I COULDN'T THINK OF THE RIGHT TITLE FOR THIS ARTICLE

By Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira (*)

      

Scene: A small town having all of the conventional characteristics of a small town: a central public square leading to a graceful church with stained-glass windows, a tower, bells, and a clock; across from the church, a water fountain; then, the homes, modest but comfortable; nearby, adjacent to one narrow street, an elementary school; then, more narrow streets, all of them blending into the peaceful green pastures at a distance; and not so far away, a dark forest, from which wild boars and packs of wolves come out with a certain frequency.

First character: A teacher, who instructs with angelic tenderness and patience.  She is tall, alert, modest, and unpretentious.

Second character: A young shepherdess, who leaves early every morning to take her sheep to the pastures. She is youthful, pure, loving, and at case with isolation and prayer.

Third character: The hunter. He is not an inexperienced amateur, but a modest public servant, who is called from time to time to recruit the most courageous men in the small town and lead them into the dark forest to combat the voracious animals, a hard job indeed, consisting of long journeys and tiring vigils. He is between 20 and 30 years old, strong and powerful, a leader made for the job. His hair is thick and bushy; his walk, firm and heavy; his handshake, strong, enabling one to feel the calluses on his, fingers. Early in the morning, one may see him coming back from a hunt, frequently carrying upon his shoulders a dead animal, still dripping warm blood. He is jovial and dedicated, and ever since he accepted the job, not a single wolf has come into the town, nor has a wild boar destroyed the plantations. When he crosses the central public square, the comments that are made about him are not all identical. Some find him agreeable, appreciating his happy and youthful courage and his frank and masculine outlook. But others resent him. His presence in town makes them uncomfortable, especially when he recalls some of the unpleasant dangers he faces in the forest. The coldness with which he hunts, corners, wounds, and then kills animals blurs the vision of these persons, making it difficult for them to perceive the kindness of his soul. To see him happily carrying the blood-dripping body of an animal in the exercise of his brave profession, raises in the minds of some of his fellow residents the impression that he might be capable of spilling the blood of anything, even a human being. To sum the whole matter up, to some he appears to be the personification of masculinity, dedication, and talent; to others, he is a hideous image of fighting, violence, and war.

Fourth character: The grandfather. He looks his role, having a long white beard, deep clear eyes, and shaky and bony hands. He is a little deaf.

Fifth character: A retired business agent. He is between 50 and 60 years old, a little too fat, with beady eyes which move constantly. He is always changing the tone of his voice. At times it is serene; at other times, harsh; and at other times, almost whispering. He has traveled many places, analyzed many things, and become a little rich. He is the boss of the town, having solid contacts in all of the neighboring towns and villages. Through his hands pass all of the significant decisions, and everyone goes to him for advice about serious matters. By being in contact with him, everyone learns what is happening outside of the village and region.

Setting: A bar, small and crowded, where a subject of conversation has been established, and ideas about it are passing from one table to the next.

Theme: Everyone is talking about the main events of the year, and the conversation leads to the question of who is the most popular person in town?

There are many opinions. Some say it is the beautiful young shepherdess. When she leaves with her flock, she appears to be going out to meet her enchanted prince, so graceful and delicate is she.

When she returns slightly tired, she draws sympathy from all, as she symbolizes in a charming way the hardships of the pastoral work in which the residents of the region are engaged.

Others choose the teacher. To them, she represents learning, wisdom, culture, the wonderful goods of the spirit, and the opening of new opportunities for future generations. She is more than an agent of economic production; she is a factor of human edification. To them, she is a shepherdess of children, which should be worth more than to be the shepherdess of sheep. They recall the tenderness with which she conducts the children toward the central public square, to lead them in prayer, with the sound of the bells announcing the end of the activities of the day. They also recall the way she leads, afterwards, the children in play, around the fountain, singing and skipping, before taking them back to their homes.

Nobody knows with certainty whom to choose. There isn't a person who fails to appreciate both of them. But soon the leaders of two trends of thought begin to appear, seeking the answer to a higher problem. Which is worth more: the prosperity symbolized by the one, or the knowledge symbolized by the other? And from another point of view, which deserves the greater honor: the grace of the shepherdess, or the sweet seriousness of the teacher? These are universal problems, problems of all times, which for this very reason arouse great interest.

During a lull in the discussion, the voice of the grandfather is heard: "What about heroism? It too has its merit. It is a merit which we must take into consideration if we are going to be fair. We are talking about merits, aren't we? As you all know, I was a soldier. I could feel the wonder of the wind that lifted our enthusiasm in the hours of combat. We fought hard so that the normal life of labor, prayer, study, and rest might continue: the shepherds leading their sheep to pasture, the teachers instructing their pupils, the wives preparing their homes for their husbands returning from work, and the churches raising prayers for the glory of God in the highest of heavens and for peace on earth to men of good will. We fought so that the principles of justice and charity, upon which the whole Christian order is based, would not be violated by an aggressor and enemy. Our souls became enlarged proportionately to the ideal for which we were fighting. Our temper became stronger than steel, and our courage greater than the wild boar or the voracious wolf. We would go forth happily to fight, to wound, and to kill, knowing that we might be wounded and even die. The ideal was everything.

Oh, how wonderful was that ideal, how beautiful the fight in its sacred grandeur."

The old man was standing up now. His deep voice could be heard in the silence of the room. No one imagined that such a frail figure could monopolize the attention of the participants in the room as he did. Then, the old man, be­coming tired, sat down. His last words: "I propose that you go beyond the teacher and the shepherdess, and also consider if there is a place for the name of our hunter of wild beasts. Couldn't there be a place of honor for someone who is a hero?"

There was emotion and a certain uneasiness among the listeners. They recalled that some days ago the parish priest made a sermon in which he spoke about these words of Our Lord: "Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friend."

* * *

The debate continued, and the parties were still divided. But now everyone was either for or against the heroic guardian. Those who were against him no longer cared whether the shepherdess or the teacher won first place. All that they wanted now was to keep the guardian from getting the place of honor. But there were others who were convinced that it was indispensable to honor the hero.

As was usual in that small town, when the time arrived to make the important decision, the businessman took the floor. Everyone turned toward him, and, little by little, that ever-changing voice began to be heard. He touched everyone's heart when he enthusiastically praised the mission of the shepherdess. They were all convinced when he spoke about the importance of culture. And at last, as if pronouncing the final verdict, addressing himself to the old man, he said he respected him, but the days of fighting were gone. The world would one day proceed — and indeed had already begun — to fuse all religions, all races, and all peoples. Intelligent men could have nothing but horror for the spilling of blood. The fact that someone, upon being hired, had accepted the mission of killing wild animals, was a sad necessity, but to place fighting and the pre­tense of heroism on the same level with culture and economic production was an anachronism. The businessman concluded by proposing the removal of the name of the slayer from the list, but at the same time asked all to show their esteem for the old man by giving him a hand.

Everyone clapped his hands. Only a few appeared unhappy.

It was late, and they decided to leave.

The next morning no one saw the hunter at the square. They didn't see him any time after that either. He had decided to move to other lands, far away, to become rich doing something less dangerous. And the small town forgot about the incident.

Next year the number of wild boars and voracious wolves increased a little. The year after that, their number in­creased still more. In the third year, the plantations, decreased. Some children had been made orphans and some families had become poor.

The retired businessman complained: "How can one live in such a place?" And he moved away.

As for the small town, it continued to decay and to die…

* * *

What should this story be called? What title should be given to this article?

"Peace, Culture, and Heroism"? Or maybe, "Ungratefulness and Punishment"? I don't know. Maybe we could call it, "The Crime of the Villianous Dema­gogue." Another idea, "THE HAWKS AND THE DOVES"; perhaps this would be the best.

The reader may choose for himself.

(*) Reproduced of “Folha de S. Paulo”, 10^th May 1970

Peacock lands on Custodian's roof before Fatima visit

Today, I received this interesting message from Fatima Custodian, Mr. Sergio De Paz, from Miami, Florida.

He said: "before leaving my home to take Our Lady on a visit to a family, I received a pleasant surprise.   A beautiful peacock landed on our roof..."

Here are some pictures from the Fatima home visit that Mr. Sergio took after the peacock landed on his roof.

The lady of the house draped her traditional Spanish veil on the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, the same one her daughter used for her wedding.

The Beauty of Life in Social Relationships

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Plinio Correa de Oliveira

Old magazines are often very charming. This is true even when what comes down to us are only loose undated pages that give us glimpses of the remote past.

A Paris journal of the last century, L 'Illustration, carried an article, “Customs of the Café Valois,” written by A. de Belloy, whose memory has been whisked away by time.

What is the date of these pages? The article gives us only the most vague elements as to the answer. It is safe to place them somewhere in the 1860's. In any case they have the merit of evoking certain values of the social conduct of old. Values that increasingly disappeared as large cities came into being in the last century, and of which, not even vestiges have remained among the general public of today's Babels of concrete, steel and asphalt.

They were precious values that endowed social relationships with human warmth and that stemmed from the fact that the civilization of yesteryear was centered more around the goods of the soul than those of the body, while later, materialism increasingly shaped customs and institutions.

Here we will quote extensively from the aforementioned article to stimulate reaction against this decay. One that makes so many noble characters suffer and painfully stifles so many healthy initiatives.

After evoking the picturesque ambience of the Parisian cafés of the second quarter of the nineteenth century, some of which were centers of a refined social life while others displayed a rich ideological effervescence, the writer laments that they were replaced by new cafes of banal, unstylish luxury and an atmosphere of an establishment whose customers thought only of eating and drinking and whose proprietors only thought of making money.

As a counterpoise to this materialized environment, this article evokes the picturesque customs of the old cafés and the deeply affable and trusting relationships that frequently developed among them.

What took place between the Chevalier de Lautrec and the owner of the Café Valois during the French Revolution faithfully illustrates the sweetness of life that the café ambience once had.

It should be noted that one of the effects of the French Revolution, that devoured aristocratic blood and Catholicity, was to impoverish many of those noble families that survived the Terror.

However, in spite of the ravages of one of the most violent revolutions in history, the values of Christian generosity and nobility of soul did not vanish. The following words of Monsieur de Belloy describe one such case.

Farewell, O good old days! Farewell, O affable visage of the proprietor and smiling and respectful reception of the waiters! Farewell, O solemn entries of the Café Valois' dignified customs, which people were curious to see. Such was the case with the Knight Commander Odoard de La Fere's arrival.

                                                                                                                                   At exactly noon, the canon of the Palais-Royal heralded his arrival. He would appear on the threshold and pause for a moment to sweep the salon with an affable and self-assured gaze as someone eager to practice a longtime custom.

His right hand pressing firmly on the white and blue porcelain handle of his cane, he threw his old faded brown cape over his shoulder with a swing of his left hand. No one ever snickered at this, since not even the most elegant mantle with golden fleur-de-lys embroidery was ever thrown back with a more distinguished movement.

In 1789 the former steward of the Prince of Conti ran the Café Valois; it was rather devoid of political color and local flavor at that time.

Among the frequenters of the place, standing out by his noble manners, stately demeanor and wooden leg, was the Chevalier de Lautrec. He was from the second line of that family, an old brigadier of the king’s army, a Knight of Malta, of Saint Louis, of Saint Maurice and of Saint Lazare.

The Chevalier de Lautrec was a middle-aged man who lived a modest, though very dignified life on his small pension. Though he rarely appeared in society, he could be seen most often at the Palais Royal and the Café Valois. He was a very cultured mind and an assiduous reader of all the newspapers.

Deprived of his pension overnight, it was never known what the Chevalier de Lautrec lived on at a time when it was so difficult to live, and so easy to die. But here we have something that sheds at least a dim light on this mystery.

One morning after finishing a very modest breakfast in the Café Valois, as was his custom, the Chevalier de Lautrec rose from his table, chatted with all naturalness with the proprietress, who stood behind a counter, bid good-day to the master of the café with a slight gesture of the eyes, and walked out majestically saying nothing about the bill.

This scene was repeated the next day, and the next, and on every day for weeks, months and years without the owner of the establishment ever receiving an explanation from the Chevalier or even thinking to ask him for one.

A few days after the first of these singular exits, as the Chevalier directed his gaze to the good proprietor's son, he said to the father in an unpresuming tone of voice.

“Well, here is a cavalier that will learn very little now that the schools are closed. You should send him to my house everyday between one and four o'clock in the afternoon. I shall teach him elementary mathematics and English, which I speak passably.”

“No doubt this would be useful to him if he is to replace you some day; and besides, I really don’t have anything to occupy my time, so these lessons would help to entertain me.”

“Milord, you are really very good, a thousand times good," answered the innkeeper. "What you propose would be an invaluable favor to us, especially in these times. But, we would not dare encumber you to the point of...”

“But it would rather be doing me a service, I tell you!” the Chevalier interjected.

Despite the fact that his eyes were so full of authority, he said this with no firmness at all, but the worthy proprietor was indeed perceptive to appreciate this contrast, and he came close to thrusting his son into the Chevalier's arms.

“Milord,” said the innkeeper, “you are much too generous to us. My son is yours, as well as my whole house, today, tomorrow and always.”

For many years thereafter the boy studied English and mathematics at the house of the impoverished noble.

On the 7th of December, 1817, at eleven o'clock in the morning, that is, exactly 26 years to the day and to the hour after this conversation, the now elderly Chevalier de Lautrec entered into the Café Valois as was his custom. The former owner had died 5 years earlier and was succeeded by his son.

After he had dined with a good appetite the Chevalier, for the first time in 26 years, candidly asked for the check while he paged with all naturality through the Drapeau Blanc (the Monarchist Daily).
Without batting an eyelash, the proprietor exchanged a few words with his young wife. Ten minutes later the Chevalier received a bill in the amount of 16,980 francs for 8,490 dinners at two francs each.

 The old nobleman glanced at the total, opened his wallet, took

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

out enough bills for the sum and handed them to the waiter along with the check, telling him to keep the change, which was exactly 520 francs. He rose up from the table, doubtless feeling much lighter, though his expression betrayed nothing of it. He then went over to the counter according to his old habit and conversed with the young mistress of the establishment for a few moments before slowly directing his steps towards the door.

Then, with a napkin draped over his arm, the proprietor respectfully stepped aside to allow him to pass by, the old Chevalier gravely took his hand and warmly pressed it between his own.

The silent scene we have just described did not go unnoticed by the Marquis de Rivarol, who was coming in just then after having set his watch to the famous clock of the Palais Royal.

At the time of the Restoration, the Chevalier de Lautrec inherited a small share of the estate of one of his brothers who had died in Coblentz shortly before. Even though it was an appreciable sum, most of it was consumed settling hefty bills that were long overdue.

But thanks to the recovery of his pension, he was able to end his days with financial ease and always faithful to the Café Valois for whose advancement he contributed to as we shall explain.

We have seen that the proprietor of that hospitable establishment was a creditor like few are found in any epoch. Few cases as beautiful as the one we have related dignified the life of that good man, with no great harm to his finances. This businessman of ancient stock did not treat everyone indiscriminately. He possessed a clear perception and sensibility of heart.

With the Chevalier de Lautrec's payment, the proprietor recovered most of what was owed him, and as to the interest on that debt, which he had never contemplated charging, he was generously compensated by the lessons from such a proficient teacher of English, mathematics and, above all, good sentiments.

Furthermore, owing to this noble relationship, the Café Valois won distinguished and selected patrons. It acquired an even greater original character, which was a considerable advantage and almost vital need for such an establishment at that time.

Indeed, the Marquis de Rivarol was not a man who would miss such a good opportunity to be indiscreet for charity's sake. Since he had many relations among the monarchists of that time, as he would also among those of the future, it became easy for him to serve the interests of his favorite café by making this and other anecdotes well known.

Thanks to him, the owner of the establishment became something of a curiosity and was sought out to the point of aggravation. This was compounded by the fact that although the innkeeper's political convictions were as vague as they were moderate, his qualities were ascribed to his perceived political fervor, but in reality they lay in innate kindness and paternal tradition.

In any case, this was very advantageous to him, for while the Calé Lemblin became the meeting place of the officers of the Empire, now retired or in the reserves, and of some republicans and liberals not belonging to the army, the voltigeurs of Louis XV and the young members of the Guards Corps chose the Cafe Valois.

Video of TFP-ANF Members Protesting at Notre Dame

This is a short video of TFP-ANF's protest out front of the gates of the University of Notre Dame.

 

 

Thousands of pro-life Catholics lined the streets leading to the main gate of the university. Dotting the sidewalks for miles, they prayed the Rosary, held signs and protested the university’s scandalous decision to honor President Obama, one of the most outspoken pro-abortion politicians in American history.

 

This second video is of the TFP-run St. Louis de Montfort Academy also protesting at Notre Dame.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, May 26 2009 )

Pro-Life Protesters Arrested on ND Campus to Return to South Bend to Face Charges

By Kathleen Gilbert

SOUTH BEND, Indiana, May 22, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Dozens of pro-life protesters arrested at the University of Notre Dame on May 17 for protesting President Obama's commencement speech will be heading back to Indiana in coming weeks from all across the country to stand trial.  While Notre Dame had pro-life demonstrators summarily arrested for "criminal trespassing," witnesses say that pro-Obama demonstrators were given free roam of the campus - a fact that the pro-lifers' attorney says violated the Equal Protection clause.

Among those arrested that day was Karen Torres of Virginia, who told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) how, after getting lost trying to reach the highway from Notre Dame, she and her husband stumbled upon what appeared to be President Obama's motorcade route.  The couple parked at the Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, pulled out a sign that read "Shame on Notre Dame," and headed toward the sidewalk, but a South Bend policeman quickly ordered them to leave. 

Unaware that the Credit Union was part of Notre Dame's campus, Karen decided to stand her ground, and was arrested and charged with criminal trespass.  Karen's husband, who stayed behind to call relatives, says the area where Mrs. Torres had been arrested was soon "filled with people holding pro-Obama signs," who were permitted to remain at the curb near the motorcade route to cheer the president.

The couple told LSN that when they asked why the other people were not getting arrested, the policeman "just shrugged and ... said that you refused to leave."

"So basically, I got arrested for holding the wrong kind of sign," said Mrs. Torres. The couple says they had been the only pro-life protesters they could discern in the area.

Mrs. Torres was later released after posting bail. The couple will return to Indiana on June 3 for an arraignment.

This is not the first time the Torres have made waves in the pro-life world: they are the parents-in-law of Susan Torres, the Alexandria woman who in 2005 attracted headlines around the world by miraculously giving birth after three months on life support, following a cancer-induced stroke.  

Concerning Notre Dame's conditions for criminal trespass, Torres explained to LSN that pro-lifers were warned during the commencement that they were only allowed to enter the campus if they carried no signs.  "We could not go in with any signs or any t-shirts or anything that spoke badly of Notre Dame or Obama," he said. 

Most of the pro-lifers arrested that day purposefully entered campus grounds to be arrested, carrying symbols including a large cross, photographs of aborted children, and images of Mary.

Catherine Wilson, the media relations director at the South Bend prosecutor's office, told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) today that none of the charges against those arrested have been dropped. Wilson declined to give further information on the cases, citing "ethical restrictions."

Notre Dame Spokesman Dennis Brown did not return a request for comment from LSN.

Attorney Tom Dickson, who will represent the cases, told LSN that, "It's a constitutional law question."

In the 1886 case Yick Wo v. Hopkins, the attorney noted, the Supreme Court ruled that selectively arresting individuals violated the Equal Protection clause.  Dickson also pointed to the 1946 Marsh v. Alabama case, in which it was decided that to the degree that a private institution opens its grounds to the general public, its right to curb their free speech activities is limited.

"Those are both issues that are going to be fully aired in these cases, if the matters aren't properly disposed of," said Dickson.

Dickson confirmed that all his clients have returned to their home states, including New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, and Texas, but will have to return to Indiana in coming weeks for their trials. 

Asked whether Notre Dame had been involved in the cases, Dickson said: "the only response I got from Notre Dame was that they weren't interested in sitting down and trying to discuss these matters, that they were ... out of their hands."

While Obama addressed Notre Dame's commencement and received an honorary law degree, over 40 pro-lifers were put in jail or police custody for trespassing.  Among those arrested were Norma McCorvey, the "Jane Roe" of Roe vs. Wade, Alan Keyes, and Fr. Norman Weslin, the Founder of Lambs of Christ.

To contact University of Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins:

Office of the President
400 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN
46556
Phone: 574.631.3903
Email: president@nd.edu president@nd.edu

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09052902.html

County puts kibosh on home Bible study

Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 5/28/2009 1:40:00 PM

A San Diego pastor says county officials have told him he needs a permit to host a weekly Bible study in his home.

Pastor David Jones and his wife, Mary, were hosting the weekly study near their church, when they say they were visited by a county code enforcement officer.

According to Dean Broyles, an attorney for the Joneses, the county official asked the pastor if they hosted a regular weekly meeting in their home, and if they prayed and said "Amen" and "Praise the Lord" at those meetings.

After replying in the affirmative to those inquiries, a subsequent citation notified the couple they were in violation of county regulations, should stop "religious assembly," and needed to apply for a "major use" permit to continue the gatherings -- a process that could cost several thousands of dollars.
Jones, his wife, and their attorney, Dean Broyles, were interviewed on the Fox News Channel. Broyles says the couple's rights have been violated.

"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," says the attorney. "And I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw that here in the year 2009 that a pastor and his wife are being told that they can't have a simple Bible study in their own home."

The American Family Association has launched an online petition drive related to the incident, asking the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to immediately stop interfering with the rights of individuals to hold Bible studies in their homes.
Jones and his wife say they will continue to challenge the county's policy.  About 15 people attend the weekly meetings.

TX 'hate crimes' bill targets children

Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow - 5/28/2009 5:00:00 AM

Jonathan Saenz of the Texas-based Free Market Foundation says lawmakers in The Lone Star State are targeting young children with a "hate crimes" bill.

HB 824 has moved out of committee and is expected to be voted on shortly. The bill targets children as young as ten years of age who are allegedly guilty of hate crimes. Saenz explains how the law might be applied.
"If they committed some crime and it had to do with the issue of 'sexual preference' -- particularly the issue of homosexuality -- they could be punished," he says, "and a judge could order them to go to a program where they have to accept the other side and accept the views of homosexuality."
According to Saenz, even more punishment could be doled out. "[T]he judge could [also] order them to do community service where they have to do a project in the homosexual community that serves the homosexual community's interest," he offers.
Saenz says the law would apply to children who have committed an act of arson or graffiti, or have assaulted another person based on sexuality. But he fears the law could potentially be misapplied and misused.

Homosexual teen kills own mother

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Argentine Homosexual Teen Murders Mother over Opposition to Sodomy

Matthew Cullinan Hoffman, Latin America Correspondent

LISANDRO OLMOS, ARGENTINA, May 28, 2009

(LifeSiteNews.com) - An 18-year-old Argentinean has been arrested for murdering his mother and brother in a fit of rage provoked in part by his mother's opposition to sodomy, say Argentinean police.

The young man, whose name has not been revealed by the media, reportedly confessed to police that "his mother had not accepted" his decision to have sexual intercourse with men, "and for that reason the aggression and yelling began" according to the Argentinean publication Clarin.

"In recent weeks, the situation worsened because he had been prohibited too often from leaving the house and receiving his friends," Clarin reports.

After shooting his mother and brother in the head on Tuesday, the adolescent called the police, claiming that assailants had entered the property and committed the murders. However, inconsistencies in his story, the absence of any theft, and testimony from neighbors led police to suspect the young man of committing the crime.  He confessed under questioning.

Majority of Americans Oppose Homosexual "Marriage"

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

PRINCETON, NJ, May 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Gallup poll released yesterday says that a majority of Americans continue to oppose giving homosexual unions the same status as natural marriage, and close to half believe that allowing legal same-sex "marriages" would change society for the worse.

57% of respondents to the poll said that "marriages between same-sex couples should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriage," while only 40% supported homosexual "marriage."

The numbers indicated a rising trend of support for traditional marriage. In a similar poll 53% opposed same-sex "marriage" in 2007 and 56% in 2008.

Those approving homosexual "marriage" dropped from 46% in 2007 to the current 40%.

A separate question in the poll found close to half of Americans, 48%, say that allowing legal same-sex "marriages" would change society for the worse.

That is more than three times the 13% who believe legal homosexual "marriage" would change society for the better.

The remaining 38% said it would have no effect on society or did not have an opinion on the matter.

When the poll was analyzed by age groups it was found that a majority (59%) of 18- to 29-year-olds thought homosexual "marriage" should be legal, while support for natural marriage was as high as 66% in the older age groups.

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09052804.html

Polls: Opposition to 'gay marriage' on rise

By Michael Foust
May 27, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A handful of state legislatures may be embracing "gay marriage," but two new polls show that Americans -- as well as Californians -- are not.

A Gallup poll of 1,015 adults released Wednesday (May 27) shows that Americans oppose legalizing "gay marriage" by a margin of 57-40 percent, the highest opposition has been in the poll since 2005, when a similar survey showed a margin of 59-37 percent against "gay marriage." The poll was conducted May 7-10 via landline and cell phones.

Last year, the Gallup poll showed 56 percent opposing "gay marriage," 40 percent supporting it. In 2007, it was 53-46 percent in opposition.

Additionally, this year's Gallup poll showed that 48 percent of Americans believe "that allowing two people of the same sex to marry will change our society for" the worse. Thirty-six percent say it would have no effect and 13 percent say it will change society for the better.

Full story here:

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30564

Hate crimes? 500,000 letters sent to Senate Unprecedented campaign stalls action by upper house

WorldNetDaily Exclusive

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Posted: May 24, 2009
9:19 pm Eastern

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WorldNetDaily

WASHINGTON – The delivery of nearly 500,000 individual letters sent by Fed Ex to the 100 U.S. senators objecting to a "hate crimes" bill approved by the House has, according to some sources familiar with the process, stalled approval of legislation that has been condemned as "The Pedophile Protection Act."

The campaign, organized by WND columnist Janet Porter, who also heads the Faith2Action Christian ministry, permits activists to send individually addressed letters to all 100 senators over their own "signature" for only $10.95. Nearly half a million letters have thus far been sent by nearly 5,000 participants in the campaign.

Sources working with senators opposing the legislation say the campaign has shaken up the dynamics of the debate.

"This bill was supposed to sail through the Senate, but it suddenly has become much more controversial as a result of all these letters," one source said. "Still, not a single Republican senator has yet stood up in open, public opposition to the bill."

Full story here:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?pageId=99108

Watching the March for Life with “Thine Eyes”

by Francis Slobodnik

The pro-life documentary is titled Thine Eyes and runs forty-eight minutes telling the story of the 2009 March For Life in Washington, DC. While the executive producer of this film, Mr. Jack Cashill, had never attended the March before, he could see the efforts to silence the success of the annual March by the media. Most newspapers, television and radio stations either ignore it entirely, like The New York Times, or at best, downplay the event greatly.

So Mr. Cashill and his friend, Mike Wunsch decided to made this film as a means to expose the truth about the constantly growing March that has been so totally ignored by the media over these last thirty-six years.

Thine Eyes can be divided into three parts. It begins with a few different groups preparing for the trip and their journey to Washington D.C. The second part of the film documents these groups arriving and their participation in the March. Lastly it shows their trip home and a brief report on what the media did not say about the March.

The first section recounts the experiences of three different groups who travel to the March. The first was Benedictine College from Atchison, Kansas, a Catholic college that has always had a very strong student pro-life organization on campus. The second group was from Missourians for Life that traveled from St. Louis, Missouri and the last was John Carroll Catholic High School from Birmingham, Alabama.

During the second part, the March is filmed by no less than six cameras from rooftops and from within the crowd. Many participants, both young and old, were interviewed. One woman in her 70's was having difficulty walking, but pledges to keep attending the March as long as she has the strength. Another was a young high-school student from Boston who was supposed to have been aborted, but her parents decided against it. Mr. Joe Scheidler, veteran pro-life warrior with battle scars to prove it, gave words of encouragement to all.

The students from Benedictine College were shown reverently praying the Rosary in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Additionally there is the marching band from the American TFP complete with bagpipes, fifes, brass and percussion. Flying high above the crowd are the TFP standards that dance in the breeze crowning the March with their noble spirit. Along with the American TFP, sister TFPs from France, Italy and Germany display their banners with pride.

The film is narrated by actress, Jennifer O’Neill, who incidentally, was coerced into having an abortion shortly after the infamous Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

I highly recommend this film as a powerful testimony to the brutal silence imposed by the media and the heroic success of the American pro-life movement. While the first part on the buses to the March moves slowly, this is entirely overshadowed by the grandeur of the March itself that is so accurately recorded. One is very impressed to see the multitude of youth who have strong enough convictions based on principles to attend.

Because the Revolutionary process has so dominated family life, education and culture, it could be difficult to understand how a young person growing up today could have such strong convictions. To me, this shows how the grace of Our Lady can penetrate the darkness and bring light.

Thine Eyes is also an excellent means of encouragement to help others see how large and effective the March really is. If you have never attended a March for Life, this film will give you some idea of the magnitude of the event. It can help those who live in communities, neighborhoods or college campuses where it is not popular to be pro-life, to assert their pro-life convictions.

Besides being impressed with a crowd of over 300,000, it is also good to remember that it is a large financial sacrifice for most who attend. Participants travel from across the United States as well as foreign countries. It takes strong principles to go to such effort and expense for a one-day event.

To order the DVD you can go to the website at www.thineeyes.org

A trailer can be viewed by clicking here.

I must add, the music heard in the background during the trailer is the marching band from the American TFP.

Book says young women attracted to orders whose members wear habits

DENVER (CNS) -- While the last 40 years have seen an overall drop in the numbers of women entering religious life, a new book released by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious says orders that are more visibly countercultural seem to be flourishing.

The council represents the superiors of more than 100 religious communities of sisters whose members wear an identifiable religious habit.

Full story here:

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20090526.htm#head6

Couple: County Trying To Stop Home Bible Studies

SAN DIEGO -- A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold bible studies in their home, 10News reported.

Attorney Dean Broyles of The Western Center For Law & Policy was shocked with what happened to the pastor and his wife.

Broyles said, "The county asked, 'Do you have a regular meeting in your home?' She said, 'Yes.' 'Do you say amen?' 'Yes.' 'Do you pray?' 'Yes.' 'Do you say praise the Lord?' 'Yes.'"

Full story here:

http://www.10news.com/news/19562217/detail.html

Plato At The Union

Written by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira*

The mediocre man has some notions about many things. By this, I mean he has vague and fluctuating notions which demand no effort to acquire or preserve. Whenever he wants to express his notions, he thinks he attains utter fulfillment by finding a showy word, or at least one that is not used as part of daily speech.

In his milieu, the term "radical" is one of the mediocre man's favorite words. He senses that branding a foe a radical will be harmful to that person. To be "radical" provokes a meticulous and exacerbated rejection. He feels that it is a good thing to be anti-radical because one can receive much support from taking this position.

Thus, we can see our mediocre man quixotically displaying anti-radicalism wherever he goes. However, as soon as someone contends that such a fiery anti-radicalism is nothing but another form of radicalism, he will shrink and change the subject, because to refute that objection — so obviously true by the way — the mediocre man would have to know in depth the exact meaning of the word "radical." And his idle spirit abhors precise and profound concepts.

The mediocre man's use of the word "liberty" is analogous to this. It reminds him right away of the hackneyed trilogy he likes (and of which he has already heard a thousand praises): "Liberty, equality, fraternity." Besides this motto, liberty calls to mind the striking statue in New York City, which he has seen in pictures and ads.

In Brazil, he would associate it with a vast and densely populated neighborhood of the city of São Paulo. He might even think of the Liberty brand cigarettes he smoked in his youth. In his mind, he has the general idea of liberty as something that provides everyone with the possibility of doing absolutely anything he finds delightful.

When he was a child, this word found its way into his mind. His teacher used to keep undisciplined students in detention after school and have them copy endlessly sentences like "A good boy is obedient and studious."

When time was up, the teacher would happily exclaim that they were at liberty.

And all the brats would dart out into the street eager for foolishness and rowdiness. This was the ideological core that the word liberty left in his mind. In one way or another, the cigarette, the monument and the neighborhood celebrated that delightful thing called liberty. The trilogy seems to suggest to him the same thought the teacher had in mind when the word blossomed from his smiling lips.

The mediocre man has no idea that his superficiality can have profound effects. If someone were affirm this to him, he would laugh in disbelief.

Anyone can easily face a mediocre man. It is less easy to face hundreds or thousands of them. This, however, is the inevitable possibility awaiting anyone who publishes something today, because the mediocre fill the earth.

I do not believe the mediocre will be the greater part of those who will read these lines about them. It is understandable that they will not find them pleasant. However, just a glance at one or another topic inside this article will be sufficient to infuriate many, because every man — even the mediocre one — is sharp and perspicacious when he is the object of criticism.

Nevertheless, I do not hesitate to declare, even before the mediocre ones, just how lethal, how profoundly lethal, their frivolity is.

Being persuaded that liberty is good, the mediocre man concludes that the more liberty the better. For him, absolute liberty is total happiness. As a voter, the mediocre one will cast his ballot for the candidate who will promise him unrestricted liberty.

As a candidate, the mediocre one draws the support of all those of his ilk. Whence he transforms his electoral campaign into promises that are a foretaste of absolute, total and unbridled liberty. This naturally brings about, for all slates, the listing and the victory of a varying though sizable percentage of mediocre men.

Hence, we see the diffuse impetus of legislation and government towards the foolish, the offensive and the grotesque. Because, when anything goes, then...

That impetus also spreads from the sphere of the state to all other sectors of society.

For a picture of what is happening today, let the reader examine the following text:

"When a people is devoured by the thirst for liberty, it will have leaders who are ready to minister to this craving as much as the people wish, to the point of inebriation.

"If rulers then resist their subjects' ever more demanding desires, they will be called tyrants.

"It also happens that he who is orderly under his superiors is singled out as a servile man without backbone.

"And that fathers, in dismay, end up treating their sons as their equals and are no longer respected by them.

"Masters dare no longer reprove their pupils, who laugh at them.

"The youth will claim the same rights and consideration given to their elders and the elders will say the youths are right, so as not to seem too severe.

"In this atmosphere of liberty there is no consideration or respect for anyone, for liberty's sake.

"Amidst so much license there springs up and develops an evil plant: tyranny."

Is not this a picture of what is happening today? Certainly, the picture describes very well the stormy days in which we are living.

With genial subtlety and precision, it points out how the sowers of tyranny — the leftists of our days — profit from the typhoon of demo-mediocrity.

Plato

However, this description was written long ago... in the fourth century before Christ. Its author is Plato, who so denounces the radicals of liberalism in a democracy, as the true fathers of dictatorship. The passage is taken from The Republic.

It fits not only the fourth century before Christ or today. Its message is perennial. It is in the very nature of things.

And I have something else to add: I did not transcribe it directly from the great philosopher's work. I limited myself to verifying that those words are truly his. They are simply extracted from the original by way of condensation (cfr. "The Dialogues of Plato," Encyclopedia Britannica, Chicago, London, Toronto, 1952, p.412).

A friend of mine found it framed and hung on a wall of... a union headquarters. Thus did the great and solemn Plato penetrate into a union. Not a union of rich employers, or of scholarly professors; but rather one of... taxi drivers in Rome!

Such a placement is the fruit born of a people's culture and tradition and not demagoguery. And I emphasize the word "tradition."

(*)This article was first published in the Folha de S. Paulo of March 26, 1983. It has been slightly adapted for publication.

Scandal: Research finds pro-homosexual clubs at 96 Catholic universities

96 Catholic colleges allow pro-homosexual clubs to operate on campus

TFP launches petition: Save Our Catholic Identity

 

Sign the petition here

To determine the scope of the moral crisis affecting Catholic institutions of higher learning, TFP volunteers examined the official web sites of 211 Catholic universities and colleges listed by Ganley’s Catholic Schools in America.

The study discovered that 45% of Catholic universities and colleges list pro-homosexual clubs on their web sites. Many of these clubs sponsor events that promote the homosexual movement’s radical agenda, forcing social acceptance of unnatural vice while gagging true Catholic moral teaching.

Compared to similar research conducted in 2008, this year’s study found the number of pro-homosexual clubs had remained steady.

See the list of Catholic universities with clubs

Join petition:  Save Our Catholic Identity
Catholic universities should foster virtue and purity.  Yet a growing number of Catholic students who thirst for the truth are confronted with visible, active and well-funded pro-homosexual clubs that openly contradict natural law and unchangeable Church teaching.

In his address to Catholic educators at the Catholic University of America in April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said:

Teachers and administrators, whether in universities or schools, have the duty and privilege to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice. This requires that public witness to the way of Christ, as found in the Gospel and upheld by the Church's Magisterium, shapes all aspects of an institution's life, both inside and outside the classroom.  Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and, far from advancing freedom, inevitably leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual or spiritual.

TFP Student Action is rushing to collect 100,000 petitions, urging the presidents of Catholic universities to defend true Catholic education by disbanding pro-homosexual clubs and activities.

There are three ways to help:

1. Join the Save Our Catholic Identity petition.  Sign it now.
   
2. Spread the word. Make this campaign snowball successfully by inviting your friends to participate.

Pray and offer sacrifices for the restoration of Catholic higher education.

Do petitions really work?  The answer is: yes.

• Thanks to prayerful petitions like this one, the annual “Queer Film Festival” at the University of Notre Dame did not take place this year.
• Many other Catholic campuses also banned performances of the lewd “V-Monologues.”

Pro-homosexual clubs cause grave moral confusion.  We must defend the truth and pray for the restoration of Catholic higher education. Students, parents, and alumni can make a big difference by praying and voicing their respectful concern.

Our Lady of Fatima

Purity is the Answer

Our Lady of Fatima told Blessed Jacinta that “the sins which lead most souls to hell are sins of the flesh.”
Therefore, to survive our hyper-sexualized culture, Catholic students must boldly affirm the truth.  We must not only practice purity but be proud champions of purity.  We must defend and promote it.  And when courage fails us, we must invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary, she who crushes the head of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15).

Important Notice:  Taking a principled stand, not a personal one.

In doing this campaign, we have no intention to defame or disparage anyone. We are not moved by personal hatred against any individual. In intellectually opposing individuals or organizations promoting the homosexual agenda, our only intent is the defense of marriage, the family and the precious remnants of Christian civilization in society.

As practicing Catholics, we are filled with compassion and pray for those who struggle against unrelenting and violent temptation to sin, be it toward homosexual sin or otherwise. In describing the physical, moral and spiritual consequences ensuing from sins of the flesh, we hope to counsel them away from sin, and provide them with insight to the necessity and beauty of the virtue of chastity that some may have never known.

We pray for those who fall into homosexual sin out of human weakness, that God may assist them with His grace. May they rise again, healed by a gaze from Our Divine Savior, to fall no more. In denouncing the ideology that pervades the homosexual movement, we hope to help them see how the movement may be exploiting them in its pursuit of ideological objectives with which they may not agree.

We are conscious of the enormous difference between these individuals who struggle with their weaknesses and strive to overcome them and others who transform their sin into a reason for pride, and try to impose their lifestyle on society as a whole, in flagrant opposition to traditional Christian morality and natural law.

However, we pray even for these. Yes, we pray for the radical activists pushing the homosexual agenda, even as we do everything permitted by law to block their efforts. We pray that, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, the grace God gave Saint Paul on the road to Damascus be given them as well, so that they may come to see the errors they promote, sincerely reject them, convert to God and join us.

In short, according to the famous expression attributed to Saint Augustine, we “hate the sin but love the sinner.” And to love the sinner, as the same Doctor of the Church explains, is to wish for him the best we can possibly desire for ourselves, namely, “that he may love God with a perfect affection.”

Responding to Objections About Hell

                           

By Luis Solimeo

Although God's mercy is infinite, in no way can it contradict His infinite Justice.

In this chapter, using theological arguments, we will strive we will refute the most common objections made against the existence and eternity of Hell.

The objections are numbered and followed by the refutations.

1. Because God is good, He cannot wish evil on anyone

- Obviously, God does not wish evil on anyone. He created all men for Heaven, and does not want anyone to go to Hell. His universal love and kindness offer everyone superabundant means for salvation. However when men refuse this kindness, preferring Hell over Heaven, they render it ineffectual.

Furthermore, although God is good, He is also just. His kindness cannot contradict His justice. Among men, kindness can degenerate into weakness and justice into hardness of heart, but, being perfect, God's virtues exist in an harmonic balance such that one cannot prevent the exercise of the other.

2. Why does not God prevent man from practicing evil, or force him to do good?

- God endowed angels and men with intelligence and will. Because the capacity to choose between good and evil is a characteristic of a rational being, God had to make every rational being free. This freedom differentiates us from irrational beings, who are uncontrollably guided by their instincts and thus unable to modify their actions. Since God cannot contradict His own work, He cannot create man free and then prevent him from using his freedom.

Freedom is also necessary for actions to have merit. If God forced angels and men to do good, their actions would lack any merit.

3. Why did God create Hell?

- God created Hell to avenge the Divine justice offended by sin. Hell's punishments atone for the offenses committed against Him and re-establish the order of the Universe, which demands that good is rewarded and evil castigated.

Thus Hell's existence is a powerful (and often the only effective) incentive for the practice of good. Fear of Hell has served to turn countless souls from the path of vice to love of God and virtue. Saint Augustine reputedly said that because of Original Sin, if Hell did not exist to punish evil, life here on earth would be transformed into a Hell because without fear of future punishment, most men would selfishly seek their own advantage, and few would restrain their passions for the sake of love.

Finally considering the mercy of God, Who grants so many graces for salvation, one sees more clearly the necessity of Divine Justice and Hell.

4. Since God knows that certain men will be damned, why does he allow it?

- This common objection, expresses an implicit error by which God is spoken of in human terms.

In human terms, when a man sees the future, he sees something that still has not happened. On the other hand, for God there is no time, everything is present. He sees past, present and future simultaneously. Thus, God does not foresee, but simply sees, and if He prevented something from happening, since it would not happen He would not see it. Therefore, God sees actual reality in the exact moment it takes place, not something that yet is going to take place.

Perhaps a comparison will help illustrate this point.

If an apparatus existed that would record a future reality, we would be able to see the future without being able to alter it.

If an apparatus existed that was capable of filming a future event as though it were the past, we would see the event, but would be unable to change its outcome, because the apparatus would have registered a future reality, not a future possibility.

Furthermore, knowing the future is different from being the cause of an event. Thus God's knowing that a man is going to damn himself, does not make him the cause of it, nor does it mean that He desires it. A father who sees that his son does not accept his advice and change his lifestyle may know that his son is going to be lost, but in no way does he desire it.

5. If God is Love, why must He avenge himself against the reprobates?

- God does not desire the perdition of the reprobates. When someone dies as God's enemy, persevering in evil and forever refusing the divine grace, their perdition comes from themselves, not God.

Concerning vengeance, there is another play on words. In this sense the term vengeance is different from the way it is used in relation to men. In our case, vengeance is the fruit of an imperfection, which is impossible in God. Here, the word is understood in its juridical sense meaning the re-establishment of justice, which God exercises within the bounds of His perfect impassibility and supreme equilibrium.

6. Why can man not repent after death?

- Because the mutability of human nature comes from the union of soul and body, man can only change his will while he is alive, during which time he perceives earthly things imperfectly. However, the soul, separated from the body, comes face to face with eternal truths. Thus it loses the ability to see something imperfect as a good. The eternal goods are evident, and attract or repel the soul without its free choice.

Man's last act of will decides his final choice and fixes his destiny forever. The soul enters into eternity with a will unchangeably fixed, in good or evil. Thus man's psychology and God's sentence are both eternally immutable. Such a change would imply an uncertainty in God, contradicting His Justice and Wisdom. God treats everyone with impartiality, rewarding or punishing each according to his actions.

7. If all souls see God and His perfection clearly, why does not the irresistible attraction they feel towards Him keep them from choosing Hell?

- Upon dying, the reprobate sees God in His infinite perfection, and himself in the hideous moral condition in which he died simultaneously.

                               

When the reprobate sees God in His Infinite Perfection, feeling himself repugnant in His sight, he flees, preferring Hell's torments to Heaven's delights.

The stainless Divine Purity contrasts with the reprobates moral ugliness to an unbearable degree. This contrast crushes him; making him feel repugnant in face of the infinite sanctity and perfection of God and the moral beauty of the elect, to such a degree that he prefers Hell's torments to Heaven's delights. Thus infinite beauty of God, that attracts him also repels him.

8. Is it the reprobate that willfully flees God's presence?

- According to most theologians, reprobates willfully flee God's presence.  Since God, the supreme Beauty for which man was made is unbearable to him, he detests, blasphemes and curses God, Whom he has lost forever. This can be compared to an obsessive relationship in which love, becoming impossible, is transformed into dominant, unsubdued hatred, heightened fury, rage and despair.

Thus, in spite of his natural tendency towards God, the reprobate, knowing that only God can satisfy his insatiable thirst for happiness, still willingly flees from this sovereign Good.

9. Could a reprobate desire Heaven while he is in Hell?

- As shown above, by the characteristic psychology of a reprobate, he will never desire Heaven. Let us take a closer look at why this is so.

On earth, the sinner chooses a created good, a deceiving and finite pleasure, as his ultimate end, instead of God. If he could remain in sin forever, without punishment, he would never turn to God. His transitory plans of amendment are fickle and indefinite. When satiated with sin he wants to regularize his affairs, out of fear of Hell, not for love of God. He hates only the punishment due to sin, not the intrinsic disorder and offense to God.

Thus, the sinner, chooses sin and Hell over God and Heaven. Although he may not desire the torments of Hell, he does wish to remain in a state of life that leads to Hell and the definitive separation from God. Through attachment to sinful pleasure or the satanic pride, the hardened sinner sells his Heavenly patrimony, like Esau sold his inheritance. Saint Gregory the Great stated that sinners would like to live eternally only to practice their sin forever.

In this light one sees clearly that a person who dies such, forever binds himself to the disorder of sin, and thus throws himself into eternal damnation.

10. Is it not unjust for God to condemn someone for having committed a single sin of weakness?

- Although, in justice, God could condemned someone for a single mortal sin of weakness, Hell is only for those who persists in evil, since those who sin through weakness usually do not persist in sin.

                             

The habitual sinner closes his soul to the solicitations of grace, purchased at the infinite price of the crucifixion.

The habitual sinner, thinking he has great pleasure in sin, closes his soul to the solicitations of the grace, and repentance, deciding only to convert in his last moment.^[13]

Certainly, he who sins through weakness, without falling into habitual sin, finds the sinful condition painful. Therefore, he is sensitive to the graces of repentance that God always communicates to men. Even so, sins of weakness can be the symptom of a condition leading to the soul's definitive separation from God, through a disordered attachment to creatures.

Therefore, Hell is the punishment for a condition of persistent disdain towards the Divine Love and Mercy.

11. If a reprobate wanted to go to Heaven, could he?

-Heaven consists in love of God, and the happiness of sanctity, while Hell is the rejection of God and radical moral disorder. Mortal sin is an act of radical disorder against the ultimate end of man, Which is God. A person who dies in this state is fixed definitively in this rejection, and is therefore incompatible with Heaven.

From the supernatural view, eternal life is sanctifying grace. In destroying this grace, mortal sin also destroys eternal life.

Sin, in itself, is naturally irreparable. Only divine grace can remedy it. Since, the grace of conversion does not exist after death, neither does conversion itself.

12. Is not God's Mercy eternal?

- Undeniably, God's Mercy will always exist. However, because someone is damned not due to a lack of mercy on God's part, but rather a lack of acceptance of this mercy on the reprobates part, God's eternal mercy will never free him from Hell. His will, perverted by the refusal of Divine Mercy during life, would not accept the grace of conversion after death, even if it were offered to him.

Saint Thomas illustrates this point with the following example: if someone blinds or kills himself, does he have the right to ascribe responsibility to God for his blindness or death? Similarly, the sinner who voluntarily destroys in himself the principle of supernatural life does not have the right to protest against his perdition. On the contrary, it is perfectly just that he who wanted to sin eternally against God, be eternally separated from Him.

                                    

Sin is evil and disorder. Since it can never become good or order, the enmity between good and evil must endure forever.

13. Aren't earthly punishments enough?

- Evil is not always punished on this earth. In fact, sinners often wallow in honors and wealth here, while the just suffer trials and afflictions. Because God cannot remain indifferent to crime and virtue, a postmortem punishment must exist to re-establish justice.

14. Must Hell be eternal?

- To be useful, every sanction must be efficacious. According to human psychology, man really fears only an eternal punishment, while temporary ones insufficiently impress him. Man's fallen nature is so attracted to sin that, in face of the intense, immediate sinful pleasure, the possibility of a temporary future suffering, is inadequate to restrain his passion. Put plainly, man prefers a transitory, distant suffering, to the denial of a present joy.

15. Is not an eternal punishment disproportionate for sins that were committed over a short time?

- According to justice, the time it takes to commit a crime does not determine the length of sentence. Rather the consequences and seriousness of the fault committed decide the length of the punishment. Therefore, a murder, committed in the blink of an eye, because its effects are everlasting, can merit an everlasting punishment.

16. Would it not be nicer to believe in an eventual general pardon, in which the demons themselves would convert and general happiness be reestablished?

- What is nicest is to accept God's Will and conform ourselves to His Wisdom.This hypothesis, so full of kindness and sweetness at first glance, is absurd. This idea, defended by romantic men of letters of the nineteenth century, like Victor Hugo, Lamartine, Paul Valery and others, is founded in a false concept of kindness and love, in which sentiment dominates reason.  When defended by Origen in the early Church, it was condemned.

Only a god moved by sentimental reasons, and not Divine Wisdom could thus contradict his justice.  The divine will, like every rational will, is guided by the intelligence, producing infinite mercy while maintaining perfect justice both of which are expressions of the Divine Wisdom.

Furthermore, it is not reasonable for God treat the reprobates and demons with mercy.  A general pardon would overturn the foundation of justice, which demands that each one receives what he earned, reward or punishment.

This foundation corresponds to the moral responsibility of each one for his actions.  To pardon the demons and reprobates is to reward evil.

It is unimaginable that Heaven would be shared by Lucifer and Saint Michael, hangmen and martyrs, apostates and faithful, prostitutes and pure virgins, heresiarchs and apostles, or innocent victims and cruel assassins!

According to this view, Judas and Saint Peter, Luther and Saint Ignatius and Messalina and Saint Agnes would forever enjoy the same reward!

Truly, sin is evil and disorder.  Since evil can never become good or disorder, order, the enmity between good and evil, order and disorder must endure forever together with their consequences: happiness and sorrow.

Even the possibility of Hell's punishments ending would destroy one of virtue's main attractions.  It would make good and evil, truth and error meaningless, producing a complete moral and doctrinal relativism.

The effects of this line of reasoning are evident in the absurdly relativistic world of today.

Disturbing news from the Fatima Custodians

Each weekend, our Fatima Custodians visit families in their homes with the Fatima statue.  When they come back, they tell stories of what they see and what they hear.

This weekend, one Custodian brought back some very disturbing news. 

"The families we visited don't believe in Hell, or say that Hell exists, but that no one goes there."   

I was very disturbed about this, and, as a result, decided to post an article about Hell, which you will find below.

A Condemned Prostitute

Saint Francis Jerome (1642-1716) was a great preacher.  Born of a noble family, he entered the Jesuits and developed his ministry in Naples.

Through his sermons, he converted innumerable sinners, convicts and fallen women.

Among the extraordinary facts in his biography the following excerpt is particularly pertinent since it refers to eternal damnation.

His sermons were commonly followed with the repentance and conversion of five, six and even ten fallen women, who appeared with their hair undone and shedding many tears, asking permission to enter into some convent in order to do penance for their sins.

One day, the servant of God preached in front of the home of one of those unfortunate women. Rather than repent, however she did everything she could to interrupt him, even letting loose great yells, but nothing she did succeeded to distract the attention of our saint, who continued his sermon until its end.

Some days later, Father Francis passed in front of the same house, and seeing it closed, asked those who were nearby: "What happened to Catherine?" That was the name of the unhappy woman.

She died suddenly yesterday," they answered.

"Dead!" exclaimed the Saint. "Let us go and see her."

He entered the home, and climbed the stairs. There he saw the body laid out according to the custom. Then, in the midst of the profound silence that reigned over the place, in spite of the large number of spectators, he exclaimed: "Tell me, Catherine, what has been done with thy soul?"

He asked this question twice without getting an answer; but, when he repeated it a third time, in a tone of authority, the dead woman opened her eyes, moved her lips in sight of everyone and, with a weak voice that seemed to come out of a great depth, answered: "In hell; I am in hell!"

Everyone left frightened and, upon withdrawing, the Saint repeatedly said: "In hell! In hell! All-powerful God, terrible God! In hell!"

The event and words of the saint caused such an impression that many did not dare return home without first going to confession.

Pray, pray, pray...the CA Supreme Court will vote on prop 8 today!

California high court to rule on Prop. 8 today

The decision on the constitutionality of the measure banning gay marriage will be issued in San Francisco.  About 18,000 same-sex marriages are in limbo.

By Maura Dolan
8:15 AM PDT, May 26, 2009

Reporting from San Francisco -- The California Supreme Court will rule this morning on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage.
The decision will be made public at 10 a.m. at the courthouse in San Francisco and on the court’s website.

Full story here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop8-court27-2009may27,0,189764.story

Bishop Finn Interviewed on Notre Dame Commencement

by Bishop Robert W. Finn

Dialogue was the big theme of the Notre Dame commencement. Is it possible for the Church to dialogue on abortion?

There are many associated elements that have to do with taking care of women in distress, offering alternatives to abortion. We have to work together, discuss and study how best we can provide for the needs of women and families. How can we reduce the number of abortions? These are elements for dialogue. But the rightness or wrongness of abortion – this is an intrinsic evil. The direct taking of an innocent life can never be negotiated.

Full story here:

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=8961

The Bell Towers of Tradition

By Plinio Correa de Oliveira

“You are the bell that rings in the darkness, in the cacophony; you ring amidst the confusion, spreading the sound of Tradition, the sound of our Catholic past, carrying this sound to the first days of the Reign of Mary.”

                                                          ***

Our Lady waits for the crucial moment when all seems lost to intervene.  This is the moment that is now before us.

Only the supernatural can explain the expansion of the TFP.

We see this expansion happen every day -- amid the chaos, people join us and begin to fight.   The impossible is accomplished. 

Auditoriums like this one with lots of young people, which the Revolution had been preparing for centuries to be its victims.

Here are young men with an appreciation for tradition, family and property, which was so often missing in their ancestors, who were much closer to that past where this sacred triad stilled glowed.

What to explain this, other than by the supernatural?

How can this fact be understood, expect by a special grace from Our Lady?

What to explain this, other than by a mission?

In the revolted world of today -- in your cities, states and countries -- you will be a bell of Tradition that rings.

Around you, the galvanizing impact of this appeal from Our Lady will be felt.

The devil will attack.  You will see opposition from the spirits of darkness in the whisper campaigns that will follow you.  The day will come when this is not enough; they will seek your body, your blood, and even your life.

You are the bell that rings in the darkness, in the cacophony; you ring amidst the confusion, spreading the sound of Tradition, the sound of our Catholic past, carrying this sound to the first days of the Reign of Mary.

This beautiful mission was given to each one of you individually, to the least among you, to the most tested, tried and tempted among you.

This mission now knocks on the door of your soul, to convince you and to set you on fire. 

Grace will never let you down in this mission, even if that means that heaven will open up and angels will come down in visible form to defend your fidelity.

 

Be faithful!  Be valiant!  Be faithful echoes of Tradition and you will return next year, joyfully singing the victories that Our Lady won through you.

The psalm reads:

"Euntes ibant et flebant semen spargendum portantes; venientes autem venient in exsultatione portantes manipulos suos."

“Going they went and wept, casting their seeds. But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves” (Psalm, 126:6).

You now go home with joy in your heart.  You take home, to the tranquility of the hearth, the tools you will use to fill your day in the accomplishment of your duty.

You leave today with “tears” in your soul.  But you carry with you the seeds that you received in this Weekend of Studies.  You will return by the grace of God, with joy, bringing the instruments of your work, the lessons you have learned, and the friends that you have won to next year’s Weekend of Studies.

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By Plinio Correa de Oliveira

January 15, 1970

Closing talk at the II Week of Specialized Education and Formation in Anti-communism in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

(I translated and slightly adapted this talk.)

Two rosary rallies honored Our Lady in Kansas on Sunday

On Sunday, the feast day of Our Lady Help of Christians members of America Needs Fatima and friends held a public square rosary at the usual location one of the busiest intersections in Topeka as well as in the small town of St. Marys.

    It was a beautiful day to publicly honor Our Lady by boldly proclaiming our love and devotion to Her.   Those in attendance prayed in reparation and for the conversion of America.

    Two young men covered with tattoos had their loud music blaring in their car while waiting for the light to change.   One of the participants in the rally expected them to turn it up to counteract the public rosary.   Instead, they actually turned the volume off.

                             

    One lady drove by holding her rosary out of the window.   As the rosary concluded a Hispanic couple pulled up and asked what we were doing.   They had a rosary and a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in their car.   After it was explained to them, they were very happy about what was being done.

    By the way as you may remember last month the public rosary was held beneath a billboard promoting atheism.  The good news is, that sign is now gone!

Catholic Church's nonprofit status challenged in Maine

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=539478

5/23/2009

AUGUSTA, ME - A California-based homosexual-rights group has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service challenging the tax-exempt status of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine. The Empowering Spirits Foundation says that by engaging in political activity aimed at overturning Maine's new same-sex "marriage" law, the diocese is violating IRS rules for nonprofits.

A diocese spokesman says IRS policy allows the diocese to participate in the campaign to collect the more than 55,000 voter signatures needed to suspend the law and have voters decide its fate.

After Maine's Legislature passed the bill legalizing same-sex marriage and the governor signed it earlier this month, Bishop Richard Malone called it "a dangerous sociological experiment" and said the diocese would work with others to bring the issue to a vote in November.

Rosary Rally in Hanover, PA, to honor Our Lady Help of Christians

A group of supporters of TFP-ANF prayed a public square rosary to honor Our Lady Help of Christians on Her feast day, May 24.

They stood on the sidewalk along Eisenhower Drive in Hanover, a very busy road.  The two "honk" signs were very effective, causing many people to honk their horn as they drove by.  Well over 50% of the people honked their horns in support of the messages on the signs.

One read: "HONK for traditional marriage."

And the other read: "HONK for our brave troops."

Putting away the signs and banners after the rally.

               

Having a bite to eat and spending some time talking about the reaction people had towards the rally and the signs.