Monday, 30 December 2013
Pray for those flooded in Southern England
http://www.dorkingandleatherheadadvertiser.co.uk/Leatherhead-Station-closed-flood-damage-months/story-20375422-detail/story.html
http://www.dorkingandleatherheadadvertiser.co.uk/Fetcham-Leatherhead-families-Christmas-flooding/story-20371898-detail/story.html
http://www.dorkingandleatherheadadvertiser.co.uk/Fetcham-Leatherhead-families-Christmas-flooding/story-20371898-detail/story.html
OK-approaching crunch time for the Anons
Over Christmas, I have been lenient about Anonymous comments which are usually not allowed on this blog for many reasons.
The time of mercy ends on January 2nd, 2014. Please get a blog name. make up a name, or just add your name to the bottom of the comment.
I cannot address four Anons at one time.
STM
Decades of The Rosary And Re-posts
Bjorn and LM get a decade each for their intentions today. July 13th was the last no post day, imo.
I have no idea why I did not post that day. I was in Ireland.
Here are some re-posts from my stay in Ireland, which apply to the Western World.
The goal of psychological warfare is to undermine the mental toughness of the opponent so that it is easier to mount a full-scale attack.
After weeks of heavy mental music, the army went in. We know the story. Can you imagine being sleep-deprived and agitated to the point of not being at your best to fight a physical fight?
The concentration camps of both the Nazis and in the Gulag used psychological warfare.
Taking away identity by using numbers to identity instead of names..
Stripping all beauty and consolations in clothing, cells, surroundings to deprive people of rest...
Sleep deprivation and over-work..
Bad food, little food...
Rats, bugs, etc.
The random killing of prisoners and the killing of a number of prisoner after an escape...
Verbal abuse as well as physical abuse...
We do not have to be in a concentration camp to experience some of this now, and I mean, now.
Even some Catholic are waging psychological warfare against members of their own Church.
How? Calumny, slander, lack of forgiveness, nursing old hatreds, suspicion, creating divisions where there are none, and, most tragic, hatred of the EF. Some people are seriously not able to handle the fights. Some get weary. Some are ill and need help to fight.
Do not engage unless you must. Learn patience and use the prudence given to you in Confirmation. You have all the gifts you need so much now against this type of warfare. How do you get in touch with those gifts?
Intense prayer and fasting.
There is no other way.
It is not on what we do, but who we are that we shall be judged.
Help those who are mentally weaker, as the fight is now big time PSYOP
If you did not grow up with Struwwelpeter, I feel a bit sorry for you. This hilarious yet serious book was popular in the Victorian era as cautionary tales for children. But, some critics have seen it as propaganda for undermining male behaviour. I wonder...However, I refer to it as an example of the standards of child-rearing in an age of child formation. A good or bad approach, perhaps debatable, but without such formation we have created a generation of those who have no boundaries. This is the age of those who create psychological warfare like a child holding their breath in order to manipulate the parents to give in....pure subjectivity results without a moral framework.
Dear Catholics, these are the kind of people we are up against-the amorals and the immorals.
Apparently, judging from some comments which I have not posted, as I shall not post four-letter words, there is a lack of understanding among some young people between subjective truth and objective truth. I am also getting nasties in anonymous comments, which are only meant to intimidate and not enlighten. Same with people posting under different names. Sorry, an old composition and literature instructor and well as a logic instructor can spot copying and same phrases as well as same consistent errors. If Mary was using Johnny's notes and I also graded Johnny's papers, come on...
Some young people judge most things by how they feel about something instead of parsing the meaning out of a paragraph or two. Some read too quickly and react, a fault among some older people as well. Some just cannot read. And, many have had no logic, no training in rational discourse.
To be a Catholic, one must be able to think, as I have written many times on this blog. One must be able to understand what is being read or said. Understanding is a gift of the Holy Spirit from Confirmation, but I assume that young or old people who are rude, use profanities and spew hatred may not have the advantage of this gift.
Why in writing and speech so many young people rely on profanities is simply that they have not been trained in the art of debate. Profanities are temper tantrums. Some parents give in to toddler tantrums. Some do not. Supertradmum would not. However, reasoned debate is a good which most people have not had the opportunity to learn.
Now, one reason is that high schools, colleges and universities no longer have instructors who believe in universal and absolute truths. One cannot debate anything if there are only maybes, attacks on persons, subjective interpretations, and so on. The list of classical fallacies covers could be applied to many comments, article and blogs I have read in the past 24 hours.
I love engaging in critical thinking with those who want to learn and want to work out Truth in rational discourse. We in the Catholic Church have a long tradition of this. St. Thomas' Summa is based on question and answer, the Aristotelian, and Socratic Methods of coming to truth.
Sad, that critical thinking has been replaced by knee-jerk reactions. Perhaps we are so overwhelmed with data that we, and I mean those who are tying to come to understanding, are close to burn out. But, those who resort to low attacks, such as profanity, want us who refer to Christ, His Church, the Gospel to become burnt out.
Like playing heavy metal music day and night during Desert Storm to wear down the enemy, our enemies give us lots of noise to discourage us. No fear! Christ has overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. He won the war, we are just finishing up, cleaning up the pockets of resistance and trying to save souls.
Psychological Warfare Against Nazi Germany: The Sykewar Campaign, D-Day to VE-Day. ISBN 0-262-12045-3 or 0-262-62019-7 (1949). George W. Stewart, New York; Reprinted (1971) MIT Press.
Daniel Lerner in his book above, divides pychological warfare in to three categories. Lerner also wrote,
Yesterday, and today, we as Catholics are witnessing all three.
We need to get mentally tough.
The first type of psychological warfare is called White and involves omission in truth as well as emphases which are made on purpose to deceive, but the content is not wrong or deceitful. The source of information is acknowledged but may not, as I understand this category, cover all possibilities. Selection is the key. Did you not see this yesterday on line and in the main line media?[
The second category is Grey which includes the above with racial, ethnic and what Lerner calls religious bias. This is the most common thing we see and we call it spin. Sadly, the sources are not identified at this point, but there is a lot of truth in the statements or propaganda.
The third category is labelled Black and this has become so common, most readers or listeners no longer recognize the danger. All is lies, deceits, purposely written or said-the sins of Commission. And, the sources given are not the true sources.
THIS IS NOW CALLED NEWS AND COMMENTARY.
The trouble is that most Catholics are not prepared for this type of PSYOP.
Catholics, you must learn to think, eat, walk, pray, react like Catholics. NOW.
See the tag for many posts on this....
I have no idea why I did not post that day. I was in Ireland.
Here are some re-posts from my stay in Ireland, which apply to the Western World.
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Catholics in PSYWAR-Part Three-PSYOP and You
The goal of psychological warfare is to undermine the mental toughness of the opponent so that it is easier to mount a full-scale attack.
After weeks of heavy mental music, the army went in. We know the story. Can you imagine being sleep-deprived and agitated to the point of not being at your best to fight a physical fight?
The concentration camps of both the Nazis and in the Gulag used psychological warfare.
Taking away identity by using numbers to identity instead of names..
Stripping all beauty and consolations in clothing, cells, surroundings to deprive people of rest...
Sleep deprivation and over-work..
Bad food, little food...
Rats, bugs, etc.
The random killing of prisoners and the killing of a number of prisoner after an escape...
Verbal abuse as well as physical abuse...
We do not have to be in a concentration camp to experience some of this now, and I mean, now.
Even some Catholic are waging psychological warfare against members of their own Church.
How? Calumny, slander, lack of forgiveness, nursing old hatreds, suspicion, creating divisions where there are none, and, most tragic, hatred of the EF. Some people are seriously not able to handle the fights. Some get weary. Some are ill and need help to fight.
Do not engage unless you must. Learn patience and use the prudence given to you in Confirmation. You have all the gifts you need so much now against this type of warfare. How do you get in touch with those gifts?
Intense prayer and fasting.
There is no other way.
It is not on what we do, but who we are that we shall be judged.
Help those who are mentally weaker, as the fight is now big time PSYOP
We are in PSYWAR-Universal and Absolute vs. Profanities Part Two
If you did not grow up with Struwwelpeter, I feel a bit sorry for you. This hilarious yet serious book was popular in the Victorian era as cautionary tales for children. But, some critics have seen it as propaganda for undermining male behaviour. I wonder...However, I refer to it as an example of the standards of child-rearing in an age of child formation. A good or bad approach, perhaps debatable, but without such formation we have created a generation of those who have no boundaries. This is the age of those who create psychological warfare like a child holding their breath in order to manipulate the parents to give in....pure subjectivity results without a moral framework.
Dear Catholics, these are the kind of people we are up against-the amorals and the immorals.
Apparently, judging from some comments which I have not posted, as I shall not post four-letter words, there is a lack of understanding among some young people between subjective truth and objective truth. I am also getting nasties in anonymous comments, which are only meant to intimidate and not enlighten. Same with people posting under different names. Sorry, an old composition and literature instructor and well as a logic instructor can spot copying and same phrases as well as same consistent errors. If Mary was using Johnny's notes and I also graded Johnny's papers, come on...
Some young people judge most things by how they feel about something instead of parsing the meaning out of a paragraph or two. Some read too quickly and react, a fault among some older people as well. Some just cannot read. And, many have had no logic, no training in rational discourse.
To be a Catholic, one must be able to think, as I have written many times on this blog. One must be able to understand what is being read or said. Understanding is a gift of the Holy Spirit from Confirmation, but I assume that young or old people who are rude, use profanities and spew hatred may not have the advantage of this gift.
Why in writing and speech so many young people rely on profanities is simply that they have not been trained in the art of debate. Profanities are temper tantrums. Some parents give in to toddler tantrums. Some do not. Supertradmum would not. However, reasoned debate is a good which most people have not had the opportunity to learn.
Now, one reason is that high schools, colleges and universities no longer have instructors who believe in universal and absolute truths. One cannot debate anything if there are only maybes, attacks on persons, subjective interpretations, and so on. The list of classical fallacies covers could be applied to many comments, article and blogs I have read in the past 24 hours.
I love engaging in critical thinking with those who want to learn and want to work out Truth in rational discourse. We in the Catholic Church have a long tradition of this. St. Thomas' Summa is based on question and answer, the Aristotelian, and Socratic Methods of coming to truth.
Sad, that critical thinking has been replaced by knee-jerk reactions. Perhaps we are so overwhelmed with data that we, and I mean those who are tying to come to understanding, are close to burn out. But, those who resort to low attacks, such as profanity, want us who refer to Christ, His Church, the Gospel to become burnt out.
Like playing heavy metal music day and night during Desert Storm to wear down the enemy, our enemies give us lots of noise to discourage us. No fear! Christ has overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. He won the war, we are just finishing up, cleaning up the pockets of resistance and trying to save souls.
Catholics in PSYWAR
Propaganda Technique In World War I (M.I.T. studies in comparative politics) which I have not read. There are many other authors on psychological warfare.
What Is Unseen Is Greater Than What Is Seen
St. Thomas Aquinas claims that the air is full of angels. It is also full of demons.
Daniel 7:10 notes that there the number of angels is huge. We know that those angels which fell are traditionally, because of a line in Revelation, said to have been one-third of the number of created angels.
That makes a lot of demons.
Millions.
What is unseen is greater than what is seen.
Of course, if two-thirds of the angels stayed with God, there are more "on our side".
However, we are up against a enormous army of demons, all of whom are full of malice.
These creatures want us to be miserable like they are, and they also hate God, and all His creatures.
St. Jude in his epistle describes the fallen angels thus, 1:6:
And the angels who kept not their principality, but forsook their own habitation, he hath reserved under darkness in everlasting chains, unto the judgment of the great day. DR
Do not be foolish or imprudent.
Do not be presumptuous.
By the way, read the Epistle of Jude. It is a great read.
When was the last time...
...I had a day without a post, like on December 29th?
Winner of this little contest gets a decade of the rosary for his or her intentions....
Winner of this little contest gets a decade of the rosary for his or her intentions....
Dear Readers,
But, as we all know, nothing is impossible with God.
From STM in exile.....
Are Saints Difficult People?
Over the past two days, I was thinking of the fact that many saints would not be people invited to cocktail parties at this time of year or given pressies.
Many saints would not be considered by our society as pleasant people. And, I am not referring to those who are seen as curmudgeons, whether they were or not.
Therefore, I am not emphasizing the Old Testament prophets, or St. John the Baptist, or St. Jerome, or saints who are martyrs, who were persecuted to the death. Thomas a Becket was a difficult saint and he was killed by the seculars who supported the king over the Church. Yesterday was his feast day. But, as he is a martyr, let me move on.....
What is necessary for Catholics to realize today that if you choose to be a saint, you will be labelled a difficult person.
Saints look at the world from a completely different viewpoint than seculars, consumerists, materialists, atheists. Increasingly so, real Catholics have become different than many of their Protestant brethren who now, in most denominations, accept and support same-sex marriage, contraception, abortion, even euthanasia.
A saint should be seen as "difficult" insofar as he has different moral framework with which to judge events, laws, political party platforms and so on.
Saints irritate their families by not taking over the family farm or business, such as Damien of Molokai.
A saint who walks in the footsteps of Christ will naturally incur the hatred of the world.
The world, the flesh and the devil hate goodness, purity, truth.
Worse, than mere hatred, the world, the flesh and the devil want to destroy goodness, purity and truth.
A list of difficult saints must include SS. Catherine of Siena, Patrick, Teresa of Avila, Wilfrid of York, and Etheldreda, to name very few.
Saints challenge the status quo.
Saints present light in darkness, truth in deceit, simplicity in complexity, purity in decadence, innocence in cunning.
Saints trouble the mediocre Catholics who do not want to "rock the boat" and who want to avoid conflict.
Saints are difficult as they aspire to a perfection the world not only cannot understand, but wants to annihilate.
Saints are not conformists, except in conforming to the mind of Christ.
Can you choose to step out and be a bit "difficult"?
Ralph Martin's Book Again
I have recommended Ralph Martin's book before on this blog, but I cannot praise it enough, and so want to note that if you buy one book in 2014, buy this one.
Martin carefully examines the documents of Vatican II regarding many subjects, the main one being the two-pronged question of salvation and missionary work-the call of Christ to make disciples of all nations. The authors covers many aspects which plagued the reading of the Vatican II documents, such as Lumen Gentium.
Actually, there is room of a second book on this subject. Martin tackles both Rahner and von Balthasar among others.
The strength of this book besides the scholarship, is that Martin is looking at the documents both as a scholar and as a person passionate about the salvation of souls. I especially appreciated his long study of Romans in light of Lumen Gentium.
If I was millionaire, I would buy a book for all my readers--but, as I am not, please go get it and read it. Four out of five stars, as I would have wanted him to address a few more points in depth.
Martin carefully examines the documents of Vatican II regarding many subjects, the main one being the two-pronged question of salvation and missionary work-the call of Christ to make disciples of all nations. The authors covers many aspects which plagued the reading of the Vatican II documents, such as Lumen Gentium.
Actually, there is room of a second book on this subject. Martin tackles both Rahner and von Balthasar among others.
The strength of this book besides the scholarship, is that Martin is looking at the documents both as a scholar and as a person passionate about the salvation of souls. I especially appreciated his long study of Romans in light of Lumen Gentium.
If I was millionaire, I would buy a book for all my readers--but, as I am not, please go get it and read it. Four out of five stars, as I would have wanted him to address a few more points in depth.
John Allen Jr.'s New Book
Well, I have a few points about John Allen Jr.'s new book. I finished it while someone was looking at my computer, which sadly, is getting old on the outside.
This book is superb for statistics but I am not happy with Allen's definition of martyrdom, which includes political martyrs who are Christian.
He changes the traditional definition of martyr to include those who are not orthodox, or even Christian, in some cases. Orthodoxy, that is, obedience to the Church is the mark of the saint.
A person who is disobedient to the Teaching Magisterium of the Church cannot suddenly witness to either the Christ Who is taught by Church or the Church.
A martyr is canonized either because the person loves Christ and dies for the sake of Christ, or the martyr loves the Church and dies for the sake of the Church, such as Thomas More.
To change the definition to include those working for social concerns because they are Christian stretches the traditional ideal of the martyr.
I give this book three stars, because of the excellent set of statistics, but I do not like the end thoughts. I do not think Allen understands the way of perfection. I also think he is caught in a false ecumenism.
This book is superb for statistics but I am not happy with Allen's definition of martyrdom, which includes political martyrs who are Christian.
He changes the traditional definition of martyr to include those who are not orthodox, or even Christian, in some cases. Orthodoxy, that is, obedience to the Church is the mark of the saint.
A person who is disobedient to the Teaching Magisterium of the Church cannot suddenly witness to either the Christ Who is taught by Church or the Church.
A martyr is canonized either because the person loves Christ and dies for the sake of Christ, or the martyr loves the Church and dies for the sake of the Church, such as Thomas More.
To change the definition to include those working for social concerns because they are Christian stretches the traditional ideal of the martyr.
I give this book three stars, because of the excellent set of statistics, but I do not like the end thoughts. I do not think Allen understands the way of perfection. I also think he is caught in a false ecumenism.
Sorry for blog interuption
The mouse pad built into my computer, which I use constantly is now broken. Ergo, no posts until now.
I had to beg a mouse from someone.
I am concerned about, as usual, the number of Catholics who simply do not want to talk about anything unpleasant.
Wake up now!
Two brief book reviews coming up.
I had to beg a mouse from someone.
I am concerned about, as usual, the number of Catholics who simply do not want to talk about anything unpleasant.
Wake up now!
Two brief book reviews coming up.
Saturday, 28 December 2013
During The Cold Winter of Unbelief
The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief. St. Augustine
for the Feast of the Holy Innocents
Friday, 27 December 2013
We are not created equal
Today is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, whose feast is placed close to Christmas for one reason. He was the Beloved Apostle.
John never denied Christ, and because he stood at the foot of the Cross, he was given two special gifts.
He was given the care of Jesus' own mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. John was, also, the only apostle not to be martyred. He suffered persecution, as we all do in some way, but he was spared death by bloody witness, because he was willing to share in the suffering of Christ on Calvary.
John was special. He was not like Peter, James, or Philip. He was not like Judas.
We are all created unique, and we have unique gifts and personalities. John had temper-one of the Sons of Thunder, and he had a strong mom.
He became the writer who mentions the word "love" more than any other evangelist or author of the epistles.
John was Christ's favorite for the reason that John loved.
We are not the same. We all have a different character, and call to become holy.
It is a horrible sin of pride to think that one could be a Padre Pio or a Thomas More.
Are we called to be saints? Yes. But, we are not, if women, a Therese, the Little Flower, or a Teresa of Avila.
If we cooperate with grace, we shall be saints, but our own saint-St. David of Moline, or St. Anne of Memphis.
Do not compare yourselves with others, but know that God created you for something special. He loves you.
The Church of The Destitute
 |
| http://www.berksfhs.org.uk/journal/Sep2002/CatholicRecusancyInBerkshire.htm |
I get tired of hearing false statements on how the Church will someday be the Triumphant one of the past. No, no, no.
I have referred to this quotation many times in the past six years. This is from the Pope Emeritus 40 years ago and noted in an article from La Stampa which Father Xander Lucie-Smith related again to us today.
The number of people who are ignoring the signs of the times reminds me of those who did not listen to Noah, or Jeremiah, or the long lists of prophets and saints who have told us to prepare.
If we are not allowing God to make us holy and if we are not cooperating with grace and listening to the real prophets, instead of the fake ones, we shall be swept away. I remember discussing this quotation with a friend in 2003. Why do people not heed the call to repentance and change?
From the Pope Emeritus in 1969:
“It will become small and will have to start pretty much all over again. It will no longer have use of the structures it built in its years of prosperity. The reduction in the number of faithful will lead to it losing an important part of its social privileges.” It will start off with small groups and movements and a minority that will make faith central to experience again. “It will be a more spiritual Church, and will not claim a political mandate flirting with the Right one minute and the Left the next. It will be poor and will become the Church of the destitute.”
 |
| Oxburgh Hall chapel of St Margaret and Our Lady, Oxboroughhttp://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/oxboroughhall/oxboroughhall.htm |
Female Mate Material
I shall quote Fr. Chad Ripperger.
He told men that one should look for a virtuous woman to marry. His words were something like this,
"If she is ugly, but virtuous, marry her. If you marry a beautiful selfish woman, your life will be hell." Loose paraphrase.
Men, look for the virtuous woman-a woman exhibiting all the virtues.
Faith, hope, love, prudence, temperance, justice, courage, and the fruits which follow the virtues.
Simple, really. From Proverbs 31, DR
10 Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
12 She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13 She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
14 She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
15 And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
16 She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17 She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
18 She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
19 She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
20 She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
21 She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.
22 She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering.
23 Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.
24 She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.
25 Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.
26 She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
27 She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.
28 Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.
29 Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised
Mate Material
Well, all day today, this idea kept coming into my head- a post on what Catholic women should be looking for in a potential mate.
Now, some would say that such an idea is calculating, but common sense and the art of thinking like a Catholic must come into play when one is open to marriage.
After spending a day with lovely young couples whose marriages were "made in heaven", I decided to write down some of my observations for the lady readers who are called to marriage.
A few ideas:
1) Make sure you look for a man who is holier and more religious than you are. Do not fall into the horrible false thinking that you can change a man. One does not marry in order to change someone, but to accept them as they are. A man who demonstrates more spirituality than you, and the desire to grow in holiness, will be the "it" man.
2) Make sure he is capable of being the leader of your domestic church. Can he pray? Does he pray the rosary daily? Does he go to Mass during the week? Does he go to Adoration? Does he read the Bible, and even say the Breviary? Does he believe in frequent Confession? Does he keep the fast and abstinence days of the Church? A yes to all these means you have found a winner, a man who can teach his children how to pray.
3) Does he have his own relationship with God, independent of you? If so, great. If not, oh dear, not good, as too many men rely on their wive's relationship with God instead of developing their own.
4) Is he a protector, of you, of others? And, if you have read my posts on the three "p" types of men, you know what I mean.
5) Does he love the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church? Is he orthodox? If he is not a great reader of encyclicals and such, is he willing to learn from others?
6) Does he love and honor his mum and his sisters? Good "catch" if so, avoid if not.
7) Is he generous, with money, time, himself? If he is not, he will not make a good husband. A good husband denies himself for the sake of the wife and children.
8) Is he humble? Who wants to yoke themselves with a braggart, or arrogant man, or a narcissist. See number 4.
9) Does he know how to be a husband, a father, or is he willing to learn and has the natural as well as supernatural gifts to be such a man?
10) Can he support a stay-at-home mum and children? Is he open to home-schooling? Would he sacrifice for a real Catholic education for his children?
11) Is he capable of real love? Does he love the real you and not an imaginary woman he has created in his own image and likeness?
to be continued.....
Now, some would say that such an idea is calculating, but common sense and the art of thinking like a Catholic must come into play when one is open to marriage.
After spending a day with lovely young couples whose marriages were "made in heaven", I decided to write down some of my observations for the lady readers who are called to marriage.
A few ideas:
1) Make sure you look for a man who is holier and more religious than you are. Do not fall into the horrible false thinking that you can change a man. One does not marry in order to change someone, but to accept them as they are. A man who demonstrates more spirituality than you, and the desire to grow in holiness, will be the "it" man.
2) Make sure he is capable of being the leader of your domestic church. Can he pray? Does he pray the rosary daily? Does he go to Mass during the week? Does he go to Adoration? Does he read the Bible, and even say the Breviary? Does he believe in frequent Confession? Does he keep the fast and abstinence days of the Church? A yes to all these means you have found a winner, a man who can teach his children how to pray.
3) Does he have his own relationship with God, independent of you? If so, great. If not, oh dear, not good, as too many men rely on their wive's relationship with God instead of developing their own.
4) Is he a protector, of you, of others? And, if you have read my posts on the three "p" types of men, you know what I mean.
5) Does he love the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church? Is he orthodox? If he is not a great reader of encyclicals and such, is he willing to learn from others?
6) Does he love and honor his mum and his sisters? Good "catch" if so, avoid if not.
7) Is he generous, with money, time, himself? If he is not, he will not make a good husband. A good husband denies himself for the sake of the wife and children.
8) Is he humble? Who wants to yoke themselves with a braggart, or arrogant man, or a narcissist. See number 4.
9) Does he know how to be a husband, a father, or is he willing to learn and has the natural as well as supernatural gifts to be such a man?
10) Can he support a stay-at-home mum and children? Is he open to home-schooling? Would he sacrifice for a real Catholic education for his children?
11) Is he capable of real love? Does he love the real you and not an imaginary woman he has created in his own image and likeness?
to be continued.....
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