements through conversion of souls. We welcome your shepherd’s voice and the wisdom of your exhortation here. I’ll connect you with Charlie via email, Fr. Chris. Would love to pray your prayer for the New Pentecost and may it be, as in the words of Blessed Elena Guerra, founder of the Oblate Sisters of the Holy Spirit, a Permanent Pentecost. We shall Charge!, indeed, and we shall crush it!

        Liked by 7 people

    5. Beckita, Thanks for sharing this fantastic image! I have shared it to encourage several friends and family members and they have all been in awe!

      Liked by 3 people

  2. Thank you. Well said. I need to pray for courage for me and for courage for all who follow and love Jesus to stand up to the evil and proclaim Our Lord’s Gospel. God bless your ministry, Barb Harburg

    Liked by 7 people

  3. The Dim impeachment drive does have positive aspects, even if the public at large remains mainly amused and deeply ignorant of the Democrat Party corruption and it’s Alice in Wonderland distortion of truth.

    The ruckus raised for impeachment has unavoidably drawn public attention to the corruption of Joe Biden as VP enabling his Son to be gifted $1.5 B by the Chinese government and millions by a Ukraine Nat gas firm when it’s obvious to all that these were gifts to buy the Obama Administration. In fact, I’m inclined to think that the Dim party had decided Biden was a liability and their impeachment of Pres Trump would force Biden’s corruption into the public spotlight. Out of the race goes Joe.

    Kamala Harris lost her luster when other Dim candidates successfully hammered her for indifference to minority plight while she was the San Fran DA and Cal AG. The field of Dim candidates has been reduced to Sanders and Warren, with Sanders having lost his luster for promising free everything, because all of the Dim candidates were equaling his free-everything mantra, and they are not old White males.

    Warren becomes the likely candidate, and does have an advantage with a majority female voting population. However, her own extremisms extending to banishing financial systems as greedy, taxing the rich (meaning anyone with any income or wealth) to achieve equal wealth, practically eroding the 2nd amendment, and opening our borders to all who pass thru are radical enough to draw widespread opposition from an otherwise uninformed electorate that now finds Socialism to be their popular solution for living in an uncertain world.

    May the best man win.

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Warren’s awkwardness, insincerity, and vacant eyes remind me of Hillary Clinton. These are similarly strange women, both lousy dancers, who share a deranged political and moral ideology.

      Democrats all have something in common: the fallacies behind their beliefs are exposed, their Leftist ideas are failed or failing, they have no foundation to stand on, they are blind to reason, they have lost and they are going to continue to lose. They are losers, literally.

      Liked by 5 people

            1. Hey Linda! Of course it’s impossible to say how strong one’s faith is. I don’t think Trump is quite at the “fear of God” level, but I believe that he sincerely loves and fights for those Americans who love God with their whole heart. And he sees the sanctity of human life. There is something to be said for that. God certainly notices.

              Liked by 5 people

                    8. I had to change it up today and go early, because I wanted to take my daughter who I had entrusted to St. Anthony recently. Popped open the Bible only to find a prayer card from St. Anthony. Bookmarking Ephesians 2. “This prayer card is for you,” said I, “as well as this passage.”

                      Heaven is aiding us all in so many ways in these times. I’ve lost track of the instances because it’s as if it has become a big part of the normal flow of life. Further, the signal graces are so prevalent and increasingly straightforward, I think some of the most wayward souls in the world will be hard pressed to ignore them at some point.

                      Do we think that this has not always been the case, or do we have to confess that we have not always seen so clearly? I think it’s a special grace from God for these times… both the extra special help from Heaven, and the not always seeing clearly. I always thought I was attentive, but something fresh and new is in the works.

                      Can you see it?

                      Liked by 3 people

                    10. Hmm.  New?  Maybe I will get a new backpack?  Lots of signal graces indeed.  Serioisly as you say MP.Sent from Doug’s mobile

                      Liked by 2 people

                    11. Oh my gosh..daily unbelievable signs, signals, conversions, people beginning to wake up (myself included)

                      although on flip side I’m seeing still much corruption (I’m out in the world unfortunately ) and if you go against their corruption, they get really angry…

                      I’m also seeing great despair…just had best friend of bro in law commit suicide…so sad..he ended with poor health, lost job & too much addiction (plz pray for Dr. John😢)

                      Very interesting times MP!!! So happy you got a signal grace from St Anthony!!! He’s a powerhouse Saint. We do this cool novena to him by our priest from India ev Tuesday am after Mass at….drum roll…St Anthonys in Norwalk😂😂😂 The Novena is beautiful and Father blesses us all in his intercession. ..

                      MP you have a beautiful day with ur daughter. What a good daddy, hubby, soldier for Christ you are!!! I’ll still ask Jesus, Our Saviour to bless you🤗😇😘

                      TNRS ASOH

                      as crew dog says..God save all here

                      Ps..BeChita and all…great podcast on guardian angels by Fr Spitzer, relavant radio shows on demand..A closer look..October 2nd, 2019. Father says if we give our guardian angel permission then he can then read our minds. Given by God, of course. I say we all get our guardian angels to go say hello to Charlies’s 😇😆

                      Liked by 2 people

                    13. Well, I BeCha “BeChita” smiled in delight at the latest variation on her name. I still prefer “Biscuits,” but that’s my playful side.

                      Yes, so heartwarming that you feel connected through the Blessed Sacrament, you and me with our slightly overlapping shifts, and the many real connections among the family here, whether or not peaceful fearlessness ever gets the upper hand on the reservations.

                      I mentioned signal graces simply that I could get to the point about ‘seeing.’ God, always fresh and new, has something in store for the world that boils down to ‘seeing’ to my way of thinking.

                      Out back yesterday with a fella that looked like he was screwing up his face as a precursor to picking an argument with me about what’s real. Not a common occurrence, because… frankly people don’t often argue with me. Not sure why, because I don’t bite.

                      “Your God…,” starts he… “Our God who is with us always and in this very moment of HIS creation,” continues I, “do you see?”

                      “No,” says he. “Because you are not in the habit of being mindful of Him,” says I.

                      And yet there was an army of Angels sitting all along the edge of the roof, upper deck and walls, playful as I am, and yet powerful representatives of Heaven, along with my Dad, a Saint known and others unknown, and Our Lord Who never fails to see a single thing. My failing eyes may have missed it, but my soul can see because I haven’t smothered her in useless things. So I told him as much.

                      Whatever preconceived retort that was on his lips got stuck there. Don’t even know what it was, because he just looked at my face, and most people avert their eyes when they want to argue.

                      Wonder what he saw there, because I’m as ordinary as it gets, and my peacefully fearless pal, DP, knows it.

                      Liked by 3 people

                    15. Me?  Fearless?  Maybe since I have my back pack protecting me.  Oh.  Petitions will be left tonight and delivered to one of the visionaries to be prayed over at an apparition and then burned.  Back pack is very tired and ready to go home.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    18. Hmmm?  Not sure I see that in myself.  Funny though.  Today we visited a church in Soroki  Brejeg (pronounced Bree-yegg) where 30 Franciscans were shot dead by the communists in 1945, stuffed in a small cave and burned.  I knelt down, kissed the ground where they were burned in the cave and prayed I would have the strength during what may be a coming persecution.  It reminded me of Saint Theresa when she kissed the ground of the myrters in the colsium in Rome.  These saints are the heroes.  Me?  I am just a backpack guy.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    19. Dear Backpack Guy (God surely makes all kinds of saints), I remember Široki Brijeg and was deeply moved to tears when going into that small cave 27 years ago. Such a beautiful witness of faith you expressed in kissing that holy ground, Doug. May the graces you received multiply to bless us all with the strength for which you prayed.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    21. By the way, thank you Charlie.  It really humbles me to hear this from you and MP.  You two are certainly an inspiration to me and I believe many others here.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    23. I’m almost entirely focused on recruiting “fighting fellas” at the moment, Linda. I don’t think people really change much, but just imagine all that fight funneled and focused properly once their hearts change. 😉

                      Liked by 3 people

                    25. Linda, I will pray for the repose of Dr. John’s soul, and for his family.

                      Regarding St. Anthony, he’s my pal because I’m ALWAYS losing things. My usual prayer is, “St. Anthony, help me out, will ya?” But when I’m feeling particularly silly, I’ll pray, “Tony, Tony, turn around; something’s lost and must be found.” I read that somewhere once and thought it was hilarious.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    26. It is true Mick and he really does help for lost articles..wish my mom was still this side of the veil..of course her native tongue is french but she had this really cool french quote basically asking St Anthony to stick his nose in my business not that he wouldn’t anyways.. hahahaha. .I’ll see if I can find it.
                      Mick thanks for prayers fr dr john. His funeral was today. Troubled soul. I ask God’s mercy on him😢

                      Liked by 1 person

                    27. Linda, since there’s no time in God, I am confident that the prayers that we are saying for him now were “credited” to him before his death; and that it is quite possible that these prayers obtained for him the grace of final repentance. Have you heard the story about Padre Pio praying for the grace of a happy death for his grandmother, decades after she had died?

                      Liked by 3 people

                    29. Well, MP, I bet that when your provocateur looked into your eyes, he saw more than a wee bit of the Fighting Irish spirit of greats like your Dad and St. Patrick; and I’m guessing he didn’t like those odds. 🙂

                      Liked by 1 person

                    30. There is no reply button to Doug’s wonderful coup! I reposted on my farm page:
                      Just a chicken-little grammar:
                      Coop – where I live
                      Coup – how I rebel
                      Coupe – how I cross the road!

                      Liked by 2 people

    4. Jack Hiller: In all the Joe Biden reporting of his son going to China on Air Force Two with his father to make the China deal, it is rarely reported that the deal sold a controlling interest of Henniges Automotive to the AVIC. AVIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s state owned aerospace and defense conglomerate. Henniges is an American company founded in 1863 and is a leading supplier of highly engineered anti vibration solutions and encapsulated glass systems according to Wikipedia. However, if you read on, Henniges is also involved in aerospace technology. One of President Trump’s pet peeves is the stealing of American proprietary technology by China through the purchase of American companies. China is aggressively building up its military, its missile and space capabilities.
      I personally think this Biden sale is close to treason, but I editorialize on this point.

      Elizabeth Warren is promising a new tax that will “tax the rich”. In my youth I was a tax accountant for a major Maryland bank in it’s trust division. I prepared Federal and State estate, fiduciary (trusts) and individual taxes. My job forced awareness of tax changes. Federal increase of taxes never, I repeat never were limited to the “rich”. They always, I repeat always, ended up taxing the middle class. Warren’s new tax is not a tax on income earned. It is a tax on accumulated value of what you own, i.e. homes, cars, IRA’s, 401k’s, stocks and bonds. This is not a one time tax, it is a property tax to be paid year after year. IRA’s and 401k’s were instituted to encourage savings by the middle class and saved we did. Those accounts are valued in the trillions of dollars and is a pot of gold too large to be ignored by the left. Warren has also said the she thinks that our “system of government” is flawed. This is a direct attack on our Constitution and the system of government set up by it.

      Finally, as Adam Schiff and the left continue their attempt at a coup of the 2016 election by impeachment. It has just been learned that the whistleblower rules were changed by the Democrats.
      By now you should know that the “so called” whistleblower did not hear the conversation by President Trump. Approximately 30 persons listen in on every Presidential conversation. The whistleblower was not one of those 30 listeners. The original rule was that the complaint must be based on first hand information. The rule was changed to hearsay information recently in order to accommodate this person. Hearsay information is not allowed in any court in the land but is now allowed by the Democrats. It is becoming clear that this attack on our republic is another deep state (probably with John Brennan in the lead) attack on the 2016 election.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Joanne1950, it’s nice to see someone calling property taxes out as particularly pernicious. It used to be that there were no property taxes in the US. At that time it could be true that a man’s home was his castle. If he owned it free of debt, it was truly his and could not be taken away.

        As soon as a government institutes a property tax on anything, it must also institute a penalty if a person does not pay that tax, and the usual penalty is loss of the property.

        Confiscation of property would never have been allowed in this country if it had been done directly, so it has been done indirectly, through property taxes and easy forfeiture laws. We no longer own our homes. We “rent” them from the local government in the form of property taxes. It’s quite insidious.

        Even worse is the use to which most property taxes are put, in funding government-controlled schools. We all know now the dreadful effects that will have on a society, as we watch the even more insidious corrupting of our youth in government-controlled schools.

        Add that to government-controlled healthcare and the cage locks around us all. I strongly believe that Obamacare was designed to enable the “voluntary” giving up of our guns. Doctors were told they had to ask if a family had any guns in the home. It would have been a short step to forcing the doctor to say that he or she could not treat the family unless the family turned its guns in to the local police department. Most people would give up their guns if it meant a sick child could get treatment.

        We need a constitutional amendment to outlaw any tax on any property, so we can go back to owning the fruits of our labors, as the Right to Property provides in our Constitution. (Personally, I think property taxes violate the Constitutional Right to Property on a prima facie basis, but I’m not a constitutional lawyer.) We also need two additions to our original Bill of Rights, that government shall make no laws concerning education or healthcare, as was done to protect freedom of religion.

        I’m sure there are other restrictions on government that we should add in order to be free, but until we do at least these three acts, we all remain slaves to our politicians and bureaucrats. It’s a huge scam. They extol the benefits of government-sponsored schools and government-provided healthcare and then use those supposed benefits to justify property (and other) taxes to pay for them, even as they quietly click the ankle cuffs on you.

        You may think you are free, but until you wake up, you are neither awake nor free, even in these great United States of America.

        Liked by 8 people

        2. Steve, it is nice to hear you saying this.  I have been saying this for years.  This tax also hits the elderly more than anyone as when one retires and has reduced income, the tax burden, as percent increases, dramatically.  I think it forces the elderly out of their homes in many cases.  Some towns have homestead reductions, but it is usually a paltry amount.I recently had the tax assessor at my Canterbury property looking for improvements.  It really hit home when she used that term.  We need to know the “improvements” you do so we can tax you more.  I thought this was so insidious as I get punished for making improvements.  Why would I want to make it better if I am now required to pay more?Sent from Doug’s mobile

          Liked by 5 people

        3. Steve, Totally agree with your sentiments. In brief, here is the law about eminent domain, copied from the wiki:
          “The power of eminent domain is limited by the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Takings Clause reads, “. . . nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, this limitation also applies to the actions of state and local governments.”

          However, the SCt decision in Keto vs City of New London a few years ago savaged our property rights.
          Here is the wiki summary on this case:
          ” Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 (2005), was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States involving the use of eminent domain to transfer land from one private owner to another private owner to further economic development. In a 5–4 decision, the Court held that the general benefits a community enjoyed from economic growth qualified private redevelopment plans as a permissible “public use” under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.[1] ”

          The court decision was a close call, and it needs to be over-ruled in the future. Decent ordinary people are losing basic rights to favor the political/financial Establishment, and that is the source of the ongoing attacks on President Trump from both Democrats and Republicans. The current degeneration of society (worldwide) has me feeling that it’s good to be old now– pity the young who will suffer this decay. By the way, my text (Space, Time, and Consciousness), drawing on reports from the Near Death Experience and their consistency with modern physics, is now being published in its entirety as a focused edition of the Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research; I had submitted one chapter for publication review, but the Journal decided to publish the whole book instead.

          Liked by 2 people

          2. Jack, Kelo was one of the many bad rulings by the Supreme Court. The Institute for Justice was shocked when they lost that case and have done a lot of great work since then at local levels to reverse the effects of Kelo.

            Congrats on getting your book published soon. Is it for general audiences? I’ve been fascinated for years by the NDE phenomenon and have read a number of analyses of it and direct stories. Please be sure to give us a link once the book is out. Thanks!

            Liked by 2 people

            1. Steve,

              The Journal website is ( https://jcer.com/index.php/jcj ). Editing was completed yesterday, so the work is in process now. The cover page identifies the journal reference as:

              Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| September 2019| Volume 10 | Issue 7| pp. 518-620

              ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc.

              The editor informed me that, ” The published focus issue containing all the articles will be available for order in pdf edition from the journal website and in hard/paper edition from Amazon.” He also mentioned later publishing parts of the work in another journal, The Scientific GOD Journal, which will be available at no cost online ( https://scigod.com/index.php/sgj ).

              Liked by 1 person

        4. Steve, I already pay a school tax based on my home value every year in addition to a tax to the county based on my home value. Warren is proposing an additional tax based on the value of your accumulated wealth and includes the value of your home, cars (this is or was already done by Virginia, I paid it in the 1980’s), IRA’s and 401’s, stocks and bonds. Montgomery County, PA use to tax you on the value of your stocks and bonds. It was eliminated sometime ago. Someone in Bucks County gave additional taxing authority to the school district and they now charge 1% on your earned working income plus the school district charges every person a job tax. If you are a cook making minimum wage, they tax you @$125.00 a year and, of course, way more if you’re a corporate executive. I think it’s a disgrace they tax cooks & waitresses who often lose their jobs and may be out of work for part of the year. You still owe the tax. I just would love to know who the heck gave unrepresentative taxing authority to school districts.

          Your hair will stand on end if you google what California is instituting in their school districts on sex education through the LBGQetc lobby. It seems it is their purpose to destroy innocence in the youngest of children starting in first grade. Even teacher are having a fit and objecting. I keep thinking about that millstone Christ mentioned.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. What they do not understand is these taxes hurt the poor more than the wealthy as now the poor have to scrape more to pay taxes and things cost more as well because prices have to increase to cover the tax so that the business folks can still make a profit to earn a living.  Ahh.  But what the heck.  Socialism is supposed to level that.  Equal misery for all will make it better.

            Liked by 2 people

      2. Joanne, I responded to your excellent comments yesterday, adding a few of my own about treason by Biden, Schiff, and the “whistleblower, plus characterizing the sneaky vicious tax proposed by Warren as Socialist treachery. I also copied my notes to the White House and to Senator Grassley to deal with these matters. Somehow, my reply to you got lost.

        Liked by 1 person

          1. Beckita,

            Concerning Grassley’s public support publicized yesterday for protecting this so-called whistleblower who was instead really a partisan spy hurting both the current President and the Office of the President, here is what I sent to Sen Grassley to orient him to the problem his protection is creating:

            Senator Grassley,

            I write to you as an honorable and distinguished leader of our Senate, and as a good soul.

            It is surely important that whistleblowers have sufficient protection to enable healthy internal monitoring of government behavior. It is also important that the President be able to conduct foreign affairs outside the glare of publicity created by malcontented government personnel aiming to hurt the President, even at the expense of his effectiveness in working for our country’s benefit.

            The Ukraine matter has created a conflict in maintaining appropriate whistleblower protection while also protecting the President from spying motivated by partisan attacks that hurt our country.

            I do not have a solution on how to balance these two competing imperatives, but I trust that you will work this out for our country’s sake. We cannot have our President precariously discussing issues and negotiating with foreign leaders under the threat of partisan spying and leaking, as has been going on this term.

            Sincerely
            —————————————————–

            I also sent a note to the White house about treachery by the Federal Reserve (a truly deep state Establishment organization). The reason is that although Pres Trump has been addressing the current harm to USA exports and our economy created by interest rates above world rates that have pushed the dollar value higher, he is apparently unaware that the fed has been reducing the money supply (the fed’s own chart shows this), and reduced financial system liquidity always acts to drive stock prices lower and consumer confidence down:

            Please inform President Trump that, while he is right to criticize the Federal Reserve Bank for permitting the USA dollar to be so high that export suffers, he must also be made aware that that it has also been draining the money supply, as demonstrated last week by a surge in repo rates. The Fed has been allowing purchases made under its past Quantitative Easing (QE) program to run off without replacement, with the effect of reducing financial system liquidity. One of the immediate effects of reduced liquidity has been less money available for stock purchasing, which leads to declining stock prices, and consumer loss of economic confidence. In Japan, their central bank has gone so far as to buy stocks to support its stock market. Here, the Federal Reserve is now facilitating a stock market decline. Please alert President Trump that the Fed is not only mismanaging interest rates, but also money supply. Chairman Powell needs to be called out!
            ———————————————————————-

            Concerning my comments about Biden, Schiff, Pelosi, and the whistle blower’s treasonous behavior, and Warren’s Socialist plan to equalize wealth that would turn us into Venezuelan poverty and government dictatorship, I was too emotional to recall in detail, so this mention will suffice.

            I share these notes to encourage others who share my dismay to also get involved communicating with any politicians who may be activated to help stop the madness.

            Thanks for asking.

            Liked by 3 people

  4. Please review this Vatican link on Free masonry:

    http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_18840420_humanum-genus.html

    It was written in 1884 and as I read the encyclical, our generation and times jumped off the page with the errors therein. It is notable the Pope speaks on Socialism and Communism… in 1884. He also ends by endorsing Catholic organizations dedicated to helping the poor, widows etc.

    I found this link in the following article by Mark Mallet:
    https://www.markmallett.com/blog/2019/09/26/the-unfurling-revolution/

    Lastly, I am reading “Wedemeyer Reports” and the Generals book is outstanding. The more I read and contemplate, I believe Roosevelt was influenced and led by Churchill thru allegiance derived from Free Masonry. Both of whom are Free Masons.

    Liked by 7 people

      1. Free Masonry has already taken over. It is not a conspiratorial attempt by the free masons themselves so much as the ideology is pervasive. All religions are equal is the premise. This brings Catholisism down to the level of Islam. There in lies the danger in that when all religions are perceived as the same. Ours loses its relevancy. It’s here, now.

        Liked by 10 people

          1. satan. satan is at the top (better to say “bottom” because the organizational structure is inverted) of the pyramid. he is the instigator of evil. how many of his dupes, these poor brothers and sisters of ours, are we going to pull out of the fire?

            Liked by 9 people

              1. Zachary King of allsaintsministry.org gives a powerful testimony on YT and his website about his conversion from the occult to Catholicism. James Fifth of AfterTheWarning.com gives and similar testimony on his website. Being a *bottom line* kinda gal, I appreciate the praise reports from those who have walked through the fire, so to speak. 😉

                Liked by 4 people

                1. I love witness too, for the good affect it potentially has on souls, particularly in the area of trust. And how many that need constant strengthening in these days.

                  That said, I’ll say this: the bottom line for me is the Gospel, wherein Jesus applies His methods. It strikes me that not a grain of it lacks focus or points to anything other than His Kingdom. Challenging to say the least, and a challenge for those who easily get sidetracked.

                  I’ll end it on that note, and God Bless All.

                  Liked by 5 people

          2. Years ago Tan Books carried informative books on Freemasonry, as well as books by former Masons. The latter reveal a LOT of amazing information including the oaths taken. It is much more evil than most realize, including oaths against the Catholic Church, as i recall. There are many articles that name names, including British royalty, past presidents of the U.S., etc. One friend who had done more research than I spoke of the Supreme Court being “packed with Masons”. That would explain a lot over the years, wouldn’t it?

            That large “G” in their symbol stands for gnosis, so don’t let anyone tell you it stands for God. Yes, Beckita, Father Gobbi’s messages from the Blessed Mother knocked my socks off when I read them long ago.

            Liked by 8 people

            1. Yes, Annie. And according to a brief description given by my grandfather (a 33rd -Degree Freemason), the ceremony in which one takes the 33rd Degree sounds rather like a black mass.

              Liked by 4 people

                1. Well, Doug, yes and no. He kept his formal membership, but after the 33rd-Degree ceremony he never went to another meeting or participated in any other Freemasonic activities. His reason: he was a teetotaler, and at the Degree ceremony, they had to drink some wine (that’s the black mass that I mentioned). He was so outraged at being required to imbibe that he never went back.

                  I love how God writes straight with crooked lines. 🙂

                  Liked by 3 people

                  1. Hi Mick,What is a teetotaler?It is good that he got out.  I hear often of generational demonic influence talked about in families with Masons.  I’m not trying to cause fear.  Thats just what I hear often.Also, I had an interesting conversation with a fellow pilgrim in our group here in Medjugorje and he pointed me to the below Lifesite article that describes how Masons are influencing the church.  I have not read it yet, but plan to on the Plane ride home in the AM.  Blessings to you!https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-historian-satanic-revolution-against-church-christian-civilization-is-happening-now

                    Liked by 1 person

                    1. Doug, a teetotaler is one who never drinks any form of alcohol for any reason (my grandfather’s father was a Protestant minister who apparently believed that consuming alcohol was a sin). And yes, the generational demonic influences are real, which is why priests like Fr. Thelen and Fr. Ripperger promote the prayers to break the generational curses.

                      Thanks for the link; I hope to get to it later today when I have a little more time.

                      Like

                    2. Thanks Mick, boarding plane in Munich now.  Plan to start reading shortly.Sent from Doug’s backpack

                      Like

                  2. Wow!  That is amazing Mick.  Is 33rd degree the highest level?  I bet he has some amazing stories.Sent from Doug’s Back Pack

                    Liked by 1 person

                    1. Doug, that is the highest level as far as I know. And my grandfather never, ever discussed the Freemasons in my hearing; the only way I found out that he was a member is that my aunts (members of the Eastern Star) had him buried in his Shriners attire when he died two decades ago.

                      Like

    1. http, yes this is a good article. Thank you for sharing it. I did share it on Gab.

      Twitter has suspended and locked my accounts. I may never know why and I am only minimally cooperating with re-activating them just for the purpose of sharing with others *good and honest* information, which sadly both criteria are targets for *Big Tech* censorship. It was just a matter of time! ❤

      Liked by 5 people

        1. Thank you! Forget the badge of honor, I’ve inquired if there is a U.S.A. 21st Century Censorship Hall of Fame. If so, I’ve nominated myself for the “You’ve Got to be Kidding Me” wing inclusion. 😉

          Liked by 4 people

  6. It seems like every time a Dem/liberal gets caught in some heavy crime (Hillary, Biden, PP) and there is a call for accountability the tables are turned on a conservative
    (Trump, David Daleiden) for some crime based on a concocted premise and the original criminal then gets a pass (prosecution/ media blackout) because the other side is somehow actually the greater criminal now? What is amazing is the blatant disregard of this obvious reversal of “don’t look there- look here!” that the media/Dems do with it and how it becomes the main focus of conversation forevermore and nothing of consequence is said about the other crime ever again.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. I heard an example of this in real-time, Phillip. An am radio station in conservative South Dakota, KOTA, which plays Rush and Hannity, chose to cancel the great Mark Levin. Instead, they replaced him with a lame Leftist host named Thom Hartmann. His program is pure rhetoric and no substance.

      Driving around the other day, I endured 5 painful minutes of his show. He said that Progressives will not be fooled by Trump’s “obvious” ploy to make people to look into VP Joe Biden’s wrongdoings. “We will only talk about Trump,” he said. “Nice try.”

      Wow, man, where is your intellectual honesty, your passion for the truth?
      Way to “keep an open mind”, Thommy-boy!

      (Well, at least KOTA is offering more than one point of view. I just wish they had left Levin on air because he is an exceptional thinker and patriot.)

      Liked by 7 people

  7. Yes, I have to agree CJ, the demonic zealots are bringing it. This is the biggest mistake they could make and will lead to their destruction. If they continue down this path there will be much suffering for us all. God Bless to All…

    Liked by 5 people

  9. I have a bad feel too. I had a vivid dream 6 months ago that Trump was on stage and vigorously fighting a man to his left. He was holding his ground center stage in the fight, but then another man walks onto the stage from the right toward his turned back and with a particularly sanctimonious and patronizing air drags him off stage with one of those hooks to the right. I have since had a sick feeling I can’t shake that Republicans will do him in at the end. Everyone says impeachment is no big deal because they won’t convict him in the Senate. I pray that’s true, but fear it is not.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. I have thought of that too. So I have one wishy washy Republican representative and one Republican and one Democrat (and so called Catholic) senator. Call them up every day and tell them that they better support President Trump against these made up accusations. Takes about 5 minutes.

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Update: Trump’s press conference today was exactly how he was in the dream. Righteous anger that could be labeled as unhinged. Then the men on the “right” sanctimoniously removed him for being unhinged. Ugh. I felt such dread watching it and recognizing it exactly from the dream. I was hoping it was not prophetic in nature…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Irish7, FWIW, my research found that ordinary, mundane dreaming is quite different from the dreaming that comes from deep meditation in general and the Near Death, Out of Body experiences in particular. Here is a list of the features for what I term Transcendental Experience and knowledge (as contrasted with ordinary, mundane experience and dreaming):

        Transcendental knowledge is perfect, is acquired directly in or from Heaven, and is eternal. Transcendental knowledge is provided to conscience before birth and is surely intended to guide moral conduct. Transcendental knowledge is acquired by perception that includes features not found by Mundane perception:
        1 Time no longer has meaning, does not flow, and the past and present, even some future events, are available to see and experience;
        2 Consciousness is much more acute than normally experienced;
        3 Perception is radically enhanced, e.g., colors are brilliant, and have greater variety, likewise all of the other senses are enhanced.
        4 Visual perception is 360 degrees, with an ability to focus down to atomic particles or up to the cosmos;
        5 Everything seen appears to be made of light;
        6 Movement by thinking to move is instantaneous, and thinking is radically speeded higher, as if also instantaneous with no time running;
        7 All entities experienced exude consciousness, not just people and angels, but animals, plants, and even rocks and water;
        8 The world experienced is multidimensional, more than space-time;
        9 If “going” all the way thru the “tunnel” to the other side, once there it is recognized as an eternal home that was left to have an Earth life.
        10 By existing in the universal field of consciousness, all knowledge is felt as available.
        11 By existing in the universal field of consciousness, one feels they are part of God and feel His love for all.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Interesting. I don’t doubt that a bit and your book sounds really interesting. But I also think The Holy Spirit can speak/guide/nudge through any dream. The dreams/experiences you are describing sound much more like “encounters” and can be interpreted literally whereas ordinary dreams are metaphorical and require interpretation similar to prophecy. Scripture is full of metaphorical dreams that we’re not necessarily encounters/visitations.

          Liked by 1 person

  10. If anyone here still believes that there has NOT been a three + year op/coup to take-out a duly elected President of the USA, see the below:

    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/09/27/breaking-icig-whistleblower-form-recently-modified-to-permit-complaint-heard-from-others/

    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/09/27/phase-2-with-newly-authorized-heard-from-others-lawfare-group-circles-back-to-trump-kislyak-meeting/

    Trump’s only crime was beating Crooked Billary in 16 and actually attempting to fulfill his campaign promises …. one of which was to expose and dismantle the Global, godless/socialist, Deep State ……. Trump and his Deplorables must be exterminated ….. I don’t use the word exterminated lightly!

    GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC & ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 10 people

  11. Hear! Hear! I appreciate that Charlie didn’t dive into the details of the latest attempt at unseating the President. I’ve been waiting to see if he would comment over the last two days, but the repeat of the Notre Dame story is apropos. God’s will be done!

    Liked by 4 people

  12. Some of us are truing to expose the political corruption in the federal election up here in Canada from our political left, I pray God will grant us a victory. It seems the political left has called in backup (climate change protests funded by globalists) to tamper with our election and discourage conservative support with fake climate change claims.

    Hopeless or not, I guess we got to keep trying…

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Truly you’re in a special place. If it were anywhere else, an unattended and suspicious looking black backpack would cause a panic and have the SWAT teams moving in.

      Only love in that backpack, folks! Thanks for taking our petitions, DP.

      Liked by 7 people

      2. Funny, I think about that too when I place it down. Folks must think it strange when I take a picture of a back pack when they see me, but the back pack keeps crying out and asking for a picture as it has friends at home it wants to share its prayers with.

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Would it were but so many year ago this was a most fearful bit O’kit in my parish way back then.

      Enniskillen, Boston even as the Tsarniv (sp) brothers were murdered to order…

      Critical thinking peepz, critical in a world of we really are not paying attention to…

      Wringing the neck of a child as per birth…

      We have become animal…Really, animal…

      Like

  15. I have finished sending angels to Sandra Merritt this week and will send angels to Saudi Arabia’s leader next week. After that??? Ongoing events will tell. These are interesting times we live in (re famous ancient Chinese curse.) May God continue to guide and bless all here. Protect us oh Lord lest we perish. jas

    Liked by 5 people

    1. JAS, which leader in SA? The king and Mohammed bin Salman are a team and are working with Trump and trying to clean up SA’s deep state. MbS has even begun working to reorient Islam itself away from violence in some pretty creative ways. I’m sure they both can use your prayers. 🙂

      Liked by 6 people

      1. STEVEBC You know more about Saudi Arabia and its leadership than I. All I know is that currently Saudi Arabia and its leadership is a key player in today’s Middle East tensions. I leave it up to Jesus who to send the angels and await further guidance. Thank you for your input. May God continue to bless and guide you and all here.

        Liked by 4 people

        1. JAS, I wasn’t sure if you were limited or if you would let God sort things out. As far as I can tell, Saudi was a key center for the Evil Network but is cleaning itself up. Lots of prayers needed there, for healing, for help, and for justice. You are doing a great work every day with every prayer. 🙂

          Liked by 6 people

  18. Some Good-News!

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/09/catholic-adoption-agency-wins-vital-victory-religious-liberty-case/

    https://stream.org/republican-lawmakers-warn-fda-against-planned-parenthoods-call-to-remove-restrictions-on-abortion-drugs/

    Let’s PRAY that God is doing mysterious things in regard to Iran!

    https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/worlds-fastest-growing-church-women-documentary-film

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/09/27/thousands-of-iranian-americans-rally-against-rouhani-in-new-york/

    The Argentine Gift that keeps giving ;-(
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/09/27/pope-francis-endorses-essay-trashing-u-s-conservative-christians/

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/09/27/senate-democrats-assail-another-catholic-judicial-nominee-for-pro-life-views/

    The idiocy that escapes the lips of SanFran Nanny, AKA: “Good Catholic Grandmother”, never ceases to amaze me.
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/09/27/pelosi-abortion-bans-ignore-basic-morality/

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/09/how-about-a-bipartisan-treaty-against-the-criminalization-of-elections/

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 5 people

  19. With all the discord, a flashback to a gentler time where decorum and civility was the norm; (and a wee bit of humor to boot), in honor of this Sept is the 100th anniversary of Bishop Sheen’s ordination.

    Liked by 13 people

    1. Awesome. A half a world away brother backpack containing the stone from Medjugorje made the rounds in the outdoor Chapel. Prayers went up for your special intentions and for all here. We hope, and dare to hope big!

      Liked by 6 people

      2. Wow!  Back pack buddies around the world.  Yesterday, my backpack took a day off.  It was exhausted from going all over and revolted.  It told me that I needed to leave it back at the room and that I would have to have a day where I focused on myself and seek the Lord’s will.  Very generous it was!  Today it is back in action and offering petitions at the various places.

        Liked by 4 people

  22. Thank you all! Thank you Charlie and Beckita and everyone here. Prayers for each and every intention. This is such a time of a feeling of abandonment- perhaps it is God asking us to abandon ourselves to Him. There is concern about being unsure what He is asking in the moment, and this can lead to feeling overwhelmed by the demands at the time. Grace, in order to do His will is so needed. Praying for the grace which seems to be the grease to open the doors that are stuck shut in all of our lives. Some of us keep trying harder but the door just won’t open without grace. We are still called to open very heavy doors, but He makes the impossibly stuck doors open. Praying for grace to know and do His will and very thankful for all who are helping us to learn how.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. I love your powerful idea for passing through the feeling of being abandoned, Thankful: abandon ourselves to God.

      The problems are HUGE, too much for us. I cling to Charlie’s constant encouragement over time: “Do the little you can right in front of you.” God’s Infinite Goodness receives our wee steps in ways that the little we do ripples out, redounding to the building up of a New Beginning. As we, so many lights all over the world, take mini risks/steps to BE the visible Jesus wherever we are, Lumen Christi pierces every darkness. 🔥❤️

      Liked by 8 people

  23. Re reading Charlie’s post and his mention of PP corruption and baby killing. This is out there now yet the pagan left continues to harden and attempt to dumb down the rest. of the masses. And with the recent so called “Impeachment thing” the stupid media yells at Trump while remaining mostly silent on the Biden corruption just as it did when Hillary and the DNC sought foreign help to discredit Trump while blaming Trump for foreign interferrence. Obviously equal justice under the law is long gone. Yes we need God’s help and intervention to help make things right. So as 1 Timothy chapter 2 reminds us let us all take time to pray more as well as do the little things we each can.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Bob, look up the Henniges company. This is the company that Hunter Biden sold to the Chinese (AVIC). If this wasn’t a national security issue, I don’t know what is. And keep in mind, Henniges supplies flight components too.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. I was completely floored by the homily at this morning’s mass. It started with you can’t really support the poor if you don’t adhere to climate and gun control. I conveniently had to use the bathroom at that point and didn’t hear the rest. It felt like the Holy Eucharist was held hostage until I sat through this political speech. Unbelievable.

    Liked by 7 people

    2. perhaps one could send these excerpts to all priests, bishops and the Pope
      “Yet, we have been told that there is a “scientific consensus” that the planet is warming due to anthropogenic (man-made) causes. The problem, however, is not only that several experts in the field of climatology refute this so-called consensus, but they are being excluded by the mainstream media and even the Vatican Pontifical Academy of Sciences from presenting their scientific knowledge. Such censorship is the very antithesis of science; to question facts and hypotheses is the very nature and foundation of scientific inquiry. The present climate is, in fact, anti-science, which actually exposes a spiritual dimension.”
      …
      “• In an open letter to the United Nations, more than 500 prominent scientists from all over the world, including distinguished MIT Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Sciences, Richard Lindzen, are urging the Secretary-General of the United Nations to engage a less political and more scientific debate of “global warming.” In the letter, they note that present climate policy relies on inadequate models, that global warming has not increased natural disasters and that CO2 is not a pollutant. The undersigned state:

      …it is cruel as well as imprudent to advocate the squandering of trillions on the basis of results from such immature models. Current climate policies pointlessly, grievously undermine the economic system, putting lives at risk in countries denied access to affordable, continuous electrical power. —September 24th, 2019; cf. climategate.nl, breitbart.com
      GLOBAL WARMING: CATALYST OF REVOLUTION

      There is something far more insidious than merely quashing scientific data and debate. The fact is that “global warming” (whether man-made or not) is being used to spark a revolution to overturn the present order, particularly the economic order. In a word, it is being used to deconstruct the free market system and impose socialistic principles of wealth redistribution, ie. Communism… not to mention, an excuse to reduce the population of the planet.

      In searching for a new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. All these dangers are caused by human intervention, and it is only through changed attitudes and behavior that they can be overcome. The real enemy then, is humanity itself. —Alexander King & Bertrand Schneider (on the agenda of The Club of Rome), The First Global Revolution, p. 75, 1993
      https://www.markmallett.com/blog/2019/09/26/the-unfurling-revolution/

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Just posted it on fb anyway. With an apology as I am fasting from fb for 40 Days for Life – so I will NOT check for responses. Lord, it is in your hands.

        Liked by 5 people

    3. Yikes, HttP. It reminds me of a homily at daily Mass at a parish I was visiting several years ago. Do you remember when several Dallas cops were killed by an Islamist sympathizer, in retaliation for the death of a black person at the hands of a white cop in Minnesota? Well, a few days after the Dallas cops were murdered, the priest at the aforementioned parish mentioned the death of the black guy (but never mentioned the killing of the white cops by the other black guy) and then essentially said that all the white people in the congregation were racists (the priest was also white, by the way; so… whatever). I was sitting next to a friend who is a member at that parish. I asked her, “Did I misunderstand Father, or did he just call all the white people here racists?” She answered, “Yeah, that’s pretty much what he said.” I was livid! I have many friends at that parish, and I was angry about Father’s impugning their character. Also, I was sitting there with some of my kids, who had just been told that they’re racists because of their father’s genetics. Just… peachy. I haven’t visited that parish with my children since that day (although I have gone on occasion).

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Yep Mick it’s getting crazy. About a year ago at a local watering hole a patron began telling people that we needed to make reparation payments to the black community. I did my best to ignore the guy but the more I ignored him the more he pressed me for an answer. Finally I explained to him that he could do whatever he wanted but this was not the proper venue for any such discussions and to leave me alone. Hmmm, that just made him more persistent. So I then asked this gentleman for a detailed copy of his personal contributions. He ignored my comment and said my ancestors had brought this on me. I said the joke was on him because all four of my grandparents came to this country in the early 1900’s and we were far removed from slavery. I asked him what nationality was he and he said, “I’m 100% Scandinavian.” I said ok, that’s not a nationality but after some thought, I told him he should pay my check because hordes of invaders came from the Scandinavian countries and invaded Croatia (home of my ancestors) and now I was due reparation money. He said I was being ridiculous because that was many centuries ago. And I said “exactly” now leave me alone.

        Liked by 3 people

        2. Ha, BD… perfect! If I’d been in that restaurant, I’d have paid for your dinner simply for the privilege of having watched the floor show! 🙂

          Like

            1. That’s funny, BD! The restaurant where we have our Storm lunches is more of a watering hole, too… it’s an old-time, small-town greasy spoon. The customers are all regulars, the wait staff and the regulars are old friends, and the food is homemade and reasonably priced and delicious. It’s perfect. 🙂

              Like

      2. I think often, Mick, of the black fellow who was communications director for a top Chicago official who was with me and several others on a radio show downtown one night. When I said something about “black” folks, one of the white guys on the panel tried to correct me that it is “African Americans.” I exploded on the guy, telling him I had a black son-in-law and two mixed race grandchildren and I would thank him not to tell me what to call my family…and by the way, how many black folks were in his family. They had to cut off the microphone of the black communications director because he was laughing so hard. We went for coffee after the show – and this liberal Chicago pol told me he was sick to death of weaselly white guys being “sensitive” to him. The pastor you spoke of, the white guy that tried to correct me…don’t care about black folks, just about showing they are morally superior beings. The most dangerous threat to black folks are genuine racists (which are on the endangered species list), but the second most dangerous and damaging to black folks are “sensitive” liberals, who are as abundant as Minnesota mosquitoes in summer – and all carry the malaria of condescension. It sickens me because it is so self-serving. What a condescending lefty really means – “You poor black folks just don’t have the necessities to take care of yourselves without the help of noble white liberals like me.” My God, why does anyone put up with that any more?

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Amen, Charlie. And to answer your question, we don’t. have neither the time nor the patience for condescending liberals of any color, who try to lecture me on what black people should think or do or say. And they’d better leave my kids out of it, or they’re going to have to deal with an incredibly disgruntled mama bear with a remarkably short temper.

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            2. Hahahaha! Oh my goodness, Charlie; I haven’t thought of that killer bunny since the last time I saw Holy Grail over 30 years ago. Thanks for the blast from the past!

              Liked by 1 person

  25. We have a new priest and he too talked of ” Social Justice” and giving to all the migrants. The Catholic Church is celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees today so a lot of priests discussed that today.

    I found out a conservative priest in our Diiocese was let go from a parish he had been at for 15 years. One thing was he faced the Cross as he said Mass and had only boys as Alter Servers; EVERYONE IN THE PARISH CRIED AT LOSING the 60 year old Priest. Bishop Edward Burns never came to the Parish to say anything after he was let go. He is now staying with one of His Brothers in charge of a big parish in Dallas. I will say thanks to that priest and let Bishop Burns know of how we feel.

    I intend to take the book “Open Borders” by Michell Maulkin to church to show how much of our tax money the Catholic Church gets for bringing all the Caravans of illegals from their original countries to invade the U.S.A. I AM NOT AFRAID to show it to all who proclaim “Social Justice” in our Parish.

    Liked by 6 people

  26. Beckita, yes it will be said that we conservatives don’t agree with the Catholic Church following the atheist George Soros who has given over $32 billion to fund “Open Society”. He also is behind the Ukraine Whistleblower and has a book on above coming out in Oct.. I found a copy of Texas Catholic at church and it says Pope Francis ” urges us all to work for ‘globalization of solidarity’ with refugees, not a globalization of indifference”. We pray that other countries can have their own citizens work toward supporting and fighting for the freedoms in those countries instead of bringing Communism to the U.S.A. as Obama is still working with the other atheists to do; no one believing in God can do as the socialists or communists are doing.

    Liked by 7 people

  27. When I read the comments from Hand to the Plow and from Mary Ann Harper about the homilies they heard at Mass today I had to comment, just to give them hope and to let them know that there are holy seeds spouting in very unlikely places. We were at our cabin in the Northern New England woods this weekend. We attended Mass this morning at the local Catholic Parish. The pastor is young (well under forty) and has responsibility for what used to be two parishes in towns twenty miles apart and with a territory of four or five towns (not all towns up here have Catholic churches) that encompass a land mass one third the size of Rhode Island. Makeup of the population ranges from very well educated and wealthy to a very poor working class that would remind you of Appalachia in the southern mountains.
    Father spoke about having been on retreat the past week. At the end of the retreat an elderly priest announced that he needed a ride to his next destination. Father related how the older priest’s destination was not really on Father’s route, but at the same time it was not outrageously far out of the way. Father said that he could have easily come up with reasons not to assist the older priest but something in him kept saying “this is why you are here. You are to do the things that you can. Do the things I put in front of you, which you have the power and ability to do.” So, Father provided a ride. He tied this experience to Lazarus and the rich man in today’s gospel. The rich man had every opportunity to help and assist Lazarus, but chose to ignore the need that was right at his gate. What would have been the rich man’s fate if he had even done so little as to tell his servants to go and give Lazarus the scraps from our kitchen. It would have cost the rich man nothing and it may have been his salvation. Do the good things you can do with the situations that are right before you.
    Father further tied this into reminding us all that the feast day of St Therese of Lisieux is coming up this week. He commented on how St Theresa did not write huge volumes like St Thomas Aquinas, she did not go out into the world to the missions, she was not a military or social leader. He said what made her a saint, and what should be her example to us, is that she did little things with great love. She did everyday things with the love and the heart of Jesus. Father said not to be discouraged when it seems we cannot change the world, for it is doing the little things that God places right before us, with the love and heart of Jesus, that will change the world and will make us saints.
    This was a ‘next right step sermon’ worthy of Charlie himself. Father is not a great speaker. He tends to be monotone and not show much emotion in his sermons. Today he was perfectly wonderful. In a few words, in several minutes, without saying anything particularly exciting or profound, he found and preached the heart of the Gospel. I know I will remember this “little sermon” for days if not weeks.
    I share this with you, not to brag, or with an attitude that I am luckier than others for being here, or for having Father as my part-time pastor. (Although I do consider myself blessed to be a half time member of this particular parish and every week-end I am there God seems to give me more to appreciate about Father’s “little ways”.) I share this little experience to give you hope. In the midst of all the chaos and troubles that we are facing, God has not abandoned us. He is raising up good men and women to serve His Church. He is still planting and nurturing incredible seeds that will grow to save the Church and to allow the body of Christ to flourish as we go forward.

    PS Beckita: I hope you are not covered in two feet of snow. I was reading the reports today from Montana and they sounded more like reports from February than from September.

    JT

    Liked by 9 people

    1. This is wonderful, JT. I just read the paragraph about St. Therese to my son; just a couple days ago, we had a conversation about doing little things with great love. He thought that the aforementioned paragraph was pretty awesome.

      Liked by 6 people

    2. JT, I love that! Thank you for sharing. ❤
      After reading about the homilies here, I was rather dreading the usual Social Justice Warrior type homily at Mass yesterday. I recently wrote to Father John in small detail about teaching the *Catholic* stance legal vs. illegal refugees and mercy versus justice in a survey he sent out via Flocknotes for a series he will be conducting in the parish over several weeks, titled a Crash Course in Catholicism. Well blow me down! His homily last night was based on "A Christmas Carol" and the character of Ebenezer Scrooge. He suggested the rich man from the Gospel reading may be in hell, not because he was cruel to Lazarus, but because he did not *see* him at the door. He overlooked/ignored him and showed no compassion or love toward his fellow man, the sin of omission. He mentioned that society may do that when we ignore, refugees (which was the one time he even spoke the word) and added, families on Medicaid, the elderly and unborn! Wow! I was pleasantly surprised and expressed how much I appreciated and enjoyed the homily on my way out. I also gave him my printed refrigerator copy of the KETO 28 day diet I had such great success with, that we spoke of days earlier at a parish volunteer picnic. I was heartened by it all too JT. 😉
      Thank God for our devout and dedicated shepherds. A dozen or so women gather in church and pray weekly in a Thursday Holy Hour of Reparation for all priests living and deceased. I am very much moved by when we pray these words in the Prayer at the Conclusion of the Chaplet For our Deceased Priests in Purgatory:
      “…Blessed Lady of the Sorrowful Heart, Mother of Mercy, Mother of all priests, Queen of the Apostles, cast your merciful eyes upon the poor souls of priests for whom I ask you to plead with your divine Son, Jesus.
      Oh Queen of Sorrows, through the Precious Blood of your Son, show the power of your intercession by obtaining the release of the poor souls of priests from the pain and suffering of Purgatory!
      Oh wonderful Mother, especially remember today in your intercession those priests who are fighting their death, struggling or may be surrendering their priestly crown at Satan’s feet! Give them strength to overcome all temptations!…”

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Jen, you are very gracious in your dedication to praying for priests.  The consistency of your prayer will yield fruit, great fruit indeed!Sent from Doug’s mobile

        Liked by 5 people

    3. Beautiful recounting of an excellent sermon, JT, and I love your closing observations.

      As for the snow report, the northern regions in Montana surely did get a lot of snow, such as the town of Browning which was hit with 4 feet). In Missoula, we had a new record of 1.6 inches – which doesn’t sound like much yet it was the 7th day of autumn. The snow has melted but yesterday was a day of amazing sights. The deciduous trees are just beginning to tinge with fall colors and they were totally blanketed in pure white snow while those leaves provided cover for the green green grass which looked like summer. Such a contrast I have never seen in real life or in photos.

      Liked by 3 people

  28. Question:

    What would a civil war look like today? Left and right are interlaced throughout the country, even in my neighborhood. It isn’t like we live in different regions as in the North and South. Geographical areas.

    How to know who is friend or foe? Rely on our guardian angels?

    Also, thoughts on global warming? My hubby thinks I am a crazy conspiracy theorist because I don’t really believe in it. What is true? I question everything I read or hear anymore.

    Liked by 4 people

      1. Crew Dog posts a link below to where an evangelical pastor openly warned of civil war. It is apparent that the nudges of the Holy Spirit about 2 decades ago where true. What are the nudges now? “Behold I build a new thing” is the nudge I keep getting. You?

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Search “SHTF Blog” by a survivor of the Bosnia civil war. (A war where ‘our’ government sided with the muslims against the Christians, btw). He describes an urban environment.

      grace and peace.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Ha!  Hearing it first hand from our tour guide as I am there now.  He has translated for the Medjugorje visionaries and is from Sarajevo.Sent from Doug’s mobile

        Liked by 3 people

    3. LittleOne, regarding your last question, I just read that Soros has funded the global warming chaos, including all the gullible school kids walking out of class. Mark Mallett has had some good writings, Spiritdaily, and of course, Charlie too. Reasonable people know that the earth has cycles over the centuries, and it is so egotistical to think that humans can change the climate. My 2 cents worth. 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    4. The truth about the climate change ruse used as a scare tactic.
      “It is noteworthy to point out that the radical socialist arm of the Democratic Party in the United States, headed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has also revealed their ulterior motives. Her chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, said earlier this year in a meeting with Sam Ricketts, climate director for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee:

      The interesting thing about the Green New Deal, is it wasn’t originally a climate thing at all. Do you guys think of it as a climate thing? Because we really think of it as a how-do-you-change-the-entire-economy thing”
      read the rest at
      https://www.markmallett.com/blog/2019/09/26/the-unfurling-revolution/

      Liked by 3 people

    5. LOinPA, I have followed the global warming matter since I first became aware of it in 1997. Global warming happens, as does global cooling. Climate changes over time depending on many factors. The issue is whether *humans* are causing a significant part of these climate changes due to our emissions of CO2. On *that* question the answer is unequivocally *no*. The current level of CO2 is about 400 ppm (parts per million), which is up from the low of 252 ppm registered during the most recent ice age. The Earth dies if CO2 falls below 150 ppm, because all plant life will starve – CO2 is plant food. We came *very* close to that level at that 252 level.

      The average CO2 level over the past few hundred million years has been between 1,500 ppm and 2,500 ppm and has been as high as 7,000 ppm. During that time the temperature of the Earth has fluctuated within the range of 12ºC and 22ºC. We are currently closer to the 12ºC level than the 22ºC level. The Earth *thrives* at much higher CO2 levels than we currently have and when average global temperatures are higher than now. The Earth actually needs *more* CO2 in the atmosphere so that it can bloom again as a great garden, but quadrupling our current CO2 level from 400 ppm back to the historic average of 1,500 ppm will have virtually no further effect on the temperature of the Earth. That’s because the atmosphere’s absorption bands for CO2-related heat have already been 95% (or so) saturated at the 400 ppm level.

      There is no science that actually supports the idea that humans can cause runaway heating of the planet by burning the forms of carbon we find in the ground. However, for most people the task of tracking down and understanding the actual science involved is beyond their ability or their desire. The cost to us all if the hypothesis turns out to be correct is so horrific that most who are uninformed bow to the fear and end up choosing to trust those who are spreading the fear.

      What we are finding out and will continue to find out over the next few years is that all of us in various ways have been placing our trust in people who and institutions that do not deserve our trust.

      Be *very* careful when choosing who you will follow on any particular matter.

      Liked by 8 people

      1. I have a friend, Pete, who says that when we burn fossil fuel, we are repatriating the carbon to its natural state.  If you logically think about this, it is true as all fossil fuels are organically generated.  So by burning fossil fuel, we are returning it to nature.  Now, assume we have 300 years of fossil fuel left on earth.  If by going from 250 ppm to 400 ppm (150 ppm difference), this means in 300 years, CO2 will increase at most by 450ppm if 100% was generated by man.  So at most, CO2 from man made sources will increase to 850ppm which is .085% of total air.  Hmmm.  .085%  not a whole lot.  Keep in mind, that when fossil fuel is used up, man made CO2 will stop.  So there is a natural barrier.  Simple math.How do scientists know that increased CO2 is negative or harmful?  This is pure conjecture which is politically motivated.  As Steve says, plant life will thrive.  It is all part of a natural cycle.  If there is more plant life, then the cycle will continue as CO2 is replaced with oxygen (O2).  The trunk of a tree is almost all CO2 that is removed from the air.  Think about how heavy dry wood is.  Blessings!Sent from Doug’s mobile

        Liked by 4 people

        1. Doug, your friend Pete is absolutely correct. Working from memory here, I think the only other time CO2 hit a low close to the 252 ppm at the end of the last ice age was at the end of the Carboniferous Age. That age was the great era for laying down carbon in shallow seas, which later became peat, coal, and oil. The Earth desperately needs to have that captured CO2 liberated back into the atmosphere, or perhaps the next ice age will hit an even lower low than the 252 ppm.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Steve, Pete is a good guy.  He was introduced to me by my brother Ted.  We correspond often via email.  He loves to send out articles of a political nature.  He is very conservative politically and his mother was communist.  Amazing how he turned out opposite.  He likes to stimulate good discussion with logic and reason.

            Liked by 2 people

      2. By the way, the greatest source of global warming is moisture.  This is scientifically known, but never talked about.Sent from Doug’s mobile

        Liked by 3 people

      3. I had 2 people last night try to convince me last night that carbon is a problem for climate change and it’s runaway greenhouse effect is really bad for the planets Mercury & Jupiter. The voice in me said “there’s no point trying to explain the facts to these self proclaimed experts”.

        I can appreciate & relate to the hardships America had to endure in your last federal election, when the left did everything it could to cheat; we’re seeing a lot of the same kinds of cheating up here in Canada. Despite all the praying, fasting, & educating it’s going to take a authentic miracle up here if we are to break free of our political left.

        Liked by 6 people

      6. Steve, Thank for this excellent presentation of the most relevant data and appropriate conclusions.
        Unfortunately, your review not only reveals the distortion by Leftist politicians, but also the majority of the academic climatologist community– where good science might help to inform society, instead self-serving alarmism is what they support.

        Liked by 2 people

  29. SIGNS of Division and imminent Civil War ….. Church & State.
    https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vortex-priests-ticked-at-pope?mc_cid=610baee20b&mc_eid=2a0b6c7ef6

    https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/rome-silent-protest

    https://pjmedia.com/faith/anti-religious-ag-twisted-the-law-against-this-catholic-agency/

    The below is another major reason the DemLibs are Berserker about Trump. They were counting on a Billary Whitehouse-n-Congress to Bail-Out all the Corrupt-n-Bankrupt Blue States like IL, CA, NY, NJ,………………………..
    https://www.cagw.org/porker-of-the-month/cagw-names-illinois-gov-j-b-pritzker-september-2019-porker-month

    It’s gonna get real sacry in places like the below when The Serious Unpleasantness occurs:
    https://www.businessinsider.com/most-miserable-cities-in-the-united-states-based-on-data-2019-9#1-gary-indiana-50

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/09/will_democrats_trumphatred_push_us_into_a_new_civil_war.html#ixzz60oCHbadH

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/antifa-scream-at-elderly-woman-block-her-path-outside-conservative-event

    https://dailycaller.com/2019/09/30/republican-rep-kinzinger-trump-tweets-pastor-impeachment-civil-war/

    Peggy Noonan, the smarmy phony conservative, lost my interest when she started fawning all over Obama after his 08 election. She, as a DC Swamp Insider, knew full well Obama’s Far Left mindset and, no doubt, foresaw the eight years of disastrous foreign/domestic policies that followed. She is a Swamp NeverTrumper now.
    https://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/peggy-noonans-reading-comprehension-problem/

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Victor Davis Hanson does excellent work, is erudite in historical fact, patterns and significance, is on top of current facts, is incisive and insightful and has done another outstanding job telling it like it is.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Solid on the secular level. I have never read him where he apprehends the spiritual. That article is no exception. A few paragraphs in, he cites policy, polls and strategy (as the author of “War, the author of us all” (?) naturally would).

        Fundamentally, Hanson always misses the point, and it saddens me as he is a good and decent man trying to elevate the good. I pray it is a blind spot in myself and that Hanson is a Christian.

        God makes us very different and goodness we confound one another and it is work to glorify God by being fundamentally honest, respectful, decent and holy towards one another.

        I keep praying for the guy. His soul is more important than is erudition.

        p.s. Father at the basilica emailed and said a good confession would be acceptable for communion.

        Confessions are on Saturdays and , since I work weekends, I have Saturday Nov.30 off. “Forgive me father for I have sinned it has been over 40 years since my last confession…you up to this??? (: ”

        We will see how it goes…please pray for me. cheers.

        Liked by 6 people

        3. Timothy, prayers for you as you make your confession. I had a big one after being away for decades too. It sure released some emotions that were delayed until my next confession with another priest. I love Confession. It is truly cleansing. God bless you.

          Liked by 5 people

        5. Praying for you Tim. Apart from God’s grace and many confessions I would likely be in hell or at least heading there by now. BTW, You might want to consider calling for a confession appointment if you want to go sooner. That may allow more time for you if needed. I have asked for special times on several occasions when I needed it and I thought a priest was available. God bless.

          Liked by 4 people

          1. I am at the biggest confessional in the world right now.  Here are people in line tonight (Tuesday) in Medjugorje.  Becks, hope you can publish the picture.Sent from Doug’s mobile

            Liked by 5 people

              1. Me too dianebelvs! At the turn of the century I was in a line about that long at a Chicago/Rosemont Marian Conference to have Father Groeschel, God rest his soul, hear my confession. It was a difficult time in my life and he spend 45 minutes in confession with me and did not give me absolution. He was so compassionate, yet firm. He put me on the correct path to get myself back into a state of grace.

                I sent him pictures and a letter of gratitude for his love and mercy prior to his critical accident. He will always have a special place in my heart! ❤

                Father Benedict Groeschel, pray for us!

                Liked by 4 people

                2. God Bless You Jen. I had something like that happen to me in Medjugorje in 2001 when I happened upon a wonderful priest from England who listened to my confession for about 90 minutes. It was the beginning of big changes in my life.

                  Liked by 2 people

              2. You were there Diane.  We just got back from Mirjana’s monthly apparition and you and Dolordee in particular were offered up by my pack oack during the apparition.  I also said a little prayer for you two.  Blessed Mother loves her children.

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                2. Doug,thank you for answering my question.i have never been there…..perhaps one day!
                  Please present an urgent request to Our Lady for me.the Holy Spirit knows it….I am handing it to Him to deal with!!! Thank you.

                  Liked by 3 people

                  2. Anne, you were offered up in prayer in our Rosary there when Lambzie and I prayed it together.  We got home last night.  God bless you!Sent from Doug’s Back Pack

                    Like

                  1. Ha!  I think it is a gift of the Holy Spirit Dolordee.  You are always lingering in the background here and praying for many intentions.  This is a gift to all of us.  So I simply elevated these in solidarity to the Blessed Mother.  This little community is what social media was meant to be.Sent from Doug’s Back Pack

                    Liked by 1 person

                  1. Diane, it was a gift for us as well.  You are the Blessed Mothers child and as I understand her love, it is as if you are her only child.  With such glee and exhuberent excitement, she desires to share her son with you.Sent from Doug’s Back Pack

                    Liked by 2 people

                    1. Your words are so awesome Doug. I have been praying for you and Lambzie many times a day. God Bless You Both! And Thank You again for remembering me!

                      Like

  31. Just a thought from my Sunday homily: Father started it with “who is the Lazarus in your life?” Who is the one that you think it is ok to not care about, the ones you automatically dismiss or reject for whatever reason? He went down a list, most of which I cannot remember at the moment. Then he said the ones you disagree with because they’re conservative and you ‘re on the left or you’re on the right and they’re liberal.
    They are all Lazarus. It only takes something little to reach out to bring a sense of dignity to them, to show them the face of love. It is following in the footsteps of the good shepherd.
    Sign of hope: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2019/09/detroit-cops-intervenes-stoic-fr-z-tries-not-to-tear-up/

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Love has to embrace the truth.  One cannot be without the other.  As such, many things on the left or irreconcilable.  The love has to lead to the truth.  I am mainly speaking on abortion as there is no compromise or gray area except in circumstances where both mother and child will die if something is not done.  This is a unique circumstance which has been discussed at length here.  The other thing that is irreconcilable is socialism which leads to communism.  Pope Pius the 12 has written a very good encyclical on this.  Even with this, we may be rejected when love and truth is presented.  Jesus did not compromise in these situations.  He let people walk away.  Read Matthew 10:34 and John chapter 6.  This is why I do not see common ground with the left as they reject truth.  We may be physically persecuted at some point.  I pray I have the humility to withstand this as I do not see my self going down easy.  God bless!Sent from Doug’s mobile

      Liked by 10 people

      1. a sermon i heard in 2013
        “What in all of creation could cause the level of animosity and hatred that Jesus says that it will be ‘three against two and two against three’? What is Jesus looking forward to… what is so important to Him that He wishes the fire to already blazing, a fire that in His own words causes ‘a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother.’
        What does Jesus want to set the world on fire with? Love so deep, it is willing to go to the cross. Dignity so rock solid, your dignity lies in that you simply exist, and nothing else. He wants to set the world on fire with an integrity and self-possession that has not been seen in a human being since the Blessed Virgin Mary, and prior to that: not seen since Adam and Eve. Forgiveness so free, it is offered 77 times – meaning infinite. This is what Jesus wants to set the world on fire with, and is the very thing that will set ‘three against two and two against three’. That is the Truth of the Gospel, and the Truth of this Roman Catholic Church… and many people struggle with the Truth. It is this Truth that causes ‘a father [to] be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother.’
        If we have a love willing to go to the cross, would we have Enrons or Divorce? If we believed in dignity simply because we exist – just as God’s own Name I am Who Am suggests, would we have all this vitriolic conflict about when life begins and ends? If we were self-possessed like Adam or Eve or the Blessed Virgin Mary, would there be so much greed or lust or anger that we see in this world. If there was radical forgiveness, would we see the anger that is out there? And here is exactly the source of division in our world. These are the radical virtues Christ and the earliest Apostles preached and taught. And from that time to this day, these radical virtues have caused the division Jesus spoke of. And people do not want to hear it; that is why there is conflict. And to this day, people use very similar arguments as we hear in our first reading, ‘Jeremiah ought to be put to death; he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such things to them; he is not interested in the welfare of our people,
        but in their ruin.’ He speaks the truth. One of the many lawyers of our parish approached me while I was out on my night walk. This person said, ‘you realize they may pass a law that says you have no right to call someone a sinner.’ Why would this person say that if the Truth does not divide? It cannot be helped.
        And Jesus knows full well His radical love, His radical dignity, His radical integrity, His radical forgiveness… He knows we cannot handle these things and it will cause division. It causes division between Sarxs and Pneumena, flesh and spirit, the people of this world and the people of the next, the philosophy of this world and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the next world.
        Now does this division, this conflict between good and evil, between the love of the Cross and selfishness… does this give a license to hurt others? Absolutely not. This conflict of Jesus Christ is about love, dignity, integrity, and forgiveness; and to hurt others is to fight violating the very gifts Jesus wished to bring the world. By this I mean the Word of God should be given as gently as is possible.
        At the same time, is tolerance the answer? It depends on what you mean by tolerance. Tolerance is a word butchered by this world almost as badly as the concept of judging in the Christian sense of judge.
        Archbishop Fulton Sheen explains it very well. He says, ‘America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance-it is not. It is suffering from tolerance. Tolerance of right and wrong, truth and error, virtue and evil, Christ and chaos. Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded. Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil [for the sake of the salvation of the person] … a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment. Tolerance applies only to persons; never to truth. Tolerance applies to the erring [person], intolerance [applies] to the error [against truth]… Architects are as intolerant about sand as foundations for skyscrapers as doctors are intolerant about germs in the laboratory. Tolerance does not apply to truth or principles. About these things we must be intolerant, and for this kind of intolerance, so much needed to rouse us from sentimental gush, I make a plea. Intolerance of this kind is the foundation of all stability.’ And what is the Truth Archbishop Sheen refers to? Christ’s radical love, radical dignity, radical integrity, and radical forgiveness. What is the Truth Archbishop Sheen refers to? We saw it in the words of Pope Francis: ‘who am I to judge?’ And in that once sentence he summarized what Bishop Sheen was aiming at. Pope Francis did not take one step back from the Truth of our Faith. But Pope Francis did show Christ’s radical love, radical dignity, radical integrity, and radical forgiveness.
        And for this, Pope Francis took it on the chin from conservatives; and because Pope Francis defended Church teaching about the sanctity of marriage as one man and one woman, he took it on the chin from those who would like to shatter the meaning of that Sacrament and Vocation. In short, ‘three against two and two against three’.
        In the Gospel of John chapter 6, Jesus gives us the teaching on the Eucharist. He did not take one step back, and yet is patient with all. It is the people who step away from Jesus, not Jesus who steps away from the people. There is a common misunderstanding that it was only the religious leadership who struggled with Jesus. This is not true; His own home town tried to throw Him down a hill and stone Him to death.
        What does Jesus want to set the world on fire with? Love so deep, it is willing to go to the cross. Dignity so rock solid, your dignity lies in that you simply exist, and nothing else. Integrity and self-possession that has not been seen in a human being since the Blessed Virgin Mary, and prior to that: not seen since Adam and Eve. Forgiveness so free, it is offered an infinite number of times. And Jesus did not take one step back from what He taught. He taught His disciples to not take one step back from all Jesus taught. And to His Church, He says the same. Therein lays the conflict. This conflict does not give anyone a license to be rude; and it does not allow cowardice to be cloaked in tolerance. It calls us to step forward courageously: courageously accept own faults, and to courageously not take one step back from the Truth of the radical love, radical dignity, radical integrity, and radical forgiveness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

        Liked by 3 people

      2. I still yearn for the conversion of my family members who have wandered into the thickets. They very well know that I do not compromise on the issues mentioned, but they must know that I love them with all my heart and that I will show them that till I die. I prefer the Good Shepherd as my example for the love of Jesus but I also want to be the Hound of Heaven. I will not give up on them. I will not settle for common ground.
        Love wants the best for the other–the best is Heaven. My heart will not harden because their hearts have been hardened. How often do those that walk away find their way back?
        I think that is what God wants; He wants them back. The way to do that is to speak the truth in love–not turn them into a lazarus. (and in the story, Lazarus did make it.) 🙂
        Ok, end of clarification of where I was coming from.

        Liked by 6 people

        2. It’s difficult too Joyful because it appears truth is also being compromised all over the church.  This is causing great confusion for those trying to live the faith.  I am fearful that this will be or already is a major catalyst for an even greater apostasy within the church.

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          1. Doug, I am not sure that I can explain this but I will try. (I do not wish to offend anyone.) I believe that everyone walks around with a God-sized hole in their heart that, despite all their efforts to fill it with other things, will only be satisfied with God, who made them and loves them for Himself. We search for the perfection of truth and beauty that only God can provide.
            Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.” (Jn 14:6)
            Truth–Jesus–cannot be compromised. We are drawn to a person–Jesus. He did not say, “my teachings are the way, the truth, and the life…” He IS the Truth that we all long for.
            We have also received the Holy Spirit. “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (I Cor 12:3)
            I know, what I just wrote is sort of confusing. The only thing I can add is that I put all my trust in Jesus, Mary and the Holy Spirit. I reject fear because that is not from God.

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            1. Not at all confusing, Joyful. These are beautiful concepts which I have heard preached over the years by many. I so appreciate the opportunity to pray in solidarity with Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje as she visits Mirijana every 2nd of the month to pray for those who do not know how much God loves them. May it be so!

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                  1. My daily Kolbe Email today said, “Keep in mind that the Immaculata generously rewards even the smallest manifestation of devotion toward her. So, those among whom we promote her kingdom, may do something for her and she will never, ever forget it” Our Lady must have a special place in her heart for Doug and I hope he knows how much she loves him and his family.

                    Liked by 4 people

                    1. Our Lady surely does have a special place in her heart for our dear Doug, Lambzie and their family. Truth be told, Our Lady has an Immaculate Heart so expansive that she has a special place for each of her children – saint and sinner alike – loving each one as much as she loves her Son Whom she bore for our salvation.

                      Liked by 5 people

                    2. Yes she does Becks!  We are all her children and desires ALL of us to be with her in eternity.  She does not want one of her children lost!Sent from Doug’s mobile

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                    3. We are all her children Joyful.  It is a discovery for all of us.  It is the great pearl waiting to be discovered and celebrated.  We all are special in her heart and she is waiting patiently like a good mother.  No different for me than for others.

                      Liked by 4 people

              2. Beckita, I’m so glad I just read your comment today, on the 2nd. I had forgotten that about the 2nd of the month and praying for those who don’t know how much God loves them. Many of us have a child, or other family members, that needs to know that, so I just prayed in union with Mama and Mirijana for our oldest! Always praying for miracles!

                Liked by 4 people

            3. Joyful, I do understand. I was merely articulating or clarifying that truth cannot be compromised. As Benedict has said, love without truth is not love. I see folks in the name “being pastoral” compromising truth. Jesus is both love and truth. He is the way, the truth and the life (John).
              He loved people to the max, but never compromised on truth. He would let them walk away or suffer himself before compromising truth. Example of compromise: we must let homosexual marriage be blessed in the name of compassion and love for these people. God knows there hearts. This would be scandalous and misleading people to believe homosexuality is acceptable. This is a modern innovation of the church where many who are not properly chaticized in the faith will accept. This will cause great confusion. Another innovation is the focus on environmentalism above preaching the gospel. It is not the churches focus to witness environmentalism. The churches focus is to bring people to repentance of sins and a new life in Christ to bring them to heaven. Do this and the other things like being a good stuard of resources and the environment will naturally follow out of Christian charity. I innovations like this dragging our church down further towards an even greater apostasy. We must stay faithful to the true Magistarium of the church. Read the scripture on a regular basis, study the Catechism, study the saints, etc. Be cautious of these new innovations or machinations. We must study to be able to recognize these false doctrines. God’s blessing to you!

              Liked by 5 people

              1. Well said, Doug. I, personally, am aware of many instances of misguided compassion put forth based on withholding truth, such as a friend who tried to confess to her pastor the abortion she had had years ago. Rather than, in truth, absolving her, he convinced her she didn’t really know what she was doing under pressure. I’ll bet each of us, in these days, have many an example such as this.

                When I have read of pastors who call themselves Christian and have blessed abortion clinics, I think of Jesus’ expressing: “Many will say, ‘Lord, Lord.’ And I will say, ‘I don’t know you.’” He knows our hearts. Some may truly be confused for having bought the cultural lies the enemy has peddled through too many, yet, God HAS written His Law on every human heart and His Grace is sufficient for our repentance and conversion. Looking forward to a g-r-e-a-t harvest, sooner rather than later. And as we journey, Truth can be, and must be, upheld in charity.

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            4. Joyful, I am not responding so much to you as much as I am expounding further on what you wrote for others benefit. Also, nothing like adding a few bings in there.

              Liked by 4 people

              2. Doug, you are so right to querstion and clarify “compassion” and “tolerance” as they are preached today. Jesus NEVER said Compassion will set you fee, or Tolerance is such a virtue. NO! He clearly syas “the TRUTH will set you free.” We MUST be truthful, but, as St. Teresa says,”with a certain congeniality.” To tell folks they are OK while living NOT OK, does neither them nor us a favor. So Doug, YES, this will be HARD with our liberal friends and family members.

                Liked by 2 people

            5. All good, Joyful.

              I think it goes without saying that people of good will here aren’t trying to offend others. For my part, I don’t get easily offended, and if I do, I give it to Our Lord and away it goes. Same for prayer requests. I take it that prayers go up whether a person says so or not. Some folks punctuate with a note of acknowledgement/support, while others just quietly pray. Either way, prayers going up!

              Do some folks have a fondness for pondering and quoting Sacred Scripture… discussing Jesus teachings? I know I do. Is it likely we aren’t mindful of the Living Jesus? Too much focus on Jesus to the exclusion of Father and Holy Spirit? Maybe that’s possible for people of ill-will, but I don’t see it here.

              It’s a joy to be understood clearly, but we can even detach from that. It’s enough if folks understand what Our Lord wants them to understand.

              Liked by 4 people

              1. MP, thank you for this very thoughtful comment. I now realize that I must have hit a wrong key and my point was misunderstood. Father’s homily was a conviction by the Holy Spirit of me. (This was the only parable where a name was given–Lazarus.) Who is the Lazarus in my life? It is my daughter. She has wandered off into the “thickets” probably because of me. She married a non-Catholic who I asked to promise that she remain Catholic before I would give approval for the marriage. He said yes he would. They were married in the Church. The children were baptized in the Church but her husband really does not want to have anything to do with the Catholic Church. I will not detail the instances that have come up to further separate us. She goes to another church of her husband’s choice and we don’t see enough of each other.
                Needless to say, I suspect that she feels like an outsider and that is wrong. She is my beautiful daughter whom I love with all my heart and I want her back. The only common ground I was looking for was how to get together more often so we could just talk about the things mothers and daughters talk about. I was not going to argue about her husband’s left-leaning philosophies and how she was raised differently. That doesn’t work.
                Do any of my children think that I will ever cave-in on life/moral issues? Not hardly, they all know better.
                Ok, I’m sorry. I slipped into a rant. What I am saying is that each member of a group–family, friends, the Left–has a name and is individually loved. I just have not been very good with that.

                Liked by 1 person

                3. Oh, I didn’t hear any wrong notes at all, Joyful. Just the orchestra tuning up and running through the sheet music. You’ll forgive my sometimes assertive timpani, as there are some chimes and a wee triangle here in the percussion section that I sometimes neglect.

                  Sending up prayers to St. Anthony for you and your daughter so he can help you both recover those lost treasures.

                  Liked by 1 person

                  1. Perfect. One of my favorites, the finder of lost souls. Thank you. MP. (you are not assertive. I think I’ve been reading you since Peli’s blog–Michael, I think?)

                    Like

        3. The Good Shepherd, being The Word, did indeed convert through the spoken word as seen in The Gospels, before, beyond and always. I primarily think in terms of His converting by His Being. There is no conversion without Jesus, obviously. Having spent over 3 decades communicating professionally, i.e. – trying to move targeted groups from among the masses to a certain profitable outcome, it’s ironic that I now find words as one of the least productive tools in my bag… in these times of a torrent of words. Jesus could/can convert with a mere glance, and I think that bespeaks to the Fire. He endeavors to frame this in countless other instances, even giving us the potent, seemingly infinite value of a simple cup of water. From that, to a couple of rough hewn pieces of wood –– His Throne –– The Symbol above all others for us. Behold, The Truth hanging on The Cross, from whence barely a word was spoken, but The Word spoke volumes.

          Liked by 6 people

  32. Yes, we can love and yet disagree with a smile as we say we don’t agree with everything they say. I am told by someone younger that the young priests are not liberal. People seem to really like a priest in his 40s who is in downtown Dallas; he has brought so many into the Church.

    I am reading that Obama got his start as a community organizer working with Catholic Churches on Southeast side of Chicago; they worked with Saul Alinsky and were trained on Alinsky-inspired tactics of protesting, threatening lawsuits, sit-ins, and overloading the system; the Campaign for Human Development helped fund the project with the belief in social justice that is so strong in the Catholic Church.

    Liked by 3 people

  33. Fr Richard Heilman put a great piece up today…I just read it to Michael. It was sad yet heartening how God can do great things with the remnant even though most of the world (America ) is totally corrupt..but this quote of his really saddened me as it will all of you😢😢😢
    “Since 1973, 1,720,000,000 babies have been sacrificed on the altar of sexual hedonism. This does not count the trillions of babies killed through abortifacient drugs.”

    Liked by 6 people

  35. 😉
    https://stream.org/judge-fosters-win-faith-based-adoption/

    https://stream.org/joy-break-police-officer-helps-single-mom-having-car-trouble-takes-her-daughter-to-school/

    None of the below or what’s happening in Current Events should be a surprise to anyone here …. or to any serious Christian! Scripture is full of Dark Days History and Predictions…….. + Divine Mercy Message, Marian Warnings PPVI/Smoke of Satan & StJP/Final Confrontation Quotes ….. &……..Gird your loins and buy a sword!.
    https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vortex-propaganda-war?mc_cid=66e47e9299&mc_eid=2a0b6c7ef6

    Pope meets with Jesuit targeted by right for gay outreach
    https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article235622477.html

    https://dailycaller.com/2019/10/01/associated-press-latin-america-abortion/

    https://walker.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-democrats-just-passed-legislation-that-puts-illegal-immigrants-before-american-veterans

    https://townhall.com/columnists/sheriffdavidclarkeret/2019/09/30/they-demand-our-respect-yet-treat-us-like-fools-n2553920

    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2019/09/30/schumer-is-so-delusional-he-wants-trump-to-work-on-gun-control-despite-dems-impeachment-inquiry-n2553947

    https://www.judicialwatch.org/investigative-bulletin/de-blasios-new-york-slips-toward-a-crisis-of-crime-disorder/

    I’m too old to go to Hungary …. I’ll dig my Foxhole and fix bayonet.
    https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/09/going-galt-in-hungary/

    ;-(

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. San San, the link is broken. If you send another, I’ll replace this one with your new one. I did see Cardinal Mueller’s “Manifesto of Faith” in February. God bless him.

      Liked by 3 people

    2. “Joy isn’t found in the material objects surrounding us, but in the inner recesses of the soul. One can possess joy in a prison cell as well as in a palace.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux

      And I believe we can carry that joy within us even in the darkest darkness …with Holy Spirit infusing joy in those around us because we have claimed it and embraced it in our own interior.

      Liked by 6 people

  40. YUP!!
    This was posted just as I was …. Off to Bed …… it pains me to say … ;-( … that Pope Francis and his Pals in Vatican and all too many Dioceses HQs appear to be in Lock-Step with the Democrat Party USA and their Pro-ABORTION, PERVERSION, godless SOCIALIST Agendas… & why I say: “Jesus, I Trust in You”!! .. & dig my Foxhole!
    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/10/01/stand/

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 2 people

  41. A few more positive articles this morn 😉

    At Vatican, Pompeo urges alliance for religious freedom
    https://www.apnews.com/031efded26154e7988361a38d38942d8

    https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/10/01/2000-plus-turn-funeral-florida-veteran-no-kin.html

    https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/1/how-tom-lobiancos-piety-power-threatens-to-degrade/

    https://pjmedia.com/faith/university-officials-held-personally-liable-for-discriminating-against-christians/

    https://www.catholicleague.org/cardinal-pell-and-brett-kavanaugh-two-defamed-catholics/

    http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pro-abortion-activists-try-to-burn-mexico-city-cathedral

    https://dailycaller.com/2019/10/01/federal-judge-abortion-georgia/

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/10/god_guns_and_grit__why_america_needs_emthe_reliantem_.html#ixzz61BeConUR

    https://townhall.com/columnists/johnstossel/2019/10/02/stop-blocking-us-n2554001

    https://stream.org/keep-rudy-g/

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 2 people

  42. Abortionists try to burn A Cathedral…
    http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pro-abortion-activists-try-to-burn-mexico-city-cathedral

    This Cathedral is noteworthy of our times. Construction of this church commenced in 1524 AD, several years prior to the arrival of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531. When I visited this site in early 2017, It is ‘the’ hotbed of anarchist activity, with protests and the like marching around the area. I noticed surrounding the fence, numerous Pagans and witches, chanting, praying over susseptiple tourists waving incense over their bodies, Indian chants n rituals. Two guys handing out cards advertising a heavy metal rock concert whith the same music blaring from their headphones.

    Read more below:

    ” After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the conquistadors decided to build their church on the site of the Templo Mayor of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan to consolidate Spanish power over the newly conquered domain. Hernán Cortés and the other conquistadors used the stones from the destroyed temple of the Aztec god of war Huitzilopochtli, principal deity of the Aztecs, to build the church.[5][6]

    Cortés ordered the original church’s construction after he returned from exploring what is now Honduras. Architect Martín de Sepúlveda was the first director of this project from 1524 to 1532. Juan de Zumárraga, the first Bishop of the first See of the New World, established in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, promoted this church’s completion. Zumárraga’s Cathedral was located in the northeast portion of what is now the cathedral. “(wikipedia)

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City_Metropolitan_Cathedral

    Liked by 2 people

  44. Backpack visits Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina first class relics at a local chapel.
    God’s blessing upon all ASOH parents of children and grandchildren!

    Liked by 7 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.