The Decline and Death of Christianity. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

muslim homosexualOur Lord promised that, in the end, the gates of Hell would not prevail.

He did not promise that they would not prevail where you live.

They may indeed prevail in these USA, or in Europe.

One way in which they can prevail is for Christians to disappear.  I don’t mean from persecution and death, for, as Tertullian wrote, the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.  Christians will disappear through drifting into secular apathy or through not having children.  Then the groups that hate the remnant will actively wipe them out.

I recall  a text I once read of a Friday harangue by an Imam (or whatever he was).  He was talking about taking over Europe.  The thrust of the message was, “If we could not win by the long sword, we will win with the short sword!  Take their women!”

I find it interesting that at the same time that radical murderous Islam is rising up, so is the homosexualist movement, both with astonishing speed.  In an age when the Church’s leaders have become feckless, barely expressing even mealy-mouthed pabulum, radical Islamists and homosexualists are willing to die for what they promote.  These strange bedfellows (who would and will eventually kill each other) are working to bring down Western culture.

People stand by, distracted by their material comfort and their little screens.

Damian Thompson of The Spectator has a dire piece.

2067: the end of British Christianity
Projections aren’t predictions. But there’s no denying that churches are in deep trouble

It’s often said that Britain’s church congregations are shrinking, but that doesn’t come close to expressing the scale of the disaster now facing Christianity in this country. Every ten years the census spells out the situation in detail: between 2001 and 2011 the number of Christians born in Britain fell by 5.3 million — about 10,000 a week. If that rate of decline continues, the mission of St Augustine to the English, together with that of the Irish saints to the Scots, will come to an end in 2067.

That is the year in which the Christians who have inherited the faith of their British ancestors will become statistically invisible. Parish churches everywhere will have been adapted for secular use, demolished or abandoned.

Our cathedral buildings will survive, but they won’t be true cathedrals because they will have no bishops. The Church of England is declining faster than other denominations; if it carries on shrinking at the rate suggested by the latest British Social Attitudes survey, Anglicanism will disappear from Britain in 2033. One day the last native-born Christian will die and that will be that.

[…]

15_06_11_spectator

There is a military adage that, if you are not winning you are losing.

We are not winning.

I am not talking just about numbers of the living who profess the Faith.  I am talking about the winning of souls for heaven.  That’s the win: a soul that goes to heaven.

Persecution can produce martyrs and a flourishing of Faith.  But if the apathy and erosion of Catholic Christian identity goes on long enough… then persecution will produce only corpses.

Posted in Global Killer Asteroid Questions, Hard-Identity Catholicism, New Evangelization, Si vis pacem para bellum!, Sin That Cries To Heaven, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, The Olympian Middle, The Religion of Peace, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged ,
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Fr. Sirico on the upcoming encyclical on the “environment”

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Over at Acton Institute, find a post and a short video by Acton’s head Fr. Robert Sirico about the upcoming encyclical on the “environment”.   There is some good, basic information about encyclicals there, too. HERE

Fr. Sirico makes some good points in his 5 minute video.

Play video

Posted in Francis, The Drill | Tagged , , , ,
8 Comments

5 Steps of Persecution

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Life Site picked up on something that my friend Msgr. Charles Pope posted on his blog.  HERE You should see this.

Here is a mere sample:

It is rare that a respected segment of American life would become vilified and hated overnight. The usual transformation from respect to vilification goes in stages which grow in intensity. And hereby the Church, once a respected aspect of American life, along with the Protestant denominations has become increasingly marginalized and hated by many. It may help us to review these stages of persecution since it would seem that things are going to get more difficult for the Church in the years ahead. Generally there are distinguished five basic stages of persecution.

You can find the full explanation at his place, but a summary…

The five stages, as he lists them, are: (1) Stereotyping the targeted group; (2) Vilifying the targeted group for alleged crimes or misconduct; (3) Marginalizing the targeted group’s role in society; (4) Criminalizing the targeted group or its works; (5) Persecuting the targeted group outright.

According to Msgr. Pope, the stereotyping stage began in the 1960s and 70s when Christians were “caricatured in the media as Bible thumpers, simpletons, as backwards, mentally simple, haters of science, hypocrites, self-righteous, old-fashioned and so forth.”

But, in his view, the culture has now reached stage 4 with the state beginning to “criminalize” Christian beliefs. “Stages one through four are pretty well in place. One may wish to whistle past the graveyard but it looks like we’re pretty well set for Stage V,” he writes.

5 Steps of PersecutionI will add that, when analyzing some issue faced by the Church, we should look at it ad intra and ad extra.  It is obvious that we have may agents within the Church who are either the witting agents or unwitting agent dupes of those who would bring about the eradication of the Church’s positive influence.  Some of them wear Roman collars.

Meanwhile, everybody, let’s talk about the New Evangelization!

I refer the readership back to my constant points about sacred worship and Catholic identity and being prepared, mentally, spiritual and materially, for what is coming.

Posted in Our Catholic Identity, Pò sì jiù, Priests and Priesthood, Si vis pacem para bellum!, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged , , ,
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Blog travails continue – 404 page

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I don’t know whether this came from an attack or if something is a little wonky with the database, but a couple times now people have found when clicking on links to posts or comments that they are directed to a 404 page.

Sorry about that.  As it turns out the fix is pretty easy.  However, it seems that the problem started just minutes after I shut down my computer for the evening.

A perfect example of Zuhlsdorf’s Law.

So, I believe the problem is, for now, fixed.  Hopefully we can trace down what caused it.

UPDATE:

BTW… as part of this process of tidying and shoring up, I’d like to be able to loosen up the strictures I’ve placed on the combox… gradually. It would be nice to have more comments. But… everyone would have to be charged with thoughtful good behavior. Otherwise, we soon would have the kind of slimy vermin-infested fever swamp of uncharitablness that plagues NCR (aka Fishwrap), Crux, et alibi.

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New hideous huge London feminist hell dog statue

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Our friends in London have new delight… appropriately close to where Tyburn Tree stood, near Marble Arch.

From ihorror.com:

There’s a new statue on public display in London that is meant to “inspire” and “delight” those who pass it on their daily commute, though we’re thinking words like “terrify,” “horrify” and “petrify” are more fitting for this particular piece of art.

It’s called ‘She Guardian,’ and Russian artist Dashi Namdakov has spent the last two years sculpting the towering figure out of four massive tons of bronze. Measuring 36-feet high, the artist says the attention-grabbing piece expresses a sense of maternal protectiveness, which we totally understand.

But here’s the thing. IT’S A FLYING DEMON DOG FROM HELL.

With wings, cloven hooves, and a set of fangs that would make Dracula jealous, ‘She Guardian’ looks like the sort of creature you’d expect to see guarding the gates of Hell, and perhaps even being ridden around by Satan himself. The sculpture is downright nightmarish, and I’m not sure I’m inspired or delighted.

But Councillor Robert Davis, deputy leader of Westminster City Council, insists that is the intended reaction.

“Marble Arch is our prime location for which we only use the best possible work,” said Davis. “Hopefully this piece will inspire and delight in equal measure.” [?]

Check out a few photos of ‘She Guardian’ below, and let us know what you think. Thanks to Now. Here. This. for bringing the statue to our attention.

[…]

London hell statue 01

Soon people will just be numbed by it… get used to another image of something hellish.

But wait! There’s more.

Let’s go over to Breitbart for additional information.

‘MIGRANTS RUINED MY FEMINIST STATUE’ SAYS LONDON ARTIST

Russian artist Dashi Namdakov has expressed disappointment that his new installation by London’s Hyde Park has become a refuge for London’s vagrant migrant community.  [Like the really ugly statue of John Paul II in front of Rome’s train station.  HERE]

Namdakov is reported to be “upset” and “disappointed” to see pictures of the statue being used as a shelter and makeshift bed, and his son told the Evening Standard they had hopes Westminster council would be moving the migrants on: “It is obviously an unfortunate situation but we are hoping it will not be for too long and it can be sorted out”.

One of the migrants using the statue was bullish in his defence of their presence, telling the paper: “We are not stopping people from enjoying the sculpture. We are just here. We are looking for homes and jobs but this is where we will be. We aren’t moving”. He said his friends thought the marble base “comfortable” and convenient, as it provided them with shade from the sun. [LOL!]

The statue itself was unveiled last month and drew immediate comments about its demonic appearance – despite purportedly being symbolic of female strength and a desire to care for the young. [CARE FOR the young?  More like DEVOUR the young!  This could be Moloch’s sidekick!] London events blog Now Here This reviewed the installation as “London’s most terrifying new statue”, with Time Out’s art editor remarking “It’s Rodin meets Ridley Scott, in a bad way”. [Best line in the piece.]

[…]

The next time I am in London, I think I’ll take some Holy Water if I go anywhere near Marble Arch.

This reminds me of the chapter in Voyage to Alpha Centauri by Michael D. O’Brien. (UK LINK HERE) in which the people have a ceremony in honor of the hideous stuff they find on the planet.

UPDATE 11 June:

In my voice mail, J from Philadelphia reported that in 2008 the London Institute of Contemporary “Art” set up a huge statue of the Assyrian god/demon (in the movie the Exorcist).  HERE It’s as if someone is “marking” the city with hell dog demon piss. Photos HERE.

Six+Metre+Statue+God+Pazuzu 01

Posted in The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, You must be joking! | Tagged , , , ,
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Surprise: transgender “woman” beats tar out of a woman opponent in the ring.

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here’s a real surprise…

A man… bit cut up… beat the stuffing out of a woman.

From Libertarian Republic (the video is brutal):

Transgender MMA [c’mon… MALE] Fighter Destroys Female Opponent

Critics are scrutinizing mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor Fallon Fox, after the transgender fighter gave her opponent a concussion and broke her eye socket.

Fox defeated her opponent, Tamikka Brents, by TKO at 2:17 of the first round of their match. Brent’s eye injury resulted in a damaged orbital bone that required seven staples.

In a post-fight interview this week, Brents told Whoa TV, “I’ve never felt so overpowered ever in my life.”  [That’s because you weren’t fighting someone whose frame and muscles developed like yours.]

“I’ve fought a lot of women and have never felt the strength that I felt in a fight as I did that night. I can’t answer whether it’s because she was born a man or not, because I’m not a doctor,” she stated. [?!?] “I can only say, I’ve never felt so overpowered ever in my life, and I am an abnormally strong female in my own right. ”

Fox’s “grip was different,” Brents added. “I could usually move around in the clinch against…females but couldn’t move at all in Fox’s clinch.”

A video (below) of the fight shows Fox throwing several powerful knees to the face and torso of Brents at the start of the match, who pulled guard to protect herself. Then, Brents turns to avoid damage, where she then took about 45 seconds of elbow and fist strikes before the fight was stopped by the referee.

This is not the first time Fox’s gender controversy has been criticized.

In 2013, after a 39-second knockout victory, Fox’s fifth straight first-round victory, it was revealed that Fox had not told the MMA community about his sex-change operation, which took place in 2006.

Equality or nah

Okay… is this different than being a predator?

Posted in Sin That Cries To Heaven, The Drill, You must be joking! | Tagged
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“when you are in need of a little feminist pick me up!”

Posted on 10 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

“We are excited to have found a video of the momentous event which we share with you for those moments when you are in need of a little feminist pick me up!”

More from the promoters of Women’s Ordination, wasting some time… back in March. HERE

Here is their exciting new video on the site of the Women’s Ordination Conference.

These talented young people put this together during a Call To Action conference in Memphis. I wasn’t invited.

NB: This whole exercise is yet another demonstration that they deeply crave the approval of men.

Play video

I know you are interested in the theologically impressive lyrics.

I go to Mass each day,
I sure know how to pray,
But God has more to say, oooh oooh
God has more to say, oooh oooh.

I’m tryin to create,
But I don’t wanna wait.
What would Jesus say? oooh oooh
Yeah what would Jesus say? oooh oooh

Spirit won’t stop movin’
Can’t stop, won’t stop groovin’ [it’s groovy]
It’s like I got this calling
In my mind sayin it’s gonna be alright.

[Chorus – Boy is this impressive…]
Cause the bishops gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
And the pope will excommunicate, ate ate
I’m just gonna shake shake shake shake
Shake it off, shake it off
Shake it off, shake it off

Nuns never miss a beat,
But always take the heat.
Pope Francis just don’t see, oooh oooh
Hey, Francis don’t you see? oooh oooh

If Church is gonna grow,
Misogyny must go,
That’s what they don’t know, oooh oooh
Yeah that’s what they don’t know, oooh oooh

Spirit won’t stop movin’
Can’t stop, won’t stop groovin’
It’s like I got this calling
In my mind sayin it’s gonna be alright.

[Chorus 2x]

I’ll turn on the moderation queue now.

Posted in Liberals, You must be joking! | Tagged , ,
39 Comments

Fr. Blake: The Extraordinary Form makes the priest accountable… to you

Posted on 10 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Blake: The Extraordinary Form makes the priest accountable... to youMy friend Fr. Ray Blake, the mighty PP of St. Mary Magdalene in Brighton, has a good reflection today contrasting and comparing celebration of the newer form of Holy Mass and the older, traditional form, with comments about “leadership”. He makes some important points about who the priest is.  HERE

Before I send you over there, I would add a comment or two.

First, for a long time I have claimed that Mass in the traditional Roman Rite is probably celebrated “better” now than it was back in the day.  Firstly, we “benefited” (if that’s the right word) from its deprivation.  That is to say, we should have had it all long and it wounded us as a Church that we didn’t, but its deprivation also helped many to appreciate it more.   Second, it is possible that our use of the Extraordinary Form benefited from the period of the Novus Ordo, at least insofar as priest celebrants are far more aware of the fact that there are people out there.

Now for a sample from Fr. Blake’s piece.

[…]

Anyone [any cleric] preparing to celebrating the Old Rite first of all has to learn a different way of being a priest, he has to learn to be a servant, like the Centurion’s servant “to come here, and go there”. The Old Rite is very prescriptive about how the priest moves, where moves, how he uses his body, where he looks and even where he directs his eyes. The control over his body and movements results in a control over his mind and thoughts. [Yes.] The thing is that the rubrics are freely available to any ten year old who can read Latin or anyone who Fr. Blake: The Extraordinary Form makes the priest accountable... to youhas a copy of Fortescue, O’Connel and Reid, or the like, this is important in as much as it democratises the liturgy and leaves the priest open to accountability and able to be judged on his obedience to the demands of the Church. [No wonder liberals hate the old rite: they don’t want to be accountable to anyone but themselves. Liberals don’t like accountability unless it involves subordinating everyone else.] In fact the heart of the spirituality of the Old Rite is one of being under obedience, the obliteration of the individual, to the point where in a large Church, with a number of priests one is often uncertain which priest is celebrating Mass, it is often just hair colour, or body shape that enables one to distinguish who is the celebrant.

If the priest in the New Rite chooses to celebrate ad apsidem, which is his right, in the same way as it is his right to choose which penitential rite or Eucharistic Prayer to use, he is well on his way to  begin to submerge himself in the the liturgy and the mind of the Church, and yet of course he has already made a ‘leadership’ decision. Similarly if he opts to celebrate the Old Rite, he has done more than any of his pre-conciliar predecessors had the power to do. However the Old Rite teaches obedience, there is an entirely different attitude to preparing a liturgy in either Form of the Rite. At low Mass in the Old Rite, the priest merely opens the Missal and begins continuing until he ends, it is almost mechanical. In the New Rite even if Mass is said as ‘rubrically’ as possible there are a variety of options. If Mass is sung, in the Old Rite he and the choir simply sing what is in the Graduale or the Liber, if one is very fortunate the choir might be able substitute polyphony or some other musical form for some of the chant, possibly even adding the organ or even an orchestra or a band, and possibly even singing the chant in a particular historic style. For the priest and sacred ministers however it is saying or singing the black and doing the red. [Nice phrase.]

[…]

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, The future and our choices | Tagged , ,
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Wisconsin Senate passes bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks.

Posted on 10 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I just watched the video stream of The Extraordinary Ordinary, His Excellency Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, offering the opening prayer of the Wisconsin Senate on a day when the Senate voted to ban abortion after 20 weeks.

15_06_10_WI_leg_03

The prayer had to conform to some Senate rules, but His Excellency made his points.

The bill – Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (SB 179/AB 237) – now goes to the other chamber.  Gov. Walker is expected to sign the legislation.

Planned Parenthood and the other exponents of Bill Business Abortion are fighting the bill to protect children.

I also heard them read the resolution of the Senate about the death of a WI Trooper, Trevor Casper.  “OFFICER DOWN!”  Say a prayer for him and his family.

Remember, friends, “all politics is local”.  You should get involved with your state and federal legislators.  Know the issues.  Give your recommendations to your representatives at the state and national levels.  As a matter of fact, I had an exchange with the office of my rep today about a bill that interested me.  They pay attention when you take the time.  Sometimes it makes a difference.  If you do nothing all the time, you won’t make any difference all the time.

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, "How To..." - Practical Notes, Emanations from Penumbras, Fr. Z KUDOS, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , ,
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D. Burlington – Brick by Brick in Vermont

Posted on 10 June 2015 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I received news that in Vermont’s Diocese of Burlington, at Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, there will soon be regular offerings of Holy Mass according to the Roman Rite’s Extraordinary Form.

Bp. Christopher Coyne, often visible in social media such as Twitter, wrote recently to his flock about this move.  The bishop himself does not celebrate according to the Extraordinary Form… yet.  He should be invited to do so.  It isn’t all that hard with a good MC.  Everybody does all the work for you and, if you are patient, you are guided around.  Easy peasy.

His Excellency has posted observations about the Extraordinary Form.  HERE

Fr. Z kudos to Bp. Coyne and his flock.

Posted in Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM | Tagged ,
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