The Late Great United States

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Readers of this blog know the only reason why I include the predictions of Gerald Celente is because of his remarkable track record of accuracy.

This is it. This year will likely be the last good year the United States will see for decades, and we've only got a few months left. The collapse of the United States begins within the next few months. It starts with a complete and total collapse of the stock market, followed by the collapse of what's left of the economy, a greater rise in unemployment, and the complete meltdown of the dollar. After that, your guess is as good as mine.

Right now a lot of people are getting into survivalist mode. They're stocking up on food, water and ammunition. While having an emergency stash of necessities, and the means to defend it, is always a good idea, no matter what the circumstances, I do not believe the survivalist mentality will be sufficient enough to get people through this crisis.

The way to survival lies in community not survivalism. The way to recovery lies in making connections, and forming small communities of people you can trust, for the purpose of trade and charity. The place to start this is in our local parishes (churches). For Catholics the time has come for small groups to pull together and figure out how we're going to help each other out. Of course, it would be advisable for everybody to stock up on some things, but there are very few of us who can stock up on everything. That's why we need each other. That's why the time for networking is now. PASTORS TAKE NOTE - THIS MEANS YOU!!! It is your job to care for the spiritual well being of your parishioners. You know as well as I do that spiritual well being and physical well being are often interconnected. This impending crisis is a GRAND OPPORTUNITY for you as a spiritual leader to "kill two birds with one stone," by getting your congregation networked into small groups of parishioners who live in relative close proximity to each other. By doing this you create a tight knit community, of people who spiritually and materially depend on each other. The potential to create a strong community has never been higher. ACT NOW or you'll regret it later when the "stuff hits the fan" and you're having to play catch up.

HOW?

1. Start organizing weekly small groups in volunteers' homes.  The home owner is the "leader" of the small group per se' but that leadership only involves hosting activities.  Of course every member continues to go to mass at the local parish just as he normally would.
2. No teaching or catechesis activities will take place in this setting.  That is solely the responsibility of the pastor.  Instead, participants will do either the rosary or evening prayer from the office.
3. This will be followed by a pot-luck for building relationships and talking.
4. The pastor charges each group with coming up with a long term survival plan in the event of a national or local emergency.
5. The "leaders" of each group report to the parish pastor in one meeting every month, to compare notes and determine how best to coordinate between groups -- subsidiarity.

Popes Speak Against U.S. Democrat Party

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The modern Democratic Party in the United States is Socialist.  This is not a partisan epitaph on my part, as I am not a Republican.  I am a Catholic Monarchist at heart, but in practicality I am a Constitutionist, in the sense that I believe American government should strictly follow the U.S. Constitution in the absence of a monarch regardless of political ideologies.  So I'm not into using partisan epitaphs against the Democrats.  I deplore the Republican Party as well, and see both Democrats and Republicans as two sides of the same problem.  That being said, I am a Catholic before anything else, and anyone who claims the name "Catholic" must adhere to the teachings of the Church and heed the message of the popes.  The popes of the late 19th through early 21st century have spoken plainly on the issue of Socialism.  We would do well to read and pay close attention.  Likewise, it is no secret that the modern Democratic Party has wholeheartedly and unreservedly embraced Socialism as it's driving political principle under the leadership of President Barack Obama, Senator Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  So now that the Democrats are Socialists, here is what the popes have to say about the new Democratic Party.... 


PIUS IX (1846-1878):
“Overthrow [of] the entire order of human affairs”
“You are aware indeed, that the goal of this most iniquitous plot is to drive people to overthrow the entire order of human affairs and to draw them over to the wicked theories of this Socialism and Communism, by confusing them with perverted teachings.” (Encyclical Nostis et Nobiscum, December 8, 1849)

LEO XIII (1878-1903):
Hideous monster
“…communism, socialism, nihilism, hideous deformities of the civil society of men and almost its ruin.” (Encyclical Diuturnum, June 29, 1881)

Ruin of all institutions
“… For, the fear of God and reverence for divine laws being taken away, the authority of rulers despised, sedition permitted and approved, and the popular passions urged on to lawlessness, with no restraint save that of punishment, a change and overthrow of all things will necessarily follow. Yea, this change and overthrow is deliberately planned and put forward by many associations of communists and socialists” (Encyclical Humanum Genus, April 20, 1884, n. 27).

A sect “that threatens civil society with destruction”

“…We speak of that sect of men who, under various and almost barbarous names, are called socialists, communists, or nihilists, and who, spread over all the world, and bound together by the closest ties in a wicked confederacy, no longer seek the shelter of secret meetings, but, openly and boldly marching forth in the light of day, strive to bring to a head what they have long been planning – the overthrow of all civil society whatsoever. Surely, these are they who, as the sacred Scriptures testify, ‘Defile the flesh, despise dominion and blaspheme majesty.’ (Jud. 8).” (Encyclical Quod Apostolici Muneris, December 28, 1878, n. 1)

Socialists debase the natural union of man and woman and assail the right of property
“They [socialists, communists, or nihilists] debase the natural union of man and woman, which is held sacred even among barbarous peoples; and its bond, by which the family is chiefly held together, they weaken, or even deliver up to lust. Lured, in fine, by the greed of present goods, which is ‘the root of all evils, which some coveting have erred from the faith’ (1 Tim. 6:10.3), they assail the right of property sanctioned by natural law; and by a scheme of horrible wickedness, while they seem desirous of caring for the needs and satisfying the desires of all men, they strive to seize and hold in common whatever has been acquired either by title of lawful inheritance, or by labor of brain and hands, or by thrift in one’s mode of life.” (Encyclical Quod Apostolici Muneris, December 28, 1878, n. 1)

Destructive sect
“…socialists and members of other seditious societies, who labor unceasingly to destroy the State even to its foundations.” (Encyclical Libertas Praestantissimum, June 20, 1888)

Enemy of society and of Religion
“…there is need for a union of brave minds with all the resources they can command. The harvest of misery is before our eyes, and the dreadful projects of the most disastrous national upheavals are threatening us from the growing power of the socialistic movement. They have insidiously worked their way into the very heart of the community, and in the darkness of their secret gatherings, and in the open light of day, in their writings and their harangues, they are urging the masses onward to sedition; they fling aside religious discipline; they scorn duties; they clamor only for rights; they are working incessantly on the multitudes of the needy which daily grow greater, and which, because of their poverty are easily deluded and led into error. It is equally the concern of the State and of religion, and all good men should deem it a sacred duty to preserve and guard both in the honor which is their due.” (Encyclical Graves de Communi Re, January 18, 1901, n. 21)

SAINT PIUS X (1903-1914):
The dream of re-shaping society will bring socialism
“But stranger still, alarming and saddening at the same time, are the audacity and frivolity of men who call themselves Catholics and dream of re-shaping society under such conditions, and of establishing on earth, over and beyond the pale of the Catholic Church, ‘the reign of love and justice’ … What are they going to produce? … A mere verbal and chimerical construction in which we shall see, glowing in a jumble, and in seductive confusion, the words Liberty, Justice, Fraternity, Love, Equality, and human exultation, all resting upon an ill-understood human dignity. It will be a tumultuous agitation, sterile for the end proposed, but which will benefit the less Utopian exploiters of the people. Yes, we can truly say that the Sillon, its eyes fixed on a chimera, brings Socialism in its train.” (Apostolic Letter Notre Charge Apostolique ["Our Apostolic Mandate"] to the French Bishops, August 15, 1910, condemning the movement Le Sillon)

BENEDICT XV (1914-1922):
The condemnation of socialism should never be forgotten
“It is not our intention here to repeat the arguments which clearly expose the errors of Socialism and of similar doctrines. Our predecessor, Leo XIII, most wisely did so in truly memorable Encyclicals; and you, Venerable Brethren, will take the greatest care that those grave precepts are never forgotten, but that whenever circumstances call for it, they should be clearly expounded and inculcated in Catholic associations and congresses, in sermons and in the Catholic press.” (Encyclical Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum, November 1, 1914, n. 13)

PIUS XI (1922-1939):
“No one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist.”Socialism, fundamentally contrary to Christian truth
“… For Socialism, which could then be termed almost a single system and which maintained definite teachings reduced into one body of doctrine, has since then split chiefly into two sections, often opposing each other and even bitterly hostile, without either one however abandoning a position fundamentally contrary to Christian truth that was characteristic of Socialism.” (Encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, May 15, 1931, n. 111)

Socialism cannot be reconciled with Catholic Doctrine
“But what if Socialism has really been so tempered and modified as to the class struggle and private ownership that there is in it no longer anything to be censured on these points? Has it thereby renounced its contradictory nature to the Christian religion? This is the question that holds many minds in suspense. And numerous are the Catholics who, although they clearly understand that Christian principles can never be abandoned or diminished seem to turn their eyes to the Holy See and earnestly beseech Us to decide whether this form of Socialism has so far recovered from false doctrines that it can be accepted without the sacrifice of any Christian principle and in a certain sense be baptized. That We, in keeping with Our fatherly solicitude, may answer their petitions, We make this pronouncement: Whether considered as a doctrine, or an historical fact, or a movement, Socialism, if it remains truly Socialism, even after it has yielded to truth and justice on the points which we have mentioned, cannot be reconciled with the teachings of the Catholic Church because its concept of society itself is utterly foreign to Christian truth.” (Ibid. n. 117)

Catholic Socialism, a contradiction
“[Socialism] is based nevertheless on a theory of human society peculiar to itself and irreconcilable with true Christianity. Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are contradictory terms; no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist.” (Ibid. n. 120)
Pope_Pius_XII_sedia_gestatoria.jpg
Pius XII

PIUS XII (1939-1958):
The Church will fight to the end, in defense of supreme values threatened by socialism
“[The Church undertook] the protection of the individual and the family against a current threatening to bring about a total socialization which in the end would make the specter of the ‘Leviathan’ become a shocking reality. The Church will fight this battle to the end, for it is a question of supreme values: the dignity of man and the salvation of souls.” (“Radio message to the Katholikentag of Vienna,” September 14, 1952 in Discorsi e Radiomessaggi, vol. XIV, p. 314)

The state can not be regarded as being above all
“To consider the State as something ultimate to which everything else should be subordinated and directed, cannot fail to harm the true and lasting prosperity of nations.” (Encyclical Summi Pontificatus, October 20, 1939, n. 60)

JOHN XXIII (1958-1963):
“No Catholic could subscribe even to moderate socialism”
“Pope Pius XI further emphasized the fundamental opposition between Communism and Christianity, and made it clear that no Catholic could subscribe even to moderate Socialism. The reason is that Socialism is founded on a doctrine of human society which is bounded by time and takes no account of any objective other than that of material well-being. Since, therefore, it proposes a form of social organization which aims solely at production, it places too severe a restraint on human liberty, at the same time flouting the true notion of social authority.” (Encyclical Mater et Magistra, May 15, 1961, n. 34)

PAUL VI (1963-1978):
Too often Christians tend to idealize socialism
“Too often Christians attracted by socialism tend to idealize it in terms which, apart from anything else, are very general: a will for justice, solidarity and equality. They refuse to recognize the limitations of the historical socialist movements, which remain conditioned by the ideologies from which they originated.” (Apostolic Letter Octogesima Adveniens, May 14, 1971, n. 31)

JOHN PAUL II (1978-2005):
Socialism: Danger of a “simple and radical solution”
“It may seem surprising that ‘socialism’ appeared at the beginning of the Pope’s critique of solutions to the ‘question of the working class’ at a time when ‘socialism’ was not yet in the form of a strong and powerful State, with all the resources which that implies, as was later to happen. However, he correctly judged the danger posed to the masses by the attractive presentation of this simple and radical solution to the ‘question of the working class.’” (Encyclical Centesimus Annus − On the 100th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, May 1, 1991, n. 12)

Fundamental error of socialism: A mistaken conception of the person
“Continuing our reflections, … we have to add that the fundamental error of socialism is anthropological in nature. Socialism considers the individual person simply as an element, a molecule within the social organism, so that the good of the individual is completely subordinated to the functioning of the socio-economic mechanism. Socialism likewise maintains that the good of the individual can be realized without reference to his free choice, to the unique and exclusive responsibility which he exercises in the face of good or evil. Man is thus reduced to a series of social relationships, and the concept of the person as the autonomous subject of moral decision disappears, the very subject whose decisions build the social order. From this mistaken conception of the person there arise both a distortion of law, which defines the sphere of the exercise of freedom, and an opposition to private property.” (Ibid, n. 13)

BENEDICT XVI (2005 – present):
“We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything”

“The State which would provide everything, absorbing everything into itself, would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy incapable of guaranteeing the very thing which the suffering person − every person − needs: namely, loving personal concern. We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything, but a State which, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports initiatives arising from the different social forces and combines spontaneity with closeness to those in need. … In the end, the claim that just social structures would make works of charity superfluous masks a materialist conception of man: the mistaken notion that man can live ‘by bread alone’ (Mt 4:4; cf. Dt 8:3) − a conviction that demeans man and ultimately disregards all that is specifically human.” (Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, December 25, 2005, n. 28)

Slouching Toward Objectivism

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: It's called "Objectivism" and Ayn Rand is considered it's founder. It is in today's world what Karl Marx's "Socialism" was to the world of the late 19th century. Today it is nothing more than an ideal, a dream if you will, which the movers and shakers of tomorrow salivate over with anticipation. The Socialist Revolution of the early 20th century (in Russia, America and Europe) gave birth to the bloodiest epic in human history - World War I, World War II and the Cold War. Will the 21st century see the birth of Socialism's nemesis - Objectivism?  If so, what carnage will that bring?

To understand the question we must first look at the players in today's world. I first learned of Rand's "Objectivism" while listening to the Rush Limbaugh radio show back in the early 1990s. Limbaugh, one of the godfathers of modern political conservatism, was pushing Rand's book on his radio show, singing the praises of Rand and her ideology. Of course I immediately went out and bought the book "Atlas Shrugged" and found it to be a disappointing bore. I thought perhaps if I purchased the audiobook I might get something more out of it. Again, I was unimpressed. That's just me though. Other conservative radio talk show hosts seem to get a lot more out of it. Over and over again, I heard Rand's books pushed by one conservative talk show host after another, the latest of which is Glenn Beck.

The irony of the modern Conservative movement in American politics is it's seeming willingness to embrace the philosophy of Rand and somehow ignore it's ultimately conclusion - Atheism! Why is that? Do they believe they can play with fire and not get burned? Or is there something more sinister afoot here? Have they already been burned, but would like you to believe they haven't?

In recent days we've seen a paradigm shift in both the Republican Party and the Conservative movement in general. In the wake of the most radical Socialist Congress and Whitehouse in American history, Conservative leaders have pushed to the sidelines moral issues, like abortion and gay-marriage, in favor of a pure economic focus. Many Conservative media icons (including Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh) have actually come out in favor of legally embracing sodomy through gay-marriage and civil unions. This of course came to the shock and dismay of many of their Christian supporters throughout the United States. Again, we won't find such behavior backed by Ayn Rand, who disliked homosexuality, but it does become a logical conclusion to the philosophy of Objectivism she championed.  The influence of Objectivism over the Conservative leaders of our time is starting to rear it's ugly head.

Pluralism is the idea that religious truth is different for different people.  At it's core it is Objectivist and Existential.  This is the religion of the Freemasons and it is the religion upon which the American Republic was founded.  Under Pluralism, all religions are "equal," there is no objective truth outside of reason, and in the political ideal, all religions are embraced.  Secularism in contrast, is the idea that religion should be completely separated from all public life, including business and society, but most especially in government.  Religion becomes a purely private matter.  While modern Democrats and Liberals have embraced both Socialism and Secularism, rooted in Karl Marx, it would appear the modern Republicans and Conservatives are in the process of embracing unbridled Capitalism and Pluralism - both Objectivist at heart and rooted in Ayn Rand.

As Catholics, this should be particularly disturbing to us.  While we will inevitably find some points of common alliance with the Modern Conservative (a.k.a. "Neoconservative") struggle against Socialist Marxism, we're going to eventually clash with it in a very serious way.

BREAKING: Glenn Beck Hits Nail On Head - America's Problem Is Spiritual

(AP) - Beck put a heavy religious cast on nearly all his remarks, sounding at times like an evangelical preacher.

"Something beyond imagination is happening," he said. "America today begins to turn back to God."

Beck exhorted the crowd to "recognize your place to the creator. Realize that he is our king. He is the one who guides and directs our life and protects us." He asked his audience to pray more. "I ask, not only if you would pray on your knees, but pray on your knees but with your door open for your children to see," he said....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT:  The tone of this rally was significantly different than the TEA Parties forming across America.  This rally had a much more "spiritual" tone to it.  The typical home made protest signs were left at home.  Crowds cheered instead of jeered.  Overall the rally was a success, as somewhere between 300,000 to a million people showed up.  As usual everything was peaceful and tidy, as participants cleaned up after themselves before leaving the mall.  Generally, it was a good witness to the character of God-fearing (non-Socialist) Americas.

Now as a Catholic I would have preferred a more Christ centered message.  I also would have preferred a more Church centered message.  In typical fashion, Glenn Beck kept the tone of the message very general, almost Deist in nature.  "Something beyond imagination is happening... America today begins to turn back to God" said the 46 year-old Mormon.  I only wish I could share his enthusiasm.  I do hope he's right though.  I do hope the man has his finger on the pulse of America and his prediction comes true.  I don't agree with Beck's religious views, and based on his speech today, I don't think he expects any of us to.  However, he did do one thing right today.  If this event should be remembered for anything it should be this.  Today, in our nation's capitol, below the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and in the shadow of the Washington monument, nearly one-million Americans admitted that the cause of all our nation's woes is because we have been "wandering in darkness" and have lost our faith in God.  Oh, if only Beck and his audience knew just how profound of an admission that was.  Where do I begin?

The Second American Revolution

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: International readers take note. If you want to fight against the Socialist tyranny in your country, this is how it's done....

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...

US Declaration of Independence

July 4th, 1776

Anglican Use Ordinariates Become Refuge For Roman Catholics Seeking Renewal

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THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: For all the talk of the new English translation of the Roman Missal, many US Catholics will still be faced with some daunting liturgical problems even after the vernacular reform is put into place in Advent of 2011.

Above we have a side-by-side comparison.  Sadly, YouTube did not have a complete Anglican Use mass on file so I was forced to provide two different formats.  Hopefully, they will both show up on your computer and you can run them side by side.  If not, I'm sorry.  Formatting problems leave me just as helpless as you.

As you can see the video on the left comes from an Anglican Use mass, while the video on the right is of a more typical Roman Rite mass according to the ordinary form.  Which one do you think a growing number of Catholics are interested in?

Roman Catholics, of the general Roman Rite, will likely be free to join Anglican Use ordinariate parishes without being under the ordinary bishop.  They can maintain their diocesan status, under the diocesan bishop, but actively participate as a member in the Anglican ordinariate parish.  My guess is, the way things are being run in the US Catholic Church, a whole lot of them will.

New Mass Translation - Why?

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: This day has been a long time coming. The new English translation of the Roman Missal has been approved by the Vatican and will OFFICIALLY begin in every English-speaking Catholic parish on November 27, 2011. THANK GOD!

All across the United States, Catholics are wondering why? Why do we need yet another new mass? What was wrong with the old mass? Why do they keep changing things? I'll be happy to answer those questions.

First and foremost, the mass is NOT changing. The mass will remain the same. The missal we will be using will be the same one promulgated in 1969. So the mass isn't changing. What's changing is our ENGLISH TRANSLATION of the mass. Remember, Rome promulgated the new 1969 missal originally in Latin. That new missal was subsequently translated into English, and this is the mass we are all familiar with today. However, during the pontificate of John Paul II, the Holy Father noticed something as he made his travels to English-speaking nations. He noticed that the English translation of the new missal was different depending on what English-speaking nation he was in. In the UK they translated the new missal one way. In Canada they translated it another, and still yet in the United States a different translation, and so on. Furthermore, some of these translations were considerably bad - very poor expressions of the original Latin text. So Pope John Paul II gave the order to create a universal English translation of the Roman Missal, which would properly translate the Latin text, and do so in a way that was beautiful and dignified. This has been a monumental work in progress for nearly twenty years!

Politics entered into the scene as well, because many English-speaking bishops did not want to change the translations they were currently using. This was especially the case in the United States which became somewhat of a "squeaky wheel" that needed a considerable amount of extra oil to keep the process going. Eventually, in 2001, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) officially requested a dispensation from the Vatican to be excused from the project entirely and continue using their own American English translation indefinitely.  Of course that was particularly problematic since the United States English translation was probably one of the worst ones out there.  In many ways, it was more of a paraphrase of the original Latin text, rather than a translation of it.  The reason cited by the USCCB for requesting to be excused from the project was because it might be "too hard" for US Catholics to adjust.   Years later the Vatican responded - officially - with a forceful "NO"!  In fact, the response stated that the American English translation was "defective" and the US bishops no longer had permission to use it.  Some bishops apparently didn't get the message and tried to vote down various portions of the new translation, but in the end their efforts failed, and the new translation was eventually passed by the USCCB and approved by the Vatican.  There are of course some bishops and priests who are still uptight about it, but regardless of their inhibitions, the new translation will take effect on November 27th 2011.  If these bishops and priests haven't dealt with their issues by then, they are free to say the mass in Latin, because the old English translation will no longer be permitted.

The new English translation has been hailed by English scholars around the world as a literary masterpiece unparalleled in modern history.  It is 100% true to the original Latin text, and yet beautifully rendered in both a practical and poetic way.  A quick comparison with the old English translation will reveal just how poorly translated the previous version was.  Here in the United States, we have two generations of Catholics who have never really and truly celebrated the liturgy of the mass as Rome intended back in 1969.  Instead what we've been celebrating is a watered-down paraphrased version of the liturgy.  It's caused a few problems.  The first and most noticeable problem is boredom at mass.  The English used for the old translation was written at a fourth grade level.  It is neither challenging nor inspiring.  The second problem it's created is innovations.  To combat the boredom at mass, some parishes have initiated creative liturgical innovations that some would describe as "liturgical abuse."   The third problem it's caused is backlash.  Some Catholics, who can no longer stand the poor translation, and the liturgical innovations that often accompany it, have given up on the New Roman Missal entirely, rejecting the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, and returning to the Old Roman Missal, the Missal of St. Pius V, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass.

Now the current Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is sympathetic toward those who prefer the Old Roman Missal.  He has made full provision for them in the form of Summorum Pontificum, the papal decree that has given them total liberty to continue to celebrate according to the Old Roman Missal throughout the entire Church with virtually no limitations on them whatsoever.  Simultaneously, the current Holy Father has actively worked toward finishing the new English translation started under the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.  That work is now done, approved and ready to be implemented.

As Catholics, the best thing we can do is embrace the new English translation of the Roman Missal with a spirit of humility and gratefulness.  It is a gift of unity to the English-speaking world.  Furthermore, as Catholics we should use the implementation of this new translation as an opportunity to implement in our personal worship some of the other things the Holy Father has recommended to us.  For starters, we should begin kneeling for communion and receiving in the mouth.  Did you know the Holy Father has recommended this to all Catholics, and commanded that local priests always make accommodation for you to do this?  Nobody can be denied communion for kneeling and receiving on the tongue.  The way to do it is simple.  When you go down the line to receive, and when it's your turn, simply kneel and open you mouth.  The priest will do the rest.  Catholic women should also take this opportunity to return to the time-honored sacramental of veiling to receive the graces associated with that.  Lastly, parish liturgy coordinators and parish boards should take this opportunity to restore some time-honored traditional Catholic customs, such as using incense and bells in mass, as well as finding ways to bring back some of the beauty and majesty that was once American Catholicism.

To learn more about the new English translation - click here.

Toward A Modern Christocracy

"I have been alternately called an aristocrat and a democrat. I am now neither. I am a Christocrat. I believe all power... will always fail of producing order and hapiness in the hands of man. HE alone who created and redeemed man is qualified to govern."

- Benjamin Rush, Signer of the U.S. Constitution

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(WND) - When was the last time you heard a "conservative" leader with a high media profile speak out against what can only be described as the pervasive glorification of the homosexual culture in our schools, media, entertainment industry, Madison Avenue and, of course, government in all of its forms?

There are a few, to be sure – Pat Buchanan and Michael Savage come to mind. Any others?

Meanwhile, the oldest and most prestigious "conservative" weekly in the nation is owned by a corporation run by an activist homosexual.

Ann Coulter is gleeful about speaking to a group called GOProud, which bills itself as a "conservative" Republican homosexual organization that supports same-sex marriage and open homosexual service in the military.

GOProud was accepted as a sponsor of the last annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Maybe she was persuaded to speak to that group by "conservative" leader Grover Norquist who sits on the board of GOProud.

"Conservative" icon Glenn Beck, in a conversation with Bill O'Reilly, said basically he doesn't care about the attack on traditional marriage. Asked if the California ruling will harm the country in any way, he responded: "No I don't. Will the gays come and get us? I believe that Thomas Jefferson said: 'If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket what difference is it to me?'"

Rush Limbaugh, the iconic leader of American conservatism, hired the noted homosexual singer Elton John to perform at his wedding. He has not aired one of his bitingly satirical "gay community updates" in years.

"Conservatives," it seems, are on the verge of not only accepting homosexuality's domination of the culture, but embracing it.

Not me – another reason I would prefer not to be considered or labeled as a "conservative."

Personally, I can't even imagine a world in which same-sex marriage becomes accepted, either by judicial force, or routine, through society's capitulation to pressure. It simply won't be the same world we have known throughout our lives. The natural order of things will be irrevocably altered and broken.

I can't even count how many times I've written in books and columns about why I am not a "conservative."

No matter how many times I do, I am still saddled with the label by friends and adversaries alike.

It seems everyone must be a conservative or a liberal in America today.

Today I write with a new reason: "Conservatives" don't recognize sin when they see it. Nearly the entire "conservative" establishment, such as it is, fears even mentioning this word or acknowledging its existence. And, I'm afraid, without that recognition, this is a movement that is hopelessly lost.

Let's take the issue of homosexuality.

In the Judeo-Christian biblical worldview, there can be no doubt that homosexual behavior is a sin – even a particularly grave sin in God's eyes, one He characterizes as "an abomination." God's Word is unequivocal on that point – New Testament or Old.

"Speechless: Silencing the Christians," by Don Wildmon, lays out determined strategy of coalition of liberal secularists, homosexual activists and Fortune 500 companies

Yet, increasingly it seems, American "conservatives" are shy about calling this sin what it is. They also seem oblivious to the societal costs of affirming homosexual behavior as acceptable, normal and morally and legally equivalent to heterosexual behavior – sexually transmitted diseases, gender confusion among children, the breakdown of traditional marriage and the family unit, child molestations, military cohesiveness, the spread of moral relativism and, as history has shown, cultural decay.

When was the last time you heard a "conservative" leader with a high media profile speak out against what can only be described as the pervasive glorification of the homosexual culture in our schools, media, entertainment industry, Madison Avenue and, of course, government in all of its forms?

There are a few, to be sure – Pat Buchanan and Michael Savage come to mind. Any others?

Meanwhile, the oldest and most prestigious "conservative" weekly in the nation is owned by a corporation run by an activist homosexual.

Ann Coulter is gleeful about speaking to a group called GOProud, which bills itself as a "conservative" Republican homosexual organization that supports same-sex marriage and open homosexual service in the military.

GOProud was accepted as a sponsor of the last annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Maybe she was persuaded to speak to that group by "conservative" leader Grover Norquist who sits on the board of GOProud.

"Conservative" icon Glenn Beck, in a conversation with Bill O'Reilly, said basically he doesn't care about the attack on traditional marriage. Asked if the California ruling will harm the country in any way, he responded: "No I don't. Will the gays come and get us? I believe that Thomas Jefferson said: 'If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket what difference is it to me?'"

Rush Limbaugh, the iconic leader of American conservatism, hired the noted homosexual singer Elton John to perform at his wedding. He has not aired one of his bitingly satirical "gay community updates" in years.

"Conservatives," it seems, are on the verge of not only accepting homosexuality's domination of the culture, but embracing it.

Not me – another reason I would prefer not to be considered or labeled as a "conservative."

Personally, I can't even imagine a world in which same-sex marriage becomes accepted, either by judicial force, or routine, through society's capitulation to pressure. It simply won't be the same world we have known throughout our lives. The natural order of things will be irrevocably altered and broken.

It's a very big deal, and, sadly, "conservatives" are letting it happen. They aren't fighting. They are capitulating. They are compromising. They are becoming part of the problem, not the solution. Their standards are being destroyed.

Just exactly what is it that "conservatives" are trying to "conserve"? Free enterprise? Why? Because it works? So does traditional marriage. It's been proven for 5,000 years. It's the building block of any self-governing society. Without it we have chaos – sexual anarchy. I like free enterprise, too. But I know it's best because private property is affirmed by the Bible. So is marriage between one man and one woman. That's my standard....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: This recent column by Joseph Farah is timely. It comes at the cusp of an electoral revolution this November when "Conservatives" and Christians will turn out to the polls in record number. Presumably, the Republican Party will be the big winner that day, with perhaps some moderate local victories for up and coming Constitution Party candidates. It's an encouraging sign, but will it be enough? Not likely. As Mr. Farah points out in his article, the so-called "Conservatives" are caving in all around us. All of the icons we've come to know and trust over the last two decades are falling, one by one, to the seductive allure of sexual relativism. It's becoming painfully obvious that what primarily drives these "Conservative" personalities is economics. For them it has little to do with the moral collapse that is eroding the very foundation of our society, culture and civilization. All of the "Conservative" economics in the world won't save us if our moral compass is spinning wildly out of control.

As of the date of this writing, less than three months out from that fateful election, Christians in this nation are left with a startling realization. American "Conservatism" is not the type of Conservatism we thought it was! Of course, some of us (yours truly included) have known that for a while. Now however, the bomb has been dropped, and simultaneously so have the jaws of the rest of you out there. American "Conservatism" has really nothing to do with Biblical Christianity at all now does it.

That is one reason why I'm a card carrying member of the Constitution Party. In the narrow political sense I guess you could call me a "Constitutionist," but a quick glance at the platform of the Constitution Party will reveal a lot more than just an adherence to a strict constructionist ideology. There is more, much more. The platform reveals a strong traditional Christian approach to good government that would be most appealing to any traditional Catholic or conservative Evangelical. Why? Because it relies on the basic Christian moral standard of the last 2,000 years. In a broader sense, the platform of the Constitution Party is not only constructionist, but also very Christ centered. It embodies what Benjamin Rush called the marriage of Christianity and Democracy - a "Christocracy" if you will - in which he labeled himself a "Christocrat." I wonder of this is the term Joseph Farah is looking for? Perhaps.

The idea of Christocracy does have a strong undercurrent on the Internet, and various movements do appear to be coming to a convergence. Creating a "Christocratic Party" would be very foolish at this point in history - probably a miserable failure too. Far better it would be to go along with what the Constitution Party has done, creating a platform based on strict constructionist and Christocratic ideals, but at the same time leaving the identity of the party open enough to attract non-Christians as well.

So in a broader sense, I am more than a Constitutionist. I am also a Christocrat, and the general term "Conservative" really has no meaning to me anymore. For the Conservatives of today are little more than the Liberals of yesteryear.

BREAKING: Obama Admits He Is A Muslim !!!

(Israel Today) - "The American President told me in confidence that he is a Muslim," said Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Nile TV.

read full story here

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THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Is President Barack Hussein Obama a Muslim? I don't know. Weigh the evidence, and then you decide.

Ghost Of Reagan Returns To Haunt Democrats

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT:  The ghost of Ronald Reagan has returned to haunt the Socialists Democrats (what's the difference?), and this particular election in November will determine if Americans are still Americans, or if we've totally succumbed to the influence of Karl Marx.  While The Catholic Knight is not a Republican (I'm actually a Constitutionist and member of the Constitution Party), there are various elements of Reagan's philosophy that are appealing to me, as well they should be to any American who loves America.




As pointed out in a previous blog entry, the new Democrats are Socialists, plain and simple, and there is no debate on that. THEY'VE ADMITTED IT!!! (see proof here) Our Lady of Fatima warned us about these people. Those serving in Congress and the Whitehouse as of right now (August 2010) are of the very ilk that Our Lord's mother, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, warned us about nearly 100 years ago. Socialism IS Communism - the philosophy is identical - the only difference is in how strongly the Socialism is enforced, and all it comes down to the philosophy of Karl Marx and his cohorts. If you're a Catholic, and you're buying into this Socialist nonsense spouted by the Democratic Party (DNC) then you're falling for the very grave errors Our Lady warned the three shepherd children about nearly a century ago.




How do I explain to my readers what is going on? How do I open your eyes? Let me put it this way. Fascism and Communism are two sides to the same coin - Socialism - and Socialism is Marxism. It's all the same thing. No nation in the history of the world ever described itself as "communist." That's right, not even the old Soviet Union considered itself "communist." It referred to itself as the "Union of Soviet SOCIALIST Republics" (USSR). The word NAZI was an abbreviation for "National SOCIALISM" (NAZI). Socialism itself is the brainchild of Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels who co-authored the Communist Manifesto in 1848. That's why Socialism is sometimes referred to as "Marxism." (It just sounds a lot better than "Marxist-Engelism.") It's all the same thing, and this is what it's about. Socialism tells people that they really don't need God, Christianity or the Church to bring a better society to planet earth. All they need, according to Socialism, is government - BIG government. All the people need to do is turn over their rights and freedoms to the government, and in turn the government will "insure" their necessities (food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, etc.) so they don't have to worry about them anymore. Who needs God? Who needs Christian charity? With BIG government we can do without those things - so says the Socialist mindset. These are the "errors of Russia" Our Lady of Fatima warned us about. They're not based on logic or reason. They're based entirely on passions, and they appeal to the root instincts of human nature. Human beings want to feel secure. They want to not have to worry about things. They want to be able to live their lives without fear. Both Catholic Christianity and Marxist Socialism offer relief from these things but in two totally different ways. Christianity offers it through personal freedom and trust in God. Socialism offers it through personal surrender and trust in government.

The legacy of Marx and Engels has brought us to this point in history. The whole world has embraced Socialism, in one way or another, some more than others, but after all is said and done, it all comes down to control. Ever since the end of World War II a fundamental conflict has emerged between the Socialists of the East (led by Russia) and the Socialists in the West (led by the United States). Just as Vladimir Lenin led the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917, so Franklin Roosevelt led the New Deal in 1933. The fundamental difference between these two revolutionaries was their method of implementation. Lenin imposed Socialism on the people by force, Roosevelt gave it to the people after they clamored for it. Of course, Roosevelt was prevented by the U.S. Supreme Court from implementing his entire Socialist agenda in the United States, thus the progression of Socialism in America has been much slower than in other Western nations. Over the last fifty years or so, the gradual Socialist takeover of both major political parties (Republican and Democrat) has taken place - though more prominently in the Democratic Party (DNC). Likewise the slow implementation on a government level has also taken place.

As of right now, August 2010, the United States of America is at a crossroads. This is it. We stand at the threshold of finally passing the point of no return. The election in November of this year will determine our fate. Should the Socialists in Washington DC be not utterly defeated in Congress during this election cycle, there will be no turning back. America will lead the world into full Western Socialism, and that will set off a chain of events that will be unstoppable.

The emerging conflict of tomorrow is no different than that of yesterday (the Cold War). What will emerge will be the final clash of the Socialists - East verses West. Russia will not stand idly by and watch the United States lead the world into global Socialism. That is why she is aligning herself with America's enemies and countering America's every move in a global game of chess. Do not be deceived, the Orthodox Church in Russia is a force for good, but it does not control the country itself.  The secular powers of Russia are still controlled by Socialists left over from the old Soviet Union.   If this sounds an awful lot like the Cold War it's because it is another Cold War. Call it Cold War 2 if you like, but I suspect it won't stay "cold" for very long. A massive confrontation between the Eastern Socialists led by Russia, and the Western Socialists led by America, is inevitable and will be devastating.

There is only one way out of this mess, and Our Lady of Fatima has pointed it out to us. First and foremost, Catholics need to start being CATHOLICS again! Stop falling for the "errors of Russia" - SOCIALISM! They need to start visiting the sacrament of penance, and make reconciliation with Christ and his Church. Then thank Our Lord and Lady for warning us against the great peril that now threatens the whole world by honoring Mary's Immaculate Heart - a full recognition of Christ's gift to his Mother and the world. Finally, Catholics must divorce themselves from anything and everything that has to do with Socialism. For Catholics in America, this means a complete divorce from the Democratic Party (DNC). It has become nothing more than a front organization for American Socialism. Likewise, the Republican Party (RNC or GOP) has succumbed to Socialism as well, as manifested recently in the two Bush administrations (1989-1993 and 2001-2009). Granted, there is a strain of an anti-Socialist movement within the Republican Party, as manifested recently in the Reagan administration (1981-1989) and the Republican Congressional Revolution (1995-1997) but both of these were short lived. There are those who think a complete anti-Socialist takeover is possible in the Republican Party, but personally, The Catholic Knight is not going to believe that until he sees it. There are worthy Independent candidates who run for office in the United States, and there is the growing hope of the Constitution Party, which any good Catholic can join in good conscience. It remains to be seen what will become of the United States, but one thing is certain. So long as we continue down the Socialist road started by Roosevelt, we are destined for God's retribution and ultimate destruction.

Why Catholics Can No Longer Be Democrats

From the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property...

Ten Reasons to Reject Socialism

Why we must protect the family,
private property and America from
the dangers of socialism

1. Socialism and communism are the same ideology

Communism is but an extreme form of socialism. From the ideological standpoint, there is no substantial difference between the two. In fact, the communist Soviet Union called itself the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922-1991) and communist China, Cuba and Vietnam define themselves as socialist nations.

2. Socialism violates personal freedom

Socialism seeks to eliminate “injustice” by transferring rights and responsibilities from individuals and families to the State. In the process, socialism actually creates injustice. It destroys true liberty: the freedom to decide all matters that lie within our own competence and to follow the course shown by our reason, within the laws of morality, including the dictates of justice and charity.

3. Socialism violates human nature

Socialism is anti-natural. It destroys personal initiative – a fruit of our intellect and free will – and replaces it with State control. It tends to totalitarianism, with its government and police repression, wherever it is implemented.

4. Socialism violates private property

Socialism calls for “redistributing the wealth” by taking from the “rich” to give to the poor. It imposes taxes that punish those who have been able to take greater advantage of their productive talents, capacity to work or thrift. It uses taxation to promote economic and social egalitarianism, a goal that will be fully achieved, according to The Communist Manifesto, with the “abolition of private property."

5. Socialism opposes traditional marriage

Socialism sees no moral reason for people to restrict sex to marriage, that is, to an indissoluble union between a man and a woman. Furthermore, socialism undermines private property, which Friedrich Engels, founder of modern socialism and communism along with Karl Marx, saw as the foundation of traditional marriage.

6. Socialism opposes parental rights in education

Socialism has the State, and not parents, control the education of children. Almost from birth, children are to be handed over to public institutions, where they will be taught what the State wants, regardless of parental views. Evolution must be taught. School prayer must be forbidden.

7. Socialism promotes radical equality

A supposed absolute equality among men is the fundamental assumption of socialism. Therefore, it sees any inequality as unjust in itself. Private employers are quickly portrayed as “exploiters” whose profits really belong to their employees. As a consequence, they rule out the system of wage earning.

8. Socialism promotes atheism

Belief in God, who unlike us is infinite, omnipotent and omniscient, clashes head-on with the principle of absolute equality. Socialism therefore rejects the spiritual, claiming that only matter exists. God, the soul, and the next life are illusions according to socialism.

9. Socialism promotes relativism

For socialism there are no absolute truths or revealed morals that establish standards of conduct that apply to everyone, everywhere, and always. Everything evolves, including right and wrong, good and evil. There is no place for the Ten Commandments, neither in the private mind nor in the public square.

10. Socialism mocks religion

According to Karl Marx, religion is "the opium of the people." Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union, agreed: "Religion is opium for the people. Religion is a sort of spiritual booze in which the slaves of capital drown their human image, their demand for a life more or less worthy of man."

May God protect America from socialism.

--------------------

From WorldNetDaily...

In October 2009, the Democratic Socialists of America released in its newsletter a list of 70 members of the U.S. Congress who are members of the organization:

Co-Chairs

Hon. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07)
Hon. Lynn Woolsey (CA-06)

Vice Chairs

Hon. Diane Watson (CA-33)
Hon. Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18)
Hon. Mazie Hirono (HI-02)
Hon. Dennis Kucinich (OH-10)

Senate Members

Hon. Bernie Sanders (VT)

House Members

Hon. Neil Abercrombie (HI-01)
Hon. Tammy Baldwin (WI-02)
Hon. Xavier Becerra (CA-31)
Hon. Madeleine Bordallo (GU-AL)
Hon. Robert Brady (PA-01)
Hon. Corrine Brown (FL-03)
Hon. Michael Capuano (MA-08)
Hon. André Carson (IN-07)
Hon. Donna Christensen (VI-AL)
Hon. Yvette Clarke (NY-11)
Hon. William "Lacy" Clay (MO-01)
Hon. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05)
Hon. Steve Cohen (TN-09)
Hon. John Conyers (MI-14)
Hon. Elijah Cummings (MD-07)
Hon. Danny Davis (IL-07)
Hon. Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Hon. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03)
Rep. Donna F. Edwards (MD-04)
Hon. Keith Ellison (MN-05)
Hon. Sam Farr (CA-17)
Hon. Chaka Fattah (PA-02)
Hon. Bob Filner (CA-51)
Hon. Barney Frank (MA-04)
Hon. Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11)
Hon. Alan Grayson (FL-08)
Hon. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04)
Hon. John Hall (NY-19)
Hon. Phil Hare (IL-17)
Hon. Maurice Hinchey (NY-22)
Hon. Michael Honda (CA-15)
Hon. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL-02)
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30)
Hon. Hank Johnson (GA-04)
Hon. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Hon. Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI-13)
Hon. Barbara Lee (CA-09)
Hon. John Lewis (GA-05)
Hon. David Loebsack (IA-02)
Hon. Ben R. Lujan (NM-3)
Hon. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14)
Hon. Ed Markey (MA-07)
Hon. Jim McDermott (WA-07)
Hon. James McGovern (MA-03)
Hon. George Miller (CA-07)
Hon. Gwen Moore (WI-04)
Hon. Jerrold Nadler (NY-08)
Hon. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC-AL)
Hon. John Olver (MA-01)
Hon. Ed Pastor (AZ-04)
Hon. Donald Payne (NJ-10)
Hon. Chellie Pingree (ME-01)
Hon. Charles Rangel (NY-15)
Hon. Laura Richardson (CA-37)
Hon. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34)
Hon. Bobby Rush (IL-01)
Hon. Linda Sánchez (CA-47)
Hon. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)
Hon. José Serrano (NY-16)
Hon. Louise Slaughter (NY-28)
Hon. Pete Stark (CA-13)
Hon. Bennie Thompson (MS-02)
Hon. John Tierney (MA-06)
Hon. Nydia Velazquez (NY-12)
Hon. Maxine Waters (CA-35)
Hon. Mel Watt (NC-12)
Hon. Henry Waxman (CA-30)
Hon. Peter Welch (VT-AL)
Hon. Robert Wexler (FL-19)

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: As far as I can tell, virtually every name on that list is a Democrat - a member of the DNC.  The Democratic Party in the United States has become nothing more than a front organization for American socialism. Liberalism itself is nothing more than a weak mindset that ultimately leads to socialism and all the anti-life consequences the socialist gospel entails. It is for this reason why in 2008 a high ranking Vatican official, Archbishop Raymond Burke, referred to the U.S. Democratic Party as the "Party of Death." He made this remark as the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest judicial office in the Vatican. The pope was made aware of Burke's comments and made no attempt to correct him. Apparently, the pope holds to a similar view.

The time has come to stop mincing words.  The U.S. Democratic Party (DNC) is a radical socialist front group, hell bent on electing socialists to public office, and establishing their version of a socialist "utopia" in the United States.  Socialism is an ideology that is diametrically opposed to Catholic Christianity on every front.  It is an EVIL counterfeit, that masquerades as compassion for the poor, when it reality it only seeks to dominate them.  Socialists will cite the words of Jesus to support their positions, but then undermine everything Jesus stood for with their very actions.  As the Holy Scriptures say of them "They have a form of godliness but deny it's power." - (2nd Timothy 3:5)  They speak love and compassion for the poor, but rather than call upon the charity of Christians to help them, they advocate the use of government force to replace the work of the Church.  They replace the true and proper worship of God, which is to care for the disadvantaged (James 1:27), with the "Cult of the Omnipotent State!"  They play the role of the pious, but then deny men the opportunity to act in charity, forcing them to give to the government instead of the poor.  Let me say this with ABSOLUTE CLARITY.

No Catholic in good standing with the Church can be a Democrat anymore! 

The Democratic Party, under the leadership of President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has moved so far to the Socialist Left that it can no longer represent the interests of Roman Catholics or any other Christians for that matter.

To be a Democrat in America now is to be a Socialist.  That may not be the philosophy you personally subscribe to, but it is the philosophy you are supporting (perhaps unwittingly) so long as you remain a member of this party and continue to vote for it's candidates.  So you say you cannot stomach the Republicans?  Fine!  Don't vote for them either.  Vote independent.  Vote third party.  Do something, but STOP voting for the Socialist Democrats!  Stop sending them money, and for heaven's sake, stop associating with their party!  For every day you remain a Democrat is another day you attack and undermine the Catholic Church, standing as an affront to everything the Church represents.

Lastly, if you want to help undo the damage of Socialism in America, than forward this blog entry to every Catholic you know.  Send it to non-Catholics too.  Copy it!  (You have my permission.)  Republish it on other blogs and Internet forums.  Get the message out.  Here's the link:
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-catholics-can-no-longer-be.html

As Islam Advances In West - It Retreats Everywhere Else

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Watch these two curious videos below. I can only come to one conclusion. As Islam advances in the Western World (Europe, North America, etc.), thanks to artificial birth control, it is apparently retreating in the Third World, where it is being walloped by massive conversions to Christianity. Watch the videos! What do you think?

Environmentalists Are Like Watermelons - Green on Outside and Red on Inside

 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A row has erupted after Cardinal George Pell of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia criticized the Green Party, which supports abortion, euthanasia, and same-sex "marriage," as "sweet camouflaged poison" that represents an "anti-Christian" point of view. The archdiocese stood strongly by the comments after Green leader Robert Brown implied that Pell lied about the party's position, and claimed to be more in touch with Catholic and Christian sentiment than the Cardinal.

When asked by young adults about how to vote in the upcoming elections, Pell recounted in a column Sunday that he did not endorse a specific party but encouraged his audience "to examine the policies of the Greens on their website and judge for themselves how thoroughly anti-Christian they are.....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Cardinal Pell just hit the nail on the head, and it's something The Catholic Knight has been saying for a very long time. The Greens are red! Red as in communist red. The problem centers NOT in their love for the environment, but in their proposed solutions to environmental problems. Sadly, most environmentalist propose solutions that involve bigger government, more government control, and less individual freedom. They almost NEVER take a free market approach to solving environmental problems, and often see big government socialism as the "best" solution to everything. This is in spite of the fact that every example of big government socialism (communism) has the worst environmental record in history.

To make matters worse, many environmentalists advocate draconian solutions to health and social issues. These include abortion on demand and euthanasia. They are often advocates of forced sterilization as well, putting them on the forefront of what Pope John Paul II called the "culture of death."

It is truly sad that most environmentalists fall into this category. Perhaps a few reading this might take it upon themselves to adopt a more pro-life and pro-freedom approach someday. Until then I think it's safe to say "The Greens Are Red!"

Help Bring Catholicism To the South (Dixie)

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Besides great media organizations like EWTN and Real Catholic Radio, there are special Catholic missionaries dedicated to bringing Catholicism to America's Southeast and Southern Midwest - otherwise known as Old Dixie.  (click here to learn more)  Please consider supporting them.

The Culture War Is Lost - Now Prepare For Martyrdom

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Once sodomite (ahem, I mean "gay") marriage is legalized in all 50 states, and it soon will be my friends by the United States Supreme Court, the tables will have completely turned in the culture war. No longer will the Church be on the offense trying to turn back the tide of abortion on demand and sodomite ("gay") marriage. Now it will be on the defense, trying to hold back the tide of legal attacks against the teachings of the Church as "hate speech" and the existence of the Church as a tax-exempt organization.

What has brought this upon us is ourselves. Our own Church leaders have failed us. When it was time for our bishops to excommunicate pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians and public figures, they did nothing. When it was time for the priests to rail against the evils of society from the pulpit, they were silent. The time has now passed. The window of opportunity has now closed. Priests and bishops still need to DO THEIR JOBS for the sake of saving souls, but they shouldn't expect to have any cultural impact anymore. The culture is lost! It cannot be regained! It's over.

Western Civilization WILL FALL, it's guaranteed 100%. The end of our world (the Western industrialized world) is upon us. Before it does however, it will follow the pattern of every other culture and civilization throughout history that has failed to heed the warnings of the Church. It will lash out against Christians, persecuting them in every way possible within the scope of it's power. The governments of the West will be used against Christians, in one way or another, and this will be Western Civilization's dying gasp as it goes the way of ancient Rome.

The time has come for all good Catholics to come to the aid of their Church. We cannot save our society, but we can salvage what's left of the City of God. In the tabs above, you will notice one labeled "Report Heresy, Scandal and Liturgical Abuse." Follow the instructions there to work on fixing this mess within our own ranks. Get involved in your local parish, and/or diocese, in some way. Get on the parish board if you can, and start insisting the pastor make things more traditional again, and assure him he can speak freely against sin from the pulpit and the board will support him. (It's so sad that we have so many cowards as priests these days, that we have to do this to get them to do their jobs!) This is the reality we now live in. The same goes for our families. We must rally them for the fight, and talk about what is going on. THIS IS IT FOLKS! This is the final battle we will ever face in our culture. On the societal front we WILL lose, but on the spiritual front we can win, if we are faithful and zealous for our Lord Jesus Christ!

Forget the Protestants! Save the Heathens!

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: While I'm a firm believer that we should always be ready to give an answer for our faith, especially to Protestant objectors, our real targets of evangelism should be the growing number of faithless and unchurched young adults sprouting up all around us in the Western world.

Most Protestants, especially those who still practice, have a built in resistance toward anything Catholic. They're difficult to reach at best, and in most cases downright impossible. It's as if they've been fitted with blinders for the time being that makes it extremely difficult for them to understand or appreciate the Catholic faith.

What do you think? Should we forget the Protestants and stop trying to actively reach them? Should we totally refocus our evangelistic efforts toward the rising Heathen population? If so, how?

This Present Darkness and Future Hope - Catholic Prophecy

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Readers of this blog know I have an interest in Catholic prophecy, and they know I'm a firm believer in it. Recently, I've read two books on the subject which I think summarize things quite well. The first is called The Secrets, Chastisement, and Triumph of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary written by Kelly Bowring, the narrator in the videos above.  It's an excellent book and does bear an Imprimatur.  The real selling point for this book is the overall message pointed out on the second video above.  Mr. Bowring does an excellent job succinctly relating the overall message of all Catholic prophecy and the Bible together.  He delivers a real message of hope in this present age of darkness, supplying a tangible "battle plan" for the Catholic home and family.  My only gripe about the book is Mr. Bowring's strict chronology of events. 

While Mr. Bowring nails the impending Great Chastisement coming soon upon the world, he tends to follow some private revelations so strictly that he leaves little room for flexibility, thus getting the events of the Great Tribulation of Antichrist mixed in with the Great Chastisement.  In fact, it would appear Mr. Bowring sees no real distinction between the Great Chastisement and the Great Tribulation of Antichrist, and that I think is the book's only major flaw.  Many prophecies of approved private revelation are conditional, meaning there is room for flexibility.  Because of this, I tend to favor Desmond Birch's book Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before, During, and After Antichrist.  Mr. Birch's book does not bear an Imprimatur, but it does carry some heavy endorsements from Fr. Michael O'Carroll, professor of theology at Black College in Ireland, and Fr. William Most, professor of theology and scripture at Notre Dame.  The book itself is a heavy hitter at 580 pages.

Basically, the whole controversy centers around the period of peace which is to follow the Great Chastisement and precede the Rise of Antichrist.  Mr. Bowring, following a strict interpretation of the private prophecies of Our Lady of La Salette sees the interim peace as lasting no more than 25 years.  Thus, the period of Great Chastisement and Great Tribulation of Antichrist practically run into each other, giving survivors of the Great Chastisement only a quarter century to catch their breath before the whole thing starts up again with the next apocalyptic phase.  In contrast, Mr. Birch interprets such prophecies more loosely, allowing for at least a couple centuries between the Great Chastisement and the Great Tribulation of Antichrist.  He too acknowledges the 25 year span prophesied at La Salette, however, he more loosely interprets this as meaning a 25 year period of absolute peace wherein the Great Monarch rules unquestionably and the world population appreciates what God has done.  He also cites other Church approved prophets and mystics that back this interpretation.  (The whole book is a much more thorough and exhaustive work on the subject of private revelation.)  After this 25 year period, the world starts it's downward decline again.  However, Birch recognizes that it may take a couple centuries for the depravity of man to reach the point where the final Antichrist makes his public appearance.

Both books correctly recognize the Jewish identity of the final Antichrist, (whenever that period of Antichrist is supposed to come), and the nature of the final apostasy that will lead to the Great Tribulation that concludes the Book of Revelation and sets the stage for the physical return of Jesus Christ.  The final apostasy of course is the rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah, in favor of a new Jewish "king" that will present himself as the "real Messiah."  Both books recognize that a future anti-pope will likely aid in this deception.  They just disagree on the timing .  Bowring thinks it happens strictly 25 years after the Great Chastisement, while Birch allows room for it to happen much later.

In my personal opinion, when we consider the magnitude of the Great Chastisement, and what this will ultimately do to the human race, it seems ridiculous to me that humanity would turn it's back on Christ totally within just 25 years.  I suppose it's possible when we consider the fallen state of mankind and what we're capable of.  Nevertheless, we're talking about a majority of the world's population being wiped out in the Great Chastisement.  We're talking about events so horrendous and catastrophic, indeed so "Biblical" in proportions, that it's sure to leave a scar on the survivor's memory so deep that falling totally back into depravity is unlikely.  There is one thing about the 25 year mark that makes logical sense, which is why I tend to agree more with Birch's interpretation of the period of peace.  Twenty-five years is exactly how long it takes for a new generation to be born and raised that has no personal memory of the Great Chastisement.  If anybody is going to start doubting, it's going to be this generation.  However, it is all together likely that the doubt, and subsequent slide back into depravity, will not occur overnight.  The generation that remembers the Great Chastisement is still around, and will likely still be around for another sixty or seventy years.  It is only after this generation is completely gone that the threat of doubt becomes a substantial danger.

So in review, I like the spiritual message of Mr. Bowring's book (The Secrets, Chastisement, and Triumph of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary), but find his chronology of events a little too strict.  I'm more inclined to the flexible chronology of Mr. Birch's book (Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before, During, and After Antichrist).  Both are excellent reads.  Go to Mr. Bowring for the overall spiritual message and then go to Mr. Birch for more details, which will give you more flexibility in the chronology of events.

Gay Marriage - The Game Has Just Changed!!!

(CNA) - The federal ruling which overturned California’s Proposition 8 cites a document by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, as evidence for the claim that religious beliefs about the sinfulness of homosexual relationships “harm gays and lesbians.” The claim is listed under a legal “finding of fact” and could win deference from higher courts.

Also cited as evidence of “harm” are other religions’ documents on the sinfulness of homosexuality and the wrongness of recognizing same-sex relationships.

The ruling, issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, overturned Prop. 8, the California measure which passed in November 2008 to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The legal decision listed as its 77th “finding of fact”: “Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The game has just changed. What this blog, and many others, have been warning about for years has just become reality. The Church is no longer on the offense. Now we're on the defense. From now on the issue will no longer be about whether or not gays should marry. From now on the legal issue will be whether the Biblical teaching that homosexuality is a sin should remain protected because it allegedly "harms" homosexuals.

This is now a 1st amendment battle and we are on the defensive. It's time to reformulate our argument. The homosexualists now have the legal system almost completely on their side. The U.S. Supreme Court WILL rule that state constitutional bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional. This is called the "full faith and credit clause." Google it! Within a very short time gay marriage will become the law of the land, from sea to shining sea, in all 50 states! Yes, even the so-called "conservative" supreme court justices will rule for this, and it will be their strict constructionist "conservatism" that will drive them to it.

It was a valiant effort, but in the end, we will lose. Gay marriage will become an American tradition in a very short time. Then the tables will turn, and our Church's own teachings will soon be on trial.

The Prophecies of Fatima - It's Not Over Yet!

Sixty-five years ago today...




THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT remains convinced that there is yet something more to the last secret of Fatima, and I believe it has something to do with the clerical sex-abuse scandals, the current pope, and a coming Modernist rebellion within the Church.  Your thoughts?

Mighty MO Sends A Blow To O'

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Speaking from the mighty state of Missouri, and as a citizen of this fine land, you're welcome! It was our pleasure (and honor) to fire the first salvo against the Obamanation that is Obamacare. Happy Birthday Mr. President!!! I haven't had that much fun wielding a pen at the polling station in years.

(The Catholic Key) - So, with little publicity and virtually no prodding, 7 out of 10 Missourians who voted yesterday sent an unmistakable rebuke to Obamacare. You can call that symbolic. You can say the federal courts will overturn it anyhow. And you might be right on both counts. But politicians who dismiss it are gonna have a heck of a time in November.

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Solar Storms On The Rise - 2013 Marks Height of Danger

(Telegraph) - On 1 August, almost the entire side of the Sun that faces the Earth erupted in a blaze of activity known as a "coronal mass ejection". These storms throw up to 10 billion tons of plasma - superheated gas - off the surface of the star and hurtling into space at around a million miles an hour. It covered the 93 million mile journey from the Sun to the Earth in just three and a half days...

...The flare which caused the eruption was relatively small, described as a class C3 by astronomers. Other flares, known as X or M class, are much larger, and capable of doing damage on Earth. C-class flares rarely have much effect on Earth beyond auroras - the glowing displays towards the poles, like the Northern (and Southern) Lights...

...While no damage seems to have been done by this flare, Nasa astronomers have previously warned that a much larger solar storm could cause havoc with electrical systems on Earth. In 2013, the Sun is expected to reach a stage in its roughly 11-year cycle when large storms are more likely.

In 1859, one huge flare burned out telegraph wires across Europe and the USA. The so-called "Carrington flare", named after its discoverer, “smothered two-thirds of the Earth’s skies in a blood-red aurora a night later, and crippled all global navigation and global communication, such as it was at that time. Compasses spun uselessly and the telegraph network went down as phantom electricity surged through the wire,” according to Dr Stuart Clark, author of The Sun Kings...

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT:  It's not a matter of IF this happens, it's a matter of WHEN this happens.  It will happen eventually, someday, no matter what.  It is inevitable because it is the normal cycle of the sun.  It's happened perhaps thousands of times in human history, and it's certain to happen again within the next century.  The only question is when?  The latest solar cycle just began last year and will reach it's height in 2013.  While solar ejections can happen anytime during a solar cycle, it is believed the height of these cycles produce the largest and most dangerous effects.  What makes this solar cycle particularly dangerous is the especially long solar-low period we just passed through with no sunspots.  It was the longest in recorded history.  The fear of some scientists is that such an unusually long solar-low period may be the calm before the storm - a BIG storm.

Here is the good news.  These solar ejections, no matter how large, are virtually harmless to biological life on earth.  Thanks to earth's magnetic field, God has provided a shield of protection that is guaranteed to protect humans, animals and plants.  Here's the bad news, God did not include electrical grids and electronic equipment in that plan.  So when the great solar storm happens we can look forward to a disaster that will cripple the whole industrialized world and throw us back to a technology level comparable to the 1800s.  (Time to get out the old horse and buggy!)  Sadly, this transition will not go smoothly.  The industrialized world is highly dependent on technology.  The sudden loss of this, especially the electrical power grid, will be catastrophic.  Not even backup emergency generators and automobiles will last long.  Once the power grid goes, the ability to pump gasoline will disappear.  Whatever is left in your tank is all you'll have until it's gone, with no way to get more.  The food distribution system will be nonexistent.  Supermarkets will be emptied within hours.  Riots will erupts for food.  The entire industrialized world will be plunged into darkness, from which there is no escape, resulting in a massive loss of world population to violence, starvation and disease.  World war will inevitably erupt, if it hasn't already, as nations fight with what little resources they have left to gain more.  Eventually the jets and tanks will run out of fuel, leaving many soldiers to fight conventional style until all the bullets are gone.  Then they resort to old fashioned hand-to-hand combat with swords and bayonets. 

Our reliance on technology will become our final undoing. When the world emerges from this nightmare, it will be a simpler way of life, hearkening back to the 19th century.  Those that survive will have learned how to live in simplicity, without technology, and undoubtedly most people will never trust it again.  The Age of Technology will have come to a grinding halt. 

In the decades to follow the world will utilize technology again, but in a more guarded way.  Electrical grids will become a thing of the past, as power generation technology will become more localized for safety sake, in the event of another solar storm.  Most people won't need as much electricity anymore, as they will have learned to live without it.  A simple windmill or solar panel will provide enough electricity to run a refrigerator and a few power outlets.  That's all anybody will likely use it for.  Perhaps wireless communication will make a comeback eventually as well.  Who knows what becomes of the Internet.  There will be less of a need for long-distance travel, and it will be expensive anyway.  World powers will have been shaken, and the distribution of world strength will be considerably different after the solar event.  In every sense it will be a whole new world, emerging from this holocaust of unimaginable proportions.

Will this happen in 2013?  The Catholic Knight makes no predictions as there is no way I can know.  However, it is likely to happen this century, and it would seem the predictions of Catholic prophets throughout the ages have predicted just such a thing.  You can read the predictions of these Church approved prophets in Desmond Birch's book Trial, Tribulation & Triumph.

Is there any way to prepare for this event?  A lot of it depends on how dependent on technology you are.  I imagine if you're reading this, you are likely pretty dependent.  Probably the people who will do the best are the Amish, Mennonite and Plain Catholic communities.  As for the rest of us, we would probably do well getting some camping equipment and a pantry full of nonperishable foods.  This will hold us over for a week or two, which may give us some time to think about what to do next.  Beyond that, unless you plan to radically simplify your life in advance, probably the only thing left to do is pray and make good connections within your parish community.