Catholic Voice 22nd October 2021 Issue 328

CatholicVoice Omnia possum in eo, qui me confortat

22 October - 4 November 2021

Only 50 Ire land/ NI £2 U K

€/£1.

Issue 328

Feast Of The Kingship of Christ - Sunday 31st October 2021

Keep up to date with CatholicVoice news and articles via The Lumen Fidei Website www.lumenfidei.ie

2 MARRIAGE IS FOR CHILDREN

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

Marriage Is For Children, Both For This World And For The Next Fr. Michael P. Orsi The responsibility of parents extends beyond childbirth, of course. It isn’t enough to just have children; those children must be raised and educated properly.

God himself designed marriage as the vehicle by which “two become one flesh.” He made it clear that his desire was for human beings to “be fruitful and multiply.” And he devised a system in which there are two types of human beings — men and women, both created in his image and likeness — to accomplish this objective.

(Despite what some confused folks insist these days, the two types are still distinct.)

We don’t hear it said very much anymore, but procreation of children is the primary purpose of marriage.

The point of committing to this lifelong bond is not to form a special kind of friendship between a man and a woman. It’s not to provide a good way to live, through which we gain help, companionship, and the sharing of mutual interests. It’s not to promote social stability or encourage economic productiveness.

It’s not even that marriage is an effective way to contain concupiscence — which is to say, applying restraint on human sexual desires (“better to marry than burn,” as St. Paul put it).

CatholicVoice

Editor: Anthony Murphy editor@catholicvoice.ie Telephone: 059 8627268 ROI 00353 59 8627268 Outside ROI Keep up to date with news and articles via The Lumen Fidei website www.lumenfidei.ie

Marriage does accomplish all these things, and indeed they’re all good. But they’re not the primary purpose. Children are the primary purpose — perpetuating the human race.

Consequently, divorce is contrary to God’s plan. It destroys families, and thus interferes with having children.

There’s a theological significance to human procreation. Children make present God’s image and likeness in the world. Also, children have souls. And the more souls created, the more will eventually be with God in heaven — to enjoy his presence and give him glory throughout eternity.

And so children are to be propagated both for this world and for the next.

Most people would consider it a great sadness if they couldn’t have children. But some avoid procreation intentionally, or else they limit the number of offspring.

One hears many explanations for this, usually running along the lines of: “The world is a crazy place”; “Why should we bring kids into a life that can involve so much suffering?”; and other such rationalisations.

Developments in medical science have encouraged the practice of having a single child — an imagined “perfect” baby. Some people undertake elaborate and expensive procedures in their quest for an “ideal” child. Those procedures often involve aborting children that are conceived in the process but are considered imperfect or superfluous.

All of these ideas contradict God’s plan.

The responsibility of parents extends beyond childbirth, of

course. It isn’t enough to just have children; those children must be raised and educated properly. Not everyone grasps the full scope of that responsibility, or what’s required to live up to it — at least not right away.

This accounts for the wide acceptance of an expression popularised by a certain wellknown politician some years ago: “It takes a village.” The idea being that kids are raised by the entire community.

It’s true that children come under numerous and varied influences.

Many people impact their lives, and we should all be mindful of the effects we have on the kids with whom we come into contact.

Nevertheless, what it takes, first and foremost, to shape a child’s life is a mother and a father. Which brings us back to divorce.

Christian Counsellor

Face to Face Qualified, Experienced, Confidential Dublin Southside J. Jordan Bsc(Hons), M.A. 01 - 2312918

22nd October 2021 Catholic Voice Children learn how to be good men and women through the examples of their parents, who are the most important influences on their lives. When divorce breaks a family apart, often depriving the kids of even seeing one parent or another with any frequency, they are left with a gaping hole where that removed parent’s daily influence should be.

This does terrible psychological damage. It affects the entire course of a child’s life.

It is often assumed that schools can compensate for what’s missing in family life. And so we see teachers being called upon to give children (especially children of divorce) the guidance and even the physical care they aren’t getting at home.

This is a fearful trend that’s placed unrealistic and stressful burdens on our educators, no matter how devoted they may be to their pedagogical calling. It has also increased the power of schools over the lives of children and families.

Essentially, this puts our children’s souls into the hands of the state. We are seeing the consequences of that in the warped ideas with which kids today are being indoctrinated by less-than-ethical teachers who are ideologically motivated.

Such warped ideas are usually inspired by socialism.

At a minimum, they’re in sharp contrast with Christian understanding, ignoring God and Jesus, and often mocking our beliefs outright. This does a grave disservice to children.

MARRIAGE IS FOR CHILDREN 3

We tend to assume that kids don’t care about anything serious, but that’s not true. They have an inherent need for God. They’re longing for Jesus, even if they aren’t yet able to articulate that need.

But their search is too often stifled in the schools — or else misdirected into a futile chasing after false philosophies that can never satisfy their hearts.

Children are open to all kinds of influences. I recently met a young Buddhist boy, struggling with a serious disease, who wants to become Catholic. He’s impressed with what some Catholic friends have told him about Jesus, and how sincerely they’re praying for his recovery. It’s always gratifying to encounter such examples of faith in action among young people.

But in most cases, it’s parents who first introduce children to the reality of God, and who set the direction for a spiritual life. That’s why it’s crucial that families stay intact.

If you’re thinking about divorce, I beg you to consider it the absolutely last, most extreme resort — even an impossibility. Please, do everything you can to make your marriage survive.

Jesus put it best when he insisted that no one should impede children from coming to him. He connected that directly with his teaching against divorce, which he attributed to our hardness of heart.

“What God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

Catholic Voice Update Dear Reader, We still continue to be adversely affected by the inconsistent covid restrictions.

Events that would usually be advertised in Catholic Voice are not taking place and some parishes have not yet resumed the sale of Catholic newspapers.

We are therefore most grateful for your prayerful and financial support.

HOW TO DONATE: 1. Online - Visit www. catholicvoice.ie and click Donate.

2. By Telephone call 059 8627268 - (00353 59 8627268 outside ROI) to pay by credit/debit card please leave your phone number and name and we shall return your call.

3. Send a cheque or postal order (made payable to Catholic Voice) with the reply coupon to Catholic Voice, St Michael’s House, Castlemitchell South, Athy, County Kildare, Eire.

Yours in Christ Anthony Murphy

I/ We would like to donate towards the ongoing publication of Catholic Voice.

Donation enclosed. Please tick box or enter an individual amount

 €10 €25 €100 €250 €500 Other € _________ Name: ________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________ Cheques & postal orders made payable to Catholic Voice Please send your cheque or postal order to Catholic Voice, St. Michael’s House, Castlemitchell South, Athy ,Co Kildare

4 WHAT CONSCIENCE DREADS

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

What Conscience Dreads and Prayer Dares Not Ask Msgr. Charles Pope The Collect (Opening Prayer) for the Mass on Sunday of the 27th Week of the Year, though directed to God, teaches us that our prayer is not always about things with which we are comfortable. It sometimes leads us to examine areas of our life in which we struggle with sin or we struggle to desire to be free of sin. Here is the prayer: Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

After asking for God’s mercy and acknowledging that He offers us more than our minds can grasp, we make the following two requests: (1) [May you] pardon what conscience dreads.

(2) [May you] give what prayer does not dare to ask.

[May you] pardon what conscience dreads.

The Catechism states the following regarding our conscience: Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey.

Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths (# 1776).

Our conscience is not merely what we think or what it pleases us to think; it is the voice of God echoing in our depths. Whatever rationalisations we use to try to suppress our conscience, the voice of God still calls us

NEW FILM

The Marian Movement of Priests To The Priests Our Lady’s Beloved Sons  The film will encourage Bishops, Priests, Religious, Families and Youth to understand what Our Lady wants.

AVAILABLE FREE ONLINE at www.thecalltofatima.com

deep inside. Deep down, we know very well what we are doing, and we know when it is wrong. No matter how many “teachers” we find who will tell us what our ears want to hear, that voice is still there.

I suspect that this is why the world and its devotees are so angry at the Catholic Church—we remind them of what God says. If our teachings were merely regarded as outdated opinions, the world would not hate us; it would not be at war with us. No matter how emphatically people deny that their conscience troubles them, deep down they know better. The louder these denials, the less we should be convinced. Why are they forever insisting that the Church change her teachings?

If we’re just a pathetic and outdated institution, why do they care what we teach? Because deep down they know that we are right and do not like to be reminded of it.

Our words, the words of Christ, touch something; they prick the conscience and remind people of things they know inside but would rather forget. The voice of God echoes within, convicting them and inciting within them a godly dread of sin and its ultimate consequences.

This is true for believers as well, who, though not as openly hostile, would still prefer to avoid the voice of their conscience and do not enjoy the holy dread of sin it engenders. Note that not all sorrow for sin is from God. St. Paul distinguishes godly sorrow (which draws one to God for healing) from worldly sorrow (which deflates the sinner and has him despair of God’s healing love or of being able to change). The proper dread that conscience arouse is always a call of love from God, who bids us to repent and return to Him. Still, we avoid what conscience dreads. Who likes to experience fear or negative feelings?

However, prayer must often ask us to look honestly at the less pleasing things in our life. This prayer bids us to listen to the dread of conscience (dread of sin and of its due punishments) and to seek pardon.

[May you] give what prayer does not dare to ask.

Some argue that the translation of this clause is not a good one. The Latin used is quod oratio non praesumit.

Some prefer a softer translation in which the phrase asks God to give us the things that we are not worthy of requesting, things we do not presume to ask for because it would be too bold for us to do so. Such a translation does not offend the Latin text but does seem to miss the overall context: asking God to help us to overcome personal resistance.

We have already seen how and why many of us resist what conscience dreads and would rather not hear the voice of God echoing inside, but consider that we are

22nd October 2021

Catholic Voice

WHAT CONSCIENCE DREADS 5

hesitant to ask for many things out of fear.

The classic example of this is St. Augustine’s request that God make him chaste … but not yet! Though he could see the value of chastity, Augustine enjoyed his promiscuity and was afraid to ask the Lord to take it away.

There are many things we dare not ask for because we fear actually getting them. It’s the “be careful what you wish for” attitude. For example, many are not ready to be chaste or to be more generous because they fear the changes that such things would bring. In such situations perhaps one could pray, “Lord, if I’m not chaste, at least give me the desire to be chaste,” or “Lord, if I don’t share sufficiently with the poor, at least give me the desire to do be more generous.” If we begin to desire what God is offering, we will be more chaste and more generous because we want to be. The fear of what prayer does not dare to ask abates. Then we are ready to ask God for what He really wants to give us.

The prayer is asking us to look at our resistance and fear and to pray out of that very experience rather than suppressing or denying it.

Consider well, then, the beautiful though difficult and daring invitation of this prayer. Though directed to God, it also bids us to look within and to admit our fears and our resistance.

Many Christians believe God calls us to be “nice” God has called us to be “good” Good people are strong.

Good people confront evil.

Jesus Wasn’t “nice.”

He was kind and caring.

He was compassionate.

But He was unbending and Unflinching in standing for

TRUTH And it cost Him

His Life.

Could you consider leaving a bequest for CatholicVoice?

As a not for profit registered organisation we rely on the generosity of our benefactors for financial and prayerful support.

A bequest from you in your Last Will and Testament would help us to continue growing the publication of Catholic Voice and the dissemination of Catholic Truth If you are in a position to leave a bequest, however large or small, you are assured that it will be used to promote and strengthen Catholic teaching.

May God bless you for your generosity.

6 THE GUARDIAN ANGELS

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

Working With Your Guardian Angel Fr. Dwight Longenecker The Scriptures promise that God sends to each one of us a guardian angel.

convince and cajole as part of their protecting role, but they cannot impose their will on us.

What is the guardian angels’ role and what is our proper relationship to our angel?

How do you work with your guardian angel? At the beginning of the day in your morning prayers give your angel a nod of acknowledgement. Your angel is present and praying with you. He wants you to pray. He wants you to worship God. He will assist you in your prayers and worship. (I’m using the masculine pronoun out of convenience, but angels are neither male nor female).

First we should reject false understandings of the guardian angel. The angels are not gods or goddesses, neither is your guardian angel your “spirit guide”, your soul, your “true self”, your conscience or your “inner light.”

We do not worship the angels, but we may honour and venerate them as great and beautiful spirits created by God. We remember also that the Blessed Virgin Mary is higher than the angels for she is the Mother of God – theotokos – the God bearer.

The guardian angels are sent to guide, guard, protect and teach us.

In order to facilitate their work we should firstly believe in their existence and presence and secondly, acknowledge their presence and work with them. The angels are gentle and do not interfere. They cannot use force against us and cannot contradict our free will. They may attempt to

When you begin a good work invoke your guardian angel asking his assistance and blessing. He will overshadow your good work and perfect it.

When you are engaged in holy reading invoke your guardian angel and he will help to enlighten your mind – amplifying the gifts of wisdom and insight you received when you opened your heart to the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation.

When you are tempted invoke your guardian angel to help you resist temptation. Ask him to repel Satan and his minions and preserve you from sin.

When you are traveling invoke the guardian angel as your traveling companion and protector. I am convinced that our safety in travel is attributed to our guardian angels more than we can ever know or see.

When your loved ones are far away invoke their guardian angels to watch over them and guide them.

How does this work? The guardian angel is not omnipotent, and like all angelic spirits, they have little power in the physical realm because they are incorporeal.

Instead they will guide and protect through psychic and spiritual prompts – a nudge to check the traffic again before you pull out – an urge to check on that little one and catch them just before they fall.

How do you answer the question, “If Uncle John had a guardian angel why did he die in that motorcycle crash?”

The answer is that the angels are not omnipotent and they cannot use force. They can’t stop that drunk from driving recklessly and they can’t stop Uncle John from riding without a helmet and going too fast.”

Therefore the more we align our will with God’s will the more we will be working with our guardian angels because their sole purpose is to do God’s will in the world. They are his messengers and servants. If we work with them we will know their presence in a more and more real and powerful way.

Finally, beware of the New Age trend in angel prayers, angel channeling and angel worship. There are loads of

22nd October 2021

Catholic Voice

THE GUARDIAN ANGELS 7

cranks and weirdos out there who claim to be messengers of angels and purveyors of angelic psychic gifts. They blend angel worship with astrology, fortune telling and other occult streams.

Awareness of, and co-operation with our guardian angels is only legitimate within a fully active life of grace and in the proper created order. We worship God alone, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This worship is called latria. We offer to the Mother of God hyperdulia — exalted honour and veneration. We offer to the angels and saints dulia – honour and veneration.

If you come across an “angel guide” or an “angel teacher” who either ignores this sacred hierarchy or offers some other teaching reject it. So, for example, you may find someone who teaches that the angels are “spirit guides” and they encourage you to “meditate and invite your spirit guide to enter you.” Just say “No”. You may be inviting another sort of angel – a dark spirit – to enter your life.

However, the worry about this should not prevent you from being aware of, and working with your guardian angel in the right way. If you put God first in your worship and live, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in a dynamic relationship with God’s Son Jesus Christ and you love and venerate his Blessed Mother, then you are also in the right relationship with the angels because that is where they are–circling around the throne of God crying Holy, Holy, Holy – in constant prayer and praise.

The devotion to the Cord of St. Joseph took its rise in Belgium, in 1637, in consequence of a miraculous cure effected by the wearing of this precious girdle. During this year of Saint Joseph you may wish to wear the cord to avail of the GRACES ATTACHED TO THE WEARING OF THE CORD. Graces precious to the piety of St. Joseph’s servants are attached to the wearing of this cord. They are: 1. St. Joseph’s special protection 2. Purity of soul; 3. The grace of chastity; The Cord 4. Final perseverance; 5. Particular assistance at the hour of death.

Of Saint Joseph

The pack containing a St. Joseph’s Cord, a prayer card, St. Joseph’s medal and an information leaflet is available now for €/£10 (inc. p&p).

To order your cord/s please complete the form below.

Please send me ___ (insert number required) St Joseph’s cord/s Name: _________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Telephone: _________________________________________________________________ Eircode ____________________ Credit/Debit Card No:__________________________________ Expiry Date:_________ C.V.V. ____________ Please send completed form with cheque or postal order made payable to Catholic Voice to; Catholic Voice, Castlemitchell South, Athy, County Kildare ***PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 21 DAYS FOR DELIVERY ***

8 REMEMBER LEPANTO

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

Remembering The Battle Of Lepanto 450 Years Ago Paul Kengor

Commentary: Our world today would look very different if not for Our Lady of Victory’s miracle at Lepanto 450 years ago this October.

On August 2nd, 1571, at Famagusta — the besieged and last remaining Christian outpost on the island of Cyprus — Marcantonio Bragadin and Astorre Baglioni, two Venetian commanders, surrendered to the Ottoman Turk commander, Lala Mustafa Pasha.

The battle at Famagusta had been a bloodbath, all too typical of the era, with a Christian force of fewer than 10,000 utterly overwhelmed by a Muslim force of more than 100,000. The Christians fought to the death, suffering upward of 90% casualties.

Bragadin and Baglioni had been assured honourable terms of surrender, with promises that they and the survivors would keep not only their dignity but their lives.

When they went to Mustafa’s tent, they instead were immediately arrested. Baglioni was beheaded on the spot. Bragadin, the governor general of Famagusta, would not be so lucky. He would be turned into an example.

Mustafa himself pulled out a blade and cut off Bragadin’s right ear. He then ordered his lieutenants to slice off Bragadin’s left ear and nose.

Bragadin’s plight would only get worse. For nearly two weeks he

The Battle of Lepanto from the Senate Palace of Spain - Juan Luna (1857 – 1899)

was stuffed in an open cage and exposed to the intense sun without food and little water. He was offered freedom on the fourth day of his captivity — if he converted to Islam. He refused. Historian Roberto de Mattei explains what happened next to Bragadin:

with the garments and insignia of command, was carried in a macabre procession through the streets of Famagusta and then hung from the mast of a galley, which carried him to Constantinople as a trophy, together with the heads of the other Christian leaders.

On August 17th, he was hung from the mast of his own ship and scourged with over one hundred lashes, then he was forced to carry a heavy basket full of stones and sand on his shoulders through the streets of Famagusta until he collapsed. He was then brought back to the main square of the city and chained to a column, upon which a Genoese renegade begun to slowly flay him alive from the shoulders down. The Venetian commander endured the martyrdom with heroic courage, continuing to recite the Miserere and to invoke the name of Christ until, after his arms and torso had been skinned, he cried out: “In manus tuas Domine commendo spirituum meum,” and expired.

In his fascinating new biography of Pope St. Pius V, Italian historian Roberto de Mattei presents the case of Bragadin and Famagusta for an important reason: When the news of the massacre reached Pope Pius V and fellow Christians several weeks later, there was outrage.

This was the final straw. There was a commitment to do something about it. There was also prayer. The Pope increased his prayers and his fasting, dedicating many hours per day to prayer and three days per week to fasting.

It was three in the afternoon on August 17th, 1571. Bragadin’s body was then quartered, and with his flayed skin stuffed with straw and cotton and clothed

Saint Pius V had been pope for only one year, coming in just a year after the Siege at Malta, where the heroic and extraordinary Knights of Malta had defended not only their island but much of the Mediterranean and Europe. Had the Knights failed at Malta in 1565, all of Europe could have faced a series of episodes like Famagusta. Saint Pius V became

22nd October 2021

Catholic Voice

pope the next year, in 1566, the start of a short but utterly pivotal papacy.

Pope Pius V knew how precarious this moment was. Various supreme pontiffs had ordered Crusades to try to defend Christians from Muslim attacks dating back 500 years to the late 11th century. Virtually all of them ended in failure. The Ottomans had revelled in a long run of conquests under Suleiman the Magnificent, who since the 1520s had wiped out Christians and captured their territory, killing and enslaving many.

This had to be stopped. And now was the moment.

Pius V, in a remarkable display of diplomacy as much as piety, strove to assemble a counterforce to stop the Ottomans. Not all of Europe’s Christian leaders were on board, with more of them (such as Charles IX of France) spurning the Pope rather than supporting him, to his great frustration. The Pope did, however, manage to pull together a force that become known as the Holy League, which included the Spanish Empire, the Papal States, Venice, Genoa, Tuscany and (among others) the Knights of Malta. They were led most notably by the great Marcantonio Colonna and Don Juan of Austria.

The two sides were ready for battle, which came at dawn on October 7th at the entrance of the Gulf of Patras. More than 100,000 men and hundreds of ships squared off in the water. As de Mattei relates, the supreme Turkish commander, Ali Pasha, stood aboard his flagship, the Sultana, in the centre of an alignment of Muslim ships shaped like a massive crescent moon. His Sultana flew a massive banner brought from Mecca with the name of Allah embroidered in gold letters 28,000 times. His opponent, Don Juan, wore around his neck a relic of the True Cross given to him by Pius V. That morning the Christian forces all attended Mass on their respective ships and received absolution. The Pope had delegated Capuchins to the papal ships, Jesuits to the Spanish ships, and Dominicans and Franciscans to the others.

This was truly a spiritual battle.

REMEMBER LEPANTO 9

The two sides engaged in a vicious exchange. What literally turned the tide for the Holy League was a sudden shift in the wind deemed nothing less than miraculous. After about five hours of battle, the Turks were defeated.

two had been pitted against one another most of the century because of the bitter split caused by Martin Luther and the Reformation, all Christians were united in gratitude for the epic defence of their faith and way of life.

“The sea was full of dead men, tables, clothes,” wrote one eyewitness, “the sea was mostly bright red [with blood].” Among those freed were more than 15,000 men who had been held as slaves by the Turks.

As for Pius V, he credited the Lord and the intercession of the Blessed Mother, in the dual roles of Our Lady of Victory and Our Lady of the Rosary. As de Mattei details, at the very hour of the victory on October 7th, far away from the high seas, Pius V had had an inspiration — something had filled him with a certain sense that the Holy League had persevered. “Let us go and thank God,” he told his cardinals assembled, “because at this very moment our armada has obtained victory.”

“For the first time in a century the Mediterranean was free,” writes de Mattei. “From that day forward the Ottoman Empire began its long decline.”

It did indeed. That was the crucial bigger picture. Between the Christian victories at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 and the Siege of Malta in 1565, Europe was spared.

Had the Christian defenders lost those battles, my relatives from Calabria in Italy, not to mention the people of Sicily and a much larger area, would either have been killed, taken into slavery or forced to convert to Islam. And Rome — that is, the Vatican itself — would have been next in the cross-hairs. Many of us today would not be Christians but Muslims.

The victories were celebrated throughout Europe by Catholics and Protestants alike. Though the

It had indeed, though official confirmation did not arrive until two weeks later, late at night via courier. Awakened in the middle of the night, the Pope broke out in tears of joy and invoked the words of Simeon: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace” (Luke 2:29).

Six months later, the 68-year-old Pontiff, only six years into his papacy, departed this life in peace.

The whole ordeal took its toll on the Pope as well as the world. And our world today would look very different if not for what happened at Lepanto 450 years ago this October.

Pope Saint Pius V

10 THE DOORWAY TO DIVINE LIFE

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

Pope Gregory The Great Reveals The Very Doorway Into The Divine Life Fr Richard Heilman Around 590 A.D., Rome suffered a terrible plague causing many deaths. Pope St. Gregory the Great pleaded for the angels’ help to fight this epidemic. The pontiff celebrated Masses and tirelessly processed through Rome with prayers and incense.

St. Michael later appeared on top of the castle – Castel Sant‘Angelo – with his sword.

In the book The Golden Legend: Readings on the Saints, author Jacobus de Voragine writes: “The plague was still ravaging Rome, and Gregory ordered the procession to continue to make the circuit of the city, the marchers chanting litanies. An image of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin was carried in the procession.”

“And lo and behold! The poisonous uncleanness of the air yielded to the image as if fleeing from it and being unable to withstand its presence: the passage of the picture brought about a wonderful serenity and purity in the air. We are also told that the voices of the angels were heard around the image, singing…”

“Then the pope saw an angel of the Lord standing atop the castle of Crescentius, wiping a bloody sword and sheathing it. Gregory understood that that put an end to the plague, as, indeed, happened. Thereafter the castle was called the Castle of the Holy Angel.”

Pope St. Gregory the Great then built the St. Michael statue on top of the castle, representing his protection over Rome and the Church.

I’ve come to understand that we have, in this era of “revolt against reverence,” removed the very gateway into the Divine Life. I agree (and I pray you do too) with Pope St. Gregory the Great who, wanting to capture the spiritual dynamism of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, posited the following order: “Through the fear of the Lord, we rise to piety, from piety then to knowledge, from knowledge we derive strength, from strength counsel, with counsel we move toward understanding, and with intelligence toward wisdom and thus, by the sevenfold grace of the Spirit, there opens to us

Ecclesiastical Art Restorations

by Dr.Nicholas von Kerckhoff Special Church Statues Repair and Repaint Nationwide www.atelier-nicholas.com

Mobile 087 2203898

Pope St Gregory the Great Francisco de Goya (1746 – 1828)

at the end of the ascent the entrance to the life of Heaven” (“Homiliae in Hiezechihelem Prophetam,” II 7,7).

As you can see, the entry point into the Divine Life is “Fear of the Lord.” What is Fear of the Lord? According to Fr. John Hardon, Fear of the Lord … “… inspires a person with profound respect for the majesty of God. Its corresponding effects are protection from sin through dread of offending the Lord, and a strong confidence in the power of His help. The fear of the Lord is not servile but filial. It is based on the selfless love of God, whom it shrinks from offending. Whereas in servile fear the evil dreaded is punishment; in filial fear it is the fear of doing anything contrary to the will of God. The gift of fear comprises three principal elements: a vivid sense of God’s greatness, a lively sorrow for the least faults committed, and a vigilant care in avoiding occasions of sin. It is expressed in prayer of the Psalmist, ‘My whole being trembles before you, your ruling fills me with fear’” (Ps 119:120).

Fear of the Lord, or awe and wonder, is the gateway; this is the trigger that ignites all of the other gifts of the Holy Spirit.

This Gift of Awe and Wonder, very simply, transforms the unspiritual man into the spiritual man. This is the Gift of the Holy Spirit that awakens our understanding of the majesty and “divinity” of Jesus Christ. Once we “truly” believe this, our actions will conform to our beliefs.

All of our restoration and evangelical efforts must begin by making every effort to lead souls to receive this first “Gateway Gift of the Holy Spirit” … Awe and wonder!

22nd October 2021

Catholic Voice

RIGHTEOUS ANGER OR SINFUL RAGE? 11

Is It Righteous Anger Or Sinful Rage?

Bill Dodds

At first glance, it’s easy to tell the difference. If I’m mad at you, it’s righteous anger. If you’re mad at me, it’s sinful rage. Or at the very least, a temper tantrum.

But at second glance… darn that second glance! Doesn’t it just make your blood boil?

At second glance, maybe you were confusing your “righteous” with “highfalutin.” And their “sinful rage” with “fraternal correction.”

Perhaps the solution is to never take that second glance. But that’s probably not the best idea. The highly favoured one, but not the best. Now, if you’ll just be patient for a moment, we’ll take a look at five suggestions for handling that fiery spark within you.

Simple suggestions because you’re… uncomplicated.

1. Quit making Jesus’ cursing the fig tree (Mark 11:12-25) and his driving the money changers from the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13) your go-to Bible verses. What would Jesus do? “Well, Jesus was honked off so it’s OK if I’m honked off.” Better than OK. It is downright “Christ-like.” So “in your face” to the person or persons you’re mad at. Make that “righteously angry” at.

To that neighbour who doesn’t move his trash, recycle and yard bins to the back of his house after collection day. To the coffee shop barista who has given you the wrong order three — three! — days in a row. To the volunteer at the parish who said she’d help with clean-up after the… Those people!

Instead of figs and the Temple, spend some time reflecting on and praying with these Scripture passages: Matthew 18:21-22: Peter asking Jesus about forgiving some repeat-offender yahoo. The answer … darn! … isn’t seven but 77. (Infinity.) The evangelist didn’t record Peter’s response, but it’s not hard to imagine a mumbled, “Are you kidding me?”

Matthew 7:1-5: The speck of sawdust in their eye, the 2-by-4 in yours.

Goodness, that Matthew wrote a lot of inconvenient passages.

2. Slow down that emotional prairie fire that can burst within you by counting

to 10. Yes, you’ve heard that advice a million times. Don’t get bent out of joint here. But do try it with a new twist based on your Church heritage: Latin.

Unus, duo, tres, quattuor, quinque, sex … What! Now it’s getting interesting.

Or, taking another tack on the Roman Catholic life, say a Hail Mary. In your native language. Say it slowly. The mother of the Prince of (inner and outer) Peace is on your side.

She’ll help you. She was without sin.

Her Son was without sin. So imagine how trying it must have been at times for them. Dealing with people who were… just like we are. People who can be so maddening.

While that Mother and Son never did it, no doubt they know how easy it would be, how tempting, to flare up and pounce on someone. Some organisation. Some political party or its members.

But “pouncing” might not be (read: probably is not) the best way, the most productive way, to deal with a person, organisation, political party or its members.

It’s probably best to begin by being really, really subversive. That is, ask the Holy Spirit to give him, her or them wisdom. (No, not with tongues of fire over their heads.) Ask the Third Person of the Holy Trinity to help them be open to what he’s saying to them. And ask the same for you. He can multitask.

3. On a more serious note: It’s no joke if you or a loved one is dealing with serious anger issues. It can be tough for all of us to tamp down that spurt (or spray) of temper sometimes. But if losing control leads to doing things you regret or hurting others, it may be time to seek professional help, for the good of others and yourself.

4. Change one word. Instead of “righteous anger,” think of it as “righteous passion.” That can eliminate the anger angle. Not that you aren’t angry, and rightly so, but it isn’t the first arrow you pull out of your quiver.

Here’s the hard stuff: Choose to want to help more than hurt. To educate, not humiliate.

No, that doesn’t mean you’re giving up and giving in. It means you’re doing what you can in a way that’s consistent with Christ’s solid teaching to … Sorry, but it has to be said: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). Oh, come on, Matt! Give us a break.

Love, like calling on the help of the Holy Spirit, is also pretty subversive.

He, she or they may hold all the cards.

Or so it seems. They have public sentiment on their side. They have funds, legal sharks, cold-hearted …

Keep praying for them. Become a loving, anonymous insurrectionist.

Not telling God what to do. Asking him to help them do what he’s asking them to do.

That, coupled with what you can do openly to effect change.

5. It’s not all your fault. O Tempora. O Mores. No, that’s not from Scripture.

It’s credited to the Roman statesmen and writer Cicero. “Oh, the times.

Oh, the customs.” As true in the 21st century as it was in the first century before Christ.

Never mind B.C., we now live in A.I. “After the Internet.”

In so many ways, it’s been a blessing.

But then, too, in a heck of a lot of ways, it’s really thrown a monkey wrench into how society functions. How people interact. How apparent knuckle-heads and fame-seekers blast the world with their, well, less-than-pleasant and farfrom-helpful, opinions, advice and actions to all who will read, listen or watch.

Aha! Two clues: Stay informed but don’t battle trolls.

“Do not answer fools according to their folly, lest you too become like them” (Prov 26:4). Updated, one translation could be: “Don’t get sucked into online CAPITAL LETTER shouting matches.”

Swipe, click and power down, and they’re gone.

So …

Gently, patiently strive for inner peace and calm, and remember: In the end, truth wins. In the end, love wins.

12 PREPARE FOR PERSECUTION

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

“The Servant Is Not Greater Than His Master.

If They Have Persecuted Me, They Will Also Persecute You.” John Lacken

(John 15:20)

Jesus tells us that the Truth will set us free. He also tells us that He Himself is the Truth - “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) In my last article I also noted that Jesus tells us that no man can serve two masters. It is impossible to serve both Mammon and God. We could rephrase this to say that we cannot serve Mammon and the Truth at the same time. It could be said that the pursuit of money for its own sake, inevitably leads to lies, deceit and corruption.

I was reminded of this by an article that was sent to me during the week.

It was an interview with journalist John Pilger by Timothy Erik Ström of the Australian ‘Arena’ magazine, and was titled “Eyewitness to the trial and agony of Julian Assange”.

I have to say that in recent decades I have become more and more sceptical of the political class in Ireland and for many general elections I have found it necessary to spoil my vote as I could not in conscience endorse any candidate who belonged to a political party that had policies which contradict Catholic moral teaching.

In Ireland, as in other so-called democracies, the powers of governance are divided into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary.

Each of these powers is supposed to act independently of the other and together they are supposed to keep an eye on each other with a view to preventing corruption and the subversion of the democratic process.

Journalism and journalists have often been described as a fourth estate or power, where courageous individuals took it upon themselves

John Pilger (left) - Julian Assange (onscreen) 2015 book launch - (source Walej CC4)

to examine and to investigate claims of corruption within the three branches of power and to expose such corruption to public scrutiny through various media outlets.

Unfortunately, money is at the root of most corruption, and because there is money to be made in selling newspapers and other media, many media outlets were bought by businessmen whose primary motivation was profit and power rather than truth. In our modern age, media outlets have also become a tool of social engineering and are used to influence the way that people think.

This has led to the proliferation of what John Waters has termed ‘journaliers’, so-called journalists whose main function seems to be to propagate either a government narrative or another narrative that is funded by vested interests and has little or no bearing on the truth. The success of the media in promoting propaganda is largely built on the historical supposition that journalists are righteous individuals who seek the truth regardless of the cost. Such journalists are a rare breed today.

Those who expose corruption are not necessarily Catholic. Nor are they necessarily above moral reproach in their own behaviour.

Catholics however, must be careful not to discard certain truths on account of who it is that tells these truths, but should examine what has been revealed to determine its truth and relevance.

At the same time we must be aware that the propaganda that now permeates our society through the various media channels has reached levels that were unknown before the internet age. This propaganda comes from all sides of the various issues that are deemed worthy of media attention. Many of the propagandists are simply working for different factions who are competing for the same monetary windfalls or to acquire power and control.

That said, Julian Assange, the founder of ‘WikiLeaks’, published verifiable though confidential government and military documents, and other confidential materials such as correspondence between powerful politicians that had been leaked to him by whistle-

22nd October 2021 Catholic Voice

PREPARE FOR PERSECUTION 13

blowers. These documents exposed corruption and wrong doing at the highest levels of international governments.

Julian Assange is currently being held in the high security Belmarsh prison in London, awaiting the verdict of an extradition hearing which will determine if he will be sent to the US to be tried for violating the Espionage Act of 2017 by publishing classified government and military documents.

The separation of powers is designed to keep the different powers of governance in check, however, because men can be corrupted by bribes, by blackmail, and by other threats, the system is often tested to its limits and tends towards corruption over time.

For example, the judiciary in Ireland and elsewhere are appointed by politicians, and these same politicians will tend to promote men to the judicial bench who share a particular viewpoint or ideology.

When absolute truths are denied, as in modern society, then the fundamental principle of justice which is based on discerning truth, is undermined, and this results in flawed court judgements.

As was recently pointed out in the David Daleiden case, David exposed an illegal, highly profitable trade in selling the organs of aborted babies.

Yet it was David who ended up being prosecuted and not those who sold the babies’ organs. It is not a coincidence that one of the main players in the attack launched on David Daleiden, Kamala Harris, is now vice-President of the United States of America.

Kamala Harris was supported in her election campaign by Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States.

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee. I beg pardon of Thee for all those that do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee. Amen.

Angel to the Children of Fatima 1916

Planned Parenthood Online Campaign Ad for Kamala Harris 2020

In response to a question about the trial of Julian Assange, which John Pilger attended, he said the following.

“The prevailing atmosphere has been shocking. I say that without hesitation; I have sat in many courts and seldom known such a corruption of due process; this is due revenge.

Putting aside the ritual associated with ‘British justice’, at times it has been evocative of a Stalinist show trial. One difference is that in the show trials, the defendant stood in the court proper.

In the Assange trial, the defendant was caged behind thick glass, and had to crawl on his knees to a slit in the glass, overseen by his guard, to make contact with his lawyers.

His message, whispered barely audibly through face masks, was then passed by post-it the length of the court to where his barristers were arguing the case against his extradition to an American hellhole.

Consider this daily routine of Julian Assange, an Australian on trial for truth-telling journalism. He was woken at five o’clock in his cell at Belmarsh prison in the bleak southern sprawl of London. The first time I saw Julian in Belmarsh, having passed through half an hour of ‘security’ checks, including a

dog’s snout in my rear, I found a painfully thin figure sitting alone wearing a yellow armband. He had lost more than 10 kilos in a matter of months; his arms had no muscle.

His first words were: ‘I think I am losing my mind’.” (John Pilger October 2020) In summing up, Timothy Erik Ström asked John Pilger “Having followed the story of WikiLeaks closely for a decade, how has this eyewitness experience shifted your understanding of what’s at stake with Assange’s trial?”

As part of his reply John Pilger said “I have long been a critic of journalism as an echo of unaccountable power and a champion of those who are beacons. So, for me, the arrival of WikiLeaks was exciting; I admired the way Assange regarded the public with respect, that he was prepared to share his work with the ‘mainstream’ but not join their collusive club. This, and naked jealousy, made him enemies among the overpaid and under-talented, insecure in their pretensions of independence and impartiality.

I admired the moral dimension to WikiLeaks. Assange was rarely asked about this, yet much of his remarkable energy comes from a powerful moral sense that

14 PREPARE FOR PERSECUTION

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

governments and other vested interests should not operate behind walls of secrecy. He is a democrat.

He explained this in one of our first interviews at my home in 2010.

What is at stake for the rest of us has long been at stake: freedom to call authority to account, freedom to challenge, to call out hypocrisy, to dissent. The difference today is that the world’s imperial power, the United States, has never been as unsure of its metastatic authority as it is today. Like a flailing rogue, it is spinning us towards a world war if we allow it. Little of this menace is reflected in the media.

WikiLeaks, on the other hand, has allowed us to glimpse a rampant imperial march through whole societies - think of the carnage in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen, to name a few, the dispossession of 37 million people and the deaths of 12 million men, women and children in the ‘war on terror’ - most of it behind a façade of deception.

Julian Assange is a threat to these recurring horrors - that’s why he is being persecuted, why a court of law has become an instrument of oppression, why he ought to be our collective conscience: why we all should be the threat.” (Source www.johnpilger.com) As I was researching this article I came across a report from ‘Reporters Without Borders’ which said that 2018 was the worst year for persecution of journalists with 80 killed, 348 imprisoned and 60 held hostage.

Another example I came across was the Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. She reported on corruption within the Maltese government and was twice arrested by the Maltese police on account of her exposés. Daphne was murdered in a car bomb attack on the 16th October 2017, just outside her home. One of her sons who raced to the scene found pieces of her body on the ground where the explosion

The Christian Martyrs’ Last Prayer - Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824 - 1904) had taken place. Although three men were arrested, nobody has ever been convicted of Daphne’s murder.

In Ireland, the journalist Gemma O’Doherty continues to be intimidated for standing up to the abuse of authority. She was fired from her job for her work investigating the quashing of penalty points of certain members of ‘An Garda Síochána’, which were for speeding offences.

She later won an unfair dismissals claim with an apology from the newspaper she worked for and an undisclosed financial settlement.

However the damage was done.

Wikipedia describes Gemma as “an Irish far-right activist and conspiracy theorist”, in order to discredit her work. Subsequently, the Garda Commissioner in question retired early and a report by the Garda Inspectorate found that Garda policy was being routinely breached by Garda operatives.

It is not necessary to agree with everything that John Pilger, Julian Assange, Daphne Caruana Galizia, Gemma O’Doherty and others stand for, however, Catholics need to be familiar with the tactics being used to silence those who speak the truth to power. The history of the Catholic Church is littered with examples of those who were

martyred rather than deny the truth.

In this time of the covidian dystopia, the efforts to silence those who seek to question the government narrative have increased. Not everyone is persecuted through the courts, locked up, or murdered, for speaking out. In these times of ubiquitous social media platforms, defamation and character assassination are the preferred methods of those who seek to cover up their crimes against humanity and their lies.

The Irish government has constantly peddled misinformation and falsely interpreted statistics relating to Covid-19, whilst accusing those who dare to question them as being the ones who are spreading misinformation.

The government lies.

A simple example has to do with the number of people who die from Covid-19 who are unvaccinated.

Most people do not realise that anyone who dies within fourteen days of getting a Covid-19 vaccine is recorded as being unvaccinated.

Fourteen days must elapsed after having received the final dose of the vaccine for a person to be considered vaccinated. What this does, in effect, is to hide any deaths that are directly caused by the vaccine, by claiming that the person who died was unvaccinated.

22nd October 2021 Catholic Voice The young 23 year old man in Waterford, who died just four days after getting the vaccine is recorded as unvaccinated and there will be no enquiry into whether or not the vaccine killed him. Most media outlets reported him as having died ‘after a short illness’, without any reference to the fact that he had taken an experimental vaccine just four days before his sudden death.

Of course the Irish government has a vested interest in keeping any connection between the vaccine and the sudden deaths of individuals quiet, as it flies in the face of their aggressive vaccination campaign.

Another example of government dishonesty came when our Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said that it was “cruel and unacceptable” that the organs of babies who had died in Cork shortly after birth, had been incinerated without the knowledge of the bereaved parents.

Micheál Martin’s government, promotes flushing the remains of

PREPARE FOR PERSECUTION 15

aborted babies down the toilet. These intact remains contain the organs of babies. Why is Micheál Martin not concerned about these baby organs and the cruel and unacceptable treatment of these little ones which is promoted by his government?

The answer of course is, that the cruel and unacceptable practice of flushing aborted baby bodies down the toilet is consistent with Micheál Martin’s support for the barbaric practice of murdering babies who live in their mother’s wombs.

Members of the Hierarchy of the Catholic Church, which is the only repository for the fullness of Truth, have also succumbed to the lure of power and money and there are ongoing scandals within the institutional corridors of Catholic Church.

Cardinal Pell, who was investigating this corruption, ended up being falsely accused of child abuse and spent many months in solitary confinement in an Australian jail.

Official Irish Government Advice To Women on Killing their Children.

“Under 8 weeks, you are only likely to see the sac within which the early pregnancy is developing. You can decide how to dispose of the pregnancy remains. They can be flushed down the toilet, or wrapped in tissue and disposed of as you wish.” (Source HSE website)

The point for Catholics is this.

Those who proclaim the Truth can expect to be persecuted for it by those who profit from promoting evil. The persecution will take many forms and can often lead to the death and martyrdom of the one who stands firm.

Despite these dangers, we must pray for courage and perseverance so that we will always strive to resist those who promote falsehoods and so that we will not co-operate in their evil schemes. If we are not being persecuted, perhaps we should ask ourselves why?

There’s A Place For Us

Homosexuality in the Divine Plan of Redemption There’s A Place For Us: This testimony does not shirk away from difficult Catholic teachings but shows with piercing clarity why the Church teaches as she does in the area of human sexuality. In our lives we are called to a lot more than sexual satisfaction. Rather, we are granted the privilege of living life on the highest possible plane in responding to the call of the greatness of being the Sons and Daughters of God.

There’s a Place for Us Homosexuality in the Divine Plan of Redemption Jesus said to those who would stone her: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

John Cassidy - Bio Ex-homosexual and New Man John Cassidy has been serving the Catholic Church as a full-time Lay-Man since his conversion in 2014. John has founded the Association of Believing Catholics which is a lay initiative to promote and defend the fullness of Catholic truth.

Paperback €/£6.00 inc p&p in Ireland €/£9.40 inc p&p outside Ireland

Jesus said to the woman: “Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?

Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee.”

“Go, And Now Sin No More.”

By John Cassidy

To Order please telephone 085 1208779 ROI 00353 851208779 Outside ROI Alternatively, Order Online @ www.lumenfidei.ie/shop

16 WHAT CAN WE DO?

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

What Can We Do About It? - Part 2 Anthony Hofler

The question of what we can we do about Satan’s grip on society seems rational, but is in fact ambiguous, so the answer depends on the intended meaning, or (lacking evidence of that meaning) on the interpretation.

If it means ‘What action will offer a realistic prospect of reversing what has been done?’ The answer is ‘None, in the short-term’. If, however, the question refers not to a reversal but to a response to the situation, possibilities arise.

There are, of course, the alwaysavailable opportunities to write letters to appropriate people, such as those elected to public office and those who manage relevant organisations and public services.

Contacting ‘private individuals’ (people who do not hold important positions) to inform them of what is happening and to encourage them to take necessary action should be a normal part of trying to build support. Letters to printed publications, messages via channels of what have become described vaguely as ‘social media,’ signing organised petitions, and calls to radio ‘phone-ins’ are other standard options.

Apparently a less-common idea is to boycott, and to encourage others to boycott, goods and services provided by people who set very bad examples. If you would not vote for a political candidate who, on matters which are important to you, has opinions which you dislike, why buy the products or services of non-politicians who are promoting what is wrong?

If, however, actions intended to constitute a boycott are to have any chance of success, they must be notified to the person or organisation at which they are aimed, and the reason for their being taken must

be made clear. If an offender is unaware of having caused offence, repetition cannot be deterred.

A “parade of celebrities – domestic and international – lined up on the Repeal side of the Irish abortion referendum...

There were rugby players and pundits, television presenters, a boxer, a comedian, a famous pop-group and actors came out in support of Amnesty International’s pro-abortion campaign.” They “added the weight of their fame and influence to destroy the rights of children at the most vulnerable stage of existence” (John Waters; “The Catholic Herald,” 18th May 2018, p.17).

This is not unusual. It is, in fact, an extension of commercial advertising, in which businesses recruit celebrities who are willing to associate themselves with products or services in order to entice potential customers to buy. The prospect of gain for the business depends on the celebrity retaining popularity among the public, so loss of such popularity will reduce the prospective gain.

An interesting article by Ed West in “The Catholic Herald” on 8th December 2017 (pages 22-23) was highlighted on the front cover by a summary of the main point as “Big business is using your cash to undermine Catholic teaching.”

The author mentioned various companies which have supported, for example, same-gender ‘marriage,’ ‘unisex’ toilets, and ‘transgenderism’. Yet there seems, he wrote, to be little appetite for a fight against corporate promotion of “fashionable causes” which (he alleged rather over-confidently) “most Catholics are opposed to,” and “on the contrary, there is a fatalistic resignation that there is nothing that can be done.”

Regarding this as something with which ‘we, in a free society, just have to live’ is conspicuously a cloak for laziness. “Celebrity,” wrote John Waters, “is a form of power… The media use celebrities to sell..., but it also gives to the celebrity a kind of credit for co-operation with its agendas,…enabling him or her to store up credits for a rainy day and prolong their years of exposure to public attention.”

Probably they would not do that if they had sufficient evidence that it damaged their popularity. So “we the people have power too: the power to decide not to support… those who misuse their celebrity status… We have a choice and the right to make it. To the extent that we can help it, we must refuse to hand over our money to such people for the products they purvey… This is what the ‘liberal’ establishment does to those who dare to challenge its agendas: it puts pressure on employers, sponsors and advertisers until the dissenter is rendered unemployable” (“The Catholic Herald,” 18th May 2018, p.17).

Such events are often simultaneous with, and consequent upon, an orchestrated public chorus of condemnation and demands for punitive action to deter further challenges. That is secularism in action. “Secularism would like us to be closed in a little box of Sunday worship.” That was the Soviet Union’s policy towards religion (Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, speech to Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops; “The Catholic Times,” 7th October 2012, p.4).

Similarly, there was a report that after the Bishop of Raphoe said that in Ireland the Church was being attacked by “a secular and Godless culture,” a politician complained to the police that such comments were

22nd October 2021

Catholic Voice

WHAT CAN WE DO? 17

an unlawful incitement to hatred of secularists and humanists, and the police referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions (“The Catholic Herald,” 3rd February 2012, p.1).

The other key element in boycotts is collectivity. Impact depends on multiple participation. Isolated individual action is unlikely to have any effect. That helps to explain why petitions are so common; it is quicker and more convenient to sign a prepared proposition than to write a personal letter, but imagine the much greater visible impact if the ‘target’ received thousands of personal letters. Impact will be even greater if a transgressor notices a practical adverse consequence of the transgression (such as fewer votes, or fewer tickets for performances, or disapproval expressed by sponsors who have received critical messages because of their financial support for the offender).

A particularly active advocate and organiser of boycotts which deserves our support is CitizenGo. An important illustration of collective action was reported by Tim Stanley in a “Catholic Herald article. It was “a story going around the internet that when the Boy Scouts of America dropped the “Boy” bit from its name, it lost 425,000 members overnight…

It’s the Mormon Church that has chosen to walk away, ending a 105year partnership with the Scouts. … The episode demonstrates their extraordinary numbers…, and their ability to act as one body.

Why,” asked Tim Stanley, “don’t we Catholics throw our collective weight around more?” (“The Catholic Herald,” 18th May 2018, p.21).

Well said, Tim. Probably you know the answer. We don’t throw our collective weight around more because we have not been brought up to do that. So we have no “collective weight” except for that which has resulted from our inertia,

and our religious ‘muscles’ have succumbed to sclerosis.

Why, therefore, try?

One reason is that, as Caroline Farrow wrote, “It is our moral responsibility” (“The Universe,” 1st June 2018, p.6).

Another reason is that if no effort is made nothing will improve.

The present situation did not arise because of inactivity by people who wanted it.

Another reason is that the truth or goodness of something makes it worth assertion, and is sufficient justification for its assertion even when no visible benefit results from it. American ‘civil rights’ advocate Reverend Jesse Jackson said, seemingly so often that it was like a personal ‘motto,’ “Keep hope alive.” We need to keep alive also what is true and good, and, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, although sometimes we are advised to wait for “an opportune time” “the time is always right for doing

right” (“Martin Luther King and the March on Washington,” Smoking Dogs Films, 2013; BBC Four, 18th April 2018, bbc.co.uk/history).

Another reason takes the form of a question: ‘Do you want something only for the satisfaction which its achievement will give you, or because its importance transcends that satisfaction?’ “All the women who initially protested for the vote never got to vote. But today many women do get to vote” (Father Ronald Rolheiser, “The Catholic Herald,” 18th May 2018, p.39).

Persistence brought success. Our Lord said that people who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied (Matt. 5:6), but He did not say when; do you, or will you, give up because you will be ‘gone’ before progress is made?

We have to accept the fact that – in any realm – the greatest strength always wins. Eventually God will win, of course, but in the meantime we should be trying to prevent the increasing successes of His enemies.

“Offer up everything within your power as a sacrifice to the Lord in an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended; and of supplication for the conversion of sinners. Thus invoke peace upon your country. I am her Guardian Angel; the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission the sufferings that the Lord may send you.”

(The Angel of Portugal to Fatima children 1915)

18 SILLINESS WILL FAIL

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

The Sheer Silliness Of The Anti-Christian Left Will Bring Them Down Christopher Monckton of Brenchley

In the same week when the absurdly woke Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, one Toope, confirmed in his address to the University Senate that he was leaving his post two years early after suffering a humiliating and abject defeat at the hands of senior members of the university following a crafty but failed attempt by him to silence free speech there, Oxford University, also in the grip of the goofy species of Communism known as wokery, made a prize idiot of itself.

Or at least the Provost of Worcester College did. A Communist undergraduate, returning to the university after the long vacation, had found a copy of a leaflet setting out the agenda for a Christian conference that had been held at the College during the vacation.

The Communist student knew his Rules for Radicals, Saul Alinsky’s handbook for revolutionaries aiming to overthrow the three pillars of the free West: democracy, free markets and, above all, Christianity.

The dismal Alinsky wrote that to tear down the hated West it was necessary to attack religion until it was defeated.

So the snowflake student complained to the College authorities. He had not attended the conference. He had not heard any of the talks. He had not met anyone who had. He had merely seen the leaflet left behind by a delegate. But the Provost, another Communist, who had for some years run one of the many Government-funded front groups that agitate for the destruction of the system from within, was not concerned with mere details like that.

Here is what the Christian Concern leaflet that provided the flimsy pretext for the Communist’s complaint said. Prepare to be shocked and horrified [not]: “The Wilberforce Academy is a 1-week intensive residential programme aimed at students and young professionals with a passion to serve Jesus Christ in a variety of vocations including law, politics, education, media, arts, healthcare, ministry and business”.

The objective of the conference was to prepare delegates for “servanthearted, Christ-centred leadership in their communities, Churches and workplaces, having been equipped with a robust biblical framework that guides their thinking, prayers and activity in addressing the issues facing our society”.

One might object to the syrupy style, but not to the point of issuing an apology for having hosted the conference. It was perhaps the individual topics that gave the snowflake a fit of the vapours.

For the conference included seminars on Islam, homosexuality, transgenderism, marriage, abortion and euthanasia, studied in the light of theology and history.

The Provost instructed the College’s public relations machine to issue the following statement: “We deeply regret the distress caused to students [one Communist snowflake], staff [not one of whom had complained] and other members of the college community [a Communist code-word, and none of them had complained either] by the presence of the Wilberforce Academy conference.

“The college was not aware of the speaker list or programme content in advance. The booking was taken in good faith, but it is clear that our procedures did not work as they should. We have begun an urgent review to ensure that this does not happen again.

“We have agreed with the Junior Combination Room committee

22nd October 2021

Catholic Voice

that the profit from the conference will be set aside to fund dedicated equality, diversity and inclusivity initiatives [but if you’re Christian you’re not equal, our diversity does not encompass you and we shall exclude you]. We are working with students and other members of the college community [that codeword again] to identify the most appropriate projects.

“We acknowledge that this was a serious failure that has caused significant distress, and we apologize unreservedly to all those [all one of you] who have been affected.”

What, then, is Worcester College?

It stands on the site of a Benedictine monastery of 1283 which had been torn down during an earlier bout of murderous totalitarianism by King Henry VIII, who needed cash for his wars and stole it from the Church.

When Henry set up his own Church, the Bishop of Oxford lived there.

The College chapel is described in official documents as “the spiritual heart of the College and is also its centre of Christian worship It aims to be the home for all Christian branches in College and is available for people of all beliefs”.

What a standing annoyance that genuine equality, diversity and inclusivity must be to the Communist Provost and the to student agitator at whose insistence he apologised to a “community” that had not asked for or expected any such thing.

The organisers of the conference, as well as several news media, asked the College to explain itself.

All were rebuffed, notwithstanding Lenin’s principle: “Explain, always explain.”

Christian Concern commented: “We will be seeking urgent clarification.

Whatever happens, we will continue to speak of Jesus Christ, Who was Himself an ‘outsider’ and, by his words and actions, demonstrated his commitment to reaching the marginalized, excluded and vulnerable so that they could discover true hope and everlasting love through him, even sacrificing his own life to do so.

“Oxford University should continue to stand for free speech and free expression and allow its students to have the intellectual ability to decide whether they wish to attend external events, and to make up their own minds on what they hear.”

The present Provost’s predecessor was Professor Sir Jonathan Bate, a distinguished Shakespearean and, unlike his successor, a true scholar. Sir Jonathan had suddenly resigned as Provost after his wife had received 17 vicious poison-pen letters that appeared to have been written by an academic.

The interim Provost was “Red Kate” Tunstall, notorious even by Oxford’s standards for her woke militancy. She had, for instance, established a “diverse” [not] “prayer-room” as an alternative to the chapel, and had abolished the Christian grace before dinner.

SILLINESS WILL FAIL 19 The current Provost, in his previous post as “Chair” [i.e., chairman] of the “Equality and Human Rights Commission”, had once said: “The free expression and exchange of different views without persecution or interference goes straight to the heart of our democracy and is a vital part of higher education. Holding open, challenging debates rather than silencing the views of those we don’t agree with helps to build tolerance and address prejudice and discrimination.

Our guidance [issued to universities] makes clear that freedom of speech in higher education should be upheld at every opportunity and should only be limited where there are genuine safety concerns or it constitutes unlawful behaviour.”

It seems that in the Provost’s opinion Christianity “constitutes unlawful behaviour”. It is the sheer canting absurdity of modern wokery that will bring it down. But not before the Church has been persecuted. Well, she has been persecuted before, and yet here she still is, in all her glory.

She has survived far worse than a Communist provost. She will be here long after he is gone and forgotten.

20 BOOKS FOR SEMINARIANS

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

African Seminarians Need Books Mary Kearns

For many years Catholics in Ireland have been praying for vocations to the priesthood but to our great disappointment, few young men have responded. That is the case throughout the dioceses of Ireland, although the religious orders have fared better. In recent times priests have come to our shores from Eastern Europe and from as far away as the African continent.

We welcomed these priests and many of them are now serving in parishes throughout Ireland while others are studying for a doctorate or higher degrees in addition to their work in parishes. These priests have integrated exceedingly well with Irish Catholics and are they noted for their courtesy, friendliness and excellent liturgical practice. Perhaps because they do fit in so well, we tend to forget that the situation is very different in the countries where these priests come from.

Fr. Michel Simotemgo is a priest from Cameroon now assisting in the parish of St. John Vianney in Dublin. He explains how men in priestly formation in African seminaries are in great need of books for their training. Fr. Michel reveals that books already in the formation house in Bamenda in Cameroon are so valuable that they are passed around from one seminary to another. Building a library is a priority. It should be a place for everyone, mainly for those men from other seminaries who come from afar, and even from the city. At present, those undergoing training have to travel to other seminaries so that books can be borrowed.

Fr. Michel is a priest of the order of Sacré-Coeur de Jesus whose charism is commitment to Eucharistic Adoration (at least 30

minutes daily) and being a presence to poor and vulnerable people.

This order provides intellectual and cultural development, giving pastoral support to mission stations and assisting in parishes.

In 1890 the Catholic Church led by two Pallotine priests with five brothers and one seminarian, arrived in Cameroon. Fast forward to the 21st century where we find that the number of baptised Catholics in the republic of Cameroon is 4.25 million with 1,356 priests and 2,600 men and women in religious orders.

The seminary which concerns Fr. Michel is Dehon’s Formation House established in 2013, in the north-west region of Cameroon.

Here men undergo eleven years of training for the priesthood. They are bi-lingual, speaking French and English, as Cameroon is divided into two provinces.

The Catholic Church in African countries is growing and flourishing in a manner reminiscent of previous centuries in our own land. Irish missionaries had a large part to play in bringing Christianity to the

“dark continent.” But missionaries from other countries such as France have also made tremendous contributions.

Some statistics help to bring the picture into sharp focus, showing Africa positioning itself as the future axis of Catholicism. According to the numbers recently released by the Vatican’s press office, Catholicism has grown globally from 1.272 billion in 2014 to 1.285 in 2015. On the continent of Africa, the number of baptised into the Church is growing at a significantly faster rate than anywhere else in the world.

In 1989, on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Catholic presence in Cameroon, the country’s bishops issued the letter “From the First to the Second Evangelization,” which stated its aim to be the implantation of the good news of Jesus Christ in the manners and customs of their land.

Due to its location, Cameroon is sometimes called “the hinge of Africa.” It is a tropical, largely agricultural country situated

22nd October 2021 between West and Central Africa where the West African coast turns southwards towards the equator.

The Republic of Cameroon is bordered by Chad on the north and northeast, the Central African Republic on the east, the Republic of the Congo on the southeast and on the south, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, the Gulf of Guinea on the southwest and Nigeria on the west.

As we have seen, vocations to the priesthood are flourishing here.

This is something that the universal Church must honour and give assistance when needed. This is not just a kind action but actually out responsibility as members of the Church Universal Catholic Voice readers will remember the tremendous gratitude of priests from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon and other African countries who received Mass Kits and monstrances sponsored by Irish Catholics. There was an abundant response to the request for liturgical items when the plight of newly ordained priests was highlighted. They still need our help. The situation is ironic; we in Ireland have a dearth of vocations but unlimited resources, while the Africans have vocations but very few resources.

We are faced with the task of giving alms in an unprecedented manner, but one that is of the upmost value.

It is not hard to give out of our surplus but what about giving from what we believe we need ourselves?

The story of the widow’s mite is a challenge. From the synoptic gospels we learn how as Jesus watched, this poor woman gave into the temple treasury all that she had to live on.

When it comes to books, let us take a look at the volumes most of us have on our shelves and ask ourselves if we really need them.

Do we believe these books are a part of our identity as Catholics?

Do we only occasionally consult

Catholic Voice them or use them for reference?

How often do we actually read the Summa Theologica or the Documents of the Second Vatican Council? Do we have The Sermons of Saint Augustine or a Dictionary of Theological Terms gathering dust, all of which are available on the internet?

Experts in de-cluttering tell us that clothes hanging in our wardrobes which are never worn, actually belong to someone else. If we apply this to our books, it is a sobering thought. Why not send some of them to a good home? Why not select at least some of the books we have in theology, philosophy, Catholic doctrine etc. and send them where they are truly needed?

Most of us have access to the internet where nearly everything can be found. We can download papal encyclicals and all Vatican documents. Those men who enter seminaries in Africa cannot do that. Seminaries in most African countries are not equipped with computers and in some areas electricity is not available and even when available, does not always work.

We who live in luxury in Ireland have never been slow in bringing

BOOKS FOR SEMINARIANS 21 aid to poorer countries. Perhaps this is how our prayers for vocations now can become effective.

Fr. Michel would be grateful for books suitable for the formation of students for the priesthood, mainly theology and philosophy.

Devotional books and lives of the saints would also be appreciated for pastoral needs. He explains that he is hoping to ship the necessary books to his country in the following months.

Readers who wish to donate books can contact Fr. Michel on 089 9789212 / simotemgo@yahoo. fr or at St. John Vianney Parish 95, Ardlea Road, Artane, DBL5, D05TH79. Cash donations are also welcome so that books either new or second-hand can be purchased.

For those who wish to post, Parcel motel is a reasonably inexpensive means of doing so.

In recent years many African priests have been sent forth from their mother countries and it almost looks like they have come here to re-evangelise Ireland. This is something we should also welcome.

For catechesis and liturgical formation: marykeenankearns@gmail.com 087 7794687

Dehon’s Formation House, Bamenda, Cameroon - (Source Facebook)

22 THE WARNING

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

The Warning: Seeing Our Soul As God Does John Kubasak The word “judgment,” more often than not, carries a negative connotation today. Judgment is almost always bad and opposed to the secular virtue of acceptance of everything. However, judgment is an inescapable fact of death. It happens in life of course, but according to the Catholic faith, there are two types of judgment that await us: the particular and final judgments. The thought of being judged may not be a pleasant one, but it is incredibly important to consider. When taken in its proper perspective, the judgment of our souls should inform how we live.

We have all sorts of resources at our disposal to prepare for judgment, including the testimonies of some that have experienced it.

Particular vs. Final Judgment Whether or not we escape the judgment of men in this life does not deter God: at death, judgment awaits on how we lived our lives. This is the particular judgment.

“Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification or immediately, — or immediate and everlasting damnation.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1022) Then, at Jesus’ Second Coming, the final judgment will take place.

First, the resurrection of the body will happen and then every person who ever lived will face judgment.

Jesus Himself will be there and will separate the righteous from the wicked as a farmer separates sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46). After Our Lord separates the righteous and the wicked, St. Peter fills in the blanks on what happens next. It is almost too fantastic to imagine: “then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10, RSVCE).

On that happy note, let’s shift back to what our particular judgment might very well look like.

The Particular Judgment and “The Warning” What if some had a preview of their particular judgment before death? Their testimony would be an invaluable asset, sort of like getting the answers to the test before the exam. What was it like, how did they respond, and how did it affect them? Christine Watkins recorded the stories of eleven people who had this very experience in her book The Warning.

I don’t mean to do a bait-and-switch with the topic. In both the Warning and our particular judgment, every person would see their souls as God does. Jesus said in Luke’s Gospel that “nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops” (12:2-3, RSVCE).

Tackling the “Warning,” which has contemporary connections with asyet-approved apparitions of Our Lady at Garabandal and Medugorje.

Both have controversy surrounding them and evoke strong reactions on the affirmative and negative sides of the aisle.

Discussing those apparitions is the subject of many books already, and not the point of this article. On one hand, the Warning belongs to the realm of private revelation and not the deposit of faith. That does not mean we discount accounts of the Warning. The faithful need to weigh the evidence, give it an honest take and discern with the Holy Spirit’s assistance. By doing so, we follow the advice of St. Paul: “do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, RSVCE).

Experiencing the Warning Again, I think learning from the Warning holds a key to understanding what the particular judgment will be like. Supernatural events will accompany the Warning. There will be fewer fireworks at death but the soul will finally “see” the spiritual world that was previously veiled during life. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10, RSVCE).

22nd October 2021 Those that described their experience of the illumination of their conscience in The Warning provide very moving details. Every sin from their entire life, from the smallest venial to the worst mortal, was on display with all of its implications. A harsh word to a coworker exacerbated a hard day.

Promiscuity harmed both parties for years after, sometimes involved abortions, and always inflicted deep wounds in both souls. These eleven people who experienced an illumination of conscience saw every ripple effect of every sinwithout excuses, being able to justify themselves, or being able to escape the appalling nature of sin. All this as only the all-knowing, all-powerful God can.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. – Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)

Catholic Voice Intervention of Mercy The illumination for each of the eleven people was excruciating to the extent that some were surprised to survive the intense stress and anguish. Each of them agreed that the just punishment for their lives was hell; only the mercy of Jesus held that back. And despite that available mercy, some of them had a difficult time accepting it! Here is one very important lesson that St. Paul noted to the Romans: “do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

(2:4, RSVCE) There is a train of thought that no decent person, upon seeing God at death, would possibly refuse the Lord’s offer of mercy. If we habitually choose against God in life, why would it be suddenly different at the particular judgment?

Conversion The final point, and the point of the Warning itself, is conversion. For

THE WARNING 23 the eleven people that experienced an illumination of conscience in The Warning, their lives were never the same. They turned away from harmful lifestyles, returned to the sacraments, and grace restored their souls.

In that light, imagine a wave of conversions, turning away from sin, and restored relationships with God that swept the world. It is an amazing thought–what if it started now? Our particular judgment awaits on a day we do not know, warning or not. With testimonies in hand of those that have had an illumination, the question is, why wait to turn back to God? Commit to a deeper, stronger faith life now. Repent of sin now. Grow deep roots in the Word of God and the sacramental life of the Church.

Follow Our Lord’s commandments and the teachings of the Church. Just as sin can have a ripple effect on others, holiness does as well, with an even greater effect. Saints change the world - be one!

24 HELPING THE HOLY SOULS

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

The Holy Souls In Purgatory Lumen Fidei Three elements of membership of the Catholic Church are listed as: The Church Triumphant; The Church Militant; and The Church Suffering. The Church Triumphant consists of the Saints in Heaven.

The Church Militant consists of the members of the Church here on earth who are working out our salvation in fear and trembling. The Church Suffering consists of the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

The Catholic church has always been solicitous of the Holy Souls suffering in Purgatory and, November has traditionally been called the month of the Holy Souls.

However it is important to realise that we can alleviate the suffering of the Holy Souls on any day of the year.

The Council of Trent, in its twenty fifth session, declared the following concerning Purgatory.

“Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, from the sacred writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught, in sacred councils, and very recently in this ecumenical Synod,

Madonna and Child with Holy Souls - Luca Giodarno (1634 - 1705)

that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar; the holy Synod enjoins on bishops that they diligently endeavour that the sound doctrine concerning Purgatory, transmitted by the holy Fathers and sacred councils, be believed, maintained, taught, and every where proclaimed by the faithful of Christ...

But let the bishops take care, that the suffrages of the faithful who are living, to wit the sacrifices of masses, prayers, alms, and other works of piety, which have been wont to be performed by the faithful for the other faithful departed, be piously and devoutly performed, in accordance with the institutes of the church; and that whatsoever is due on their behalf, from the endowments of testators, or in other way, be discharged, not in a perfunctory manner, but diligently and accurately, by the priests and ministers of the church, and others who are bound to render this service.”

In the same session, the Council of Trent taught about Indulgences.

“Whereas the power of conferring Indulgences was granted by Christ to the Church; and she has, even in the most ancient times, used the said power, delivered unto her of God; the sacred holy Synod teaches, and enjoins, that the use of Indulgences, for the Christian people most salutary, and approved of by the authority of sacred Councils, is to be retained in the Church; and It condemns with anathema those who either assert, that they are useless ; or who deny that there is in the Church the power of granting them.”

At times the Catholic Church had to deal with abuses of indulgences but she has always affirmed the practice and spoken of the great benefit provided to the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

On January 1st, 1967, the Apostolic Constitution, ‘Indulgentiarum Doctrina’, was issued by Pope Saint Paul VI which revised the indulgences granted by the Catholic Church.

22nd October 2021 Pope Paul VI begins by explaining the concept of why Indulgences are granted by the Catholic Church.

“It is a divinely revealed truth that sins bring punishments inflicted by God’s sanctity and justice. These must be expiated either on this earth through the sorrows, miseries and calamities of this life and above all through death, or else in the life beyond through fire and torments or “purifying” punishments. Therefore it has always been the conviction of the faithful that the paths of evil are fraught with many stumbling blocks and bring adversities, bitterness and harm to those who follow them.

These punishments are imposed by the just and merciful judgment of God for the purification of souls, the defence of the sanctity of the moral order and the restoration of the glory of God to its full majesty.

Every sin in fact causes a perturbation in the universal order established by God in His ineffable wisdom and infinite charity, and the destruction of immense values with respect to the sinner himself and to the human community.

Christians throughout history have always regarded sin not only as a transgression of divine law but also — though not always in a direct and evident way — as contempt for or disregard of the friendship between God and man, just as they have regarded it as a real and unfathomable offense against God and indeed an ungrateful rejection of the love of God shown us through Jesus Christ, who called his disciples friends and not servants.

It is therefore necessary for the full remission and — as it is called — reparation of sins not only that friendship with God be reestablished by a sincere conversion of the mind and amends made for the offense against his wisdom and goodness, but also that all the personal as well as social values and those of the universal order itself, which have been diminished or destroyed by sin, be fully reintegrated whether through voluntary reparation which will

Catholic Voice involve punishment or through acceptance of the punishments established by the just and most holy wisdom of God, from which there will shine forth throughout the world the sanctity and the splendour of his glory. The very existence and the gravity of the punishment enable us to understand the foolishness and malice of sin and its harmful consequences.”

(Indulgentiarum Doctrina) Any punishments which are not fully atoned for in this life, must be atoned for in the next life, for those who die in a state of grace but who have not reached the state of perfection required to enter into Heaven. That probably accounts for most souls who die in a state of grace.

Sister Lucia, one of the visionaries of Fatima, was shown the gravity of personal sin when she asked after two girls who used to visit their house and who had recently died.

In her fourth memoir she records this as follows.

“Then I remembered to ask about two girls who had died recently.

They were friends of mine and used to come to my home to learn weaving with my eldest sister.

“Is Maria das Neves in Heaven?”

“Yes, she is.” (I think she was about 16 years old).

“And Amélia?”

“She will be in purgatory until the end of the world.” (It seems to me that she was between 18 and 20 years of age).”

The most efficacious way of helping the Holy Souls in Purgatory is to have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered for them. It is a great act of charity to have Masses offered for our parents after they have died.

The practice of seeking to gain a plenary indulgence is also very efficacious for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. A Plenary Indulgence

HELPING THE HOLY SOULS 25 applied to a Holy Soul in Purgatory frees that soul to enter into Heaven.

Some Holy Souls are nearing the end of their time in Purgatory and for these, a partial indulgence may be sufficient to complete their Purgatorial sentence.

One of the works to which a Plenary Indulgence is attached is the Stations of the Cross, which were traditionally done by many Catholic on Fridays.

Lumen Fidei Press, in an effort to encourage Catholics to assist the Holy Souls in Purgatory, will shortly publish a little booklet on the Stations of the Cross with the meditations of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri.

We encourage Catholics to do this for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and also as an act of reparation for the sins of the Irish people, especially those of recent years which have seen abortion legalised in our country and also marriage denigrated by the enactment of laws favouring homosexual relationships. A Plenary indulgence is attached to this devotion with the usual conditions. The booklet will be available through Catholic Voice, on the Lumen Fidei Website, and a complimentary copy will be sent to those who contribute to our end of year ‘Christ is King’, newsletter appeal.

26 A GLOBAL TYRANNY

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

Global Tyranny & A Silent Church. Prelude To The End Times?

Frances Leonard For years a wealthy ‘global elite’ have initiated policies to cull the human population world-wide.

Whilst these elites age, die, and are replaced, the agenda remains the same. Their weapons have included direct attack on life with abortion and euthanasia. Social engineering is employed to form and control the mind-set of people to accept ideologies destructive to the traditional family, through infiltration and disruption of the education system.

Funding of Covid 19 ‘vaccines’ suggests that vaccination is their new weapon. Vaccination is being imposed globally very swiftly.

Moral objections and true scientific evidence warning of the dangers associated with these experimental vaccines have been ignored.

Sanctions are being aimed at the unvaccinated.

Joe Biden (questionably elected) addressed the American people on September 9th. In a telling indication of the direction events are taking us, he mandates that workers are fully vaccinated. “My plan will affect about 100 million Americans, two thirds of all workers…The bottom line: We are going to protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated co-workers” (LifeSiteNews Sept 9th 2021).

Biden accuses the unvaccinated of spreading Covid, setting a dangerous precedent for other countries to follow. A group of very concerned Doctors have formed the “Truth for Health Foundation” to inform the public of the dangers and deaths associated with the vaccines. They have clarified that an unvaccinated person who is O Jesus, it is for the love of Thee, in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and for the conversion of poor sinners [that I do this]. Amen.

Our Lady of Fatima - June 13th, 1917.

YOU WILL OWN NOTHING AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY! THAT IS AN ORDER!

asymptomatic will not spread the virus. One perceives that mankind is being rounded up and corralled into a global pen.

The Beginning To understand how the human race has sunk so low and is descending rapidly down a hellish route towards a global totalitarian dictatorship, we need to go back to ‘the beginning’.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…God created man in His own image…male and female He created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them ‘be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and have dominion over… everything that moves upon the earth’. And God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good”(Genesis 1:1, 26-28 ).

God, our Creator, has ordered creation in a particular way. He has bestowed a high dignity on mankind by creating him in His own image, something He did not do to any other creature. Today this order is attacked and inverted.

Our God-given human dignity is not understood and is reduced to that of the animals. Male and Female, the only two sexes, is opposed with

multiple ‘genders’. God’s blessing of Adam and Eve as a couple — marriage, – is opposed by living together outside of marriage and so called same sex marriage. Only after this blessing does God tell man to be fruitful, indicating chastity prior to marriage.

Today God’s command to be fruitful and fill the earth is met with population control and all the attacks on life. What God blessed and found ‘very good’ is being turned upside down to form a distorted and opposing ‘anti-creation’. The culprit, the one who opposes God, “the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world…has come down … in great wrath because he knows his time is short”(Revelation 12:9, 12) Satan is making war on mankind today. He uses deception to get mankind to rebel against God, promising that they can be their own gods.

Masonic Philanthropy Bishop Athanasius Schneider highlighted the role of freemasonic groups in forming a new world order saying: “In front of our very own eyes there is developing a scenario

22nd October 2021 which has clear traits of a world government.”(LifeSiteNews. Sept 28th 2020).

Adding that a freemasonic official revealed in ‘Le Figaro’ newspaper that “the laws legalising abortion, the so called ‘same sex marriage’… and euthanasia were prepared in the idealistic Masonic laboratories and then with… lobbying and through their (masonic) members in Parliament and in the government, passed through the legislation”. (LifeSiteNews. Sept 28th 2020).

Here is displayed the role of freemasonry in attacking God’s plan of creation for mankind, having infiltrated into high government positions.

Freemasonry wears many masks.

One of them is known as Masonic Philanthropy.

Philanthropy, meaning ‘benevolence to mankind’, like masonry, holds charitable giving as fundamental.

Philanthropists donate much of

A GLOBAL TYRANNY 27

Catholic Voice their wealth to “align policy and political factors to advance their agenda… creating organisations that give the appearance of community support”(Network for International Policies and Cooperation in Education and Training (NORRAG) issue 4th April 2020).

Education is a key area where “these stakeholders inform and shape education policies and practice both at national and international levels”(Ibid.).

Young minds are indoctrinated and formed to be the ruthless complicit adults that accept global agendas without question. The World Economic Forum, (founder, Klaus Schwab, co-author of ‘The Great Reset’) acts as a front for these notorious groups, bringing together “leaders from government, business and civil society to help solve the world’s greatest health issues…In 2000, GAVI, the vaccine alliance was

LIBERALISM IS A SIN

Don Félix Sardà y Salvany: – was

launched…with an initial pledge of $750 million from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”(World Economic Forum (WEF) 2nd Dec 2020).

Gates, a philanthropist and founder of Microsoft, is said at on of his Ted talks, “The world today has 6.8 billion people…now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care and reproductive services, we lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent”. Gates has funded Covid vaccines and invested in vaccine passports as “Microsoft has a contract to build the vaccine passports”(LifeSiteNews Apr 14th 2021). One wonders if vaccination is ‘the Final Solution’ for Gates and the elites.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God With thy whole heart, And with thy whole soul, And with thy whole mind.

This is the greatest And the first commandment.

CATECHISM ON MODERNISM

Holiness Pope Pius X, issued the Encyclical ‘Pascendi Dominici Gregis’ which translates as “Feeding the Lord’s Flock”. Pope Pius X was aware that the Catholic Church had been infiltrated by modernists who were seeking to undermine her doctrines from within.

born on May 21, 1844 in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain. He was a Catholic priest and writer who wrote against Liberalism which he considered a grave sin. He was the editor of the weekly Spanish Catholic magazine

Father J. B. Lemius, produced this ‘Catechism on years. He died on January 2, 1916 at Modernism’ in the familiar the age of 71. This book, Liberalism question and answer format is a Sin, is particularly relevant to of the time, in order to make the teachings of the the times we live in today where Liberalism permeates every Encyclical more accessible to ordinary Catholics and aspect of our society and has deeply infiltrated the thinking of by way of explaining in a clear and concise manner the many of the Catholic hierarchy. reasons why the Encyclical was published.

‘La Revista Popular’ for over forty

Paperback €/£13.50 inc p&p Published by Lumen Fidei Press

Paperback €/£13.50 inc p&p Published by Lumen Fidei Press

To Order please telephone 059 8627268 ROI 00353 598627268 Outside ROI Alternatively, Order Online @ www.lumenfidei.ie/shop

28 A GLOBAL TYRANNY

Catholic Voice

Why this push for Global Domination?

The temptation of the ‘prince of this world’ showing them “all the kingdoms of the world…all these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me”(Matthew 4:8-9). Since the devil always demands human sacrifice, it explains why most of their ‘charitable giving’ ends in death. Mankind is becoming an endangered species.

The Church – A New World Church?

Past popes have warned of the dangers of Masonry. Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical ‘Humanum Genus’, warns that Freemasons set about to “satiate the multitude with a boundless licence of vice, as to when this had been done, it would easily come under their power and authority for many acts of daring” (‘Humanum Genus’ Pope Leo XIII) Today, however, silence and complicity among Church leaders has caused scandal and confusion among the faithful. In 2019, five Cardinals and two bishops spoke of the severity of the situation in the Church, seeing it as a prelude to the End Times spoken of in scripture.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano speaks of “a Catholic Church that is no longer Catholic, a container emptied of its authentic content and filled with borrowed goods… the advent of the antichrist is inevitable”(LifeSiteNews Feb 4th 2020).

A prophesy attributed to St Francis of Assisi is startling in its relevance for our times:

HANDS OFF OUR KIDS

PROTECTING PARENTAL CHOICE IN THE CLASSROOM

This CD of the compelling talk given by Charlotte McQuaid-Bruen at Catholic Voice annual conference 2019, sums up the proposed sex education to be taught across schools in Ireland in 2020. Parents, grandparents, friends, family members and clergy need to be informed about what their children are going to be subjected to.

Please help spread this talk TODAY. 4 CDs inc p&p €20 1 CD inc p&p €7.50 Complete coupon and return with cheque/postal order to John Lacken, Ballinlough, Claremorris, Co Mayo F12 TN23 Name: ...........................................................................................

Address: ........................................................................................ ....................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................

Phone No: .....................................................................................

Please send me ______copies of the CD - ‘Hands off our Kids’ Total Enclosed: € ________ To pay by post with credit/debit card please complete: Card number: ______________________________________ Expiry Date: _________________ C.V.V._______________

22nd October 2021

“The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and deceptions both spiritual and temporal will abound, the charity of many will grow cold and the malice of the wicked will increase. The devils will have unusual power; the immaculate purity of our Order and others will be so much obscured …few Christians that obey the true sovereign pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity.

At the time of this tribulation, a man not canonically elected, will be raised to the pontificate, who by his cunning will endeavour to draw many into error and death. Then scandals will be multiplied, our order will be divided and many others will be entirely destroyed because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy that accept those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not guided, amid such confusion, by the immense mercy of God…those who persevere their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and persecutions as rebels and schismatics, for their persecutors, urged on by evil spirits will say they are rendering great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the earth.

But the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted and will save all who trust in Him…Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days our Lord Jesus Christ will send them not a true pastor, but a destroyer”(Works of the Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi. Pg. 248-250) St Maximillian Kolbe formed the Militia Immaculata after witnessing freemasons demonstrating in Rome in 1917, and “proclaiming the destruction of the Church…he especially singled out the conversion of the freemasons as one of the main purposes. He said ‘Modern times are dominated by Satan and will be more so in the future…The Immaculata alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan’”(Freemasonry.

Mankind’s Hidden Enemy. Bro Charles Madden OFM, Conv.)

On January 3rd 1944, Sr. Lucia had a vision in which she saw a devastating war and heard the words “Hatred and ambition cause the destructive war”…

Our Lord confided in her heart the way forward: “this is the penance and prayer that the Lord now asks and demands: prayer and penance, public and collective, with abstaining from sins”(A Pathway Under the Gaze of Mary. Biography of Sr. Lucia).

She said that the Lord uses this to convert the indifferent and attract unbelievers. “Pray the Rosary every day to achieve peace for the world” Our Lady said at Fatima in1917.

22nd October 2021

MAMMY 29

Catholic Voice

Mammy - A Pro-Life Song Christy Bracken

Mammy.

Mammy I’m your baby, Hug me and caress me, Nourish and protect me, ‘Cause Mammy I’m your baby.

I want to look into your eyes, When you tuck me into bed at night, Smile and kiss you tenderly, ‘Cause Mammy I’m your baby.

Mammy I’m your baby, Hug me and caress me, Nourish and protect me, ‘Cause Mammy I’m your baby.

I want to be there when your old, And keep you warm from winter’s cold, Together we can make it through, ‘Cause you love me and I love you, And I just want to be with you.

They try to tell you I’m not real, But deep down I know you feel, Me wriggle ‘round inside of you, Mammy that’s what babies do.

I want to watch the flowers grow, The mountains tall all white with snow, Run and jump into the sea, You running, chasing after me.

Please Help Us To Promote The Five First Saturdays of Reparation Order Some of Our New Five First Saturday Devotions Cards These cards are designed to help people to complete The Five First Saturdays Devotion of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Contact John Lacken 085-1208779 secretary@lumenfidei.ie

Fatima Prayer

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He Himself is offended, and through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.

“To forestall this [the second world war], I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.

“If they heed My requests, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace. If not, she shall spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecutions of the Church; the good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated; in the end, My Immaculate Heart shall triumph.

(Our Lady - Fatima July 13th 1917)

30 BOOKS

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH DURING THIS CRISIS BUY CATHOLIC BOOKS! DON’T GO TO HELL Catholic Church Teaching on Hell

THE CHURCH IN OUR TIMES

This book contains three essays, one in question & answer format, from a time when pastors were more direct and ‘plain speaking’ in presenting the Truth of Catholic doctrine to their flocks.

They were primarily concerned with the salvation of the souls entrusted to their care rather than being overly concerned about whether or not their flocks would find these Truths offensive or difficult.

They sought the Praise and Glory of God, and not the praise of men.

is a series of reflections on topical issues concerning the Catholic Church and the practice of the faith ranging from ‘Faith and Culture’, to ‘GLBT – New thinking’, to ‘Purgatory and Remembrance’. Fr Hahesy’s style is conversational and he weaves through the various topics all the while pointing to the soul’s need for God. “The daily prayers at the end of this book, will ensure the salvation of our soul and a happier life here. Please believe me. It does not seem much to ask for such a great reward. To know and love God is the ultimate good whether people know this or not, accept it or not.”

€/£7 inc p&p Ireland €/£8.50 inc p&p outside Ireland

€/£10 inc p&p Ireland €/£12 inc p&p outside Ireland

Purgatory - How to Avoid it

One rarely hears sermons preached on the four last things; death, judgement, Heaven & Hell, and this has led to a decline in belief concerning these matters.

CRISIS OF FAITH Bishop Athanasius Schneider This DVD presentation offers two 50-minute talks by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, delivered during a visit to Ramsgate, Kent, in February 2016.

Talks include, ‘The Immutability of the Catholic Faith’, ‘The Crisis of Faith in Our Days’ and ‘Blessed John Henry Newman and the Sacredness of the Liturgy’.

Also included are highlights from the Holy Hour and Benediction, with bishop Schneider reading meditations by St Peter Julian Eymard. €/£6 inc p&p Ireland €/£8.50 inc p&p outside Ireland

SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

This really is a fantastic book which presents Catholic teaching on sin in a simple, clear and precise way. You will learn about the nature of sin, about the different kinds of sin, mortal and venial, formal and material sins.

Reflections on the Abortion Issue in Ireland.

Those of us here on earth can help to shorten the time that Holy Souls must spend in Purgatory. This book teaches us how best to help the Holy Souls in purgatory

The book also teaches us about sins of omission. After discussing sin, the book then speaks of the great graces offered to us in the sacrament of confession, it teaches us about temptations, about Christ’s suffering and death on the cross, and then it finishes with a very hope filled chapter on the joys of the resurrection.

Many countries, including Ireland, have removed the right to life from the Constitution and given the legislature the power to legalise abortion, which by definition is the intentional killing of the unborn child.

The assumption is that unborn babies have no human rights. The essays in this monograph expose the fallacy that unborn babies do not have the right to life and may be ‘terminated’ if that is the ‘choice’ of the mother. In the New Ireland, human killing is now legal. It is estimated that 800 – 900 unwanted unborn babies are ‘terminated’ every month. Abortion has become the murder machine of our time.”

€/£7 inc p&p Ireland €/£8.50 inc p&p outside Ireland

€/£10 inc p&p Ireland €/£12 inc p&p outside Ireland

€/£13.50 inc p&p Ireland €/£15 inc p&p outside Ireland

The souls of most of those who die in a state of grace, will spend some time in Purgatory to be purified before they can enter the all holy realm of Heaven.

Book Title/s: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Credit/Debit Card Number: __________________________________________________ Expiry Date: _______________________________ C.V.V. ________________ Total Enclosed: €/£__________________________ Name: _________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Post Code: __________________________________ Daytime Tel: ________________________________

Send completed form with cheque/postal order made payable to Catholic Voice or with credit/debit card details to: Catholic Voice, St Michael’s House, Castlemitchell South, Athy, Co Kildare, Ireland or telephone 059 8627268 (00353 59862726 8 from outside Ireland) Please allow 14 working days for delivery.

CLASSIFIEDS 31

22nd October 2021 Catholic Voice

CLASSIFIEDS Services

TELEPHONE 00353 59 8627268

REGULAR TRADITIONAL LATIN MASSES IN IRELAND

Welcome To Our New Lourdes Website saintbernadette.info Included are the following: The life and times of St Bernadette: The Importance of the Holy Rosary for our times: The Lourdes Apparitions: The Song of Bernadette Movie: Prayer cards on request and much much more. Contact via email morgansharpesenior@gmail.com

Next issue of

CatholicVoice On sale in churches, newsagents & bookshops from

05 November 2021

(LISTED BY DIOCESE) DAILY & WEEKLY Meath: Silverstream Priory (Benedictine monks) Armagh: New Mellifont Abbey, Collon, Co. Louth Stamullen: Sunday 10.00 preceded by Terce, other days 11.00.

Every Sunday 3pm.

Meath: Church of the Nativity, Johnstown, Navan, Co. Meath Cork & Ross: Ss Peter’s & Paul’s, Cork: Sundays 12.00 noon, Sundays 1pm; First Fridays 11am; Holydays as announced.

Mon - Sat 10.00.

Ossory: St. Patrick’s, College Rd, Kilkenny; Sun 17.00.

Cork & Ross: St Mary’s, Pope’s Quay, Cork. Sundays 8:00am Raphoe: St. Patrick’s, Drumkeen, Donegal Sun 11.00. in the Dominican Rite; Down & Connor: Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Waterford: (FSSP) St. John’s Church, Parnell Street, Waterford Sunday: 8 and 11am, Mon-Fri (ex Thurs), 19:00. Thurs: 8am, City – Every Sunday 1:30pm, Mon 1:00pm, Tues – Friday Sat: 8am, 11am.

Dromore: St.Mary’s, Newry: Sundays and Holydays 9.00am.

Dublin: St. Kevin’s, Harrington Street: Sundays & non working Holy Days: 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00; (Vespers Sun 3:30pm.) Mon - Fri 08.00; Sat 09.00.

Working Holidays & 1st Fridays; 08.00 and 19.00.

Dublin: St. Joseph’s, Newtownmountkennedy Co Wicklow Sat 11:00 Elphin: Church of the Sacred Heart and St Barry, Whitehall, Tarmonbarry, Co Roscommon. Every Sunday 5pm Ferns: (FSSP) St. Alphonsus, Barntown, Co Wexford: Every Sunday 17.00 (Sung Mass 1st and 3rd Sundays), Holy days as announced.

Galway: Chapel of St. Mary’s College, St. Mary’s Road (ICKSP) Sun 15:00 Limerick: Sacred Heart, The Crescent (ICKSP) Sun 8am, 10.30am, 6pm; Mon-Weds 08.00 and 18.00; Thurs 8:00, Friday 18.00; Saturday 08.00 & 10:30 (followed by 1st Saturday devotions)

19:30 (19:00 1st Fridays) Sat 11:00am, Holydays as announced.

TWICE MONTHLY Derry: St. Columba’s , Longtower: First and Third Sunday 14:00 MONTHLY Armagh: St. Patrick’s, Dungannon, Co Tyrone: First Saturday 14.00.

Cork & Ross: St. Francis, Liberty St. Cork : First Saturday 13.00.

Derry: St. Marys, Aughabrack, Co Tyrone: Fourth Sunday 12.45 Elphin: St. John’s, Carraoe, Co Sligo ; Last Sunday Killaloe: St. Joseph ‘s, Ennis, Co Clare: First Sunday 17:30 Tuam: St. John the Baptist, (Old Parish Knock, Co Mayo; Second Sunday 17.30.

Every effort has been made to ensure this list is up to date.

Please contact The Latin Mass Society of Ireland in the event of any changes or errors.

Email: adminmass@latinmassireland.com

Visit our all-new website today!

Mass Cards

Enrollment Books

All Occasion Gifts

It’s now easier than ever to have Mass cards, enrolment books & religious gifts delivered directly to your door.

Web: www.mscmissions.ie Email: info@mscmissions.ie Tel: +353 (0)21 4545704

32 ADVERT

Catholic Voice

22nd October 2021

Notwithstanding the recent Papal Decree of His Holiness Pope Francis through the Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation, Knock shrine, Ireland’s Unique International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine since the 21st of August 1879, continues to give perpetual 24/7 pre-eminence to, Mary, the mother of Christ over her Son Jesus Christ Who is truly, really and substantially present, as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar, the Eucharistic tabernacle and the monstrance of exposition of the Most Holy Eucharist.

“Be not deceived, God is not mocked.”

Published by: Catholic Voice Newspapers, St Michael’s House, Castlemitchell South, Athy, County Kildare. Tel 059-8627268 ROI / 00353 - 59 8627268 Publisher: Anthony Murphy.

Layout by: Lumen Fidei