Attacks on the Rosary. Dopiness from ‘Left church’. Spiritual warfare is real. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

I am sure that you have by now seen the moronic, sick, anti-Catholic dreck at The Atlantic about the Rosary written by … who?  The writer feverishly connected the use of the Rosary, as a matter of spiritual warfare – a common trope – with “alt-right”, “Christian nationalism”, and “gun culture”.   But he exposes his real agenda early on…

The theologian and historian Massimo Faggioli [You know something is going to be seriously off the rails when “Beans” is cited.] has described a network of conservative Catholic bloggers and commentary organizations as a “Catholic cyber-militia” that actively campaigns against LGBTQ acceptance in the Church. [There it is.] These rad-trad rosary-as-weapon memes represent a social-media diffusion of such messaging, and they work to integrate ultraconservative Catholicism with other aspects of online far-right culture. The phenomenon might be tempting to dismiss as mere trolling or merchandising, and ironical provocations based on traditionalist Catholic symbols do exist, but the far right’s constellations of violent, racist, and homophobic [the confirmation] online milieus are well documented for providing a pathway to radicalization and real-world terrorist attacks.

So, this is about being an active homosexual and a blast against anything that stands against acceptance of homosexual acts, such as Catholic moral teaching or devotions that – I have to put it this way – militate against sodomy.

The Atlantic article spurred some justifiably angry reactions from Catholics.  It even prompted a champion of the “Olympian Middle”, Bp. Robert Barron, to call it “colossally stupid”.

Fishwrap (aka National Sodomitic Reporter) jumped into the fray too, to condemn whatever it is that the Atlantic writer was condemning, all that nationalism and eeeeevil black rifle stuff, and Catholics who love their country and believe that spiritual warfare is real.   As a bonus, they won’t lose an opportunity to promote in the Church a sin that cries to Heaven, which was the point of the Atlantic piece.

The Fishwrap’s post was nearly as stupid as the Atlantic article, which is impressive if you think about it.

The writer, Fishwrap’s editor, counter-intuitively defends the use of the Rosary!

Of course you know that can’t be the whole of it.  Right?

Yes, the Rosary is useful, not as a weapon on the plane of spiritual warfare, but rather as aid to sooth one’s feelings, to calm the mind, sort of like a yoga mantra.   Don’t take my word for it…

The rhythmic, repetitive recitation of the Hail Marys calms my mind and, whether using beads or my fingers, also engages my body as I enter into contemplation with the Divine. [“with the Divine”] At least one academic study has found that repetitive recitation of Hail Marys in Latin, like yoga mantras, slowed and synchronized cardiovascular rhythms, leading to positive psychological and possibly physiological effects.

For me, praying the rosary (or any prayer) is not a form of “spiritual warfare,” even though I recognize that existence of evil and certainly pray that my loved ones and the world be safe from it. I just find it incongruous to use militant metaphors about enemies while praying, “as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

In other words, the Rosary makes you feel good.  Feel good about yourself, as a matter of fact.  The Rosary is a kind of binky.

Let me break some news to the Fishwrap.

There are fallen angels called demons who prey on us, war against us.  This war on us is constant.  It can be subtle, in the case of temptations spurring our tendencies resulting from Original Sin.  It can be dramatic, in the cases of demonic oppression, infestation, possession.

In addition to demons, there are demonically prompted human agents of Hell who consciously, willingly involve themselves in the work of Hell through the practice of black magic, satanic rites, curses and the like.   These people target victims, and war on them spiritually.  Demons and their human dupes are at war.

To paraphrase the old line, you might not be interested in demons, but demons are interested in you.

Spiritual warfare is real and warfare has its weapons of defense and offense.

Just ask St. Paul.

• This charge I commit to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophetic utterances which pointed to you, that inspired by them you may wage the good warfare…. 1 Tim 1:18
•  For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. – 2 Cor 10:3-4 

Just ask St. Peter.

• Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.  – 1 Peter 5:8-9

Just ask St. James.

• Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Our warfare is about defense of our souls against the enemy, but also defense of all that we love, such as our country.  (Remember: Left church fears devout, traditional, patriotic Catholics).

Never mind that we belong to the Church Militant while here on Earth.

If you are concerned about our country, pray the Rosary. St. John Paul II wrote in his Letter on the Rosary:

2. Numerous predecessors of mine attributed great importance to this prayer. Worthy of special note in this regard is Pope Leo XIII who on 1 September 1883 promulgated the Encyclical Supremi Apostolatus Officio a document of great worth, the first of his many statements about this prayer, in which he proposed the Rosary as an effective spiritual weapon against the evils afflicting society.

I guess St JP2 was in a cranky mood that day, maybe struggling with a bout of Christian nationalism and missing his native Poland.

The Rosary is not just a weapon in our personal struggle against the enemy of our souls, but also against societal problems.  Think about that.   Societal problems don’t just “happen”.   They are the result of the cumulative effects of countless personal sins of commission and omission.

Do we have societal problems?  The Rosary is part of the answer.

Alt-right, or Christian nationalism, or homophobia… these are the things that Left church are concerned about, not propitiation for sin, reparation, penance and sanctifying grace.

Let’s wrap this up.

Fear Hell, friends.

“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

Defend yourselves against the machinations of the Enemy of your soul.  Go on the offense with fasting, almsgiving, good Communions and prayers like the Rosary.

QUAERITUR: Is the Rosary truly effective as a weapon of spiritual warfare?

An exorcist friend told me about the effect that the Rosary has on demons.  In general, the Rosary has a greater effect on demons than any other devotion.  On the “screamometer” from the demons, the Rosary is powerful.

He recounted a particular experience during an exorcism.  Exorcisms can go on for hours and many different prayers and devotions, along with the actual ritual, are deployed.  At one point they were saying the Rosary.  The demon stared to laugh at them.  When queried, the demon responded that their distracted Hail Mary’s were like, “laying wilted dried flowers at her feet”.   When asked what a attentive Rosary filled with love was like, the demon said, “What is a fragrant bouquet for her is our downfall.”

The demons and Left church are terrified of the Rosary.  They are terrified, also, of patriotic young people who are embracing Tradition in increasing numbers.  Terrified.  Absolutely bowel-loosened, knee-knocking, hackles-raised, tooth-chattering terrified.

Hence,

• Suppress the Vetus Ordo so that more and more young people can’t have access to it.
• Make the Church into an NGO and then reduce the population against the ravages of climate change.
• Either turn the Rosary into a binky or vilify it by associating it with things that the DNC platform is against.