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Here comes the persecution December 6, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Abortion, contraception, Dallas Diocese, disaster, episcopate, General Catholic, Holy suffering, North Deanery, persecution, sadness, scandals, sexual depravity, sickness, Society.
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Gallup now says 53% of Americans favor same sex “marriage,” which means at least 53% of Americans have no idea what marriage means.  I’m less skeptical of these polls showing a majority in favor of state recognition of gays simulating marriage than I was a few months ago.  This country has drifted a lot more left than I thought, especially socially.  I’m still not convinced the demonrats have cobbled together their permanent majority from (they are told to be) disaffected groups, but, socially, the sexular pagans are dominant.  What is most disconcerting, is how strongly young people break in favor of this. This silliness of youth, or a belief that will be held for life?  Aye, there’s the rub…..

Overall, 53% favor legalized same-sex marriage, tying previous record high

Americans who oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage, 46% of the adult population, are most likely to explain their position on the basis of religious beliefs and/or interpretation of biblical passages dealing with same-sex relations.
Here is some of the data:
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The relentless drumbeat of propaganda from the evil TV have driven this issue from its inception.  I can’t believe even 40% of those over 65 are in favor of this nightmare.  But, then again, it was those folks roughly age 65-80 that really got the divorce bandwagon started in this country 50 years ago, so I really shouldn’t be surprised.
But what will develop is this: we will have the government essentially sanctioning what is morally or politically acceptable speech on this issue, once gay marriage becomes the law of the land (if it does – I retain confident hope of a miracle).  We see from the data that most people oppose gay marriage on religious grounds.  But the government, reinforced by the totally dominant media, will declare that there is only one “acceptable ” belief regarding not only “gay marriage,” but homosexuality in general. It won’t be long before proclaiming the constant belief of the Faith regarding homosexuality will be outlawed, or at least grounds for other “soft” forms of persecution like job loss, social shunning, economic persecution (liens, difficulty obtaining loans, etc), and more.
When there is finally a serious persecution, what do you think will happen?  How many will join the “American Patriotic Catholic Church” and leave the true Church? How big a fight will the true Church put up?  Do you think whole dioceses will fall away?  How many of the present bishops will be willing to go to jail to proclaim the Truth?  Priests? Faithful?
I really don’t know.  But I fear we are going to get to find out.

Huge comet to mark Christmas 2013? December 6, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Admin, fun, General Catholic, non squitur, Society.
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That’s what the astronomers are saying.  I remember when Hale-Bopp hung in the sky back in early 1997.  I remember distinctly sitting outside with my beautiful wife at Dubliner on Greenville, looking up and talking about the comet, which was about at its peak visibility, then.  We looked at it for a minute of two, then went back to our black and tans. Priorities, you see.  At least then.

If this comet comes off as predicted, it could be a heck of a show for the kids.  Viewing would be much better in Harper or Pipe Creek or, better yet, Shafter.

Currently a faint speck in the night sky, Comet ISON (C/2012 S1) was only recently discovered. But as it emerges from the haze of the distant Oort Cloud and makes a close pass around our sun late next year, it could turn into the brightest comet anyone alive has ever seen, reports Sky & Telescope. During its closest approach to the Earth, in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2013, it could even be as bright as the full moon.

The comet will be made even more spectacular due to its close pass around the sun. At perihelion, or its closest approach, there will only be about 1.16 million miles between the comet and the sun’s surface. This will cause an extreme melt-off of its ice, which will release gas and dust and form a gloriously long tail.
It will then make a relatively close swing past Earth just a few weeks after perihelion. At its closest, about 40 million miles from our planet, the sky should be moonless, which will only add to the comet’s glow. Since all of this is set to occur around Christmas, it could be viewed as a miracle by some.
In fact, if all comes to pass as astronomers currently predict, ISON will be the most spectacular comet to grace Earth’s skies since the Great Comet of 1680 (which supposedly caused the people of New York’s Manhattan Island to be “overcome with terror at a sight in the heavens such as has seldom greeted human eyes.”) In fact, it would likely be a once-in-a-civilization’s-lifetime event.
But having said that, it’s good to point out that comet predictions don’t always live up to expectations. Comet Kohoutek, for instance, was much-hyped but only dimly sputtered during its swing by Earth. Even so, astronomers say there are reasons to be optimistic. In fact, ISON appears to be on a trajectory eerily similar to that of the Great Comet of 1680. It’s even possible that ISON and the Great Comet are fragments of the same parent body.
I recall that when Halley’s Comet came in 1986, it was pretty much a bust.  Not a very spectacular showing.  I sort of made up my mind then, at the ripe old age 0f 15, to be alive for the next visit in 2061, which is supposed to be spectacular.  I’ll be 90, then.  But maybe this new comet SION will obviate that need for longevity.
It’s up to God, anyhow.
Would a spectacular comet cause you any particular additional Christmas joy?

Catholic Mass or pagan goddess worship? December 6, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in asshatery, disaster, error, foolishness, General Catholic, Holy suffering, Liturgy, sadness, scandals, secularism, sickness, silliness.
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When I watched this, I kept expecting to see some virgin brought in, naked and tied down, ready for the sacrifice, but not before some truly mortifying acts of perversion.  Sort of like a black mass:

I really think the best thing to do with idiocy like this, is just to laugh at it.  Well, pray about it, then laugh at it.

What was it Hitchcock said?  Oh, yes:

The fragmentation and manipulation of sacred symbolism conveyed in the most dramatic and effective way possible that the community of the Church was also fragmented, probably beyond repair. For many people a uniform liturgy was itself a profoundly important symbol of a united Church, and to the extent that highly diverse liturgies were now celebrated, whether officially or unofficially, the basic sundering of Catholic unity was symbolized. The casual discarding of traditional symbols, often with the implication that there was something ridiculous  or unsavory about them, [ohh, yessssss……..all those crossings of self and head bows and genuflections…….so ridiculous, compared to the solemn artistry of liturgical dance] symbolized effectively a Church dying piece by piece.

More from James Hitchcock:

As with every other aspect of Church life, liturgical change was both a cause and an effect of the fading of a sharp Catholic identity after the Council. It was an effect in that a misconceived ecumenism led many persons to suppose that a historical Catholic identity ought to be obliterated as much as possible. It was a cause in that experimentation with the liturgy tended toward merging it into broadly humanistic forms of celebration, with its distinctive symbolism either eradicated or redefined. The theology which explained this new symbolism tended then in the same direction – the sacraments as celebrations of life, for example. There was an immense loss of coherence, however, whatever may have been gained. [not very much, save for thousands of lay people being “empowered” to run around the church doing all kinds of make-work]  Soon it became problematical for some people why there should be sacraments at all (or why these particular ones), why formal worship is necessary, what the value of prayer is, etc…………Most Catholics were still able to affirm a divine reality, but practically every other aspet of it (Is God personal? Can God be said properly to exist? Does God work miracles?) was called into question, and some former staunch believers drifted into agnosticism.  [I’d say most, including the large majority of religious, especially those over 50)  The fact that there were no longer in the Church solemn public rituals which could command general participation seemed to signify the absence of any common identity and any commonly held values…….[end quote]

And thus, you get neo-pagan liturgical dance.  You can search high and low through the documents of Vatican II, and you won’t find a statement even so much as authorizing something as bizarre as liturgical dance, and yet it has become a staple throughout much of the Church, from the LA Ministry Conference to outdoor wicca-inspired “liturgies” eagerly participated in by the more extreme women religious.

The reason for liturgical dance, and funky incense bowls, is that it highlights the anthropocentric shift in the Church, the stripping away from the God-centered liturgy towards one focused on man.  It is the triumph of the horizontal, and explains why such liturgies are so amazingly banal, boring, and devoid of the transcendent.  It’s the cult of man versus the Cult of God. It explains the whole disaster of the “spirit” of Vatican II in a nutshell.  And I pray it is passing from the scene.

h/t Fr. Ray Blake

Catholic culture – Don Camillo December 6, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in awesomeness, Basics, Domestic Church, fun, General Catholic, Latin Mass, priests, Tradition.
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Don Camillo was the generic name of a series of Italian movies in the early 50s that showed a very brave and faithful priest, Don Camillo, fighting for the soul of his town against the communist mayor Peppone.  The movies are classics, but I’ve only seen excerpts.  From what I’ve seen, they look like a great deal of fun.  I have read that the Pope watches these movies regularly.

Here is another short with subtitles:

You can buy some of the movies with English subtitles on Amazon.  Beware, some commenters say some of the movies have really bad recordings with black screen, missing audio, or a format that won’t play on most US DVD players, but this one seems safe.

These movies look like very fun, entertaining viewing for the family, although little ones may not be able to follow the subtitles.

Maybe a small way to recapture some Catholic culture!

The latest shame of Notre Dame December 6, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Basics, disaster, error, foolishness, General Catholic, sadness, scandals, sexual depravity, sickness, Society.
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Do they even remotely think about Our Lady there anymore?  Notre Dame has decided it’s stayed off the cultural bandwagon long enough, and it’s time to go full-board with the destructive “gay rights” movement.  They are standing up a homosexual student organization.  And Mary wept (my emphasis and comments):

In what the University of Notre Dame’s student newspaper is calling “a historic decision,” the University announced plans for a University- recognized homosexual student organization as well as a full-time student development staff position focused on LGBTQ issues.

The announcement was made as the result of a long review of the University’s policies. According to the student newspaper, Fr. John Jenkins, the president of the university, said that the plan “grows out of our mission as a Catholic university” and is “directed by that fundamental mission in a profound way.”

But although the plan describes the student organization as acting consistent with Catholic teaching, Fr. Jenkins seemed to indicate some doubt about how closely it will be regulated…….[of course it won’t be regulated, that would defeat the purpose]

……“I think if people look carefully at what we’re doing and really, in a thoughtful way, evaluate it, I think thoughtful people will see that this makes sense,” reportedly said Fr. Jenkins. “It makes sense for a Catholic university like Notre Dame to provide such structures to serve their students effectively.”

Oh, what preening condescension. What hideous pride.  “If you look carefully, thoughtfully…….” translation: if you succumb to modernist sexular pagan sensibiilities, this makes perfect sense.  Notre Dame is first and foremost a university of the predominant sexularist atheist culture, with some residual trappings of Catholicism.  It’s been that way for 45 years, ever since the disastrously modernist Fr. Hesburgh ran the place, it’s only becoming so obvious now that the utter collapse of a distinctive, faithful Catholic identity is impossible to ignore.  So sad.