''Models of the Church'' - Barque of Peter or Post-Modern Dazzle Ship?

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 16 April 2016 - 13:32:13 | by admin

A Note for the Enquirers, Catechumens, the Afraid and Worried: Before reading on, and in light of comments we have seen at other sites about the dangers we are going through - Please note that the doctrine of Papal Infallibility and the nature of the Church are not touched, in their essence, by the present ambiguities and confusion surrounding Amoris Laetitia.

What is a Dazzle Ship?

During the First World War, both the Admiralty in Britain and the United States Navy adopted a scheme of ship camouflage known respectively as Dazzle (UK) and Razzle Dazzle (USA).

The intention of this type of camouflage was not so much to conceal, as to cause confusion regarding the size, range, speed and heading of a given vessel.

According to Dazzle's creator, the British marine artist Norman Wilkinson, this was meant to mislead the enemy about a ship's course; and thus cause him to take up a poor firing position.

Dazzle ships could thus be hard to pin down.

The testimony of a German U-Boat captain, archived by the Imperial War Museum, bears witness to the effectiveness of this technique. Having encountered a ship, whose stern was disguised as her bow, with dark green paint amidships to appear as a patch of water, the German captain mistook it for several ships moving in a different direction. He summarized this as the best example of naval camouflage that he had ever seen.

Clarity and Precision 

Unlike the hidden doctrines of Gnostics old and new, the Catholic Church has ever made her doctrines and moral teachings as clear and accessible as possible. This has been achieved through the use of precision in articulation, language and pastoral application. As St. Peter himself proclaimed: ''But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you'' (1 Peter 3:15).

This precision of articulation and explication found even greater impetus through the Church's Providential encounter and engagement with the thought-forms of the Greek and Latin worlds; what was good in these was taken up and purified.

Like a golden thread then, the progression of this wonderful clarity is in evidence throughout the many centuries of Catholic Church history. It flows everywhere from Christ through to the Apostles, the Didache and first Catechisms, on to the Early Fathers, the Christological Councils, St. Thomas Aquinas and the best of the Scholastics, forward through the saints of the Catholic Reformation, and on through the perspicuous teachings of Popes down to the modern era. 

Not restricted to the spoken or written word, such clarity of exposition, accompanied by grace, has even given birth to rich and edifying expressions in art, architecture, customs, law, liturgy and music.

Obscurantists Old...

As early as the 2nd-Century, St. Irenaeus of Lyons was warning against the Gnosticism of those who would obscure Christ's message through complexity, secrecy and subterfuge. He wrote: ''Error never shows itself in its naked reality, in order not to be discovered. On the contrary, it dresses elegantly, so that the unwary may be led to believe that it is more truthful than truth itself.''

In stark contrast to the clear and accessible tradition of Catholic Truth stands, or rather lurks, the shrouded machinations of Gnosticism and its contemporary cohorts.

Pope St. Pius X and others were at pains to warn the Church of the manner in which Modernism, that sewer of all heresies as he described it, advances by way of obscurantism and subterfuge.

In our times, Modernism has really decayed into something even more stinking, in the corrosive anti-being poison of Post-Modernism.

Edward Schillebeeckx acknowledged that a technique employed by extreme liberals during the Second Vatican Council, was to allow ambiguities - or things stated in a ''diplomatic manner'' - to be inserted into the schema of the conciliar documents; these ambiguities could then be interpreted in a liberal manner after the Council.

I must add here that, although Schillebeeckx was among those extreme liberals at the Council, and that he knew of this subversive tactic, it now seems to me that I have done him an injustice in the past by claiming that he inserted some of those ambiguities.

It rather appears through further research, that, though he was aware of the tactic, he did not actually approve of it and indeed described it as unfair.

Still, that was merely because he wanted the extreme liberal position to be most clearly expressed in the actual documents to prevent ''conservatives'' from interpreting things their way later on!

In any case, it is claimed that the Pontiff wept when he discovered this type of ruse and realized that he had been deceived...

That there are ambiguities in the documents of the Second Vatican Council can be honestly denied by nobody. It is from the fissures of these ambiguities that the ''liberals'' have been able to emerge like shock troops and spend the last five decades dismantling the Church, at least in practical terms. If there were no ambiguities, there would be no need for a ''hermeneutic of continuity'' to begin with.

... And Obscurantists New

In the wake of Amoris Laetitia, we have witnessed a great variety of interpretations which, though not restricted to these categories by any means, include: this is not a Magisterial document at all; this is a Magisterial document, but of limited authority; this is a Magisterial document and you'd better tow the line buddy; this is a Magisterial document but there is no line in it to tow pal; this defeats the Kasper proposal; and this allows the Kasper proposal.

As various commentators take time to point out, there is not an actual change in the teaching of the Church to be found anywhere in the document. But then again, others demonstrate how there is...

The most terrifying thing here is to see how all of this confusion is being played out in real terms: with bishops in the Philippines and Germany, an archbishop in America, plus some priests in Italy, saying that they are going to start giving sacrilegious communions - well, they don't say it like that, but you catch their drift; an Archbishop in Spain giving the impression that he doesn't know what the heck to do; and men like Cardinal Raymond Burke saying that faithful Catholics should just carry on as usual. Although His Eminence is correct, the average parish priest and layman is then left feeling like a deck-chair attendant or a cellist on the Titanic!

One of the most remarkable things to emerge has been the attempt to blame the confusion on orthodox Catholics who point out that something is very wrong here.

Oh, and to blame those secular journalists! Yep, it must be their fault.  

We hear that Patrick Archbold responded to this kind of thing with a witty riposte on the Remnant's Facebook page: ''Once again, stop telling me to interpret these documents in a Catholic way and start telling them to write them in a Catholic way.''

Indeed!

And yes, that about sums up the problem: Amoris Laetitia - in common with any number of ''off-the-cuff'' comments, airplane interviews, non-conversations with atheistic journalists like Eugenio Scalfari, private telephone conversations that we couldn't possibly comment on, meetings with mass-murdering Marxists, mass-murdering abortionists, population-control advocates, and homosexualists, and even unusual pro-Iscariot homilies in the age of Pope Francis - give off a very disturbing sense of, well, ambiguity.

The more cynical might even say plausible deniability.

An Example of What Seems to be a Disturbingly Sophisticated Use of Obscurantism in Amoris Laetitia

One of the most troubling things that we have read this week is an article at LifeSiteNews from the excellent Voice of the Family.

In spite of all the obvious machinations during Synods '14 and '15, the subversive attempt to get a limited acceptance of homosexual unions into the final reports of either synod was rejected.

During the ''process'' the Relatio post disceptationem and the Instrumentum Laboris, by means amply described in many places elsewhere (Ed Pentin is a good source to begin with), did include unfortunate passages which suggested that homosexual pairings, whilst not equal to marriage, did have some kind of legitimacy. By God's grace, and the courage of those orthodox prelates in the aula, these passages were rejected and did not make it into the Synod's Final Report.

However, and in something of a mockery of the entire synodal process, to say nothing of natural and divine law, such an approach has subtly found its way back into the final text of Amoris Laetitia!

Many orthodox Catholics, perhaps sighing that we've dodged a bullet, have been lauding AL52 in strong terms as a defence of Catholic teaching on marriage.

It reads: ''We need to acknowledge the great variety of family situations that can offer a certain stability, but de facto or same-sex unions, may not simply be equated with marriage.''

Now, at least at first glance, this does seem to be a clear, if somewhat weak, defence of the Church's traditional teaching.

Hoorah! After the last two Red Octobers, we could all do with a glass of something sparkly!

However, we'd better keep the cork for another day...

With their decades of collective experience of lobbying at the UN, the EU and at the level of national governments, Voice of the Family are very well aware that such phrases are often inserted into documents so they can later be exploited to pursue a radical ideological agenda.

Here is their astute and logical critique of AL52:

''This implies:

1. That ''same-sex unions'' are one ''of the great variety of family situations'';

2. That ''same-sex unions'' offer a ''certain stability'' and;

3. That ''same-sex unions'' can be equated with marriage on some level, if not ''simply.''

Furthermore the paragraph states that ''only the exclusive and indissoluble union between a man and a woman has a plenary role to play in society as a stable committment that bears fruit in new life. To state that only marriage has a ''plenary role'' necessarily means that other forms of union do have some role to play in society.''

No champagne here then. Bah!

Barque of Peter or Post-Modern Dazzle Ship?

Not a few commentators are trying to suggest that this type of critique reads too much into the document (!) and that such examples must be somehow accidental.

To such a comment one really does feel like politely asking the person to draw back their curtains and tell us just how many moons there are on their planet...

In light of all that we have seen in the last three years, most especially in the manner in which Synods '14 and '15 were, shall we say, handled - oh those dark Octobers! - this approach must surely be naive at best. At worst, it could be seen as wilful blindness.

Whilst we can perhaps not attribute motive, there certainly does appear to be a very sophisticated employment of obscurantism at work in all of this.

Is it sophisticated obscurantism at the root of all this confusion?

In a truly post-modern sense - and in league with the kind of thinking typified by the Talmudists we mentioned earlier this week - language itself seems to be viewed as having no reality in being.

As such it can be used as a cloak, sounding orthodox to those who want it to; and unorthodox to those who desire that.

How like the use of Marxist dialectic this all sounds. And how unlike the two-millenia-old Catholic way of insisiting on the clarity of every formula. Yes, as the Fathers at Nicaea, Constantinople and Chalcedon recognized: sometimes the whole world really does hang on a single dipthong. 

Are we ''Leaving Safe Harbours'' Once Again?

If such a sophisticated obscurantist ruse were being employed, especially when it relates to reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, to the very nature of the Church and to the salvation of millions of souls, this would constitute the very definition of the diabolical.

As we read in Matthew 5:37: ''But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.''

If we are right, and we pray to God that we are not, then, this would represent the attempt to deconstruct the very Barque of Peter; and to reconstruct it, in the very deepest sense possible, as a Post-Modern Dazzle Ship.

If one can no longer recognize the ship, or its edges, it could be difficult to stay on board in a storm. Indeed, new shipmates might find it difficult to recognize, much less board, such a peculiar vessel.

In the words of the aforementioned U-Boat captain: ''This was the best camouflage I had ever seen.''

Hmmm... It seems like we're all being painted into a corner...

May the Most Holy Trinity Protect and Guide Us in All Truth.

Keep the Faith! 

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The Hell There Is!

Torch of The Faith News on Friday 15 April 2016 - 12:25:17 | by admin

Dante Alighieri suggested that there was a special part of Hell reserved for those who do nothing in a crisis.

It is plain to see that the crisis inflicting the Catholic Church and Western civilization has now reached an acute stage.

Last Saturday, we highlighted a particularly problematic paragraph in Amoris Laetitia which reads: ''No one can be condemned forever for that is not the logic of the Gospel! Here I am not speaking only of the divorced and remarried, but of everyone, in whatever situation they find themselves'' (AL 297).

As we pointed out then, drawing from paragraph CCC 1036 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this needs some serious clarification.

Throughout all ages, the Catholic Church has always re-echoed Christ's urgent warnings about the reality of Hell and the way to avoid it.

The existence of Hell is a Dogma of the Catholic Faith. That means, that to become - or to remain - a Catholic, one has to accept this reality.

We notice that the American canon lawyer Dr. Ed Peters has responded to AL 297, on his blog In the Light of the Law, in the following terms: ''To the contrary, it is precisely the logic of the Gospel that one can be condemned forever. CCC 1034-1035. If one meant, say, that no one can be condemned forever by earthly authority, one should have said so. But, of course, withholding holy Communion from those in ''public and permanent adultery'' is not a ''condemnation'' at all, so the point being made is not clear.''

Almost 100 years ago, on the 13th July 1917, Our Lady showed the three young seers at Fatima a terrifying vision of Hell. This is how it was described by Sr. Lucia: ''She opened Her hands once more, as She had done the two previous months. The rays - of light - appeared to penetrate the earth, and we saw, as it were, a vast sea of fire. Plunged in this fire, we saw the demons and the souls - of the damned. The latter were like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, having human forms. They were floating about in that conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames which issued from within themselves, together with great clouds of smoke. Now they fell back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fright (it must have been this sight which made me cry out, as people say they heard me). The demons were distinguised - from the souls of the damned - by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. That vision only lasted for a moment, thanks to our good Heavenly Mother, Who at the first apparition had promised to take us to Heaven. Without that, I think we would have died of terror and fear.''

Clearly, the danger of Hell must be very real, for Our Blessed Lady, the very Queen of Peace, to show it to three young village children.

Our Lady of Fatima later warned that more souls go to Hell for the sins of the flesh than for any other reason.

Last year, Cardinal Carlo Caffara of Bologna made public a letter which he had received from Sr. Lucia years earlier. In it, the good sister was said to have written: ''... the final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don't be afraid, because anyone who operates for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be contended and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. However Our Lady has already crushed its head.''

Interestingly, AL 297 also says: ''Naturally, if someone flaunts an objective sin as if it were part of the Christian ideal, or wants to impose something other than what the Church teaches, he or she can in no way presume to teach or preach to others.''

Although various voices, including that of Cardinal Burke have correctly stated that Amoris Laetitia must be interpreted in light of the Tradition, it remains the case that, down here at the cliff-face, many ordinary folks are hearing this phrase about non-condemnation and being led into very serious errors. The persistence in these errors, and even sinful acts, could endanger their immortal souls.

It is as intolerable as it is unprecedented that such a grave danger to souls could be promoted by words contained in a papal document.

And it is just as intolerable that this serious danger has, up to now, been met with the silence of the Hierarchy. If Dante was right, the Hierarchy should be worried about their inertia. Yet, as far as we can make out, the only people to be speaking out about this danger have been a handful of courageous priests and an increasing number of lay people.

May Our Lord soon deliver us from this perilous situation.

Our Lady of Fatima - Pray for us!      

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Small Things - Big Helps

Torch of The Faith News on Thursday 14 April 2016 - 22:47:39 | by admin

La Dolorosa Del Colegio - Quito (Ecuador).

Fish, Chips and Pope Francis

It is clear from the internet that Catholics around the world are experiencing confusion, discouragement, and also temptations against faith, hope, charity and even chastity, during these confusing days following the release of Amoris Laetitia.

We had a pretty discouraging day ourselves yesterday too. First, someone e-mailed out of the blue to recommend we take a break from doing this blog.

Later on, I was spoon-feeding Mum her fish, chips and peas in a discrete corner of a cafe in Southport, when an Evangelical Protestant street-preacher suddenly came over. He was wearing a broad white smile to match his broad white sweater. This latter was brightly emblazoned with the phrase: ''You'll never get to Heaven without Christ.'' 

Now, whilst I share the sentiment, I was somewhat disconcerted that this chap was clearly about to interrupt our private consumption of hot fish, chips, peas and a nice pot of tea. It's just not the British thing to stride over and break in on someone's grub like that.

After a brief introduction, during which I politely expressed my admiration for his jumper, he asked if I knew what the root of society's problems was. As I balanced the next small mound of peas on Mum's spoon, I considered whether it would be prudent or not to begin with an explanation about the evils of the loss of Catholic Christendom since the Reformation...

To tell the truth, I was already so worn out by lack of sleep, and worrying over the finer-points of Amoris Laetitia-gate and their vast ramifications in the wee small hours, that I played it safe by answering that it was down to the widespread rejection of Christ. 

Clearly impressed with my answer, the gentleman moved me up to the ''Bonus Round'' by next asking me how long I thought it would be until the Second Coming.

Becoming a little annoyed at this prolonged and uninvited intrusion into our brief escape from the field of religious controversy - to say nothing of the fact that our battered cod was now rapidly cooling - I mumbled that, the way things are going, I thought it might be close.

''What!'' he exclaimed in great animation. ''We're up to our eye-balls!''

He then explained how he had noticed a big difference in the response of the general public to his street preaching nowadays in comparison to 20 years ago.

Now, I admit, news of this cultural socio-religious indicator did interest me, so I put down my poor Mum's spoon to listen.

He said that he remembered a Good Friday in the 1980's when a couple of thousand had enthusiastically heard him preach on Merseyside. In comparison, this year, a couple of hundred went past him on Good Friday; but not one had wanted to stop and listen. He then added that one of his colleagues had even been arrested for ''hate crime'' for speaking about ''LGBT stuff''. 

As I gradually resumed trying to feed Mum, he asked what had happened to her. Now, remember, I grew up in Evangelical circles, so I knew what was coming next. And I did try to avoid it by mumbling, when I said that Mum had suffered a stroke 18-months ago. You see, I knew that this answer, especially with this lengthy timescale, was about to make me vulnerable to a broadside about the power of healing, the need for faith and the problem of supposedly unnecessary suffering amongst Christians. Neither was I disappointed. Well, actually, I was! With great vigour, the man slapped a soft-backed New Testament down right next to my cooling plate and tea-pot, before starting on about these very themes.

The Cross is the Royal Road to Heaven

As a Catholic, I naturally do believe in healing, but I also believe that God's Will is more important. We've prayed here at home and at the Shrine of Knock that, if it were good for Mum's soul and salvation, she could be healed. But thanks to the rich Catholic theology of the Cross, and our belief about the goodness of matter and its ability to convey grace and meaning, we also accept suffering as a share in Christ's Passion, a chance to make reparation for sin and a way to draw close to God. Really, it is the only way to Heaven.

The Francis-Effect on the New Evangelization...

I was feeling pretty exausted by then and I didn't have the energy or the will to even go there. These are not particularly things you easily get into with total strangers when you are trying to feed someone anyway. Plus, I began to think how this conversation might get mighty sticky if the subjects of Catholicism, the Papacy and even Amoris Laetitia were to come up.

Now, in the past, I would have relished opportunities like that to share the Faith through a bit of Catholic Apologetics. Perhaps it is just more of that phenomenon known as the Francis-effect, but I just didn't have the confidence yesterday to get into such a discussion.

At that point, as good-hearted as the fella clearly was, I began to pray earnestly that he would just leave us alone. At that point, I became very aware of Christ scourged and suffering on the Cross. I also realised how much we are suffering as Catholics in the days of Pope Francis. It seems that we are becoming mute in the midst of this frequent barrage of ambiguity, confusion and even strong statements against so-called doctors of the law.

Perhaps the man noticed how his discussion of ''unnecessary suffering'' was making me suffer, or maybe my prayers were answered. It could have been a little of each. Whatever the case, he began to politely draw the conversation to a close, before announcing that he would see us in Heaven, if not before.

This brings me to two little helps we received yesterday in the middle of times of spiritual darkness. To tell the truth, the ramifications of Amoris Laetitia have caused us to experience a kind of faith-extinguishing darkness. It calls to mind the flame of a Bunsen Burner being sucked out in a blackened room. At such times, and if this happens to you we highly recommend it, we have called out, even interiorly, to Our Lady to save us.

And She does.

We had two little things happen this week that were a great help. As our title announces: they were small things, but big helps. We share them here to encourage those experiencing confusion and all kinds of temptations.

Mother of Sorrows

Now, I don't mean to sound spooky, superstitious or over-spiritual, but this is what happened. We have a copy of the above-pictured La Dolorosa Del Colegio on the wall in our kitchen. It has been attached with ''Blu-Tac'' to one of Dad's pictures of a Traditional Latin Mass for months. Angie found it in the middle of the kitchen floor and stuck it back up. A short while later, she returned to find it again in the middle of the kitchen floor. As it represents Our Lady of Sorrows, and as this had happened twice, our attention was raised and we read the back of the image.

The original picture is miraculous. It is based in the College to the Church of the Jesuit Fathers in Quito, Ecuador. Yes, the same town where Our Lady of Quito gave the prophetic messages about freemasonry and the attack on the Church and marriage that have come so true in our own times.

On 20th April 1906, thirty-six boys attending the Jesuit boarding school in Quito, together with Fr. Andrew Roesch, witnessed the first miracle of the famous picture of Our Lady of Sorrows in Quito.

While in the refectory, they saw the Blessed Virgin slowly open and shut her eyes. This same miracle happened several times afterwards. After a Canonical investigation, the Vicar General ordered the picture to be taken in procession from the college to the church.

At the church, the prodigy was repeated several times in front of the large gathered crowd. One hardened sinner was instantly converted and wept tears. Another left in disgust, refusing to believe. However, he returned after being interiorly drawn back to the church. Again, he left in disgust, still refusing to believe. When this happened a third time, he too received the grace of conversion and knelt down weeping tears of compunction. There were many other conversions too. 

Again and again, this miracle happened, at one time for three consecutive days. At a place called Riobamba, the same wonder was even witnessed before a reproduction of the holy picture.

On the 20th April, 1956, the 50th anniversary of the miracle, Pope Pius XII decreed the Canonical Coronation of the miraculous image of Our Sorrowful Mother, declaring her the Queen of the Catholic Education of Ecuador. There is a prayer printed on the reverse of our image which reads: ''Queen of Catholic Education, pray for the children and the young who are being educated without God!'' (Copies are available from Cenacle UK).

That is the first little thing to be a big help this week.

Although only a small picture, the discovery of it on the floor reminded us of the Mother of Sorrows and of her miraculous interventions. Also, next Wednesday will be the 110th anniversary of the miracle.

Come Holy Ghost

The second relates to the Holy Spirit.

Yesterday morning I was in the living room praying the Little Office of the Virgin Mary in Latin. My mind was wandering over the ramifications of Amoris Laetitia, when I suddenly heard a ''ping'' sound and something rolled across the carpet.

There is a picture of Christ Pantocrator which, again, Dad had put up in there many years ago. Attached to that with a small adhesive pad, also there for many years, is a small golden coloured medal of the Holy Spirit. This had suddenly detached from the picture frame as I was praying and worrying.

It seemed rather amazing, being that each night for the last week or so, Angie and I have been praying a novena to the Holy Spirit in order to persevere in the Faith, come what may.

The medal has an image of the dove of the Holy Spirit on one side, and the words ''Remembrance of Confirmation'' on the other.

When I read these words, I was filled with a deep peace and memory of my reception of Confirmation in April 1993. I reflected on the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit imparted at Confirmation. This helped me to remember that we are confirmed as soldiers for Christ.

I do believe that God gives little signs all the time to help on the pilgrim journey. As times become more dark and difficult, it is worth remembering that He has promised that He will not leave us orphans: ''I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you'' (John 14:18).

And also: ''Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world'' (Matthew 28:20).

As things get more difficult for the Church, and for each of us as we try to remain faithful, may none of us forget to remain open to the little things and big helps which God gives to us. Truly we are not alone in this struggle. And if you are in the state of grace, the Holy Trinity is at home in you.

Holy Spirit - Have mercy on us!

Mother of Sorrows - Pray for us!

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Amidst the Clamour over Amoris Laetitia Heaven Speaks

Torch of The Faith News on Wednesday 13 April 2016 - 13:38:23 | by admin

There is a moving scene in Lord of the Rings when everyone at the Council of Elrond in Rivendell starts arguing about who is best qualified to defeat the rise of evil by taking the One Ring to Mount Doom in Mordor.

Just as the argument reaches a confusing crescendo, little Frodo Baggins - a small Hobbit from Bag End at the end of Bagshot Row in Hobbiton - suddenly pipes up, with his natural humility: ''I'll go!'' At these two words, the violent scene is transformed in an instant to one of great tranquility. That newfound peace is deepened when Frodo next says, ''But I do not know the way.'' With these words, the former opponents in the recent argument find the personification of the cause around which they can now rally in a renewed unity.

In light of J.R.R. Tolkien's underlying Catholicism, many literary commentators recognize Frodo Baggins, at least in some degree, as an allegorical ''type'' representing Christ. This seems especially clear in the fact that he alone can carry the burden of the One Ring, as representative of Sin, to its destruction on Mount Doom, as a possible allegory of Mt. Calvary.

The Challenging Power of Real Love 

I had a very vivid experience of this kind of thing once at Steubenville. One of the best lecturers on the campus did not show up for a pre-booked lecture. A number of students became irate at the fact that they had travelled in from various places and thus lost out in terms of finances and precious study time. A feeling of resentment began to percolate and gain ground rapidly, as people became increasingly expressive of their ire. The atmosphere was not improved when someone found a note on the front desk instructing us to watch an attached DVD-dramatization of the life of St. John of the Cross.

As people began to give increasing vent to their growing annoyance, and as the general mood progressed to one of frustrated anger, I noticed a young blind man struggling towards the front podium from his seat.

It is worth knowing that this young man was both humble and quiet; and that he not only evidenced great love for Our Lord, but even seemed to have a certain level of sanctity.

I'll never forget how he groped his way to the podium and pulled himself up onto it. As groups of students continued to gripe to one another with increasing volume, he calmly began to speak. There was something very moving about the way first one or two, and then more and more students, began to notice him, pipe down and turn to face him.

When the room had fallen into almost total silence, the young man said gently: ''Guys, Professor ''X'' never misses our class. He must have had a very genuine reason not to be here today; or else he would have been here. Maybe he needs us to pray for him. Why don't we just do what he has asked us to do and watch the movie? Maybe there is something good in it that he wants us to take from it. Could someone please put it on for us. Thanks guys.''

With that he stepped down again and carefully made his way along the desks back to his own seat. Perhaps it does not need to be said that one could have heard a pin drop; or that he was absolutely right that there was much good for us to take from the movie! When I got back to our rented apartment that afternoon, I was able to tell Angie that I had seen something truly Christ-like which had challenged me in a good way that day.

Relevance to Amoris Laetitia

It seems to me that there is a great relevance to these stories and to what is now happening in the Church.

There can be no doubt that the ambiguities, and some of the content of Amoris Laetitia on adultery, conscience and mortal sin, represents a grave danger for the Church and for the salvation of souls. Such serious problems have been exacerbated exponentially by the words/writings of Pope Francis' proteges like Cardinal Walter Kasper, Archbishop Blase Cupich, Fr. Anthony Spadaro and Fr. James Martin; and the celebrity-style appearances of priests like Fr. Ed Beck on CNN.

Who can doubt that Satan and his minions are hard at work in all of this confusion, dissent, disunity and potential sacrilege? What a crucifixion it is for orthodox Catholics to find themselves being publicly harangued as integrists, rigorists and, in a remarkable twist, even as dissenters - just for trying to keep the Faith!

And then, whilst many unseen thousands throughout the world weep silently for the Church, and as the Cardinals and Bishops maintain a strange silence, good orthodox people suddenly start arguing among themselves and become increasingly angry, and then divided, over the almost solitary reponse of Cardinal Raymond Burke.

Is it uncharitable, or just honest observation, to describe such things as the ''Francis-effect''?

And then, just at the point when things seem to be reaching a crushingly violent crescendo, and in a way which you will not likely read about in the MSM, Heaven has answered.

Heaven Answers

This very morning From Rome has reported about a Eucharistic Miracle which received approval, just two days after the release of Amoris Laetitia, by Msgr. Zbigniew Kiernikowski, the Bishop of Legnica in Poland.

A lady called Paula Luckhurst has reported that a Sacred Host was sadly dropped to the floor during a Holy Mass on Christmas Day, 2013. This Host was placed in a container of water to dissolve the Sacred Species. After some time, part of the Host had not only remained undissolved, but had turned red.

In February, 2014, the then Bishop of Legnica appointed a Commission to study the phenomenon. The remaining fragment of the Host was placed on a corporal and samples were tested by different authorities.

The Department of Forensic Medicine in Szczecin has testified that the histopathological tissue fragments were found containing fragmented part of the skeletal muscle... The whole image is the most similar to the heart muscle... with the changes that often are accompanied by the agony of death. Genetic studies indicate the human origin of the tissue.''

The matter was next presented for review by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in Rome. The CDF approved the expositon of the Sacred Host for the faithful. This will commence in early June in the local parish.

Just two days after the release of Amoris Laetitia, Msgr. Zbigniew Kiernikowski announced the signs of the Eucharistic Miracle. His message will be read out in all of the churches of the Legnica diocese this coming Sunday, 17th April, 2016.

A Call to Repent and Believe - While There is Still Time!

With this Eucharistic Miracle, and the exquisite timing of its approval, we can see Heaven's message about reverence for the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist.

As the Church has always believed and taught, Our Lord Jesus Christ is Truly Present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Most Blessed Sacrament. That is why, since the times of St. Paul, the Church has always warned the faithful against receiving Holy Communion unworthily by mortal sin without repentance and confession.

This miracle should both touch all of our hearts and serve as a warning about the prevalence of sacrilegious communions. In a real sense, we are taking part in the Crucifixion of Christ by our irreverent treatment of Him. Heaven has answered Pope Francis' ambiguities, and those who are exploiting them, by allowing a new Eucharistic Miracle for our times. I say new, because such phenomena have happened throughout the centuries of Church history; often at times when Eucharistic piety was either threatened or waning. Indeed, Pope Francis knows this as he has such a case still pending from his own diocese in Buenos Aires. Scientists there have also spoken of heart tissue which has similarly suffered great trauma. Further than that, the tissue appears to still be alive in that case! Yes, Our Lord has been truly merciful.

Our Lady of Akita warned that, if men did not amend their lives, then fire would fall from Heaven and destroy a great part of humanity. One of the signs that this chastisement was approaching would be grave division between cardinals and bishops. A few nights ago, I wondered aloud to Angeline whether this stage had already passed. After all, we did see some of that during the Synods of 2014 and 2015. Perhaps the present deafening silence from orthodox prelates means that we have, indeed, gone past this stage of the warning?

Whatever the case turns out to be, Heaven has given us an answer for now.

In the face of Pope Francis' ambiguities and the employment of dangerous language in Amoris Laetitia, and the disgraceful promotion of sacrilege by such men as mentioned before, Our Blessed Lord has reminded us, in a powerful yet little way, that He is still with us on the Barque of Peter. He has reminded us in a merciful and loving manner this time.

We already know from Our Lady's warning at Akita what will be the manner of Heaven's answer if we do not take heed of this very important and timely warning.

Let us pray for the grace to repent of all our own sins and offences to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. And may we also pray for those who greatly and arrogantly tempt God by promoting sacrilegious communions under the veil of mercy without repentance.

Philippine Bishops...

Even as I write this, I shudder to learn that the Bishops of the Philippines have written the following in the wake of Amoris Laetitia: ''When our brothers and sisters who, because of broken relations, broken families and broken lives, stand timidly at the doors of our churches - and of our lives - unsure whether they are welcome or not, let us go out to meet them, as the Pope urges us to, and assure them that at the table of sinners at which the All-Holy Lord offers himself as food for the wretched there is always room... O wonderful reality that the poor, the slave and the lowly should partake of the Lord. This is a disposition of mercy, an openness of heart and of spirit that needs no law, awaits no guideline, nor bides no prompting. It can and should happen immediately.''

January 2015: Outdoor Papal Mass at Manila in the Philippines.

Repent!

Heaven has just answered the global promotion of sacrilege, and indifference to it, with the merciful reminder of the Real Presence of Christ Crucified.

Let us not demand that Heaven next answer us with the fire of purification.

Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2).

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A Word to the Wise

Torch of The Faith News on Wednesday 13 April 2016 - 09:20:55 | by admin

St. John Fisher (1469 - 1535).

Given that the great English Martyr St. John Fisher quite literally gave his life to defend both papal primacy and the indissolubility of marriage, it is well worth hearing what he had to say about the possibility of papal error. (Note: This does not touch on examples of Papal Infallibility, which are made under the precise and rare conditions of ex cathedra).

''We certainly do not deny that popes can err, for they are men and therefore can fall unless they lean heavily upon divine helps. Supported by the latter, however, they undoubtedly are directed by the Holy Spirit in all decisions which concern the salvation of souls committed to them...

... But if perchance, because of human weakness they sometimes swerve from the right path, provided the error be grave and manifest, especially in the matter of faith, we do not deny that he can be admonished and made to return by the Church'' (Responsum of St. John Fisher).

St. John Fisher - Pray for us! 

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Amoris Laetitia - ''Fromm'' here to eternity...

Torch of The Faith News on Monday 11 April 2016 - 16:11:34 | by admin

Updated (Again!)

In March and November 2010, and again in July 2015, we drew our readers' attention to Georg Lukacs (pictured above).

He was the Education Commissar during the days of the first Communist regime in Hungary. As a key Marxist theoretician in the Marxist-oriented Frankfurt School (of Social Deconstruction), Lukacs developed the idea of Revolution and Eros, in order to subversively undermine Judeo-Christian civilization.

Lukacs' promotion of atheistic sex-education aimed to unleash sexual instinct in young people as a means of social destruction. This could be achieved by splitting young people from the traditional influences and mores of their family, culture and the Catholic Church; thus making them more malleable to the aims and controls of the socialist state. He once said that any political movement that was capable of bringing Bolshevism to the West would have to be demonic: ''It would have to possess the religious power which is capable of filling the entire soul.''

Any attempt to understand the ubiquitous advance of ''sex-education'' in the schools - including the so-called Catholic schools - of the West, must necessarily include some investigation of the Frankfurt School.

Points of Contact and Divergence

In terms of this overall agenda, Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, intriguingly contains both points of contact and divergence.

In the first instance, the document contains one important paragraph, which parents wanting to defend the chastity of their children, as well as their own parental rights as primary educators, will be able to draw from.

We speak of AL 84, wherein Pope Francis affirms: ''At the same time, I feel it important to reiterate that the overall education of children is a ''most serious duty'' and at the same time a ''primary right'' of parents. This is not just a task or a burden, but an essential and inalienable right that parents are called to defend and which no one may claim to deprive them. The State offers educational programmes in a subsidiary way, supporting the parents in their indeclinable role; parents themselves enjoy the right to choose freely the kind of education - accessible and of good quality - which they wish to give their children in accordance with their convictions.'' 

This paragraph contains a footnote linking it back to the key teaching found in paragraph 23 of the Pontifical Council for the Family's splendid 1995 document, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality; at once affirming the status of that document and furthering its relevance. 

This is all well and good.

As we have said, it will add an important piece of documentary ammunition for parents defending their own rights and the purity of their children; a defence which, in relation to the promotion of homosexualist ideology to small children at Sacred Heart ''Catholic'' School in Atherton, we have recently seen to be even more necessary than ever.

Erich Fromm

And yet, with the kind of ambiguity which has become strangely typical in the days of Pope Francis, the clear benefits of this single paragraph must be contrasted to the inclusion of the entire section AL 280-286 - which though dedicated to the supposed theme of The Need for Sex-Education - makes absolutely no mention of the role of the parents whatsoever...

Troubling too, is the inclusion in that section of a quote taken from Erich Fromm's book The Art of Loving. Such a reference invites much further investigation.  

Another Marxist Theoretician in the Frankfurt School: Erich Fromm poses with a gesture reminiscent of freemasonic signs of recognition.

It must be said that the Erich Fromm quote in Amoris Laetitia is pretty innocuous in itself. Drawing from Fromm, Pope Francis writes: ''Young people should not be deceived into confusing two levels of reality: ''sexual attraction creates, for the moment, the illusion of union, yet, without love, this 'union' leaves strangers as far apart as they were before.''

It is not so much what Fromm says in this quote that troubles us here. It is the question of the choice to draw from Fromm in a papal document at all.

To illustrate what I mean, and I do not intend to sound extreme, it is true that Adolf Hitler said some positive things about autobahn construction and the promotion of affordable vehicle ownership for the masses. However, in an article promoting road transport, none but a sympathetic fascist would ever dream of drawing from Hitler's words; so tainted would they be with all the evils of National Socialism. Perhaps it is an extreme example, but it well illustrates the point.

Fromm's Background and Thought

To make clearer my intended sense, we now need to consider something of the background of Erich Fromm; and of his theoretical writings in the Art of Loving.

Whilst Fromm came from a Jewish background, his paradigm was rooted in the Talmud, rather than the Torah. Drawing on this, Fromm's developing secular-humanistic philosophy departed from the traditional understanding that Adam and Eve had sinned by eating of the fruit in the garden.

Instead, Fromm eventually presented this as some kind of virtue! He suggested that by eating the fruit, independent human action was promoted; together with the use of reason to establish moral values, rather than the adherance to authoritarian moral values.

Is this sounding familiar?

Fromm even saw the eating of the fruit in the garden, and the subsequent sense of shame, as representative of human stages of evolution.

In time, like Georg Lukacs above, Fromm became involved with the Frankfurt School (of Social Deconstruction). This school applied the Hegelian Dialectic to culture and even to itself.

As an important aside, it is worth knowing that Walter Benjamin was also involved with this Frankfurt School. His writings were loaded with concepts and words taken straight from the kabbalah and the occult.

In a typically deconstructionist and post-modern manner, Benjamin suggested that modern laguages were incomplete and were thus incapable of expressing anything until society and language reached some supposed point of wholeness. He thought that the achievement of a Communist revolution would bring about a mass redemption of society. Although I suggest no direct link between Benjamin and Pope Francis, I nevertheless have a troubling sense that this typically post-modern view of language, may be one of the dynamics involved in Pope Francis' consistent use of ambiguities to move Catholicism in a certain globalizing direction; whilst at the same time trying to keep everyone on board in a kind of ''unity in diversity'' model. There is something of this in Fromm's thinking too: from a young age, his Talmudic background had instilled in him an exhilarating desire for a future coming together of all nations. In a later article, I hope to reflect on that ''smoking footnote'' in relation to the use of ambiguous language in holding together ''factions'', as though the Church were merely a political body. Anyway, I digress... 

Returning to our present theme, Fromm worked to merge a synthesis between Marx and Freud. He then used the resultant Marxian social psychology to try and interpret religion and religious phenomena. Through his ongoing writings, Fromm promoted a Marxist Humanism that was concerned with human development of individuals and the creation of an egalitarian socialist society. In this he rejected both Western capitalism and Soviet Communism. He viewed these two opposed systems as dehumanizing structures that had brought alienation.

Although he publicly broke with the Frankfurt School and rejected the Soviet model, Fromm continued to work for a form of Marxist socialism that would, in his view, re-emphasise the ideal of personal freedom.

The Art of Loving?

At this point I want to draw attention to the ''hidden in plain sight'' similarity between the title of Fromm's quoted book and that of Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez' improbably-named book The Art of Kissing - Heal Me with Your Mouth (You know...).

Let it be remembered that Fernandez is the reputed author of both Amoris Laetitia and Evangelii Gaudium. Surely, this is too much of a coincidence: does it thus underscore the importance of Fromm's influence in the apostolic exhortation as a whole?

It was in his later period that Fromm wrote his book The Art of Loving; a text which draws heavily on Marx's theory of alienation. Fromm argued that capitalism caused people not to love one another and suggested that, instead, people would develop stronger relationships under Marxist socialism...

Again, in a typically post-modern fashion, Fromm's book The Art of Loving also pushed his notion that sexual differences between men and women were merely social constructs. As such, he rejected gender as something innate.

I witnessed first-hand the results of this kind of nonsense about 15 years ago, when I was employed in ''Justice and Peace'' work on the streets of Salford. It was there that I came up against a strange combination of Marxism and the New Age among the nuns, lay people and various field workers from other ecclesial communities.

One day, with absolutely no sense of irony a colleague, who was a minister in a Protestant denomination, suddenly expressed his concern that his 6-year old daughter was, ''developing some quite gender-specific tendencies by wanting to buy a pretty princess dress that she had spotted in a toy-shop window''. This chap was wondering what he could do to ''correct'' these ''gender-specific tendencies''... It was around that time that I realized with utter horror the dark night of unreason that we were entering into as a society...

Anyway, Pope Francis sees fit to include a quote straight out of Fromm's book The Art of Loving, in a section about sex-education which lacks any reference to parental involvement, as part of his new apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia.

Image of the cover from Fromm's book The Art of Loving: It is interesting to notice how the use of a globe enclosed by 4 arrows, which each look like ''devil's tails'', appears to make an image of an ''all-seeing-eye''. The use of freemasonic symbolism, plus ''all-seeing-eyes'', ''devil's tail'' arrows, 5-pointed stars angled downwards like pentagrams, hidden 666 logos, zeus lightning bolts and ''swirling 6 patterns'' has become predominant in recent years. If you study corporate logos, greetings cards, product packaging, television sets/adverts and shop signs you will begin to notice that this is sadly true. 

Social Deconstruction - Frankfurt Style

Just before concluding, I wanted to mention some of the methods the Frankfurt School suggested for social deconstruction. These included: the promotion of continual change to create confusion; the declaration of women as an oppressed class, and of men as their oppressors; the attack on the role of the father; the denial of specific roles of father and mother; the wresting away from families their roles as primary educators; the teaching of sex and homosexuality to children; and the encouragement of massive immigration to destroy cultural identity.

Ask yourself: Who is promoting these trends most clearly today and where are they promoting them?

Pray, Hope and Don't Worry!

We encourage all readers to pray the Rosary each day, to pray to the Holy Spirit for discernment, to carefully study Amoris Laetitia in light of Sacred Scripture and Tradition and to stand up strongly about the ambiguities and seeming errors contained therein.

Our Lady of Quito - Pray for us.

St. Joseph - Protector of the Church - Pray for us. 

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Amoris Laetitia - A Rorschach Test for Catholics?

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 09 April 2016 - 17:22:59 | by admin

Can you tell what it is yet?

The New York Times has suggested that Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis' new apostolic exhortation, is turning out to be something of a Rorschach Test for Catholics. That is to say, the document's use of language leaves room for, ahem, a variety of interpretations. 

Here in England, that commentary is sadly confirmed by the fact that, whilst the Catholic Herald claims that the document has closed the door to the Kasper proposal, the leftist Tablet suggests the opposite. 

More sinister is the fact that the spiritually bankrupt German Bishops' Conference has publicly claimed that Amoris Laetitia now permits the divorced and re-''married'' to receive Holy Communion. With this, it is perhaps time to caution that, whilst the Rhine still clearly flows into the Tiber, it seems that the Styx first flows into the Rhine... 

An Important Observation

Before we move on to a few initital observations, we wish to acknowledge our intention to remain within the teaching found in Lumen Gentium 25. This highlights the fact that those areas of apostolic exhortations which are de fide, necessarily require the assent of the faithful. Also, other authentic teaching in such a papal document has a presumption of correctness and deserves the reverence and submission of Catholics. 

Even the very stones will cry out!

That being acknowledged, our consciences will not permit us to remain silent today regarding some aspects of Amoris Laetitia, which appear to be hugely problematic from a Catholic perspective. Let us remember that, although holding a level of authority, a papal exhortation is not a full expression of Papal Infallibility. 

As one of the main focuses, indeed a large part of the rasion d'etre of this entire Torch of The Faith apostolate has been to impart orthodox teaching on the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, it is perhaps fitting that we express ourselves from a catechetical perspective. 

The teaching found in Catechesi Tradendae has been particularly foundational to our endeavours in this regard. That document teaches that, ''the definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch, but in communion, intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only He can make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity'' (CT 5). Perhaps we have not always achieved that, and if we have that is more about God's grace than our action, but this has always been our central intention.

So, what follows needs to be understood in light of this too. We are basically asking: To what extent will the areas highlighted facilitate, or hinder, this intimacy with Christ?

Attempting to Empty Hell?

To be totally honest with you, I've felt like the blood has run out of me ever since I heard Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri claiming, in the earliest stages of yesterday's press release meeting, that an interpretive key to Amoris Laetitia is the ''fact'' that, ''no-one can be condemned forever, for that is against the logic of the Gospel.'' And indeed, this loss of soul-blood was fully hammered home last night when I discovered these very words are found in the document itself (AL 297).

Clearly, that needs some serious clarification!

After all, one of the central thrusts of the Gospel is Christ's hard-won salvation for souls from the eternal damnation of Hell!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church - that ''sure norm for teaching the Catholic Faith'' - explicitly warns: ''Since we know neither the day nor the hour, we should follow the advice of the Lord and watch constantly so that, when the single course of our earthly life is completed, we may merit to enter with Him into the marriage feast and be numbered among the blessed, and not, like the wicked and slothful servants, be ordered to depart into the eternal fire, into the outer darkness where ''men will weep and gnash their teeth'' (CCC 1036).

AL 298

We next turn to AL 298 and its associated footnote no. 329. Having carefully checked the cross-reference to GS 51 in our own copy of Gaudium et Spes, and the original teaching found in Familiaris Consortio, we must express very grave concerns about Pope Francis' use and application of these texts. He seems to suggest that the, let's face it illicit, sexual relations in an objectively adulterous situation are OK, as long as they are used to prevent one of the parties from seeking, yet another, mate.

Whereas St. Augustine viewed the marriage act as a legitimate remedy for lust, Pope Francis thus appears to view adultery as a legitimate prevention for further adultery with someone else!

To be most accurate: Pope Francis reports this faulty viewpoint, but neither confirms or condems it; thus furthering the ambiguity. 

AL 301

Related to this, is one of the most disturbing elements of Amoris Laetitia. We speak of the content of AL 301. This suggests, ''Hence it can no longer simply be said that all those in any ''irregular'' situations are living in a state of mortal sin and are deprived of sanctifying grace.'' This was another key phrase from the press release conference which caused us grave interior suffering.

Indeed, in relation to this in AL 302, Pope Francis appears to transfer a section of the Catechism - which dealt specificially with the pastoral response to habitual masturbation (CCC 2352) - and apply it to those living in sexual relationships outside of marriage.

The arguments which Pope Francis makes in this area, surely need to be measured against the clear teaching expressed in CCC 1755 -1756: ''There are some concrete acts - such as fornication - that it is always wrong to choose, because choosing them entails a disorder of the will, that is, a moral evil... It is therefore an error to judge the morality of human acts by considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery. One may not do evil so that good may result from it.''

Prior even to that, is the fact that Pope Francis also appears to contradict the de fide content of Trent. We speak of his suggestion, which he shares with the Synod Fathers (!), that ''factors may exist which limit the ability to make a decision''. Overall, the approach taken seems to contradict Trent's Canon XVIII, which clearly states: ''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.''

Of course grace is always available to help each of us to keep the natural and divine law. It does not necessarily mean it will always be easy for us to do so, but it is always possible to do so.

Grace is Always Available in this Life

Allow us a subjective story for a moment to illustrate this. Some years ago, we met a lady who had left the Church to marry a divorced man and start a family with him.

She was not concerned about leaving the Church and she was happy with him, at least on the natural level, for a couple of decades.

One day, she was passing a Catholic church and casually walked in. There was a Holy Mass being celebrated and she knelt down quietly in a pew. When the priest elevated the Sacred Host after the Consecration, she was suddenly filled with the grace of faith. She exclaimed to herself: ''That is Jesus!''

This initial moment of grace led her to begin praying at home. She began to realise that she loved, needed and wanted her Lord. After a good deal of prayer, she eventually recognized that the man she was with, though she loved him, was not really her husband. She informed the man that she wanted to return to her faith and practice it again to be able to receive Jesus worthily in Holy Communion. She moved into another room to enable them to live as brother and sister to acheive this. Although it was not easy, especially with the raising of children, grace aided this lady to return to the full practice of the Faith.

Grace is always available to us to give up sin and grow in holiness. We know this, because it is an objective and Magisterial teaching of the Church.  

AL 351 and the Smoking Footnote!

Raymond Arroyo has described the footnote to AL 351 as the ''smoking footnote''. He refers to a certainly ambiguous footnote which speaks of pastoral help for divorced and re-''married'' persons: ''In certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments. Hence, ''I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber, but rather an encounter with the Lord's mercy... I would also point out that the Eucharist ''is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.''

This not only sounds like the kind of phrases used by liberals for decades in their attempt to subvert the Church's teaching about the state of grace and Holy Communion; it also echoes almost word for word the arguments used by Cardinal Walter Kasper in his sacrilegious proposal. Small wonder, then, that the German episcopate is claiming a ''Kasper victory''...

The job of the catechist just got a whole lot harder...

A few years ago, we were giving catechesis on marriage to some potential converts. A young woman suddenly sneered and asked whether many Catholics still believed the things we were saying.

We were able to answer that, sadly, recent decades have been marked by a great deal of confusion, dissent and false teaching in this area. However, thanks to the clarity of papal teaching, many people had still been able to find a new life in Christ through following the true teachings of the Magisterium.

Whenever we gave catechesis to engaged couples in those days, we always told them - calmly and in love - that sex-outside-of-marriage, as well as contraception - was a serious sin that would need to be repented of, confessed and avoided, prior to them getting married.

One time, we had to say this to a group which included a young woman who was heavily pregnant. At the end of the presentation, she came over and thanked us for being so honest about the Church's true teaching.

From a catechetical perspective, and in light of the concerns that we have raised above, it can only be said that giving catechesis in this area will now be harder than ever for orthodox catechists.

Stay upright on the Barque with your knees bent and your eyes wide open!

Considering that the German Episcopate is about to use Amoris Laetitia to promote sacrilegious Holy Communions en masse, and that the document contains worrying elements about local bishops' conferences and about conscience, perhaps this is the least of our problems...

We think that Catholics need to get on their knees, make a firm act of the will to follow Christ and His true teachings and ask for the grace to keep faithful in these times of grave confusion.

Don't forget, this document has limited authority. It cannot change Sacred Scripture or Tradition. Also Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church still stand as objective norms.

Evil is abroad - Stay on the ship with Jesus and Our Lady! 

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Ya think?

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 09 April 2016 - 00:45:19 | by admin

Reading Francis through Cheney: Fr. Z faces down the Hermeneutic of Rupture.

Fr. Z thinks we dodged a bullet...

Well yeah... in a Harry M. Whittington kind of way!

How's that field hospital workin' out for ya folks?

More tomorrow...

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Deus in Medio Ejus, Non Commovebitur

Torch of The Faith News on Friday 08 April 2016 - 11:09:37 | by admin

The above title is taken from Psalm 45:5. It translates as, ''God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.'' It has frequently been interpreted as an encouragement for the Church in times of trial and persecution.

It is clear from the internet that many Catholics, all around the world, have been having sleepless nights as the release date of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia has approached. This has happened because of the dangerous events and trajectory of Synods '14 and '15. After many months of confusion and speculation, we now find ourselves on the very morning of the document's release.

Clearly, a document well in excess of 200-pages is going to take some reading and digestion. That in itself appears to make this a somewhat unusual example within the genre of papal apostolic exhortations.

With the time available to us today, we therefore wanted to post up some words of encouragement to help Catholics during this tumultuous day.

What follows is more or less part of an article that we first posted back on 27th October, 2015. It was originally written whilst the dust was still settling after the release of the Synod's hugely problematic Final Report. The content of the article emerged after an encouraging conversation with my confessor/spiritual director. He made some key points which I shared in the article. By God's grace, we subsequently learned that these key points had brought encouragement to readers in England, Ireland and the United States of America. If it pleases God, may they do so again for readers everywhere.

The Catholic Faith comes from Above

1. Pope Leo XIII was given the famous vision of the Devil being permitted 100 years to try and destroy the Catholic Church.

Whilst in one sense terrifying, this should also remind us that God is in charge of all things. In the mysteries of God's permitting Will, the enemy of our souls has been given a limited period of time to try to destroy the Catholic Church. Such private revelation, whilst adding nothing to the revealed Deposit of Faith, is sometimes allowed by God, to guide the Church through difficult times. The Lord has promised: ''I will not leave you orphans'' (John 14:18).

2. The fact that the Devil is such a powerful enemy, means that we would be naive to suppose that his worst efforts to destroy the Church, and this within a limited time-frame, would mean that we would have had an easy time of it during that period of time.

Of course not!

The gravity of events tends to suggest that the Devil is indeed making serious progress. However, we must always bear in mind that God is, ultimately, in charge; and that all of the things that are happening will eventually be used by God to draw forth a greater good.

3. God is not only going to stop the enemy in the end. We know from Sacred Scripture and Tradition that He is going to humiliate the Devil through Our Lord Jesus Christ. We also know that Our Lady will be involved in this. Perhaps, we each need to reflect more on the deep meanings contained in Genesis 3:15; which constitutes a punishment and a promise.

For his humiliation to be greater, the Devil would have to appear to have secured a great victory. The defeat and humiliation would appear less if only small gains had been made by him. In a sense, the bigger they are the harder they fall!

4. In connection with this last point, we could reflect profitably on the prophecies of Our Lady at Fatima and Quito. Taken together with the prophetic warnings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, especially when viewed in relation to Sacred Scripture and Tradition, these all speak of an ultimate victory for Christ, Our Lady and the Catholic Church.

Indeed, taken together, these various elements suggest that the Church will first appear to have been totally eclipsed. At the point when all seems to be lost for the Church, Our Lord will enable Our Lady to definitively intervene and bring about the promised Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

5. Therefore, the worse that things get in, and for, the Church, then the closer we are to God's final victory. Our duty is to co-operate with God's grace and remain faithful come what may. There really is a sense in which the darkest hour is that before the dawn. 

Conclusion

We hope and pray that these various reflections will help those who read them to remain close to Our Lord Jesus Christ and to Our Lady - and to remain near to them on the Barque of Peter - in these difficult times.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Universal King: May we each be faithfully subject to Him, receive His gift of peace and adore Him.

Viva Cristo Rey!

We've now watched the press release meeting footage and we are presently reading through the document...

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Thank You Passionist Sisters!

Torch of The Faith News on Thursday 07 April 2016 - 16:50:30 | by admin

Another Convent Closes in the Archdiocese of Liverpool

We recently expressed our sadness that the Augustinian Sisters were closing down their convent, and pulling out of Waterloo, after 113 years. In December, the Trustees of Park House had made a press release to explain that, due to the advancing age of most of the remaining eight sisters, the running of the Haigh Road establishment was becoming untenable.

At the time we posted an article thanking the Augustinian Sisters for their faithful prayer, witness and work as Brides of Christ in the area.

We reflected that only God knows how many graces had been brought down on the area - and how much evil had been kept at bay - by the presence of the sisters in their religious habits and veils; and by their faithful reception of the Sacraments, praying of the Divine Office, communal life, daily work and joyful witness.

Passionists Leave Warrington

It is with a similar sense of loss that we now report that the Passionist Sisters recently closed and pulled out of their convent at St. Oswald's, after 117 years in Warrington.

The Warrington branch of the Passionist Sisters was first established as a daughter house to the Manchester community in 1899. Its first apostolate was the running of St. Mary's girls' and infants' schools. By the end of the 1990's, the sisters had given up their leadership role in school education locally. Nevertheless, they continued to serve the Church by instructing new converts, visiting the sick and needy, running days of recollection at their convent and serving in the local parish of St. Oswald.

Public Witnesses

Although the official release from the Archdiocese of Liverpool does not mention it, a couple of these sisters were also very faithful pro-life witnesses.

For many years, a couple of these nuns prayed the ''Rosary for Life'' every single Saturday morning, with a small group of lay people, outside of the BPAS Liverpool abortion centre, on Parkfield Road in Aigburth. As far as we are aware, the only priests who ever accompanied this little group of witnesses, were the late Fr. Cyril Thomas and the late Fr. Mike Williams.

Some years ago, we joined with this group from time to time. It was always most encouraging to see religious sisters faithfully standing there, whatever the weather, in their distinctive black and white Passionist habits and veils. As Brides of Christ, they were a truly beautiful and powerful witness. Their presence in that place was not only a light to unbelievers, but a great encouragement to those already blessed with faith.

Several years ago, we also managed to get over to Warrington a couple of times for the periods of Eucharistic Adoration, which used to be held on Friday afternoons, in St. Oswald's church. Again, it was heartening in these times to see religious sisters wearing their full habits and praying faithfully before Our Blessed Lord.

End of an Era

The wonderfully named Sister Dominic Savio - St. Dominic Savio is a patron saint of Torch of The Faith, whose vision of England inspired the name of this apostolate - has said that the Passionist Sisters did not want to leave Warrington but, like the clergy, they were experiencing a dwindling number of vocations and increasing age.

It is sad to report the closure of a second long-standing convent in the Archdiocese of Liverpool within just 4-months of the first.

We say to the Passionist Sisters the same words that we said to the Augustinian Sisters, when they closed Park House convent in Waterloo at the end of 2015: ''We thank God and each of you for your ''Yes'' to God in the religious life and the powerful witness that this gives in these secularized times. May God bless you as you go forward with Our Lord and Our Lady. Your presence will be missed.''

St. Paul of the Cross - Pray for us!

Blessed Fr. Dominic Barberi - Pray for us!

The Servant of God, Sr. Elizabeth Prout - Pray for us!

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