“CANADIAN doctors have been dying unexpectedly and in unprecedented numbers–now upwards of 100–since the rollout of the Covid-19 “vaccines” December 2020. Dr. William Makis, MD and cancer researcher, along with his team have been tracking and reporting the alarming number of sudden deaths in young doctors. His pleas to the Canadian Medical Association to investigate any correlation with the experimental mRNA injections have been ignored and publicly deemed misinformation. Read More »

Benozzo Gozzoli; Magi Chapel (detail)

“WE know, each one of us, that our lives are bound up with the lives of others in a most wonderful way, and that the actual result and outcome of all is, in each case, linked by a thousand ties with the lives of those across whom we have come in our path through this world. So that it may be said that God has arranged each single life of all His millions of children, not for itself alone, but with endless and countless relations and influences produced on others or received from others, and all this is an exercise of His wisdom most beautiful, most perfect, and most worthy of study and thankfulness. And the history of the whole race is the history of each single soul combined and connected with that of all other souls. Here is a marvel and a wonder far surpassing anything that can be found in the material universe, because souls are free, and the elements are not free. All this is to be revealed to us at the Last Day, hence we may truly say that we are in a certain sense to judge, not only one another, as we shall do when the whole of the secrets of each single heart are made manifest to all; not only angels, for, as St. Paul says, we shall then know not merely the whole history of men like ourselves, but that also of the other spiritual beings who are so like us in nature — nay even the works and doings of God Himself will be made manifest to us for His glory and for our instruction, to furnish us with matter for eternal praise of Him in His dealings with His creatures, and for the perfect justification of Him before the eyes of the whole world.”

— Henry James Coleridge, The Return of the King: Discourses on the Latter Days, 1894 (p. 283)

“IMPATIENCE is one of the most foolish of all faults. It gains nothing for us; it does not relieve our sufferings, but aggravates them. No one enjoys any peace as long as he is yielding to feelings of impatience; he is discontented, miserable, uneasy. He finds intolerable what he could bear well enough if only he would make the necessary effort, and gulp down the rising irritation or suppress the angry words. He is always in a fever, and is a nuisance to himself and to all around him. Do not I know this by experience? If not, I must thank God for giving me so happy a disposition.

“Impatience is also one of the most ridiculous of all faults. There is something laughable and contemptible in the fuming of the impatient man over some trifle, in his rage because he cannot overcome some difficulty or have his own way as he desires. An impatient man always makes a bad impression. If I could see myself as others see me when I give way to impatience, I should be thoroughly ashamed and very careful not to make myself so foolish again.”

— from Patience, Meditations for a Month, by Richard F. Clarke, S.J.,

VIDEO link

The Holy Family, Giambattista Pittoni

O GENTE FELIX HOSPITA

O House of Nazareth the blest,
fair hostess of the Lord,
the Church was nurtured at thy breast
and shared thy scanty hoard.

In all the spreading lands of earth
the wandering sun may see
no dearer spot, no ampler worth
than erst was found in thee!

We know thy humble tenement
was heaven’s hermitage:
Celestial heralds came and went
in endless embassage. Read More »

JEFF GREEN describes the final weeks of his 98-year-old grandfather’s life:

He practically begged me to call the ambulance. I knew what this would mean. He would now be subjected to dangerous medical treatments that would very likely damage or kill him. When the EMTs arrived, they picked him up and he stood up with their help. One of the EMTs said, “If his hip is broken, I would be very surprised.” He turned out to be partially right.

In the ER, he was initially asked if he had been vaccinated for ‘COVID’, tetanus, and so forth. I told them no. In fact, he had not been vaccinated in nearly 25+ years or so. The nurse informed me of the dangers of tetanus complications from surgery, but I continued to reaffirm to her that he did not need any vaccines.

He had to be transferred to the ER in a larger hospital out of town, about 25 miles away. They did not do such procedures here locally. Once we arrived there, one of the head doctors there described to us that he would need surgery. I asked, “Is surgery absolutely necessary for him?” She described to me that he would need a rod placed into his femur. After the initial x-rays of the leg, I found out that he merely had a hairline fracture, not a complete break, which I had suspected all along. The surgeon came into the room. He described the hip surgery process and told me that my grandpa would be out of surgery and walking the next day. Of course, this was something that I didn’t believe, and indeed, that never transpired. In fact, my grandpa was never able to take another step after surgery.

Read more.

FROM Thuletide on Telegram:

Friendship in the 1990s vs friendship today: More “connected” than ever before, but more alone.

Two major factors are to blame for this: Left-Wing politics and modern technology.

Every single agenda pushed by the Left (multiracialism, anti-family, anti-religion, anti-traditional culture) fragments society, destroys cohesion, increases isolation, decreases trust, and so on. It’s basically a recipe for making people lonely and miserable.

In addition to this, the psychotic behavior of modern Leftists (snitching on their friends and family, ruining lives for the tiniest of thought crimes) has created a culture of distrust, similar to the USSR.

The technological aspect is straightforward: We’ve all sat in a restaurant and noticed tables full of people silently staring down at their mobile phones. Social media provides simulated friendship, the internet provides endless escapism, more people are working remotely, etc., etc.

FROM The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger:

There was another custom, which originated in the Ages of Faith, and which is still observed in many countries. In honour of the Three Kings, who came from the East to adore the Babe of Bethlehem, each family chose one of its members to be King. The choice was thus made. The family kept a feast, which was an allusion to the third of the Epiphany-Mysteries – the Feast of Cana in Galilee – a Cake was served up, and he who took the piece which had a certain secret mark, was proclaimed the King of the day. Two portions of the cake were reserved for the poor, in whom honour was thus paid to the Infant Jesus and his Blessed Mother; for, on this Day of the triumph of Him, who, though King, was humble and poor, it was fitting that the poor should have a share in the general joy. Read More »

Video link.

THE FEAST OF THE Epiphany on January 6 marks the day when three cultured philosopher-kings came from the East to Bethlehem. Their systems of thought and pagan divination now exhausted, these seekers were drawn by a mysterious revelation to search for a child. They were kings looking for a king. They found a baby in a cave, surrounded by none of the prerogatives of power. Here was no symbol or sign. Here was the very Wisdom they craved incarnated. Here was no illumination of the mind alone. Their hearts were enlightened too. Their search ended; they fell to their knees and adored. “We have seen His star, and are come to adore Him” – Matt, ii, 2.

As Eastern mysticism and “mindfulness” continue to spread in the West, let’s remember today that these ideas are not new, but as old as time. This road was traveled by the Magi.

Some relevant words by G. K. Chesterton:

“It is still a strange story, though an old one, how they came out of orient lands, crowned with the majesty of kings and clothed with something of the mystery of magicians. That truth that is tradition has wisely remembered them almost as unknown quantities, as mysterious as their mysterious and melodious names; Melchior, Caspar, Balthazar. But there came with them all that world of wisdom that had watched the stars in Chaldea and the sun in Persia; and we shall not be wrong if we see in them the same curiosity that moves all the sages.They would stand for the same human ideal if their names had really been Confucius or Pythagoras or Plato. They were those who sought not tales, but the truth of things; and since their truth was itself a thirst for God, they also have had their reward.” (The Everlasting Man, Ignatius Press; p. 176)

“O God, who by the direction of a star didst this day manifest thy only Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant, that we, who now know thee by faith, may come at length to see the glory of thy Majesty.”

Read More »

‘THE Church very clearly points out what truths are articles of Faith, that we may distinguish them from pious beliefs and traditions, so that no one can be guilty of the sin of heresy without knowing it.

“So far, so good, right? Most of you are nodding your heads in agreement, and shrugging: ‘So, what about it?’

“Well, the problem ‘traditional Catholics’ are facing today is the fact that the ordinations of all the ‘traditional’ priests ordained by Archbishop Lefebvre, and Archbishop Thuc, as well as bishops consecrated and stemming from these lines are illicit. These priests, in general, will admit this fact but brush it off lightly and continue to function in violation of Divine Laws and Dogmas of our Catholic Faith.”

— From “Are You Still a Catholic?” by Patrick Henry and an anonymous author

Originally published at Identity Dixie by Terry Morris

Grandson: “Grandpa, I asked my dad why we have to eat black-eyed peas every New Years, and he said I should ask you.”

Grandpa: “Did he? Well, then, let’s sit down and talk about it.”

Grandson: “Okay!”

Grandpa: “First of all, we should never think of it as *having* to eat black-eyed peas to bring in the New Year, like it’s a burden to us or something we don’t want to do; we should instead look upon it as an honor and a privilege that we do cheerfully and with gratitude and thanksgiving. Pay attention and I will explain why.”

Grandson: (look of attentive curiosity) Read More »

“IN THE reign of Genseric, the Arian King of the Goths, one of the King’s favorite courtiers, the Count of Armogasto, was converted from Arianism and joined the Catholic Church.

“The King, on hearing of the fact, fell into a violent fury and, calling the young nobleman to his presence, tried by every means in his power to induce him to recant and return to the Arian sect. Neither threats nor promises availed. The Count refused all overtures and held fast to his new-found faith. Genseric then gave vent to this fury and ordered the young man to be bound with strong cords as tightly as the brawny executioners could draw them. The torment was intense, but the victim showed no sign of pain. He repeated two or three times, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,” and lo, the cords snapped like spider webs and fell at his feet!

“Enraged beyond measure, the tyrant now commanded that the sinews of oxen, hard and tough as wire, should be brought. The Count was again bound, and the King bade the executioners use their utmost strength. Once more their victim invoked the Name of Jesus, and the new thongs, like the old, snapped like threads. Genseric, foaming with rage, ordered the martyr to be bound by the feet and hung from the branches of a tree, head downwards.

“Smiling at this new mode of torture, Count Armogasto folded his arms on his bosom and, repeating the Holy Name, fell into a tranquil sleep, as though he were lying on a soft and comfortable couch.”

[Source]

ST. PETER WEEPING, a 17th-century painting by the Florentine Agostino Melissi, hangs in a small, darkened gallery of the Philadelphia Art Museum. I coincidentally happened upon it for the first time the other day, just as the world and its vast propaganda machines prepared to eulogize Benedict XVI in Rome.

This computer image is entirely inadequate. It cannot do this beautiful and dramatic painting of the man who would become the first Pope on earth justice. The globular tears dropping toward the nose, the depth of the creases in the brow, the brilliance of the cloth with which he mops his tears are not fully visible. It is truly a stunning image — a portrait of a man in the throes of deep sorrow and self-incrimination. Peter in this famous scene, as we all know, has not just once, but three times lied about knowing Jesus. The faces in the background revel in his tears and his public lies. They laugh so hard with mockery they too are probably crying. “Ha, Ha! Oh, so you think you’re so holy!” they seem to say.

Yes, Peter lied — though he had been warned by Christ himself that he would betray his master.

Why would Jesus choose such an impulsive and unstable man to be his shepherd and his Vicar on earth?

The answer to this question is that no man — not even one many times more reliable than Peter — could truly fulfill this role created by God without divine assistance. Peter wept before he had been strengthened with miraculous graces. The Church is not of human origin nor was the courage of the men who once led it of human origin. No human motives or talents can fully explain their works and immense success. After the descent of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost, Peter — this passionate, impetuous and somewhat unstable man — was ready. It was only then that he could face the world with brutal honesty and unwavering courage. He would die willingly a martyr’s death, as would 25 popes in the first 300 years of the Church.

If saints in heaven weep, these martyred popes must be weeping now.

They would be weeping to see the shameful spectacle of almost the entire world hailing a man who relentlessly undermined the Church as a one of Christ’s Vicars on earth. For if Benedict XVI, who died at the age of 95 this week, was a successor of Peter then Christ has indeed failed in his promises to be with His Church until the consummation. The gates of hell have indeed prevailed.

Let those who have eyes to see, ears to hear and minds to think with look at the true record of Joseph Ratzinger, the “conservative” foil to the bombastic Argentinian who now parades as pope. It’s comical the way the world views the Church as a political theater. You’ve got your conservatives and you’ve got your liberals. They battle it out and it makes for a great show! World wrestling at its finest.

This shows how far removed the world is from knowing the Church  — a divine mother, a guardian of the soul, not a political society.

Benedict prays at the Wailing Wall

As Dr. Thomas Droleskey wrote in 2013:

Contrary to what the secular and even most of the “religious” experts have stated, Joseph Ratzinger is no “conservative.”

He is a man who has made unremitting warfare upon almost every aspect of Catholic Faith, Worship, Morals and pastoral praxis, starting with the very nature of dogmatic truth. He has engaged in the most hideous forms of “inter-religious” prayer services.

He has attempted to make various Apostles, Fathers, Doctors Saints and true popes of the Catholic Church into perjured witnesses in behalf his conciliar apostasies, blasphemies and sacrileges such as the “new ecclesiology,” “religious liberty,” “separation of Church and State,” false ecumenism, etc.

He has publicly praised propositions condemned by our true popes. Read More »

Adoration of the Shepherds (detail), Ridolfo Ghirlandaio; 1510

“THE SHEPHERD’S Farewell” is one of the most moving of carols, taken from a 19th-century French composer’s Christmas oratorio, L’Enfance du Christ. Hector Berlioz, known mostly for his discordant music and said to be an atheist, imagined the shepherds in Bethlehem bidding the Holy Family goodbye and composed this tender hymn. People who disliked his other music praised The Shepherds’ Farewell. He said:

In that work many people imagined they could detect a radical change in my style and manner. This opinion is entirely without foundation. The subject naturally lent itself to a gentle and simple style of music, and for that reason alone was more in accordance with their taste and intelligence. [Source]

Perhaps one has to be simple to enjoy this evocation of the ancient shepherds, their hearts overflowing with hushed wonder and love. The single oboe suggests a rustic pipe and the choir, the angels they have heard.

The Shepherds’ Farewell to the Holy Family (from L’Enfance du Christ Op. 25) by Hector Berlioz

1. Thou must leave Thy lowly dwelling,
The humble crib, the stable bare.
Babe, all mortal babes excelling,
Content our earthly lot to share.
Loving father, Loving mother,
Shelter Thee with tender care! Read More »

Adoration of the Name of Jesus, El Greco

NAMES are mysterious confluences of the universal and particular. A name that has been used for thousands of years takes on new meaning in a new generation. A name is phonetic music. Take the names “Emma” and “George.” Could Emma Bovary have been a George? Could George Washington have been an Emma? It is difficult to grasp all the psychological effects and associations names conjure.

The sweetest and most beautiful name in heaven and earth, a name that is a universe and eternity in itself, a name that resounds through history like no other, is the name of Jesus. It is entirely particular and entirely universal; holy and unearthly like no other. Dom Prosper Gueranger, abbot of a Benedictine monastery in Solesmes, France in the nineteenth century, wrote that the name of Jesus is food, light and medicine. So powerful is the Holy Name that people constantly invoke it in everyday life, often blasphemously.

It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that the Church set aside a specific day on which to revere and celebrate the Most Holy Name of Jesus. In Hebrew custom, a male child was named at circumcision. The Feast of the Holy Name, on January 2, comes right after the Feast of the Circumcision. Gueranger wrote about this important tradition in his work The Liturgical Year:

In the Old Covenant, the Name of God inspired fear and awe: nor was the honour of pronouncing it granted to all the children of Israel. We can understand this. God had not yet come down from heaven to live on earth, and converse with men; he had not yet taken upon himself our poor nature, and become Man like ourselves; the sweet Name expressive of love and tenderness, could not be applied to him.

But, when the fulness of time had come – when the mystery of love was about to be revealed – then did heaven send down the Name of ‘Jesus’ to our earth, as a pledge of the speedy coming of him who was to bear it. Read More »