Message to Old Ladies at the Novus Ordo: Give It a Rest.

Crisis has a good article written by Tony Esolen on the antics of old ladies in the Novus Ordo. 

I'm an old lady myself, so I couldn't be more appreciative for the prayers of older women--especially daily Mass go-ers. I truly believe they provide the gas in all of our engines.

But, let us face it: some of the behaviors are obnoxious and counterproductive. Especially in parishes where a mild-mannered priest has permitted the dynamic to get out of control in every ministry in the parish. Tony describes it well...

I kneel and try to pray before Mass. I’m trying to say those preparatory prayers that used to be in the old missal, but seem to have been banished, certainly from the experience of the churchgoers, because the place is usually abuzz with conversation. Mainly I hear whispers from old ladies. It would tend to be old ladies, since as to their demographic opposites, young men, they have been wiped out in a massacre, and are nowhere to be found.  

A woman ascends the pulpit. She says her name, and welcomes everybody. I do not want to know her name, and I am trying to pray. She announces the names of the readers, the Eucharistic ministers, and the altar servers. She announces the name of the priest. At one church, I am urged to get up (if I can; they make allowances for people with disabilities) and greet the people around me by name. I do not want to do this. I find it false. I do not remember the names of strangers, and I do not like to give my name out to strangers, either. It’s an act of aggressive etiquette, parading as bonhomie. I do not go to church for bonhomie. For that, if I ever wanted it, I would go to a bar and order gin and tonic.  

The choir, milling about up front, finally put themselves in order. Then comes the hymn....

Do finish reading his fun description, to which we can all relate!

These folks have never taken the voyage to the mystical world where Christ and His Angels and Saints are present. They have no idea what it's all about. Tony gives a perfect description for the corny clamor, heresy and worship spaces full of cartoon-like banners: painful and frustrating.

 I actually wonder whether priests in these parishes have ever journeyed to the mystical world. Is his service to God limited to the recitation of a formula to Transubstantiate? I cannot fathom any priest who knows and lives in the spiritual world who would resort to the insipid cornballery in their Masses. I find it impossible to believe that they would see what we see, feel what we feel, experience what we experience and still lead their people in an hour of asshattery.

I'm blessed to be in a parish where banality and abuses are non-existent. The prayers, homily, music is rich in Catholic tradition. There are no Eucharistic Ministers at daily Mass but they do serve at Sunday Mass when the House is rocking. Yes, I'm one of those Catholics that moseys on over to the line where the priest or deacon communicates the Blessed Sacrament.

I've actually been feeling a little guilty for sneaking out of the lines of lay people in this parish. The parishioners are very traditional, devout Catholics. Several women are veiled, a lot of homeschoolers, etc. So, a few weeks back, I decided to throw caution to the wind and stay in the line where the woman was two inches away with the ciborium of the Divinity of Christ.

Big mistake.

I approached with my hands folded and extended my tongue. She had Christ in her hand and she kept gesturing towards my hands. After Christ was hostage to a few rollercoaster dips in her hands, I sighed in exasperation and opened my hand She could detect my frustration and said "I didn't know what to do". I said "I don't receive in the hand. My hands are not consecrated." I walked away thinking "Come to think of it... neither are yours! What am I doing!!!!"

Old ladies are not doing the Church a favor when they are the face of every opportunity in the parish. Men and young people do not want to hang out with old ladies. And the dull as dishwater religious entertainment is painful. Give it a rest. Worthy is the Lamb.

Will Pope Francis Beatify Apostate Fr. Arrupe?

Another disturbing development in the Pope Francis papacy.  


Aside from St. John Paul II''s concerns about Fr. Arrupe's spiritual malfeasance, I know very little about Fr. Arrupe.  But, it seems to me Catholics with long histories of condoning gay sex are rallying around the cause for his sainthood, so I'm extremely suspicious about what exactly is on the trajectory for beatification.

Beatifications are not infallible, so even if Pope Francis puts heresy on the fast track for beatification, I am assuming the episcopal see has enough faithful prelates to gum up the canonization.

I should think the 'cause' will be short-lived as it would be impossible to get beyond this phase:

Cebollada, who is responsible for overseeing the sainthood causes of Jesuits, told CNS that he has met with the judicial vicar of the Diocese of Rome to discuss the initial phase of gathering information regarding Arrupe’s life and works.  

He also is tasked with collecting all of Arrupe’s writings, which will be studied by theological censors who will “testify whether or not there is anything against the faith or tradition of the Church.”

IMHO, this is right up there with the daffy theologians who have been looking everywhere but infallible teaching to see if women can be ordained to the diaconate.

Last week, fur was flying when 'the Vatican' published an 'ecumenical declaration' written by a few episcopal apostates opining the Catholic Church may ordain women to the diaconate in the future.

Even should Pope Francis announces the Catholic Church can ordain women to the diaconate and does a victorious pirouette atop the obelisk in St. Peter's Square, it isn't going to happen.

The diaconate requires an ordination and Catholic teaching that women can and will never be ordained in the Catholic Church is infallible and irreversible. In the first place, even Pope Francis has confirmed he assents to the infallible teaching that only males can be ordained.

All the intemperate off-the-cuff sophomoric and bad theology our families and salvation have been burdened with during this papacy, none of it has crossed the lines of formal heresy.

Rising to the level of formal heresy would end a papacy.   The devil knows the key to his success is longevity, so he will continue to use pride, cowardice and ineptitude to fracture Christ's people from the teachings of the Church without crossing over to formal heresy.    Neither of the above initiatives survive such scrutiny.  And the devil knows it.

I do think we will see many heretical and apostate initiatives get traction in the theological chaos imposed by Pope Francis.  These initiatives will have the capacity to rob people of salvation, but the traction will never reach the goal line.   The goal line isn't even on the devil's radar.   When apostate and heretical initiatives start to threaten his longevity, he'll abandon them and start another one.

Pleased to meet you!
Hope you'll guess my name!
Ahh, but what's puzzlin' you, is the nature of my game...

This is what President Trump is Up Against.

Please allow me to introduce myself...

Joy is a Net of Love

They Have no Wine.

Several months back, I needed to place a call to a parish to get a copy of Sacramental records.     They were grumpy.     I understand something upsetting or frustrating may be going on, so it didn't ruffle my feathers -- I simply added them to my prayer list.

At the same time, it was a good reminder of the importance of being on our game in every encounter. Our own distractions can lead to (unintended) thoughtlessness and missed opportunities.     It can hurt fragile or wounded people and even discourage them from approaching.  

I see myself as someone with fine-tuned awareness -- and this is usually my downfall.    My children and grandchildren are the center of my universe.   The skill of fake it till you make it comes naturally to me.    I've mastered the life-skill of being present and putting worry and frustrations into the locked Pandora's Box so they don't detect it.     I've always watched everything I say and do in their presence.   Imperfectly sometimes, but careful listening and communication is more front and center than the average person.   I practice the art of doing things I don't want to do, with joy (when appropriate), to please another person.

I've noticed lately that St. John Paul II has been making me more aware of the folly of my own distractions.  I constantly find myself being a polite minimalist in encounters with strangers and they'll suddenly mention something St. John Paul II said or did.   I've had enough of these conversations to know that's his calling card.   When I tune in and respond, bare witness to his powerful intercession, the power of the Sacraments, Church teaching, Christ, Mary, they always reveal something I would have completely missed had I kept my distracted trajectory.    And it isn't subtle.  Here's something from a conversation yesterday: "And I have to tell you that your words are a direct answer to an anguished prayer I had this morning..." 

Of course, they weren't my words.   I prayerfully acknowledged the opportunity and asked the Holy Spirit to help me accomplish and say what was needed.

In spite of all the tools Christ left me and help from the angels and saints, I'm surprised by number of times I fail God's providence.   I fail to move myself out of the way.     I know it, I feel it, I see it, I experience it, but I can't seem to keep both feet planted in that mystical world.    

So, while I can empathize when I come across the path of another distracted soul, there are certain jobs that come with greater responsibilities.

 If you're working in a parish or chancery office, are feeling crabby and can't fake it, one might wish to excuse oneself from greeting people or answering phones.     Take a spa day.   This is the moment we have a fish near the net.    A phone call to a parish or chancery is not the time to give a taste of the blood in the water form the sharks.     We've got to do a better job reeling people in.

And, let us face it.   We've got problems with social media.     The insufferable communists inside and outside of the Church and Trump Derangement Syndrome add a little extra challenge.  The sedevacanists have gone completely mad.  Ironically, this is giving Pope Francis ammunition to discredit the Catholic fiat of living every day in a state of Sanctifying Grace.

 Fr. Longenecker's post articulates some of the Catholic blog concerns I've had in responding to the spiritual malpractice happening in Rome.   I love his analogy to the Chronicles of Narnia.

There are several things I take issue in his article.   It's a little unclear what kind of 'extreme views' he is referring to.  I zealously disagree with his assessment that Catholics who speak about how Catholic teaching guides one's political convictions as "right wing politics".     Catholic teaching gives clear, lucid directions on political judgments and priorities.    If one opines contrary to the guidelines in Catholic teaching, one is not thinking as the Catholic Church instructs.  There is actually nothing 'right wing' about that outcome.  It's either Catholic or it isn't.

It's also a theological error to refer to false religions as 'denominations', as if there is a smorgasbord of religions that are salvific.

I do agree with Fr. Longenecker about the burdens and unhealthy environment caused by the condition of the world and Church.    I believe its getting in the way of attracting people to the Sacraments.

I love the genius of C.S. Lewis:

Finally Aslan says, “You see. They will not let us help them. They have chosen their own cunning instead of belief. Their prison is only in their own minds, yet they are in that prison: and so afraid of being taken in that they cannot be taken out. But come. I have other work to do.”

Time, treasure and talent is too precious to waste.   For the sake of naïve people who may get sucked into a rabbit hole, I do spend a little time debunking even those who are unwilling to be helped.    There is also merit to teaching observers how to theologically discredit someone who is hopelessly lost.  There is always a chance that disarming a captive of the devil will force them to take a good look at the foolishness and tiptoe away.     But, for now, there is simply too much diabolical disorientation to manage and we've got to use sound judgment to pick and choose our battles wisely to help with the work on redemption.

There has been no time to teach heroism of the faithfulness of doing ordinary things, the tasks of home, the good we bring to others around us, teaching the difference between real joy and pleasure, the orientations of sanctification, wholehearted acceptance of the will of God, seeing God behind each thing, deepening our friendships with Christ and Mary, the treasures of the Church, Saints, Angels, love, family, friendship.

Our people are out of wine and we have other work to do.

Michael Sean Winters dreams of the day he can knit by the guillotines.

He's having a grim Fourth of July. 

“Normally, when I get into a debate with a conservative friend and we are at an impasse, with no hope for resolution, I try to ease the tension with levity, and say, "Well, when the revolution comes, I will put in a good word for you and your family." To my friends in the Republican political and legal establishment who have not stood up to Trump: When the revolution comes, you are on your own, and I will be clamoring not for mercy but for a seat next to the guillotine, where I can do my knitting."

As luck would have it, the snowflakes don't own guns. The only tools they have in their closet for a murdering tyranny is 'medical' marijuana and hats shaped like their genitalia.

Pope Francis Confirms Marriage Can Only Be Between One Man and One Woman. Crickets from Fr. James Martin?

This was a pleasant surprise, eh?

By virtue of its very definition, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, Pope Francis has said in a new book-length interview. “We cannot change it. This is the nature of things,”

His statements on abortions were equally strong. This is certainly an improvement from the lousy articulation of moral theology we're accustomed to! I wonder what the wake up call was? Crickets from Fr. James Martin.

I checked to see if the gays at the National Catholic Reporter had anything to say about it, and was immediately greeted by this photographic indictment on what's wrong with the presbyterate. Good grief. I hope they don't send that motley crew of screwball theologians to the borders. Any lucid Catholic Mexican would clutch their children and run for their lives. The excommunicated gay group "new ways ministry" and DignityUSA, Wearechurch, Global Network of Rainbow Catholics all raised objections. Judging by the picture of Pope Francis giving the stinkeye, it would appear he's in the doghouse. This clarification follows the removal of five images of same sex couples in the parish prep booklet for World Meeting of Families in Dublin. Images of heterosexual couples replaced the images of gay couples.

Sadly it appears that both Archbishop Martin and Bishop Leahy have been pushed aside by the traditional conservative wing which opposes the very necessary reforms which Pope Francis is trying to introduce.

If its one thing the bishops can be relied upon, they're pushovers when it comes to exposing their spiritual malpractice. Kudos to LifeSiteNews. The following text was also removed:

“While the Church upholds the ideal of marriage as a permanent commitment between a man and a woman, other unions exist which provide mutual support to the couple. Pope Francis encourages us never to exclude but to accompany these couples also, with love, care and support.”

Maybe the Pope is tired of being the posterboy for approving mortal sin? Maybe he had a visit from someone above? Maybe it's our prayers waking him up to the consequences of his own carelessness and praising and appointing heretics? Whatever's happening, it sure is a refreshing change. Prayers ascending.