Divided We Will Fall

       

 We have been traditional Catholics for 4 years.  And I can tell you, traditional Catholics are a strange and particular lot.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't think trad Catholics are crazy.  Heck, I'm one of 'em.  I just know we have issues in our little small circles and I think the devil likes it that way.  Let me try to explain.
     There are traditional Catholics everywhere.  They are sitting in the pews at your local Novus Ordo parish, where they are easy to spot.  Most of them, though, eventually find a place where the Tridentine Mass is offered.  Some of these places are within the various societies and establishments "officially recognized" by the Church.  Other trad Catholics, for various reasons, attend Masses at other chapels not "recognized" by the Church but where they can receive the Sacraments and practice their Faith. And while everyone has made their decision based on prayer, thoughtfulness, and information, there is an awful lot of name calling and accusations thrown around in real life and in the blogosphere.
     Considering the state of the post-concilliar Catholic Church, it's a real shame that traditional Catholics insist on stoking the tensions between them.  The criticisms reach such heightened levels sometimes that many Catholics just simply begin to avoid each other out of fear of having to discuss "Faith issues."  In spite of the one thing we can all agree on---that the post-concilliar Church is a danger to one's faith and quite possibly a new religion---the disagreements and divisions actually keep us from being able to make any real headway in the restoration of the Church.
     Generally speaking, it's like a dysfunctional family rivalry.  Those traditional Catholics who attend the Tridentine Mass under one of the official "legal" wings of the Church, like the FSSP or ICK, often totally reject those people who attend SSPX chapels by labeling them schismatics.  Then there are the SSPXers who don't trust any priests except their own.  Both of those groups reject and avoid those Catholics that openly challenge the validity of the person who is the Pope.  And all of those often lament that the independent priests with private chapels have gone off the deep end.  It has become a nasty mess of bickering, attacking, fighting, and down right shunning.  It's worse than an episode of Survivor or Big Brother and nothing good comes of it.
     You see, our salvation is at stake here.  This is not about sitting on committees or singing in the choir.  It's not about feeling good or important or finding your sense of belonging. It's not even about the Mass. It's about our Catholic Faith.  If we lose that, then we lose everything, especially our place in Heaven.  Isn't that what the devil wants after all?  A generation ago, people knew where to look for their Catholic Faith.  They could go to any Catholic Church and find a good, holy Catholic priest.  They could send their children to Catholic schools and they could trust the nuns would teach them the Faith.  But those days are gone for good.  Now one must look for the Faith.  One must know what it truly is and recognize if their priest or bishop actually has it.  It's a crisis like that of St. Athanasius' time.  How was the Church restored then when 95% of the priests and bishops were heretics?  Did the "trads" in those days bicker and fight over who or who was not the Pope or whether or not their church was official?
     Isn't it the same in our modern day?  It's no secret that the post-concilliar Catholic church is infused with Modernism, which, as Pope Pius X told us, is the synthesis of all heresies.   Everyday we hear a priest orbishop spouting some Modernist drivel, yet we are afraid to call them out.  Our Pope openly professes Modernist thinking and we are afraid to say so for fear of being disobedient.  We are afraid to leave our Churches where our children are loosing their faith, where our altars have been ripped out, where many no longer believe Christ is present in the Eucharist, where our priests are teaching us lies, where our very souls are in danger.  We are afraid to be disobedient to our priests, our bishops and our Pope.
     Unfortunately, traditional Catholics are no better.  They criticize and condemn each other. They refuse to engage in real discussions, or consider the possibility that their priest or group is compromised or questionable.  We must absolutely stop this bickering and in-fighting.  Instead, we must do better to help each other find and keep our Faith.  We can not do this if we are constantly fighting and accusing each other of not being real Catholics.  How much could we accomplish together, how many souls could be saved if we just tried to work together?
     In reality, it's not about where we attend Mass. It's about the Faith! Your cathedral may have a large group of young families and beautiful music, but without the Faith, they are just noisy makers.  Your chapel may have monks and nuns still in habits, but without the Faith, they are just men and women.  Your church may have a vibrant priest, nice vestments, and a marble altar, but without the Faith, these are just props.  We must know our Faith.  We must be prepared to fight for it, defend it, and be willing to hide it among ourselves to keep it.  Let us never forget the Japanese Catholics who hid underground for over 200 years without clergy, without the Mass, without schools.  They had only their rosaries, their scapulars, and their Faith!
     Our Lord promised that the devil would not win this battle.  The Church will survive.  Of that we can be sure.  But where is the Church?  Where are the people of Faith?  That is for you to search, to seek out, and hang on to as if your eternal life depends on it.  After all, it does.

Viva Cristo Rey!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

St. Athanasius, pray for us!

Martyrs of Japan, pray for us!

   
 

Clown of the Week----Cardinal Joachim Meisner

      Before I sat down to write this blog, I hesitated.  I could almost hear the sighs from my few readers..."Ugh.  Another article about birth control!"  It's tired.  I know.  But at least once a week, a Catholic in a position of authority says something publicly about contraception that is so utterly stupid and ridiculous that I just can't hold my tongue.
     This week the Clown of the Week Award goes to the German Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne.  What, you say, did the good Cardinal do to deserve such an award?  He issued a statement in response to the "controversy" surrounding two Catholic hospitals in Cologne who refused to dispense "emergency contraceptives" to a rape victim.  What exactly was that statement?  Read it and weep, good and faithful Catholics.  "If, after a rape, a supplement is used with the intend of preventing fertilization, that is in my view justifiable."  Congratulations Herr Meisner!  You have just declared utter nonsense, and confounded and confused another generation of Catholics!   
     Since many of today's Catholics are being led around and spoon fed by these clowns, I think it's time for another primer on the absolute absurdity of such a statement.  Good and faithful Catholics should be outraged every time one of these statements comes to light in the media.  Why?  Because many Catholics are blinded by obedience and will believe every single word they say without hesitation, thus finding themselves fast on the path to Perdition!  Enough!  Let's see if we can clarify, then.

1)  If, after a rape.....Yes, rape is a horrible crime against a woman.  Woman who are raped feel shame, quilt, anger, sadness, confusion, despair, remorse, disgust, and hatred.  What makes the situation worse is that most women are raped by someone they know or are at least familiar with.  After women are raped they feel so many emotions for months, perhaps even years, that it is sometimes difficult for them to even think straight.  And that is precisely the problem.  These women who have been raped and have come to a medical facility are not thinking straight at all.  They are over-run with pure emotion. In such a state of raw emotion a woman couldn't possibly consider the idea that she might have fallen pregnant with a man whom she feels nothing but disgust. Difficult dilemma, yes?

2)  ...a supplement is used with the intend of preventing fertilization.....This is called contraception.  Period.  Even the FDA, which is not noted for honesty or transparency regarding pharmaceuticals, identifies "the Pill" and the "emergency pill" as contraceptives, or methods where hormones are used to prevent ovulation or the fertilization of the egg.  There are many natural supplements that have been around for millennia that women have to prevent fertilization---pomegranates, neem oil, Queen Anne's Lace seeds, rutin, smartweed, and apricot kernels.  You see, contrary, to popular belief, ours is not the first society who desired not to have offspring.  There were many people before who discovered certain herbs and flowers could bring on a menstrual cycle, prevent fertilization, or cause a miscarriage.  Why not use one of these supplements instead of hormones which are known cancer agents? 

3)  ...in my view....It seems the good Cardinal's view is the same view as the "experts" and "scientists."  But what about God's view?  And the Church's view?  You see, the Cardinal's view doesn't really matter does it?  The only view that actually counts is God's and He left the Catholic Church solely responsible for teaching everyone what that view is.  Sorry Herr Meisner.

4)  ...justifiable.  This one word, alone, is what qualifies Herr Meisner for the Clown of the Week Award.  What exactly does this word mean?  When a decision or action is justifiable, it must be proven that the action is just, right, or reasonable.  Is preventing fertilization with a supplement in any case just, right, or reasonable?  Not according to God!  Not even in the case of rape.  What is just about denying a child created by God his natural right to live?  What is right about intentionally and willfully suppressing a woman's fertility so that she will not fall pregnant?  What is reasonable about telling a woman that it is okay to take a "supplement" to prevent a child from being conceived or born?  


     What's the big deal, you say, about Cardinal Meisner anyway.  Well, he is in a position of authority.  Faithful Catholics see him as a representative of the visible Church.  Those Catholics who are still attending Mass and who still listen to their priests and bishops will take what the Cardinal says and actually believe it is true.  This is what makes his statement absolutely absurd and dangerous.  And this is precisely why the Catholic Church is in the rotten state that it is in!  The hierarchy is rotten and they are liars.  And while they may or may not hold legitimate places of authority, one just cannot believe a word they say.  Period.  In these times, it's best not to listen to them at all or measure everything they declare with what the Church actually teaches. 

  Contraception and abortion, contrary to popular belief, are not new ideas.  Any study of the use of contraception clearly indicates that both practices, contraception and abortion, were commonplace throughout antiquity.  In fact, an exhaustive analysis of women's health, including contraception, was published in the 2nd Century by Soranus of Ephesus, a Greek gynecologist.  His works were so important that they were read and referenced for over 1500 years.  I mention this because it is important to note that these practices were part of the life and culture that Our Lord and His Apostles were teaching against.  And since these practices were part of the general culture, Christians were in direct opposition to it.  As such, this is not a new idea that just suddenly popped up in the 1960s with the invention of a birth control pill.  On the contrary, ours is not the first culture in which men and women wanted to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh without any consequences.

    From the beginning, Our Lord, His Apostles, and His Church have condemned the practice of contraception and abortion.  One does not need a degree in theology to know what the Church teaches in regards to these matters.  Neither are acceptable--both are intrinsically morally evil.  Period.  This concept is so simple that even the Protestants understand it.  God, and God alone, is the author of life.  He decides, in His ultimate Wisdom, when or if a child is to be created.  This is very difficult for us to understand, especially when the circumstances involved are so difficult.  But who are we to question Our Lord's Ways?  After all, they are not ours.  

   Is rape a horrible situation?  Yes.  Most definitely.  But sometimes Our Lord chooses this precise situation to bring a new human being into this world.  Why?  I do not know. It would be highly presumptuous of me to contemplate why the Lord would allow a child to be conceived in this way.  A report that come out in Ireland last year highlighted the fact that most women in this situation keep their children.  If a child conceived out of rape is so horrible, why do all these women keep their children?  Perhaps this is a question Cardinal Meisner ought to investigate.  The Cardinal might begin his research by reading the blog by Rebecca Kiessling, a woman who was conceived in rape and targeted for abortion.  I am certain she would have to disagree with Cardinal Meisner that "emergency" contraception is ever justified.  There are women there who have lovingly and courageously shared their stories in hopes that they can have an impact.  

     It is a really sad day for humanity the leaders of the Holy Catholic Church lose their faith and their marbles at the same time. For this reason, German Cardinal Joachim Meisner wins the Clown of the Week Award.

Our Lady of Good Success, Ora Pro Nobis!

St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ora Pro Nobis!



     


     

In Regione Caecorum Rex Est Luscus---Erasmus of Rotterdam

     I don't quite know how to say this without sounding rude and "uncharitable."  But it really needs to be said.  So, I am going to say it.  The hierarchy of the Catholic Church are completely clueless, bordering on ignorant.  I can easily back that statement up, if given the time.  But here is just one example to prove my point:  These people are dumb and if you are listening to them, you are probably going to end up dumb, too, and definitely clueless, and perhaps faithless.

     His Eminence, Cardinal Dolan, has a blog on the Archdiocese of New York website.  And this week's post titled "Keeping the Faith" is about as ridiculous and out-of touch as they come. To show you what I mean, let's have a look at some of his utter confusion.

     Without going into a commentary about the Jews, I sincerely doubt Cardinal Dolan needed to reference the crisis of faith in the Jewish community to open up a discussion about the loss of faith of Catholics.  In the Diocese of New York, Catholic school enrollment has declined by half since the 1960s.  Schools have been shuddered, churches have been closed and sold, parishes have been consolidated.  The good Archbishop knows that most of his Catholics don't adhere to Church doctrine, few are getting married in the Church, a few are being baptized.  In other words, in ain't no secret what is happening, and we ain't stupid.  But check this out from Cardinal Dolan's blog:

     We Catholics  have known this for years:  there is no more tried-and-true way of passing on our Catholic faith to our kids than by sacrificing to put them in a Catholic school. Data proves they persevere in the faith at higher rates, pray better, are more faithful to Sunday Mass, live gospel values, are more generous to their parish, even have happier marriages, volunteer more, and transmit the faith to their own children, than those not in a Catholic school.

     But what about this statement from the Cardus Education Survey on North American Religious Education and their actual research into this matter.

      Catholic schools provide superior academic outcomes, an experience that translates into graduates’ enrollment in more prestigious colleges and universities, more advanced degrees, and higher household income. In Catholic schools, administrators put a higher value on university than their Protestant Christian peers, and Catholic schools’ academic programs consist of more rigorous course offerings across the board...  At the same time, however, our research finds that the moral, social, and religious dispositions of Catholic school graduates seem to run counter to the values and teachings of the Catholic church. For example, students graduating from Catholic schools divorce no less than their public school counterparts, and significantly more than their Protestant Christian and non-religious private school peers. Similarly, having attended Catholic school has no impact on the frequency with which those graduates will attend church services, and Catholic school graduates are less likely to serve as leaders in their churches.

     And what about this bit of data from the Pew Forum:

     Catholicism has experienced the greatest net losses as a result of affiliation changes. While nearly one-in-three Americans (31%) were raised in the Catholic faith, today fewer than one-in-four (24%) describe themselves as Catholic. These losses would have been even more pronounced were it not for the offsetting impact of immigration.

   
     Cardinal Dolan goes on to explain that he has actually met with some of his educators in the Catholic school system.  This is what he tells us.

     I recently had the pleasure of meeting with leaders in our Catholic high schools.  They observed that, in some of their areas, the public schools were, thank God, offering a good education......
 They asserted, there was only one reason for a parent to sacrifice financially to send his/her son/daughter to the Catholic high school:  formation in faith, values, character, discipline, and religion . . . along with a first class education.

     IF the public schools in New York are actually offering a good education, then why did the New York Daily News report last summer that although graduation rates are up, 75% of students are not ready for college?

     Unfortunately, I have no good data suggesting that private schools currently are better or worse than public schools academically, but there is evidence that SAT scores are higher for those students.  How ready are they for college?  It's hard to say.  But I digress.....

     If the only one reason for a parent to sacrifice financially to send their children to Catholic school is faith formation, then we have a serious problem that Cardinal Dolan wants to be ambiguous about.  But what's worse, doesn't seem to really want to do anything about it anyway.

     If our schools are not visibly and robustly Catholic, let’s save a lot of money and close them in areas where our children can get a decent academic education free of charge.

     This is the solution Cardinal Dolan advances.  Our schools are not really Catholic in identity, so let's just close them and send our children to public school where it is free.  Yes, that is really what he said.

     In other words, Catholics, the Catholic hierarchy doesn't really care if the teachers are Catholic and adhere to Catholic doctrine.  They don't care if Catholic students are actually losing their faith when they become adults.  They don't seem concerned that the public schools are a hotbed of immorality, liberalism, and modernism where your children are certain to lose their faith.  

     This is the main reason we decided to home school our children.  We want to put forth every effort and make as many sacrifices necessary to pass on our Catholic faith to our children.  At home, every single subject is infused with Catholic thought and teaching.  There is no ambiguity here.  We use a Catholic curriculum and traditional Catholic catechisms.  Along with the math, science, reading, grammar, and history, our children will know what it means to be a Catholic--visibly and robustly.  

     Our two oldest children were educated in the public school system.  We could have sacrificed to send them to Catholic school, but what would have been the point?  We would have gone without and our children would have lost their faith anyway.  Today, we are struggling with faith issues with these two.  One believes what he wants to believe about his Catholic faith, the other has rejected it mostly.  While one is doing fairly well at a private non-Catholic college, the other is struggling with reading, writing, and critical thinking---the product of a "good public school education."  

     I suffer greatly over the loss of faith of my oldest children.  I, daily, unite my sufferings to those of Our Most Sorrowful Mother.  How much sorrow must she feel that almost all of Her children have left the Church, don't know what Our Lord has taught us, don't know what the Catholic Church teaches, nor do they care.  I pray daily that the Our Lord will have mercy on my children and bring them home.  

     I also pray daily that the Catholic hierarchy, like the priests, bishops, cardinals, and even the Pope, have the courage to take action.  Because that is the only thing that is going to save our souls and the souls of our children.

     My priest reminded us of this:  "For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?  For he that shall be ashamed of Me, and of My words, in this adulterous and sinful generation: the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when He shall come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  Mark 8:36-38

     It has become quite clear to me, as from Cardinal Dolan's blog, that these men who are responsible for huge flocks of Christ's children are leading them down the road to Perdition.  And it is these very men, these favorite sons, that the Catholic faithful are clinging to for some direction and hope.

     And thus the words of Erasmus ring ever loud and clear:

In the Land of the Blind, the one-eyed man is King

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.