Lurching Towards Gomorrah

Posted on by charliej373
nierman, volcanic fury
Volcanic Fury – Leonardo Nierman

By Charlie Johnston

Monday, Sept. 23, marked the second anniversary of what I consider the most important sign in the skies of my lifetime: The Revelation 12 sign. Earlier that year, a total solar eclipse moved diagonally across North America from the northwest to the southeast. It caught my attention both because of the unusual sweeping nature of it (going across America like the first bar of a giant “X”) and because it occurred on August 21, 2017, the fifth anniversary of the date I had concluded my pilgrimage across the country. The second bar of the “X” will come in just a few years, on April 8, 2024, sweeping from southwest Texas to northeastern Maine. The center of the X formed by these two eclipse paths separated by seven years will be near Belleville, Illinois, where I lived when revelations of the sexual abuse scandals in the Church first broke out in 2001.

I have always regarded great, visible heavenly signs less as road maps showing us what God is going to do and more as road signs, signaling us to watch for the divine hand in seemingly ordinary events. I regarded the eclipse as something of a prelude to the Revelation 12 sign to come a month later.

Within a couple of weeks after the appearance of the Revelation 12 sign in 2017, the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke, opening a floodgate of revelations of sexual misconduct and abuse by the false moralists in Hollywood, the media and (largely) left-wing politics. Last year, in the month and a half both before and after the anniversary of the appearance of the sign, Archbishop Vigano revealed his damning allegations of the enabling of sexual abuse at the very highest levels of the Church hierarchy; the attempted coup through the Russian collusion hoax was in full melt-down; and the hysterical left had weaponized fallout from the verified accusations of sexual abuse by its heroes to target Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a veritable boy scout, with demonstrably false smears of the same nature.

This year, we are on the cusp of seeing whether any of the Russian collusion coup plotters will be held to official account for their treasonous crimes, while Democrats (in an impeachment frenzy) are frantically trying to sentence Donald Trump first and find a crime later. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood and the Culture of Death are shuddering, rocked by revelations of the hideous and plain infanticide common to their standard operating procedures.

Most ominously, perhaps, the Catholic Church may be hurtling towards the third major schism in its history with the run-up to the Amazon Synod scheduled for late October at the Vatican. The invited Bishops are heavily stocked with those who wage increasingly open warfare against defined doctrine (defined doctrine includes Scripture and the Universal Magisterium – that which is formally infallible). The Amazon Synod seems primed to replace ancient Christian faith with a formal resurgence of pagan tribalism. Some Bishops leading the charge against defined doctrine seem to visualize themselves as all-powerful witch doctors in the new paganism they seek to impose on the faithful.

Pope Francis says that, while he does not want it, he is not afraid of schism in the Church. Archbishop Carlo Vigano, along with some other key thinkers, believe that, in fact, Pope Francis is trying to provoke a schism. I agree with them. I suspect the Amazon Synod is designed to be the catalyst for that schism – and now the battle is an effort to declare those who are orthodox to be the aggressors.

That means we must walk very carefully, being very deliberate in all we do as this perilous October reveals the contours of a great battle inside the hierarchy. A few things to keep in mind so we do not degenerate into shrieking harpies, more desperate that our own ideas prevail than that God’s will be accomplished:

  • Do not confuse doctrine with discipline. For example, however firmly you may believe that unmarried Priests are the right thing, that is a matter of discipline, not doctrine. The Pope has the right to declare that Priests may marry. If you call him a heretic because of such an exercise of his legitimate authority, you reveal your own ignorance and discredit your own public discernment. Take pains to know what you are talking about before speaking – especially at top volume.
  • Wait to see what happens. This could be a head fake. Cunning politicians sometimes signal that they are about to do something they have no intention of doing in order that they may lure their opponents into jumping into disqualifying and erroneous histrionics. React to what happens, not what you think is going to happen (though you may safely analyze the options that are coming into view).
  • Do not allow your despair to lead you into setting up shop for yourself. Some, such as sedevacantists, have already done this. They are not faithful; merely an exotic and dishonest variety of Protestant. Remember, Martin Luther began as a genuine reformer. It was vanity that led him to set up shop for himself rather than to give thanks and come home when the legitimate reforms he championed were adopted.
  • Do not be deceived by sophistry on any side. Some defenders of the Pope maintain that he is accountable to none but God for his sins, so the Church has no jurisdiction over him. To the contrary, according to the Decretum of Gratian, Canon 6, that the Pope can be judged by no one, except for straying from the faith. (The Decretum was the basis for canon law). This was confirmed by Pope Innocent III, who said that, “God was his (the Pope’s) sole judge for other sins, and that he could be judged by the Church only for sins committed against the faith.” The Pope is liable to judgment by the Bishops for external heresy. Their only remedy is to declare him no longer Catholic or Pope. The equal and opposite error is to assert that the Pope automatically ceases to be Pope upon public promotion of a heresy. If that were the case, there would be no hierarchical structure and each man would judge for himself. It is Jesus Christ who set up the hierarchical structure – and if we overthrow it, we disobey Christ. Though it has not yet been used against a Pope while he lived (Pope Honorius was only posthumously declared a heretic) the Bishops must formally adjure the Pope to reject any heresies he has embraced – and most think it must be done more than once. My fundamental point here is, do not leap ahead of yourself in grasping at means to disqualify a Pope who dismays you. Take the time to learn something about Church law and tradition before jumping – and then take time to examine those that undermine the position you are emotionally drawn to. Any other method makes you a rank partisan, not an analyst. Take the next right step with deep deliberation – fear and trembling, you might say.
  • Remember that Christ, Himself, set up the hierarchy and gave it governing authority over His Church and the faithful in matters of faith and morals. If crisis is provoked, if we are to enter into a battle between Church and anti-Church, I will carefully watch those Bishops who are orthodox – and largely follow their lead. Whatever opinions I may express I will hold subordinate to the leads of such men as Cdls. Burke, Mueller, Sarah and Brandmuller; Bishops Schneider and Gracida; my own Archbishop Aquila and others who are publicly faithful to Scripture and the Magisterium.
  • Remember that no person, cleric or lay, can prevent you from living the faith with fidelity – and that the infidelity of even the most powerful cleric does not relieve you of your duty to live fidelity to Christ, His Gospel, and His Church’s Magisterium.
Benedict Saturno
One of those rigid fellows in the “Saturn” hats that so offend Pope Francis

Consider the ecosystem of the Church and the hierarchy as we go barreling into the Amazon Synod this Sunday.

  1. 1. German Bishops are going off into their own synod, openly considering matters that are contrary to faith and morals. Though they have been warned by the Vatican against this, they are going ahead anyway. The Vatican has taken no action to enforce its warning. Sadly, this is typical of corrupt officials – to warn offenders against provocative illegal acts while giving them a wink and a nod to go ahead without fear of any real consequences. I am deeply pleased to see that my own Archbishop, Samuel Aquila, called the German Bishops to task for their provocation. I was most pleased with a brilliantly subtle, but lesser noted comment he made in the same remarks: “One only need look at the history of those Protestant communities that are constantly splitting from each other over doctrine to see the impact of replacing the faith with societally acceptable beliefs.” The central assumption underlying this statement is that adherence to Magisterial teaching, by definition, cannot be schismatic. Only attacks on defined doctrine can be properly defined as schismatic.
  2. A month ago, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, called for a redefinition of life, itself. He said that the Pope, “warns us that it is risky to look at human life in a way that detaches it from experience and reduces it to biology or to an abstract universal, separated from relationships and history. Rather, the term ‘life’ must be redefined, moving from an abstract conception to a ‘personal’ dimension: life is people, men and women, both in the individuality of each person and in the unity of the human family.” In short, Paglia and the Pope think we must move away from objective standards defining life and substitute subjective feelings. Not only could this phrase be used to ‘baptize’ abortion on demand, it could have been used to justify the mass child sacrifice of the Incas and of Molech.
  3. The Vatican just over-ruled Indianapolis Archbishop Charles C. Thompson’s decision to revoke Catholic recognition of Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School over its refusal to fire a teacher in a same-sex ‘marriage.’ These sorts of reversals of an effort to enforce the orthodox law of the Church have been common under Pope Francis. The most famous case was the lifting of restrictions placed by Pope Benedict on then Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, a credibly accused serial sexual predator shortly after Pope Francis took office. Restrictions placed on another prominent heterodox Cardinal Archbishop by his successor were removed by the Vatican after Francis was seated. Many times, when something your Bishop did to uphold the faith is reversed, it is by the often silent, but brutal, hand of the Vatican.
  4. Pope Francis does not just disagree with those orthodox faithful who think Scripture and the Magisterium are binding; he drips with venomous contempt for them. Just over a week ago he denounced the rigidity of young Priests, “all stiff in black cassocks and hats in the shape of the planet Saturn on their heads.” He has little mercy for those who believe Christ’s commands are true and binding.

I have long been convinced that the primary means God is using to bring us back to Him is to reveal all things and then make us declare openly who we will serve. I think we will

John Paul Saturno
Another “rigid” fellow in a “Saturn” hat

erupt into schism because it is the one thing that will force all Bishops to declare themselves. That is what I believe God intends.

I have said that great historical moments are not decided by technicalities. That is true, but there is a codicil. Sometimes a technicality is trotted out as the fig leaf covering a larger issue that is inconvenient to discuss overtly. In the split between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox at the beginning of the second millennium, deep political disputes had come to a head. Rather than acknowledge that this was a political dispute, the fig leaf of the “filioque” controversy was adopted to give theological weight to the political split. Basically, Catholics believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Orthodox believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father or, at best, from the Father through the Son. It is more than a technicality – but not by much.

Bishop Rene Gracida has taken the leading role in trying to get the Bishops of the world to declare Pope Francis’ election invalid because of technical deficiencies in Pope Emeritus Benedict’s resignation. I link to his latest piece on the subject here. If we lurch into schism, I expect his efforts to get a lot more attention. I admire Bishop Gracida and have been blessed to count him among my friends. I appreciate that he has kept narrowly focused and precise in his efforts (unlike many of his enthusiasts). He does not just throw anything anti-Francis against the wall and hope it will stick. While I respect the discipline of his effort, I still disagree on the substance. I fear if it were successful, it would expose every Pope who follows Francis to an unending search for technical deficiencies by which they could be suddenly deposed. I don’t like the instability I am convinced it would introduce into the Church. Beyond that, I just don’t like fig leafs. I like to get to the heart, the central issue, otherwise I feel a bit cheated. Does anyone think that this issue would have even come up had Pope Francis been a faithfully orthodox Pope who was notable for his defense of Scripture and the Magisterium? I don’t.

If we get to crisis. I think the more telling effort will be that led by Fr. Aidan Nichols charging Pope Francis with heresy. Fr. Nichols is one of the most heavy-weight theologians in the Church today. The fact is that Pope Francis has not, himself, openly expressed heretical views. The closest he came was when Bishops in Buenos Aires adopted an heretical interpretation of Amoris Laetitia and the Pope told them, in a private letter, that their interpretation was correct. Fr. Nichols and his fellow signatories maintain that it is not just words that determine heretical beliefs, but actions as well. They document his promotion of heresy through his appointments and promotions of Bishops and Priests who are openly opposed to the Magisterium. The letter makes a compelling case. I encourage you to read it fully and deeply. Some orthodox high authorities have disagreed with some or much of it. Well-known Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin wrote a piece completely dismissing it. I normally respect Akin’s work, but I was startled at how superficial his arguments were, how he deployed straw men to avoid the heart of the signatories’ efforts, and was downright offended at how dismissive he was of the qualifications of the signatories. I respect Akin’s work, but on matters of theology, he is not in the same league (or anywhere near it) of Fr. Aidan Nichols. Heaven knows I have disagreed with people who are more knowledgeable than me in certain areas, but when I do, I take great pains to make a clear and precise argument. Above all, I do not condescend to such thinkers.

I suspect that, in the aftermath of the Amazon Synod, November will begin a period of prolonged and intense controversy in the Church. I would like us here to stay focused on broad principles that we hold. I know there will be much commentary – and that is how we reason things out together. But if you pretend to a mastery of subjects that you do not have, you will be called up short or your comment not published. I am very interested in the broad outlook of both mechanics and heart surgeons. We all have something to contribute. But if a mechanic starts authoritatively opining on how my heart surgery should be performed, I will cut him off. If a heart surgeon starts authoritatively opining on how my car’s engine should be rebuilt, I will cut him off, too. Express honestly your concerns and opinions without pretending to expertise you don’t have, and we will be fine.

I am deeply concerned about those who think the Church is in danger of foundering. To me, it betrays a failure of faith. We have dead serious problems and issues headed our way – and that is scary. Remember Pope Emeritus Benedict’s conviction, “…that the Lord does not abandon His Church, even when the boat has taken on so much water as to be on the verge of capsizing.” When the unknown, the unprecedented, overtakes me, I do not panic that God has abandoned me. Rather, I think God has challenged me to prove that I will stay steady, solid, and follow all His commands, rather than just pick among those that seem convenient to the controversy at hand. In fact, when God casts us out into the deep unknown, it forces us to rely on him all the more. If we do not, we will sink regardless of how clever we think ourselves to be. The Church will not capsize. Jesus is asking you, as He did Peter, “Do you love me?” As St. Peter writes in his first Epistle, “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

In the early Church, many of the controversies that roiled the Church for a time were unprecedented. Now we will likely live such a division. We are not the first. Remember, also, that each such pitched controversy ended in a genuine refinement of doctrine. (Again noting that doctrine can and should be refined, but can never be contradicted).

The image of Our Lady of Tepeyac (or Guadalupe) on the tilma of St. Juan Diego is a miraculous image representing the “woman cloaked with the sun” from Revelation 12. After she appeared to St. Juan in 1531, incredible and miraculous consequences followed. St. Juan DiegoWithin a decade, over 10 million Mexicans converted to Christianity – and the murderous cult of Quetzalcoatl, which featured human and child sacrifice, was ended. They did not go without a fight – but they went. The religious, cultural and political life of Mexico was almost completely transformed and renewed in the space of a mere decade. If this miraculous renewal of a portion of the world followed the appearance of the image on earth of the woman cloaked with the sun, how much greater the renewal following the appearance of her image in the heavens? Gird your loins, stay steady, and I encourage you to keep in mind one of my favorite prayers over these next few years: Lord, lead me in a plain path. Let me veer neither to the right out of fear or to the left out of anger. Lead me in a plain path.

Then war broke out in heaven…

289 thoughts on “Lurching Towards Gomorrah”

  1. You have written truth, Charlie, and have done a marvelous job expressing the tough things in an extraordinarily tough time. The counsel you have given reflects your depth of wisdom and exquisite erudition in processing, analyzing and problem solving.

    While it takes time to do so, it’s important, I think, for us to read the links you’ve shared, CJ. Maybe it’s too much to do all at once, but to comment on these things, I think it’s important to read about what has been developing.

    The title of this piece bespeaks the agenda which has encroached into the synods, writings and Papal appointments of our times. When Fr. James Martin tweets as he did this week, I smell something mightily rotten in the Vatican. Building bridges, eh? Deliver us, O Lord.

    Thank you for naming the highlights to consider in being deliberate, Charlie. I’m right with you in this stance: Whatever opinions I may express I will hold subordinate to the leads of such men as Cdls. Burke, Mueller, Sarah and Brandmuller; Bishops Schneider and Gracida; my own Archbishop Aquila and others who are publicly faithful to Scripture and the Magisterium.

    This is such HUGE stuff that fidelity to living the faith, through it all – whatever “it all” entails – must surely be the common plain path for most of us. Praying, too, for whomever God is calling to step forth in leadership to guide the Barque as we carry on.

    I’ve been pondering how long God will allow the evil plans which used to be devised in secret to continue being developed in broad daylight and your insight rings true to me and is an answer to my pondering: I have long been convinced that the primary means God is using to bring us back to Him is to reveal all things and then make us declare openly who we will serve. I think we will erupt into schism because it is the one thing that will force all Bishops to declare themselves. That is what I believe God intends.

    All that said, I do heartily pray each day that the enemy’s strategies and tactics to undermine the faith be foiled with every evil spirit confused and confounded in his mission assigned by our Mother’s adversary… that is, once God’s Plan is achieved in allowing these things to continue for the current moments.

    This cartoon art says a lot:

    Liked by 26 people

    3. The only thing missing in the cartoon are the “big hats like Saturn.” I sit in shock sometimes when I hear what is said about good and holy priests.

      But there is a sneaky underbelly to all this. I am worried that the SPPXers are going to use this talk of schism to try and divide the faithful. I already see this on Twitter, posts by faithful and priests alike, claiming that Lefebvre was right. It’s hard to talk to them about unity because they use the beauty of the Extraordinary Form to beat down all opposition. Lefebvre opened up a wound and I am worried it will be open and bleeding out Catholics very soon.

      Also, Cardinal Pell is still sitting in prison, suffering in unison with our Crucified Saviour. Chinese Catholics are also suffering while the Pope meets with Fr. Martin.

      The circumstances are dire and most everyone knows them. It seems overwhelming. But I trust.
      God will do something new.

      Liked by 12 people

        1. …but I can’t help to tear up in private often. What are the RCIA people to think. They have made a leap into Catholicism and now this. They came for truth and now there is only confusion for us all. I haven’t read the entire CJ post because side tracked myself to the links. Lots to read and absorb. Honestly it is so disturbing that I bee lined it for Mass, Rosary and Divine Chaplet today. It is my respite from the fear that keeps welling up in my throat. Redefine ‘life’…huh?

          Liked by 4 people

          1. Good for you taking that respite, Joanne. Without the harbor of prayer – and, for me, the knowledge that this isn’t the end of the story – it could become very overwhelming. Prayers for all of us to be imbued anew with Christ’s Peace.

            Liked by 2 people

        1. While Chris Sparks gives the good advice of remaining in the Barque of Peter, Jen, I think he’s totally off in his assessment that the problem is simply one of translating Pope Francis’ words to an American context. I wish it were so, but this Pope’s words stand as they are and when added to the things he actually does, even though we’ve certainly had Papal crises throughout the history of the Church, this may well turn out to be the humdinger of them all.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Thank you, Beckita for your guidance, and all here which I greatly value in this regard. I’ve seen first hand how The Holy Father’s words have been miscommunicated by the fake press. Conversely, I’ve also witnessed how so called “truthers” that for no other apparent reason other than to demonize an entire religion will post articles from sources they deemed not credible for any other source of news! It had been maddening at times. For the most part, I simply trust God in all matters. 😉

            Liked by 2 people

            1. Agree, Jen, that it has been maddening with a flurry of fake reports. You are so gracious in your response and I love your contributions here, ever heartening and informative are they. How I continue to pray for Pope Francis and the errant prelates. And while we do our best to judge with righteous judgement what is before us, I also feel empathy for those who struggle to reconcile within themselves that our spiritual leaders are ordinary men, subject to temptation, who fall and who need conversion as much as any one of us. It is painful to watch too many shepherds fall. Thankfully, God does have a Plan. Gratefully, we each have a part to play for the Good of re-establishing holy order. And every morning I pray for a fresh and deeper infilling of faith and trust as we continue making our way through this Storm. ❤️

              Liked by 2 people

          2. Such mysterious times… makes total sense to me Beckita why Charlie trained us all in the way he did. We all have to stay fluid so we can fill God’s Divine Will in joy. Some days are easier than others obviously. .lol…what dramas…wow😅😅😅😂

            Liked by 3 people

    4. Amen! to all you said, Beckita, and oh Charlie, so much meat to digest. Yes, we will need to read and re-read all of this. I am heartened by your belief, Charlie, that even schism will be used by God. Of course He will bring good out of evil (Romand 8:28). Once again, I am in awe of, and appreciate, your excellent analysis.

      Blessed Mother told Fr. Gobbi the role of the archangels, for us to call on them. Gabriel is for strength and I ask him for this grace every day!

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Pray the Chaplet of St. Michael

        https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/chaplet-of-st-michael-the-archangel-386

        “…The history of this Chaplet goes back to a devout Servant of God, Antonia d’Astonac, who had a vision of St. Michael. He told Antonia to honor him by nine salutations to the nine Choirs of Angels.

        St. Michael promised that whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching Holy Communion, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs.

        In addition, for those who would recite the Chaplet daily, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life, and after death deliverance from purgatory for themselves and their relations.”

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Amazing, educational, inspirational, informational, and heart stopping all in one. I can only pray that you will continue to be our Sherpa as you have been all of these past years. God keep you in His arms, and thank you for all your very, very hard work and prayers.

    Liked by 15 people

  5. I’m no expert on Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Teaching of the Catholic Church. I went away from the Church in the late 1960s because what I saw was a lot of people applying the surface of the Teaching but living their lives outside of it. So I went elsewhere looking for God.

    Over the past several decades, though, I became knowledgeable enough about the world, world history, and current trends to recognize one important truth that has changed my path to being one trending back toward the Faith.

    When society properly applies the tenets of the Judeo-Christian tradition and particularly, when it adheres to core Catholic Teaching, we get life and freedom. When society strays into the opposite set of rules, we get corruption and death. The evidence is everywhere around us.

    Need I say more?

    Liked by 26 people

  6. I have been preparing my heart for this battle for a long time. Yet, the thing I keep thinking of is from “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”.

    Pippin knows that the final battle between Darkness and Light is about to take place, and, as a prelude to the doom, a Nazgul flies overhead.

    “For a time they sat together and did not speak. Then suddenly Pippin looked up and saw that the sun was still shining and the banners still streaming in the breeze. He shook himself. ‘It is passed,’ he said. ‘No, my heart will not yet despair. …All the same, I wish it were over for good or ill….I am no warrior at all and dislike any thought of battle; but waiting on the edge of one that I cannot escape is worst of all. What a long day it seems already! I should be happier if we were not obliged to stand and watch, making no move, striking nowhere first…’

    The times call for fidelity and bravery and generals to lead such souls. I think I know my part, my mission. I have made friends with the Holy Souls in Purgatory and with the victors in the Church Triumphant. I will look for my Lord to draw His sword. Until then, I am content to stay close to our Holy Mother, to play about the safe warmth of her mantle, and wait for her to urge me to follow her Son. I know at that moment, He will breathe His strength into me and give me what it is I am to say and do.

    You’ve shown us the way of acknowledging God, taking the next right step and being signs of hope. I have felt we are on the edge of a terrible battle for a while now. I believe even our loving, Blessed Mother will show herself to be “terrible as an army set in battle array.”

    My prayers for all here. Don’t give up. Hold fast in hope. Pray for an increase of hope. Peace and blessings.

    Liked by 18 people

  7. That’s quite a mouthful Charlie. I’ll finish it tomorrow when I’m fresh because there’s much to absorb in this article. Well done my son!

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Do you believe in coincidences? My previous post had a time stamp of 9:09 pm (must be mountain time) and today a WWII era B-17 Bomber crashed in Connecticut with the tail stamp of 909 (Nine-O-Nine). Back in 1987 my family and I witnessed this very same plane overrun the runway and crashed into a ravine during a local airshow. Over the next several years my dad (a WWII pilot) and I went to see the progress as this plane was rebuilt to it’s former glory.

      My prayers go out to those that lost their lives in today’s crash. God Bless Them All…

      Liked by 10 people

  8. The city of Dallas saw the prior quiet 18 year old brother of Bothan Jean who was killed by a police officer just off duty who went to his apartment left slightly open thinking it was her’s and he was an intruder. Brant said I want the best for you; I don’t even want you to go to jail. I love you like anyone else! GIVE YOU LIFE TO CHRIST; That is what my brother would want. I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you. May I hug her, please, please! Others were outside complaining Amber Guyger wasn’t given enough time at 10 years. The Judge Tammy Kemp hugged Amber also and gave her a Bible she said she read before starting her day. God’s will was accomplished and everything was suddenly quiet with people crying. An 18 year old was amazing even after hearing many say justice wasn’t done.

    Charlie, the picture is beautiful and it looks like the HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CENTER OF IT!

    Liked by 17 people

    2. St Thersa the little Flower liberated most of France from the suffocating influence of Jansenism and the legal and moralistic “duty/obligation” approach to the faith. I think people will find in her spirituality a refreshing way to see themselves within the context of God’s love for us in Christ; and that we don’t make ourselves holy; it is something the Lord longs to accomplish in each of us. She is perhaps the influence of the expression: the universal call to holiness.
      (Father Gary Caster, author of The Way of Simple Love: Inspiring Words from St. Thérèse of Lisieux).
      I meditate on Pope Francis’ call to not be “ridged” through the simple light of Theresa’s “Little Way”.
      I choose to understand it in this way to not be confounded by other interpretations but to always look for the “love” present in God’s chosen people through thier words and actions.
      I desire to be such a sign of hope and love here as well dear friends.

      Liked by 9 people

      1. Don’t we all just love her…I heard other day on relavant radio that her sisters didn’t know of her interior holiness until she wrote her autobiography “Story of a soul. “

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Through some wonderful circumstances, I’m carrying her first class relic in my zippered pocket and continually sending her to Charlie, to all in this community and to China with our ongoing work there. St. Thérèse, stay with us every blessed next right step of the way before us.

          Liked by 10 people

          1. Oh my gosh Beckita. . That is amazing. .what an honor and thank you for all of us too…I’ve been wanting to put pic of her for like past year where I sleep. Been wondering why?? Ha! Now I know why🤗😇😘

            Liked by 4 people

          2. I have a first class relic of the Little Flower, too, Beckita. I inherited it from my godfather who was a priest. He had a great devotion to her.

            Liked by 6 people

  9. In my mind’s eye, I picture the continental rag tag army of General Washington in the middle of winter. TNRS’ers are them. I’m the private with rags around my feet and shivering but I’m here to serve. St. Michael protect us. It must be a dire situation to have to rely on the likes of me. Lord have mercy.
    Steely resolve. Thank you General Johnston for being our Sherpa.

    Liked by 14 people

    2. Ha, HttP…there isn’t anybody going to join up with this army because of the elegance of our uniforms or the crispness of our drill, so we better hold fast to God because that’s all we got. But as many of those with elegant uniforms and crisp drills often forget, that’s all that matters.

      Liked by 11 people

    3. Funny that you mentioned GW and his rag tag army in winter. Washington Crossing park isn’t too far away. Often sit there and ponder their sacrifice. If you know your American Revolutionary history you would be correctly impressed. The docents there speak of the Crossing in spiritual terms. Many believe the Holy Spirit was there too. Sometimes walk the perimeter of the parking lot and say the Rosary. Seems an appropriate place to ask for an intervention for our nation.

      Liked by 4 people

  10. I am too simple for all this.just too much for me.all I can do is keep on keeping on.Let God work it.
    I don’t think we know much….see the signs a spointers to remind us to be faithful.live each moment as best we can

    I find it too overwhelming.

    Liked by 13 people

    1. Not to worry overmuch, Anne. In past times of great crisis, most people simply lived their faith as well as they could I have no doubt you will do the same. But for those who feel a call to engage in such controversies, I think it critical to remind us all of some key points to keep from letting our passion get the better of our faith and our duty.

      Liked by 16 people

      2. In the RCIA class we just started, one young man, never baptized, amazed me by his faith! He expressed concern about Pope Francis’ rantings and the rumors of schism. We told him to hang on and to trust the decision he made to become Catholic – that Pope Francis is not the only face of the Church. We told him that he had chosen a family that would pray for him. He smiled and said, “Amen.”

        What faith! To know what he knows and still want to become a Roman Catholic. It reveals Who is truly in control and that He still calls souls to become His Bride.

        Please pray for all those making the decision to seek truth and who are led to RCIA classes. Pray us catechists will speak with hope and with clarity. Pray for the 7 people at our parish, one of whom escaped Communist Cuba, became a Protestant minister and is now looking at the Catholic Chuch to be his home.

        I know I can trust this community to pray for all candidates and catechumens.

        Liked by 10 people

        5. I will pray for them Marisa. I worry about them all in this confusing time. I think they are looking for cement and have found themselves in quicksand and I pray they continue to find truth.

          Liked by 2 people

    2. For me too Anne…I’m a bit of a trust. Not an intellectual at all…I’m a Mary, not a Martha. .lol. Sometimes ya just gotta go with what God assigns. I Love that we have smart intellectuals though and can’t wait to read their comments. I hope Fr Chris writes more. He has profound insights too. Check out his comment in previous piece Charlie put up.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Thankful…… I am so thankful for your comment and care… Truly am! It is too much …. All just too much. Please Holy Spirit, step in.

        Liked by 4 people

        1. I had a bad day yesterday Anne I know how you feel…I was just full of nausea all day. Never knew why. Even my holt hour I could barely sit through and today I’m well and balanced (I think..lol) but even though some days are just horrible (ugh..try cleaning a house with nausea ) I just kept as much as I could of what Charlie says to do…one step at a time…smile in my misery, offer it up and b4 ya know it..ur better. I’ll Pray for God to help you too and plz pray for me too…we are all in it to win it. I think God needs lots of suffering right now. Btw I did see 4 squirrels on way to adoration. .lol…hand to heart for our Charlie and all here. TNRS ASOH

          Liked by 5 people

  11. What Charlie wrote here, both in the particulars, and in the overarching message, as well as the following comments made, are awsome. I come to rest on this passage, ” When the unknown, the unprecedented, overtakes me, I do not panic that God has abandoned me. Rather, I think God has challenged me to prove that I will stay steady, solid, and follow all His commands, rather than just pick among those that seem convenient to the controversy at hand. In fact, when God casts us out into the deep unknown, it forces us to rely on him all the more. If we do not, we will sink regardless of how clever we think ourselves to be. ” So much strife here, in religion and in politics.

    Well, we must do our best here guided by fundamental truths, and take care not to be seduced by personally convenient excuses, such as called out hereby Charlie, “… Paglia and the Pope think we must move away from objective standards defining life and substitute subjective feelings. Not only could this phrase be used to ‘baptize’ abortion on demand, it could have been used to justify the mass child sacrifice of the Incas and of Molech. ”

    Fortunately, with faith in God and Christ, all of the conflicts and treachery here in life will be left behind when we go home where evil and strife no longer exist at all. In fact, it will be the memory of the hardness and pain of living that will make our eternal home feel all the better. If life were always easy and fun, we could not fully appreciate Heaven. The quip quoted below, makes the point that we cannot appreciate what we have, unless we had at some time lost it:

    There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys, how’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”
    —David Foster Wallace, This Is Water

    Liked by 13 people

      1. Jack, here is another take on your theme of our testing.
        “God will not allow unrighteousness to become eternal. Revolution, disintegration, chaos, must be reminders that our thinking has been wrong, our dreams have been unholy. Moral truth is vindicated by the ruin that follows when it has been repudiated. The chaos of our times is the strongest negative argument that could ever be advanced for Christianity … The disintegration following an abandonment of God thus becomes a triumph of meaning, a reaffirmation of purpose … Adversity is the expression of God’s condemnation of evil, the registering of Divine Judgement … Catastrophe reveals that evil is self-defeating; we cannot turn from God without hurting ourselves.”
        Seek “true faith” (supernatural faith), maintain hope in God’s power, love extravagantly … and believe “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
        Fulton Sheen

        Liked by 10 people

  12. Charlie, appreciate your note. In my book about space, time, and consciousness, I tried to explain that our consciousness always operates in the universal field of consciousness, both in life and after we pass; the NDEs report that although we do not realize how our soul is embedded in God’s “mind,” when they have passed over, that is what they experience. I do not remember exactly where and when I came across this quip, but I too instantly loved it, and so placed it at the head of my chapter about the nature of consciousness.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Jack, your book is still one of the most enlightening pieces I’ve read on consciousness. Your use of NDE stories really got me interested, and your use of Frozen Time Theory and Einstein’s “Spooky Action” determination were deep…. I now look at my life as something that is just a small small sliver (a speck if you will) of God’s grand creation… not only did your book make me feel small (ha ha, that’s a good thing because there is so so much more!), but it gave me supporting reason to appreciate all that God and Jesus have done for me (us) in His creation!

      Liked by 6 people

  13. Wow… Not what I was expecting, but good to know how deal with/approach the Church’s internal conflict.

    The difficulty I had, until someone pointed it out to me, was staying focused on God when surrounded by crisis distractions around us.

    When we loose focus on God due to a crisis, we just have to refocus back on God, do whatever works best. (Remember God is in control, trust, pray, seek God in the moment & situation, and repeat.) Refocusing is key to including Christ in all we think & do.

    Reading lots of good faith boosting materials helps too.

    Liked by 8 people

  14. The good news from this mechanic’s perspective: When progressives make declarations, I rarely understand what they mean and they don’t answer pointed questions. I still don’t know what a seamless garment is. Binding synodality, spirit of Vatican II, clericalism as the root cause of scandal, etc. It’s not hard to ignore what I don’t understand. The Lord says that his sheep hear his voice. I ask God, let me only hear your voice!

    I envision a schism to break out in the following manner. God asks us if we will hold fast to what has been revealed. Catholics answer “Yes!” Schismatics say “Yes and no, kind of, but not really.”

    Liked by 12 people

  15. Belleville, Illinois. I had to look it up and realize is is south east of St Louis… the Gateway to the West. No less Ferguson was probably in the line of the eclipse.

    Liked by 4 people

  16. Spoke to a (cassock wearing) spiritual advisor earlier this week. He said, in essence, what you have written. Stay focused– no one can keep us from staying the faithful course. Dont get flustered. Great minds think alike! My Cursillo group was together last night, encouraging each other in the same way. No possible way the devil can win. We stay the course…TNRS.

    Liked by 11 people

  17. I don’t often get to read here any more, but sometimes I still steal away a few moments of precious time (something seems to tap me on the shoulder as if to say, “read this one”. And am I ever so greatful I do. I have been reminding myself over and over the words of my father who would tell me, we can’t leave the true Faith. We can’t leave the Church Christ established with the Pope as Vicar. We pray, we wait and see! But what is especially helpful for me in this post is the point of what is Discipline and what is Doctrine. I forget about that point.

    Liked by 8 people

  18. In Medjugorje yesterday, they report that our Mother’s message included a line that embodies and strengthens Charlie’s charge and our mantra: “By your example, you will make it so that those children who do not know my Son and His love may desire to come to know Him.” So to “keep on keeping on” seems adequate Anne!

    Thank you for your wise counsel Charlie, and all of the amazing comments on this site. I feel better informed and trained each time I read here.

    God bless!
    Bill

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Billbad42 I so often hear OL of Medjugorje in Charlies message also Annes the lay apostle. . Thank you soooooo much Jesus and Holy Mother for your help via these wondering seers🤗😇😘

      Liked by 5 people

  19. Right before reading this post, I read this article linked off of Spirit Daily:
    https://spiritdaily.org/blog/news/british-court-in-transgender-case-bible-belief-is-incompatible-with-human-dignity
    I am amazed and saddened by the arrogance of a judge who so quickly overrules 2000 years of history in favor of the latest popular distortion of truth. I am not really surprised by it though.
    It has been a very long time since I posted anything, but I have continued to follow your posts for years Charlie. I appreciate your ability to see and analyze things going on around us. Definitely beyond my intellectual capacity to figure out on my own, but not so far beyond that I can’t understand what you are saying! For my part, I continue to work at improving my awareness of, appreciation for and service toward our amazing God. One lesson God taught me about 20 years ago (quite literally through fire) was that when things are out of control, God is still in control. I have never forgotten that lesson.

    Liked by 10 people

  20. Interesting first reflection this am (Oct 3rd) Patrick Madrid relevant radio (always available on shows on demand) about Russia /Fatima. They are erecting a church dedicated to OL of Fatima while we here in America are getting worse. Sort of interesting if ya’ll wanna heAR it on demand. Oct 3 first hour

    Liked by 3 people

  21. Excellent article.

    The quote from Archbishop Paglia on the redefinition of life makes me ill. I am beginning to develop an allergy to flowery, sweet smelling word-salads that communicate evil.

    Liked by 11 people

    1. When I first read the article a few weeks ago, I literally gagged at the quote I re-printed. Oh woe to those shepherds who prey on their people and their people’s faith! Murderers will have a better chance on judgment day than such as these murderers of the soul and betrayers of Christ.

      Liked by 10 people

  22. Msgr Pope on Francis statements on “ridigity” which I think is very good:
    https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/american-priest-to-pope-im-wearied-from-being-scorned-and-demonized-by-you
    As for the issue discussed here I was once called in my “RIdigity” and “pride” by a priest in the confessional who I knew to be somewhat liberal on a few things. Still I took it to heart as there was a certain pride and smugness in myself which God did need to break. And I was grateful for the rebuke, even though the priest admitted it was hard for him to say. So in myself there is the need to watch for pride and arrogance which as Aquinas once warned of God hates and will allow the proud to fall into degrading sins of lust and shame as a way to call us to our senses. So there is a difference, at least in my case, between the pride of the heart and the honest statements and holding of what we understand God’s truth to be standing firm. Remember the Scribes and Pharisees who held to the truth, and Jesus did tell folks to “Do what they say” but with a pride and arrogance. God help us to hold to what is true but with true humility.

    Liked by 9 people

    1. I think he clearly saw a looming crisis between people who take their faith seriously and people who treat it as an incidental cultural artifact. The details of how that conflict would play out were probably not clear to him – as such details are not clear even to the most penetrating generals before the battle begins. I think he longed for the Church to be truly committed to the faith, but sadly knew that many who are merely cultural Catholics would not accept that – so for a time, it would be smaller.

      For all, resist the temptation to think there are masterminds who have foreseen every detail of how a conflict or controversy will proceed. The only such Mastermind is God. But many of us CAN see the big sweep of things without knowing the details. That is the portion God has given us: to have the capacity to see the big sweep and the likely consequences – and then to choose where we will stand. Those choices determine, in large measure, how the details play out.

      Liked by 9 people

        1. Linda, treasury agents don’t study counterfeit currency to look for fake bills. They spend time studying real currency so when fake bills come along, they realize something does not look right; Although, they do not know what is wrong, they know that it is not right. Read scripture on a regular basis (daily and especially the 4 Gospels) along with studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Do this and you will know when a forgery comes along. You may not know or understand precisely what is wrong, but you will know it is not authentic. God bless you!

          Liked by 10 people

        2. Todays First reading in Liturgy of the hours speaks to this 1 Timothy 1:1-20. The following caught my eye this morning:

          “…the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith.”

          Catholic Study Bible

          1 Timothy 1:3-7

          3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

          4 nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the divine training that is in faith;

          5 whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith.

          6 Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussion,

          7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.

          Liked by 1 person

  24. The Orthodox & Roman Catholic Churches broke up over a definition of the Holy Trinity? Is God really definable?

    The best I can comprehend, God is God, the Father is God fully revealed in all his glory and only approachable by those who perfectly accept the truth of who he is with their purified hearts & souls. Jesus Christ is still God, but God less revealed so that the less perfect souls may be able to approach him (which includes asking for forgiveness of sins.). The Holy Spirit (besides his action in our lives in the gifts he bestows) is more mysterious.

    Liked by 3 people

  25. Well, here’s some Orthodox, and I have to say that I’m very fond of the headgear. Also very fond of their trail dog. Here they are pictured at their annual conference in Olympia, WA, to share their lives of prayer, fraternity, and common struggles and challenges. That ‘rigid’ looking fella with the back brace, far right, is none other than Bro. G, and he’s almost back to his usual spryness –– stronger than before. Spoke with him, and prayers continue to go up for TNRS/ASOH. Also let him know that the last of our bros, the youngest, is fully onboard now and engaged… a full complement of bros!

    “Good,” said he, “it’s crunch time.”

    Liked by 8 people

    4. MP, a few words on your connection to the Orthodox church, please. My maternal grandfather was Greek Orthodox who later converted to Roman Catholicism. As the family story goes, he didn’t need much instruction to be received in the RC church and just switched from the Patriarch to the Pope. The day his son received his First Communion that was his first communion in the RC church too.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. J’50, the only connection I’m aware of is my brother. We come from generations of practicing Roman Catholics on both sides and were raised as such, so you would need to ask him why he felt called to an Eastern Catholic Orthodox Monastery (Ukranian Greek). I too love the topic of family, with a deep devotion to Our Mother passed to us via our maternal great granny, granddad, and ma… and dad via the paternal side. Further back, I think that’s owing to the origin of the family name stemming from, O’Muireadhaigh, meaning descendent of Mac Giolla Muire “descendent of the servant of the Virgin Mary.”

        Ain’t family grand!

        Liked by 2 people

  26. Greetings all! New to commenting, even after reading for years. Strange, how I feel as though I already know many of you, though never have met you. Of late, the climate (cultural that is) has driven me to seek shelter under roofs of fellow Catholic voices. It’s so lonely out here with no one to talk to of what bears upon us. Perhaps some can find solace or interest in these ponderings…

    The battle is the Lord’s. He moves hearts, He makes miracles and all things new. He does so without our approval, without our knowing, often without our seeing, but there are always signs. I was aware of the Revelation 12 sign and at some level knew it was happening up there but didn’t actually see it in the sky at all. I feel rather let down about that, having to rely on a website, but it happened all the same. Everyone was aware of the eclipse, if they actually saw it or not—everyone and for that one fleeting day, people actually looked up into the sky and marveled at its wonders. I contemplate the Christmas star, whatever that was. I wonder how many were aware of it, how many actually saw it, perhaps it was more portentious than just to the wisemen. But in a most secret, unportentious way, God entered the world in human flesh, very few were invited to visit him—a most humble and overlooked sector of society—the shepherds and an unlikely group of traveling Gentile astronomers. He moves hearts—it is a matter of listening to that still, small Voice, the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
    I think also of the day of the Crucifixion. Another sign in the sky—darkness of another eclipse perhaps? The veil of the sanctuary torn in two (top to bottom). But the real revelation was a Man, probably viewed as a failure and laughing stock at that point, dying from an execution. Who, who on earth at that time actually knew the significance of that or at least had the fidelity and endurance to remain with him? Except Mary, John and the centurion Longinus? And let us think about that man, this Longinus, who was pre-disposed in duty at the time and following out orders, pierced the side of the Savior and then and there received the Mercy of God, converting on the spot. Some themes emerge here—patient endurance and trust, no one is beyond the grip of God’s mercy, subtle truths wrapped in great signs and wonders. We must be open to the will of God, not have pre-conceived notions of how things will be carried out, not be overly obsessed in speculation with how are being carried out (guilty am I!) and intensely listening in the silence to that still, small Voice of the One who owns this battle.

    Liked by 10 people

    3. Oh dearest Contemplativejoy… reading your post, I felt like I was at the feet of Our Lord…Mary…listening to Him and not wanting to miss a word. Not wanting to work for the visitors. ..lol… you are not alone. You are speaking truth and God’s holy word. Peace be with you. Please comment more. Simply wow🤗😇😘

      Like

  27. “Does anyone think that this issue would have even come up had Pope Francis been a faithfully orthodox Pope who was notable for his defense of Scripture and the Magisterium? I don’t.”

    True, but the same could be said for marriage annulments. A Catholic marriage could be entered into invalidly (one or both of the spouses not wanting children, for example) and yet they go on to have children and the marriage is never contested as invalid…

    So I don’t think that it would necessarily “expose every Pope who follows Francis to an unending search for technical deficiencies by which they could be suddenly deposed.”

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Great example, Ella…though I think so for different reasons than you do. If annulments were uniformly peaceful things with no false witness being given, I would agree with you. But they are not – and the prevalence of bitter, false charges raised in divorce cases supports, rather than undermines, my point, I think.

      The larger point is that if you open up a new front, if you will, that all must face against those who are ideologically opposed to them, the unscrupulous as well as the scrupulous will take advantage of it to secure their aims.

      Liked by 6 people

  28. Thank you again for this, Charlie and thank you for everyone here! I want to “like” comments but for some reason my computer is in utter rebellion and won’t “like” anything. I was wondering- has there ever been a time when a Pope led a schism? I’m not sure if that is what is happening now and things are so surprising that I’m not sure what in the world is happening. But given that other schisms didn’t seem to be Pope- led, if this is one, that would definitely be the greatest crisis in the Church other than the crucifixion itself. Again, I have no idea and I don’t know at all. This is all above my little brain!

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Thankful, it’s too big for any one of us. That’s why a dear friend reminded me last evening: Next right step baby! So yah! Even a next right baby step counts when we’re doing the little we can right before us. 🙂

      Liked by 6 people

      1. “Next right step, baby!” I love it, Beckita! For the rabid college-basketball fans among us, imagine Dick Vitale saying those words (after all, he seems to be a very TNRS kind of guy).

        Liked by 3 people

  29. Charlie,
    This article made me revisit previous things you were given which I think will still come to pass. Maybe on a different timeline but come they will.

    Tonight a friend of mine sent an article about a new mega Planned Parenthood facility being stealthily built in Illinois. Guess what? It is a mere 6.8 miles from Belleville!

    This summer during an intensive study with Encounter Ministries in Michigan, I was given a vision while being prayed over for an impartation from the Holy Spirit. In it, I saw Jesus pouring an anointing over his people on earth and then a battle. I didn’t know if I was living on earth or battling from the other side. Jesus did not answer that question. What I did know is that it didn’t matter and that we were fighting together and that nothing harmed us. We were all intense but calm. There was no fear. Heaven was joined in with the people from earth.

    Thinking I could figure out where I was by asking where my parents were (they have both gone home to the Lord), I heard “They are in the throne room!” I took it to mean they were interceding. The vision is still vivid and I’ve journaled the entire thing. It was beautiful and comforting.

    Things are getting crazier – but God has no equal. He has already won the battle. Meanwhile, we his church are going to follow Him with our passion, and we will receive the kiss from many Judases betraying the church. The only thing I can do is go forward knowing He will be with me/us in our garden of agony and through our crucifixion. We shall also be with Him in the sure. Resurrection. Now if I can only be brave enough to say with Him “I have come to set fire on the earth and how I wish it were already blazing! “. Luke 12:49

    Please keep on speaking in truth. Everything indeed is being brought to the light.

    God bless!

    Liked by 10 people

  30. Thank you, Charlie! As I was reading and wondering how the heck I will act and choose in the crisis we are in, the lives of Jesus and Mary came to mind. What did their daily life look like – say 5 years before Jesus began his ministry? They had many corrupt religious leaders and all kinds of civil strife. How did they live life and faith in those years “before action” ? Jesus did not “leave the Church.” From the gospels a few years later, we know he spent many hours in prayer, and participated in the Jewish rituals as was proscribed. In all the turmoil, he had that solid connection to the Father that only heartful prayer can nourish. There is so much agitation in the press and even in church commentary, that I need to remember to unplug and give at least as much time to prayer as I do to “surfing”.

    Liked by 7 people

  33. In the link about St. Juan Diego was a mention about how a new basica of Our Lady of Guadalupe was built and the old one turned into a museum. I looked for a picture and found one featuring them both. My reaction was (ಠ_ಠ)

    Liked by 2 people

  34. I felt drawn to Our Lady of Akita’s message, it made me sad after reading it.

    My advice is simple: patience.

    It does say in the Book of Revelations that the devil’s time is short. Very fitting the article ended with “Then war broke out in heaven…”

    Our bishops opposing Pope Francis don’t need to take him down, they just need to delay things and stall his efforts, in time Francis is the one who become desperate & reckless. Our bishops should ignore Francis’ taunts to bring the Church into open conflict.

    Time is on the true Church’s side not the anti-church.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It saddens me how Catholic faith has been systematically desensitized over the past 50+ years. How society’s view on sins has drastically changed, exerts from Akita:
      “What are the sins most prevalent today which are calling down God’s wrath upon us? We see wholesale violations of the first three Commandments. The first Commandment: I am the Lord Thy God, thou shalt not have strange Gods before me”. In summary, we find in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, The Catechism of Pope St. Pius X and the Baltimore Catechism, that the First Commandment forbids idolatry, superstition, spiritism, tempting God, sacrilege and sins against Faith by apostasy, heresy, indifferentism and by taking part in non-Catholic worship.” By taking part in non-Catholic worship! This, indeed, is a powerful indictment against the present ecumenical practice that has swept through and disfigured the Church since the Second Vatican Council.
      The Second Commandment forbids using the Lord’s Name in vain (blasphemy). If we consult the Catechism of the Council of Trent’s treatment of the Second Commandment, it teaches that those who support heresy, and “distort the Sacred Scriptures from their genuine and true meaning,” are guilty of sins against the Second Commandment. Thus, those who distort the message of Scripture, namely Protestants, are in the objective order, guilty of this sin, because their perversion of Sacred Scripture is irreverence to the Holy Word of God.
      The Third Commandment deals with keeping holy the Sabbath Day. It is evident for all to see that Sunday has become a day of business as usual. People doing unnecessary work, places of business opened with people shopping without any regard to the Third Commandment which strictly forbids all unnecessary work and doing business on Sunday.
      The Fifth Commandment: Thou shalt not kill. We see a blatant disregard for this Commandment in the slaughter of over 3500 babies every day by abortion with very, very few doing anything to bring about an end to this human carnage.
      Now we come to the Sixth Commandment, which violation causes more souls to go to Hell than any of the other Ten Commandments. The Sixth Commandment is transgressed in some of the following ways: fornication, homosexuality or sodomy (Rom. 1:27) (2nd Peter 2:6) (St. Jude 1:7), and the separation of spouses (“divorce”) which many times leads to adultery especially if either of the two spouses remarry (Mark 10:11, 12) (Matt. 19:6) (1 Cor. 7:10,11). We see the Sixth Commandment horribly violated by immodest dress. Modesty and purity have practically vanished from our society (1 Tim.2:9-10).”

      Liked by 3 people

      1. It’s been a rough time, Al. Just so grateful for the sign on September 23rd that Our Lady, ordained by God to crush the head is the serpent, is at work… that the satan’s undue influence was broken… and that she has never left her children. At Akita and all the places to here she came and conveyed sobering messages, she was building an army, inducting anyone who would agree to pray for mitigation via the conversion of souls. And even now, the Dawn of a New Tomorrow rises as those faithful to the Lord carry on with building His Kingdom more fully here on earth. We have a future FULL of HOPE!

        Liked by 4 people

        1. Doesn’t Cardinal Paglia’s redefinition of life fly in the face of what the BVM has taught at the apparitions in the 20th century? Is he so unaware of her message? Is he blinded by his pride and simply doesn’t know of these events? It is bewildering to me that a Cardinal would just not know or deliberately reject her message. Once again Nancy Pelosi comes to mind too.

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Beckita I an so grateful that OSU is playing Michigan State tonight so I can go through all these wonderful comments here and not neglect Michael for he is totally engaged in the game😆

          Liked by 1 person

  35. Dear Doug, I want to thank you again for praying for my intentions when you were at the apparition the other day. I had just spent three days sitting in my chair for most of the day, hardly able to walk. My neck was so bad I was wearing my neck brace, but it didn’t seem to be doing any good, and every time I tried to get out of bed and sat on the side of the bed the room was spinning around. And all of a sudden today when I got up none of that happened, I was able to take my brace off, the pain was gone, and I was even able to walk fine and go grocery shopping. It wasn’t until tonight that it hit me how all of this disappeared just overnight. And the only conclusion I can come to is that Mother Mary heard your prayers, and I really feel like a miracle happened. I know these things will happen again as my problems are chronic, but this time was different. It never happened like this before, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for thinking of me and praying for me. Thank you Mary for this great gift and answering his prayers. God bless you. Dee

    Liked by 13 people

    4. St Faustina experienced this once Dolordee.
      “As I was praying before the Most Blessed Sacrament, my physical sufferings ceased suddenly, and I heard this voice in my soul: You see, I can give you everything in one moment. I am not constrained by any law.” (Diary, 1150).June 24,[1937].

      God manifests himself in many ways and He uses us who love Him to become a “victim souls” on His behalf and to carry a heavy cross for a short time. I get these periods myself and usually hear about something that was going on later and figure that is why I was suffering so much and then say: “Oh, that’s why I had such a bad day/week, etc. One time I was passing a really painful kidney stone and then found out later my friends father died at the same time I was in such horrible pain. I had offered the pain up while I was suffering, not knowing what God was up to but believing He was using it for some good reason. He was…..

      Liked by 6 people

      1. You sound just like me Phillip. That’s pretty much what I say too, and what I go through also. I feel very blessed when I have these episodes when He asks me to be a victim soul. There is so much happening in the world today to offer your sufferings for. It’s nice to hear that you offer it up also.

        Liked by 2 people

    5. Dolardee are you on ibuprofen? ?? I’ve been having lots of problems lately and I’m wondering if all the ibuprofen is affecting me??? Tylenol xtra strength on my bucket list for tomorrow. .lol

      Liked by 1 person

      1. So strange that I should find a question about that right at this time. I just spent the last hour researching topical products like “theraworx”. There are at least 50 other products in the same catagory and most of them have 5 stars. They can be used for muscle or joints. I would suggest giving them a try. Ibuprofen, and tylenol were also mentioned with side effects damaging the liver and stomach. I have been using prescription medications stronger than those for 10 yrs now. Topical Lidocaine also helps. If you do an internet search on these products, you will get a lot of good ideas for alternatives. I wish you the best of luck Linda.Thank you for asking.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I just bought Tylenol for arthritis not Tylenol 3..lol..thought 3 was xtra strength. Knees been really hurting but I think ibuprofen is causing tummy discomfort..tks for ur advice too..I’ll lok that up 2nite for sure…oh the joys of old age😁😂😃

          Liked by 2 people

          1. I know, Linda! I’ve decided that the life span of humans has increased to the point that our skeletons wear out while we’re still around! Outliving our mechanical parts.

            Liked by 2 people

          2. Linda, 30 years ago when I was running track in college, I was taking ibuprofen for an injury. It caused me to get a stomach ulcer. Later, I found out that the same thing had happened to one of my teammates.

            Liked by 2 people

      2. A friend of mine had been taking ibuprofen for more than 20 years for sciatica pain. About two weeks ago she was hospitalized because the medication had damaged her stomach and she was no longer able to eat or drink, not even water. She said it was the most painful thing she had ever been through! Thank God, with prayer and good doctors, she’s feeling better now.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Oh my gosh…that is just sooooo scary…yes it does say right on the bottle can cause severe stomach bleeding…I’m assuming that might mean it’s ripping up the deteriorating the inside belly lining…yikes…so much for ibuprofen. .tried Tylenol xstrength…just doesn’t work like ibuprofen. .hahhaha…so suffer we will then dog gonnit…offer it up and there we go😂😂😂

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Yeah, Linda, Tylenol is definitely inferior to ibuprofen as a pain killer. After my last C-section, the doctors at the hospital wanted to put me on Oxycodone for the pain; but I said no because I’m actually allergic to opioids. So then they suggested ibuprofen, but I said no because it gives me ulcers. So they put me on Tylenol (without codeine). I kind of joke about it now, but trying to deal with C-section pain by taking Tylenol was no laughing matter at the time.

            Liked by 2 people

            1. Oh my gosh Mick..that had to be horrible. .I had two c sections (first born…not globetrotting tom..was 11 lbs at birth) and I remember even 34 yrs ago how bad pain was…yikes..God bless you so much Mick..🤗😇😘

              Like

              1. Thanks, Linda; God bless you and yours, too.

                Funny thing is, discomfort and all, we’d both do it all over again for our babies, wouldn’t we? 🙂

                Liked by 1 person

    6. Dolor see, how wonderful is our Mother who cares for all her Children! How grateful I am. My soul magnifies the Lord in God my savior through Jesus Christ! I celebrate great joy with you! Again, you and Dianebev were especially on my heart this trip. My backpack was amazing 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

      2. Doug, we thank you so very much for carrying us with you in your heart and mind on your trip to Medjugorje. What an amazing Prayer Warrior you are for us. God Bless You and Lambzie, so many times!

        Liked by 3 people

      3. Doug, as miraculously as it disappeared overnight, giving a day or two to get necessary things done, I woke up two days later back in the same condition, only twice as bad. I really feel bad mentioning this, but I have to be truthful. But I still feel that what happened the very next morning after you prayed at the apparition was truly a miracle. What I am experiencing now will subside a little , slowly, hopefully, area by area, but not like it did everything all at once like that morning. This seems to be my next right step. Something to offer up, and time for prayer, since I can’t get out and do anything else.Our Mother is still wonderful, and I’m still overwhelmed by that experience.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Dee, it was a totally beautiful respite from pain that Our Lady brought to you. What a special gift. You are an inspiration in offering your pain at a time when our Church and world desperately need acts of sacrifice for conversion, cleansing, repairing and rebuilding.

          Liked by 2 people

        2. That’s nice Dee.  I imagine you got a little teaser taste of heaven.   I got whacked with a nasty bug traveling hime.  So I have been pretty miserable and also back at work.  Sigh…. It is ok though.   I expect trials.  This is part and parcel of growth in the faith.  Our ultimate destiny is not here.  The little touches along the way are signal graces.  I imagine Jesus saying to you “I got you covered.  This is a little grace to let you know I am here.  You are precious to me”  God bless you!Sent from Doug’s Back Pack

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Doug, so sorry to hear you are sick. Prayers going up for a quick recovery., I was in Medjugorje in the 90’s, and I was blessed with a wonderful signal grace on apparition hill. I took a photo of the cross stuck in a pile of rocks back then, and when the photo was developed, it came back showing a bright beam of light from the sky (heaven) right down to the cross. Imagine how my heart leapt. I’m sure you and Lambzie had many similar graces on your trip.Thank you for all your heartfelt responses.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. That’s neat Dee!  Our experience was subtle and deep.  We have come to learn and embrace more about suffering.  We have been through the ringer (especially Lambzie), but know there is great purpose and dignity in it as We do our best to align it with Christ’s suffering.  We all carry our crosses and they are all different.  It is still a mystery to us, but we accept it.  What many find hard is when pain hits, they blame God.  This is exactly what the devil wants us to do.  God bless you!Sent from Doug’s Back Pack

              Liked by 1 person

  37. Happy St Francis’ Feast Day! 😉
    Oh! & Dear St Francis! Would you please give your Vatican namesake a swift kick in the butt for me. Thank You. Amen!
    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/francis-of-assisi-a-saint-for-our-age

    http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/vatican-approves-miracle-of-polish-cardinal-stefan-wyszynski

    https://stream.org/youve-got-friend-cant-see-hes-angel/

    https://spiritdaily.org/blog/news/british-court-in-transgender-case-bible-belief-is-incompatible-with-human-dignity

    https://stream.org/the-lgbt-bully-squad-is-coming-for-your-church-next/

    https://www.catholicleague.org/usa-today-slams-church-for-defending-itself/

    https://www.theblaze.com/steve-deace/brandt-jean-if-living-proof-that-the-gospel-is-true

    Once upon a time in the USA, the militant arm of the Democrat Party was the hooded/masked KKK and Union Thugs ….. now the Democrat Party militant arm is hooded/masked ANTIFA.
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/10/antifa-calls-for-black-bloc-protest-at-minneapolis-trump-rally-america-is-cancelled/

    https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2019/10/02/cbs-sets-out-vilify-pro-lifers-exploit-woman-seeking-abortion

    https://spectator.org/impeachment-is-about-putting-down-the-peasants-revolt/

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 8 people

  38. Hi Charlie,
    thanks for this piece, for all your work on the pro life front and for your spiritual guidance.

    Since I began to read your blog in 2014, after a first period of fear of what would come to pass (the Storm, the destruction of every institution in which we could find support , etc) I have been finding such a significant and important guidance in your writings.
    I do not usually read religious or theological books, I’m lazy in that regard, but I must say the summaries provided by you have been providential.
    I probably have been involved in my personal life too much, what with my health problems, and with my family and my job, so really it has been precious to always be able to rely on your expertise, competence and faith.
    I see all you said in the past, happening around me.
    But fortunately I have in your writings a sort of compass to navigate this time.

    Here in Italy I really cannot say I have faith left in any important institution. The Parliament, the Presidency of the Republic, the political parties and movement, the Government, the European Union, the Catholic Hierarchies, the Media have been very disappointing for me and many Italians.

    Parties and MPs have been showing their corruption, egocentrism, dishonesty. It is clear how the belonging to the EU has become a sort of cult, a religion that cannot be criticized.
    I say this for the institutions, of course there are good people, but the system seems to be rotten.
    I have my own responsibility and sins as everyone, but I discovered there are people really corrupted to the core in the institutions.

    In 2018 the President of the Italian Republic refused to accept a Minister of Finance proposed by the Lega party (the party of Salvini), that is professor Savona, because this very capable politician and economist had expressed in papers and interviews his criticism towards the European currency, Euro, guilty of having caused in Italy a recession equal in % of decrement of industrial production to that provoked by WWII !!. He said he had qualms about Savona’s competence. But the same President had accepted years before a Minister of University and Instruction that had only the junior high school diploma (that is she went to school only till she was 14 years old) and a Minister of Health, that had not even a medical degree and no competence at all, both were in the Democratic Party Government, which was pro-EU and pro Euro. The President of the Republic cannot refuse to accept a Minister if the Premier has the majority in Parliament! So you can understand, our Constitution is trampled upon.
    In 2017 the same President signed a bill who obliged children to 10 compulsory vaccinations; if people didn’t comply, their children would not go to school. This is against our Constitution, but he signed all the same. There was no epidemic, save for that created by media. It only had happened in 1938 with the laws against the Jews (healthy children out of school, I mean). But compulsory vaccination were supported by the Obama Administration and Italy had to be the guiding nation of this new strategy (decided in 2014).

    The Pope and Italian Bishops (probably not all of them) seem to be in any way against the Italian people. They support the Parties and Governments that are pro EU, pro Euro, pro-migrants, that is to say the things that will lead to the final destruction of our Country. Translated it means Pope+Bishops are in favor of the Democratic Party, a party which is also pro LGTB, pro-gender, pro-migrants, pro ethnical substitution (through the Ius Soli), pro-Euthanasia. And it seems this party is trying to accelerate all these bills.

    When last summer, some months ago, Salvini had made a statement about the Rosary and about having entrusted Italy to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (I know that Salvini is not very religious, but he tried, it might also be that his declaration was to get more votes, I give him the benefit of the doubt), the Bishops were furious against him, very furious! What shall I think about them?

    Unfortunately Salvini decided to leave the Government in August, after the Five Stars Movement (which was at the Government with Lega) voted Ms. Van der Leyen (a very pro EU and pro Euro politician at the European Commission) and after other facts. Salvini was very wrong, he hoped to go to the elections, but he committed a serious mistake, because the Five Stars Movement allied with the Dems, a Party they had strongly criticized till a month before! They had called it the “Party of Bibbiano”, from the name of a village in Emilia Romagna, where Communists before (and Dems, when they changed their name) have been governing towns and the Region since the end of WWII. In this village it was discovered a system developed by the Mayors of the area, the social services, private psychologists and private institutions that house abandoned children. The psychologists took children from innocent families (but usually poor ones), convinced the children through psychological sessions and also electric therapies, that they had been raped or abused by their parents, usually the father (but it was false). They made up false proofs like modified drawings of the children, in order to have the children forever taken by their families, then they gave them to the Institutions that housed them for a lot of money paid by the Town Councils (even 200 Euros a day). There is a manager of the social services in the area of Bibbiano that is a LGTB. She gave some children, so abducted from their families, to her ex lovers, some of which were accused to be mentally instable. It was clear even to the judge that this system was implemented, not only to enrich someone out of the citizens taxes, but also with the ideological purpose of destroying the natural family and the family bonds, in order to substitute them with a modern, open, LGTB, liberal family(?) model. Well the Five Stars Movement, till it was at the Government with Lega, denounced the Bibbiano facts. Its representatives said “Never with the Party of Bibbiano “, that is never with Dems, but they allied with them, soon after Salvini left the Government. So they avoided new elections and now they rule with the Dems.
    And to h..ll with the poor Bibbiano children and falsely accused parents (some of which many years ago- the inquiry then was named Veleno, that is “Poison”, killed themselves with the entire family, aunt and grandparents, for the shame of being accused to be the rapists of their children)!

    One of this new Government bill proposes to take away the crosses from all the schools. Do you think the Bishops were furious at it as they had been against Salvini and his Rosary? Of course not. They have other issues. In fact the Archbishop of Bologna even advised on the occasion of the Feast of the Saint Patron of Bologna to avoid putting pork meat in the traditional Bolognese tortellini, but to put chicken, because pork would offend Muslims.

    Other bills are to implement euthanasia, bills condemning hate speech towards transgender and gay, and again a bill to put a new tax on the cash that you take from ATM plus more taxes on the houses and a higher VAT (and this while we are in recession, but we must impose more taxation in order to placate the EU Goddess).

    Note that I do not even fully support Salvini, because he promised Italexit and never delivered.
    You said politicians were dead man walking, if I well remember, that is it is now out of their ability to correct the ship trajectory. But at least you still have Trump!
    I could continue, but I quit because I could be annoying.

    Charlie, I thank you, because in this political, religious and cultural situation, I have greatly benefited from your writings and I’m trying to do my best with my family, my job, my friends.
    I’m in various chats and on the occasion I try to share things about my Faith, also about your blog, the Storm and the Rescue. I’ve obtained a Grace from Mary, whom I never really trusted with my heart as I trusted Jesus. She made me find a therapy for my only ear that still functions and I’ve been well for some months. I hope this will continue in the Winter too. I asked her specifically and she was good to me. I never really thought I deserved to be healed, so perhaps I did not have enough Faith. Jesus on the contrary helped me in finding a new position where I work (I had asked him specifically!), so I reduced my working time and changed colleagues and that also has benefited my health.
    Charlie, I think Italy will fail, because of the UE. I hope we shall be strong enough.

    A last prayer to you and the readers: I have been very sad to learn that a boy of our town, Alberto, 15 yrs old, after a very silly fall on the beach last summer, will remain tetraplegic, that is he will not be able to move from the neck down. The kid is desperate, he was very lively, very alive, practiced basketball, was in the age where you find the first love, you think all you life is in front of you, etc.. now he is stuck in a bed.
    Please, I beg a prayer for him (he could be my son , I have a 13 yrs old boy). He says he wants to die. Parents are out of their minds, I’ve learned through acquaintances that they, among various options, want to get information for the assisted suicide in Switzerland (I do not know if it is legal), because the kid says that he wants to die and the doctors gave them no hope, while at first a rehab had been thought viable and the parents themselves cannot cope with the situation, though the father is a physician. So please if you can spare a prayer for this kid, Alberto, 15 years old, I would be extremely grateful, in fact I would even consider it a present for my birthday, that is today (48!).

    Thanks for reading, un abbraccio a tutti (hugs to you all), Charlie, Beckita, Doug, Mick, Steve BC, Jlynnbird, MP, Linda, Daniel Patrick and all…
    Lilia

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Thank you for this summary of your perspective on your native land of Italy, Lilia. Obviously, I know America intimately, so that is the perspective from which this website is usually written, though it is for all the world. The things we are suffering as Christians and the heirs of Western Civilization come to all. I very much appreciate the intimate details of other lands where Christians are struggling and under assault.

      It is striking to me that everywhere, the family is under assault. It is equally striking to me that, everywhere, it is mouthy dissident supposedly Christian clerics who are often the most rabid detractors of the faith leading the assault. Yet I remain convinced that God is simply luring all to declare themselves – and the most rabid are the first out of the gate. God bless you for determining that, come what may, you will serve the Lord. Abbracci a te!

      Liked by 8 people

    2. Lilia, praise be to God for your prayers answered. I have prayed for Alberto and all who have been entrusted to care for him.

      I hold you and yours and Italy close to my heart in prayer. Happy birthday! ❤

      Liked by 6 people

    3. So good to hear from you, Lilia. You remind me that we are worldwide kindred spirits sailing these treacherous waters, yearning for the Full Triumph of Our Lady’s Heart. Praise her and her Son for bringing you physical relief! God bless you and your sweet heart for Alberto. Lifting him in a PMT right now while sending St. Maximilian Kolbe to remain with him and his family.

      Liked by 6 people

    4. I certainly hope and pray Alberto and his family put aside all euthanasia thoughts.
      What a glorious crown he will receive if he can accept his condition and offer it up. (Even if/while praying for a cure).
      And I realize it’s easy for me to say, not being in his place.
      I think the following can apply to anyone, not just a Religious. From the booklet “THOUGHTS of THE CURE D’ARS” (St. John Vianney):
      “At the hour of your death you will see that you have saved more souls by your illness than by all the good works you might have accomplished in health” – To a sick Religious who had been sent to the Cure by his Superior.

      Liked by 6 people

    5. Hi, Lilia! I wish you a very Happy Birthday (how wonderful to have been born on the feast day of St. Francis). I will certainly keep Alberto and his parents in my prayers.

      Liked by 4 people

    7. Hi, Lilia! I’m delighted to hear you are healing and actually doing pretty well these days. Excellent news. 😀

      Thank you for the news about Italy. I saw that Salvini had left and have wondered what was going on in your country.

      As you request, I will pray for Alberto and all those around him. Such a tough challenge. I remember hearing about Superman the Man of Steel, the actor Christopher Reeve who fell from a horse at the peak of his success, broke his neck, and was a quadriplegic. He went on to do great work in encouraging research into healing such injuries. I heard once that when he was wheeled through a hotel kitchen to make a speech at a convention, everyone in the kitchen stood and honored him for his great work. He became an amazing story and inspiration after he lost his ability to move. So there is hope that if Alberto can hang in there and find his God-given task in life, he will be fine. Who knows, perhaps he will complete Reeve’s great work.

      Liked by 5 people

    9. LILIA FLORENTIAE oh my gosh oh my dear Lord oh my Mother Mary… bless you, bless you, bless you… we are all so connected spiritually. We all suffer together. . May our hearts gather in unison🤗😇😘🤗😇😘🤗😇😘 ps..u r really really smart😉

      Liked by 2 people

    10. Hi Lillia, that was quite a summary. It is good to hear from you. The political issues there sound very messy. I have not discussed the political situation lately with my coworkers in Milan, but I am actively engaged with a project with them. I think there is a grander scheme here pushing for a one world order. The EU is a big trial baloon. When the next economic down turn ( or collapse) comes, this will be a time that I think globalists will try and take advantage of. This is one reason why Trump is so despised. He has thwarted the globalists plans (at least temporarily). Thinking a lot on this can be overwhelming at times. I just got back from Medjugorje where our Lady is allegedly appearing. Have you heard about Mdejugorje? There were about 10,000 people there along with many from your beautiful country. I found it very profound listening to the Rosary in Italian in various places. A key theme is to prepare out hearts spiritually for a visitation with God. Prayer with the heart, fasting, reading the Bible, confession and Holy Mass are emphasized in a big way. No matter the circumstances, getting right with God is a good antidote. May God reach into Alberto’s heart in a most profound way and may the Blessed Mothe place her mantle over you!

      Liked by 4 people

    11. Lilia
      Praying for you, your family, Alberto and his family and your nation. It is tough, these times, but God is with us. I pray we are with God.
      I urge you , on behalf of Alberto, to seek out Joni Eareckson Tada’s story. She IS quadriplegic from a diving accident at the age of 17, maybe 30 years ago. She serves God in an awesome ministry that assists the disabled community. Her life’s story is very uplifting. There are a number of youtube videos about her and the struggles she has faced over the years, especially early on with depression and anger. She sang the theme song to the movie “Alone, yet not Alone”, a few years back. It is also on youtube. Her site: http://www.joniandfriends.org
      I pray Joni’s life inspires Alberto to ask God what He wants of him.
      God bless, Judy

      Liked by 2 people

  40. I’ve run through this column three times now and can only say that it all expresses some very challenging stuff. Led me to ponder folks who challenge us in all ways… good, bad or indifferent.

    Recalled a certain team from the distant past this morning… more specifically a certain assistant coach. He was the father of one of players. Had this penchant for a certain drill which consisted of us pushing his old rust bucket back and forth and all around the football field. Usually he singled out the same group of guys to do it, typically ending the practice on that exhausting note. It was difficult, and we all came to loathe that junker car of his.

    As if that wasn’t bad enough, he loved to ride the brake if we got the slightest bit of momentum. Sometimes we’d manage to power through it when the grass was slick, in which case he’d wait for a patch with traction to slam on the brake. It was like hitting a brick wall. Had us all wondering if he didn’t enjoy it in a malicious sort of way.

    About half way through the season I hatched a plan, getting the two big tackles onboard first… then the rest followed. The plan was simple but rebellious. Since the car was a small model, and since we felt we were up to it, we decided to flip the car over on its side at the earliest opportunity.

    That opportunity presented itself in the last practice of the season. So, we did, with him in it.

    I remember a huge jolt of satisfaction that quickly gave way to a sense of dread as that guy crawled out of the side window. Turns out he was laughing and grinning ear to ear, pad slapping the boys, giving atta’ boys, and whatnot.

    ‘Course he made us flip it upright, but the team was so exhilarated at that point that it was easy work.

    The rust bucket drill team went on to the local Catholic High School, our grade school being one of the many Catholic feeder schools in the area. Teamed up with a bunch of great kids from the other schools, but we remained a tight knit group who thrived on the training challenges. Hey, we figured we seen it all. Bring it. We flipped a car.

    Truth be told, I was annoyed with that assistant coach for years after. Every time he showed up at one of our H.S. games, I wanted to grab the boys, hit the parking lot, and flip his car again.

    A couple of months back, I saw a picture of that guy with his son (we keep in touch on the Socials). Both were smiling and looking happy, though time has done its thing. How grateful I was at the memory… that assistant coach who was so challenging.

    Some might think me an apologist for Pope Francis. Nope. Nothing of the sort. I’m just thankful for being the better for it after any challenge.

    Whatever the case, let’s make the best of it.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Well, MP, you do well. You are not reacting to what might happen, but what is happening as it happens. Even better, you see the fruit of purification that comes from either legitimate or illegitimate challenges. This is what I’m talking about.

      Liked by 6 people

    2. I prefer the direct approach… of course safety in mind.

      The DHS training video is from Socorro NM for First Responders in Ordinance recognition. First rule… don’t touch it. We learned not to kick the bomb…

      Liked by 3 people

      1. That option was actually on the table, Sean, albeit one of the crazy, feverish ideas early on. Turning a car on its side –– just shocking enough, without going overboard. I think he was a good sport about it because most of the other coaches were tiring of his methods too.

        Liked by 1 person

  41. Angels to Saudi Arabia’s leader this week. Initially I thought to send angels to Cardinal Burke next week but at the last minute I was inspired to send them to Brazilian Cardinal Hummes the chosen leader of the Amazon synod slated to start next week He is in great need. God save us lest we parish. May God continue to guide and bless all here. jas

    Liked by 5 people

  42. Praying for Alberto. I pray that his parents believe in God and in healing miracles. God can do anything if it is His will. If Alberto doesn’t receive a miraculous healing, I pray that he will offer himself to God’s will for the greater good. God, please help this family withstand this crisis in their lives.

    Liked by 5 people

  44. As so many of our families have members away from the fold… Jesus instructed St. Faustina, (today’s feast day), to recite this prayer….

    Conversion Prayer

    “I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you meditate upon My Passion. Call upon My mercy on behalf of sinners; I desire their salvation. When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give him the grace of conversion. This is the prayer:

    “O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.” (186, 187)

    A link to her complete diary..https://diaryofstfaustina.wordpress.com/
    (an imp.excerpt for new converts)

    The Hour of Great Mercy

    “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” (1320)

    “I remind you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world – mercy triumphed over justice.
    My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant.” (1572)

    Liked by 11 people

    2. “Because Sister Maria Faustina knew that the revelations she had already received did not constitute holiness itself, she wrote in her diary: “Neither graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor gifts granted to a soul make it perfect, but rather the intimate union of the soul with God. These gifts are merely ornaments of the soul, but constitute neither its essence nor its perfection. My sanctity and perfection consist in the close union of my will with the will of God.””
      https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-maria-faustina-kowalska/

      Looking forward to seeing the movie:

      Liked by 9 people

  45. God Bless & Guide our Pro-Life Warriors on the Frontline!!

    https://onenewsnow.com/pro-life/2019/10/04/life-chain-linking-up-this-month
    https://www.oann.com/40-days-for-life-campaign-kicks-off/

    https://www.oann.com/pro-life-student-group-pushes-colleges-to-support-pregnant-women/

    https://onenewsnow.com/politics-govt/2019/10/04/racist-another-name-for-anyone-on-the-right

    https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-court-abortion/us-supreme-court-takes-up-major-louisiana-abortion-case-idUSW1N26H05Q

    https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/10/02/Planned-Parenthood-unveils-secretly-built-abortion-clinic-in-Illinois/4991570030740/?sl=18

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/minnesota-attorney-general-keith-ellison-just-declared-war-on-religious-freedom-and-free-speech

    https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/christian-doctor-fired-gender-pronoun

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/10/the_purge_of_conservatism_from_america.html

    Ain’t this nice!? From the same Usual Suspects that gave us “efficient” toilets that don’t flush, poisonous light bulbs from China and backyard puddles now labeled as National Waterways….. Solar “Green” Energy. The only Green in these “Deals” is the Taxpayer $$$ that goes to Democrat Crony “Capitalists” and Political Kick-Back$ ….. but …. it’s really about CONTROL …. of your wallet, home, business and Life …. and be damned if you complain!! It’s ALL coming apart …. and to the Light of Day and ………… ;-(
    https://thefederalist.com/2019/10/04/north-carolina-energy-company-finds-solar-power-actually-increases-pollution/

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 7 people

  46. Been running through this post a couple of times now. At first it had me a bit downhearted with the thought of schism. There’s already so much schism in families, at work must we suffer it in the church where it sometimes feels like the only place we can feel at peace. But after chewing on it for a while, I realize the schism is already there, all that’s going to happen is that the veil will fall and reveal things we don’t clearly see now. And that’s one more step towards Mom’s triumph.
    Also watched a great talk in the “Esto Vir” series on youtube with Fr Larry Richards, and am ready to get back into the good fight.
    Viva Christo Rey!

    Liked by 7 people

  47. I just finished listening to John Allen a Catholic journalist in Rome and a member of the Word on Fire Institute of Bishop Robert Barron. He talks about the current issues in the Church this week and of course they tie into the post by Charlie and comments expressed here. He is very factual and articulate and I think you all will find it informative.
    God Bless all of us as we try to follow the Lord’s teaching in our daily lives and adhere to the doctrines of our church.
    Judith A.I.

    Liked by 7 people

  49. Okay, about a Bishop and a Pastor: I’m in trouble with both because I spoke out. I had a terrible
    confession with my pastor(I had to go somewhere else to confess my confession) so that should give you an idea.
    It seems that our Pastor who is a (from Spain- that’s why I used the title)has decided to start an Hispanic youth group without informing the director or assistants of the 122 member parish youth group, of whom many are of Hispanic origin-probably 3/4 of the Youth Group. When we had registration we wound up with only 52 coming back and most are my class which is Confirmation 2. When questioned about this series of events our pastor replied that the Hispanics wanted to be separated. Well, according to the parents who came to apologize because they were “forced” to move their children this is not the case at all. Some are ok with it;some are not. I mentioned this dismay to the parochial victor who in turn passed it on to the pastor who in turn brought it up in confession calling me ugly and angry. I begged to differ. (Hence my need for another confession). We found out after that the pastor knew the Bishop decided that the kids must be in High School to be eligible to receive Confirmation. So I wrote the Bishop and asked if he would reconsider. We have so many high schoolers that do college credit work and service for their AP programs that we will lose them and they will miss out on this amazing sacrament. He did not respond but the pastor did. It seems that this was put into effect 4 years ago and the pastor let it ride. So the Bishop’s annoyed that I would question him, the Pastor is closing our youth group in the form of bigotry and I need to go to daily confession! Please advise me if I was wrong. Seriously, if there is something I could have done differently I will send letters of apology. (And head off to confession because I’m really not sorry, just admitting I was wrong. Actually I’ll be sorry for being wrong!)

    Liked by 5 people

    1. For crying out loud, Joan. If you are bringing up a topic for discussion and clarification and the pastor is labeling you “ugly and angry” the problem is NOT with you. That the Bishop put something in place four years ago which was not clearly conveyed to you, the problem is NOT in you asking to clarify, discuss and suggest reconsideration of what has been done. I’m not following you completely on the bigotry problem but this sounds like a chaotic mess. But what a sad series of developments for the kids. What disrespect for the director and assistants whom you mention were not informed.

      I’m sure others here will have some wisdom for you to consider as you work your way through this. I wouldn’t play games to smooth things over. If I were in your shoes, I would prayerfully seek Holy Spirit’s inspiration, guidance, wisdom and discernment as I consult the calmer, wise ones who also teach these kids. Then, after taking counsel and praying, I would trust my gut as to how to respond to these circumstances as they are. Prayers for you as you work through this, Joan.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. … and when we get to heaven God will explain how this was allowed to happen as He can see
        “down the road” and bring good out of it.
        A Prayer to the Holy Spirit
        by Cardinal Mercier
        O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You.
        Enlighten me, guide me,
        strengthen me, console me.
        Tell me what I should do;
        give me Your orders.
        I promise to submit myself
        to all that You desire of me and
        to accept all that You permit to happen to me.
        Let me only know Your Will.

        Click to access Prayers%20to%20the%20Holy%20Spirit.pdf

        Liked by 3 people

      2. Dear Beckita, it has been awful. In a program where all of our kids are welcome the pastor has segregated us by ethtnicity. Our director, who’s wife Charlie met here at a small dinner, has just suffered a massive heart attack and found out that the VA had misdiagnosed him. He is suffering physically but is so hurt by the betrayal of the pastor who has relied on him for not only direction of our youth group but also repairs to electrical equipment and appliances FOR FREE. We are all volunteers. I cannot count the mountains of cupcakes (and Key Lime pies and carrot cakes) that I have supplied over five years. This is such a backward way to travel. When we took over youth group there were 18 kids. We built it to over 120 and it was self sufficient due to multiple and service work. I view this as the same thing happening on our Lurch to Gomorrah. turning away from The hierarchy traditional teaching to create a church for some and only those “some” who fill some kind of need in the bosses. I am worried for my friend’s health but I can tell you that these children will be lost. They are as sponges soaking up your words watching how you say it and taking away what you do and not say. I have met these other teachers and good people but so totally unaware of the faith. The Spanish Mass is filled with 2 hour homilies and personal testimonies . The Spirit is missing. The reverence is gone and so will the kids be when they are no longer forced to go. Please pray for us as we weather this storm. The Church in our little parish is certainly going to get smaller before it strengthens. I feel like the Cardinals of the Dubia. LOL

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Absolutely praying for you guys, SJM… for your friend who suffered the heart attack and his family, for you teachers and for the kids and their families. What a difficult trial!

          I’ve been pondering how the Bishops will need to take a stand and clearly reveal their own hearts AND, really, so will each priest and lay person in each parish. What’s happening in your church community based on the circumstances you have described will be coming to every parish around the world based on the circumstances of what is served up via the Amazon Synod. Many, many parishes which I have visited have a sort of uneasy peace between those who are orthodox and honor the Teaching Magisterium and those who are free-wheeling and ambiguous about following and proclaiming the fullness of Truth in the Magisterium. We will need to be steady, faithful sons and daughters of Mother Church to weather this Storm surge soon to be upon us. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. SJM, I just read the meditation for Day 54 of the Rosary Novena and thought of your situation and the many storms we all have and must face. Perhaps you’ve signed up for inbox delivery. If not, here it is:
            No cross, no crown. No pain, no gain. No guts, no glory. St. James summons us to see the challenges we face as opportunities to rise to new heights of existence, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jas 1:12).

            In the military, the cross and crown symbolizes a soldier’s willingness to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, and to country, no matter what. This kind of unwavering dedication is exactly what Jesus meant when he gave us the criterion for enlisting in his elite fighting force: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Lk 9:23-25).

            While sounding like a military drill instructor, St John Vianney expounds on this radical call to discipleship: “There is no doubt about it: a person who loves pleasure, who seeks comfort, who flies from anything that might spell suffering, who is over-anxious, who complains, who blames, and who becomes impatient at the least little thing which does not go his way – a person like that is a Christian only in name; he is only a dishonor to his religion, for Jesus Christ has said so: ‘Anyone who wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day of his life, and follow Me.'”

            The Gospels stories show how Jesus touched people in ways that made them question the direction of their lives. Some turned away because his challenge seemed to be too hard. But many others were so moved by his mission and ministry that they were compelled to search for a more perfect way of living and being. Where do you stand? Are you ready to put it all on the line? This means nothing less than to do what God is calling you. Are you ready to say “yes” to the call to become his champion? (Excerpt from my book, Church Militant Field Manual).

            God bless us all as we carry on.

            Liked by 2 people

Comments are closed.

Unknown's avatar

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.