ASK FATHER: St. Patrick’s Day 2017 on Friday in Lent

Posted on 16 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

st patricks day choicesFrom a reader…

QUAERITUR:

I am responsible for a brunch which is served after the Saint Patrick’s Day Mass at the Cathedral in my Archdiocese. This year, Saint Patrick falls on a Friday of Lent. I believe this means I should offer only meatless options, but I keep getting told that there is some type of dispensation for Saint Patrick’s feast.

As far as I can tell, the only dispensation from abstinence on Fridays during Lent is if a Solemnity were to fall on that day. On the General Roman Calendar, Saint Patrick is a Memorial. He gets a Solemnity on some national calendars (Ireland, I think maybe Australia). And I suppose he would also be celebrated as a Solemnity in a diocese where he is the principal patron, but only if that is officially designated.

Neither applies to many places in these United States

Am I missing anything here? I am sure I am not the only person facing this question, and this (I think) misinformation about how to handle it.

This year the feast of St. Patrick lands on a Friday in Lent.  Catholics are obliged to do penance on all Fridays of the year, and in particular during Lent.

First, can I just say that the way St. Patrick’s Day, like St. Valentine’s Day, is generally observed is appalling?  Hence, I do not think the Church ought to cave in when it comes to how it is generally celebrated.  So there.

To your point, these days I am not sure that the laws of Friday or Lenten penance mean anything any more.  Of course they do, don’t get me wrong.  It’s just that for a very long time now the Church’s pastors have done little or nothing to teach people about the need for penances.  Doing penance has fallen into desuetude.  Couple that with an anti-nomian spirit sweeping through society and we have a serious problem.

As you point out, the Church’s law requires that Catholic do penance on Fridays that are not liturgical Solemnities.  It can be argued that if the Friday is also a feast of a patronal saint of a place, then we can be dispensed from doing penance.

Also, remember that we can substitute one way of doing penance for abstinence from meat on most Fridays.  For example, instead of abstaining from eating meat (the common way of doing penance which the Church has designated since days of yore) we can, most Fridays of the year, not use the internet or turn on the television or abstain from other foods or drinks or activities, etc.  However, some conferences of bishops, such as in these USA, have determined that in Lent the obligation of doing penance on Fridays is fulfilled by abstinence from meat.  That wasn’t relaxed with the substitution option.  On Fridays of Lent, in these USA, Catholics are obliged to do their Friday penance by abstaining from meat.

Keeping that in mind, our pastors of our parishes can dispense from penance.  So can the local bishop.  That brings me to the next point about Friday penance in Lent, which includes abstinence.

You need to check with your local diocese to find out if your local bishop has dispensed his subjects (and others visiting the diocese) from the obligation to do penance on Friday, 17 March, the Feast of St. Patrick by abstaining from meat.  Many bishops in these USA do this.

In the decree of dispensation from abstain from meat on that particular Friday in Lent, usually published in the local diocesan newspaper or website, will generally also add language about celebrating the feast “with moderation and temperance”, which all Catholics are sure to observe – no doubt.  We are also admonished to perform works of charity, always a good idea.  Without question that’s what Catholics will do on Friday 19 March.

There is no blanket dispensation in force automatically for St. Patrick’s day in most places.  It must be given by each bishop in his own diocese.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Canon Law, Hard-Identity Catholicism | Tagged , , , ,
26 Comments

Fr. Murray on Card. Coccopalmerio’s booklet defense of Communion for mortal sinners

Posted on 16 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I direct the readership to dash over to The Catholic Thing for a new column by my friend Fr. Gerald Murray.  He drills into the booklet offered to the public through the intermediary of the Vatican Press by His Eminence Francesco Card. Coccopalmerio: The Eighth Chapter of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (still in Italian.  I wrote about it HERE).  The booklet, a few dozen pages, had been hyped as The Response™ to the Five Dubia of the Four “intransigent” Cardinals, who have been labeled as dissenters because, ironically, they defend doctrine.  It isn’t and can’t be a response to the Five Dubia, of course, and that was clearly stated during the press conference, presentation of the booklet.  Nevertheless, its out there and we should look at it honestly and rationally.

Fr. Murray, looking at the key excerpt of the booklet which have been brought to public view, brings up honest and rational points from the get go.  Here’s a sample (my emphases):

Coccopalmerio writes:

The divorced and remarried, de facto couples, those cohabiting, are certainly not models of unions in sync with Catholic Doctrine, but the Church cannot look the other way. Therefore, the sacraments of Reconciliation and of Communion must be given even to those so-called wounded families and to however many who, despite living in situations not in line with traditional matrimonial canons, express the sincere desire to approach the sacraments after an appropriate period of discernment. . . .it is a gesture of openness and profound mercy on the part of Mother Church, who does not leave behind any of her children, aware that absolute perfection is a precious gift, but one which cannot be reached by everyone.

What do we find here? Slogans and euphemisms. A slogan is meant to stop discussion. Euphemisms intentionally steer the reader away from precise and accurate descriptions of reality. A seminary professor of mine once noted that verbal engineering always precedes social engineering. In this case, it’s doctrinal engineering

Slogans such as “look the other way” and “not leave behind any of her children,” and euphemisms such as “so-called wounded families” and “situations not in line with traditional matrimonial canons” show a decision not to present a carefully reasoned and precise defense of what is being endorsed. Rather, Coccopalmerio tries to sweep the reader along with emotional appeals and misdirection.

“Not looking the other way,” means that the Church should simply ignore the sinfulness of certain behaviors. In the case of unions involving adultery and fornication, the question is not about healing “so-called wounded families” but warning sinners that their behavior gravely offends God.

When he says that the Church should “not leave behind any of her children,” he means that the refusal to give Communion to those publicly living a seriously sinful life would be an unjust abandonment. Adulterous unions are now simply “situations not in line with traditional matrimonial canons.” God’s law on the indissolubility of marriage and the immorality of adultery is now a mere “tradition” embodied in a canon. Violating that law is only a “situation not in line” with that canon, which was written down somewhere, at some time, by someone. How important is a canon compared to actual people who “express the sincere desire to approach the sacraments after an appropriate period of discernment”?

Coccopalmerio describes observing the Sixth Commandment as “absolute perfection [that] is a precious gift, but one which cannot be reached by everyone.” But [NB] the Church has never taught that observing the Sixth Commandment is a state of “absolute perfection,” beyond the capability of any of her sons and daughters. It’s an error to consider marital fidelity as an ideal not reachable by many Christians. The grace of the sacrament of marriage is given by God to strengthen married persons in fulfilling their obligation to marital fidelity. Infidelity is a choice against one’s obligations to God and one’s spouse. It is not an authorized alternative for those who “cannot” reach “absolute perfection.”

[…]

That bit about “perfection” and “ideal” that many cannot attain is one of the most pernicious elements in this whole dreadful kerfuffle.

The idea is that God might give commandments in his divine positive law, but they are ideals.  Some people simply can’t live according to the ideas that God gave for every member of the human race.  In so asserting, we also assert that God does not offer graces to people to live a holy life.  God, so to speak, places burdens on some people that they cannot bear and He doesn’t offer any help.  He abandons some people, in effect.  And, since that is so, then the Church shouldn’t hold people to bear burdens that are really only “ideals” that not all can attain.

From the Council of Trent. … mind you, the what the Council of Trent is still true.  Right?  Even though it was a few centuries ago, it is still true what that Council taught and we Catholics are obliged to accept what that Council taught.

ON JUSTIFICATION
FIRST DECREE
Celebrated on the thirteenth day of the month of January, 1547.

CHAPTER XI.

On keeping the Commandments, and on the necessity and possibility thereof.

But no one, how much soever justified, ought to think himself exempt from the observance of the commandments; no one ought to make use of that rash saying, one prohibited by the Fathers under an anathema,- that the observance of the commandments of God is impossible for one that is justified. For God commands not impossibilities, but, by commanding, both admonishes thee to do what thou are able, and to pray for what thou art not able (to do), and aids thee that thou mayest be able; whose commandments are not heavy; whose yoke is sweet and whose burthen light. [That, dear readers, is true compassion.] For, whoso are the sons of God, love Christ; but they who love him, keep his commandments, as Himself testifies; which, assuredly, with the divine help, they can do. For, although, during this mortal life, men, how holy and just soever, at times fall into at least light and daily sins, which are also called venial, not therefore do they cease to be just. For that cry of the just, Forgive us our trespasses, is both humble and true. And for this cause, the just themselves ought to feel themselves the more obligated to walk in the way of justice, in that, being already freed from sins, but made servants of God, they are able, living soberly, justly, and godly, to proceed onwards through Jesus Christ, by whom they have had access unto this grace.

[…]

CANON XVIII.-If any one saith, that the commandments of God are, even for one that is justified and constituted in grace, impossible to keep; let him be anathema.

Back to Fr. Murray.

At the end of his offering, Fr. Murray, whose French is exceptionally good, quotes from Robert Card. Sarah’s new book (still in French but coming soon in English – now available for pre-order):

In contrast to all this, Cardinal Robert Sarah has published a second book-length interview with French journalist Nicholas Diat, which will soon appear in English: The Power of Silence, Against the Dictatorship of Noise. In this profound dialogue about the need for believers to recover a love for silence in our agitated world, Cardinal Sarah addresses the burning questions raised by chapter eight of Amoris Laetitia:

Christ is certainly afflicted in seeing and hearing priests and bishops who should protect the integrity of the teaching of the Gospel and of doctrine multiplying words and writings that dilute the rigor of the Gospel by their deliberately ambiguous and confused affirmations. To these priests and these prelates who give the impression of taking up the exact opposite of the traditional teaching of the Church in matters of doctrine and morality, it is not out of place to recall the severe words of Christ: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” “He is guilty of an eternal sin”, Mark adds. (Fr. Murray’s translation)

PRE-ORDER The Power of Silence in ENGLISH. It will be released on 15 April (Holy Saturday).  A great Eastertide reading gift to yourselves or friends.

US HERE – UK HERE

The original French, if you prefer…

US HERE – UK HERE

And if you haven’t read it yet…

US HERE – UK HERE

Posted in Mail from priests, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, Pò sì jiù, The Drill, What are they REALLY saying? | Tagged , , , , ,
10 Comments

Knights of Malta to elect a new Grand Master – with a twist?

Posted on 15 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is interesting.  Is someone backing off a little?

From the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Malta (SMOM):

The government of the Order of Malta to convene the Council Complete of State on 29 April to elect the successor of the Grand Master

The electing body will meet in the Order’s Magistral Villa in Rome

On 29 April the Council Complete of State, the Order’s constitutional body, will elect the next Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta (or, as provided for in the Constitution, a Lieutenant of the Grand Master, to hold office for a year). Following the resignation of the 79th Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing, on 28 January, the government of the Order of Malta – the Sovereign Council – met this morning in Rome, and established the April date.
The Council Complete of State will meet in the Election Chamber in the Magistral Villa in Rome, the extraterritorial seat of the Order of Malta.
The election of a Grand Master requires a vote of the majority plus one, according to Article 23 of the Constitutional Charter. Sixty members of the Order are eligible to vote: the Lieutenant ad interim, the members of the Sovereign Council, the Prelate of the Order, the professed bailiffs, two professed knights from each Priory, five Regents of the Sub-Priories and fifteen representatives of the National Associations.

The best English language vaticanist working in Rome these days, Edward Pentin, tweeted:

Isn’t that interesting?   Is someone, somewhere backing away a little?

Posted in ¡Hagan lío! | Tagged , ,
20 Comments

100th Anniversary of Fatima, Your Parishes and You

Posted on 15 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

What are your parishes planning for the months of the 100th anniversary of the Fatima events?

Let us know.

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Our Solitary Boast | Tagged ,
16 Comments

ASK FATHER: Praying for the Holy Father’s Intentions

Posted on 15 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Mass purgatory indulgencesFrom a reader…

QUAERITUR:

When praying for an indulgence, is it better / okay to pray for Holy Father’s HOLY intentions, rather than simply his intentions?

These days it seems that – laying aside his published universal intentions – some of his intentions as implied by his actions are not ones that I want to pray for.

The conditions for obtaining an indulgence include praying for the Holy Father’s intentions.  That means praying for the intentions that he designates.  Right?  That seems fairly clear.

It may be that in a given month you know the intentions, or you don’t know the intentions.  In that case you pray in a generic way for his intentions.  One can, I suppose, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions in a generic way that is founded in our tradition, that is to say, for the sort of intentions that Pope’s have designated going way back.  That seems safe enough for a generic prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions.

When I answered a question about this once before, one of the comments included a great synopsis of the Pontiff’s intentions taken from Prümmer’s Manuale (vol. III, no. 556).  Prümmer says that “Intentions of the Holy Father” which we pray for in the course of obtaining an Indulgence, are a five-fold set which tradition (and the former Congregations) fixed as such, namely:

1. Exaltatio S. Matris Ecclesiæ (The triumph/growth of holy mother the Church),
2. Extirpatio hæresum (The rooting out of heresy),
3. Propagatio fidei (The propogation of the Faith)
4. Conversio peccatorum (The conversion of sinners),
5. Pax inter principes christianos (Peace among christian rulers).

None of these require any head scratching.

It seems to me that were one to be unaware of what the Holy Father’s assigned intentions were for a specific month, one could feasibly pray, in a generic way, “for the Holy Father’s intentions”, and have in mind, at least, those five intentions we have from tradition.

It is not very hard these days to find the Pope’s intentions each month, but we are not obliged to look them up.  After all, “fasting” from too much time on the internet is probably beneficial for us.

One should also pray for the Holy Father himself as well, not just for his intentions.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged ,
4 Comments

More news of The Religion of Peace v. Christians

Posted on 15 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From The Christian Post:

ISIS Covers 3 Families in Tar, Burns Them Alive for Fleeing ‘Caliphate’

As IS continues to lose ground and suffer huge losses in its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul at the hands of Iraqi-led coalition liberation troops, the militants have been cracking down forcefully on residents fleeing from its various territories.

About two hours southeast of Mosul is the IS stronghold of Kirkuk, a town that members of three Iraqi families were recently caught fleeing from.

According to Iraqi News, an unnamed security source told the Iraqi satellite media outlet Alsumaria that the civilians were discovered on the roadside by IS and taken to the town of Hawija, about an hour west of Kirkuk, to be publicly executed.

“Daesh militants have burned to death 15 civilians belonging to three families from al-Shajarah village in Hawija,” the source said.

The source explained that the victims were covered in tar and then lit on fire. The militants warned onlookers that they would face a similar fate if they tried to escape from the IS stronghold.

Iraqi News reports that IS barred the victims from leaving central Kirkuk and the surrounding areas of the Saladin province.

The execution of the three families comes after it was reported last month that the terrorist group executed another family who tried to flee from Kirkuk. That family, which consisted of four children and a mother, was also burned to death in Hawija.

The militants allegedly tied up the mother and her children and then covered their bodies with oil before lighting them on fire.

The Islamic State terrorist group in Iraq burned 15 civilians to death, including children, after they were caught trying to escape from the so-called “land of the caliphate,” a security source has told an Iraqi media outlet.

[…]

There is more.

This is a religious war.   It is a constantly morphing war.   It is asymetrical and spreading.

I recommend that you read Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War bySebastian Gorka. (UK HERE)  Mr. Gorka is now one of Pres. Trump’s advisors, which is a good thing.  It is good to have sober realists in the administration.

In his book, Gorka describes one of the reasons why these barbarians inflict terror.

According to the Pakistani general, there is only one target of importance in war: the soul of the enemy. The infidel foe must be converted to Islam or crushed. Lastly, since the only target that matters in war is the soul of the infidel, Malik concludes that the most effective weapon in war is terror. Here we see the relevance of his book to groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS. The enemy’s belief system must be utterly destroyed, and terror is the most effective way to do that. That is why 9/ 11 was so important. It is the highly symbolic suicide attacks, the crucifixions, the beheadings, the bombings of civilian crowds, and the videos of immolations that will destroy the will of the infidel to go on.

According to the Quranic concept of war, and because these terrorists are inspired to bring about the eschatological fulfillment of their religion, they wage war on the souls of the non-Muslim and, in their view, the insufficiently-Muslim.  Their war has an eschatological view.  They must destroy the spirit of their enemy.  This is why they use terror and why they commit atrocities which they record and broadcast.

Pray the Most Holy Rosary, which Our Lady heard with favor at the Battle of Lepanto.  Ask Our Lady of Victory to throw her protective mantle over all potential victims of the barbarians of terrorist jihad.

Sts. Nunilo and Alodia, pray for us.
St. Lawrence of Brindisi, pray for us.
St. Pius V, pray for us.
Martyrs of Otranto, pray for us.
Our Lady of Victor, pray for us.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.

Posted in Semper Paratus, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Religion of Peace | Tagged , , ,
15 Comments

And now for one of the dopiest things I’ve heard in a while

Posted on 15 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is just plain dopey.

From that perennial purveyor of blech, RNS…

‘Glitter Ash Wednesday’ sparkles for LGBT Christians and others

(RNS) Lighten up, Ash Wednesday.

A New York-based advocacy group called Parity is asking Christians who favor LGBT equality — “queer positive Christians,” in their parlance — to show their support by wearing “glitter ash” on their foreheads to mark Ash Wednesday (March 1).  [For dumb!]

Ash Wednesday kicks off the six-week somber season called Lent that leads to Easter, and is usually marked in churches with the color purple.  [Or, perhaps, a pastel?]  Traditionally, plain gray ashes, blessed by a minister or priest, are smeared on the foreheads of Christians to symbolize repentance.

“This is a way for queer Christians and queer-positive persons of faith to say ‘We are here,’” said Marian Edmonds-Allen, Parity’s executive director. “It is also a way for other people to be a witness to that and be in solidarity with them.”

[…]

Parity is mixing professional makeup-grade purple glitter with traditional ashes. The organization will send glitter ashes at no cost — though a donation is suggested — to any congregation or individual that requests them.

[…]

I don’t think I’ll order any.

Posted in Pò sì jiù, Sin That Cries To Heaven, You must be joking! |
35 Comments

“…let him be anathema.”

Posted on 14 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This quote came up in the combox:

A reading from the 13th session of the Council of Trent:

“CANON XI.- If any one saith, that faith alone is a sufficient preparation for receiving the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist; let him be anathema. And for fear lest so great a sacrament may be received unworthily, and so unto death and condemnation, this holy Synod ordains and declares, that sacramental confession, when a confessor may be had, is of necessity to be made beforehand, by those whose conscience is burthened with mortal sin, how contrite even soever they may think themselves. But if any one shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately to assert, or even in public disputation to defend the contrary, he shall be thereupon excommunicated.”

council of trent sm

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Lighter fare | Tagged , , ,
51 Comments

Card. Coccopalmerio’s booklet: The Response™? Apparently not.

Posted on 14 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
twitterfatherz-3

Click!

Yesterday, I posted HERE about the release of the booklet by Card. Coccopalmerio, Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. It was ballyhooed as The Response™ to the Five Dubia of the Four “intransigent” Cardinals, who are dissenters because they are defending doctrine. The Cardinal’s booklet, which had a veneer of official approval because it was published by the Vatican Press, was to be publicly presented today.

Yesterday I made two main points.

First, the booklet cannot by any reasonable person be thought to be The Response™ to the Five Dubia of the Four Cardinals. The Response™ must come from His Holiness the Pope or, at his manifest behest, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Second, the landscape we are looking at these days is surreal enough to be like a Salvador Dali painting. Things are getting strange.

They just got stranger today.

Card. Coccopalmerio did not come to his own book presentation. Instead, as reported by the best English language vaticanista in Rome now, Edward Pentin, the Cardinal went to a meeting of the Congregation for Causes of Saints.

Let’s be clear about something. In Rome, book presentations are not usually made by the author of the book. However, the author is usually in the room.

It it pretty odd that His Eminence was not there for the roll out of the booklet that was heralded as The Response™. Right?  And for a meeting at Saints?

Furthermore, according to a tweet by Pentin, the conference presenters openly said that the booklet was NOT a response to the Five Dubia!

Curiouser and curiouser.

Something is going on.

UPDATE:

CNS says:

Father Costa [Salesian, director of the Vatican Press, presenter] told reporters the cardinal’s book is not “the Vatican response” to the challenges posed by U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke and three retired cardinals [NB: CNS singled out Card. Burke!  I suspect that Card. Caffara wrote the Dubia.  Why single out Card. Burke?  Obvious.] to the supposed lack of clarity and potential misunderstanding of “Amoris Laetitia.” [Why might one think it is not clear? Because, as CNS reports in the same piece, there are sharply contrasting statements about it by conferences of bishops?] Rather, he said, it is an “authoritative” reading of the papal document and a contribution to the ongoing discussion.  [So, it’s an “authoritative” reading and it is a “contribution”.]

Also from CNS:

Father Maurizio Gronchi, a theologian and consultant to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, told reporters Feb. 14 Cardinal Coccopalmerio’s reading of “Amoris Laetitia” is the same as the bishops of Malta, Germany and the church region of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Moreover:

In writing that the church could admit such a couple to the sacraments with the “verification of two essential conditions — that they desire to change that situation, but they cannot act on their desire,” the cardinal said the verification must be done with “attentive and authoritative discernment” under the guidance of a priest. [Read between the lines: they still want to have sexual relations.  Somehow the must have sexual relations.  It seems that they are incapable of not having sexual relations.  QUAERITUR: Where is God’s grace?]

Does “welcoming the sinner justify the person’s behavior and renounce doctrine?” the cardinal asked. “Certainly not.”

It sure sounds like it does.

I am reminded of what canonist Ed Peters wrote about priests who would in some way, in the context of the internal forum, the confessional, recommend, condone, guide to, suggest, approve, hint that a couple in an objective state of adultery (divorced and civilly remarried, no declaration of nullity, etc.) could have sexual relations.  Those priests would be in effect commit the crime of solicitation in Confession (if for themselves, for someone else – it’s still solicitation!).   Peters wrote about the Coccopalmerio booklet today and he reminds us all of the point about can. 1387.  HERE

UPDATE:

In effect, it seems that His Eminence has suggested that the desire to change is enough to receive Holy Communion.  An actual change is not required.

I wonder how far that could be pushed.

[The screen fades to black and comes back up in an old fashioned church.  Zoom to the confessional across the nave.  The light is on.   A big, really big, guy with black hair goes into the “penitent” side.  Shift to inside.  The door of the grate draws back.  A priest wearing a stole is seen on the other side….]

“Bless me Fahdah, ‘cuz I have sinned.  It’s been maybe 20 years since my las’ confession and deez are my sins.   Ya’ see, it’s like dis, Fahdah… I’m in, you know, Our ‘Ting and I well, I kill people, ya see?  I don’t particularly like doin’ it, if ya know what I mean.  But, ya see, it’s my job.  I got into a little trouble with the ponies and da other stuff and … well, I got debts to pay, ya’ know?  So, I gotta keep killing people to make livin’.  Besides, some of the people I work with wouldn’t take kindly to me just stoppin’ an all.  But I really wanna go to Communion when I go to da Mass.  I mean, it’s been a while and I’m not exactly gettin’ younger, right?  Whadya say, Fahdah?  I keep hearin’ deez days about the whole mercy ting.  And, okay, you might say I’m kinda an expert on the opposite, ya know?  All that cryin’ and pleadin’ an’all.  It’s pretty hard.  I’m tryin’ ta be more mercyful.  So’s I try to do it fast an’ when they ain’t lookin’, just to be nice, okay?  So’s I was tinking that I could, maybe, just slip in quiet like when I go to another town for work, ya see?  Okay, Fahdah?  Whadya say?”

“Well, my son.  You are clearly not living in accordance with the Church’s teachings.  But you seem sincere and, well, you want to change. Right?”

“Oh yes, Fahdah, I really do.  Really truly.  But, like I was sayin’, I got debts to pay off and there are the other factors too, like my… associates, if you get my drift.  So, I really gotta keep workin’, capisc’?”

“Yes, yes… I see.  Well, if in your conscience you sense that you should go to Communion, and you really want to change, even though right now you can’t help it, even though you have to keep… um… working….”

“Oh yes, Fahdah, I gotta keep whacking dos’ guys.  It’s my job, an all.  But, like I said, I don’t really like it and I try to hit em when….”

“Yes, yes… of course.  Okay, my son, yes, you can go to Communion.  After all, this is the age of compassion and mercy.  Your conscience is all that matters.  But try not to kill too many people between Communions, okay?  You must make concrete and real progress toward your goal of not being a murderer for hire.  So for your penance, please think nice thoughts about your last, and your next, victim.  Do you know an Act of Contri… oh, well… I guess we can dispense with that.   ‘God, the Father of mercies….'”

[Fade to black.]

“But Fahdah! But Fahdah!”, some of you libs are squeeking, “Are you really making a comparison between a sexual act between two consenting adults and a mob hit?  Really?  This is outrageous!  You must hate Love, because you HATE VATICAN II!”

Calm down and wipe the spittle-flecks off your chin.

We are talking about mortal sins.  Right?  In this case, very mortal indeed.

But take another case…

“Bless me Father, I have sinned, it has been two weeks since my last confession.  These are my sins.  I am the owner of a good sized company with many employees.  But these are hard times in my industry, so I regularly defraud my employees of their just wages.  In our town, I am one of the most important employers, so most people there just have to take it, suffer the injustice.   And, well, I am going to continue to do it, too, because, well… it would be really hard if I don’t.  The company could go bankrupt and then… well… everyone would lose their jobs.  So, if I don’t cheat them, I’m committing an even worse sin, right?”

[Father, on the other side of the grate, nods his head slowly, brow furrowed in compassionate mercy.  Then, his expression changes to shock.]

“You are mistreating the workers?!?  What sort of man are you?  If you were only committing a sin like, I don’t know, adultery then I could say, well, I could say a lot of things. We could work with those while you receive Communion, in compassion and mercy because your conscience would be clear.  But THIS?  I just don’t know.  You must change your ways, my son.  It is not enough to want to.  This is the proletariat we are talking about here!  Workers, you know?  Being abused by a corporate fat cat!   No, no. You must STOP this before you can go to Communion.  Do you hear? Enough!”

[The penitent sobs quietly.  FADE TO BLACK.]

 

Posted in The Drill | Tagged , , , , , , , ,
22 Comments

Disaster always happen to somebody else. Right?

Posted on 14 February 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

BOBEvery once in a while I post about BOBs, “bug out bags”.  It’s time again.

I received a note:

Here in Sacramento, Ca and outlying areas are in danger of life threatening flooding. Nearly 200,000 have been evacuated from Yuba Co. Area. There has been a breach in the Oraville dam. Family and friends have already been evacuated.

We are surrounded by 2 major rivers along with other small rivers and lakes. Highway 50, up the hill 35+ miles east has been shut down indefinately due to mudslides.

Needless to say, we are in need of prayer and divine intervention! More rain expected this week for 9 days straight.

I remember your warning ( God did not promise it would not flood, etc. in your area) and am preparing bug out bags with all necessities!

All who reads this blog have different circumstances.  However, disasters can strike any where.   Don’t deceive yourselves that it can’t happen to you.  It always happens to someone else… until it’s your turn.  Surprise!

Ask people from Joplin, MO what can happen.

Fires, flood, earthquakes, angry ex-boyfriends or husbands, storms… there are various reasons why one might need to bug out, and fast.

You should have a plan.   Plan where you will go.  Have an emergency bag packed and easily accessible.   Keep it stocked and fresh.  Go through it periodically so that you know what is in it and you know how to use everything in it.  If you have a family or others who depend on you, work through the plan with them and even walk through it: where to meet, how to get home, how to get out of your home, where to go for safety in your home, etc.

Friends, you simply must make plans along these lines, especially if you are responsible for the well-being of others.  You need a PLAN.  That plan and its preparation should include drinkable water, food, proper clothing, transportation and a place to go.  Don’t forget your meds, comms and self-defense.  A good medical kit is a must.

Depending on where you live, some of you will need more gear for being out in the elements.  Some of you will need more urban stuff.  There are some pre-assembled bags available, such as this one.  I’m not saying “get this”. It is an example: HERE

Could you stop what you are doing, NOW!, grab a bag, and leave?  FAST!

I’ll bet quite a few of you readers have made at least basic preparations.  You may have “go bags” or “get home bags” or “bug out bags”.

It would be interesting to hear what you have done for BOBs or even your everyday carry items.  Others could benefit from ideas.

As a related side note: consider getting one or more UPS to protect your electronic stuff (US HERE – UK HERE).  I also have a Juicebox from Hardened Power Systems (tell them Fr. Z sent you).

Remember: It always happens to somebody else… until it happens to you.

And… the ultimate plan and preparation…

GO TO CONFESSION!

Posted in Semper Paratus, Si vis pacem para bellum!, TEOTWAWKI | Tagged , , ,
8 Comments