The Archdiocese Of Baltimore Hears Truth

A few weeks ago I published a "call to action" on behalf of Maryland parents who were tired of being betrayed by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  On February 4, about 65 Catholics came out in the rain onto the steps of the Baltimore chancery and made their displeasure known.  A few days later Archbishop Lori rescinded the mandates.  I was told that Lori planned to do that anyway but still this action served to let the chancery know that they won't get away with utilizing the donations of Catholic parents to harm their children.  

The video below is a combination of clips from several camcorders and phone recorders - hence the breaks in continuity.  It still serves to give a feel for what happened February 4, and to let readers know that they too can make their voices heard.

Holy Communion At St Silly's

Let me preface this video by stating that this is not intended as judgment on those who have received Holy Communion in the hand.  I too was taught that in the hand was the proper way to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion.  Not until I was exposed to the truth and did some research on my own did I realize that I was unwittingly committing sacrilege with my unconsecrated hands.  By the way - this was quite some time before I started attending the Traditional Latin Mass on Sundays.

Anyway, here's another "tongue-in-cheek lesson" from "Father Timmy at St Silly" on how they think Holy Communion is to be received.  Of course we lay folks are not to touch Our Lord - not even during "pandemics".  

Welcome To St Silly's Parish!

We recently heard of alleged leniency that the pope displayed to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP).  While this is welcome news, I agree with the producer of the video below that there's more to this than meets the eye.  The pope's ultimate intent is plainly laid out in Traditionis Custodes, and that never was rescinded.  I will post the video below, and below that, a helpful (?) introduction to the kind of treatment that we who attend the Latin Mass should expect.

There are actually more videos along the lines of the one you'll see below.  This is actually the first in a series.  I will post others very shortly.

With This Guitar, I Thee Bless

This sacrilege happened in the Archdiocese of Chicago.  Taylor Marshall (and others) ask a very relevant question.  How does Cupich allow that yet ban the Traditional Latin Mass?  It certainly seems indicative of Cupich's warped perspective and priorities, doesn't it?

Satanic Conference In Arizona Met By Faithful Catholics

Jesse Romero and the men of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition Family and Property launched a prayer effort outside the conference hotel to offer reparation for the blasphemous event happening there.  I have stood several times with the men of TFP and respect them highly for standing in the public square.  We all need to do that.  Please see the report below.

Catholic Standard Slobbers Up To Two Dissident Religious

Sister Jeannine Gramick is co-founder of the gay-pandering New Ways Ministry.  They call themselves "catholic" although they were disavowed by previous DC prelates.  They favor sodomy and the mockery of the Sacrament of Matrimony.  In 2000 both the Vatican and her own order (School Sisters of Notre Dame) ordered her to silence.  She thumbed her nose at them and kept right on yapping.  Both she and her dissident bunch are located in Prince George's County, MD.

Father Thomas Reese, SJ, likewise favors "gay rights".  He was an editor for the "America" Jesuit rag.  That publication was so egregious that when Pope Benedict XVI ascended to the papal throne, one of his first acts was to oust Reese from his position.  At present, he is a columnist for America and the other dissident rag, National Catholic Reporter.  He currently lives in DC, maybe Georgetown.

So what, besides being two dissident religious who make jokes of their vows and who reside in the MD/DC area, do these two have in common?  Why, they are both being lauded by the Catholic Standard for celebrating their 60th anniversaries!  They are listed on pages 22 and 23 of the February 17th paper edition.  I could not find it online (if someone else can find it, please post the link in the comment section).

If these two had spent those 60 years in actual service to the Church, looking to their own eternal salvation and those of others, it would be appropriate to celebrate their milestones in a Catholic newspaper.  But they've done just the opposite.  They've undermined Catholic teaching to the eternal detriment of souls, and to date, they are unrepentant.  Not one word of the flamboyant dissidence of either one is so much as mentioned.  Just what did the editorial staff of the Catholic Standard think they were accomplishing?  Well, it turns out that Gramick is best buds, or "pen pals", with the pope.  And both Reese and the pope are Jesuits.  Hmmm...

What The Council Of Trent Says About I Versus We In Baptism

The Council of Trent was held in the mid 1500s, to refute the errors of Protestantism and to concisely set forth Catholic beliefs.  Among the topics discussed were the Sacraments, including Baptism.  The participants in this council aimed to eradicate erroneous teachings and practices regarding the Sacraments and they were quite specific in doing so.  It was a dogmatic council and the proceedings are binding upon the Church. 

In order to promulgate the council, a catechism was written immediately afterwards.  Pope Saint Pius V and Saint Charles Borromeo were both heavily involved in that undertaking.  The canons and decrees of the Council of Trent and the Catechism of the Council of Trent can be obtained from Tan Publishing.  In this day and age of dodgy catechesis, I highly recommend that everyone obtain copies. 

Meanwhile, here is what the Catechism of the Council of Trent says of Baptism.  Particular germane to the topic of the "I versus we" discussion is the section under "words of the form".  Yes, it really does matter what word is used.  Specific words convey specific meanings.  The Church has always understood that.  It's high time that some Catholics start appreciating that reality.

Maryland Citizens! Call For Immediate Action!

Almost two months ago, I touched upon Maryland's abortion fight in 1991 and 1992 with bill SB 162.  As horrendous as that law is, it is still merely a law, vulnerable to court action.

No doubt the pro-aborts in Annapolis see some "writing on the wall" as far as the Dobbs case goes, for now they are attempting to enshrine Senate Bill 162 into the Maryland State Constitution via amendment.  The vehicle is House Bill 1171 to create a Maryland constitutional "right" to fully-funded abortion on demand.  The State of Maryland's information on the bill is here, along with the text of HB 1171.

Hearings on the bill are scheduled to commence Tuesday February 22.  We need to stop this now, lest abortion become irrevocably enshrined in Maryland's constitution.  Maryland Right to Life has an action page that goes into the bill; on the right side is a letter-writer.  Send your letters AND call your representatives.

Sacraments - Matter, Form, And Intent

Recently a priest in the Diocese of Phoenix resigned after it was discovered that his misuse of pronouns during baptism ceremonies rendered the sacrament invalid.  He did this to hundreds of babies over the years.  The upshot is that they never received the graces pertaining to baptism.  Original sin was not remitted.  Subsequent sacraments received by the affected individuals were likewise rendered invalid and perhaps some died in that state.

I'm now going to post some links that give the Church's teachings on the topic of Sacraments, and the Sacrament of Baptism in particular.  Please bear in mind that Jesus Christ has empowered the Magisterium over the centuries to pronounce His teachings.  Also bear in mind that Sacraments and their attendant graces are objective realities, apart from any experiences or judgments that we may harbor.  Please see this, this, and this.

Bishop Olmsted is a bishop who takes his responsibilities seriously.  Understanding the spiritual peril in which many of his people were placed, he is taking measures to ensure that as many as possible are notified so that they can receive proper baptisms, confirmations, etc. 

This situation is being discussed on social media.  On Facebook, I am reading comments that display an abysmal lack of understanding and appreciation of the sacraments.  As a summary, I will paraphrase some of the opinions that seem to be prevalent:

• God only cares about the intention of those involved
• This is not a big deal.
• The bishop is nit-picking
• It is cruel to exclude these people from the Church

All of these statements display common erroneous mind-sets.  They are evaluating baptism from the stance of mere subjective experience.  They deem the badly-administered sacrament to be valid because of "trauma" that some might experience, utterly disregarding the fact that sacraments are objective realities that are independent of their opinions.

As we understand in the reading of the links, the reality of the Sacraments hinges on three things: intent, matter and form.  A defect in any one of those things will render the sacrament invalid.  These other people seem to appreciate intent, but have little disregard for form.   That parish priest uttered the words "we baptize you" instead of "I baptize you", undermining the understanding that it is Christ who baptizes through the priest.

I don't know the ages of these people, but I strongly suspect that their Catholic education was compromised by the proceeds of Vatican II.  Mine was, but my earlier years weren't.  They gave me some decent frame of reference that served to at least partially shield me from some of the pernicious modernist lies.  Later on I embarked on some self-reading and education, still ongoing, to rid my mind of lingering nonsense.  

I say that because if someone can dismiss the Church's emphasis on proper form as "nitpicking" and "legalism", they simply did not receive a decent Catholic education.  I hope it is that, for if they do know the Church's centuries-old teaching on these matters and still scoff at them, they place their souls in danger.  I and some others actually posted links to Church teaching, most of which were summarily dismissed.  As long as Catholics insist on elevating their own emotions above what Our Lord objectively teaches, we will see much of the Church collapse like a house of cards.  The rest of us must continue to pray and to speak the truth, regardless of the mockery that comes our way.

For SuperBowl Sunday, Make A Game Plan!

On Maryland roads today, the overhead electronic signs were programmed to read, "Make a game plan.  Hand your keys to a sober driver" or something to that effect.  It's hearkening to the idea of a designated driver who will remain sober while his/her companions consider themselves free to get plastered.

Well, I have what I hope is not a novel idea.  How about this for a "game plan"?  How about everyone behave like a responsible adult and refuse to get into a drunken, inebriated, and incapacitated state?  Is that doable?  Aren't most people capable of some responsible behavior?

Last time I checked, drunkedness, particularly if brought about deliberately or by reckless disregard, is sinful, perhaps mortally so.  We don't know who will win tomorrow, but we know that all will, sooner or later, pass away and into his/her particular judgment.  After that, it's heaven or hell (maybe purgatory before heaven for some of us).  That will be for a very long time.  Let's live with that "end-game" always in mind.