Thou Shalt Not Wash The Feet Of Women!

I re-post this article every year, and I will continue to do so until every priest in this diocese is able to comprehend this simple fact.

Every year the issue comes up, and every year at my Novus Ordo parish, and at countless Novus Ordo parishes, the feet of women are washed, despite what Rome has written on the subject in the past.

Here is what the Sacramentary says: The men [vir] who have been chosen are led by the ministers to chairs prepared in a suitable place. Then the priest (removing his chasuble if necessary) goes to each man. With the help of the ministers, he pours water over each one's feet and dries them.

This is what Paschale Solemnitatis (the circular letter on Holy Week issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) says concerning this: 51. The washing of the feet of chosen men which, according to tradition, is performed on this day, represents the service and charity of Christ, who came "not to be served, but to serve." [58] This tradition should be maintained, and its proper significance explained.

Many people have decried that the USCCB has said it is alright to wash the feet of women.

And they have said that. Here: Because the gospel of the mandatum read on Holy Thursday also depicts Jesus as the "Teacher and Lord" who humbly serves his disciples by performing this extraordinary gesture which goes beyond the laws of hospitality,2 the element of humble service has accentuated the celebration of the foot washing rite in the United States over the last decade or more. In this regard, it has become customary in many places to invite both men and women to be participants in this rite in recognition of the service that should be given by all the faithful to the Church and to the world. Thus, in the United States, a variation in the rite developed in which not only charity is signified but also humble service. While this variation may differ from the rubric of the Sacramentary which mentions only men ("viri selecti"), it may nevertheless be said that the intention to emphasize service along with charity in the celebration of the rite is an understandable way of accentuating the evangelical command of the Lord, "who came to serve and not to be served," that all members of the Church must serve one another in love.

This is the ambiguous way of saying "...we know it's wrong, but we're going to do it anyway."

Let me remind all priests in the Scranton Diocese and abroad: The USCCB is NOT an American Vatican. Nothing the USCCB has written in regards to this customary washing of the feet carries a Recognitio from Rome, hence, it does not carry force of law. And since Rome HAS issued a statement, namely Paschale Solemnitatis which I quoted above, I certainly hope and pray that all priests will take the Vatican's word and prohibit women from the washing of the feet at the upcoming Maundy Thursday Masses.

Catholic Mass? Or Catholic Mess?

Judas Priest!

That's my new exclamation of surprise, it supplants the blasphemous one I used to use before returning to the Church a few years ago.

"Cardinal" Roger Mahony and his Archdiocese of Los Angeles holds a yearly heretical "Education Congress" where they try to indoctrinate Catholic educators into their modernist teaching.

This travesty you are about to watch is the closing "liturgy" from their "education congress".

If you can't stomach this video, at least wait for Deacon "Twinkle Toes" to emerge around 6 minutes in. He is worth the price of admission.

That last Bishop doesn't look real to me. I think he's a fake. His vestments look like they came from a high school play.



Does anyone else feel dirty?

Thanks to Saint Mary's of Dorrance Parishioner for causing me to lose my roast beef and taters....

Call AG Corbett Now!

Call Attorney General Tom Corbett and tell him you demand Pennsylvania file a lawsuit against the government take-over of healthcare. 1 717-787-3391. You can also voice your concerns at agcorbett@attorneygeneral.gov

They've been getting calls all morning over this. The girl I spoke to sounded exhausted! Don't let up. Let Corbett know if he wants to be our next governor, exhibit some testicular fortitude and file the lawsuit!

A New Crusade

"By their fruits you shall know them."

A tree was planted last night by the Democratic Party.

And it's fruit is evil.

For now and for all time, unless the Democratic Party wises up and can manage to undo the damage they inflicted on our American Republic last night, they will forever be considered EVIL by me.

What happened last night on the House floor was akin to a Congressional mob hit. They put a contract out on your freedom and your wallet. You told them no.

Millions of Americans told them no.

They did it anyway. They told the American people to kiss their ass, what you want does not matter, only what Obama and President Emmanuel want is what matters.

Are you pissed off yet?

You should be.

But really I should be thanking Pelosi and Reid and Obama. Because of last night's historic vote, and it was historic because it finally woke non-political America up. Thank you for showing America who you are. All those who don't watch Beck or listen to Ingraham now know who you are and what you are. The ensuing shitstorm about to envelop the Democratic Party is one of Biblical proportions. There is a reckoning on the horizon and I predict the rise of conservatism will be unlike anything this country has seen before.

My armor is polished, my blade is sharpened. Who will battle alongside me? It will be tough. It will be messy. But I've been waiting for a crusade.

Getting these pansy-ass liberal scumbags out of power seems like a good one to me.

Stupack Caves To "The One"

That dirtbag Bart Stupak will change his vote and help Obama kill innocent children in the womb.

Does anyone want to help me send this bastard 30 pieces of silver? It can be fake...

Scumbag Of The Day

I only name Scumbags once in a blue moon, and when I read that Nancy Pelosi prayed to Saint Joseph today on his Solemnity to pass health care, I knew this was an apt time.



Consider this:

Mary and Joseph were a poor couple with an unexpected pregnancy.

I wonder what Nancy would advise them to do?

Turning Towards The Lord

Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville South Carolina has taken the bold step of discarding their "worship table" and have begun using their high altar for Holy Mass - just as Vatican II envisioned. It is not Vatican II which turned our Mass versus populum, but the misguided modernists of the time.

But now, step by step, we are taking back the proper form of worship.

No, not in this Diocese. Don't be silly.

But elsewhere.

And just as it took time for the modernist abuses to creep in, so too it will take time for tradition to creep back in.

As diocesan seminaries empty, and as the seminaries of groups like the FSSP and SSPX fill to capacity, we will see the shift. I just hope I live long enough to see it. It may very well be that the FSSP and SSPX make up the bulk of Catholic worship sites, while diocesan ones wither and die due to a lack of priests.

Here is the first part of an article by Father Scott Newman, pastor of St Mary's in Greenville on ad orientem worship.

Dear Friends in Christ,

From Christian antiquity, priests and people have celebrated the Holy Eucharist by facing together towards the LORD. This simple and obvious theological precept has been somewhat obscured in the last generation by the novel practice of the priest standing across the altar from the people during the Eucharistic Prayer, a custom almost never before found in the sacred liturgy except for rare instances of architectural necessity, and in the last few years, theologians and pastors have begun to review this novelty in light of the best scholarship and the experience of the past 40 years.

Before he became Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger was one of the most thoughtful and respected critics of the unintended consequences which flow from the priest and people facing each other across the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer. Ratzinger argued that this arrangement, in addition to being a radical novelty in Christian practice, has the effect of creating a circle of congregation and celebrant closed in upon itself rather than allowing the congregation and celebrant to be a pilgrim people together turned towards the LORD. And this closed circle, in turn, too easily renders the Eucharist more of a horizontal celebration of the congregation gathered than a vertical offering of the sacrifice of Christ to the Father. This flattening of divine worship into a self-referential celebration is, in part, what leads many Catholics to experience Mass as much less than the source and summit of the Church’s life, and the remedy for this malady is to open the closed circle and experience the power of turning together towards the LORD.

This can be done primarily in two ways: 1) return to the ancient and universal practice of the priest standing with the people on one side of the altar as they together face liturgical East, the place from which the glory of the LORD shines upon us, or 2) even when the priest and people remain separated on opposite sides of the altar, place a cross at the center of the altar to allow both celebrant and congregation to face the LORD. Pope Benedict, through his writing and by his example, is encouraging priests everywhere to work towards these goals to enrich the experience of divine worship and free us from the danger of solipsism which is contained in self-referential ways of praying.

This is why you see today in the sanctuary a new crucifix standing at the center of the altar. In the weeks ahead, as we grow accustomed to this gentle modification of the way we pray together, I will review with you the meaning and practical consequences of the priest and people turning together towards the LORD. For those of you who would like to read about these matters in some depth, I recommend two books. The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Ratzinger and Turning Towards the Lord by Uwe Michael Lang are both excellent places to learn about the nature and purpose of divine worship and the ways in which the Church’s ritual must reflect the reality of the sacred in liturgical prayer.

You Gotta Ask God About That

Sunday I posted this about Saint Nick's in Wilkes-Barre and their support of the Archdiocese of Washington's "Lenten Carbon Fast".

I was of the opinion that the fast from carbon did nothing to further the salvation of souls, and was therefore a waste of time and effort for Catholics during Lent.

Don't get me wrong, if you want to sign up for an e-newsletter from a green organization or let your clothes dryer "breathe" (two suggestions of the Archdiocese for Lent), then go ahead. But don't do it in lieu of true sacrifice or reparation during the Lenten season.

I had the opportunity to speak with Monsignor Joseph Rauscher, Pastor over at Saint Nick's and asked him some questions about the parishes support of the "fast".

At first he sounded reluctant to speak to me, but he agreed to answer a few questions.

I felt the best way to question Monsignor was to present certain situations and ask for his thoughts. Since I did not record our conversation I do not have exact quotes, I'll give you an overview. For future interviews I'll have to start recording if I can figure out how, with permission of the interviewee of course. I did take some notes, so any quotes are from that.

So I asked Monsignor who placed the documents in question in the church, and he told me "Sister Nancy and the parish social concerns". That right there set off alarm bells since I know that the "Leadership Conference of Women Religious" was in cahoots with the "Environmental Outreach Committee" of the Archdiocese of Washington to adapt this nonsense. It is exactly these "Sister Mary Liberated" types that have caused the Vatican to have a special investigation of women religious in America.

I asked Monsignor "Did you read it?" He replied "Not too closely." When I asked him if he thought that a "Lenten Carbon Fast" was appropriate to be promoting during Lent he replied with the normal "disrespect for others is disrespect for God", "we are called as Catholics to think of the environment", "respect creation and use it wisely", and then he said something about caring for the environment was a part of our Catholic heritage.

When I told him there was a school of thought that eco-spirituality is new-age paganism within the Church he laughed. He became defensive claiming I was "uncharitable and unchristian" for just calling him out of the blue and accused me of questioning his Catholicity. I wasn't questioning it before our interview. I am now, however.

When I asked him how taking a shorter shower was going to help get me into heaven he said "you gotta ask God about that."

Then after reciting some Al Gore talking points he said he had to go, took my name and number and said he would call me back.

That was on Monday.

Today is Thursday.

He hasn't called.

I emailed Diocesan spokesman Bill Genello two days ago on the topic and have not received a reply.

It's ok that neither of them got back to me. It's a touchy subject when someone questions the prevailing modernist thought. I wonder if the good Monsignor took into account his carbon footprint while he was burning last years palms to make this years ashes? I certainly hope he plans to discontinue use of the massive air conditioning unit at St. Nick's this summer. Open the doors and sweat a bit. It's good for the environment!

But really, there's nothing wrong with good stewardship of God's Creation, but we shouldn't make the mistake that Monsignor Rauscher is making by merging doing something nice for the environment with the penitential observances of Lent.

In Caritas in Vertitate Pope Benedict called for responsible stewardship while avoiding neo-paganism or pantheism.

Lent is a time to do penance for our sins and to make ourselves worthy of the Lord's Redemption. We should be concentrating on eliminating mortal sins from our life during this time by mortifying our senses and begging forgiveness for those sins we have committed.

Not think that if we put a lid on a boiling pot we are achieving salvation.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!

Here is some traditional Irish lore about the great Saint and what he accomplished for Ireland. Much more than snakes!

From Eircom

Saint Patrick's first encounter with Ireland revealed a nation who was unaware of Christianity or thought of Christianity as an alien faith. Saint Patrick had a great compassion for Christianity and he also possessed an ability to hold on to what is essential about Christianity. He was able to draw people to the faith by offering a more open and welcoming aspect of the faith to them.

Saint Patrick understood the Celtic people. Being a romanized Briton his real name was Magonus Saccatus Patricius. St. Patrick's father had been a deacon and a decurion and his grandfather was a priest. The Romans had not yet fully pulled out of Britain, so Patrick grew up in a world whose mores and Christianity were provincial Roman, in an area which never lost its Celtic identity and customs. St. Patrick had already become familiar with the Celtic festivals of the pre-Christian calendar before he was taken into Irish slavery. Even though Patrick's family had been ordained they did not seem to have a passion for their work. St. Patrick himself even describes to us as being rather indifferent to it as a youth.

At the age of sixteen St. Patrick's life changed. He was abducted and taken into Irish slavery. During his six years of enslavement he developed a life of prayer. Patrick even credits God for his escape from slavery. Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary, whose main religious background was Roman. The story follows:

Around the year 400, Patrick was born in Scotland. When Patrick was sixteen years old he was captured as a slave by the high king of Ireland. He was sold in Ireland and was taken to the North east of the country to herd sheep. During his six years of solitude he found a life of prayer and pledged his life to God. One night Patrick had a vision and he escaped from slavery and found his way home to his family. Patrick studied religion for many years to become a priest and a missionary and at night he would hear in his dreams the call from the Irish. They called him to come and free them from paganism, "crying to thee, come hither and walk with us once more". Finally Pope Celestine fulfilled Saint Patrick's wish and ordained him as bishop to preach the word of God to the Celtic People. Saint Patrick then came back to Ireland to help teach the word of God. He helped to build churches and he baptised the pagans into Christianity, he also ordained bishops and priests but this did not come without difficulty.

As legend tells us of Saint Patrick lighting the Easter bonfire at Slane hill, it portraits some of the difficulty which Patrick had to face. On Easter night long ago it was forbidden to light any other fire in Ireland until after the lighting of the High King's own bonfire. When the High King saw that Saint Patrick was lighting the fire he sent a warband to kill the Saint and quench the fire. But the fire could not be quenched and Saint Patrick and his followers passed the warriors in disguise of a herd of deer and they went onto defeat the royal druids at Tara in a contest of miracle working. Many of the King's court bowed down to Saint Patrick and were converted, even though the High King was not one of these he did grant the Saint free speech and the right to preach freely to the people of Ireland.

Another one of the stories told to us about Saint Patrick is the one where he went to the royal center at sunrise and here he found the King's two daughters, Eithne and Fedelm. The two girls questioned Patrick about God and they listened attentively to what he had to say, Patrick recited the Holy Creed to them then they wished to be baptised and Patrick did so. Upon receiving the sacrament the two girls died and were buried there.

Another tale about Saint Patrick tells us of him coming to a Neolithic tomb thought to be a "giant's grave". To satisfy his followers' curiosity, Saint Patrick raised the giant from the dead and baptised him, and then returned him to his grave.

As time past Saint Patrick and his followers spread the word of God around the country. They fasted and prayed at the top of what is now Croagh Patrick. Patrick made a promise to God on that day that the people of Ireland would keep their faith until the end of time and the day they did not keep their faith would be the day of doom.

When Saint Patrick died, several communities joined together for his burial. It is said that Saint Patrick's body was wrapped in a shroud and placed on a cart, which was drawn by two unreined white Oxen, it is said that the beasts wandered to Downpatrick where, today people believe he is buried. A granite boulder marked with a cross marked his grave and it is simply inscribed: PATRIC. It is also said that on the day Saint Patrick died that the sun did not set, but shone for twelve days and nights.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST PATRICK

There are many Irish Locations endeared to the heart of Irish people because of their intimate memories of St Patrick.

SLIABH MIS. On this Ulster mountainside the future apostle of Ireland spent sir lonely years tending the sheep and swine of Milcho Lord of Dalradia. The bog of sixteen was sold to Milcho by plundering Irish pirates. It was also on this mountain that the Divine call to his great Apostlate was heard.

SLANE. The hill of Slane in County Meath was the site of one of the most dramatic incidents in the conversion of Ireland to christianty. It was here Patrick lit the Pashcal fire in 433 of marking Ireland's first celebration of Easter.

Croagh Patrick. The 2510 feet high mountain in County Mayo where the Saint withdrew from the world for the forty days and night of lent. It was here Patrick demonstrated to the Kings and chieftains of Ireland. That he could rise higher than their Royal mounds it was here, too, that the Saint summoned a great host of loathsome and venomous creatures and then command them to cast themselves over the edge of the mountain, thus freezing the Irish countryside from all kinds of reptiles.

SAUL The place near Strangford Lough in County Down. Reputed to be the landing place of the saint after he was driven from the Wicklow coast on his return to begin the conversion of Ireland. The original name of the place was the Gaelic Sabhail, meaning a barn. Here Patrick was given a rude structure by a neighbouring prince, named Dichu, one of the saint's first conversions. It was at Saul, Patrick died There are many wells associated with the saint. ST. Patrick's well near Clonmel in County Tipperary. Here ancient cross has been set up in the middle of a pond whose surface is alive with bubbling swirling water from underground springs. It is a place of special pilgrimage.

STRUEL WELLS. In Co. Down is another place of pilgrimage.

CASHEL. It was here in County Tipperary that Patrick entered Munster where the King Aengas came to meet him and was baptised. At king baptism, the pastoral staff, unwittingly saint saw blood on the ground and then realised what had happened. On asking Aengas "Why did not cry "? The king replied: "You told me so much about the suffering of Christ, I thought it was part of the ceremony".

ARMAGH. Meaning "Heights of Macha" It was at Armagh that Patrick declared that his church there should have pre-eminence over all other churches in Ireland and so to this day it has remained both for the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland.

DOWNPATRICK; Regardless of the prestige of Armagh, St. Patrick was buried here at Down Cathedral. In the nearby graveyard a huge rock slab with rudely-traced inscription marked "Patric" shows his resting-place. St Patrick were discovered in the 12th century saint Patrick hand was enshrined in silver and placed in the high alter of the abbey church. Water was poured through it to heal sores.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

Tired of Altar Girls?

Have you had it with 7 Eucharistic Ministers tossing Jesus at you?

Sick of the bad music you must endure at church?

Are you looking for a more reverent, more fulfilling spiritual experience this Sunday?

Then have I got something for you! Head on down to Hazleton's Queen of Heaven Parish at Our Lady of Grace Church, at 12:15 p.m. for the most beautiful Mass this side of Heaven.

The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter provides the priest, Father Joseph Howard, who will say the Mass according to the 1962 Missal.

All are welcome to attend, and once you go, you'll be back!

A Nice, Normal Couple.

The Protestants over at the "National Catholic Reporter" have run a VERY sympathetic story on the Lesbians in the middle of the school controversy in Boulder Colorado. I am glad to see a story which sheds some light on the topic, but NCR's attempt to make the lesbian's lifestyle and homespun values seem like an episode of The Walton's goes too far. They attempt to cloud the moral issues with the "niceness" of the lesbians, and spackle over their sins with" normalcy".

I'm not wasting my space here to repost any of it. If you want to read it, the link is above.

According to the article, these lesbian women are "practicing Catholics" who attend Mass every weekend. Great. Has their pastor ever spoken to them about their sinful ways, or are they just welcomed and embraced? Newchurch seems to be doing a great job in welcoming sinners, but not so much when it comes to saving their souls.

My biggest problem with this situation is that the Church (big surprise) is not consistent with how she administers Church teaching. Single moms, divorced and civilly re-married couples, people using birth control, they should all be dealt with for not following Church teaching by being denied the Eucharist, but I doubt they ever will. In today's permissive society can you imagine the backlash if the Church did such a thing? The liberal media have branded Catholics as haters and bigots to begin with.

Plus the other reason the Church in its present state will not do this, is because of the money they will lose. How often do you hear a sermon on the money woes of the parish? I once spoke with a pastor about the terrible altar girls who were inattentive during Mass, had no idea what came next, or who were habitually late or failed to show up at all. When I asked him why he didn't have classes to teach them properly, or boot them altogether, money was the reason. He didn't want the parents to get mad and stop giving. If Newchurch pastors refuse to do anything about lackadaisical Altar Girls, what makes anyone think they will do anything substantive about sinners?

Societal norms rule the day, instead of the Laws of Almighty God.

Working Out Your Salvation

When you think of the season of Lent, what do you think of? If you studied your catechism well, then you know that the Cross and penance as we imitate Christ's sacrifice in the desert for forty days is the focus of the season.

We fast and do other penance to make reparations for our sins to Almighty God.

The focus of Lent is not to clean up the environment. Despite what they tell you at a certain Wilkes-Barre parish.

A nice practice to get into the habit of during this penitential season is the prayer of St. Ephraem, Doctor of the Church (d. 373). You should lay prostrate for a moment after each verse.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despondency, lust of power, and idle talk.

But grant rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.

Also one may be granted a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions if one prays the "En ego, O bone et dulcissime Jesu" before an image of Christ Crucified during a Friday in Lent.

English Version
Behold, O good and most sweet Jesus, I fall upon my knees before Thee, and with most fervent desire beg and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart a lively sense of faith, hope and charity, true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. And with deep affection and grief, I reflect upon Thy five wounds, having before my eyes that which Thy prophet David spoke about Thee, o good Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and feet, they have counted all my bones." Amen.

Latin Version
En ego, O bone et dulcissime Iesu, ante conspectum tuum genibus me provolvo, ac maximo animi ardore te oro atque obtestor, ut meum in cor vividos fidei, spei et caritatis sensus, atque veram peccatorum meorum poenitentiam, eaque emendandi firmissimam voluntatem velis imprimere; dum magno animi affectu et dolore tua quinque vulnera mecum ipse considero ac mente contemplor, illud prae oculis habens, quod iam in ore ponebat tuo David propheta de te, o bone Iesu: Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos: dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea. Amen.

Strive For Greater Harmony With The Earth During Lent

No! I have not turned into a dirty hippie, I am simply quoting from the Archdiocese of Washington's waste of time, the so-called "Lenten Carbon Fast."

At the start of Lent I made this post about this stupid "Lenten Carbon Fast" oozing from the modernist pits of the Archdiocese.

I never thought any real priest would take it seriously.

Then I walked into St. Nick's in Wilkes-Barre where Monsignor Rauscher rules the roost, and there I found large piles of the "Lenten Carbon Fast" calendar collecting dust! Doesn't seem like too many parishioners took one home, which is a good thing.

When I first heard about this "fast" at the outset of Lent, my question was "How will taking a shorter shower help me get to Heaven?"

Answer: It doesn't, so therefore it is a bunch of ridiculous nonsense to be ignored by true Catholics. It seems to be a big fake out by the Archdiocese of Washington to take the true meaning of Lent and try to substitute some false reality the liberals are trying desperately to force onto us, global warming.

Oh hold on. They found that the globe isn't warming so they changed the name to "climate change". I'm all for "climate change" by the way. It brings forth new seasons.

Like Spring and stuff.

Here is today's message Monsignor Rauscher would like you to give a crap about for March 14:

The world's poor will be hardest hit by climate change. Join Catholics taking action and raising our voice on behalf of Creation and the poor. Sign the Saint Francis Pledge.

I'm gonna call Rauscher up tomorrow and see if he actually approved this junk to be put in the back of his Church, and maybe then I'll call Monsignor-Bishop-Elect-Bambera and see if he agrees that it is an appropriate thing to be pushing in Catholic Churches during the penitential season of Lent.

Stay tuned!

Church Kicks "Kids" Of Lesbians Out Of School!

Have you seen this? It seems the Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder Colorado told a lesbian couple that their children(!) would not be allowed to continue their education at the school.

First of all, how did these two get kids? Just another example of the permissive and perverse society we live in.

The gays and lesbians in the area are of course outraged, calling the act discriminatory and, get this, called for the church to "live up to Jesus' mission of love and acceptance".

So now we have gays and lesbians trying to define Jesus' mission for us.

Please.

Hey gays, read the bible. Whenever Jesus came across a sinner, he rebuked them, and told them not to sin again. Please refrain from scriptural interpretations that are above your pay grade.

I applaud the actions of the school, and Archbishop Charles Chaput for deciding to hold fast to the decision and not cave in to pressure from gays.

But you know the kicker here?

The one thing that absolutely irks the hell out of me? That some dirtbag teachers at the school who didn't agree with the decision are the ones that leaked the info to the press, to force the issue. The gays would have done it to be sure, but why the teachers?

This only proves to those of us who already recognize it, that the smoke of Satan has entered the Vatican (as we reported yesterday), chancery offices, parishes, and even our catholic schools. To achieve victory on earth for our Lord there will be difficult times ahead. Difficult decisions to be made. Lets hope we all can make them.

Most likely my kiddies will end up at a Catholic school should any remain in three years, and God help the liberal teacher who says anything contrary to church teaching.

If you think they can't stand me at the chancery now, wait'll my kids are enrolled in their schools and they have to deal with me face-to-face. Good times are ahead lemme tell ya.

So what do think about the article? Go read it and come back here to discuss.

The Smoke Of Satan Still At Work?

More than ever it seems.

All one has to do is observe the state of the Church to know the man knows of what he speaks.

From The Times

March 11, 2010

Chief exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth says Devil is in the Vatican

Sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are proof that that "the Devil is at work inside the Vatican", according to the Holy See's chief exorcist.

Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, who has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession, said that the consequences of satanic infiltration included power struggles at the Vatican as well as "cardinals who do not believe in Jesus, and bishops who are linked to the Demon".

He added: "When one speaks of 'the smoke of Satan' [a phrase coined by Pope Paul VI in 1972] in the holy rooms, it is all true – including these latest stories of violence and paedophilia."

He claimed that another example of satanic behaviour was the Vatican "cover-up" over the deaths in 1998 of Alois Estermann, the then commander of the Swiss Guard, his wife and Corporal Cedric Tornay, a Swiss Guard, who were all found shot dead. "They covered up everything immediately," he said. "Here one sees the rot".

A remarkably swift Vatican investigation concluded that Corporal Tornay had shot the commander and his wife and then turned his gun on himself after being passed over for a medal. However Tornay's relatives have challenged this. There have been unconfirmed reports of a homosexual background to the tragedy and the involvement of a fourth person who was never identfied.

Father Amorth, who has just published Memoirs of an Exorcist, a series of interviews with the Vatican journalist Marco Tosatti, said that the attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II in 1981 had been the work of the Devil, as had an incident last Christmas when a mentally disturbed woman threw herself at Pope Benedict XVI at the start of Midnight Mass, pulling him to the ground.

Father José Antonio Fortea Cucurull, a Rome-based exorcist, said that Father Amorth had "gone well beyond the evidence" in claiming that Satan had infiltrated the Vatican corridors.

"Cardinals might be better or worse, but all have upright intentions and seek the glory of God," he said. Some Vatican officials were more pious than others, "but from there to affirm that some cardinals are members of satanic sects is an unacceptable distance."

Father Amorth told La Repubblica that the devil was "pure spirit, invisible. But he manifests himself with blasphemies and afflictions in the person he possesses. He can remain hidden, or speak in different languages, transform himself or appear to be agreeable. At times he makes fun of me."

He said it sometimes took six or seven of his assistants to to hold down a possessed person. Those possessed often yelled and screamed and spat out nails or pieces of glass, which he kept in a bag. "Anything can come out of their mouths – finger-length pieces of iron, but also rose petals."

He said that hoped every diocese would eventually have a resident exorcist. Under Church Canon Law any priest can perform exorcisms, but in practice they are carried out by a chosen few trained in the rites.

Father Amorth was ordained in 1954 and became an official exorcist in 1986. In the past he has suggested that Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were possessed by the Devil. He was among Vatican officials who warned that J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels made a "false distinction between black and white magic".

He approves, however, of the 1973 film The Exorcist, which although "exaggerated" offered a "substantially exact" picture of possession.

In 2001 he objected to the introduction of a new version of the exorcism rite, complaining that it dropped centuries-old prayers and was "a blunt sword" about which exorcists themselves had not been consulted. The Vatican said later that he and other exorcists could continue to use the old ritual.

He is the president of honour of the Association of Exorcists.

How Ya Doin?

Yer Lenten sacrifices I mean?

You holding up? Let me know in the comments!

Latin Alert!

I went over to Saint Aloysius in Wilkes-Barre this morning to see what was going on.

The assistant pastor inadvertently used some Latin when he said "Mysterium Fidei" instead of "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith."

Also, the congregation was prompted to sing the "Agnus Dei" instead of the "Lamb of God".

Despite these odd and rarely seen additions to the New Mass, the parishioners never seemed distraught, nor did they seem to not know what was going on.

And I would like to also report, no Catholics were harmed during the Latin utterings.

Go figure.