Tomorrow is the first Saturday of the month of the Holy Rosary!
I can never share this information enough so if you’ve read this one before, please consider sharing the contents. Do not feel compelled to share the post per se. I could care less if people are reading my writing. But the content comes from Our Lady. So tell a friend or several friends. The goal is heaven.
In your fraternal charity, would you also consider praying for my intentions? Thank you in advance.
First Saturday Devotion
In 1925, Our Blessed Mother, Mediatrix of All Grace, revealed to Sr. Lucia that she wished men to make acts of reparation to her Immaculate Heart, specifically in the devotion of the five first Saturdays. Click here for the full list from the Fatima Center, but the act involves confession, Mass, rosary, and meditation. The last one always seems hardest to me as my mind wanders easily.
Madonna and Child, plaster statue, Priory of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Canons Reg. Of the New Jerusalem), Charles Town, WV
For so simple a task – really an act of love – Our Blessed Mother promises so much in reward., not least of which is her sweetest consolation at the hour of death. Remember, in this act we are given to console her. She suffered more for the human race – and for each of us individually – than anyone save her Son. Now she offers to assist us at the most torturous moment of our existence when the soul is torn from the body and appears before her Son in judgment. That terrible day will be mitigated because she will stand by and advocate for us.
This afternoon I began my trek home to the Lone Star State. This involved four people, seven bags, a rental car return, the return of a secondary vehicle is borrowed from a friend (in the opposite direction of the airport, several gin and tonics, and a connection through Charlotte.
When our flight departed from Dulles I immediately noticed that the woman next to me looked out the window and, as the tiny regional jet started its takeoff roll, she made the sign of the cross.
Seventh Sorrow of the Blessed Mother, mosaic on stone base, Shrine of Our Lady’s Martyrs, Auriesville, NY
I knew this was a kindred.
She must have seen me take out my beads because as we w ere landing she tapped me on the shoulder and asked – in broken English – if she could show me pictures of her recent travels.
As I stated at her screen, I immediately recognized the places although I have never been to any of them. The grotto at Lourdes, Notre Dame, abbey churches in England, the Sagrada in Spain… All magnificent Catholic shrines.
Don’t ever be afraid to wear your traditional Catholic faith aloud. You might just be sitting next to a fellow traveler.
Those words were spoken to me by a dear friend today. You see, my family and I were visiting a part of the country where we used to live when this friend’s father died. “Where else would I be?” I asked her. You see, my mother and father taught me the corporal works of mercy when I was a young boy. We had been through a horrible tragedy ourselves. Three of my siblings died in a house fire when I was four. I will forever remember the literally thousands who came out in the snow simply to be with us. I will never forget that. To bury the dead means to support the grieving as they bury their dead as well. I was here. Where else would I be?
Tenth Station of the Cross, bas relief plaster, Shrine of Our Lady’s Martyrs, Auriesville, NY
He’s a Friend
And this got me thinking of other things. Earlier this week, a representative of a large Catholic organization said to me, “That man who runs that Canon212 website is crazy.” He was talking about Frank Walker. I will state here that Mr. Walker and I have never met. He has been kind enough to link my articles over the past few months and I greatly appreciate that. But I appreciate even more his honesty, his grit, and his love of the truth. Before you cast aspersions, remember that I was also raised by my parents to protect my friends. I was prepared to go all Jersey on this man but I held my tongue. “I consider him a friend,” I said. And we left it at that. Frank, if you’re reading this, I got your back.
We’ve Got To Stop Traveling
And speaking of Frank, you may have seen his headline about the hurricane bearing down on his area. If you see this, please offer a rosary for all those in the path of Ian. I was in Florida this summer with my wife and kids. We were in Bonita Springs and Siesta Key. These have apparently both been hit by this monster storm. Fifteen years ago, we visited Galveston and by the end of the summer, Hurricane Ike had ravaged the place. I think we need to stop traveling.
Also, Biden totally blew up the Nordstream Pipeline. Just sayin’…
Last week I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Fairfield (PA) Carmel for a daily mass. It was nothing short of heaven on earth. I am used to visiting a Carmel closer to home and expected to see the customary cloister grill along the back or side wall of the sanctuary. However, at Fairfield the nuns are using a temporary space in a barn while their new home is constructed. As such, the cloister sits above the chapel and a large square in the ceiling is the wrought iron grate. Hearing their beautiful voices wafting down over the Holy Sacrifice as they chanted gave me a glimpse of what the angels must sound like as they perceive Our Lord in the Sacrifice. I will return (perhaps tomorrow)
Today my son and I joined up with the final leg of the Pilgrimage for Restoration. We met other Sunday-only pilgrims at the visitor center parking lot at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, NY, where we were bussed out to the meeting point. Not only did I run into many friends – this trad world is indeed a small world – I had a wonderful encounter with a woman on the shuttle. She’s from Philadelphia. I told her I was married there. She knows people who went to my wife’s Alma Mater. I mentioned my recent trip to the Carmel. She knows the caretaker.
Then I brought up the fact that a “friend” of mine who happens to run the St. Luke’s Gallery (and absolutely click that link) had mentioned the same caretaker to me last week. Here’s that story…
St. Isaac Jogues, statue surmounting the Coliseum Church, Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, NY
The curator of St. Luke’s Gallery had reached out to yours truly a while ago about a post I had written. Although we have not met in person we struck up a friendship via email. Last week I asked him about the Mass times at the Carmel. He responded, “The nuns don’t observe daylight savings time so the mass is an hour later than what you’d heard.” And that, my friends, is the most alpha nun statement of all time.
“We simply don’t do daylight savings time.”
But within minutes, my new friend had whipped out her phone and dialed my other new friend at the Gallery. She handed me the phone and said, “It’s him. Say hi!” And so I sheepishly said, “Hello? It’s Harvey. Happy Sunday!” And we shared a good laugh. I love this guy’s work, by the way, if I hadn’t mentioned that. All of this by way of mentioning a few things.
1) Trad-land is a wonderful place filled with amazing and faithful (and lively) people. 600 of us gathered to walk across the Catskill Mountains to pray for restoration. The solemn high Mass at the conclusion was stunning.
2) The Fairfield Carmel needs your financial help to build their new home. Click this link to buy a hoodie and help them out. I hear it’s only on until the 27th of September.
3) Carmelite nuns are boss.
4) Do not ever be discouraged. If you had seen what I saw this afternoon… Looking out over the Mohawk Valley, I saw brigade after brigade of families – dads and sons, moms and older siblings pushing strollers, even more senior members of our tribe – joyfully walking, praying, singing. Even if we are only a remnant, what a remnant! And…
5) If one more person today had asked me, “So, you’re from Texas? Do you go to Taylor Marshall’s parish?!” I was about tor reply, “Perhaps… or perhaps he goes to my parish.”
Now go click those links and help out some fellow trads.
I felt it was incumbent upon me tonight to post the full text of paragraph 212 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. Click the link to see the whole thing.
“Can. 212 §1. Conscious of their own responsibility, the Christian faithful are bound to follow with Christian obedience those things which the sacred pastors, inasmuch as they represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith or establish as rulers of the Church.
§2. The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires.
§3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.”
The more you know… Also. per section 3 above, I possess the knowledge and competence. I could care less about the prestige.
Sorry to be cryptic. Much appreciation to Frank Walker, who’s site Canon212 is a daily reminder of this duty of all Catholics to keep things honest.
Sacred Heart statue, Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, Harrisburg, PA
The US bishops who have had quite a bit to say about Governor DeSantis’ airlift of Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard really should have some firsthand experience before they speak out.
Perhaps if the brown people had been dropped off in Provincetown…
Statue of St. Catherine Labouré, Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, Harrisburg, PA
Yesterday I attended Holy Mass in one of the “new locations” offered by the Arlington, VA Diocese for the celebration of the TLM. I have to admit that I was impressed by the redesign of the space. Formerly a school gymnasium (and not on the property of a Catholic parish), this space was, in the span of a few weeks, turned from a utilitarian hall into a somewhat proper looking “church”. It is obvious that some money had been spent installing a new wood floor. Additionally, a sanctuary was constructed with an honest-to-goodness altar rail. At the head of the space was a lovely altar constructed against a custom-made backdrop. The hall itself was arranged with a mix of oaken pews and chairs.
As I suspected, the new gym/church was filled to capacity – I guess somewhere between 150-200 people at each of 2 Sunday Masses. There was a choir in the back of the hall. In many ways this place resembled a Latin Mass community from 15 years ago – from the time when Summorum Pontificum had unleashed the ancient rite and people were eager to build beautiful churches for Our Lord. The only problem is that this community was here because they were forced out of an actual beautiful church. They were sent to this place by the bishop who, just following orders, began an implementation of Traditiones Custodes. That document states that celebrations of the TLM may not take place in parish church buildings because if you love the Mass of the Ages, you must be punished brought to your senses and “return to the Novus Ordo”. A subsequent letter from Rome states that pastors of such parishes may not even advertise the Mass times in bulletins.
The Second Station of the Cross, mosaic on wood frame, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, Newark, NJ
OK, all of this is known to the kind of folks who would be reading this blog. So why do I bring it up?
We know that the so-called “Pope of Mercy” is anything but merciful to faithful Catholics wishing to worship in the manner of their faithful ancestors. If you’ve been reading this site, you know that I (along with not a small number of my fellow Catholics) believe that this Bergoglio isn’t even a legitimate pope. I will say it again. We have had anti-popes in the history of the Church – somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 of them. This is not a new nor is it a shocking concept. And we knew for some time that certain bishops, under pressure from Rome to quash the TLM, have drawn up plans to put TC into practice. We even know that the target date to completely shut it down is sometime in 2023-24.
What I did NOT expect was the letter that was handed to me as I left this place. In addition to the parish bulletin (which does not list the Mass times for this “chapel”), I was handed a separate sheet of paper. I’m going to paraphrase the letter here to avoid getting anyone in trouble.
“Last week, people took pictures of the new chapel space. They shared those pictures. Some of those pictures were used by people online discussing the fact that this is not ideal. This might draw more attention to us and make things ‘political’. Please don’t share pictures.”
Are you joking? Seriously, Father? There are several false premises at work here. We could start with the premise that anything found in the evil document Traditiones Custodes is binding on anyone. We could continue with the premise that shunting the people of your parish into a gym ten miles away is a “positive effort”. Finally, as a lawyer friend remarked to me, “[The virtue of] Religion is inherently political because it has serious political implications.”
Again, I feel for these priests. I really do. I am sure they never anticipated being in this position. God send Thine Holy Ghost upon these men, Thy priests, to guide them in all they do.
But do you not realize that taking that added step of requesting people not share pictures sends a very definite message? It comes across as cowering in fear. If there really is nothing wrong with the situation, if this really is a positive effort, why try to shut down the flow of information? “We’re being shut down. Let’s take our punishment and die off quickly and quietly. Don’t even talk about what’s being done. Just. Go. Away.” I expect it to be followed with a “Thank you sir, may I have another!” Is that what Fr. intended in his message? Perhaps not and I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I believe he thinks he is doing what must be done. But it is certainly not a good look and it bodes very poorly for this and other similar Latin Mass communities.
My point in sharing this is to point out, if it wasn’t already obvious, that the screws are tightening. We know what they’re doing and what their goal is and if it wasn’t already apparent, it should be by now. When they tell you we cannot even attract attention to the Mass that was celebrated for 1900 years but the videos of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament being blown to the ground in the wind abound on social media, there is a problem. When they tell you not to take a picture and share it, it is only a short while before they tell you not to write about it and then they’ll say we can’t discuss it among ourselves because “someone might hear…”
For the record, I took a picture of this gym/church yesterday shortly before I was handed that letter. I won’t post it – not because I think it is imprudent but because it is out of focus. No matter though as identical pictures are online already and a quick internet search will lead you to at least one.
And to those who say that Bergoglio is Bergoglio and we can’t do anything to stop him; perhaps you are right. But I’ll be damned if he gets away with it without someone calling him out on it every day he remains on this earth. And that goes for the men who comply with his plans of destruction.
Folks, I got off all that social media nonsense a while ago. Sorry but I'm not on Twitbook, Facepalm, YouHu, WingWang or any of the others. Maybe an event will happen to make me change my mind like Peter and Paul coming down with flaming swords and commanding it be so. Until then, read the blog and if you feel a comment is in order or you feel like sharing a tip or suggestion for a topic, email me at harvey@harveymillican.com.
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 