Today Is Saint Patrick's Day

I'd like to wish everyone a truly blessed Saint Patrick's Day.  When I say that, I mean a day that truly honors the saint and is free of the "green beer", "kiss-me-I'm-Irish" profanations of this day that have absolutely nothing to do with the Saint that brought Christianity to Ireland.  Let me say outright that I am largely of Irish descent - as if that should matter.

Read St Patrick's life from the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.  This is what we celebrate today - not green beer, not Irish culture, but the conversion of an island of pagans in its entirety.  How many here know that today Ireland remains abortion-free?  Granted there are forces that are trying to change that, but the fact that they haven't yet succeeded (hopefully never will) is testament to the foundaton that St. Patrick laid.

Saint Patrick Day pollutants:
Leprechauns  A glance at the wikipedia write-up on these confirms their origins from false religions that were prominent in Ireland before Christianity took root.  It is held that St. Patrick drove snakes from Ireland.  Might belief in these creatures be one of those snakes?  Why then this flirtation, this overly-jocular attitude towards them?  By the way - Druidic culture and practices are coming into vogue by some practitioners of new age idolotries.
Clamoring for exemption from the Lenten abstinence  I first encountered this about eight years ago, when an archdiocesan dispensation was given from the abstinence from meat, because March 17th fell on a Lenten Friday.  In all my years of growing up in Catholic schools, I never heard of it until recently.  What is the motivation for that?  It certainly isn't to celebrate the man who underwent fasting and penances to honor his God for whom he labored.  Indeed, as I discussed the matter with people, I got the sense that they were giggly and gloating about "getting away with corned beef" on a Lenten Friday, like naughty little children.  For the next several years, March 17th won't fall on a Friday, so for now we'll be spared that deplorable spectacle.
Drunkedness  For some reason beyond my comprehension, this is seen as being a rather adorable foible of the Irish.  Many in society truly believe that - why do you think those police vehicles are called "paddy wagons"?  The truth is that alcoholism has plagued many Irish people; Blessed Matt Talbot's life bears witness to that.  However, on this day, drunkedness is expected in celebration of this day.  I heard that there are provisions being made for that in DC, to prevent drunken driving on this day.  Is that how St Patrick is to be honored?

My fellow Catholics of all nationalities, let us throw away the leprechauns and green food dye; at best, they're distractions.  If we're going to pick shamrocks, let's use them as did Saint Patrick - to teach of the Blessed Trinity.  Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

Have The Knights Of Columbus Lost Their Minds?

The leadership of the Knights of Columbus seem to have lost any moral sense whatsoever.  Two months ago I alerted one and all to the scandal of an Indiana council renting out their ballroom to lesbians for their so-called "wedding reception".   While I provided contact information for all of you to use in voicing your opposition to this travesty, the debacle is still scheduled to occur next month to the best of my knowledge.

Many of you are aware that the next St Patrick's Day parade in New York City will feature a gay group - first time ever that a St Patrick's Day parade will celebrate the mortal sin of sodomy.  To add even more shame to this event, Cardinal Timothy Dolan will be Grand Marshall for this orgy-parade.

Following Dolan's scandalous example, organizers of Boston's St Patrick's Day parade decided that they too would allow a gay group to march in it. One Catholic school, Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Stillwater, MA, upon learning of the gay group's inclusion in the parade, pulled out of the parade.  Although they've participated for 25 years, they rightly understand the scandal to which their students would be exposes.  I for one commend this school administration for their stance.  Happily the school children themselves understand the reason that they will not be in the parade.

However, the Massachusetts State Council of the Knights of Columbus, who never marched in the parade before, has announced that it will join the parade along with the gay group.  As you read this coverage by the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, you might understand their theory that they are joining this year to give the appearance that this parade remains respectable when it no longer is.  It's quite remarkable that school children have more moral sense than does an organization of ostensibly Catholic men.  The link above has contact information for your use in lodging a protest.

Today I learned of yet another scandal involving the Knights and St Patrick's Day parades.  This one originates from Norfolk VA.  From my friend at Les Femmes we read that Council 3548 runs a St. Patrick's Day parade and this one is scheduled for March 14th.  The person whom they selected to be Grand Marshall is rabid pro-abort Terry McAuliffe.  Read the Les Femmes article for a full history of the debacle and the courageous stance taken by the local pastor.  Here is a link to that local St Patrick's day parade.  In addition to the contact info on that page, here is contact information for local KofC officials for your use in lodging protests.

VIRGINIA KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS STATE OFFICERS:

State Deputy, Stephen Burnley, home, 703-971-4598, cell, 703-927-6074 - statedeputy@vakofc.org

State Chaplain, Most Rev. Paul Loverde, Bishop of Arlington, office, 703-841-2500.

Assoc. State Chaplain, Rev. Frank Ready, Chaplainready@vakofc.org

Assoc. State Chaplain, Rev. John Abe, Chaplainabe@vakofc.org

State Secretary, Stephen Raschke, home, 804-695-9912, cell, 757-509-0177- statesecretary@vakofc.org

State Treasurer, Michael Gasper, home, 804-303-3355, cell, 804-921-0325 - statetreasurer@vakofc.org

State Advocate, Stephen Kehoe, home, 703-591-6813, cell, 793-946-6550 - stateadvocate@vakofc.org

State Warden, Roy Blakeburn, home, 757-671-8092, cell, 757-581-9659 - statewarden@vakofc.org

Immediate Past State Deputy, Tony Fortunato, home, 804-364-6157, cell, 917-519-5795 - IPSD@vakofc.org

Executive Secretary, Kelly Mortensen, home, 804-674-6895, cell, 804-651-3772 - kmortensen@verizon.net

Vice Supreme Master, Richie Head, home, 804-378-5301, cell, 703-963-8282 - rghpsd@verizon.net

Master of the Fourth Degree, former, Cy Alba, home, 703-455-6010 - current, Tom Trudeau.

Membership & Program Consultant Fraternal Services, Supreme Council, J.P. McCusker, home, 703-361-6778, cell, 703-963-3706 - James.McCusker@kofc.org

In these three scenarios, it would appear that decisions were made by relatively few Knights who occupy leadership roles.  Many of the "rank and file" probably do not approve - and may well be unaware - of these matters.  We are grateful for them and now ask them to take action to insist that their brother Knights act in a manner worthy of Father McGiveney and the Church.

Other Progressive Bishops (Namely, Archdiocese of Washington) Covering For Dolan?

Msgr Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington, in the wake of Cardinal Dolan's disgusting kiss-up to gay activists, posted the article below on his blog.  I think he's spot-on correct.

However, Msgr Pope's blog is hosted on a server owned by the Archdiocese of Washington.  Lo and behold, the original link no longer works; try it!  http://blog.adw.org/2014/09/time-to-end-the-st-patricks-parade-and-the-al-smith-dinners/

Whoopsie!  Whaddya think of that?  Wanna bet that the "good ole boy" network of progressive bishops has mobilized to protect one of their own?  Cardinals Wuerl and McCarrick are of like mind as is Cardinal Dolan.  Such are the hazards of relying on other entities for your message medium.  So Msgr Pope's post was pulled.  I pray that's the only repercussion that he suffers.

Now the article..

It’s time to end New York’s St. Pat’s Parade and the Al Smith Dinner

 Al Smith Dinner , Homosexuality , New York City , St. Patricks Day Parade

The time for happy-clappy, lighthearted engagement of our culture may be nearing an end. Sometimes it takes a while to understand that what used to work no longer works. Let me get more specific.

Decades ago the “Al Smith Dinner” was a time for Republicans and Democrats to bury the hatchet (even if only temporarily) and come together to raise money for the poor and to emphasize what unites us rather than what divides us. But in the old days the death of 50 million infants was not what divided us. We were divided about lesser things such as how much of the budget should go to defense and how much to social spending. Reasonable men might differ over that.

But now we are being asked to raise toasts and to enjoy a night of frivolity with those who think it is acceptable to abort children by the millions each year, with those who think anal sex is to be celebrated as an expression of love and that LGBTQIA… (I=intersexual, A= Asexual)  is actually a form of sanity to which we should tip our hat, and with those who stand four-square against us over religious liberty.

Now the St. Patrick’s Parade is becoming of parade of disorder, chaos, and fake unity. Let’s be honest: St. Patrick’s Day nationally has become a disgraceful display of drunkenness and foolishness in the middle of Lent that more often embarrasses the memory of Patrick than honors it.

In New York City in particular, the “parade” is devolving into a farcical and hateful ridicule of the faith that St. Patrick preached.

It’s time to cancel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner and all the other “Catholic” traditions that have been hijacked by the world. Better for Catholics to enter their churches and get down on their knees on St. Patrick’s Day to pray in reparation for the foolishness, and to pray for this confused world to return to its senses. Let’s do adoration and pray the rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet unceasingly for this poor old world.

But don’t go to the parade; stay away from the Al Smith Dinner and all that “old school” stuff that hangs on in a darkened world. And as for St Patrick’s Day, it’s time to stop wearin’ the green and instead take up the purple of Lent and mean it. Enough of the celebration of stupidity, frivolity, and drunkenness that St Paddy’s day has become. We need penance now, not foolishness. We don’t need parades and dinner with people who scoff at our teachings, insist we compromise, use us for publicity, and make money off of us. We’re being played for (and are?) fools.

End the St Patrick’s parade. End the Al Smith Dinner and all other such compromised events. Enough now, back to Church! Wear the purple of Lent and if there is going to be a procession, let it be Eucharistic and penitential for the sins of this age.

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

How say you?

Many Catholics Will Dishonor St Patrick This Friday

In way of review, please re-read my post from six years ago.  This year, St. Patrick's Day falls on a Lenten Friday, a day when we Catholics abstain from meat.  Yet even now we hear of Catholics asking for dispensation from the already-lenient Lenten discipline to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  Sadly - because many chanceries care not one whit about Lenten discipline nor even of eternal things in general, these chanceries will grant the dispensations without a minute's thought.

As I said in the post, I myself am of predominantly Irish descent.  Moreover, I grew up in the 1960s, when most Catholics were also of Irish descent and who were closely descended from Irish immigrants.  Yet never did I hear the slightest hint of suggestion that the Lenten practises should be set aside when March 17 fell on a Lenten Friday.  In fact, that was during a time when every day during Lent (not just Ash Wednesday and Good Friday) was a day of fast.  It is true that in Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, owing to St Patrick's pivotal role in the founding of their nation.  But those who came to the United States understood that they were leaving behind their national customs and were prepared to observe the customs of their new homeland.

On social media, particularly facebook, I'm seeing otherwise faithful Catholics chortle over the dispensations, like naughty little children about to get away with extra dessert.  To me that betrays a bit of reluctance to subject oneself to necessary disciplines.  How they salivate over corned beef has nothing to do with honoring the saint who is at least partially responsible for their Faith and more to do with satisfying their taste buds and stomachs.

We can - we must - do better than that.  Honor St. Patrick by honoring Lent.  Abstain from meat, dispensation notwithstanding.  Do not drink to the point of sinful intoxication (yes, all intoxication is sinful).  Do not trifle with leprechauns and other accoutrements of pagan practice.  Understand that there is nothing special about the color green.  Instead, go to Mass, pray a Rosary and/or stations of the Cross - practices that would truly please St. Patrick.

On This Eve Of St Patrick's Day

Last weekend when I walked into the grocery store, I saw green bagels.  For a moment, I thought they had gone bad and wondered how the management could have let them be put on display.  Then I looked around and saw balloons with shamrocks on them and realized that the bagels had simply been dyed a sickening green in light of March 17.  I almost said that they were dyed green to honor St Patrick's day, but I realized that honoring the patron saint of Ireland and the Faith for which he labored was most likely the last thing on their minds.

A few years back I published this post, lamenting the trivialization of St Patrick and his feast day.  Please read it.  Now for an account of Catholics truly honoring St. Patrick.

I am happy to relay this story to you from LifeSiteNews, regarding the street activism of Catholics in Ireland who are protesting that country's ridiculous shutdowns.  We know that in recent years, Ireland as a nation has abandoned the One True Faith.  These Catholics will speak for the Faith on March 17 as they protest both the lockdowns and the government's embrace of baby-slaughter. 

Pray for our fellow Catholics in Ireland, that this protest be instrumental in turning that country around.  Moreover, let us take opportunities to speak the truth in our own communities.

The Leaving Of Boston

Yesterday's post brought news that the Knights of Columbus removed themselves from the now-defiled Boston St Patrick's Day Parade.  They might learn a thing or two from Immaculate Heart of Mary School; they had pulled out of the parade after 20 years of participation in it, rightly understanding that their participation now would cause scandal to their students.

The school is run by the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary - both brothers and sisters.  I invite you to peruse their site.  They seem to be orders that are truly devoted to Jesus Christ and His Church.  The Sisters produced a video regarding the parade debacle.  They are singing a song that is a knock-off of the Irish folk song "Leaving of Liverpool".  They call it "Leaving of Boston".  I'll post their lyrics before the video.  Enjoy and thank God for these courageous religious.  Pray to St. Patrick that as he once drove the snakes from Ireland that he would drive the serpents of progressivism from the Church.

Fare thee well, Saint Patrick’s Day Parade,
South Boston, fare thee well! 
We are standing for our Catholic Faith,
And the Saint that we love so well. 

Chorus:
So, fare thee well, the time has come,
We will now defend one so great as he.
It’s not the leaving of Boston that grieves me,
But Saint Patrick when I think of thee.

We have marched there for over twenty years,
“Keep the Faith” did we proudly display,
And though the foes of God may try,
They will never take this Faith away! - Chorus

Remember, Holy Youth, how long ago,
You brought the Faith to Erin’s shore.
Through the strength and the might of the Trinity,
Bring the Irish back to Christ once more! - Chorus

A Truly Blessed St. Patrick's Day

Two years ago I posted on St Patrick's Day, trying to bring the true spiritual significance in light as opposed to the giddy, superficial crap that trivializes the significance of this day.  I linked to it for I see no need to "reinvent the wheel".

There is one critical update.  Ireland is on the precipice of legalizing the murder of babies.  We need to intercede for that country as it is (currently) one of few bastions of protected places for babies.  If Ireland starts that descent to national bloodshed, perhaps we'll be seeing some real serpents return to Ireland - and this one is far more deadly than the reptile.

Sigh! Saint Patrick's Day Will Be Mocked And Trivialized Again!

How, you ask?  Well it falls on a Lenten Friday, and bishops are already giving dispensations for the eating of meat on that day - in honor of St Patrick!  Of course! 

Whom do they think they're fooling?  Why, Lent hasn't even begun and already three area dioceses have issued decrees for the dispensation.  Hey!  If the bishops can dispense a Lenten penance for childish reason, why can they not exercise that same episcopal discretion and grant greater liberality for the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass?  Oh, wait!  They'll only do that for the diminishing of piety, not its increase.  See how that works?

How will you really honor St Patrick on his feast day?

Cardinal Cupich Is Right

For a change!

This year Ash Wednesday falls on Feb 14.  That day also happens to be St Valentine's Day, an occasion given over to romance and - let's be honest - lust.  In response to petitions placed to him for dispensation from the obligation to fast and abstain from meat on that day, Cardinal Cupich replied that the obligations to fast and abstain still stand. 

Needless to say I'm pleasantly surprised.  I truly expected bishops to acquiesce to these silly requests, as they are wont to do when St Patrick's Day falls on a lenten Friday.  I commend the cardinal for standing for the holy season of Lent and hope this is the start of a welcome change of direction for him.  I must say that I think it disgraceful that Catholics would even think of asking for a dispensation of the fast.  It shows how little they value their Faith and how frivolous are their attitudes towards their own spiritual needs.

Saint Patrick's Day 2026

That is what tomorrow is.  Consider that Saint Patrick's main mission was the conversion of the Irish people to Christianity.  He and other notable saints were quite successful, and Ireland became, for a long time, a bastion of the Catholic faith.

Sadly, that is no longer the case as both baby-slaughter and sexual perversions are legalized.  The snakes that St Patrick drove out have returned.  

Let us refrain from the debauchery and silliness that too often characterizes this day (and I am thankful that tomorrow is not a Lenten Friday, meaning this Lenten abstinence won't be mocked).  Instead, let us pray and work so that the Catholic faith will thrive in today's culture.

Mass Is Not A Proper Venue To Celebrate Ethnicity

At my church this past Friday, I attended an evening Mass that commemorated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Unfortunately that's not all that was celebrated.  The Mass seemed to be about being Mexican as much as anything else.  Celebrations of ethnic heritages might be good in and of themselves, but not during Mass.  The main harm in this case is that the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe was diluted by considerations that were, at best, ancillary.  Somehow I cannot think of Saint Juan Diego attending anything with mariachi music; in fact that genre of music was not contrived at the time.

Far better for these sorts of Masses to simply focus on the saint or event at hand rather than introduce ethnic celebrations within it.  Else the real spiritual meaning is lost in all the extraneous clutter.  Another feast day that suffers similar abuse is St. Patrick's Day.  How the feast day of the apostle to Ireland get sidelined by people dressing as leprechauns, dying food and hair green and even drunken carousing is  beyond me - and I'm of Irish descent.

At the Mass this past Friday, the congregation was devout.  Whether or not the mariachi lyrics were helpful I could not tell as I don't speak Spanish (it was overly loud, though).  What I hope we never see again is the de facto night-club performance that disgraced St. Peter's Basilica, with Pope Francis as the main celebrant.  Catholic Family News has a full analysis on that and I'd suggest you read it.  I've no doubt that St. Juan Diego spun in his grave as this performance unfolded.

Would St Patrick Be Pleased?

I have posted before on the ways that Catholics mistreat the Feast Day of St. Patrick.  One of the ways that otherwise-good Catholics do that is by disregarding the Lenten discipline when the feast day falls on a Lenten Friday.  Immediately they chortle over a dispensation that modernist bishops dole out without nary a thought, acting like naughty little children who get to raid the cookie jar.  

A facebook friend posted this video, and I repost it here.  This gentleman's words are worth your attention.

There are other voices of sobriety and proper respect for the saint.  I post one of them now.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/st-patrick-reclaiming-the-great-missionary/

 

Ireland was once a Catholic holdout against much of the modern corruption.  Recently it has abandoned its lofty place by legalizing child-slaughter and gay "marriage".   Last year a teacher in Ireland was jailed for refusing to go along with a student's transgender fantasies.  How Ireland has betrayed Patrick and forsaken the One True God.

Let us keep Ireland and our once-Christian civilization in prayer for true repentance.  Remember that it is still Lent.

Msgr Pope On Denying Holy Communion To Those In De Facto Adulterous Situations

Yesterday Msgr Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington posted a piece called "Musings And Concerns On The Synod".  Below he gives very sound reasonings why the distribution of Holy Communion to those in irregular situations would be gravely harmful and thus morally impossible.  I urge you to read this and study it.

Obviously Cardinal Wuerl might take exception to this post. Using Father Guarnizo as his example, he already has demonstrated disdain for those priests who do uphold Canon 915; you see, it's just "not his style" AND he "follows a pastoral approach, not a canonical approach".  That last quote is quite telling, as it sheds much light on what the progressive bishops mean by their "pastoral, not doctrinal" gobblygoop that is spewing from their mouths at the SinNod.

Given the subject matter involved and the fact that Msgr Pope differs from the local bishop regarding Canon 915, I think it's possible that this Oct 9th post could suffer the same fate as did Msgr's post regarding Cardinal Dolan and the now-putrefied St Patrick's Day parade.  Therefore I have saved it below, should the link return an error message.

The text of Msgr Pope's post follows:

We are seeing in Rome a rather unusual unfolding of the Synod, wherein cardinals and bishops with very different points of view are airing those differences quite publicly. Even prior to the Synod there was the publication of various competing books.

To be fair to the bishops and cardinals, it would seem that Pope Francis himself has largely encouraged this. It is more typical at synods for the sparring and debates to take place more privately, and press conferences usually just issue summaries of things discussed. Time will tell of the wisdom (or lack thereof) of such public airings, but if the permission for frank discussion may extend to a lowly parish priest, I will say that it concerns me greatly. It is never pretty to see how the sausage is made and some who are less familiar with the internal debates may well be discouraged, while others will be inappropriately heartened. Again, though, to be fair, vigorous debates in Church Synods and Councils extend all the way back to the first one described in Acts 15.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, what I think about the matter of Holy Communion to those in invalid matrimonial states and other irregular situations is no secret. I simply cannot see how it is possible for us to extend Holy Communion to Catholics living in invalid marriages unless they are willing to live as brother and sister. Rather than restate all the reasons, I’ll just refer you to  earlier posts I wrote: HEREand HERE.

And while the pastoral solution of living as brother and sister may not seem a “pastoral” or reasonable solution to many, it does remain a solution if Holy Communion is sought. Of course it is not a perfect solution. There is still the possibility of scandal, since not everyone will know or understand that an individual who is coming forward is not sexually intimate with his or her current “spouse” from a second union. But if celibacy is generally known as a possibility, others could presume good will and a large degree of scandal could be avoided.

I was speaking of this matter recently on the phone with someone (not a parishioner) and she scoffed at the notion of asking celibacy of people in these situations. She shifted the terms and asked me somewhat rhetorically,

How can you go on denying something as important as Holy Communion to people just because they are in what you consider a bad marriage?

I told her that I would answer her question if she would answer mine:

How is it that many have come to regard having sexual intimacy as more important or necessary than receiving Holy Communion?

I went on to add:

While Holy Communion is important (and I surely think that it is), I wonder why the people you describe as seeing it as so important wouldn’t choose to live celibately in order to be able to receive our Lord. You suggest I’m being cruel by denying it, but it isn’t really I who is making the choice here. The choice is really theirs. I am not the master of the Eucharist; I am His servant. Given Jesus’ description of second marriages as adulterous (Matt 19), and Paul’s clear warning against receiving Communion in an ongoing state of serious sin (1 Cor 11), it doesn’t seem that I have any choice. The choice is and remains theirs: either to so value Holy Communion and intimacy with the Lord that they are willing to forego sexual intimacy, or to seek solutions in the annulment process, or to continue refraining from Holy Communion.

Though I was being accused of somehow denying Holy Communion, I am not really doing any such thing. I celebrate Holy Communion every day for God’s faithful who are not impeded to receive. If they are somehow impeded, I will do what I can to help them overcome this impediment. If at the end of the process there can be no way to address the impediments, then the choice returns to them: live celibately and receive Communion, or choose not to and refrain from Communion. I am not denying anyone Communion; some choose to exclude themselves.

I realize that some people are in difficult and complex situations, but I cannot simply overrule the Lord or what He said to St. Paul. At the end of the day there is a choice for those who desperately seek Communion but are in second unions. That choice is celibacy. I realize that this is difficult and some conclude that this would be unjust to the second “spouse.” But it is ultimately their choice, not mine. I am respectful of the fact that some do not think they can reasonably choose to live celibately in their second union. However, it is not fair to say that just because other avenues have been exhausted, those in these situations have absolutely no choice. They do. It is difficult, but it is their choice to make.

It is sad that the Synod on the family has seemingly become a synod on divorce. I do hope and pray that some discussion is being had about the grace of living according to the Lord’s plan for matrimony and family. Surely the agenda will expand!

A History Of Bishops Bending Over For The Gays

In this Vortex, Michael Voris rightly excoriates Cardinals Cupich, O'Malley, Wuerl, J Tobin, Bishop Bootkoski for their parts in "running interference" for their champion pervert, McCarrick.  The one thing I'll add at this time is more information on these prelates who disgrace their miters.

Cardinal Dolan is Archbishop of New York.  I've written tons on him; you might recall that he marched at the head of the St Patrick's Day Parade after it admitted gays to profane the name of St. Patrick.  Jay Malsky is a flaming gay and in charge of the "gay straight katholyc alliance" at St. Francis de Sales Church in New York City.  He performs in drag and actually put on his wig in front of the Tabernacle, thus committing sacrilege.  Will he be thrown out?  Don't hold your breath.  But Father Justin Wylie was when he dared to petition for priests to offer the Traditional Latin Mass.

New York is not the only diocese to have a pervert at the helm of one of its "gay ministries".  Chicago, under Cardinal Cupich, has one too.  He is at St. Patrick's Church.  Within the next two months, he and his accomplice in sodomy will mock and profane the Sacrament of Matrimony.  At least the debacle is not happening in a Catholic church, nor is the reception.  Again, how long will he be allowed to use the Church to justify his mortal sin?

If Cupich hasn't been faced with sacrilege against matrimony yet, Cardinal Tobin did when he was archbishop of Madison, Indiana.  A Knight of Columbus council rented its hall to two lesbians for their so-called "wedding reception".  We petitioned Tobin to no avail.  At first I thought he merely caved to the lesbians.  Now I wonder if the Council caved to the lesbians under the orders of Tobin.

And then there's my home diocese of Washington.  The maltreatment of Father Marcel Guarnizo, during Lent of 2012, happened in my home parish.  That happened with full knowledge, if not initiative, of Cardinal Wuerl.  Bishop Knestout behaved as the good little hatchet man, and was eventually rewarded by being appointed Bishop of Richmond.

Bishop Bootkoski is another who tossed a faithful Catholic under the bus.  Three years ago, a Catholic high school teacher posted a tweet in support of the Church's marriage teachings.  For her fidelity she was fired.  Fortunately, we caused enough uproar to bring about her reinstatement but she should never have been put through that angst in the first place.

I'm sure you see the common theme.  In each case, the prelate in question was doing the bidding of the gay cartel.  They even stabbed faithful Catholics in the back for so doing.  Enough is enough.  Bishop McCarrick has turned in his red hat.  Many more red and purple hats (and maybe a white one) likewise need to be surrendered.  The prelates discussed at the top should lead that foray.

St. Patrick's Day

Today we honor a saint who played a pivotal role in the conversion of Ireland to the One True Faith.  As a result of that conversion many monasteries were built and armies of priests and religious went forth to spread the Faith; the United States was a beneficiary of their efforts.

Because I abhor the adulteration of such feast days with sentimentality, I do not believe it appropriate to "muddy the waters" by trying to make such feast days about celebrating ethnicity.  We honor St. Patrick, a very holy man.  We don't do so my pouring green food dye into copious amounts of beer and then consuming the same to the point of sinful drunkedness.  Similarly, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is not about the Latino culture.  Leave the feastdays alone and unpolluted by trivialities.  I've posted before on all this here and here.

 It is said that St. Patrick drove serpents from Ireland.  Let us pray to him that the serpents of abortion, contraception, homosexuality and other mortal sins be driven from our culture and that all be converted to Jesus Christ and His One True Church.

An Excellent Email to Gonzaga - And Silly Response from Gonzaga!

A reader of this blog sent the following email to the Gonzaga administration this past Friday. I commend her for the research that she did and do commend the links to your reading. The linked information sheds additional light on the nefarious deeds of Sister Carol Keehan and like-minded cronies, and the harm that they are doing to the Faith and to human life in general. And now, the email…

On This Eve Of St Patrick's Day

Pray that Our Lord will forgive the blasphemies and carousing that not only will happen that day but in some cases will be celebrated by princes of the Church.  Pray that this Saint will once again drive the deadly serpents of immorality and atheism from Ireland and the world for that matter.

A Useful St Patrick's Day Thought from Real Catholic TV

This is much more relevant to Catholicism and to the real St Patrick than are lepruchans, green food dye in everything edible and that "kiss me, I'm Irish" nonsense.



In order to get the snake-purging campaign off to a good start, I'd suggest immediate expulsion of the CCHD (about which I've written copiously), Catholic Health Association and Network (who have both today wrecked much havoc).  They might want to immediately follow that up with every Catholic politician who votes pro-abortion and pro-gay.  That is not an all-inclusive list of snake-expulsion needed, but it would be a wonderful start.

St Patrick's Day

To clear up common misperceptions..

Wrong!  Proper respect for St Patrick means no leprechauns, no green food dye, no "kiss me I'm Irish" crap and above all, no abuse of alcohol nor relaxation of Lenten disciplines.

Now to honor this saint,

Blasphemy And Sacrilege At St Patrick's Cathedral - How Much Did The Archdiocese Know Beforehand?

On Thursday, February 15, a funeral liturgy was held for Cecilia Gentili, a "transgender" activist who did his dirty work in New York.  The liturgy was held at St Patrick's Cathedral.  All manners of flamers and perverts were in attendance.  Some did readings, strutting and sashaying to the pulpit in full drag-queen regalia.  A complete video of the blasphemy is below, with more commentary beneath that.  Be warned.  The blasphemies and sacrileges are frequent and blatant.  More distressing than that, though, is the complete acquiescence of the priest and other cathedral personne. 

To be clear, Gentili was a male pretending to be a woman.  He died at the age of 52, but no cause of death was disclosed to the public.  He was also an atheist.  Knowing that, we can ask why Gentili's network wanted a funeral service at a prominent Catholic cathedral.  The answer is obvious - to poke a finger in the eyes of faithful Catholics.  They did so, with the apparent connivance of the local hierarchy.  Allegedly, Father Dougherty, the celebrant at the blasphemy, did not know Gentili was male.  However, he could not have been oblivious to the antics of the perverts throughout the debacle.  Yet he allowed it to continue.  According to LifeSiteNews, he even laughed at their various chants of "sancta Cecilia" and such.  Originally, a funeral Mass was planned, but a clergyman told Dougherty it could not be a Mass, just a service.  At least someone had the good sense not to allow Holy Communion to be administered to those many people in mortal sin.

While the personnel of St Patrick's cathedral put forth a public statement (of sorts), the Archdiocese of New York (particularly Cardinal Dolan) seems to be washing their hands of the mess.  I understand a Mass of Reparation was subsequently offered, but it was done privately and quietly.  That is just plain wrong.  The blasphemies and sacrileges were public in nature.  Thus, remedial actions need to be public.  The LifeSiteNews piece has a petition to have the Cathedral exorcized. 

Dolan himself has let his pro-gay sympathies be manifest on more than one occasion.  This past post of mine gives quite a litany of those events.  Why else is he "running interference" for the perverts?  Can anyone imagine the late John Cardinal O'Conner sitting still for this insult to the Faith?

In the LifeSiteNews piece, you'll see a tweet from Maike that Fidicia Supplicans be halted in light of this travesty.  Additionally, Rorate Caeli makes the case for halting Traditionis Custodes.

Pray your Rosaries each day for our Church.  Also pray for the soul of Cecilia Gentili, that he found the grace of final repentance.  He too was ill-served this past Thursday.