SSPX Updates as of June 26th, 2012

SSPX news

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/the-vatican/detail/articolo/lefebvriani-lefebvrians-lefebvrianos-16311/

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/06/di-noia-to-cns-it-is-possible-to-have.html#more

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/06/sspx-last-minute-hurdles-fsspx.html

Six post day

Check Out the Brilliant Dr. Sanity

Dr. Sanity is brilliant this week. She should add the LWCR to her list.   http://drsanity.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/victimhood-unknown-ideal.html

And, a small concern. Why do not Catholics of a certain age not read any current events? One can hardly have a conversation on even Church teaching in the news with those who refuse to engage in the real world. We are supposed to know what is going on and we are supposed to face and deal with evil.
Is not the laity responsible for the world? Are we not, as the Pope said recently, the Church Militant?

On cows and the beyond....

Now, do I want to be buried with a cow? This is an extraordinary story of a grave found in Cambridgeshire. An Anglo-Saxon grave of a woman of considerable standing, with broaches and a set of keys, was buried in the Fifth Century, with a cow.

Now, if the cow was sacrificed to be in the grave with the woman, that is a sign of ostentatious wealth, and the PETA people would not approve. Maybe the cow fell on her and that is how she died. But, buried with her cow she was.

I find the presence of the cow rather comforting. The archaeologists are over the moon, as previous animal burials in England have been men with horses, which makes some sense. The man and horse burials indicate a military or ruler connection, whereas the cow show us a domestic connection.

Now, a Black Angus-Limousin Bull costs about $2100 right now. So, I guess that would show I had at least that much money, plus the money for feed and barn. A pair of bred cow costs $1700 in Kirksville, Missouri, not too far from home. One Angus bull and 25 cows costs about $35,000 in Iowa.

Well, money on the hoof, as we say, is a mixed blessing. But, this Anglo-Saxon matron must have loved her cow to have it buried with her. She did not leave her money to the cow, as some wealthy matrons in the States leave their money to their dogs or cats.

Still, it would have been better in a BBQ, don't you think? The archaeologists would not have such a good time, now, however. I would have let my cow live for another day.

Thoughts on this feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva

Today is the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei. Now, a disclaimer, I am not a member of Opus Dei. However, I have read most of Escriva's works and have used them for prayer and meditation in the past. Many of his prayers and thoughts show his personal holiness. I know he has had many prestigious critics; a examination of these is not the venue of this post. However, I want to mention how Opus Dei manages to become, at regular intervals, a lightening rod of anti-Catholicism, despite the saintliness of its founder. I have a theory about this aggregation of negativity which seems to happen in certain circles in a timely manner. Here is my theory, which has three points.

First, organizations which actually "do" something and get things done either spiritually or materially, are highly criticized either because of envy of power in areas of the Church, the worst case scenario, or just plain ignorance. Opus Dei seems private and secretive to a point of mystery to many, not myself, as I really have not looked into the movement except for reading Escriva, going to some talks with women friends of mine several years ago, and having mutual friends who are in Opus Dei, I do not care for gossip. There are many societies in the Church which have less than open membership, or have low-key memberships. Not all members of any given group are the same in temperament or activity. Some Opus Dei people may not like the EF, some may. Is this not a smaller manifestation of opinions in the larger Church? If something like a dislike of the EF becomes a ruling ideology of a group, then there is a problem. Spurious comments do not help.

Either facts are real and provable, or the opinion of this old Midwesterner is MYOB. If a group decides to be quiet or even somewhat secretive about certain aspects, does it matter? Unless there is abuse, one should error on the side of trust. However, the human mind likes mystery and darkness and the stuff of gossip. Some myths die hard, such as those relating to the old Jesuits.

Anti-Catholicism is rife in both America and in England. I imagine it is in other places as well. That those who engage in Anti-Catholicism need a locus of attention does not surprise me. That Opus Dei provides this focal point of attention, collecting myth with facts, does not surprise me. I would only hope that allegations of anything, from mismanagement of monies, to suppression of individual rights, to hatred of the Traditional Latin Mass, would be discussed openly by all involved. Innuendo adds to the mystique of Opus Dei and does not help its cause, nor the cause of the Catholic Church. We are all working for the same goal-the salvation of souls.

Another point has to do with roles of men and women. Herein I think lies the real hatred of Opus Dei. Traditional roles of women is a teaching in the Church much larger than any one group, at least in America, where there are many more stay-at-home moms then in European countries, for some reasons we could discuss here. I think this is an argument which transcends culture and has to do with the over-influence of radical feminism and the contraceptive culture in the Church.

The last point has to do with the suspicion of zeal or "enthusiasm". In England, for example, since the Civil War, enthusiasm in religion has been judged as not only anti-intellectual, but dangerous and to be avoided. The ideal of the via media has affected not only liturgy and doctrine, but personal religious practices. I think the Spanish zeal is misunderstood in some places and seen as excessive rather than normal. I do not know what these critics would think of St. John of the Cross, or St. Teresa of Avila, for example. We not all the same in our way to God. The penances of Opus Dei have been a discussion for years. So be it. Thomas More wore a hair shirt, and if there was ever a time which needed penances which were beyond what most people would be willing to endure, this is the time. Perhaps, that is part of the problem. Some Catholics are in denial of the need for serious religion, but being different, for penance.

Those who have been members and have left, have spoken to me of no coercion or pressure, only a way of life and a commitment they could not follow. Would that all on the outside would be so measured and fair. Comments would be welcomed.

On St. Irenaeus, the New Gnosticism, and the Codex Tchacos

Those of us who actually have studied history and religion, if not theology or philosophy, as I have been so fortunate to have done and still do, know that there is more historical evidence for Christ than for Julius Caesar and other greats. Sometimes, I admit to an impatience with those who so desire to debunk Christianity as some medieval plot to take fun and independence away from humans--a curse only to be thrown-off at the Enlightenment again. When a feast day like one this week, that of St. Irenaeus of Lyons occurs, I want to jump up and down crying "See, it was all there, early on, folks."

Irenaeus wrote Against the Heresies, (among other things) and the world has copy of a reference in his work on parchment. Irenaeus died in 202 and probably knew St. Polycarp, the student of St. John the Apostle. Irenaeus is famous not only for his warning against Gnosticism, but for his teaching on Mary, the Blessed Virgin and other writings.

Irenaeus's treatise mentioned above, refers most likely to this Codex Tchacos, now in Texas, which includes the false Gospel of Judas, a Gnostic work, among other apocryphal, specifically Gnostic texts. This has not been proven as the same one mentioned in a list of St. Irenaeus, but scholars still are discussing this fragment. Gnosticism and Arianism proved to be the two greatest threats to the Church until modern times with Modernism and Marxism looming in the 19th Century, plaguing us to this day.

That we have so much historical evidence for Christianity is the direct result of the glory of the Incarnation, denied by false religions as well as atheists and new critical scholars. St. Irenaeus would not be pleased with the fact that the New Age Gnostics have picked up on this Gospel of Judas and used it for their own purposes. One only needs to mention the National Geographic presentation on this. Here is linked an interesting commentary on the book by April DeConick, the scholar who criticized the entire handling in the media of the manuscript in 2006-2007. What those scholars are arguing about is exactly a new Gnosticism criticizing the Canon of Scripture and the authority of the Catholic Church. Sigh, this is the never-ending story.

Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, True God and True Man, is honored today through St. Irenaeus.  Dear Saint, pray for us in these confusing times, to instruct the ignorant and correct those in error. Above all, give us patience.

Praying for a Catholic Renaissance

I want to save creativity in art, music, architecture and other of the fine arts, including writing, from the hands of the New Agers and the Narcissists, as well as the Politicos, who only use art for propaganda.

I think we can dismiss "political art" very quickly, as usually any creative energies which are harnessed to an ideology, such as Marxism or anarchy, remains self-gratifying and ultimately dated.

The universal is lacking in propaganda in or through art.

New Age followers, especially on the Internet, seem to have over any discussion on creative energies by placing these in the context of yoga (condemned by the Catholic Church), vague humors or energies to be found within the body, or extra-influential energies, such as crystals, water, certain plants, and even certain animals. One thinks of the feng-shui craze of some New Agers, which has fallen into the world of design-personal and domestic. Animals and points of the compass serve to control design.

That the Catholic Church in these times has reneged on Her duty to perserve the arts for God and Beauty is painfully obvious in wreckovations of churches, monasteries and convents, which still occur today, in 2012. Some of these wreckovations are politically, ideologically motivated by "Catholics" who either think like Protestants or Marxists. Still, like a worn-out mantra, people decry the use of beauty in church architecture, vestments, church altar ware, etc. forgetting that it is the Triune God Whom we worship and that our churches house the Body of Christ at all times.

The Narcissists are the hardest to convince that art is more than a reaction as to how they feel on Monday evening when they see a bird and want to express their emotions on a piece of board by splodging mud and some acrylics on the wood. "This is me, today, now" forms the cry of the Narcissistic Artist, who has forgotten the purpose of art in his or her individualistic, narrow, rationalistic world of expression. Who cares?

One can hardly argue that art has rules or is part of a larger discipline involving the mind and the soul, and not merely the emotions.

I pray for Catholic artists of all types to re-claim the spiritual inheritance of the Incarnation. Since God became Man and is now in Heaven Body and Soul, we can celebrate Beauty, the Beauty of God and Man, through grace.

I hope it is not too late to have a real Renaissance of Art.

And, as I have written here before, Catholic Art does mean a genre of Christian movies, songs, plays, paintings. The entire industry of Protestant "art" in America passes off pedestrian works as "art", simply because for years the mediocre seems, to some people, better than nothing. We need Catholic artists and musicians, architects and playwright, writing, composing , painting from a Catholic world view. Is it too late to hope for such?

All shown here are works of David Jones, my favorite Catholic artist and writer. May his work inspire some greats to become greater as Catholics, with the Catholic view and optimism of life and grace.

Another banal article by Ms. Kenny vs. the real deal on Fr. Z

Twice in three weeks, I have disagreed with Mary Kenny of The Catholic Herald, which is the best Catholic newspaper in GB at this time. It may be her editors and the person who writes the headlines, which do not help her article. This week, she shows that she has no understanding of the seriousness of the defection of the nuns and sisters of the LCWR in America, something which is being discussed for weeks and weeks at length at wdtprs. Ms. Kenny should read the real deal.

Those of us who have put up with the tyranny of the majority of nuns and sisters who have taught heresy and have stood against Humanae Vitae and the Gospel of Life, know what we have been up against since the early 1970s. I have written about this myself, how the nuns at my campus installed NOW as early as 1970-1971 academic year, giving them the right to counsel girls who were pregnant. Duh. This is not news. The Vatican has taken a very long time in dealing with a serious problem of defection among the nuns.

I suggest Mary does her homework. The Obamacare package may be declared unconstitutional within 70 hours, God willing, and those of us who have followed this bill and actually read the sections which not only support contraception and abortion facilities, but deny freedom of conscience to those in the insurance and health industries, know what we are up against, as do all, that is all the bishops, who signed the statement of non-support, realizing the act is an attack on religious freedom in the States.

Either Ms. Kenny does her homework before writing or she should not choose a subject about which she is ignorant. This action of the CDF is not about politics, it is about core teachings of the Catholic Church and whether nuns and sisters are living out their vows. This list of areas where these sisters leave Church doctrine is too long for me to repeat. One can read my comments on Fr. Z. He is covering this situation nicely.

St. John Southworth, pray for us and pray for England

Today in the Diocese of Westminster, it is the feast day of the martyr St. John Southworth. I did not know this until I attended Mass this morning. His body is in Westminster Cathedral. Of all the martyrs, his story is one of pathos and a sense that not all of England wanted the harsh penalties against priests. Judging by the readings of the trial and commentaries, Father Southworth was considered a holy man by the Protestants, who knew of his long hours of working with those struck down by the plague in London. That type of ministry is heroic, indeed. This saint was one of the last martyrs killed under the laws of Elizabeth I. Another interesting aspect of this saint's life is that, because he was honored, the Duke of Arundel was permitted to keep his remains, which were then taken to the English College at Douai, where they disappeared, purposefully hidden, during the French Revolution. In 1927, the body was found in a garden of a house, and sent to London, where one can now see the martyrs remains in the Cathedral. Even in death, this saint experienced persecution.

The martyrs provide us with guides as to how to live out our lives-faithful to the Gospels and to the Pope. This saint's life surpassed so many of his contemporaries. May he inspire and help us today.

The saint's family was connected to that of the Southworths of Samlesbury Hall in Lancashire. I have not visited there, but the house has an interesting website.

A Heritage of Luther--No Cause for Celebration in My Mind

I had forgotten, until I was re-reading the history of Anglicanism again, that John Smyth, the founder of the first English Baptist Church, baptized himself, as he had concerns over the "true rite".  That must have been difficult. "I baptize me"?  This would have been shortly before 1612, a mere 400 years ago. Within 100 years of Henry VIII's break with Rome, in England alone, there were dozens of break-way, Protestant groups. Besides the Baptists, and Anglicans, (low at that time), there were Quakers, Brownists, Independents, Fifth-Monarchy Men, Sabbatarians, Calvinists, Congregationalists, Adamites, Armenians, Ranters, Puritans, Muggletonians, Socinians, Philadelphians, Sweet Singers of Israel, Levellers, Diggers, Scots Presbyterians, Covenenters of other sorts, Laudians, and some I am probably forgetting.

Why some Catholics insist on celebrating Luther in 2017, the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Revolt, I do not understand. A Revolt, not a Reformation....sorry.

On Alaska, families, saints, and the passing of ways

My post last week on dancing in Alaska, and Matt's dancing reminded me to tell you all that Alaska is one of the most beautiful places to visit or live in the entire world.


The people are fantastic, and the Catholics friendly. Like Lake Wobegone,  "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

There is something mystical about the mountains and the sea, as if one sensed Alaska was some ancient place which belongs to God Alone. And, it is warmer in some places than Minnesota. I know, as I have lived in both places. (I do not count Fairbanks, but I think International Falls, Minnesota beats even Fairbanks for the coldest temperatures.)

One place to visit is the ANHC, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where I danced.  On the site, is an amazing interactive map of the indigenous peoples. One reason I am writing this post is an idea which is connected to what I have been thinking for two weeks on gender roles. The people of Alaska, although varied, have kept traditional male and female roles.

For example, the Yup'iks and the Cup'iks have this note on their section:  Cultural roles and social rank were largely determined by gender and individual skills. Successful hunters, nukalpiit, usually become group leaders. Women roles included child rearing, food preparation and sewing.

The men and women are proud to have kept their traditional roles.

What happened to us? The Inupiaq note that Division of labor was by gender. 

The Unangax and Alutiiq (Sugpiaq)  note that: 

Still important (...in these...)cultures are kinship and family relationships. These connections persist throughout the regions and are important in the management of the village, as well as decision-making related to everyday life. Today, many Elders reminisce about the past, mentioning the culture of sharing and helping one another in the villages of their youth. Village members would punish those who violated the rules of conduct of the village. The most serious form of punishment was banishment.

The Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian had a highly organized society and marriage were arranged by the families. The Athabascans note that: 

Clan elders made decisions concerning marriage, leadership, and trading customs. Often the core of the traditional culture was a woman and her brother, and their two families. In such a combination the brother and his sister's husband often became hunting partners for life. Sometimes these hunting partnerships started when a couple married.

Traditional Athabascan husbands were expected to live with the wife's family during the first year, when the new husband would work for the family and go hunting with his brothers-in-law. A central feature of traditional Athabascan life was (and still is for some) a system whereby the mother's brother takes social responsibility for training and socializing his sister's children so that the children grow up knowing their clan history and customs.

Many of these customs are lost, and Christianity enhanced some. But, the common thread is the importance of the family. Can we go back to this lost priority in our sophisticated climate? 

The Catholic Church knows the importance of the family, children and the rule of law. We have been given the old and the new, nature and Revelation. Can we go back to simpler times and have the families we desire, full of commitment and love, duty and history? I know the natives have problems now, partly owing to the worst influences of imports and odd laws.

By the way, I have the icon of the saints of Alaska. There are several. One native is a martyr. Here is his story. And, we can honor the Orthodox Saints who are martyrs, as per an agreement with Rome in about 1922, which maybe a reader can find online for me. Here is one of my favorite Alaska saints, the Great Innocent.

St. Innocent was born in 1797 to a poor family in a remote village in a rural area of Irkutsk Province in Russia, and named Ioann (John). He was orphaned at the age of six, and assigned to the seminary at Irkutsk at nine. Shortly after he arrived, the relics of St. Innocent of Irkutsk were found, whose name and apostolic ministry young Ioann later would inherit. He was a hard working and outstanding student, who also was seen as humble and kind, and for these qualities he was given the name of Veniaminov after the late Bishop Veniamin of Irkutsk who was beloved by the faithful.

After he was ordained to the priesthood, he spent a year as a parish priest in Irkutsk, and then volunteered to go into missionary work in Alaska, though many other clergy were afraid to do so, because they had heard it was a wild country filled with dangerous savages. His wife broke into tears when she heard the news of this mission, but was unable to dissuade him, so at age 26, he and his family traveled over 2,000 miles, taking over a year to complete this arduous journey, and arrived finally in the Aleutian Islands in 1824.

He built a church with his own hands, traveled to remote areas by kayak, dog sled, even reindeer. He learned six dialects of the native language and developed the first written alphabet for the native Aleuts. He translated the Bible and other sacred books into their language. Years later, he also translated scriptural books into other Alaskan native languages. He also studied all aspects of the local area, and wrote ethnographic, geographical and linguistic works for which he later was elected an honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society and Moscow Royal University.

He returned to Russia to seek more resources and support for the Alaska mission, where, after his wife died, he took monastic vows and the name Innocent, after Bishop Innocent of Irkutsk. He was later consecrated Bishop, and was assigned to the new see of Kamchatka-kurils and the Aleutian Islands, to which he returned, tirelessly building churches, guiding priests, seeking to bring the Gospel and the Holy Orthodox Church to native peoples of Alaska. He encouraged the use of English, and the use of indigenous clergy.

He was later made Archbishop, and later, having returned to Russia, ultimately became Metropolitan of Moscow, where he continued his missionary zeal, establishing and guiding an Orthodox Missionary Society. He is perhaps especially remembered for his zeal to bring the gospel to the world. The apostolic preaching of Metropolitan Innocent spread to a vast territory including Alaska and Chukotka, the Aleutian, Kurils and Commander Islands, eastern Siberia, the Amur region, Kamchatka and the Far East. Metropolitan Innocent brought the light of Christian faith to the Aleutians, Koloshes, Kurils, Eskimo, Kenai, Chugaches, Kamchadals, Oliutores, Negidales, Mongols, Samogirs, Golds, Gulyaks, Koryaks, Tungus, Chukcha, Yakutians, and Kitians.

The preaching of the gospel was a primary achievement in the life of Metropolitan Innocent and occupied a special place in his apostolic service. The metropolitan had a great homiletic gift and was a remarkable preacher. He never missed an opportunity to preach and talk to people and tirelessly instructed his clergy to do the same.

Holy St. Innocent, pray to God for us.

Our Father among the saints, St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, Enlightener of Siberia & America, is commemorated on March 31.

Troparion in Tone III:  O holy hierarch Innocent our father, thou who wast first to teach the tribes which before lay in heathen darkness, and first to show them the way to salvation, who didst labor as an apostle in the enlightenment of Siberia and America: Entreat the Master of all, that He grant peace to the whole world and great mercy to our souls. 

Kontakion in Tone IV:  Thou wast a true and truthful teacher; for, having thyself done what the Lord commanded, thou didst thereby teach and instruct in piety those who came to thee, didst enlighten unbelievers to recognize the true Faith, illumining them with holy baptism. Wherefore, thou rejoicest with the apostles, receiving the honor of an evangelist of Christ.

Next time, I shall write about my very favorite Alaskan saint, Herman 

The Grumblings of War

Winter 1944-1945, Battle of the Bulge and thanks again, Dad, for your service 

Quick Fourth Post as I am off to Mass. Last week over lunch, a close friend of mine I only see a few times every year and I were discussing how the financial situation in Europe (she is from the States as well) resembled the world before both of the Great Wars. We noted that the financial crises of Germany and the West before the years in which my dad spent his youth fighting in France and Germany very much looked like the situation today.

Now, if two ladies over lunch can see this, why is this not being discussed in Catholic circles, such as Mass? If we are on the brink of chaos, brought on by many bad decisions and greed, can we not pray that war is averted? But, one must be honest to pray about such a terrible prospect.

She and I are of the age where we actually studied Western Civilization and American History in high school and in college.

I know from experience, that in some states since the early 1980s, these courses were not required. And, even in Britain (and I have taught GCSE History prep) the discussion is muted and politically correct to the point of being innocuous.

Wake up, Catholics, and pray.

I have been justified in my opinions by those greater than I. Check out this link.http://www.moneynews.com/Headline/rogers-Europe-bailouts-war/2012/06/22/id/443184?s=al&promo_code=F485-1

The "Discipline of the Soul"

An Islamic scholar wrote that calligraphy was "the discipline of the soul". My son is teaching himself kanji, (and has been for five years), and I learned calligraphy years ago, using it for various things. As a writer, even as a child, I was intrigued with pens, pencils, papers, brushes, and all the tools of the trade, as one should be.

However, penmanship, cursive, in the West, is disappearing. Can one imagine a world without the beauty of Cooperplate or Spencerian Script? I know older forms as well, which fall under the categories of uncial and such as majuscule, minuscule and others of the Merovingian, Carolingian, an various Gothic styles, of which there are a myriad types. I have learned some of these forms myself and use them when making cards or invitations. When I was teaching, the schools sometimes had me write out the certificates for awards using some type of calligraphy. I like the Roman and Medieval ones best.

However, the trend is against my preferences. This worries me. As a teacher, I know there is a connection between writing and the brain, between memory and writing. The report in The Sun may indicate that learning methodologies must change, but also indicates that the culture may lose a great art, that of handwriting. Handwriting is a skill more than merely being able to write penmanship. The intertwining of small muscle motor movement and thinking is a given. Those who are dyslexic do benefit greatly from the emphasis on the keyboard, the computer, but the skills of making letters and words with the hand affect the brain and allow for other skills to be developed. As a Montessori teacher, I knew this skill was an important part of learning, not merely reading or grammar, but maths and science. I am concerned. But, I know this is a truism, that the more we use the computer, the less we write. Now, I am specifically referring to cursive, as opposed to printed forms. But, both are important, and calligraphy, a joy. To me, penmanship and calligraphy are part of our Western Civilization. If lost, we are impoverished as a people.

I have found that I write less and less in my own life. I have been using the computer my entire adult life, from 1970 on. Keyboarding was taught as typing in my high school. All my papers in graduate school were required to be typed (1979-1984), and I required my university students to type all their papers. As I also taught critical thinking, I believe there is a correlation between writing, typing and thinking. I am concerned also as there is an art of handwriting which will be lost. Now, in England, the type of penmanship used is not the common one in the States. I learned Palmer Method, which was the most common in the Catholic private schools at one time, along with D'Nealian, a simplified version. Copperplate, like Spencerian, is another American version, which we all know from the Declaration of Independence. Most English students, I believe, learned other forms, including a simplified version. Zaner-Bloser was another American script taught about the time I was learning Palmer Method. I wonder what most English students have learned up to this time?

We had postures for writing, a far cry from typing on a laptop or notebook in bed....with or without food.

Here is the article which started all these thoughts....

Technology has taken over communication so much that many adults now go six weeks without writing anything by hand.

One in three Brits admits not having done so for SIX MONTHS and one in six believe it is a waste of time even to teach writing in schools. Those who do still write say it is usually for their own eyes only and many confess their script has become so scruffy they can hardly read it themselves.

The Laws of Hywel Dda manuscript, 14th
Century

Half no longer see any need to bother writing neatly or to check spelling. And four out of ten use text-style abbreviations such as “u” for “you”.

Emails and texts are being increasingly used to send messages while more banking, document-editing and other business is done electronically.

The research was carried out for print and post specialist Docmail. Managing director Dave Broadway said: “It’s a shame handwriting is in general decline, but it has come about from the need for convenience and quick communication.”

c.pollard@the-sun.co.uk

Chaplains Under Fire-Prayers Please

from Chaplains Under Fire

Pray for our priests, our chaplains, both in all the branches of the military and in the home security forces and protection agencies. All are or will be coming up against measures to curtail Christianity and specifically, Catholicism. This is spiritual warfare. There is already a shortage of Catholic priest chaplains and this situation is becoming acute. The pressures of the mandates regarding civil marriage and the health care bill affects these men directly.

 Photo by Sgt. Steele, June 1944. SOURCE: U.S. Marines (public domain)

Prayers, please. Pray for vocations and pray for those men who serve as chaplains.

SOURCE: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew P. Roufs (public domain) 

Spiritual Warfare in North Carolina

Christians are being persecuted in the States. The trend to take Christ completely out of the culture is so obvious, but here is an article from The Christian Post which highlights the problem.

Police Chaplains Told Not to Pray in Jesus' Name at this link, points out the hideousness of selective prejudice. I am printing the entire article. If this tendency does not stop, only minority "church" chaplains will be allowed to practice. From Romans 1:16, we hear Paul stating this: For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek. DR

If we are not ashamed of Christ, He will not be ashamed of us.....Here is the article in full. 

Volunteer chaplains who serve the officers of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) in North Carolina have been told that they are no longer permitted to pray in the name of Jesus at public events.

Chaplains have been used for years in the department to not only support the officers, crime victims and their families, but to also offer prayers at public ceremonies and events. Terry Sartain, senior pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship and a CMPD chaplain, was scheduled to pray at a recent promotion ceremony, but he backed out after he was told he could no longer pray in Jesus' name at public events or on public property.

The phone call he received about the policy change was "nice," he says, and he was offered the opportunity to withdraw "because they really respect my faith and the work that I've done as a chaplain." Sartain has worked with the CMPD for seven years.

"I understand the government's position, it's just I don't like it. I hate it, but I'm not going to compromise," Sartain told The Christian Post on Thursday.

He added, "Whether people believe it or not, Jesus has jurisdiction, divine rights over every human being ... The importance is it's not the words 'in Jesus name' but the only thing I have to bless people with is Jesus. He has given me his life, and I have nothing to offer. Christians only have Christ to offer."

Major John Diggs, who oversees the department's volunteer chaplain program, told The News & Observer that the decision to get rid of "Jesus" in department prayers was made about a month ago. The goal, he says, is to show respect for the variety of religious beliefs held by the over 2,000 department employees.

Political Pro-Life Activity in Iowa

So many political events are occurring it is hard to keep up with the reading, but as an Iowan, this article in The Christian Post caught my eye. Iowa GOP Demand End to Medicaid Abortion Coverage for Rape and Incest Victims reveals that:

A group of GOP representatives in Iowa has filed a petition seeking to end Medicaid-paid abortions for victims of rape and incest, while Democrats claim that a ban would not only re-victimize affected women but also threaten the state's entire Medicaid budget.The government program overseen by the Iowa Department of Human Services currently also covers abortions for fetuses that are physically or mentally deformed, which the Republican lawmakers are seeking to put an end to as well, the Des Moines Register reported."The 41 representatives who signed on to the petition want the law followed," Rep. Dawn Pettengill of Mount Auburn said in an email to the Register. "As far as I know, 41 lawmakers have never had to petition an agency to follow the law." Pettengill initiated the request for a ban.The lawmaker added that current government funding for abortions is "in conflict with the express language and intent of the laws enacted by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor."


Now, this is a welcome movement away from the liberalism which has shaken the state for over forty years. The movement back to GOP and pro-life roots shows that the incremental work of both Catholics and Evangelicals in the state is bearing fruit.


I encourage my fellow Iowans not to let up on the political activism regarding pro-life issues. In the neighboring states of Nebraska and Missouri, great success followed political involvement by all the pro-life groups. 


Some people look for immediate results, but the process of change can be slow. This petition and action on the part of so many lawmakers proves that change can occur.


God protect this work and may the Catholics and Evangelicals work together for the common goal of protecting life.

Our Lady, Mary

Because of several things which have happened in the past few weeks, including my pilgrimage to Walsingham, I have been thinking of the title of Mary, "Our Lady". Now, in these modern times, many English speaking persons in America, and other countries, do not understand the title "Lady".  Here, in Europe and specifically, in England, this title involves several layers of meaning, and I would like to comment on all as applicable to Our Lady, Mary, and why we need to meditate on this title.

The first dictionary meaning is the ancient meaning of "a woman having proprietary rights or authority especially as a feudal superior". This is quite straight forward, as a landed gentry would have a wife whose title would be lady, or, as in the case of many, even medieval ladies, women could own land in certain countries in their own right. That Mary, Our Lady has been given authority over us is part of the teaching of the Catholic Church. Her rank and honor stem from her Immaculate Conception, as well as her "Fiat", her "yes" to God which brought Christ into the World, the Incarnate Word. Even in the Magnificat, we see Mary acknowledging  humbly, her exalted status as the Mother of God. The English "lady" could be the wife of a knight or other member of the peerage. That Mary is exalted is a teaching of our Church. She is the Bride, the Mother, the Sister. She is Queen and First Lady. 


The second meaning may be, but is not necessarily, connected. In this definition, "a woman receiving the homage or devotion of a knight or lover", is an extension of the first definition, with a slight twist. The lady of propriety would be married, but the woman receiving homage of a knight or lover could be any exalted lady of rank he would choose to honor. One sees this in the poetry of courtly love and the French Romances. For example, in Eric and Enid, one of my favorites, we see in some translations, the use of the word Damsel for Lady. The Lady is loved and fair, pure and worthy of love. This ideal is also found in romances other than the Welsh, French or English, such as Parzifal, in German. The language referring to a lady was transferred very quickly to Our Lady, Mary, and poetry relating to her as the perfectly loved one became increasingly popular. This type of lady, and therefore, Mary, was seen as superior to other women and therefore, worthy of honor.

Here is one example which is an English carol you will all recognize, which refers to Mary as Christ's Lady:


1. I saw three ships come sailing in,

    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
I saw three ships come sailing in,
    On Christmas day in the morning.

2. And what¹ was in those ships all three?
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And what was in those ships all three?
    On Christmas day in the morning.

3. Our Saviour Christ and his lady²
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Our Saviour Christ and his lady,
    On Christmas day in the morning.

4. Pray whither sailed those ships all three?
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Pray whither sailed those ships all three?
    On Christmas day in the morning.

5. Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,
    On Christmas day in the morning.

6. And all the bells on earth shall ring,
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
    On Christmas day in the morning.

7. And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
    On Christmas day in the morning.

8. And all the souls on earth shall sing,
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And all the souls on earth shall sing,
    On Christmas day in the morning.

9. Then let us all rejoice, amain,
    On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Then let us all rejoice, amain,
    On Christmas day in the morning

There are many more such poems and carols. In addition, Our Lady was painted as a "lady", especially in the ideal of the Garden Enclosed, as she was fruitful as a Virgin. This label came originally from the Song of Songs, and became connected to the ideal of the lady during medieval and Renaissance times. Some of those paintings are here on this post.

A third view of  Lady Mary denotes her gentility and manners. This last ideal of the Lady Mary has been lost in our popular culture. Partly, this is owing to the emphasis on Mary's Jewishness, her simplicity and humility. But, those characteristics are included in the title as well.

That women who are Catholics should model themselves on the Gentle Mary, and on the Mary of manners is an ideal so foreign that one knows hardly where to begin in explaining the necessity for this meditation and understanding of Our Mother, Lady Mary.

Gentility is part of the life of grace. A woman of grace shows forth not merely a gentleness, but a courtesy, a decorum, a mode of acting, speaking, walking, eating, dressing. 

When I was in college, in my first year, all the girls had to take two courses. One was personal health and the other was manners, or decorum. The second was taught by the woman who trained, yearly, the Miss Iowa contestants.

We learned how to walk, stand, get in and out of cars, talk, speak on the phone, greet guests, write invitations, set formal tables, pour tea and sherry, wear hats, wear gloves, have discussions, and in general, be mannerly to all, young and old. We were taught "grace" and as Catholics, we had "grace" to help us. Some of us learned these traits in our homes, but the encouragement at an age when we were dating, going out to dances, proms, dinners, preparing for careers, and perhaps, meeting our prospective in-laws, these traits were handy, as well as important. And, our model, (despite the car and telephone bits) was Our Lady, Mary. She would have been a lady, serving and being peaceful in all situations, being modest and gentle to all and with whom, it would have been a joy to be.

We actually earned a grade for these two courses. Needless to say, feminism was on the rise and tore into these classes, so that within five years of my graduating, both courses were dropped. With the dropping of the college dress code came the dropping of manners and appropriate dress, as well as social skills. The change happened in the 1970s.

This was not progress. With the dumbing down of curriculum came the dumbing down of behavior, and the disappearance of manners. Also, there was feminism, which taught women to act and dress like men. In addition, the "cult of the ugly", which I have written about here before, became popular. Women lost their beauty to "goth" and "jeans". In college, we could not wear trousers, except on Saturdays, and if we went out, we had to wear a coat over the trousers. We could not wear sandals, or socks. We dressed appropriately for dinner. These rules have been re-introduced in some Catholic colleges in the States with varying success. 

I love being with my older female friends, those in their eighties and seventies, who learned what I did. To spend a day in the atmosphere of gentility and grace is wonderful, especially today. I miss the level of discussion, and the entire Christian decorum of these few ladies I do know. We were taught that gossip was wrong, that laughing too loudly was coarse and that being intelligent about current affairs was part of being a lady. Of course, my mother falls into this category and the entire family knows she is a lady, par excellence. So, too were my grandmothers and great-grandmothers, and for those role models, I am grateful. Even the great-grandmother who was on the Oregon Trail acted in a ladylike fashion. One great-grandmother was a lady in society. Traits and customs were handed down in the Catholic circles which made up my family.

Mary as Our Lady is a meditation I wish to share with the younger sisters (and brothers) who have missed this grace in their lives and who may not even value manners, decorum, gentility. Some who read this may even become angry, and misunderstand the message of beauty and peace herein.

One of the saddest things for me on my return to England was the awareness of the dropping of such ladylike behavior in the society at large. I do not know what happened. I partly blame the hatred of the elite, a hatred of supposed weakness, and the hatred of religion, as religion, the Catholic Culture, created manners. A sign of the saint is gentility, a result of the interior life of virtue. And, as you know, the interior life of the virtues is a great theme of this blog.

 If one is humble, one is a lady. 

   

                                                                      My soul doth magnify the Lord.

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;

for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Because he that is mighty,

hath done great things to me;

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is from generation unto generations,

to them that fear him.

He hath shewed might in his arm:

he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat,

and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel his servant,

being mindful of his mercy:

As he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

If a woman or a girl has not thought of Our Lady as a role model, as an ideal woman, "the" Ideal Woman, I challenge her to do so now.

More than ever, we need ladies. 

Guest Blogger on Dress

How To Dress For Mass by  Catholic Knight

Occasionally I'll invite a non-Catholic friend to mass with me, and when I do, this question frequently comes up. "What should I wear?"
Wow! If they only knew how profound of a question that really is. You see, I live in the Bible Belt of the United States, and here most people are Baptist or Pentecostal. These good folks have little knowledge of Catholicism, and so they really don't know what to expect. Most of the time I tell them to simply dress semi-formal. A clean shirt and slacks (or skirt for the ladies) will do nicely. That's mainly because there aren't that many traditional Catholic churches out here, and most Catholic tradition in this area has gone by the wayside anyway. Sadly, most Catholics don't even know how to dress for mass anymore. So that's why I decided to publish this post. How should we dress for mass, in an ideal world, where we honor our Catholic tradition fully and without shame? The following are some suggestions. Please excuse the diagrams, they were designed for a medical college. Just mentally insert a cross, or saint medal, where the ID badge is...


Men probably have the most simple dress code for Sunday mass, though probably not the most comfortable. The idea of "putting on your Sunday best" is not necessarily for your benefit. Men wear business suits on the job, or for social occasions (such as weddings, funerals, etc.) as a sign of respect. The idea of the suit comes from the Renaissance period, back when men started using scarves and jackets to appear in public. The idea was to excuse one's self (or one's body) from public view, so as to focus attention on the things that matter most -- such as business, conversation, manners, courtesy, etc. The tradition carries on today in what we know as "the corporate world" where certain standards of decorum are expected and maintained. This is done for the benefit of clients and customers, as a sign of respect and courtesy. Likewise, it stands to reason that this same manner should spill over into the Church -- particularly how one dresses for mass? If ever there was a time to excuse one's self (or body) from attention, so that it may be more appropriately directed where it matters (namely the Eucharist), it is during mass. Consequently, the tradition of wearing a suit, or at least a long-sleeve shirt with a tie, became the norm in all churches (Catholic and Protestant) in the western world. The custom only fell by the wayside recently (in the 1970s) as a sign of cultural disintegration in our society. Most people don't even know why the custom exists anymore, and a good number of them no longer practice it, showing up to mass in bluejeans, shorts, T-shirts and ball caps. Speaking of hats, since the time of the apostles, it has long been the Christian custom for men to remove their hats during mass. The directive to do so can be found in the Bible (1st Corinthians 11), and while it is no longer required in canon law, any man who approaches the Eucharist with his head covered would be seen as showing a tremendous amount of disrespect. Though most people may not know the reason why anymore, this tradition is still ingrained in the American psyche. Most men still remove their ball caps upon entering a home, or during the singing of the national anthem. If such respect is shown among men, then it is certainly owed to God as well.


The same idea of excusing one's self (or body) applies to women as well. However, it should be understood that in spite of the feminist propaganda we so commonly hear, female dress codes have always been far more lax in Christian churches than male dress codes. Women have always been free to explore a little fashion expression, varying between skirts to dresses, long-sleeve and middle-length sleeve, collar or no collar, along with an endless array of scarves, lace, patterns and jewelry. As a general rule, a dress or skirt is acceptable so long as it goes down below the knee while both standing and sitting. The neckline on a dress or blouse is almost always acceptable so long is it does not reveal the shoulder, bust or cleavage. The sleeves are acceptable so long as they do not reveal the shoulder or axillary area beneath the arm -- elbow length or longer is recommended. Basically common sense in modesty should prevail in all areas of dress, and for Catholic women especially, the model set by Our Lady (The Blessed Virgin Mary) should come to mind. We should remember that Our Lord always enjoyed the presence of women during his earthly ministry, and their beauty is something he calls us all to admire with the highest respect. So it is only natural that when a woman excuses her self (or body), she would do so in a way that complements her feminine appeal and dignity. In other words, she excuses herself with style and grace.


Beyond that, there is but one more element of dress that speaks volumes of our Catholic identity -- the mantilla...

The mantilla comes to Catholicism directly from our Jewish roots in apostolic times (1st Corinthians 11). In fact, Orthodox Jewish women continue with this same custom today. I have written extensively about the mantilla in a previous post... , but suffice it to say that while it is no longer required in the Code of Canon Law, it is nevertheless a Catholic tradition that has never been abrogated. In fact, Catholic women all around the world continue to practice it. Only in the United States, Canada and Australia has the custom been dropped, and mainly because of feminist propaganda suggesting that the practice of female head covering was a means of male domination. We have to understand that in the industrialized West, Catholic women are under tremendous peer pressure to not cover their heads during worship. So few women do it anymore, that the lack of practice actually does more to discourage the practice than the ridiculous propaganda against it. Some women may fear what others may think if they should wear a mantilla. It's sort of a fashion phobia, wherein they think "nobody else is wearing one, so I'll look out of place if I do." While some women fear a feminist lashing if they practice good Catholic modesty, afraid they may be accused of "submitting" to male dominance. Such fears are unwarranted. Most hard-core feminists left the Church long ago, and as for the fashion phobia, the vast majority of women in Church would probably join in the practice if just a few brave women stood up to the plate.
According to Catholic Christian tradition (found in 1st Corinthians 11) the head covering requirement falls equally upon both men and women. According to the custom, men are to take their hats off during religious ceremonies, while women are to put a covering on. This is for two reasons. The first is just like the manner of dress described above -- which is to excuse one's self. Saint Paul points out to us that a woman's glory is the beauty of mankind, and that is manifested in her hair. Women go to great lengths to make their hair beautiful, regardless of the style or trend, and that's a good thing. But during the mass, the focus is to always be on the Eucharist, and as a sign of modesty and respect, the woman excuses her beautiful hair (by covering it) to call more attention to the greater beauty of God's presence in the Eucharist.
Secondly, Saint Paul makes the unusual command of telling the men to uncover their heads, which actually contradicts traditional Jewish custom. Now you have to understand, Paul's instruction to do this contradicts a thousand years of Jewish tradition. It was a radical departure from the norm. This was not to exult men, but rather humiliate them. Paul is putting them in their place. You see, Jews put such a high reverence on the holy presence of God, that it was considered a frightfully embarrassing thing for anyone to be found in his presence uncovered. But Paul is telling the men to humiliate themselves by doing just that. He's telling them that they represent the image of Christ in the New Covenant, and since Christ exposed himself on the cross, and in the Eucharist, men too must expose their heads both as a symbol of humility as well as authority (Christ's authority that is, not their own)...

1st Corinthians 11:3-16
Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.

He does this to draw attention to a theological truth. In marriage, the husband represents Christ, and the wife represents the Church. The glory of Christ is to be exposed, just as he was exposed on the cross, and is daily exposed in the Eucharist. (Certainly a humiliating thing for God.) So likewise the man's head should be exposed in the Church. But this exposure is also a sign of authority (Christ's authority) in the sense that God intended in the order of nature for the woman to complement the man, not vice versa, and so for the sake of the angels (who worship God with us, and are watching us) we must demonstrate that all things have been put back into order through the authority of Christ. This is why men must have their heads exposed - for a sign of Christ's humility and authority. While the women must have their heads covered - for a sign of the Church's modesty and purity.
The Church is made pure by the glory of Christ, and that which is pure should be veiled. So the purified Church, being the veiled bride of Christ, is illustrated in the woman's head covering. It was typical of Saint Paul to take an ordinary custom like this and turn it into a big theological illustration. But it's a teaching illustration that is just as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago.
All of this may seem overwhelming for most Catholics today. Contemporary pop culture has done so much to erode our religious traditions. But I've been wanting to write about this for a while, and so here it is, to do with as you will. I hope that it's been of service to at least some of you. God bless.