The Little Things Matter A Lot In The Spiritual And Cultural War

Today in Crisis Magazine appeared an article entitled "Can The Church Recover Its Fighting Spirit?" by William Kilpatrick.  In his piece, the author focuses on how Catholic leadership, beginning with the pope, are surrendering themselves and the Church to Islam.  He rightly points out that in past generations, Catholics fought against Islamic encroachment and prevailed.  The Catholic in the pew indeed is receiving little guidance from his/her leaders.  In fact, if such a Catholic displays any wariness regarding Muslims, his/her bishop will chide him/her for being "rigid" and "xenophobic" or other such slurs.

While I think everything that Kilpatrick says is true, I don't think he quite gets to the root of the problem.  Many Catholics don't know who they are, as the bride of Christ.  They don't know their faith, they don't know their doctrine, they don't know their God.  Without these, there can be no "fighting spirit".

Below is a video by Michael Matt of the Remnant.  He touches upon cultural issues.  He too understands that as late as 80 years ago, Catholics were firm in their faith.  Consequently they had the respect of the culture at large, even if that respect was given grudgingly.



Matt discusses the fact that this culture has infected all of us to varying degrees; none are unscathed although we may not be aware of the damage wrought upon us.  I certainly don't consider myself exempted.  I saw a rather telling example of that last week, particularly in reaction to this video that was posted to my facebook wall.  A number of us took exception to the mother's behavior (not the baby's) in: 1) not restraining her child from distracting others about to receive Holy Communion and 2) proceeding to post it and (it appears) license it out for some sort of gain.  We were taken aback by the commenters on the video and my post who excoriated us for being "heartless".  In a word, they were letting their feelings trump intellect and will.

Now why do I bring this up, one might ask.  "It's just a small aberration, quite harmless", they say.  Dear readers, it is precisely in these "small matters" that our awareness of God and our Catholic culture is whittled away, minuscule piece by minuscule piece.  Each time we capitulate in these little matters (and we've all done it) we make it easier to capitulate in more little - and no so little - matters.  This is one way we weaken our faith and the fighting spirit of which Kilpatrick writes.  Lex orandi, lex credendi lex vivendi.

DC Archdiocese Sues WMATA For Christmas Ad Refusal

The Archdiocese of Washington attempted to place advertisements in the city's transportation system (including the subway and buses) for its findtheperfectgift.org site.  The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority refused the paid ads because they are too (gasp!) "religious"!  Obviously WMATA has forgotten that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.  Of course it has "religious" significance, far beyond any commercial meaning.

The Archdiocese is filing suit against WMATA and I pray they prevail.  No one is asking WMATA to promote any religion as the advertisements will be paid by the Archdiocese.  It is unconstitutional to refuse speech because it is religious in nature.  Because WMATA is publicly subsidized, it is subject to constitutional scrutiny and constraints.

Again, let's pray that the Archdiocese prevails.

Another Reason To Ponder How We'll Resist The Progressive Encroachment

Lepanto Institute today released an expose of yet another progressive cabal known as Association of United States Catholic Priests.  Not being a quasi-official Church organization, they apparently feel little need to maintain any facade of orthodoxy - and they don't!

On the AUSCP home page, you'll see links to articles detailing their planning for "women deaconesses" and "priestless parishes".  Lepanto unpacks that mess nicely; it's part and parcel of disenfranchising Catholics of their access to valid Sacraments and distorting their understanding of the same.  On other pages, you'll see that these priests are concerned - very concerned, I tell you! - about such matters as immigration, gay rights, death penalty, climate change, gun control.  Need I tell you what's missing from that list - and their page?  How about the intrinsic evils of contraception, abortion, homosexual conduct, abuse of embryos, euthanasia?  Are you surprised that they aren't mentioned?  I didn't think so!

They do seem to have quite an assortment of clerics with unquestionable heterodoxy: Cardinal Cupich, Fr Richard Rohr, Sr Simone Campbell, and Bishop McElroy.  The latter is of great concern for me, for it is rumored that he will be the designated successor to Cardinal Wuerl once the latter retires.  It hits me at home - literally.

Going down Lepanto's page, you'll see a talk by Jack Jezreel, founder of Just Faith.  I've written about that horrid bunch before.  I didn't listen to the whole thing but Jezreel blathers on about "social justice", as one might expect.   Last week I put up a post explaining why I believe that the "SJW" phenomenon was inimical to authentic Christianity.  Jezreel's association with AUSCP is an illustration of that danger, for "sjw" Christianity often veers into rank heresy.

We need to be aware of these movements, so that if - or when - they come to our parishes, we may be prepared with plans to resist.

Remnant's Michael Matt Interviews Bishop Athanasius Schneider

I'll let this one speak for itself.  Please listen to the whole thing.

Immorality And Immaturity Often Go Hand In Hand

Earlier this week, from a naval base in the state of Washington, the air crew of an electronic warfare plane took their plane into the skies above Okanogan and with their plane contrails, drew a picture of male genitals.  It appears that naval officials handled it well.  They have grounded the crew and issued an apology, stating (among other things) "sophomoric and immature antics of a sexual nature have no place in naval aviation today".  I do hope that the crew does incur some significant discipline.

What I find disappointing, though, are the equally sophomoric reactions that I see among those who call themselves conservative and even Catholic.  One facebook page is owned by a woman who is a secular Carmelite.  She posted a joke about it.  I asked her what was the point of the vulgar jokes and was mocked as a prude by her and others.  I was not the only one to take objection to that post.  I decided to unfriend her.  But really!  What would impel a professed religious to joke about such obscenities?  What would impel other commenters (Catholics, I'd presume) to chortle right along with her?

One secular-conservative facebook page has quite a discussion going on; I got a glimpse into the page owner's mindset when I noticed that his page title contains vulgarities.  I'll share one very telling screen shot.

Notice how several of the commenters seem to revel in the idea of acting immature as opposed to embracing maturity.  They all seem to be suffering from "peter pan syndrome".  They seem to think they can put on their "adulthood" when emergencies occur, not accepting the fact that no virtue will come to play when vice has been allowed to dominate.  While the shot was taken from the secular page, but I think the same can be said for those on the Catholic page as well.

Now notice to the left, the second from bottom comment.  He states that when "we don't need to be mature (an obvious denial of reality)" he is engaged in a never-ending quest for "entertainment".

There are many facets to this idolatry of entertainment.  However, my focus will be on that implied by the title of this post.  Immorality and immaturity feed off one another.  How many progressive pro-aborts are now dependent upon the state for their sustenance?   How many do we see who cannot countenance being exposed to opinions other than their own, without rioting and/or scurrying for their "safe spaces"?

Just as in the final days of the Roman Empire, pagans sacrificed their souls and minds for the sake of "bread and circus".  As seen on the page of my former Facebook friend, many who call themselves Catholic are at least sympathetic to this pursuit.  They fail - or refuse - to see that "maturity" is simply the disciplined and constant practice of virtues.  To engage in "immaturity" is to cease virtue and to become enslaved to vice.  So now we have people pursuing the latest entertainment systems, plopping themselves in front of the tv, etc, and of course engaging in sexual immorality (and yes, that air-drawing stunt was sexual immorality) and abortions and generally acting like overgrown adolescents.  The commenter who seems to think that we can be mature "when we absolutely need to be" is simply deceiving himself; if he doesn't practice the virtues that come with maturity in his routine life, he'll have no spiritual and moral fortitude to be virtuous in times of crisis.

We of course understand that real maturity and virtue and grace will arise from our prayer, frequenting the sacraments and discipline in practicing virtue.

Comments?

"Social Justice Warrior Christianity" Is A Demonic Deception

Please listen closely to this talk by Venerable Fulton Sheen as he expounds upon the need for personal holiness and the sacraments.  Starting at 14:30 he said, "sometimes we can cover up our want of individual justice by a great love of social justice."  Then he expounded on Judas' conduct when the woman poured oil on Jesus' feet.  He was robbing the apostolic purse and that is how he covered up his sin.



The blogger who writes the Conservative Millennial Blog picked up on that with his/her article, "The Problem With SJW Christianity".  A key passage in that is, "In Jesus we see that the call for repentance and love are inextricably intertwined.  Somewhere along the way, Christians rejected that..".  In doing so, these Christians have lost touch with Jesus in their personal lives and have in fact fallen into sin while in the pursuit of their pet SJW projects, much like Judas.  Consider these examples.

Many of those sjw people who are focused on "environmentalism" are opposed to the Dakota Pipeline.  Recently it has been damaged.  We see today in the Des Moines Register that two women claimed responsibility for several episodes of damage to valves using blowtorches, etc..  They held a press conference admitting to that fact while in the process of vandalizing a sign, whereupon they were immediately taken into custody.  They are both involved in Iowa's Catholic Worker social justice movement.

Sister Carol Keehan of the Pen of Perfidy, without whom we might never have been cursed with Obamacare, is now shilling for euthanasia while using thinly-veiled language.  She decries "excessive treatment" without stating what constitutes "excessive" and more importantly, who determines that for patients.  Many of these Obamacare apologists carry on about how the US health system should emulate that of Canada.  Well, now that euthanasia has been legalized up there, parents are putting in requests to have their sick and/or disabled children euthanized: that is, put down like dogs.  Is that what Keehan had in mind?  I wouldn't be one bit surprised to hear that answered in the affirmative.

I also wrote a bit on how some progressives are trying to embroil pro-lifers into the "social justice warrior" errors.  The web pages of two of these outfits, Rehumanize International and New Pro-Live Movement, bear testimony to their serious errors.  I need not rehash that in this post.

Pursue holiness for your eternal salvation.  That means to frequent the sacraments, particularly Confession and Holy Communion.  Pray your rosaries.  Learn your Faith.  Real Catholic action can be undertaken by defense of innocent human life from direct aggressions such as abortion and euthanasia.  If you seek to engage in other social actions, by all means research whom you contemplate joining.  If they or any of their other associates espouse positions in divergence with Holy Mother Church, avoid them.

Dropping Its Mercy Veneer, The Vatican Gestapo Unsheathes Its Claws

It should be obvious by now that all the talk from the Vatican about "collegiality" and "dialogue" and "mercy" was just a smokescreen for the real Machiavellian ruthlessness that is being brought to bear on any who conduct themselves in fidelity to the teachings of Jesus Christ as communicated through Church Tradition.  Recall that several months ago I posted on the persecution of Don Minutella, an Italian priest who teaches the truth regarding marriage as opposed to the garbage that is contained in Amoralis Lamentia.  At that time, he had been suspended and was in the midst of a 9-month period of silence ordered from on high.  Now that the nine months is over, he is being ordered to publicly grovel before the pope or else he will face excommunication. In response, he has issued the video below.  After watching, please scroll down for another account of persecution from the Vatican.



Yesterday in Rome a truck billboard honoring the late Cardinal Caffarra was stopped by police and its drivers were detained and questioned for hours.  Why?  Because Cardinal Caffarra was one of the dubia signers.  The police let on that they were under orders to do so because the late Cardinal questioned Amoralis Lamentia.  This is an action right out of the gestapo/gulag playbook.  Who gave them the orders?  By what request?  These questions are rhetorical for we know the impetus for this obvious attempt at intimidation.

Here's a facet of what is happening.  More and more, faithful Catholics, both lay and clergy, are waking up to the real damage being wreaked by this papacy.  They are no longer being hoodwinked (although there still remain some truth-deniers) by the "mercy and accompaniment" facade.  The Vatican is all too aware of this and are in panic mode.  They are pulling out all stops in their attempts to intimidate us.  While praying for their conversion (and for our own hearts) we must remain steadfast and true to Jesus Christ.  As Don Minutella reminded us, Our Lady will assist us as we pray the Rosary.

Conferences For Immorality Within The Church

Imagine, if you will, a conference of progressive big-wigs brainstorming and scheming together on how to hoodwink people that climate-change junk-science is a fact.  One of those attendees is none other than California Governor Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown.  He says outright that in order for people to swallow the climate change yarn, and I quote, "we need a total, I might say, brainwashing".

Then another participant at that seedy gathering tells his accomplices that the world's population needs to be "culled" as a first step to addressing climate change.  One of the other attendees, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo (we've seen his name before) agreed with him, going so far as to claim "the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that we have to regulate the population" as he advocated making contraceptives available to Africans.  Can anyone point to the citation in the Catechism that advocates that?  I didn't think so!

So there you have some of the sinister bile pouring forth from this hypothetical pit of snakes hissing together as they strategize how to ensconce the culture of death more firmly within this world.  It seems like it would have Soros' paw prints all over it, wouldn't it?  There is just one problem.  This scenario is not hypothetical.  What I just described is a Vatican conference entitled "Health Of People, Health Of Planet, And Our Responsibility: Climate Change, Air Pollution And Heath".  Now isn't that a mouthful?  It was sponsored by the Pontifical Academy Of (Junk) Sciences and took place November 2-4.  See here and here for the reports from which I quoted.

Not to be outdone by their counterparts, the Pontifical Academy for Life conducted its own pro-death apologetic session.  They called theirs' the "WMA European Region Meeting On End-Of-Life Questions".  Attendees and speakers included two proponents of "assisted suicide" and Dr. Yvonne Gilli, head of International Planned Parenthood's Switzerland affiliate.  While the pope stated that Church teaching on assisted suicide would not change (as though that were a valid possibility), one of the questions considered by this bunch was "is there a need to change policy?"  So a director of a Planned Parenthood affiliate was invited by this "academy for life".  I wonder when they'll extend an invitation to Leroy Carhart to deliver some of his remarks?

These two pow-wows, along with the USCCB meeting in Baltimore last week, make evident that not only has satan's smoke found its way through some cracks in the Vatican wall, but the smoke is billowing in, polluting all that is holy.  Please be praying for Holy Mother Church.  Study your Faith well and defend it.

Use Alinsky Bucks To Say #no2CCHD

For most dioceses across the nation, November is the time when the annual CCHD shakedown will occur during the second collections.  As one might expect, the CCHD continues to divert Catholic dollars to organizations that are part and parcel of the culture of death.  There is no reforming that monster.  The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, along with the even more monstrous United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, must be consigned to the dung heap of infamous history.

Please go to Lepanto Institute's site to read the latest on CCHD and to print out your supply of Alinsky Bucks.  Download them for future use.  If you'd prefer another note to put in your cchd envelope, here's a possible alternative.

Learn more about the CCHD and its nefarious origin.  I've done some research on it, as has Lepanto Institute, Catholic Media Coalition and others.  Learn why we must say #no2cchd and give that money to organizations that will further the Faith and the Culture of Life.

One Bright Spot In The USCCB Gabfest In Baltimore This Week

The USCCB held their annual Baltimore meeting this week.  What were the issues being considered by the shepherds of the Church in the US?  Here's a line from the Not-At-All Catholic Reporter: "The longest and most passionate discussion on the first day of the fall assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 13 focused on immigrants, on how to help them but also how to drive home the point that they, too, are our brothers and sisters and should not be demonized."

Got that?  The emphasis was not on the large-scale apostasy from the faith by so many Catholics, not the abysmal state of catechesis and priestly formation, not baby-murder and the encroachment of homosexuality in our culture - but immigrants.  Also notice the de facto demonization that occurred, that was directed at those of us who do not coddle the illegal border-crashers.  Cardinal Cupich slandered us by insinuating that we engage in "poisoning rhetoric".  Ladies and gentlemen, that was before he lost the Pro-Life Chair election to Archbishop Naumann.  One can only imagine how he might have been railing against our "rhetoric" with some choice rhetoric of his own!  More on that below.

We do know that the bishops are going to issue a "presidential statement", since they don't appreciate that President Trump is actually behaving as, well, a president.  Goodness!  With all this passion and angst expended to flout the nation's immigration laws, why, the bishops haven't had much time to devote to their other pet issues - like "climate change and "gun control".

But this event hasn't been a complete progressive jabber-jaw session.  The USCCB's Pro-Life Office will be headed by Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Kansas City Archdiocese and not by the uber-progressive Cardinal Cupich.  I cannot think of two many other bishops who are more polar opposites than these two.  The former has chided pro-aborts, obeyed Canon 915 and expelled the Girl Scouts for their moral lapses whereas the latter has done his utmost to bog down the pro-life cause in seamless-garbage morass.  Cucpich, when Bishop of Spokane, went so far as to forbid his priests to participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign.

The vote is a curious one.  Cupich is clearly a darling of the progressive Vatican.  Yet he was defeated in his bid for this rather influential post.  Usually a cardinal occupies that position, but this time tradition has not been followed.  Yet the vote spread itself still remains a bit troubling; a 54% to 46% split cannot be called a landslide.

Let's go on to other matters, one of which is particularly nonsensical.  Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo NY spoke as a representative of the Bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.  He was asked by a member of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property whether or not Amoris Laetitia allows Catholics living in adultery to receive Holy Communion.  Malone refused to answer the question, saying (among other things), "it is not in my providence to respond to that question right now".  Remember - Malone is on a committee for marriage and family life, and he refuses to answer a question that the average Catholic of 50 years ago could answer in a flash.  The answer (of course) is that Church teaching has always forbade those living in mortal sin to receive Holy Communion.  Period.  This committee is tasked with coughing up a "pastoral plan" to implement Amoralis Lamentia, i.e., to devise some "wiggle room" to cajole Catholics to accepting sacrilegious Holy Communions.  The ones who would be the most imperiled are those adulterers who would be given false comfort while they commit sacrilege on top of their adultery, confirming the trajectory of their souls towards hell.

I believe this year's extravaganza is over.  If it wasn't financed by our donation dollars, it was by federal lucre (they receive quite a few bucks in government grants) which stems from our tax dollars.  Either way, we footed the bill for it.  What a waste!

Father Weinandy Causes John Gehring To Have A Meltdown

That is evidenced by the latest hissy-snit against Father Weinandy as published by Comic-squeal.  It is spewed forth from the frothings of John Gehring, entitled "More Catholic Than The Pope".   The whole thing reads like one massive temper tantrum.   I could spend all night picking this mess apart, but instead I'll focus on two things.

Here is one telling quote: "Pope Francis isn’t undermining doctrine. In fact, he is rescuing doctrine from dusty theology books, insisting that human beings, in all our complexity and messiness, must be at the center of the church’s vision."  See the problem?  Human beings are NOT at the center of the church's vision.  God is.  In a Freudian slip fashion, Gehring betrays his humanistic, as opposed to Catholic, mental paradigm.

Here's another: "It’s particularly galling that Fr. Weinandy would so condescendingly rebuke the pope given his history of accusing progressive Catholic theologians of disloyalty and dissent."  Father Weinandy's actions are not contradictory for in both these circumstances cited by Gehring, Father Weinandy defended the Church's timeless teachings, regardless of the person(s) dissenting from them.

Enough of that.  Let's look at Gehring himself.  I've made mention of him in previous posts.  He is quite the progressive dissident himself, and probably feels the sting of Father's rebukes personally and for good cause.  Here's a page devoted entirely to him and the mischief he's wreaked over the years; note that he most likely was the receiving end of George Soros's cash infusions at one time.  In that post I made mention of Gehring's twitter page.  Here's a current one indicating that he supports the gay lifestyle.  No wonder he resents Father Weinandy, for darkness hates the light.

SNL's Che on @pwcdanica victory - her opponent was "in fact so homophobic that he refused to get within 8 points of her." pic.twitter.com/dSb2RhMFbL

— Tom Perriello (@tomperriello) November 12, 2017

Unbaptized Babies

Please watch this video.  Yes, Pope St John Paul II did say that we may entertain a "hope" that these children would be admitted into heaven.  However, "hope" is not "certitude".  This is a topic of concern for me, as I am in front of abortuaries most Saturday mornings to persuade the mothers to give life to their children - and a chance for them to be baptized.

I have seen pro-lifers commit serious errors along these lines.  The first is the presumption that aborted babies will automatically participate in the Beatific Vision.  Some have even opined that we on the sidewalks need not make these babies the primary objects of our concern, but to do that for those participating in the abortion.  That is irresponsible hogwash.  The adults who are participating in the abortion have the ability to repent.  The unborn child is completely dependent on others for his/her entrance to heaven.  The babies will get first dibs on my efforts.

The second error is one from an opposite perspective.  Here the pro-lifers understand the need for the babes to be baptized, but also lament that they cannot perform the baptism themselves.  So they have concocted a parody of baptism, believing or wishing it to be efficacious.  That is, they kneel and pray in the direction of the mill.  They perform the baptism ritual and sprinkle holy water in the direction of the slaughter house.  Best wishes and motives aside, that is NOT a valid baptism.  The water must come into physical contact with the child's body in order for the sacrament to be valid.  Remember: matter, form, intention.  All must be present and in good order for the sacrament to be valid.

Father Guarnizo And The Irish Referendum

This past June it was announced that the new Irish prime minister would be conducting a referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland, to be held in 2018.  This amendment, as it currently stands, enshrines protections for unborn children in Ireland.  The general weakening of the Catholic faith in Ireland and the finger-wagging of the anti-life UN (Useless Nincompoops) are two factors.

The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, along with other pro-life groups, are engaged in a battle to save not only countless Irish babies, but the vestiges of the Catholicism that at one time was so much a part of Ireland.  The Catholic faith is still manifest in Ireland's Constitution, but the removal of protection of Ireland's babies will also serve to eviscerate all law in Ireland.

A few weeks ago, Father Marcel Guarnizo addressed a gathering in Ireland and discussed many ramifications of this heinous attempt to insinuate abortion into Ireland.  Long-time readers of this blog will recognize Father Guarnizo as the priest who denied Holy Communion to a flagrant lesbian and who was excoriated by the progressive DC chancery.

The video is below.  As you listen at the 43:54 mark, note how he said that when Church officials accept money from the state, then they are tethered to the whims of that state.  It is entirely possible that he had in mind the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who long ago sold out the faith for the money (our tax dollars by the way) bestowed on them by the feds.  Father also mentioned that national conferences hold no authority over bishops.  I wonder if those two truths voiced by Father were additional causes for his ouster from the Archdiocese of Washington 5.5 years ago.  This video contains much to ponder as we pray for Ireland and for our own nations.

The Fine, Precise Art Of Political Persuasion

When you watch this video, I strongly suggest that you not have the volume turned up too loudly.

I wonder when the political science departments at some of the loony lefty institutes of "higher learning" will make a course in screaming an integral part of their curricula, perhaps even required.  By the way, I'm not being facetious!

What you see here are snowflakes/antifas/pussyhats/lefties literally screaming out their angst because President Trump still hasn't resigned his office, despite their previous antics and tantrums.  So they're giving it one more shot.  They think that screaming will cause Trump's resignation.  Will someone please point out to me the constitutional basis for that theory?

One reason why they might be screaming is that they are intellectually incapable of composing and articulating rational thought.  What we are seeing is simply a display of their spiritual and intellectual vacuity.  While this video obviously has much comic appeal, it should also cause much concern that our families and schools are turning out so many overgrown adolescents.  Again, grab your rosaries and pray.

The Shooting In Sutherland Springs TX And The Liberals' Blood Guilt

At least two dozen people, many children, were slaughtered by a madman as they attended their church services in Sutherland Springs, TX.  We pray for the repose of their souls and peace for their families and friends.  This isn't the first such shooting and regrettably it won't be the last.

Even more regrettable is the immediate politicizing of this tragedy by the left.  Their rants must be answered, lest we allow them once again to seize control of national conversations and debate.  Immediately the yap and yammer sounded anew for more gun control, vilifying the National Rifle Association and the GOP in the process.  I suspect now that more details have come to light, the left might soon have to shut their mouths in embarrassment.  Or maybe they won't, arrogant lemmings that many of them are.

The now-dead assailant, Devin Patrick Kelley, was in the Air Force, but was court-martialed for assaulting his baby step-son, fracturing his skull.  He also harrassed numerous ex-girlfriends.  The Air Force gave him a "dishonorable discharge". Obviously already-existing gun laws should have prevented him from obtaining firearms.  However, the Air Force did not communicate the convictions to the NICS database.  So now it must be asked that if the federal government (and the military is part and parcel of that) is so negligent about this facet of the law, why, oh why, would we think additional laws will help?

But the godless left continue to chant their talking points.  Chelsea Handler (whoever she is) didn't wait one hour after the reports broke to blame Republicans for the shooting.  In her warped view, a Republican decided to shoot up a church whose congregation most likely leaned Republican.  The evidence on that page seems to indicate that the shooter had leftward leanings; he was atheist.  Showing that they share Kelley's atheistic world view, Democrats displayed their atheistic depravity for all to see; one Democrat legislator walked out when a moment of silence for the victims was called.

Of course now there's kvelling for more gun control.  Some even opine that the National Rifle Association has some blood-guilt for the massacre.  BUT - the facts contradict this implausible theory.  I think we can thank the internet for announcing these facts, because the lamebrain-mainstream media would not have done so on their own.

The Texas Rangers gave a press conference regarding the sequence of events.  According to them, Kelley's rampage was cut short when a neighbor grabbed his own AR rifle and shot Kelley.  He then fled and the man took up the chase.  This is why the Second Amendment exists.  Sunday's death toll might have been much higher if an armed citizen had not been able to intervene.  But there are more details.

The citizen's name is Stephen Willeford and (liberals, please be seated and have smelling salts ready) he is a former NRA instructor and Christian to boot!  OK!  So an atheistic leftist, dishonorably discharged from the military shoots up a Christian church and is stopped by an armed Christian man.  Perhaps this is why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton poo-poos the idea of more gun control and instead advocates for more armed law-abiding citizens.

Now I bet some of my readers are wondering what this has to do with Catholicism and being faithful to the Teachings of Christ.  Simply this.  I've no doubt that some leftist bishops are going to sniff about the "need" to confiscate weapons.  Should they do so, they'll be engaging in blatant deception, just as their democrat "sugar daddies" and "puppet masters" are doing.  Yesterday Ted Cruz revealed how Democrats filibustered legislation that he authored, legislation that would have prevented Kelley, an already-convicted felon, from buying guns.  That fact will be conveniently ignored as they seek to hinder our rights to self-defense - the same rights that allowed Stephen Willeford to stop Devin Patrick Kelley.  To the extent that they've already succeeded in some localities, it is they who have blood on their hands - and that includes the gun-control freaks who are to be found among the nation's bishops.

Here are two different takes on whether or not church attendees should be armed.  See here and here.  Under no circumstances should churches forbid legal carrying in their buildings.  In doing so, they are leaving their congregations vulnerable.

Pope Francis And Married Priests

I'm seeing all kinds of talk on this on the internet, running in two themes:

• Pope Francis wants to allow married men to be ordained as priests.
• Pope Francis wants to allow already-ordained priests to marry.

Ladies and gentlemen, the differences between the two are not trivial.  Regarding the first, there is precedent for this:

• In eastern rites of the Catholic Church, married men are ordained to the priesthood.
• There have been cases of whole Anglican parishes converting to the Catholic faith (often occasioned by the moral corruption of the Anglican faith).  Their clergy, usually married, have been ordained as Roman Catholic priests.
• Obviously, though, the preceding scenarios are not applicable to married men in the Roman rite.  
• Just to clarify, I am not indicating approval of the first case.  I am illustrating that the two cases cannot be seen as equivalent.

Regarding the second case, though, there is absolutely no precedent for it.  In the eastern rites, no unmarried priest is permitted to marry.  If a priest's wife dies, he may not remarry.  If Roman rite priests were allowed to marry, they would be in violation of their vows of celibacy.

St. Bridget of Sweden recounted a vision in which Our Lady spoke of the second scenario.  If that is Pope Francis' intentions, he may be setting himself up for some serious eternal consequences.  Even if it's merely the first, one can see how that course of action would easily segue into the second and its attendant catastrophes.

Evil Hates To Be Exposed - Especially When It Controls The Church Hierarchy

Please read the title closely.  I believe that evil now controls the hierarchy of the Church, not the Church herself.  There is a difference.  However, that evil can and is causing much scandal and confusion that is literally causing damnation of souls.  Therefore, we must continue to shine the light on it, no matter where it resides.  Of course evil will hate to be exposed; it always has.  We must not shirk from that task now, out of misguided deference to the Church structures behind which the evil conceals itself.

Remnant TV hosted the Catholic Identity Conference this week.  Below I'm posting a talk from it by Edward Pentin.  He talks of the climate of fear that now exists in the Vatican - one that is very reminiscent of the climate that existed in the Soviet Union and that still exists in other repressive regimes.  Below that I'll have more commentary and an important action to take.



As I mentioned in the earlier post, the USCCB is obviously taking instructions from the Vatican (a novelty for them, for they certainly didn't do so during the previous two pontificates) as evidenced by their dismissal of Father Weinandy.  The faithful laity, by the grace of God, are calling them on the carpet.  See here and here.  LifeSiteNews started a petition drive, not so much as to persuade the USCCB to change their ways but to show public support for Father Weinandy.  Please sign it.  Besides prayer, we can influence the USCCB by withholding donations from any second-collection effort for them or their subsidiaries: most notably the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Catholic Relief Services.

USCCB Official Expresses Concerns About This Pontificate And Is Fired From The USCCB As A Result

Yesterday a letter was released, written by Father Thomas Weinandy, OFM Cap, to Pope Francis.  It is similar in tone and content to the four cardinals' dubia, even though Father Weinandy has distanced himself from the dubia.  I link to the full text here, as posted on Crud's website.  Please note that it is a pdf; I'd advise that you save it to your own computers, lest it (ahem!) "disappears".

Father Weinandy is a former chief of staff for the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine and a current member of the Vatican's International Theological Commission.  He was a consultant to the former committee until today, when he was compelled to resign that position because of his letter.  So much for "dialogue" and "collegiality"!  Meanwhile, Father James Martin can blather on about "Jesus being challenged by the Canaanite woman" and how "Mary accused God of lying to her", and he's still allowed to prance about at will, spreading his bile everywhere he wants without the USCCB uttering so much as a peep in protest.  UPDATE:  Lepanto Institute reports that this same USCCB that fired Father Weinandy with all haste still retains a Planned Parenthood supporter on its payroll.  Please do not give to any USCCB-related collection.

In Father's third-to-last paragraph, he states that "many fear that if they speak their mind, they will be marginalized or worse".  Ironically, the actions of Cardinal De Nardo (and some of the questionable bishops cited by Father Weinandy) only serve to prove Father's point.  Am I surprised by this dismissal?  Not at all!  Given the gestapo-like conduct of the Vatican and their local henchmen, I would have been surprised (albeit pleasantly) if Father was not given the boot.  I'd be willing to bet that soon he'll no longer have a role to play in the Vatican's International Theological Commission.

I've been acquainted with Father for close to 30 years, going back to our time in the Mother of God Community.  In the mid 1990s, when the cult leaders of MOG were starting to lose their stranglehold on our minds, it was Father Weinandy's letter (and another letter by another priest) that helped many of us articulate some of our thoughts about the situation.  I pray that Father's latest letter will assist other Catholics in similarly seeing the light.