Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad

My little Rita at the Shrine of St. Rita fifteen years ago. As Bishop DeSimone once said, “Nothing is impossible with God. But if you’re here today [at the shrine], you already know that.”

May all your impossible causes be granted by Almighty God.

Unless this is your very first time reading this blog, you know of my great devotion to this saint of the impossible. I woke up to a text from a priest friend informing me that he had offered Mass for my family on a pilgrimage in Europe. Sometime while I slept, the holy sacrifice was being offered for me on St. Rita’s feast. That’s beautiful and much appreciated.

This is one of my favorite days of the year because I love celebrating her. She has been good to me. It’s been years since I was able to visit the shrine in Philadelphia for the feast but my family and I celebrate nonetheless.

Bring her your impossible causes. Learn from her. Our Lord clearly loved this woman given all He allowed her to suffer.

May your impossible be granted.

“For nothing shall be impossible with God.” Lk. 1:37

St. Rita of Cascia, pray for us!

Pardon the unclean glass. I can’t get near the thing to clean it while the nest is there. But can I tell you what a delight this whole thing has been to me? Here I was watching a video on airport terminal architecture because I’m a nerd when I glance up to see the mother Robin – or father, I really can’t tell – swooping in to feed the rapidly growing birdlings. I guess this is what happens when you grow up in Newark, NJ. At the age of 48, I am as tickled as a five year-old following the life cycle of a family of robins.

Friends, God is so good and so beautiful in His love for us despite the fact that most of us deserve eternal punishment for our constant betrayal of Him. It’s as if He’s grabbing me by the back of the head and saying to me, “Look, dummy, look at the beautiful world I made for you! Look and behold. I take care of them. They don’t worry about anything. Why are you bothered by anything?”

The world, the Church… Everything is upside down. Do you think I ever wanted to be writing about, let alone delving into, antipapacies and such? Remember that airport video? If I had my druthers, I would spend more time than I care to admit examining the construction of terminals at hub airports, chasing tornados, and traveling with my wife and kids. Yet here God brought robins into my yard and I cannot ignore this beautiful fortnight.

I continue to pray for everyone who reads this blog as I hope you pray for me. We will get through the insanity of these times, my friends. Just tonight I got a text from a man whom I admire tremendously. You would definitely know him. In the course of our conversation I told him how nice it was for this poor sinner who is trying to cling to the authentic Catholic faith to know there are other, smarter, more eloquent people of a like mind to listen to. And here I am getting to text with the guy! We need to savor these moments when they come to us. It’s like how years ago, when I would go to the March for Life year after year knowing nothing would change. I would stand at the top of Capitol Hill and look back down Pennsylvania Avenue and see the sea of a million plus men, women, and children and know that I wasn’t alone at least on that one, cold day in January. The guy texting with me wrote back that I was the “hero” for trying to raise a family in these times. I laughed. I’m literally just doing what any of you are doing. Raising my kids, watching tornado videos on YouTube, and watching a family of robins about to fledge the nest on my drainpipe.

Friends, I am so thankful that any of you read these pages. And I am thankful for the amazing life God has given me.

Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us!

In season and out.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Grc8n0suMGU?si=jwT_lbaWNzj1T5dC

Like… the principle that this artificial intelligence is not now nor will it ever be intelligent. Then there’s the principle that somehow fallen man will suddenly en masse exude virtue. People are using this nonsense because it is EASY and man is LAZY.

Good luck everybody!

https://nicholasowen1.substack.com/p/fact-checking-the-pope-emeritus?r=60idx5&shareImageVariant=overlay&triedRedirect=true

I’ll leave this one for you all to think about. If I’m being honest. It seems a little forced. It’s giving vibes of “Benedict was playing 5-D underwater chess.” Of course multiple statements can be true simultaneously.

Anyway, I like the author’s prior work. Give it a gander and decide for yourself.

Sorry for the late , late posting. Spent a few hours overnight in the ER. Not for me. Everything is cool.

I just received word through my nephew that a friend of his would like any and all to join in a novena (linked below) for a special intention. That friend is John Farrell of the Annulment Proof YouTube channel. I’ve shared his content. I agree with his content. I will pray this novena for him. And if you feel like tossing this one into your St. Rita novena too, then God bless you.

https://catholicnovenaapp.com/novenas/st-brendan-novena/

Speaking of marriage, I just came from the wedding of a former student. Please keep her and her new husband in your prayers. I first met this young lady when she was a freshman in high school and I got to know her family. Lovely family doesn’t begin to describe them. To watch her today getting married in a sung Mass in the ancient rite of the Church made me almost shed a tear. I have said before and I repeat it now, God is far too good to this sinner.

Now, go pray for John.