On This Independence Day..

As we celebrate our nation's birthday, not too many people will give enough thought as to just what we're celebrating.  As we chomp on burgers and hot dogs and perhaps watch some fireworks, few will ponder anything outside of the ability to enjoy a fair amount of creature comforts and recreation; therein lies the peril to the continuance of the United States of America as we know it.


I am old enough to remember days when the United States of America embraced a mindset and a set of morals that were based on Judeo-Christian tradition.  Marriage between a man and a woman was honored.  Abortion was rightly regarded as murder, and the homosexual lifestyle was rightly regarded as perversion.  Of course there were individuals who failed to live up to these ideals - and some of these individuals occupied high places.  However, our mores and customs upheld those ideals.  Concurrent with that was a greater sense of law and order.  When I was a child, my parents were not afraid to let me stay outside at night; nowadays, no sane parent would let their children roam the streets in such a manner (of course, there are some irresponsible parents, but that will be its own rant later).

However, underneath all that seeming tranquility, mischief was brewing.  In the turmoil of what is commonly known as "the 60s", that mischief became manifest.  Our Judeo-Christian moral basis for our society, once taken for granted (its own problem), was jettisoned by a large percentage of the population.  That same segment of the populace simultaneously started clamoring for our political structures to assume socialistic properties.  Yes, that segment of the population were, and are, progressives.  As people shunned self-restraint in their lusts for pleasure, creature comforts and entertainment, they looked to government to be their parents.

I now refer you to an article written by Paul Kengor, based on his reflections of the song "America The Beautiful".  Many of us have sung that song so often that we've memorized it - but have we pondered the second verse?  Our Founding Fathers realized that our constitutional republic would be impossible to maintain unless citizens were self-governed by their Judeo-Christian convictions.  George Washington, in his Farewell Address on September 19, 1796, quite plainly stated that.  I quote from section 27: "Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."  (emphasis mine)  John Adams, 2nd President of the United States, said in an address to a military regiment on October 11, 1798, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."  

So there you have it.  Two of our Founding Fathers (and the first two presidents) have both plainly stated that unless citizens govern themselves according to Judeo-Christian morality, they will render themselves incapable of the self-discipline needed to participate as citizens of a constitutional republic.  We see that baby-murder is running rampant with the approval of all levels of government (although there are heartening signs of awakening in some state legislatures).  The so-called "gay-marriage" pretense is being legalized in one state after another; New York is merely the latest.

Now comes the million-dollar question.  Where are our bishops?  Why are they not proclaiming this truth from the pulpits and demanding the same of their priests?  Why, oh why, do they not condemn contraception as a mortal sin that destroys family life and that leads to the other mortal sin of baby-murder?  Why do they not condemn homosexual activity as a mortal sin that perverts marriage and that leads to the ultimate peril of those who practice it?  Read some words of wisdom from Lifesitenews, our Canadian friends.  As you know, Canada is further down the slippery slope to degradation than is the USA - but not by much!  They are urging our bishops to speak forthrightly - in other words, to live up to their status as bishops and shepherds of not only the Church, but in fact all people.

Michael Voris has spoken on these matters while in Ireland.  I'll post his video now (click here if you can't see embedded video) and afterwards post a suggestion.



In the Bible, 2 Chronicles 7:14 states, "And my people, upon whom my name is called, being converted, shall make supplication to me, and seek out my face, and do penance for their most wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land."  That means us, fellow faithful Catholics!  We must pray and do reparation!  Start today by praying the Rosary and going to Mass.  Make an ongoing commitment for regular intercession.  Why not make a commitment to pray in front of your local abortion mill?  You might even save a baby by doing so.  Start doing so now!  We have no time to waste.