2021 Predictions
1. Pres. Trump’s victory in the 2019 election will be acknowledged, even if the loser is installed.
2. Pres. Trump will support primaries of RINOs nationwide to reform the GOP.
3. Face Diaper Control Religion will continue with the force of 1984 and PsyOps tactics.
4. More evidence that the Holy See sold out to population control maniacs will emerge.
5. China will massively attack US interests through internet and undermining trade.
6. More Fr. Z readers will become Ham Radio Operators.
7. Exorcists will report even more demonic activity and be overwhelmed in cases.
8. A small number of courageous bishops will move solidly toward Traditional worship.
9. The “demographic sinkhole” opening under the Church will produce financial disaster for dioceses.
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor.
How did I do last year?
2020 Predictions [+3]
1. Pres. Trump will be reelected in an historic landslide. [+1 – yes, he did win.]
2. Pres. Trump will get yet another SCOTUS pick. [+1]
3. The Pachamama idol worship will not die and the Holy See will promote even more earth/climate worship/panic. [+1]
4. Card. Pell will be exonerated. [+1]
5. Francis will again hint about resigning. [-0 – there were recent rumors but… meh]
6. WHO condemns Rome and Mumbai as unsafe to walk in due to feces on the streets and UNESCO will withdraw recognition of the Vatican City State for the same reason. [-1 – WHO was too busy lying about the Wuhan Devil]
7. McElroy and Paglia will get a red hat. [-1 – I’ve never been happier to be wrong about something.]
8. The truth of the Holy See’s betrayal of Chinese Catholics will emerge. [+1]
9. James Martin will be made a bishop, but not in these USA. [-1 – No, now I’m even happier than before to be wrong about something.]
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor. [+1 – One of these days.]
1. Pres. Trump’s victory in the 2019 election will be acknowledged, even if the loser is installed.
Probably in March or April.
2. Pres. Trump will support primaries of RINOs nationwide to reform the GOP.
The GOP as we knew it is dead.
3. Face Diaper Control Religion will continue with the force of 1984 and PsyOps tactics.
Masks aren’t ever going away.
4. More evidence that the Holy See sold out to population control maniacs will emerge.
5. China will massively attack US interests through internet and undermining trade.
Francis’ most dangerous foreign policy mistakes
.
6. More Fr. Z readers will become Ham Radio Operators.
The way things are going, how we communicate may have to go underground.
7. Exorcists will report even more demonic activity and be overwhelmed in cases.
Nick is certainly gaining traction.
8. A small number of courageous bishops will move solidly toward Traditional worship.
Courageous bishops—a minority, indeed, almost an oxymoron.
9. The “demographic sinkhole” opening under the Church will produce financial disaster for dioceses.
Getting people back to Mass after being told to stay home will be like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube.
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor.
These days I’m afraid it’s just as well.
A couple of my own, Father, if you’ll permit:
1. The Democratic Party will begin to split apart.
2. Among conservatives, a third party will emerge leaving the GOP behind.
3. 90% of Americans will continue to believe in the Covid scam.
Oddly enough, at the TLM I attended this morning at St. Matthew’s Church in Dix Hills, New York, Father Hewes remarked that no one is making predictions for this year as it is such a huge wild card. Having cut myself off from all media but a few trustworthy Catholic web sites and my own new Internet radio channel, I have to take his word for it.
One prediction that I will make is that the bullies will feel emboldened under a Biden administration (which will attempt to rule by executive order), but the saner of us will continue to challenge the bullies in court and win, as has already been happening. Many of the insane will continue to act like cowards even without the force of law behind the cowardice.
re your #9, i didn’t know there was a titular see of Sodom. it is true that one learns something new every day!
To add to 3, I bet a new COVID vaccine will be created to “more effectively” handle the new “variations” in the virus. This will be the first step in annual COVID shots, just like the Flu shot, which like COVID will become mandatory in order to appear in public (i.e. travel, attend school, check into hotels, go to concerts or games, so, eat at restaurants…etc). This will NOT end the Mask Mandate.
Naturally, any and all side effects from any shots will receive no news coverage and will just be the wild conspiracy theories of anti-vaccine nutjobs, who may face prison time for daring to not toe the line.
Hey, billion dollar pharmaceutical companies gotta eat, right?
#6 crossed my mind not a few times this year. I wouldn’t know where to begin though. Any recommendations?
I have asserted that November 3rd was the death of at least 1 American political party. We just weren’t sure which one. The answer is becoming clearer that it will probably be the anti-CCP that has died.
Nope. You lost 1) (Not sure why catholics feel the need to side with fringers on this…. I wish I could say it’s just an American thing…..)
Happy New Year, Father Z! I hope and pray your back is better!
I see, as indicated by #1 and #2, you are still checking in from that alternate universe. In my universe, the result of the 2020 election was far different. [Feel free to keep that universe to yourself.]
But your #10 will once again, be on target.
“Masks aren’t ever going away.”
I don’t like masks any more than anyone else. But that’s just an annoyance. The real problem is the social isolation, not the least of which is the isolation of Catholics from the sacraments, and all Christians from public worship, in almost all cases without real justification. That isolation is unnatural and is killing many.
In any case, once me and my immediate family are vaccinated, I will be much less careful to observe that mask mandate, as it will serve no useful purpose for me or those around me.
@NOCatholic – I’m sure there were folks in Germany who said, “You know, it’s just a yellow star. What’s the big deal?”
Gotta side with Fr Z on the question #1 debate. Anyone who says otherwise has not looked into the matter very closely (you might not figure out how to look into it at all unless you use an uncensored search like DuckDuckGo). As I understand it, after Wednesday everyone is going to have better information about what happened. What exactly is going to transpire, I definitely do not know.
Agree with Crise that one party or the other is about to be dead.
@NOCatholic — “In any case, once me and my immediate family are vaccinated, I will be much less careful to observe that mask mandate, as it will serve no useful purpose for me or those around me.”
If you believe that masks/the mask mandate have a useful purpose, re:COVID, then acting so recklessly after receiving one of the many different COVID vaccines, which are not the same and don’t work the same, indicates that you neither understand what the masks/mask mandates nor the vaccines do/are intended to do. No, if you believe in masks, then you must believe the science^tm wherein masks are part of life. Listen to Fauci!!!
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/16/fauci-why-still-need-masks-social-distancing-after-covid-19-vaccine.html
9. The “demographic sinkhole” opening under the Church will produce financial disaster for dioceses.
It might be hard to prove the causation of that result. Parishes are already whining about their financial situation, but that’s due to the fact that the priests and bishops abandon their flock for months at a time. People are finding other organizations and causes to support, rather than parishes who think they are doing sooooo much by putting their weekly Sunday Mass online. I was just reading about some saints who were out ministering to their flocks in person during the Black Death (which took out 60% of the population of Europe). Meanwhile, our local pastors won’t even pick up the phone to check in on their parishioners during something with a survival rate of 99% (or lot better if you remove nursing homes for that calculation).
@Josephus Corvus
There are many reasons for the decline in donations. Unfortunately COVID may have accelerated many of those trends (Demographics, young people not attending, tax laws, etc). Here is some interesting reading…
https://villanovachurchmanagement.com/home/covid-19-response-and-resources/covid-19-impact-on-parish-collections/
The Japanese decided 100 years ago, during the Spanish flu, that masks are a good idea. And ever since any of them who think they have a cold or flu have worn a mask, out of common care for others. It also seems to serve them well as a precaution in epidemics. The Covid death rate in both the UK and the US is thirty times higher.
@ex seaxe – there’s a lot of things that are okay in Japanese culture that are reprehensible to Western minds. Also, years of exposure to Coronaviruses, which are very common in Southeast Asia, may be a factor regarding pre-existing immunity.
If mask wearing was such a cure-all, the South Koreans, who are just as into masks as the Japanese, should be doing fairly well with COVID. They aren’t (despite everyone lauding them as the example par excellence at the beginning of the outbreak). Restrictions are so bad, my relatives over there said there was NO Mass at all on Christmas – as if the Church just ceased to exist.
For the mask lovers out there, the California (SUPER restrictions) to Florida/Texas (Little to No Restrictions) comparisons can be educational. I’m fine if someone wants to wear a mask. I’m also fine if someone wants to carry around a rabbit foot keychain. I get disgusted when people expect me to act like I’m sick when I’m not or to automatically treat others as if they’re disease infested vermin. Nothing says “charity” like “I refuse to even breath the same air as you!”
Disease is a part of life. It’s part of Adam’s curse. Death is also a part of life. I wish folks would stop pretending otherwise. It leads to unhealthy manias and phobias. If anyone is really that scared, they shouldn’t be leaving their house. That’s the only serious way one can avoid this disease.
Lurker59: I get your sarcasm. But by the time I and my family members are permitted and able to get the vaccinations, most of the most vulnerable will already be vaccinated and we should already be well on our way to “herd immunity.” At that point, continued social isolation (leading to deaths by suicide, drug overdoses, etc) will probably be more deadly than COVID itself. Outside of people over 70 and certain other risk groups, the death rate is well below the death rate for the flu. It’s those risk groups that push the death rate up.
While I respect experts like Dr, Fauci within their areas of expertise, when they “move the goalposts,” changing their advice based on what they think we need to hear, they lose my respect. Dr Fauci has been shifting his estimates of herd immunity from 60% immunity to close to 90%. Enough! I’m not going to be afraid indefinitely, and I don’t advise others to be as well.
And as others have noted, there is an unnatural overemphasis of being “safe” from the virus. As soon as it got loose in the world, people were going to die. The COVID pandemic death toll is well below other historical pandemics, including the Spanish flu pandemic, which killed 50 million people. COVID, in contrast, has killed only about 1.5 million.
As for masks, they are simply a temporary expedient, necessary for the time being, but not a long-term thing, no matter what the “experts” say.
Happy New Year, Father.
Re: #10: Quit saying that.
Words matter.
I bet Noah frequently reflects on Ham and thinks, ‘….perhaps that was a little harsh.’
*please stop saying that
I know one prediction sure to happen in 2021; our sacerdotal host will continue to exhort us to “GO TO CONFESSION” and for that, we are most grateful.
Amen.
1. Re yellow stars, that was a badge intended to identify the Jews for destruction. Not sure how masks map to that.
2. Re COVID scam, *having had the disease myself*, I’d like to know exactly what JTH means by that.
@Ed the Roman – regardless of one’s opinions on the science or effectiveness of masks (obviously I’ve made my own opinion clear), it’s evident at this point that they are a political tool. Those who don’t wear masks (regardless of the reason – for example, my wife cannot breath through a mask for medical reasons – she can’t even make it through a High Mass when the thurifer is overly exuberant) are being specifically targeted by others with hatred and bile. Don’t believe me?
https://www.dailywire.com/news/journalist-i-want-to-find-an-antimasker-and-beat-them-to-death
We’re living in a world where the government can mandate one to cover their face in public, inside or outside, in one’s car, alone or with others, or, in some cases, even in one’s own home, and if one doesn’t comply that person is not merely subject to punishment from the official authorities but is targeted for hatred, shame, and rage by fellow citizens.
If you can’t see that there are dangerous parallels, I can’t help you.
For R. Gregory who wanted to know where to begin with #6 – Ham Radio. First get a copy of the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual Level 1 which is for the Technician license. Read about it here:
http://www.arrl.org/studying-for-a-technician-license
You can get the manual at Amazon, through Fr. Z’s link of course. I think the 4th edition is the latest. Once you have mastered the manual you are ready to take the test. Not sure how it works nowadays with the China Virus, but in the past there would be periodic text sessions usually sponsored by a local Ham club. If there is a club in the area, join it and you will meet other hams who are often very knowledgeable and can help you with picking out a radio or putting up an antenna.
Once you have your license you can get inexpensive portable radios that will allow you to get get on the 2 meter and other VHF bands. Most places in the US have repeaters nearby where you can talk to other hams. With a bit more equipment you can get on the Zednet, see prior posts for info about that.
The real fun begins when you get on HF and the ability to talk to people around the world. For that you generally want the General license as there are only limited HF bands open to Techs.
[And if there is not a public exam session, maybe you can work something out with a couple of examiners for a private exam.]
#8 – I’d just be satisfied with a fraction of bishops to just be true to the rudimentary post-Vatican II tenants of our Catholic faith, much less promote the TLM. Heck, I’d even be satisfied with them to not harass us “traditionalists”
JonPatrick – thank you.
1. Pres. Trump’s victory is acknowledged, except by the Death Party and their collaborators.
As expected, the “NOCatholic” has now turned his repetitive insults on our host. For “NOCatholic” every ballot counts, but votes are unimportant. That will have consequences in 2021 and beyond.
4. More evidence that the Holy See sold out to population control maniacs will emerge.
A safe bet, more should emerge about the Vatican and the ChiComs also.
8. A small number of courageous bishops will move solidly toward Traditional worship.
The ranks of Catholic bishops will slowly but steadily increase. A friend recently remarked, “Kanye West’s ‘Jesus is King’ brought more people to Jesus Christ last year than “c”atholic bishops.” She has a good point.
It’s anyone’s guess as to the content of any “encyclical” and “Nativity Scene” this pontificate will inflict on the Faithful later this year.
In good news, I hear Fr. Mike Schmitz’s daily Bible reading podcast is doing very well, a London newspaper ran an article about it.