Heat Lightning

I didn't grow up with luxuries like air conditioning, and certainly not anything like central air. Summers for us were hot, humid and still, and when the wind blew, like the old adage says...it didn't blow anyone any good. A rising wind in summer was just training for storms, and the heavy pit in my stomach always grew heavier when darkness fell and with it, the wind, for I knew what was coming.

I grew up in a gentler time where the elements had more force but less surprise. Although the setting was Illinois, it wasn't much different than Mississippi in terms of summer heat and humidity, and our version of Boo Radley was an old guy named "Frank" who had a sledding hill in place of a cool tree.

We could go on all day about our respective characters and their motivations, but I have to admit, even having moved north, one of the most disconcerting works of nature, one that is so seemingly harmless, is the very same as that which I watched as a child, certain I would be sick in any moment.

We used to sit at our big living-room window and watch what Mom called "heat -lightening" shuttering in the sky across the river and beyond. Even miles and miles away, it lit up the shapes in the clouds and highlighted the barn over the river yonder, with its silver roof and weathered gray boards holding it up. I can still hear the haunting screams of the tanker trucks rumbling along the highway that ran by the barn, echoing over the stillness of the river to yawn in our still and silent back yard, embracing us with both comfort and warning.

Mom tried to decrease my fear of the storm by showing me her enjoyment of the far-away lightning, a freak of nature and science, natures fireworks appearing without thunder, without rain, without wind. She described it as the sparks we saw when pulling fresh laundry out of the dryer; lightning produced by heat and friction, God having a good time with static electricity.

I think at one point she described it as Angels doing laundry.

Her timing was bad, though; my brother had taken it upon himself to ensure that any static electricity whatsoever made its way to me at his hands, whether through a snap of a hot towel or feet rubbed on the carpet. As such, for me, such "lightning" was never harmless, but another set of creative torture devised to terrify me anew.

No Such Thing as Harmless Lightning

Perhaps my childhood instincts were correct.

In our culture, we have been lulled into the non-scientific belief that "heat lightning" is harmless. Those faint flashes from far away do seem to be nothing, but sometimes they get a bit close, don't they?

The fact is this: there's no such thing as lightning without a storm. Where we see the flashes of light, someone is suffering the onslaught of thunder, rain, maybe hail and wind. We may not be the ones touched by that particular storm, but we cannot sit back and pollyanna happily about its harmlessness. Not while people are being swept away a county or so away from us.

In recent  years, the flashes of lightening have become more and more brilliant, nearly blinding us, and we seem to have turned down the volume to the thunder that accompanies it. That's not to say it isn't there, but rather, that we have chosen to be dulled to the sound, that we have given into happy childhood myths designed to comfort fearful children...not rational adults.

There are many myths floating around our world today most directly with regard to people of Faith: some say that Religion is meant to be seen on one's own time but not heard otherwise. Others say that any revelation of belief in God is merely a revelation of weakness in an individual who refuses to use his or her intellect. Yet the most common bit of cultural heat lightning is this:  that we as Christians have no right to "impose" our beliefs upon someone else or society at whole.

Raise your hand if you've heard this modern adage. Raise your OTHER hand if you've stated YOURSELF the following: "I believe X, but even though I am Catholic I have no right to impose my beliefs about X upon others."

Keep 'em up were we can see 'em!. You're busted and about to be convicted of being both illogical and anti-Christian, no matter what you profess to be. Way to be a sellout!

Our OBLIGATION as Christians by our Baptism and the promises that accompany it is that we WILL "impose" our beliefs and values upon the society in which we live. This is a matter of fairness and objectivity, for each and every religion and group does the same. 

What is so sociologically and culturally fascinating, and horrific, in our society is this: that the majority (Christians) refuses to carry this out. We have the right and OBLIGATION according to our own fundamental beliefs to impose what we know to be True upon the society in which we live, in order to influence it for the better and more importantly, to save souls.

Yet, the mantra of our age is to stand cowed to the moral minority repeating roboticly, "I really believe in marriage between one man and one woman, and I am personally opposed to abortion, and I know we should keep Sundays holy and not use it for profane things like shopping and unnecessary labor...but I can't impose my beliefs upon others...."

To this I answer:

Why the hell NOT? As long as we refuse to impose the Truth upon our society, we become the whipped dogs of the minority imposing THEIR beliefs upon US...and we don't even have the gumption to bare our teeth!

The fact is this: the stuff we thought was harmless "heat lightning" and lulled us into complacency has become an imminent EF-5, destroying the moral culture of our country with the same efficiency as the real one that laid waste to Joplin, MO only a month ago.

My friends, it is our moral OBLIGATION to impose our beliefs and values upon our culture, politically, personally, through policy, through law, through debate, through education, through any moral means.

Ironically, although we made the promise we will do this at our very Baptism, and sealed to do so at our Confirmation, do you know the ONLY group that refuses to "impose" in our modern world is also the ONLY group losing numbers to religious oblivion is....Christians.

No wonder "gay marriage" (what a misnomer) is on the plate before us; if we had imposed our beliefs with the same conviction the homosexual activists had imposed their beliefs upon us, we wouldn't be in this mess.

Food for thought...

Oh, and by the way...stop chewing your cud and start IMPOSING before it gets any worse! 

It's not just heat lightning, folks. Just because it's not striking YOU doesn't mean thousands haven't already been lost to the whims of static electricity from the sky and all the destruction that accompanies it.

Remember Lepanto!

Let us remember what made the Battle of Lepanto NECESSARY, for what happened then in Europe and what they defended so valiantly against is FINALLY, NOW overtaking Europe like a virus and is, as we speak, encroaching upon American soil, threatening ALL of our CHRISTIAN RIGHTS and FREEDOMS under GOD and under our Constitution.

"Those who cannot learn from the past are condemned to repeat it....."

( George Santayana)

...This time while lying on our backs and spreading our legs like dogs.

Gosh! At least the Europeans of yore had backbone and put up a fight! What the Hell happened to them, and is happening to we Americans, who preach freedom but are so willing to give it up in the face of passive impending Sharia Law?

Remember Lepanto and to Whom the Victory belongs...and place your allegiance, and your PRAYERS for both Europe and America there!

Lepanto

White founts falling in the courts of the sun,

And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they run;

There is laughter like the fountains in that face of all men feared,

It stirs the forest darkness, the darkness of his beard,

It curls the blood-red crescent, the crescent of his lips,

For the inmost sea of all the earth is shaken with his ships.

They have dared the white republics up the capes of Italy,

They have dashed the Adriatic round the Lion of the Sea,

And the Pope has cast his arms abroad for agony and loss,

And called the kings of Christendom for swords about the Cross,

The cold queen of England is looking in the glass;

The shadow of the Valois is yawning at the Mass;

From evening isles fantastical rings faint the Spanish gun,

And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.

Dim drums throbbing, in the hills half heard,

Where only on a nameless throne a crownless prince has stirred,

Where, risen from a doubtful seat and half-attainted stall,

The last knight of Europe takes weapons from the wall,

The last and lingering troubadour to whom the bird has sung,

That once went singing southward when all the world was young.

In that enormous silence, tiny and unafraid,

Comes up along a winding road the noise of the Crusade.

Strong gongs groaning as the guns boom far,

Don John of Austria is going to the war,

Stiff flags straining in the night-blasts cold

In the gloom black-purple, in the glint old-gold,

Torchlight crimson on the copper kettle-drums,

Then the tuckets, then the trumpets, then the cannon, and he comes.

Don John laughing in the brave beard curled,

Spurning of his stirrups like the thrones of all the world,

Holding his head up for a flag of all the free.

Love-light of Spain - hurrah!

Death-light of Africa!

Don John of Austria

Is riding to the sea.

Mahound is in his paradise above the evening star,

(Don John of Austria is going to the war.)

He moves a mighty turban on the timeless houri's knees,

His turban that is woven of the sunset and the seas.

He shakes the peacock gardens as he rises from his ease,

And he strides among the tree-tops and is taller than the trees,

And his voice through all the garden is a thunder sent to bring

Black Azrael and Ariel and Ammon on the wing.

Giants and the Genii,

Multiplex of wing and eye,

Whose strong obedience broke the sky

When Solomon was king.

They rush in red and purple from the red clouds of the morn,

From temples where the yellow gods shut up their eyes in scorn;

They rise in green robes roaring from the green hells of the sea

Where fallen skies and evil hues and eyeless creatures be;

On them the sea-valves cluster and the grey sea-forests curl,

Splashed with a splendid sickness, the sickness of the pearl;

They swell in sapphire smoke out of the blue cracks of the ground, -

They gather and they wonder and give worship to Mahound.

And he saith, "Break up the mountains where the hermit-folk may hide,

And sift the red and silver sands lest bone of saint abide,

And chase the Giaours flying night and day, not giving rest,

For that which was our trouble comes again out of the west.

We have set the seal of Solomon on all things under sun,

Of knowledge and of sorrow and endurance of things done,

But a noise is in the mountains, in the mountains, and I know

The voice that shook our palaces - four hundred years ago:

It is he that saith not 'Kismet'; it is he that knows not Fate;

It is Richard, it is Raymond, it is Godfrey in the gate!

It is he whose loss is laughter when he counts the wager worth,

Put down your feet upon him, that our peace be on the earth."

For he heard drums groaning and he heard guns jar,

(Don John of Austria is going to the war.)

Sudden and still - hurrah!

Bolt from Iberia!

Don John of Austria

Is gone by Alcalar.

St. Michael's on his Mountain in the sea-roads of the north

(Don John of Austria is girt and going forth.)

Where the grey seas glitter and the sharp tides shift

And the sea-folk labour and the red sails lift.

He shakes his lance of iron and he claps his wings of stone;

The noise is gone through Normandy; the noise is gone alone;

The North is full of tangled things and texts and aching eyes

And dead is all the innocence of anger and surprise,

And Christian killeth Christian in a narrow dusty room,

And Christian dreadeth Christ that bath a newer face of doom,

And Christian hateth Mary that God kissed in Galilee,

But Don John of Austria is riding to the sea.

Don John calling through the blast and the eclipse

Crying with the trumpet, with the trumpet of his lips,

Trumpet that sayeth ha!

Domino gloria!

Don John of Austria

Is shouting to the ships.

King Philip's in his closet with the Fleece about his neck

(Don John of Austria is armed upon the deck.)

The walls are hung with velvet that is black and soft as sin,

And little dwarfs creep out of it and little dwarfs creep in.

He holds a crystal phial that has colours like the moon,

He touches, and it tingles, and he trembles very soon,

And his face is as a fungus of a leprous white and grey

Like plants in the high houses that are shuttered from the day,

And death is in the phial and the end of noble work,

But Don John of Austria has fired upon the Turk.

Don John's hunting, and his hounds have bayed -

Booms away past Italy the rumour of his raid.

Gun upon gun, ha! ha!

Gun upon gun, hurrah!

Don John of Austria

Has loosed the cannonade.

The Pope was in his chapel before day or battle broke,

(Don John of Austria is hidden in the smoke.)

The hidden room in a man's house where God sits all the year,

The secret window whence the world looks small and very dear.

He sees as in a mirror on the monstrous twilight sea

The crescent of his cruel ships whose name is mystery;

They fling great shadows foe-wards, making Cross and Castle dark,

They veil the plumed lions on the galleys of St. Mark;

And above the ships are palaces of brown, black-bearded chiefs,

And below the ships are prisons, where with multitudinous griefs,

Christian captives sick and sunless, all a labouring race repines

Like a race in sunken cities, like a nation in the mines.

They are lost like slaves that swat, and in the skies of morning hung

The stairways of the tallest gods when tyranny was young.

They are countless, voiceless, hopeless as those fallen or fleeing on

Before the high Kings' horses in the granite of Babylon.

And many a one grows witless in his quiet room in hell

Where a yellow face looks inward through the lattice of his cell,

And he finds his God forgotten, and he seeks no more a sign -

(But Don John of Austria has burst the battle-line!)

Don John pounding from the slaughter-painted poop,

Purpling all the ocean like a bloody pirate's sloop,

Scarlet running over on the silvers and the golds,

Breaking of the hatches up and bursting of the holds,

Thronging of the thousands up that labour under sea

White for bliss and blind for sun and stunned for liberty.

Vivat Hispania!

Domino Gloria!

Don John of Austria

Has set his people free!

Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheath

(Don John of Austria rides homeward with a wreath.)

And he sees across a weary land a straggling road in Spain,

Up which a lean and foolish knight forever rides in vain,

And he smiles, but not as Sultans smile, and settles back the blade. . .

(But Don John of Austria rides home from the Crusade.)

- G.K. Chesterton

"To the Victors go the Spoils"

Do not let America become the definition of "spoils"!


 We have shed far too much blood over the Centuries for this country to become the spoils of the Sultan's bearded Losers of Lepanto. And we Catholics have fought them a LOT longer than you mere mortal secularist Americans, who don't even know what's coming and refuse to acknowledge your (and our) defeat to them as a possibility.

REMEMBER LEPANTO! 

Last Temptation of the Mystical Body of Christ

In these final hours before we begin the Sacred Triduum, it is obvious to see the temptations being put to the Bride, the Mystical Body of Christ. As we get closer and closer to the Most Sacred of days, the voices become louder and angrier, more frenzied and it becomes hard and harder for us to remain calm in the face of this storm of rabid hostility.

This morning as I prayed the Divine Office, I went through the depths of the temptation to lash back at Pope Benedict XVI's (and therefore OUR) persecutors. I read these words with gritted teeth:

Psalm 52

Against a calumniator

Why do you boast of your wickedness

you champion of evil

planning ruin all day long,

your tongue like a sharpened razor,

you master of deceit?

You love evil more than good;

lies more than truth.

You love the destructive word,

you tongue of deceit.

For this God will destroy you

and remove you for ever.

He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you

from the land of the living.

The just shall see and fear.

They shall laugh and say: 

"So this is the man who refused to take God as his stronghold,

but trusted in the greatness of his wealth

and grew powerful by his crimes."

When I reached the end of that passage, I was ready to pray the imprecatory psalms - those psalms that are NOT in the psalter or used at Mass. I was ready to, in anger, call down fire and brimstone upon those who so hate us and so hate Christ.

Then I read on:

But I am like a growing olive tree

in the house of God.

I trust in the goodness of God

for ever and ever.

I will thank you for evermore;

for this is your doing.

I will proclaim that your name is good,

in the presence of your friends.

Psalm-prayer

Father, you cut down the unfruitful branch for burning and prune the fertile to make it bear more fruit. Make us grow like the laden olive trees in your domain, firmly rooted in the power and mercy of your Son, so that you may gather from us fruit worthy of eternal life.

Ant.  I have put all my trust in God's never-failing mercy.

Having finished that section, I was amazed at how quickly I had passed from near-rage into calm thoughtfulness, and even...trust. That's when it hit me.

We faithful Catholics are angry. We are angry about the abuse of children, yes, but also angry at the continuing abuse of these victims at the hands of money-grubbing, vile souls who are victimizing them again, all  for personal gain. We are angry at the bigoted media vipers and their henchmen who ignore the facts and instead perpetuate lies against the Holy Father.  Oh, yes, we are angry, and many bloggers, Catholic journalists, and Catholics on the street are fighting back.  Some honorably, and with use of intellect and  reason. Others, though, are lashing back with the same kind of anger and hatred as our attackers.

I realized in that moment, that this is the last temptation of the Bride. THIS is what is separating the proverbial goats from the sheep. THIS is a true test of the entire Mystical Body of Christ. Who will be ripped from the Head that is Christ, by their own choosing and behavior, and who will remain and follow the example of Jesus Himself?

Jesus was ridiculed, and false charges heaped upon him. He was beaten, he was scourged, even having been judged as innocent by the AUTHORITIES who had juris diction of this type of proceeding!  Jesus was dragged into dungeons and a crown of thorns placed on His head. He dragged His heavy cross up the hill and outside the gate to the Place of the Skull where he was nailed to that terrible tree in utter humiliation and made to face the whole world in His nakedness.

Innocent.

And He uttered not a word.

Jesus did not respond to His persecutors. He did not "correct" them. He did not come to His own defense, but took the assault as though what was happening to Him actually meant something else.

Oh, yes, it did. It meant eternal life for His Beloved.

When Jesus DID speak, He prayed for mercy for those who crucified Him.  He told the repentant thief who was crucified next to him that he would join Him in Paradise.  He PRAYED for MERCY for His Persecutors!

How we react in these terrible days, as faithful Catholics, will forever speak of us as a Church, as the Bride of Christ, as the Mystical Body.  How we respond, personally or professionally or both, will speak to the world of our Faith....or lack thereof.

Do we give into the temptation to lash out?  Or instead, do we turn into the Church Militant and do what we are called to do?

We are called to fall down on our knees and beg for mercy for the Holy Father's, and our persecutors!  THAT'S the battle! THAT'S the frontline! THAT is what will turn the tide and send the enemies scattering in terror!  BEG for mercy for them for indeed, they know NOT what they do! We want to pray for ourselves, that we will have the same zeal for the salvation of souls as did Christ himself!

Do not fall into the temptations that come from the Prince of this world, but rather, look to the Cross of Our Lord and the Salvation that is found in Christ alone. Look to His vicar, Pope Benedict XVI who guides us by his own example, which clearly is patterned after Christ.

Do you want to know why so many are attacking so strongly? Because they can see the image of Jesus in Pope Benedict XVI's actions, and it sends the demons that possess this world into a frenzy of hatred and terror.

So be it.

We must be as gentle as lambs but more cunning than the wolves that seek to destroy us. Our weapon:  prayer for those who persecute us. Love in the face of hatred. Life in the face that calls for death. NOTHING can withstand that kind of power.

The Theology of the Rant

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength”

 ~ St. Francis de Sales

I've really been praying about this, and in examining my conscience, my occasions of sin, etc., I've really had to hold a mirror up to myself and accept responsibility for my own contribution to the problem.

We all seem to love a good rant. It gets us fired up, it sets off a domino-effect in the echo-chamber that is the world of blogging and social networking, and the next thing you know we're all fired up and ready for a good fight.

Oh, wait...what does THAT have to do with holiness?

One of the things I noticed is that either in writing or reading a rant, I can FEEL my blood pressure rising, and at times, it sets my blood to the boiling point.  In the past I've tried to justify my own feelings or behavior by saying, "Well, there IS such a thing as righteous anger!"  And yes, well, SURE there is! But the difference between "righteous anger" and "ranting anger" is that, well, I'm in control of the former, and the latter controls ME.

Now, I'm not saying that all "rants" involve anger. Often they do not. Sometimes they are simply humorous outtakes on situations, sometimes they are simply a passionate statement on some topic, and written for the point of positively getting people "fired up" to take some kind of action.  The fact is that as we are humans prone to all sorts of things like laziness and apathy, at times we NEED to have a fire lit under us to get us up off our rear ends. In light of this, please understand that I am not condemning anyone in particular or any posts in particular. Nor am I saying that people should not write with passion!  What I am trying to point out is that there is a difference between "writing with passion" and "ranting".  Sometimes the lines are blurred, and we have to learn to recognize those lines.

I can't always.

A few weeks ago as I began to ponder my own Lenten sacrifices, and the point of them, which is conversion, I took a look at my own blog and noted a few things in the blogs of others. For awhile now I've been avoiding the ranting-tone writings of many bloggers, for I noticed that they do to me, physiologically-speaking, what the sudden use of curse words would do when I worked in adolescent psych:   it upset my balance, it sent me into stress mode, and it caused me to want to make an immediate response.  Adrenaline.

I shouldn't need an adrenaline dump if I'm sitting at my computer. It's a waste of perfectly good neurochemicals and quite honestly, it distracts me from God. It distracts me from prayer. It disturbs the peace which should remain with me as I struggle constantly to keep focused on the Lord.

In all honesty, I'm sick of reading about complaints about the Church, and I'm sick of writing them, too.  We as human beings are so given to criticism, to focusing on the negatives in the Church, to carrying on the rants of others and making them our own.  But do we ever stop to consider whether or not our rants are BUILDING UP the Kingdom of God?  Do we ever stop to consider whether our rants truly Glorify GOD, or are they just self-seeking pleas for personal glory from a rant-happy crowd of unhappy Catholics, feeding further into their (and our) own unhappiness?

Is there true goodness in that, or do you, like me, smell the acidic scent of sulpher?

As I've been discerning the Visitation Nuns, I've pondered more the words of St. Francis de Sales, their Founder, and his gentle approach.  Time and time again I've come across writings of Saints, and statements about them, referencing their continual kindness towards others, their constant peace and gentle responses even in the face of outright hostility, dissent, etc. I am further convicted by the book I'm reading for Pastoral Theology:  Jean-Baptiste Chautard's "The Soul of the Apostolate."  He references this reality of holiness, and how souls are won not through harsh correction, but by a gentle, consistent response and patient teaching.  Even those that seem "lost" come around when they recognize the need to drop their own hostility, for it is not being returned in kind...ever.  They recognize, in a gentle response:   God.

True holiness cannot be attacked, cannot be undermined, cannot be destroyed. It needs no defense. The most an attacker can do is destroy the body, when truly they are trying to destroy God in the soul of that holy person.  This is the reason for all the martyrs throughout the history of the Church.  God can't be killed.

Why, then, do we become so defensive and angry when our faith is attacked?  Why are we so ready to respond with condemnation and judgement and vile, mean-spirited humor?  When, in the history of the world, has THAT tactic EVER won souls?

Although St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony were known for their impassioned preaching, they did not descend into sin by allowing anger or frustration to control them. What shone forth in their words was the very passionate love of Christ and zeal for souls that hadn't a bit of anger in it.  They had no need to be angry: the Truth speaks for itself, and is sufficient in and of itself to win souls.

St. Francis de Sales, another great preacher, suffered a great deal in bringing souls back into the Church, and many are not aware he had a problem with his temper. Do you know that after he died, they discovered GROOVES worn under his desk from him scraping his hands in frustration underneath, as he struggled to keep his anger and frustration at bay?  Yet, none ever saw anything but an enduring patience and expressions of true charity for those who he sought to help.

In light of all of this, and in light of all I am continuing to read, I've decided to take it all to heart. Although I am fond of passionate writing, I will do my best to keep it from being a "rant" so that none will read anger, especially where there isn't any! I will try to avoid any use of sarcasm (for which I have a special, but clearly disordered "love"), and as I have been, I will continue deleting old ranting posts. I may even clean up those posts that seem angry in tone, albeit only as I have time.  (School takes precedent over all of this.)

For Lent, I'm going to work on focusing on what is GOOD about the Church, even as I also continue my focus on the Passion and Death of Our Lord. Yet, I hope my "rants" are over, and maybe for good. Lent is a time for conversion, a time to re-focus on God and grow in holiness.

If we are not growing in holiness, then what ARE we growing?

St. Francis de Sales... pray for us!

Dangerous Cult Mentality

I know a few people who have been involved in cults, usually religious ones, and they talk about how quickly one can get sucked into it.

Until the past few days, though, I really hadn't personally witnessed or experienced cult manipulation or recruitment techniques. Yet now that I have, I find that in good conscience, I must ask all my readers of good will and who aspire to holiness to heed the warning of Bishop Lennon who issued the Decree advising of the non-supernatural status of "Holy Love Ministries." Not just because the Bishop said so, but because I see very strong evidence that HLM, if it can't be considered to be a cult yet, is quickly headed in that direction. The warning signs are DEFINITELY present.

Based on information I obtained (and quoted in bold in several places below) from HowCultsWork.com, there are several warning signs that something might be a dangerous cult, a major one of which is the use of Mind Control, which may take several forms. I've chosen a couple that seem to apply to "Holy Love"

1. A normal religious organization would not have any trouble with you moving to another similar organization as long as you stayed in that same religion. Because it is the belief system that matters, not membership in an organization. For example if you were a Christian then you could move from one church to another and still be a Christian.

However cult leaders will tell you can only be "saved" (or can only be successful) in their organization alone. No other organization has the truth, all others miss the mark. So it is not the belief system that decides your future, but it the belief system AND your membership with that particular group.

I highlight this particular section because of the alleged "messages" saying that people MUST believe in the messages or they risk not being saved. Here is one example, among many:

November 10, 2009:
"While the flower of this Mission continues to open and to bloom, drawing thousands to its presence with the fragrance of its grace, there are still and always will be the detractors - the ones who deny the legitimacy of Heaven's Mission here. These are the ones who do not search out the truth but look for any reason to deny the truth itself."

"Heaven does not intercede here to compete with any existing authority, but to save souls - a goal which should be shared with one and all. Those who do not understand this must also not understand that in Heaven there are no labels as to beliefs or opinions. All of that is left behind. The only vestment that follows the soul into Heaven is the Holy Love he holds in his heart. It is man that opposes Holy Love out of error. It is God who calls you to peace through Holy Love."

There are some HUGE problems with this message. First the messenger clearly is using this to undermine legitimate criticism of the claims being made. It also undermines objective Truth, in the second paragraph, opening wide the gates to a warm and fuzzy relativism "believe what you want" as long as what people believe is the "Messages". They also clearly aren't speaking of the virtue of Charity, but of the MISSION of "Holy Love" the fraudulent institution. This theme is found THROUGHOUT these messages and it becomes more and more clear to anyone grounded in actual Truth.

So we see, there is ONE of the warning signs of mind control.

Another example of Mind Control is the use of Character Assasination, which can have different degrees:

2. Character Assassination is used to help create the guilt in you. Character Assassination is a type of false reasoning used by people and groups who have no real arguments. The technical name for Character Assassination is "The Ad hominem Fallacy".

This is what I experienced through some of the followers of the "Holy Love" Cult in Ohio, and the reason I had to go to comment moderation. The commenter commented several times, and along with other commenters from that place, kept telling me "Do not be afraid." They also suggested that I don't know my Faith, because if I did, therefore I must see that there is NOTHING wrong with the Messages at Holy Love. Ignoring, of course, the fact that I cited specific messages and pointed out the Doctrinal errors. He went on to berate me for refusing to publish one of his comments that included a link to a dissident site we both denounce. Because I didn't publish it, he insinuated, then I MUST be giving tacit approval for such a group. Bullying at its best.

Now, to be fair, this was very mild "Character Assasination" but it falls under that heading because they were clearly trying to INSPIRE fear in me that I was doing the wrong thing, they were trying to tempt me into DOUBT that the Bishop might be wrong, and therefore, in their lack of logic, if the Bishop is wrong then I am offending God.

In fact, one commenter stated very clearly that I had deleted Our Lady's words and that I will answer for that at my Judgment.

All I can say is: I certainly hope so! For all the times I have sinned, I will be glad to realize that for once, I actually did something RIGHT!

The basic premise of "Character Assasination" or maybe "Intellect Assasination" is to exert mind control over you, to make you doubt your own intellect, and through their circular logic, or if they resort to it, outright bullying (i.e. you're going to Hell because you deleted Our Lady's words), will, in a person of weak will cause them to give in. In someone with a stronger will but who must ford such tactics constantly, they may finally one day just say, "Oh, fine, if it'll shut you up, I'll go with you!"

Maybe some of you who know people involved with "Holy Love Ministries." Was THAT how they got involved? Did they have reservations but with people spouting propaganda, attacking their legitimate use of logic, attacking their character finally give in just to "shut them up" only to be taken in when surrounded by the crowd hysteria?

OTHER KEY WARNING SIGNS:

Intense Unrelenting Pressure

They call repeatedly. Meet you on campus or outside your work. Trick you into coming for only an hour and then lead you into a long study, meeting or talk. They have to keep the pressure on, otherwise you might snap out of the mind control environment they are trying to immerse you in

While as a blogger I'm a bit immune to such a technique with regard to the HLM fiasco, my guess is that those techniques are going on all over the place in the Cleveland Ohio area, or any area where the "Messenger" goes to speak and see her alleged visions. I will say though that these commenters who bombarded me repeatedly said that I should go there, wanted to press points, continued to quote messages at me, etc. VERY cultish behavior. It's why I refused to post the comments. Seriously, I took a nap today, came back to check email and had SEVERAL messages from the same person!

It's a big red flag that someone associated with that place would care so much that I don't believe in it and think it's bunk. So much so that he was sent to recruit me and turn me to their side. If they weren't a Cult, then they really wouldn't care. After all, if I sat here and wrote up a treatise of why I think the theology of the Baptist church down the road has faulty theology, I can guarantee you no one would care. They're probably just say, "Oh, well, she's Catholic, we don't expect her to agree."

But Holy Love Ministries clearly will tolerate NO DISSENT against their beliefs or messages or messenger. DANGER!

Now, here's a REALLY fun one, and I will end this treatise with a PERFECT example from "Holy Love" herself:

THEY TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE NOT A CULT

This is a preemptive strike against the warnings from friends and family members which they know will come. In fact some cults go as far to tell you that Satan will try and dissuade you by sending family members and friends to tell you it is a cult. When this tactic is used then often a warped form of logic occurs in the recruits' mind, the "agents of Satan" do come and tell them that it is a cult. So since the group predicted that would happen, the group therefore must true! Basically if any group tells you that they are not a cult, or that some people call them a cult, then for goodness sake find out why!

Let me show you a PERFECT example of this from the messages at "Holy Love":

November 18, 2009:

"Please realize that Satan is actively opposing this Ministry. He is trying to transform belief in the truth of these Messages into a forbidden act of disobedience. Do not be tricked, but realize that Heaven is offering abundant graces and fruits here to those who will open their hearts."

"Here at this site Heaven is trying to win the war against evil in hearts. Such an effort should be encouraged by one and all. Instead, it is presented as something to avoid. It is mankind who seeks to destroy. Heaven will not be conquered by Satan's lies. Truth will reign victorious. No one can rule against Heaven's grace."

Although this was written AFTER the Bishop's Decree regarding the unsoundness of the place, it is clearly exhibiting the very form of mind control detailed above. They are inspiring people to DOUBT and DISOBEY the Bishops, but by no means should they disobey the messages of "Holy Love." I actually saw many messages, going back even beyond 1996, that continued to say that Satan would oppose their "ministry" and they shouldn't worry about that. THAT FAR BACK.

It is my opinion, based on this, and more, that Holy Love Ministries is probably a Cult, and it's getting more and more dangerous to souls by the day. It has been working long to exercise mind control over people, and now that there has been a Condemnation from the Diocese of Cleveland on behalf of the Faithful Catholics there, "Holy Love" has cranked up the message-generating machine in order to try to do "damage control."

Use extreme caution, and if you have loved ones involved with that place, realize now why you can't reason with them: they've given over their ability to reason to a Cult.

I'm actually sending this post and my findings to a few Cult Watch groups so they can apply their own expertise and warnings. I may also turn over to them the comments received by the Cult members, which I did not publish, but hold as evidence. What I found to be particularly damning to "Holy Love" was the way these Stepford Wives parroted the messages and slogans of the place. It made my skin crawl.

It occurred to me at Mass tonight how easy it is for any of us to lose our way. But when a place that predatory that disguises itself as an angel of light and pretends to be doing great things, but with a clear diabolical agenda...well...that's just plain scary.

Catholics, you don't need private revelations in order to be Saved. If you stay close to the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, spend time in prayer each day, read Sacred Scripture, practice virtue, and live your life as a Catholic seeking holiness, you'll be fine. That's what you need. Stay close to Christ.

If ANYONE tells you that you HAVE to believe in this or that private revelation or alleged apparition or risk going to Hell...well...run away as fast as you can. They do NOT speak with the voice of the Holy Spirit.

****************************************************************

Note: The usage of the word "cult" here doesn't refer to its original general context of "worship" but rather, of dangerous mind-controlling groups that prey on innocent people who are probably truly seeking a deeper relationship with God. Dangerous cults take small things, warp them, and exploit the faith of believers, which ultimately ends up pulling them AWAY from God. Or, in the present case of "Holy Love Ministries", it pretends to be Catholic while claiming to be Ecumenical, is heavily controlled by the "visionary" and points to the messages as the idol worthy of belief. It has separated sheep from their true shepherd by, like a mockingbird, imitating His voice through the mouth of a woman who is clearly making stuff up.

"HLM" is either Catholic or is not. If they are Catholic, they are disobedient. If they are not Catholic, they are dangerous to the Faithful who ARE under the loving authority of the Bishop who was ordained and given the authority to speak for Christ. "Holy Love Ministries" can't claim both, and in any case, the Catholics affected are bound by the Sacraments of Oil and Water and the very Body and Blood of Christ...NONE of which can be found through "Holy Love Ministries", a concept conceived in Hell and carried out through the Epic Pride of Maureen Sweeny-Kyle who has declared to her own Bishop, "NON SERVIAM! I WILL NOT SERVE!"

Last words of the Fallen Angels. The beginning of Hell.

*****************************************************************

"Holy Love" is not Holy and is not Love

I LOVE THE SMELL OF HERESY IN THE MORNING!!!

This morning I woke up to find out that a representative of "Holy Love" had left a treatise in how to defect from the Church in my combox. The basic argument was of course, not logical, but in the subtle slithering tones common to serpents, and with a scent of sulpher, this little combox infestation suggested that perhaps the Bishop was wrong (Like the Pharisees at the time of Christ) and that I should cast my lot with "Holy Love" if I had any concern for my eternal salvation.

And in childish, squirmy lack of logic seeking a loophole, ANY loophole, this sulpher-scented commenter said that praying is a right and we can pray ANYWHERE! (Can't you just hear the petulance, see the bottom lip drooping and the contrived threat of tears just before the all-out-screaming-rolling-on-the-floor-kicking Tantrum starts?)

People, do NOT be taken in by the argument "Holy Love" is trying to put forth. They are trying to encourage that you cast your lot in with the messages and the messenger, as opposed to the Church that was born out of the side of Jesus Christ. They are trying to make you think that if you are obedient to the Bishop, then you are putting your salvation at risk!

WHAT LIES! Do NOT listen to such lies!

Remember that we are charged with avoiding false prophets, we are charged with holding fast to Christ, and that Jesus HIMSELF gave us the Church as our Mother! Let us remember what Jesus said to Peter:

Matthew 16:17-19: And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

That, my friends is authentic DIVINE REVELATION. That comes from Our Lord. But what "Holy Love" wants you to believe is that, contrary to His Word, He has abandoned the Church He established, and the Bishops who speak for Him through Apostolic Succession in their action of the Ordinary Magisterium. "Holy Love" is clearly stating that the Catholic Church is no longer the Bride of Christ. They would probably deny that charge, but in the suggestion we not listen to the Bishop in favor of listening to and putting our Faith in the messages, well, that is prima facie evidence of their position that the Holy Spirit, and therefore Christ, has abandoned His Spouse, the Church.

I'd like to know where, in our entire history of Scripture and Tradition that Jesus stated that He'd be an adulterous spouse and leave the Church to the wolves, start speaking through some obscure lady and invent new doctrines through her? Will someone please find that prophecy for me? Otherwise, I'd say that Matthew 16 and all of Scripture and Tradition hold up to scrutiny...but "Holy Love" does not.

On Private Revelation and how it's Judged:

The litmus test for ANY visionary or message is: obedience. I am FASCINATED that this woman is claiming messages from Padre Pio and St. Catherine of Siena, two very very humble, obedient Saints. If this woman really IS channeling Padre Pio, well, he'd have slapped her silly by now for her disobedience. As I recall, when he was censured, he was immediately obedient. Not only in all of his actions and intent, but in ORDERING others to be obedient as well!

We see just the opposite at "Holy Love", don't we? The most recent "messages" are clearly written in anger, in angst at a falling empire and speaking harshly against the authority of the Bishop, desperately trying to make people believe it is the messenger and messages that are authentic, not the Bishop. BY THESE FRUITS YOU SHOULD RECOGNIZE SATAN!

Recall that humility and obedience calls down Our Lord to us! Recall that Eve fell through disobedience, and Mary untied the knot of disobedience through her own obedience! Recall that at the foot of the Cross, Jesus gave Mary to us as Our Mother, and moments later, after He had died his side was pierced by a spear; blood and water poured out. Mary is the figure of the Church; The Church is the Bride of Christ the Bridegroom. The Church is our Mother! And, my friends, the Bishops are a part of us as the Bride of Christ, the Mystical Body.

Why is "Holy Love" trying to tear the Mystical Body apart? Does Holiness and Charity rend a Body to pieces? How can they speak against abortion while tearing the Mystical Body to pieces in the same way?

Jesus and Mary speak authentically through our Bishops. Not through malicious visionaries speaking pretty words and pushing a few authentic doctrines just to make herself appear to be Catholic.

Remember that even apparitions that have been approved are not necessary for salvation. There will be no new Revelation. The Bible has been established; Tradition is in place. We need nothing more than to hold to original Truth.

Please read the 1978 document from the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith on Apparition Discernment. Some of the text is pasted below:

I. Criteria of judgement, concerning the probability at least, of the character of the apparitions and supposed revelations.

A) Positive criteria:

a) Moral certainty, or at least great probability, as to the existence of the fact, [revelation] acquired at the end of a serious investigation.

b) Particular circumstances relating to the existence and the nature of the fact:

1. Personal qualities of the subject—in particular mental balance, honesty and rectitude of moral life, habitual sincerity and docility towards ecclesiastical authority, ability to return to the normal manner of a life of faith, etc.

2. With regard to the revelations, their conformity with theological doctrines and their spiritual veracity, their exemption from all error.

B) Negative criteria:

A glaring error as to the facts.

b) Doctrinal errors that one would attribute to God himself, or to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Holy Spirit in their manifestations (taking into account, however, the possibility that the subject may add something by their own activity—even if this is done unconsciously—of some purely human elements to an authentic supernatural revelation, these having nevertheless to remain free from any error in the natural order. Cf. St Ignatius, Spiritual Exercises, n. 336).

Read the entire Document. It's very clear that "Holy Love" does not hold up.

In fact, it's ANYTHING but Holy and has NOTHING to do with authentic Love. In fact...it is persecuting the Church of Christ and all of we who remain here, staunchly supporting recognized and legitimate authority which has authentically and lawfully spoken...for Christ.

Everyone, remember to pray for Bishop Lennon. If we're getting backlash in our blogs, imagine how he, the author of the Decree, must be suffering attacks from his own rabid sheep.

More Links:

Condemned Apparition Goes Spastic **** Te Deum - GREAT commentary on this!

Diabolical

Ecclesial Condemnation of Holy Love

HABEMOS MISSALE ROMANUM!

Today, we watched history taking place: a singular moment in time, in a convergence of conflict, strife, unity and passion for Truth, in the ongoing struggle between humanity and divinity, of improper formation versus proper understanding of the liturgy. I'll never forget where I was in that moment.

While I watched this conference and the vote from my computer at work, I was brought back in time.....

The Council in Constantinople was overseen by Bishop St. Flavian (Bishop Flavius), back in 448 AD. His role was to defend the Faith against a serious Christological error being advanced by Eutyches, and indeed condemned it as heretical. Eutyches fought back and through the politics of the time, in 449 AD they were brought together again and St. Flavian, this time as a "party" and not presiding, made a profession of Faith and condemned the heretical errors of both Eutyches and Nestorius.

The battle continued, and in a very dramatic council, a false Council in Ephesus in August of 449. The heretics had taken control, and when St. Flavian and his supporters were sentenced to deposition, which was a condemnation of the Truth of the Church, a violation against the Faith. The Papal Legates (people who were acting in the role of the Pontiff and with his authority) protested, and a Deacon objected to the obvious violence of the heretics (for in general the heretics were prone to violence...we see nothing has changed in this age, either.) As the sentence began to be read, several bishops prostrated themselves asking him to go no further, trying to prevent the oncoming violence.

Dioscuros commanded the doors be opened and in streamed soldiers with clubs and other weapons. St. Flavian himself appealed to reason and to appeal from the Holy See in writing through the Papal Legates. Dioscuros was so incensed at this reasonable approach, the refusal of Flavius to kowtow to the violent objectives of the heretics, and his adherence to decency, logic, and diplomatic process that Dioscuros naturally had a violent reaction. He ordered his henchmen to cast St. Flavian to the ground, where he was beaten and trampled so severely that he died three days later. The Papal Legates fared better...one was beaten and unjustly imprisoned to prevent him from delivering St. Flavian's message to the Holy See. The other managed to flee after great difficulty and reveal to the Pontiff all that had occurred.

...Meanwhile, on November 17, 2009...

All of this was going through my head (what I could remember without looking it up) while watching the Bishop's debate today. Most of us who are plugged into the Catholic world via internet are familiar with the Bishops who tend towards dissent, and those who uphold Truth without compromise, and some that are theological squishy and hold the middle ground. We pray for them all, of course, but in all of it, we pray that the Holy Spirit act through them.

Today was no disappointment. It had all the drama of the past, but far less blood and guts. Today, in the course of an hour or so, all of which I was able to witness, I saw Truth, I saw betrayal, I saw political alignments and double-agents! I watched two particular Bishops, whom I expected to throw their lot in with Bishop "Catholics are stupid" Trautman step up to the plate and oppose him on his own ground!

I was so shocked I stopped working for awhile because I couldn't even FATHOM what I was seeing and hearing. There I was, a pen in one hand, a list of kid's names in another, a form in front of me...completely unnoticed.

History was happening. New alliances. Truth restored. A new translation far more faithful to the original Latin...restored. It has only to be moved to the Holy See for "Recognitio", the word for formal approval.

This moment was only slightly less important to me than the election of Pope Benedict XVI, and so I took stock of my surroundings. At that first moment, his election, I was in a pizza restaurant, the ONLY person among my co-workers who actually understood what was going on and REJOICED in it! Even the other proclaimed Catholics in my presence were utterly bored and had never heard of Cardinal Ratzinger or his importance to our Faith and to the world. Today, in this second moment, I was at work in a Catholic parish, realizing Bishop Serratelli might be speaking to ME and my future role in the promulgation of this new translation. I took stock of my surroundings, realized where I was as a parish employee, and was THRILLED at the thought I could help in this endeavor; both professionally and personally.

But!

It saddens me that MOST Catholics probably don't care about the Liturgy or the development of it, and so don't have any idea of the import of what transpired today. It is the recognition that this historical event is going to go unnoticed by so many souls professing this Faith that makes me realize that it IS akin to the trampling of St. Flavian.

Closing Speech - Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli, Chairman of the Bishop's Committee on Divine Worship

God bless dear Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli whose words upon the acceptance of the new faithful translation of the Roman Missal by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) were like perfectly pure, cool water to this dry, dying soul in the desert of the translation of the Mass within which I've been living from birth. It is such a GRACE to be studying Liturgy and Sacraments this semester and be able to see, clearly, how much we suffer with the bad translation dealt to us, which itself denies the very things for which St. Flavian WAS MARTYRED!

That cool water, the words of triumph, LEX ORANDI, LEX CREDENDI washed over me as I realized this had REALLY HAPPENED! Yes! the Law of Prayer is the Law of Belief! Grace builds upon nature! If the Liturgy is unfaithful...then so are we! If the Liturgy is faithful...then so are we, and even more, we are made HOLY!

SALVATION IN THE PASCHAL MYSTERY, MORE FULLY REVEALED!

We all struggle with sin, and we need every mode to holiness we can find. The Liturgy is, in large part, how the canon of scripture was discerned and if we are not faithful to the Liturgy, we are not faithful to Christ, who comes to us, in Word and Sacrament, made present, drawing us ever closer to Him. Not as a symbol...but as a reality.

I can't contain my happiness at this new translation. I await with much prayer the Recognitio from the Holy See, and hope to be of assistance where I am needed in my particular state, to assist the Faithful in understanding these changes, why they were necessary, overdue, and the importance in our salvation.

Thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank you.

Amen.

*

Bishop St. Flavian, Patron Saint of the Liturgy** Pray for us!

** (By my own personal designation, not that of the Church)

NOTES:

* More information on Bishop St. Flavian, Martyr.

* Post on Church History summarizing heresy in the Early Church

Diabolical!

Holy Love Ministries condemns itself through outright DISOBEDIENCE to the Authority of the Church, which speaks in the voice of Christ. Here is the message, the private revelation CLAIMING to be Jesus Christ: (Note that the red bold is my commentary):

November 13, 2009
Friday - For all those falsely accused within society,
governments and within Church circles; that all calumnies are exposed by truth.

Jesus is here with His Heart exposed. He says: "I am your Jesus, born Incarnate."{For the oblivious: This title contradicts theology: He was made Incarnate at CONCEPTION, not BIRTH. HERESY!!!}

"My brothers and sisters, tonight confusion may have entered your hearts concerning certain statements from the diocese. I have come to ask you some questions to help you to think like citizens of Heaven, not of earth." {Then why is "Jesus" speaking in careful "legalese"? Isn't He above all that? I seem to recall several scripture passages where he directly cited people and condemned them in very strong language.}

"Does it not say in Scripture,
'You should not stifle the Spirit' (1 Thess 5:19). Did I not state in Scripture,
'Where two or more are gathered in prayer, there I am in their midst (Mt
18:20)." {These passages have nothing to do with each other, and ignore the importance of testing the Spirits and avoiding what is not True. That's an inconvenient teaching in this case. Hint: Jesus doesn't cobble things together in an attempt to distract.}

"My brothers and sisters, you must not place OFFICE and
AUTHORITY and TITLE above the TRUTH." {"Jesus also said in Matthew 16:17-19: And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." }

"Tonight I am blessing you with My
Blessing of Divine Love."

I just love how she takes scripture out of context. You know, so did Satan when he tempted Christ. We are to discern the spirits, we are to test them. And our litmus test ought to be obedience to known authority, which is the local Ordinary, speaking for the Church, and thus, for Christ Himself. I'll listen to those who speak for Peter, who was given that authority by Christ, thanks.

My friends, the person offering these messages ISN'T speaking for Christ, and the above message is definitive PROOF!

I met someone this weekend who has been there and continues to support it. He will be obedient to the Bishop but clearly stated the Bishop got it wrong because apparently this woman is preaching certain things that ARE in line with the Church. But as Hamlet said, "The devil hath power t' assume a pretty face", and so that evil slithering beast has: in the form of Holy Love Ministries, which is NOW formally leading people astray in an "IN YOUR FACE!" message to the Magisterial Authority of the Church.

Let it be very very clear: we know the true spirit of any message that tells us to disobey legitimate authority. I direct you to St. Faustina. She agonized because Jesus told her to do one thing, and when she went to her Superior, her Superior forbade her from acting on what Jesus had directed her to do. St. Faustina returned to Jesus and confessed her obedience to her Superior. Jesus revealed in that moment that what she did was right, for it was a test of her obedience; she was vowed to obey legitimate authority, and the voice of her Superior was truly the voice of Christ.

It may be argued that some Saints in the past who received private revelations had some that were problematic or did not come true, and still, they are Saints. However, they were not canonized on the basis of the messages, but on their holiness, including their obedience to God AND the authority He established here on earth. Our Lord speaks through the Magisterial authority of the Church, and THAT is what we are bound to obey.

Not some chick who created a pretty place and brainwashed a bunch of people in order to push her own agenda. Outright disobedience and encouraging disobedience is NOT a sign of holiness! It is a sign of something Satanic.

What is going on at Holy Love is a complete scandal and I hope people choose obedience to authentic authority and not some "visionary" with nonsensical authority but a pretty place. Please pray for the woman claiming to be receiving these messages, and all those souls she is leading astray.

{SELF-CORRECTION: Holy Love is NOT under a "Catholic" heading as the Bishop already decreed that they are in formal Schism and advised they cannot function under the "Catholic" title, no matter how many Catholic doctrines or practices they promote. (From May, 1996) The Decree from November 9, 2009, a few days ago, is directed towards the Faithful, to include both clergy and laity.}

Lord, have mercy on us all and deliver us from such false "revelations"!

More info on "Holy Love" which is decidedly less than holy:

Evaluation on the messages part I

Evaluation Part II

Blessed Other by Laura Putre - lots of good info on the fraud being perpetuated. (As a former fraud investigator...can't believe this woman has taken her little spiritual empire so far.) How can otherwise-faithful Catholics be SO mislead? Do they switch their brains off? Their powers of observation?

Pray for Sweeny-Kyle's soul...Pray for all those who choose to follow her, especially now that the site has been condemned formally by the Bishop.

And if you are tempted to disobey the Bishop...consider your eternal salvation and that of ANYONE you mislead through the scandal you cause.

*

DISCLAIMER: I'm not anti-private-revelation. In fact, I LOVE St. Catherine of Siena's Dialogues. But then again, she didn't invent a "six-chambered heart", but rather, through supernatural knowledge had an understanding of Catholic doctrine and theology which she had not been taught. Sweeny-Kyle, on the other hand, has made up her own theology and it COMPLETELY differs from ALL the Catholic spiritual masters and Doctors of the Church.

*

Notice: "Anonymous" comments will be deleted without recognition or response. If you have something to say, attach a name or initials to it. The combox form allows you to do this without linking to a website, and it will show up at the top of your comment. This avoids confusion. Thank you.

Ecclesial Condemnation of Holy Love Ministry in Cleveland OH

Praise God for this faithful Bishop protecting not only his flock, but all souls. I know of people who pilgrimage to "Holy Love Ministries" in Ohio, and so some time ago I looked it up. My skin was crawling as I read the alleged "locutions". Doctrinal issues all over the place, in SPITE of what the "testimonials" from canonists and theologians were saying. I questioned where those people had actually READ what this woman was allegedly saying? I saw conflict, contradiction, and doctrinal issues all over the place! I also know of some people who visited the shrine and left very disturbed, although unable to articulate exactly what about the place bothered them so much.

So to any devotees, take note of the formal letter and Decree issued by Bishop Lennon of the Cleveland Diocese, and realize that it applies to ALL of the faithful, not just those in his diocese. It was just issued on November 9, 2009, a couple days ago, so bloggers, Tweeters, social networkers, please pass those links along to others.

Some time ago some anonymous person left a link on one of my posts, and I'd heard of the shrine there, but never went. I do know people who go there, even local ones. They are very faithful Catholics, but of course, the shrine and locutions were under investigation at that time, neither endorsed nor condemned.

Now they know: it's not supernatural in origin and is to be avoided. No sacramental celebration is allowed there, nor are pilgrimages, nor any support of any kind.

Holy Love Ministry has NOW been formally condemned and as the Faithful, we owe our obedience to Bishop Lennon, even if we are not from that diocese. To endorse, visit the shrine, financially support it, at this point is now a SIN, and really, it probably was even before, given the nature of doctrinal problems with the messages.

Please pass on the links to those who are unaware of this Decree so that their souls will be preserved. If the above links don't work, you may find both the letter and decree, as well as a Spanish and Korean language version here.

H/T and Mantilla Twitch to Terry at Abbey Roads.

UPDATE:

Please see a follow-up post on this: Diabolical which includes further information and links.

and

Dangerous Cult Mentality which reveals how "Holy Love Ministries" is displaying some very serious warning signs indicating they may very well be a budding Cult.

Authority and Private Revelation discusses the authority of Bishops in their care for souls and reveals how the Holy Spirit speaks and has for 2,000 years.

From Te Deum laudamus:

Condemned apparition goes spastic

Condemned "apparition" is going into grand mal

******

Please also check out the comments section of THIS post just in case you are under the misapprehension that Bishop Lennon doesn't have the right to limit Priests' faculties to hear confessions or offer Mass. In fact, he DOES have that right and HAS DONE SO. Any Confessions heard at Holy Love are invalid from this point on. "Holy Love Ministries" has been leading souls astray since 1993.

SNAP Judgments

I refuse to link to them, but everyone knows who SNAP is and the fact they are an enemy of the Church operating under a facade of "good intention".

Let it be known that anyone who responds to any criticism of SNAP or like groups with absolute disgust should not be the targets of such judgmental and irrational questions/accusations such as:

* "You must never have been sexually abused!"

* "You are denying the fact that priests sexually abused people!"

..among other stupid, irrational absurdities. Those very challenges are so ridiculous and offensive it's impossible to respond, and actually...doesn't DESERVE a response. Seriously, why does someone have to have been sexually abused in order to understand that it's a horrible, horrible soul-and-life-destroying evil? And how does legitimate criticism of an anti-Catholic organization that claims to be "Catholic" translate into denial that the abuse ever occurred?

(As an aside, that's exactly the type of emotionally-based "argument" I expect from dissidents, i.e. SNAP members if we start the AOTM club, and I am quite amused at the idea of someone trying to defend such a position against actual facts and figures and rationality.)

If you need a quick synopsis on this group, and a starting point for your research into them, this has a nice summary: Twilight of the Scandal.

You may also be interested in reading the legal case history about Fr. Gordon MacRae, written by a journalist not associated with the Church, and you may be especially interested in his treatment by SNAP which obviously has no interest in Truth, only money and power. Further information for research into Fr. Gordon MacRae and the lack of due process for accused priests can be found here.

If you support SNAP, stop your donations NOW for I would suggest continuing to donate to them is not only scandalous, but may well be a mortal sin. (Actually scandal and mortal sin go hand in hand.) But that's between you and your confessor. Remember that mortal sin consists of the following:

1. The issue is an objectively grave matter

2. It is done with full knowledge

3. It is done with complete consent.

Let's analyze:

* We know this is a very grave matter. Ignoring and falsely imprisoning priests because it's the popular thing to do, and doing it for money and power is objectively, a very very grave sin. Being involved in a group that is doing such a thing is akin to direct participation, which is also a grave sin. (It's like donating to Planned Parenthood)

* You have been provided with the info and you now have full knowledge, and if you chose NOT to click on the links provided above, you are even MORE culpable because you are REJECTING Truth outright.

* By continuing to support a group that would do such things with complete consent...just sealed the deal, and not in a good way.

Mercy!

It's a dang good thing Christ left us with the Sacrament of Confession, isn't it? As long as we realize what we've done, that we're truly sorry, and desire to amend our lives and not repeat that sin, well....all of the above can be, in a sense, undone. But if you're a member of SNAP you might have to make reparation in another way, such as sacrificing and doing penance for the priests wrongly imprisoned because of YOUR support.

As far as those nasty creatures who engaged in any kind of sexual abuse...let them be punished by the law just as it applies to every other lay person accused of the same crimes.

Their punishment should not be worse or privileged in any way. THE SAME.

On the spiritual end, vengeance belongs to God alone and no doubt He will repay...whether in this life or the next. It's STILL our job, and the very direct teaching of Jesus Christ to forgive and pray for those who have sinned, no matter how much they have hurt us or what sins they have committed.

I suggest maybe we have a day of prayer, penance, and reparation for members of SNAP and like organizations. And the same for priests who have abused and are guilty. Both have equal need for God's mercy, for both have done nothing but victimize others and lead souls astray.

The difference between SNAP and a priest brought to legal justice for legitimate crimes is this: SNAP is running unchecked and continuing to destroy souls, both that of others and their own.

Personally, I'd like to see justice across the board, and am realizing that since there is no justice in this world, it's going to happen for some in the next.

Let's all offer Divine Mercy prayers, sincerely, for all the souls that have done damage to the Church and to our unity FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!

Prayers for Reparation

Given this is the octave of the Feast of All Souls, and tomorrow is a First Friday, Saturday a First Saturday, let us remember especially those souls who have hurt the Church...and pray for their release from Purgatory. Let us do THEIR PENANCE. Let us obtain every indulgence for them.

This is a grace-filled month especially offered for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. In turn, I'm sure the Holy Souls will pray for our intentions, that being the conversion of souls here on earth, especially those actively involved in their futile attempts to destroy the Church, within which they are only destroying themselves. Pray for them.

Let us be done with snap judgments and instead, turn to prayer especially for those who are willing to convict and condemn before they are willing to pray and offer mercy.

That means I'm asking you to pray for me, as well. Thank you.

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Take Up Your Spear

There's maybe something in the wind these days, a sort of discontent among the women of this diocese. There's something amiss, and quietly, some of us have been talking, conniving (as women can do so well) and realizing that we're not alone in our thoughts and desires.

There is something in this diocese that men have, and it excludes women. I might add that it excludes women for good reason, and we do not desire to encroach upon their sacred ground, for what they have, they desperately NEED for themselves and it is doing incredible things in building the Kingdom of God.

Yet, there's something missing; there is no counterpart for women.

I know some of my readers are scratching their heads right about now, wondering what on EARTH I could be talking about? Have I gone insane? (Well, it's possible, but that shouldn't be a new question.) Am I talking about the priesthood? No. I am now and will continue to be a strong advocate of the infallibly-taught-belonging-to-the-deposit-of-faith all-male Priesthood.

Then WHAT?!

Ladies, you've probably noticed the lack yourself, even if you can't put your finger on it. Look around at all the pious church lady offerings in your own parish. What do you see? Of course there are very good and laudable volunteer opportunities that require both men and women, in the parish and in organizations supported by the parish. That might mean working in the kitchen or making blankets for Birthright or Holy Family Adoption Agency. Great stuff!

But look further. Look at the "spiritual formation" opportunities designed for women, and "recreational activities" through the different women's organizations. What do you see?

More of the same. Some speaker comes in to talk about what true feminism is, and it's designed mostly for mothers and families and longevity in marriage. All well and good. That fills a niche, but it doesn't appeal across the board, does it? Or what about the things that are supposed to be "fun"? What do they involve? Scrapbooking, needlepoint, recipe sharing, cookie swapping....UGH!

Sorry y'all, but I'm too bored to go on. I'm glad that some people enjoy those hobbies, but what I really wanna know is this: where's the paintball? Where's the skiing? Where's the snowmobiling out at someone's farm by the state park? Where's the ADVENTURE? Where is Father Corapi or Father Barron or...someone name a great orthodox female speaker? Where is the REAL spiritual formation? Why are women left with fluff while men get all the good stuff?????

Every time I look at the female saints in the Church, I see women who were ON FIRE with love for God, and they weren't afraid to defend the Faith. They weren't afraid to speak out and they gladly and joyfully went to some truly awful forms of martyrdom.

I'm not slamming simplicity. I'm all for simplicity, and holiness in the small things. And all of us are called to that.

But some of us need more than that, and truly, our times DEMAND more of us.

Ah, now I'm getting to the meat of this post. Are you intrigued? Are you bored to death with "women's stuff" at your parish? Would you like something that feeds your fiery spirit and desire to defend your faith?

Well, ladies, maybe something is coming. But it's going to take prayer, it's going to take work, it's going to take organization, and it's going to require a really solid solid faithful holy advisor.

How many of you are familiar with the Argument of the Month Club? For those who are not, this is a club for men only, they have awesome meals, they witness great debates and have the opportunity to challenge the debators at the end of the evening. This event is drawing anywhere from 200-400 men each month! This is incredible! This is awesome! God bless them!

But you know what, there's a lot of women who want the same thing. And I'm not talking about some fluffy "speaker" who comes in to teach us how to make silk flowers. NO! I'm talking about getting those same kinds of speakers as invited by AOTM to discuss hard-core issues and in so doing, teach us how to defend our faith more effectively, give us a chance to step up to the plate (literally and figuratively), and discover that we have more to offer God and the Church than just needlepoint and crafts. Ladies we have VOICES and we love the Church...shouldn't we be a lot more vocal in that love for Christ? Isn't apologetics part of our baptismal requirements, too?

Of course we don't have to be a clone of the men's club; we are women, after all and certain elements may not suit us. But for the tomboys among us, of which there are many, perhaps it's time to answer this particular Call. We need a similar women's organization.

Some of us are kicking around the idea of starting this club. I don't know where it will go. Certainly it can't depend upon me, especially given I can't organize myself out of a wet paper bag ripped open on each end. But I sure can ADVERTISE, can't I? Oh, and you'll NEVER see me upon the platform speaking...I'm not a debater, either.

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So, ladies everywhere, please keep this intention in your prayers. It might go somewhere, it might not. It depends upon the Holy Spirit. Everyone knows that if He isn't involved, it will fall flat. As I understand it, someone tried to start a club at some point in the past and it didn't "take" so no longer exists. Maybe it was timing. Maybe it was lack of marketing (I certainly had never heard of it). In any case....is NOW the time?

Who's with us?