Why Catholic chivalry is urgently needed

    The second commandment of the code of chivalry is, "Thou Shalt defend the Church."

    The true followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ always have and always will be assaulted by the devil and by evil men. 

    While this suffering as a result of such assaults gains great merit, the followers of the Church should always be willing to defend Her, even with their lives if necessary.

    While the Middle Ages was entirely Catholic, Europe was surrounded by enemies.  As in all times the Church was attacked from without for example by Islam.  She was also attacked from within by heresies such as the Albigensian heresy.  She was also attacked by those covetous of the possessions of the Church.

    The medieval knight vowed to defend the Church.  The knight used the resources that he possessed as well as his might of arms to defend the Church.  Those who challenged or even attacked the Church had to deal with these knights, or these men of iron.

    The thousands of monasteries and convents as well as churches were dedicated to the offering of prayer and sacrifice.  The knights defended them from those who would harm them.

    The Church has never been attacked in Her history as she is attacked today, by men who despise Her doctrines, Her moral teachings, her wealth which represents the devotion of millions upon millions of the faithful throughout the centuries.

    In the spirit of chivalry shouldn't those of us who lover Her defend Her with the same ardor as the knights of old?  Today our weapons are our voices, our pens and our resources as well as our public presence. 

    To publicly protest a blasphemous film, or a university that calls itself Catholic, yet does not adhere to the Church's moral teachings, to hold a public rosary, these acts take the courage of a knight.

    Yet like the knight, we do not weigh the odds, we only see that the Church is being assaulted, so we unhesitatingly offer all that we have, including our human respect to defend Her.

    The next time that the Church is assaulted, or when the opportunity to hold a public rosary takes place, be like the knight, say unhesitatingly, O Holy Catholic Church, my Mother, I will defend you, I will proclaim you!