Cardinal Dolan Eats His Own Churches

Experts were trying to understand why mass attendance was down...

The failing Archdiocese of New York has announced a slimming down plan. Do not believe the pathetic excuses filtered to the friendly press, hungry for the Cardinal's approval, and trying to let you believe demographic changes – people moving upstate; offices replacing residential buildings – are to blame.

The brutal reality is that Mass attendance is at 12%.

Now let us see, what does the Cardinal to encourage Mass attendance and a healthy Catholic life in his diocese? He makes an ass of himself whenever he can, has “no sense of judgment” for openly homosexual athletes (“good for him!”, says the popularity-hungry Cardinal) and in general undermines Catholicism at every step. As is the case for Francis and countless others, he pays his superficial popularity with the slow self-destruction of his Archdiocese. He wants to have his cake and eat it, but it does not work that way. Still, the decline of his diocese does not have to damage him personally. I know one who oversaw a decade-long decline in his Archdiocese, and became Pope.

The Cardinal's appetite for popularity and easy slogans is so big, that it is no surprise his Archdiocese is slowly aiming at self-destruction. What used to be a region full of Catholics of Italian and Irish descent adequately formed in the faith is now an agglomeration of dwindling communities, slowly and gradually eaten up by the Archbishop as he continues to enjoy the limelight.

In all this, there is one good news: the ventilated closure of the Holy Innocent church, home to the only TLM in Mahattan, will not happen. Evidently, the Cardinal wasn't hungry for further controversies with a small, but very vocal Traditionalist community. They proved not easy to swallow. Then, there would have been the little matter to digest the closure of a thriving church. For once, it appears the Cardinal has bitten more than he could chew.

It is very easy to predict that as long as Circus Welcome is in town, Mass attendance will continue to decline and churches will continue to be eaten up by “no sense of judgment” Cardinal Kong. One only has to hope that the axe will fall predominantly of those “welcoming” communities of the “welcoming” type; communities now reaping what they sow, and who will abundantly deserve the longer way to a new and hopefully more Catholic church.

Bon appetit, Your Grace. I hope you feel sated for the time being.

M

 

“Popegate” Makes It To Breitbart

Read it here.

the journalists at breitbart seem to do their homework. The linked article also mentions the recent scandal in New York and the tougher predecessor in reprimanding of Monsignor Pope, Father Guranizo.

No word has come out of the Washington, DC, Chancery office if Pope will be punished beyond having his column taken down. They kicked one South African priest out of the Archdiocese and the Holy See Mission to the United Nations after he criticized Cardinal Dolan for allowing the proposed closing of a small parish which serves the Catholic traditionalist community in New York. And just last year a priest visiting from Moscow, Father Marcel Guarnizo, was tossed from the Diocese of Washington for refusing to give communion to a lesbian at her mother’s funeral. 

It is good to know that the betrayal of Catholicism perpetrated by our stinking shepherds is slowly going out of the Catholic circles and finding a wider audience. I can imagine many Breitbard readers slowly becoming more interested in these people: the priest telling it .. straight to the dykes, the other so attached to the Latin Mass, a third criticising the Cardinal Archbishop of New York.

One blog post, one forum comment, one article at a time, we will one day manage to put many, many Catholics in front of the fundamental questions:

what the heck it’s happening?  What kind of Catholics are these? And why have I not opened my mouth before?  

Mundabor

Brave Fag World

And it came to pass that the organisers of St. Patrick's Day parade caved in to popular pressure and corporate sponsorship and decided that faggots, lesbians and all the other variety of militant reprobation are welcome to the parade dedicated to the Saint, because… they are prostitutes.

A Monsignor of the diocese of Washington and blogger of some repute (about whom I have blogged and reblogged on several occasions: Monsignor Charles Pope) then writes a rather blunt blog post, openly questioning non only the opportunity of such exercises, but the smartness of those who continue to cling to such phantoms of the past after they have been, very clearly, highjacked by the Enemy.

And then… what do you think? In pure Soviet style, the Archdiocese of Washington, who publishes the blog, pulls the article.

Catholicism on the Internet presence of a US Archdiocese? God forbid! We must at all costs avoid that the immense fraud of “Inclusiveness”, “no sense of judgment” NuChurch be exposed for what it is!

Let us pull the article, then. We don't want to be “divisive” now, do we? Let's make a united front and march together with the perverts instead. More “inclusive”, you see. In the brave fag world of the contemporary US church, Catholic voices must be silenced so that the little (or huge, as the case may be) minions of Satan do not feel uncomfortable, and can continue to guffaw their bollocks undisturbed.

Thankfully, the almost omniscient (or at least extremely well-informed) Rorate Caeli has the text.

Ah, the beauty of the Internet! The blog post will now soon have a wider circulation that we could ever hope. Reblog the article on your blog, please. Tweet it around. Let the world know at what point of complicity with evil NuChurch has arrived.

Now let me think one moment: who is in charge over there?

Cardinal Wuerl, you say?

This here?

Or this here?

How is it that I am not surprised?

March forward, brave US Cardinals. Hand in hand with militant faggots and lesbians, singing the song of “inclusiveness” in the new “age of Mercy”.

Enjoy their company. You will see it is going to continue for very long after you die.

Mundabor

 

Fulton Sheen, The Bishop Of Rome, And The Obese Cardinal.

The news of the shelving sine die of Fulton Sheen's cause for beatification comes at the same time as the announcement that the Obese Cardinal will participate to the gay parade (because, make no mistake, this is what it has become) on St Patrick' day.

Dolan is, from what one can understand, behind the decision. But one really can't understand much because, in pure Francis-FFI-style, not much is said.

The beatification cause was now well advanced, the official approval of the miracle expected in just a few months. This is, I am informed, not a miracle in Paul VI-style, but a real one.

Can you imagine the embarrassment of both Cardinal Dolan and the Unholy Father at the prospect of such a beatification? Would they not, then, have to look for a last-minute excuse to prevent it? And if this is so, why then wait for the last minute, when the miracle is already approved? Far better, then, to stop everything in its tracks now, before things get too embarrassing.

We don't know much about this matter.

But I think we know everything there is to know.

Intercede for us, Venerable Fulton Sheen; that we may be freed very soon from this disgraceful clergy.

Mundabor

St. Patrick’s… Gay

Now available as obese Cardinal

 

 

The organisers of St. Patrick’s Day parade, who had up to now refused to allow the participation of perverts qua perverts, have now decided that not even saints can be spared from the association with perverts.

You would think that the local Cardinal would spit flames from his mouth like it’s Smaug Day, wouldn’t you?

Well, not if the Cardinal is Dolan, of course.

Mr “No sense of judgment” would never forgive himself if he allowed this beautiful stage to go to waste. Imagine: the TV stations, the radios, and all the secular press noticing how much the Cardinal follows the “Spirit of Francis”. 

This is the one with no “sense of judgment” at people outing their perversion and demanding approval for it. The one licking the plates of Muslims and telling them they are obviously saved because they like their children. The one puttign his fat belly before absolutely everythign under the sun, starting with his God and his Church.

What an obese Jezebel.

I hope – nay: I am certain – that all decent Catholic will stay away from this shame.

Let the fat prostitute spend the day in the middle of perverts. A fitting anticipation of his destiny after death, unless he repents.

Mundabor

 

The Ape-Friendly Homos And The Obese Gorilla

Spot the red hat

Father Z reports of the ways rich perverts give grants to – get ready for this – Catholic institutions to promote their perverted agenda within the Church. All this is done under the sun, and in tax-efficient way.

One is not surprised at the extent of such evil: sexual perversion is evil, and it is fully illusory to believe that when Satan has got hold of a soul to the point of making her desire what is most disgusting, he will not try to push these souls more and more deep into a cesspool of hatred of Good, and open war to it.

What one, though, asks oneself is the following:

1. How much does the local hierarchy know of this? Or better said: how can they claim they do not know about this? Any trust or entity under the supervision of the Diocese must surely have yearly reports of their ins and out, regularly scrutinised by their supervisors. Every University must, surely, be subject to the diocese's scrutiny if it wants to carry a link to the Church in her name? We are not talking of pocket money here, but of substantial amounts which, being the objects of tax records, must certainly make it possible to trace their movements and ascertain their destination, to the last cent.

2. One reads such news and wonders to what astonishing degree of incompetence and cowardice the Church in the West must have sunk, if perverts even think it possible to undermine it by openly giving fodder to the enemies inside of her. If our prelates did their job in a halfway acceptable way, the Gorilla-friendly Homos would at least fight their satanical battle from the outside. As it is, they are indirectly told: “welcome! Help us lose souls! Can you spare some change, Gov?”

But then one reflects that this a country where a leading member of the hierarchy has the courage, in one of the rare moments in which he is not eating, to shout “Bravo” to someone not only outing his sexual perversion, but endorsing a sodomitical – and his sodomitical – lifestyle.

I therefore wonder who is worse: the homo Apes undemining Catholic teaching, or the obese Gorilla doing exactly the same, under his red hat.

Mundabor

 

The Wind And The Weathervane.

Not photoshopped.

I have read several articles in the past weeks about two related events in the Archdiocese of New York. The first is the threatened closure of a TLM parish, prospering and perfectly viable. The second is the removal of a good Catholic priest who had dared to speak openly against such closure. Behind both moves is, no doubt, the vast belly of Cardinal Dolan.

My reaction to such news is always the same: it is all because of Francis.

It is not that I want to exonerate Cardinal Dolan, but rather that I have no doubt – and neither should you – that Dolan is a very heavy weathervane, and moves his rather vast corporeal mass in whatever direction he finds more appropriate at the moment. It is, therefore, no surprise at all he would now move to get some brownie points with the Unholy Father and his men in red.

Dolan is, very clearly, looking at the future, and positioning his considerable backside in a strategic position for the next conclave; so that he may, when the time comes, present himself as the right balance between the continuation of Francis' circus activity – for which he is, when his mouth is not full, eminently suited – and a more traditional approach. He might have better cards than, say, Maradiaga, whom even his friends in red might see as too risky a choice.

What is happening in New York is the obvious consequence of what is happening in Rome. The Michael Voris of the world, who limit their criticism to Dolan and forget to mention why he does what he does, are like the old critics of Beria who forgot to mention Stalin in their criticism.

A strong wind of heresy, chaos, stupidity, ignorance, incompetence and perhaps outright evil intent is blowing. The weathervane register the fact and position themselves accordingly.

We should look at the causes, rather than focusing exclusively on the effects.

Mundabor

 

No Sense Of Shame: Brothel Without Boobs

Read on Rorate about the latest antics of Cardinal Dolan (already mentioned on this blog). The key passage is this:

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York praised University of Missouri football star Michael Sam for coming out as gay, saying he would not judge the athlete for his sexual orientation. “Good for him,” Dolan said in an interview with NBC's “Meet the Press” airing Sunday.

“I would have no sense of judgment on him,” Dolan continued.

Note the following:

1. Dolan mentions, as Satan himself would do, the Bible. His Christianity is the hearsay version, “do not judge”. Dalai Lama style. Francis-cum-Nelson Mandela. Woodstock galore.

2. the Cardinal obviously quotes Francis. Michael Voris will criticise Dolan, but not Francis. Mysteries of TV production.

3. He (Dolan) puts on the same plane faithful spouses and clearly sodomite – at least implicitly – athletes. “Bravo”, he says to both.

You see? The ones follow the Bible by being chaste spouses, the others follows the Bible by inserting their accessory into the dirtiest hole (and probably, not the only hole) of another man (and probably, many men). Both of them – the chaste couple and the sodomites – are, says the Cardinal, deserving of praise.

No sense of judgment. Bravo.

Now: if the athlete had said “I am afflicted by a homosexual attraction, but I believe all that the Church believes and will therefore avoid the sin of sodomy and pray the Lord that he may give me the grace to overcome this affliction”, the Cardinal would still have been wrong, because homosexuality is a sexual perversion and something about which one does not go about giving scandal. Would the Cardinal say the following words about a person who had outed himself as a pedophile?

“God bless ya. I don't think, look, the same Bible that tells us, that teaches us well about the virtues of chastity and the virtue of fidelity and marriage also tells us not to judge people. So I would say, 'Bravo.'”

Thought not.

But it is actually far worse than that. Dolan's satanical words are clearly an endorsement for the homosexual lifestyle, proclaimed and lived in scandal. This is a Prince of the Church. What times we live in.

It seems to me here that the Francis effect is making all his devastating effects heard. Cardinal Dolan would very probably never have dared to say anything similar to this, had Benedict been still in power. But now that a new wind is blowing, our over-nourished weathervane promptly changes direction, and plauds sexual perversion in the spirit – not the actual words; but the spirit, yes – of what Francis says.

And so the game goes on. Francis starts the mess and clearly indicates, without going all the way, where he wants to lead the Church. His colonels promptly take the hint, and deliver. Lio ensues.

In the nuChurch of Francis that oh so sharply condemns careerism, they are all aligning to follow the new party line, knowing the man will reward a certain type of prelate. They know the Peron in Rome will appoint others like him to bishops, archbishops and cardinals. Dolan obviously has one aim in mind: to be the new Humble One. I doubt he will encourage the practice of fasting, though.

When I think of the Vatican hierarchy of today, “Brothel without boobs” is what comes more frequently to my mind. No, it's not a strong image. I'd prefer the chances of salvation of any prostitute than those of Cardinals like this one.

Mundabor

O’Malley: It Pays To Play Methodist

It says here that O’Malley’s shares are booming, and Dolan’s ones are tanking.

There is probably some truth in this (it is a fact O’Malley was picked, and even Dolan might be a tad too conservative for Francis), but there might be a lot of wishful thinking, particularly considering the general tone of the article. When they have nothing to write, journalists can invent astonishing trends.

What one notices is that O’Malley’s Methodist stunt with the overweight wannabe priestess “who could hardly speak for hours afterwards” is clearly having the desired effect: he is now the darling of “progressives”, the forward-thinking prelate, and the cool man on Francis’ side.

At this point, one can only suggest that the Cardinal profits from the moment and visits the Synagogue in Buenos Aires with a photographer in tow (there was one there also by the Methodists, apparently) and gets an old Jewish blessing from Rabbi Skorka, with photos all over the planet in a matter of hours.

No doubt, many bloggers would hasten to explain to us O’Malley has not converted to Judaism, so it’s all fine.

Mundabor

 

   

Proclaiming Christ Unto Death

“The Church exists to proclaim, to be the voice of a Word, her husband, who is the Word,” [the Pope]  said June 24, the feast of the birth of John the Baptist, who died a martyr.

“The Church exists to proclaim this Word until martyrdom. Martyrdom precisely in the hands of the proud.”

Beautiful words from the Holy Father.

Perhaps a phone call to the Imam in New York would be in order.

Mundabor

Meet Timothy Imam Dolan

The de facto Commander-in-Chief of the American Catholics today openly apostatised, officially declaring his abandonment of Christian dogma. Now allegedly moved by Mohammed, he went to visit a local Mosque.

Great was the joy of the still cardinal at being finally able to enter a place considered sacred by the followers of a child rapist. “I thank God that this day has arrived”, said the future Muslim cleric, overwhelmed by emotions after so many years of clearly outdated Tabernacles, Blessed Virgin statues, and worship of Christ and the Holy Ghost as God.

Mr Dolan, now slated for a position of high responsibility among New York Muslims, officially announced his abandonment of Christianity, explicitly saying that Muslims and Christians believe in the same God.

After the future Imam’s official betrayal of Christ, commenters are divided among those who think he is a retard and those who think he is simply a prostitute, with the second faction apparently prevailing for the time being. Sudden insanity has been excluded, and the still cardinal was reported to eat with the usual appetite today.

The new Imam has given a short outline of what he thinks leads to salvation: love of marriage and family, or children and babies is what saves. The Truth, the Way and the Life are clearly, to him, past sell-by date.

Coherently, he has called for Muslims not to lose their faith. Otherwise they might – God forbid! – become Christians…

The new Imam, who has declared Christians and Muslims love “the same God”, is on record for thanking the Muslim for letting him feel “part of the family”, and his blatant denial of the divinity of Christ and the Holy Ghost persuaded everyone.

Today, Timothy Dolan denied Christ, and truly became part of the Muslim family.

Mundabor

The Cardinal, The Public, And The Evil Governor

Cardinal Dolan has found another way to make an ass of himself or, seen from his perspective, to gain more points with the powers that be whilst trying to appear orthodox.

The Cardinal's intervention has already caused an uproar during the weekend, so I will not repeat what many other have eloquently written. I will, though, allow myself a couple of considerations about the motives and the forma mentis of this despicable man.

Cardinal Dolan doesn't care two straws for murdered children, or Catholicism come to that. It is clear to him the habit is a way to pursue a career exactly in the same way as he might have pursued a career, say, in marketing or, rather, politics.

In order to advance his career with the best chances of success, the Cardinal needs to do the following:

1. Be perceived as “strong” by those who do not closely follow his action; basically, he needs to be a “tough guy by hearsay”.

2. Be perceived by mainstream politicians of both colours as a safe bet: one who will never give anyone serious trouble and can therefore be helped to rise high, or at least not hindered from doing so.

3. Create an image of “popular guy”: the smiling uncle Cardinal you'd want at your table at Thanksgiving, obviously hoping he doesn't eat all the turkey.

4. Be seen by his fellow Cardinal as a harmless guy they can elect without fear of surprises; one who will produce himself in that kind of popular waffling they love so much without seriously angering anyone. The Cardinals have just elected one of those, by the way; so it works.

Notice how relentlessly the Cardinal pushes his agenda, and how well it is working for him. Observant Catholics do know he is a bad 'un, but why should he care? His public perception is what counts, and his public perception is doing just fine. The last threat of a “holy war” against a, erm, “Catholic in good standing” may be a total contradiction and an extremely stupid thing to say, but this is not how it will go down in the public opinion. For the masses, the perception will be of a tough Cardinal, because they do not think to the point of wondering what all this though talk will in the end lead to, and how can you threat holy wars without having the gut to say Cuomo is an evil man on his way to hell who must be annihilated. Dolan's wars are, evidently, fought by guffawing.

You can therefore see how the outrage among the fringe group of devout and attentive Catholics does not disturb the Cardinal in the least. Pope Francis will not be Pope forever, and with the years he will grow in stature and in weight (erm, cough) among his fellow Cardinals.

Make no mistake. His strategy is working just fine.

Mundabor

 

Cartoon Cardinal Dolan Simply Gets It Wrong

Wrong talking and wrong eating: Cardinal Dolan.

This week, that lack of tangible love is being felt by Nicholas Coppola, a gay Catholic living in Long Island, New York who was incredibly active in his parish. After marrying his husband legally, he was informed that he could no longer serve as a lector, visitation minister, food pantry volunteer, capital campaign board member or catechist. He is allowed to enter the church, but his involvement, which was significant, has been curtailed. This is all because someone sent an anonymous letter to the bishop, who then directed the parish to remove him.

This astonishing piece of faggoty ranting appeared on the Washington Post, who have dedicated a piece to explain to us that Cardinal Dolan does not “love” what they call “the LGBT people” (it means faggots, lesbians, and other perverts).

The astonished reader learns from this that there are in the diocese of New York people who must necessarily be self-confessing sodomites, and are allowed to have a “significant” involvement as (it is inferred) lector, visitation minister, food pantry volunteer, capital campaign board member and/or catechist.

More astonishingly still, it appears this unbelievable… gal even dared to stage a mickey mouse “marriage”, and still nothing happened. In order for this walking scandal to be removed from his “involvement” it was necessary that some good Catholic wrote to the Cardinal saying “wake up, nincompoops”, and then something finally happened.

The Washington Post shows, as it is to be expected from such a perverted rag, that they have no clue whatsoever about what Catholicism stays for. But this does not mean the Cardinal isn't to be blamed, either.

With his woolly words about how he “loves” the “gays” and his trying to explain that the Church “gotta listen to people”, this cartoon Cardinal has put himself into a corner. He doesn't satisfy honest Catholics, because Catholicism requires the Truth to be said whole, and the dangers of hell for perverts to be expressed loud and clear; and he doesn't satisfy perverts, because by all his oily talk he is just not in a position to deliver what they want, that is: the “celebration” of their perversion.

Therefore, the Cartoon Cardinal will continue to be despised by Catholics for his betrayal of Catholic values and his refusal to properly teach the Faith, and he will continue to be despised by perverts as he is rightly seen by them as a boot-licking hypocrite.

Unfortunately, the Cartoon Cardinal will also continue to be seen from the worldwide clergy as the type of “pastoral” archbishop they think the world need, thus placing him in a very good position – unless sanity prevails, for which there isn't much hope at the moment – to be one day our next Pontiff, Pope Mickey Mouse I.

Therefore, do not expect that he stops his policy anytime soon.

Mundabor

Cardinal Dolan Is A Permanent Embarrassment

The solution.

“I don’t know. We’re still trying. We’re trying our best to do it. We gotta listen to people”.

This is the kind of waffle Cardinal Dolan managed to tell ABC talking about the ways the Church should allow perverts (he said “gays”) to feel “welcome”.

As a Catholic, one cannot avoid feeling embarrassed at the cowardice regularly put on display by this disgraceful man.

Cardinal Dolan is required to take position on so-called “gay” issues, and what does he do? Does he point out that sodomy is an abomination? Does he remind his audience that exterminating angels aren’t sent on earth to commit a genocide as a post-lunch routine? Does he spend at least thirty seconds talking of the very grave danger of hell for both sexual perverts and those who aid and abet them?

No, he doesn’t. Instead, he loses himself in inane waffle concerning the way the Church should allow perverts to “feel welcome”; inane waffle leading absolutely nowhere, as abundantly proven by the fact the Cardinal himself has no clue how this “welcome” should be put in place without going against Catholic teaching.

The Cardinal is the de facto number one cleric in a country of 360 million, but he is simply unable to pin down simple words like “abomination”. His main concern is the way the Church “gotta listen to people”.

This man is worse than useless; he is a walking threat for Catholicism in the United States. He just doesn’t have the guts to say the simplest things. He answers that he would say to the “gay couple” that the Church “wants their happiness”, but stops short of saying both what is the problem with them in this life and what will, very probably, be the much bigger problem in the next.

This is a shepherd only worried with looking good with his sheep whilst they get near the ravine, fully unconcerned with using his rod and staff and only worried with pleasing them. I am surprised he isn’t a Jesuit.

I shudder at thinking Pope Francis’ age unavoidably makes of this man one of the papabili in the next conclave, unless of course something intervenes in the meantime, like – ideally – what you see in the photo above.

Timothy Michael Dolan was appointed cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.

Mundabor

Cardinal Dolan Allows A Sacrilege In Front Of His Eyes.

The Guffawing Cardinal found giving communion to Joe Biden absolutely hilarious.

Besides being an open supporter of so-called gay marriages, Biden is, as we all know, an open supporter of abortion, thinking his “personal” opposition should not encroach on the right of others to stage a Holocaust.

On Sunday, Cardinal Dolan found nothing better to do than allowing him to receive communion. I can't avoid thinking he felt encouraged by the fact Pope Francis apparently allowed Biden and Pelosi to receive only a few days ago.

When Cardinal Dolan caves in to public pressure and to the enemy of the Church, the media generally call it “an attempt to create a new dialogue”. I call it cowardice.

The Cardinal's behaviour is more evident if we consider his predecessor apparently always refused to allow the likes of Biden to receive communion.

I wonder if this is just Dolan being Dolan, or if there is something of bigger dimensions going on.

Certainly we will not hear a word from Pope Francis about this. Not just days after he himself allowed Biden and Pelosi to receive.

Mala tempora currunt.

Mundabor

 

Guffawbile?

 

 

 

 

 

The Live Conclave.

The Conclave is such... fun!

This beggars belief, but is apparently true. Some of the American Cardinals in Rome had already started to organise daily briefings with the US press.

So, before the election of a Pope the Cardinals take a short rest from their daily activities to have a chat with their buddies, the journalists, and keep in touch with the folks at home.

Cool, man. Or, as Cardinal Dolan would say, “that's a biggie, dude”.

One cannot escape the suspicion the Cardinals are talents stolen to the stage. I'd have thought better of Wuerl, but not after the matter with Father Guarnizo after all.

The impression remains of people interested mainly in a stage, and unable to resist the temptation of the media circus of the year.

For shame.

Mundabor

 

Meat And Friday

Can wait till Saturday, surely?

 

As the thing seems to be in the headlines again (Cardinal Dolan seems to have picked this in his effort to reestablish a good reputation), please allow me to say a couple of words about meat abstinence on a Friday.

I started again sometime in, if memory serves, early 2011, and was somewhat lucky a couple of months later the UK bishops announced the reintroduction of this beautiful “obligatory” Friday penance for all of the Kingdom. I had difficulties at first, because being single and rather forgetful I ended up forgetting rather often; but I insisted, as I was desirous to recover for myself another small piece of the beautiful Catholic world V II had taken away from me and had been part of the life of so many generations before this disgraceful one.

In time, I forgot less and less, and now I do not forget (almost) anymore.

The beauty of the exercise is that, like many other Catholic practices, it shapes one gently but irresistibly. I now have to plan my groceries in advance for the Friday, and must stop and think what day is it much more often. This way, the sacrifice of Our Lord on Calvary becomes more and more of a daily recurrence, something present in many small activities of the day, “sneaking” into your consciousness with far bigger frequency.

Then there are the times when it’s uncomfortable, like when you go out with friends on a Friday and are the only one not to choose that succulent steak everyone else is enjoying. This is the most useful time, because it reminds me that though He died on the cross for me, I still manage the feat of considering it a problem to pick the vegetarian plate instead. I assure you the shame that follows helps one to miss the steak a lot less.

Catholicism is made of many small things, gestures, habits. They may seem trivial at first sight, but in time they truly help us to get in spiritual shape. It’s like in many other spheres of our daily activity,  where we can easily observe that – say – the best way to lose weight is to slowly change habits, and wait for time and patience to work their magic.

Sinner as I am, I pray that Christ may allow me, with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, to slowly change my habits. Friday penance is a little, but effective way to do so.

How stupid was the generation who abandoned Friday abstinence from meat (together with many other salutary practices)  as “old” and “out of touch”.

The old generations, they really got what is important in life.  We have managed to land on the moon, and don’t think about Salvation anymore.

My suggestion is: don’t wait for the Cardinal, and start your own meatless Friday now.

In time, you’ll see how good it is for you.

Mundabor

Face Recovery

V II Cardinal

And so Cardinal Dolan is now trying to recover face after the shameless electoral help given to Obama, certainly in the hope that he will guffaw his way out of an utter loss of face with a couple of edifying exhortations, like the one to go to confession.

All very fine of course, if to the cynical eyes of yours truly this wouldn’t smell of a smoke screen aimed at letting us forget what a sell-out the Cardinal was until some days ago.

After his shameless betrayal of every pro-life decency (and make no mistake, he did it to stay in the graces of the man he thought would win; that’s why he did it; he is the kind of man who doesn’t refuse to help… the winner…) the very minimum the Cardinal can do now is to signal that he will defy a jail sentence (like some of his colleagues are already starting to do; Archbishop Lori of Baltimore comes to mind, and Bishop Conley of Lincoln) rather than bow to the HHS mandate.

Cardinal Dolan is the Numero Uno of the US Catholics, and a successor of the Apostles; he should remember his duty to fight the good fight, and the consequences he must be able to bear in consideration of the habit he wears. It now behoves him to stop guffawing already and start showing whether he is,  as the immortal Alessandro Manzoni would say, an iron or an earthen vase.

I for myself am not ready to give sell outs any credit, unless and until they start to deserve it. Even if they happen to wear a red hat.

Enough of whitened sepulchres.

Mundabor

The End Is Not Nigh

Thanks, Cardinal! Signed: Barack Obama.

After the election, it is perhaps useful to take stand and see where we are on a couple of things. These are only short reflections I throw in the field now and will be developed in the future:

1) President.

The evil, satanic man has won against the tepid opportunist so many did not want as a candidate. I’d have preferred it if the race had gone the other way, but I think those who have picked Romney as candidate have only to blame themselves for this defeat, and have absolutely no right to demand everyone votes for the bad candidate just because the opponent is worse. This is the GOP-establishment, Rove thinking which has given us two very mediocre candidates in two elections and would give us mediocre candidates in all eternity, then this thinking condemns us to mediocre candidates. I hope Rove goes for good, and his mentality with him.

2) HHS mandate

At this point, unless the bishops wet their cassocks this is going to become a huge legal fight, and if that goes wrong hopefully a social mess big enough as to force “change”. I doubt the Church in the US has the right personnel to pick up such a fight in a hard way. Again, they reap what they saw, and they get what they deserve. Their bones and skulls will pave the ways in Hell.

3) Catholic vote

I still have to find the exact information. The Latinos have voted for Obama in scaring percentages, but I do not know how many of them defines themselves as atheists or protestants. I suspect the protestants were more opposed to the President than the Catholics on average. Still, it shows the utter failure of the American clergy – collectively seen – in this matter.

I do not have the data of those who define themselves as Catholic Church goers, or as Catholic of Italian, or Irish descent. I suspect the thing goes together with income cohorts. Which shows how ineffective the Church has been.

The Guffawing Cardinal determined to please the President in case the latter should win is (literally) the picture itself of what must change but as always, the change must come whence all change is originated: Rome.

4) The country

I do NOT think the country has become more “liberal”. It has merely become more polarised. The House is not only safely Republican, but these Republicans are as conservative as this was not seen in a long time.

They have not failed, nor has the Country failed them. Romney has failed.

5) The vote

The same electorate sending in the House an encouragingly conservative troop has given McCain less support than the one it had given McCain under the wave of “Obamania”.  There is way more brutally eloquent to describe the extent of Romney’s failure to get the conservative vote.

The GOP got another slap in the face, and I think it is a well-deserved one. The age of RINO candidates must end, than it is clear with this strategy the Republican party cannot even win against an atheist Nazi madman who has driven the country to the wall economically and morally.

6) The future

I would like to be able to personally cane those who now write on this blog saying that the battle is lost, we have to live with legalised abortion, we have to live with institutionalised sodomy, or we have to live with Obamacare, or we have to live with everything else. Whatever has been done can be undone. It might be more difficult and more long a process, but life was never supposed to be as easy as we wish. In the absence, I will delete defeatist comments. You want to work for the devil, do it elsewhere.

Find consolation in the thought you live in an age allowing true Christians to strenghten their faith. Never be defeatist. Victory is ours already, though we may never see it in this life. This life is supposed to be a vale of tears, not a walk in the park. The day we die we will be away from all this, and hopefully on our way to complete victory. Let us work on this every day without being distracted or depressed by the world around us.

I will personally pray more, and fight harder. As far as I am concerned, I want Obama to become a mean to my spiritual progress, not to my destruction.

God works in mysterious ways. Pray, and be in good spirits.

Mundabor

The Thing With The “Joy”

Risus abundat….

… in ore….

… stultorum.

One of the most striking practical differences between the Church of the past and the post-Vatican II one is an alarming fixation with “joy”. I cannot remember one homily from Archbishop Vincent “Quisling” Nichols and obligatorily read from the pulpit which did not insist on the concept. I also heard it mentioned from several NuChurch priests that the best way for Catholic to spread the Faith is to “give witness” with their “joy”.

This is, obviously if not explicitly, as opposed to vocally defend the Faith.

The image such inane waffling conjures (at least to my eyes) is of a bunch of not very intelligent looking men and women going around with a permanent grin on their face and in the meantime putting up with whatever error or abomination they see around them. This is in practice what happens on a daily basis, at least in what concerns the putting up.

Please contrast this with the clear message coming to us from traditional Catholicism: a sobering warning about the meaning and aim of life, and the terrible consequences of throwing away the only – if long – chance given to us. This obviously does not mean joy cannot have its place at the table of life; merely that things are a bit more serious and complicated than senseless feel-good waffle for the uninstructed masses (who should remain so).

This obsession with “joy” also has worrying new-age undertones as the dimension of suffering, on which the entire edifice of Christianity is built, is in this way all too easily downplayed or altogether forgotten. Christ died on the Cross for us, suffering unspeakable pain. Mary’s life was marked by a life of suffering not only in her (nowadays conveniently overlooked by NuChurch) Seven Sorrows, but on closer reflection in every day of her life with Jesus (ask a mother what it would be like to see her boy grow under her eyes, knowing he will be insulted,  humiliated, tortured and sent to a most horrible death).

For centuries, saints and common people have offered their suffering to Christ, deposing them at the foot of the Cross with patience, humility and faith. It is easy to say that all this is not forgotten, but in reality this is what happens when joy, not suffering, is put at centre stage.

Then there is the already mentioned aspect of the easy capitulation on front of the world this “joy” thing drives to. I see it here in Blighty every day, with the priests’ and bishops’ call to “joy” and its “witness” substituting every call for serious cultural battle on the many, many issues on which the Truth and the world collide. It seems to me as if said priests and bishops would want us to believe this world is an amusement park (note: new age mentality creeping up again).

I thought it was a vale of tears.

From this “let us have fun with our joyous message” comes the utter silence in front of almost every abomination, in the childish illusion – real, or conveniently pretended – that the “witness” of “joy” will do the trick of its own energy.

Hence, also, prelates like Cardinal Dolan, a man who seems to insist in giving a public perception of himself as permanently exhilarated, no doubt a direct consequence of his so heartily felt “joy” (the wine at the Al Smith banquet must have been good, though..). In an occasional moment of jaw inaction he should be explained the meaning of the old adage Risus abundat in ore stultorum, and I am not sure at all the Cardinal is an exception to this wise rule of common sense.

It is time our Bishops and Cardinals take on the real issues on the table and point out that this life is, among other things, also a call to bear every suffering God pleases to send to us – or that we have merited through our sinfulness and stubborn behaviour – with a Christian attitude, in the firm knowledge that this life is a battle, not a walk in the park.

Enough with the feel-good waffle. Treat us as adults with a judgement to undergo and a salvation to obtain, rather than like children to be kept satisfied.

Mundabor

Italian For Catholics: “Strofinarsi Alle Gonne Del Potere”.

Mamma, mamma! Look how successful I am ! Exhilarating!

There is in Italian a rather imaginative expression, “strofinarsi alle gonne del Potere”, or “to rub oneself to the Power’s rocks”, which describes the behaviour of those who seek proximity with the powerful in order to gain personal advantages of any sort.

I must think of this expression rather often, as this is exactly the behaviour I see in countless prelates of the Church.

It would be wrong to believe that such behaviour is moved by the desire to obtain truly tangible material advantages: I do mot think Archbishop Nichols prefers to dine out rather than using the services ( I imagine) of his own cook, nor do I think they find the luxury hotels or sumptuous banquets particularly worth eating (ok, in Cardinal Dolan’s case the doubt might be justified; but I digress…). I even exclude that the search for favours for relatives and dear ones will play a major role.

In my opinion, two factors are here heavily at play: loss of faith and vanity.

An archbishop, say, who believes in the Christian God would never even THINK of abetting sodomy under any  guise whatever, as in “we are oh so nuanced” (Nichols) or “it’s a commitment so it can’t be so bad” (Woelki & Co.). No, one who is able to say such things has lost his faith a long time ago, perhaps converting to some strange dalai-lamaesk wannabe cult of sort, more likely having lost faith in the supernatural altogether.

Only at this point can, I think, vanity set in, perverting the innate and in a way unavoidable sense of self-esteem and desire of recognition in an utter prostitution to the worldly gods of popularity and mass approval. Everyone has an ego of course, and in some of us this ego will have a rather strong character; but it is when the gratification of the ego comes before everything else – for example the sense of obligation to the habit, even if one has lost the faith – that things become really serious.

When, therefore, loss of faith and vanity meet, the above mentioned episodes happen; or, on an almost equally worrying scale, one insists in being photographed together will the very powerful and very evil, merrily laughing as if the said evil and powerful were not staging the Holocaust  every day and even threatening the very freedom of Catholics.

But this does not seem to really matter. What matters is that the one or the other (Brit or German or American; fat or thin; Archbishop or Cardinal) is seen to be at the very top, and very much in “tune” with the “times”.

May God forgive them.

Unless they repent, I don’t  bet my pint He will.

Mundabor

Lie Down With Dogs…

Al Smith Dinner: Cardinal Dolan Tries To Be On Both Sides At The Same Time.

I agree.

The notorious Al Smith dinner approaches, and the shortsighted (someone would say: cowardly; count me among them) decision to invite the President does not stop making waves.
Let us examine again the reason brought forward to justify the invitation: it is better to talk than to criticise from far away.
Is it? Really? Are Satanists invited to the dinner? What about militant atheists and rabid “homosexualists”? Will a chosen selection of Church-persecuting Chinese leaders be of the party? Oh well…

Cardinal Dolan knows perfectly well that an invitation is an honour and a tribute. He merely conveniently forgets this simple fact of life to try to sell the rather stale ware of “dialogue” with hardened enemies of the Church.

You clearly see the weakness and ineffectiveness of the modern Church at her utter inability to wage war to anyone, though this clearly proved not very effective in reducing the number and virulence of Her enemies. Now that the dinner approaches and the Cardinal gets the flak from every corner, he lets it be known – through the usual “sources close to”; it reminds one of “The thick of it” – that he has some doubts about whether the invitation was such a smart move, and that it might well be that Barry Boy is merely after the photo-op and the general “friends of the Catholic” aura.
You don’t say, Your grace? This is an astonishing, revolutionary thought indeed! What might have occasioned such a profound conclusion?

Perhaps the fact that Obama’s victory is not so sure as it used to look at the time of the invitation? Or the desire to let absolutely everyone believe you are on their side?

O for prelates who do not try to satisfy everyone, and do not look for proximity to the powerful.

Mundabor

Dolan-O’Brien: Spot The Difference

 

Sandro Botticelli, “The Sodomites”

Cardinal Dolan invites his own (official) enemy to speak at a dinner meant to collect money against… him.

Cardinal O’Brien even refuses to meet his own chief of government, who has invited him to “talk” about “sodomarriage”.

I know only one of the two can be right.

I wonder who? Hhhmmm…

Mundabor

(Regrettably For Him) Cardinal Dolan Speaks.

Judas’ suggestion that Caiaphas should also be invited was not very popular…

After days of pressure, Cardinal Dolan has decided his chances of becoming the next Pope (“how can you say that?!”, I hear you say! Oh well…)  are evaporating fast and it is now better to try to limit the damage by going public and spreading some sugary common place around; no doubt, such common places will be echoed by the liberal press, always ready to help a Cardinal if the Cardinal in question rubs oneself against the gowns of the powers that be (ah, the beauty of Italian: how shall I translate strofinarsi alle gonne del potere?), so the downside is very limited. Be the translation more or less accurate, this is exactly what is happening in the case of our dear Cardinal. Increasingly more embarrassed by the public outroar, Dolan has publicly reacted with three alleged “arguments” speaking, so he thinks, in favour of  the invitation of Obama. Let us see them one by one.

For one, an invitation to the Al Smith Dinner is not an award, or the provision of a platform to expound views at odds with the Church. It is an occasion of conversation; it is personal, not partisan.

The hypocrisy of such an argument would leave one speechless, if one wouldn’t be accustomed to such breathtaking hypocrisy. Last time I looked, everywhere on this planet an invitation to speak was an honour, and a platform to expound views. The Cardinal must live on a parallel universe. Mind, I do not think cardinal Dolan is stupid; but I do think he thinks you are.

Two, the purpose of the Al Smith Dinner is to show both our country and our Church at their best: people of faith gathered in an evening of friendship, civility, and patriotism, to help those in need, not to endorse either candidate. Those who started the dinner sixty-seven years ago believed that you can accomplish a lot more by inviting folks of different political loyalties to an uplifting evening, rather than in closing the door to them.

Firstly, Cardinal Dolan pretends to believe he is the only one who still thinks that Obama is a person of faith. No he isn’t and again, I will not insult the Cardinal’s intelligence by telling you he didn’t get what a satanic tool the man is. He knows it perfectly well. He just doesn’t care. Secondly, the italics in civility (from the Cardinal himself) are an open offence to all those who think it a sell-off and an outright abomination to invite the public enemy number one of the unborn life – and of Christianity in general; and of Catholicism in particular – to speak at a Catholic fundraising event. You are being uncivil, you see. Tut, tut. You are very naughty. You should do like the Cardinal, who is very adept at keeping all his options open, and has all his bets hedged like he works in the Square Mile. Thirdly, he flatly refuses to acknowledge reality. It is not that “those who started the dinner” so many years ago have a history of inviting the Khmer Rouges, the Black Panthers, and Saddam Hussein to their dinner so that “folks” of “different political loyalties” could get together to an “uplifting evening”. If you’re the enemy you don’t get invited: what’s difficult with that? Unless you’re Judas, of course; in which case you might well come to the idea of inviting the entire Sanhedrin to the Last Supper. “Uplifting evening”, you know; “dialogue”, and all that. In the end, you can accomplish a lot more by talking rather than following those antiquated pre V-II concepts of… fighting against evil men.

Three, the teaching of the Church, so radiant in the Second Vatican Council, is that the posture of the Church towards culture, society, and government is that of engagement and dialogue. In other words, it’s better to invite than to ignore, more effective to talk together than to yell from a distance, more productive to open a door than to shut one.

Here, the Cardinal really throws away the mask (when you hear someone saying V II was “radiant”, prepare yourself for a cargo of bollocks…). With Vatican II, says the Cardinal, the Church’s posture has changed. Before, they preferred to ignore, to yell and to shut doors. In other words, to be real Catholics who say it as it is, and don’t pretend to be your friend when you aren’t. Most of all, they didn’t start to lick your plates whilst pretending to oppose you. When you were the enemy, you were the enemy. Extraordinary concept, isn’t it? Not so now. In the “radiant” world of Vatican II, you hobnob with the enemy because it is more productive to the protection of your own backside, and because it leaves a lot of important doors open.  Seriously, the brazenness of this open sell – out is embarrassing. He is not merely hinting, he is shouting that he is not ready to make enemies. Cardinal Dolan has missed a wonderful occasion to shut up, retire himself in prayer, and get the courage to do what he had (and still has) to do. Instead, he has chosen to publicly lift his gown like an old trollop in a Far West saloon, and show to everyone he is to be had at the rather cheap price of not shutting his door to him.

I hope there are no takers.

Particularly at the next conclave.

M

Please Sign The Petition Against President Obama’s Invitation To The Al Smith’s Fundraising Dinner

The petition is here.

I have just read it and I am shocked at the (how was the word? Oh yes) cowardice of Cardinal Dolan.

The best explanation of why you should sign the petition is in this Michael Voris Video.

Cardinal Dolan is called to lead the Church through very difficult times.

If he starts licking the plates of the enemy, there isn’t much hope.

Mundabor

Cardinals Dolan And Wuerl About Obama’s “Outing”

Cardinal Dolan:

President Obama’s comments today in support of the redefinition of marriage are deeply saddening. As I stated in my public letter to the President on September 20, 2011, the Catholic Bishops stand ready to affirm every positive measure taken by the President and the Administration to strengthen marriage and the family. However, we cannot be silent in the face of words or actions that would undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better. Unfortunately, President Obama’s words today are not surprising since they follow upon various actions already taken by his Administration that erode or ignore the unique meaning of marriage. I pray for the President every day, and will continue to pray that he and his Administration act justly to uphold and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. May we all work to promote and protect marriage and by so doing serve the true good of all persons.

Cardinal Wuerl

[                                  ]

Mundabor

All Eyes On…. Dolan and Burke: A Michael Voris Video

Interesting video from Michael Voris, and as it has been a while since I have commented this most worthy defender of Catholic orthodoxy, it might be useful to add to his words a couple of personal considerations.

1) Voris is surprised people outside of the United States are so interested in American matters; the fact is, many Americans do not perceive how keenly American matters are followed all over the world, just because they cannot have a direct perception of how people all over the world understand American matters have a direct reflection on their own country, and on their own life. In November, TV senders from all over Europe will report on the election live, all night, with the most prestigious journalists and commentators, and people from all European countries will spend either the entire night, or a part of it (some prefer to be early risers; others late sleepers) in front of the TV following the event. Very simply, what happens in the US affects us in Europe or elsewhere, whether it is cold war or “environmentalist” policy or the invasion of a Middle-Eastern country or a conflict with the local Church.

2) Voris seems not to make any secret of the fact that to him the American Generalissimo is not Dolan, but Burke. Actually, by explicitly praising Burke’s orthodoxy in pre-HHS mandate times he seems to stress the fact Dolan’s fighting spirit seems to be a rather recent event, his past being better known for the homo masses he still continues to allow in his own courtyard.

3) It is, though, not to be denied this confrontation is putting Dolan very much on the centre stage, providing him with a worldwide audience and a chance to write history, with all this implies when, well, the current Pope is 85… I do not want to say or hint this is part of Dolan’s calculation; I simply notice this as a matter of fact.

4) Voris mentions Cardinal Burke’s very strong intervention – and certainly very atypical in a man of the Curia – about which I have also written. At times I have the impression Burke & Co. not only want to strenghten Dolan’s shoulders, but also make it more difficult – or impossible – for him to try to reach some compromise the more conservative part of the Curia would not look at with favour. Burke’s insistence not only that a) there will be no compromises, but that b) in doing so Dolan & Co. are doing nothing more than their duty seems to me to at least open the door to this interpretation.

Yes, the next Pope might well be American; and in that case, there’s no doubt as to whom Voris would prefer.

I must say I share his feelings.

Mundabor

Cardinal Burke: No Accommodations On HHS Mandate

No quarter given in the HHS matter: Cardinal Burke.

“Yes, I have received emails and other communications from lay faithful who say that they are supporting their bishops 100% and they have communicated to their bishops their gratitude and assured them that they want them to continue to be courageous and not to be deceived by any kind of false accommodations which in fact continue this same kind of agenda which sadly we have witnessed for too long in our country which is totally secular and therefore is anti-life and anti-family.

These are the very words of Cardinal Burke, on EWTN o Wednesday.

The Cardinal’s cannons shoot here in several directions:

a) By fully supporting Cardinal Dolan’s stance, he sends a clear message there will be no cave-in on the HHS matter.

b) By making clear there will be no consent to “accommodations”, he promises Obama & Co. will be given no easy escape and face-saving pretend solutions.

c) By explicitly mentioning a less-than-glorious past, he makes it clear the Church hierarchy has (finally) understood silence in front of a secular agenda is going to end up in a disaster, and reacts accordingly.

There are other elements of this always so pleasantly outspoken prelate I would like to point out to:

I admire very much the courage of the bishops. At the same time I believe they would say it along with me that they are doing no more than their duty.

Wow, this is setting a standard much different from what has been witnessed in the past all over the West. Possibly the fiercest confrontation between Catholicism and secular power since Vatican II is “no more than their duty”. Archbishop Vincent “Quisling” Nichols should be crying out of sheer shame, but someway I doubt he will.

Or look at this Q&A (emphases mine):

Thomas McKenna: “So a Catholic employer, really getting down to it, he does not, or she does not provide this because that way they would be, in a sense, cooperating with the sin…the sin of contraception or the sin of providing a contraceptive that would abort a child, is this correct?”

Cardinal Burke: “This is correct. It is not only a matter of what we call “material cooperation” in the sense that the employer by giving this insurance benefit is materially providing for the contraception but it is also “formal cooperation” because he is knowingly and deliberately doing this, making this available to people. There is no way to justify it. It is simply wrong.”

This is what is called burning bridges. There is no way the Church will agree to a lazy compromise. It’s just not going to happen. By putting his weight behind the controversy, the most prestigious (I dare say) American prelate also clearly indicates the line Dolan & Co. are going to follow. If I were cynical, I’d say this is meant to burn the bridges behind Dolan and make clear to me he is expected to fight to the end; but I ain’t, so I don’t… 😉

Many thanks to Cardinal Burke.

What a great pope he would make.

Mundabor