The Twig Boy and the Man Among Men

Posted on April 27, 2023 | Leave a comment

Sometimes I struggle to come up with a topic for my daily posting.

And… sometimes a picture really can tell a thousand words.

My oldest brother died of pancreatic cancer seven years ago. He was severely wasted at the end of that terrible three month battle. The last time I spoke to him via FaceTime call just the day before his demise, he said to me, “I love you. The time has come. If I lose any more muscle mass I may come close to resembling a gun control activist.”

In all seriousness – and I do not know this Hogg character from a hole in the ground – there is something seriously amiss about the current generation of 20-something young men. I do not know if he has an aversion to heavy lifting (not just weights, I’m talking about just lifting anything from a suitcase to a backpack) or if he actually has a wasting disease. Maybe it is the latter. If that is the case I will pray for him. If he just doesn’t feel like being a man, I will also pray for him. Hey pal, God gave you that Y Chromosome for a reason. Ultimately, it was supposed to have triggered your pituitary gland to direct your gonads to release massive amounts of testosterone into your bloodstream so you could, you know, develop into a man.

So he wants to take my guns?

I’ll arm wrestle you for them!

That’s what I thought, Twiggy.

Hahahahahaha.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

OK, on to more serious news for the night. I re-read the article posted on Mark Dougherty’s blog, Non Veni Pacem, yesterday regarding St. Joseph. This may have been one of the best blog posts I have ever read. Kudos to the blog’s author, Laramie Hirsch, who did a phenomenal job outlining the case for why St. Joseph is indeed the saint for our times and why men need to increase their devotion to him. I texted with a friend from the parish tonight that I find it funny that I never had a remote devotion to St. Joseph until about a year ago and then, as if out of the blue, I felt a need to try to develop one.

And how does one develop a devotion to a great saint? Well, as I’ve learned over the years, you pray hard and then you do what you can. Case in point: if you want to do more pull-ups, then do more pull-ups. You’re never going to hit the Marine Corps PT Test goal if you cannot do one and you cannot do one if you do not try.

St. Joseph is a great saint. If you want to foster a devotion to him, pray about it. Then, turn to him. Talk to him. Ask his intercession. Ask him to guide you. Ask him to pray that you become more like him as a husband and father. Sometimes devotions to particular saints are a gift from God. Sometimes we have to ask for that gift. Always, we have to work at it. And for heaven’s sake, if your biceps resemble smore’s skewers pick up a couple of dumbbells and start curling, lad. There’s no shame except when you didn’t try.

St. Joseph, help me to be the man God has called me to be. At today’s Mass, the communion verse for St. Peter Canisius, came from the Mass “In Medio of a Doctor” and it is one of my favorites as I hope it may be said of me one day:

“The faithful and wise servant, whom his lord setteth over his family: to give them their measure of wheat in due season.”

St. Joseph, model of husbands and fathers, pray for us!

Leave a comment

Tagged , , ,

Our Lady of Good Counsel: The Flying Portrait of Heaven’s Queen

Posted on April 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

Many of you may have noted that I grew up in Newark, NJ and that my home parish all that time was the magnificent neo-Gothic Our Lady of Good Counsel parish.

Today, April 26th, is the traditional feast day of Our Lady of Good Counsel this is one of those that appears in the hand missal under “Feasts celebrated in certain places” (or something to that effect… I don’t have my missal handy as I write this). I would like to share a link to the story of this miraculous image of the Blessed Mother and entreat everyone to consider asking the Fairest of our Race to intercede for us all under this title.

Read the story of the miraculous flight of the Mother of Good Counsel here.

Although I have not seen the image with my own eyes, a priest who did once showed me a beautiful picture he snapped of it. He described the free-standing fresco as being thinner than a sheet of paper. I am captivated by this story.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Newark, NJ

Even more so, though, I am captivated by the idea of the Seat of Wisdom offering to us her loving counsel. How often in life – especially in these last years – do we have need of her advice? How often do we have recourse to the love shared between Mother and Son as He Himself clings to her neck in absolute trust? How much more, going forward, will we need to cast ourselves before the two of Them and pray that for that counsel?

Non Veni Pacem posted a beautiful reflection today on our need for devotion to St. Joseph. I wholeheartedly concur. I have often wondered why, in the past few years, I have felt Our Lord calling me to increase in devotion to Joseph. I had never had a particular devotion to the Most Chaste Spouse but now I am drawing closer to him. It is obvious to me now that I must be totally and truly devoted to the three. If Satan wants to destroy the family, I must strive as hard as I can to imitate the Holy Family – Blessed Mother of Good Counsel, St. Joseph the strong protector to whom God became subject, and of course Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe!

Lord Jesus, Son of Mary, foster-son of Joseph, have mercy on us!

Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for us!

St. Joseph, pray for us!

Leave a comment

Tagged , , ,

Rise to God Like Incense

Posted on April 25, 2023 | Leave a comment

I am overwhelmed (in a good way) at the number of you who sent intentions for the novena. I will begin the next nine days on Saturday (April 29). Following is a link to the particular novena I have used.

Novena Prayers to St. Rita of Cascia

Leave a comment

Impossible Goings-on

Posted on April 24, 2023 | Leave a comment

I can’t let too much time go by without a mention of my favorite saint – St. Rita of Cascia, patron saint of impossible causes.

One of these days, I’m going to re-tool this blog to include a separate menu with links to a page dedicated to Rita. Perhaps someone of a caliber of to assist in such a matter could help out. Perhaps a super nerd of sorts. We could randomly call him, I don’t know, Supernerd or something like that.

Anyway, on the Rita front, I can happily report that several of my blog friends have written lately to share that intentions have been fulfilled by God. Few things I can ever write will bring me as much joy as sharing these words. I continue to pray for all those intentions that have been sent my way and ask you to do the same for my intentions, at least one of which has recently been realized.

So, a new nine day round starts soon. Send me any intentions and they will go into the novena. It is my pleasure to do this.

St. Rita, pray for us!

Leave a comment

Tagged , , ,

Works of Mercy

Posted on April 23, 2023 | Leave a comment

I had an opportunity on Sunday to visit with an acquaintance who was in the hospital. I learned from my parents that when such opportunities arise, one ought to take them without delay. I do not know this person terribly well but… I desire to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus and I would like very much to hear Him say:

“I was sick and you visited me.”

Mt. 25:36

I am astounded that He keeps furnishing me with daily “opportunities to serve” as my mom always called them. Then again, she did it in a way only an old-school Catholic mother who had already raised many children knew how. If I delayed in answering the call to assist in any task, she would dismiss me from the task altogether and say, “Never mind. You’ve lost your opportunity to serve.” It happened a grad total of about three times. I got the point really fast. She was teaching me that the opportunities to do good works come here and there, sometimes more frequently and sometimes less. Seize upon them, perform them with charity, say “yes” without thinking, and give them to God. The more we do that, the more disposed we become to charity itself.

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for us!

Leave a comment

Saturday Night is Alright for (a Break in the) Fighting

Posted on April 22, 2023 | Leave a comment

Over the past few days I have been writing about the squabbles amongst traditionalists viz. the FSSP and the SSPX.

Tonight, I believe a break is in order.

Sometimes the good Lord sees fit to inject a little bit of levity into one’s life. Take my day, for instance. I woke up at 5:30 just as I knew I would. I had asked my guardian angel last night for just such a wake up call. Rolled out of bed and dropped to my knees to begin the day with the three Hail Mary’s and my morning prayers from the Missal. After a bit of puttering around, I headed to Mass. And then it was time to deal with the car…

You see, last night my wife had gone out with the kids to do some shopping. Yours truly decided to take a well-earned nap. Actually, I more or less fell asleep watching a tornado video on Youtube. They’re so fascinating. It turns out that during my slumber I missed about six calls from my wife who was trying to inform me that the car wouldn’t start and that they were stuck. On closer examination, had I taken the calls I would have been of no assistance as I did not have the car in my possession to pick them up. No matter. Her sister brought them home and an hour later, my mother-in-law and I headed out to look at the vehicle. It turns out that the car we drove in has some weird engine guard covering its battery so jumping my car was out of the question. I locked up the car and headed home by way of Adoration.

That brings us back to this morning after Mass. A good friend came to my rescue and drove me out to the disabled car. He tested the battery. It was dead. There was a battery store in the same plaza. We replaced the battery and all was right with my world.

With a working car, we decided to drive over to another friend’s house for dinner this evening. While there, he and I discussed the trad wars over a cocktail. We are of a like mind, as I suspect many of my fellow parishioners may be (whether they will say it or not). We thanked him for an excellent meal of grilled steaks and for the friendship and headed home.

Here’s where it gets good…

On the drive home, I remembered that I had a song stuck in my head. I learned long ago that the best way to get such songs unstuck is to simply let them out. That’s when I started singing the opening lines to the Steely Dan song Peg.

“I see your picture…”

And that’s when my two teenager children decided to show me that they are, in fact, my kids. My daughter chimed in.

“Your name in lights above it…”

Son was not far behind except he opted instead to “sing” the horn section. Admit it, you do the same thing.

If you do not know the song, take my word. It’s not half bad. Blues notes, a tight rhythm, Michael McDonald singing falsetto backing vocals.

And then there’s the infamous Jay Graydon guitar solo. My daughter nailed it a capella except that she sounded like a stray cat got its tail stuck in a blender. But I repeat myself. And we broke out into uproarious laughter.. My wife didn’t know what to make of the whole affair.

Tomorrow will bring more serious news topics. But for tonight, give thanks for the spontaneous moments of joy and laughter.

St. Rita, pray for us!

Leave a comment

Tagged , , ,

The Clans…

Posted on April 21, 2023 | Leave a comment

Yesterday I posted about the possibility of the SSPX ordaining new bishops. I ended that post with my opinion that, come what may, the FSSP, ICK, et al. need to figure out a way to work with the SSPX going forward. I received a few very thoughtful emails from readers on the subject. For these I am grateful. One reader reminded me that this squabble has been going on for 30 years. She offered some very solid suggestions, among them that the SSPX give up on the idea that the FSSP are every going to go “bi-ritual”. Presumably, such a move on the part of the Fraternity would prove to the Society that the former are in the wrong. I did not even know that was a thing. The FSSP priests I know have never given any indication that they would remotely consider offering the Bugnini rites. But that is an interesting thought – what the writer of the email terms “revenge fantasy”. I totally see her point. I just did not know that was a sentiment among any members of the SSPX. She also suggests that the original FSSP priests who broke away from the SSPX need to stop being vilified by the Society. On this point, I can see what she’s talking about more clearly. And I see it in reverse as well. I have heard trads who attend an SSPX chapel refer to the Fraternity as “controlled opposition” and I have heard Fraternity priests (in fact, one of the original break-aways) speak of the SSPX in terms that are less than edifying (and, I believe, incorrect).

Comment sections are aglow with the embers of incendiary invective on this topic. What is anyone to believe? Cardinal Burke says the SSPX is schismatic. Bishop Schneider says they’re not. This priest says we should never attend their Masses. That priest (in the confessional) says, “It’s OK…” It seems to me that approaching the issue with a truly charitable heart requires adopting a little more tact and diplomacy all around. My standpoint? I have attended SSPX Masses in the past and will do so again if necessary. The first time I went into one of their chapels I was greeted with a framed picture of Bergoglio the Squatter, so if they’re schismatic from Fwancisss, they’re doing a terrible job of showing it. I remember during the lockdowns when the SSPX where the ONLY game in town. I was not yet where I am now and so I did not take the opportunity to avail myself. However, when that moment comes again, you can believe I will find them and attend the Roman Mass that I have a right to. For the moment, the point is moot as I have a wonderful parish staffed by the Fraternity at my daily disposal. But we all know a time is fast approaching when that will likely not be the case. Things will get shaken up. Men will have to drive their families farther, make more sacrifices. My friends in Northern Virginia are finding that out.Some will have no option whatsoever. My friends in Corpus Christi found that out.

For now, let us all continue daily to pray for two things.

  1. For continued access to the daily Latin Mass
  2. For an end to the terrible mess we’re in.

On that first point, I make sure to keep friendship as far as I am able with solid priests who offer the Gregorian Rites and with solid laymen with whom we can network when the fit hits the shan. On that second point, I ask the Blessed Mother daily in my rosary, begging her to: “Bring It ON!”

Virgin most pure, pray for us!

Leave a comment

Tagged , , ,