Category Archives: Destiny

The Catholicpunk Manifesto (Be a militant, misfit, crazy, rebel Catholic and change the culture!)

Posted on by

This is a follow up to Daily Marching Orders from Mary: (Be a militant, crazy Catholic and apply your Marian Consecration!)

It basically says the same thing, but provides a different background and different examples and also doesn’t reference Marian Consecration. If you’re a Catholic who read the previous post but the Marian Consecration for some reason didn’t appeal to you (huh? How can that be?, then this might. But, still consider the tactics and points given in the other.  These two posts should be taken together. Perhaps some day I will edit and combine them into one piece.

Who? 

Whereas: 

Catholics have essentially built Western Civilization through the work of the Church; from preserving the Greek and Roman classics after the Fall of the Roman Empire, to developing political forms via the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire and the principles of feudalism and medieval guild systems; to developing the ideas that later inspired, for better or worse, the various ‘rights’ movements, to establishing the university system, the basics of the Western concepts of law and judicial procedures, the hospital system and schools: 

Whereas:

Even the so-called sins of the Church in the medieval period which begat the modern era’s foundational historical events such as:

  •  the Protestant Reformation and its bastard offsprings:  
  •   Capitalism (through the adoption of usury) 
  •   the Industrial Revolution (excesses of unrestrained Capitalism.)
  •   Socialism (bad response to the excesses of Capitalism)
  • the Enlightenment (with its removal of God from the public life and real power from thrones)  
  • The French Revolution which begat Socialism and Communism in response to the Industrial Revolution
  • the Sexual Revolution

    •  …have brought about a Catholic response to these evils by the creation of Catholic Social Thought, thus showing that God can bring Good out of Evil;

    Whereas:

     Modern civilization, if you can call it that, is rapidly decaying and collapsing due to the spread of moral relativism, modernism, acceptance and normalization of sexual depravity and the Culture of Death; the gradual decay of national sovereignty and the spread of globalism, militarism and the concentration of wealth into fewer and fewer people; 

    Resolved:

     It is high time that Catholics follow the call of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe (the “Prophet and Sign of the Civilization of Love” and “Apostle of a New Marian Era.”) and employ mass media, forms of popular cultural expression such as literature, film, music and art to EVANGELIZE the world and show the people that there is a better way of living that is opposed to the dehumanizing, soul-crushing culture that we are experiencing today.

    What? 

    Catholicpunk is a literary and artistic movement that I am proposing that envisions a society ordered according to Catholic Social Teachings (CST), especially incorporating the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, as well as Christian Democracy, Catholic Monarchism, and any other political forms that might be derived from CST.

    The ‘-punk’ suffix as typically used in literary and artistic forms seems to suggest a countercultural, anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian ethic. ‘Cyberpunk,’ for example, would mean a future dominated by computers, AI, and technology; given that such a future is seen as dystopian, then a -punk suffix may not always advocate that future, or it may seek to find ‘ways around’ and adapt to the dystopian reality. ‘Steampunk’ is a type of retro tech future rooted in mechanical or steam tech. An obvious romantic countercultural fantasy! Other types of -punk suffixed forms follow along similarly with their specific advocacy or cautionary tales. Therefore, ‘Catholicpunk’ utilizes countercultural ethics in opposition to secularist and modernist mores and values. It is anti-establishment inasmuch as it defies the increasingly centralized authority of modern governments and corporations and is anti-authoritarian based on Catholicism’s traditional opposition to dictatorships. (Monarchies are rarely ‘dictatorships’ in the manner that republics often are.) 

    Catholicpunk views the future as one that employs a non-Capitalist and non-Socialist (Distributism, anyone?) or any other non-coercive, non-confiscatory, voluntaryist or cooperative economic model as well as Subsidiarist and Solidarist political models. Catholicpunk ignores the specific type of State a society lives under; the creative can explore a monarchist model as well as that of a republic or anything else. (See the ‘Catholic Political Thought’ section under “How?” below.) Catholicpunk’s view of the future is reflected in rejecting the modernist societal values that essentially dehumanize people. Its ‘countercultural’ expressions are rooted in solid traditional, orthodox Catholicism, it is ‘post-capitalist’ but also anti-socialist. Its ‘decolonial’ expression is found in the Subsidiarism and Solidarism. Racially, Catholicpunk views all people as intrinsically valuable individuals, each with their own uniqueness as children of God and made in His own Image. We are all brothers and sisters and any racial or ethnic differences are secondary to our individual personhood and identity and sons and daughters of God. Racial conflict is as anathema as class conflict is.

    Catholicpunk addresses how the future might look if humanity survives the contemporary social and moral collapse plaguing the Western world and the poverty and oppression prevalent in the Global South and the East. Catholicpunk illustrates how applying CST solves major contemporary challenges made by globalism, militarism, and the anti-life and sexual libertine agendas. When Catholicpunk emphasizes sustainability, it will be with an eye towards responsible management of resources so that there will be plenty for future generations, and not through restrictions on population such as aggressive birth control and abortion. People from womb-to-tomb will be viewed as resources to be cherished and valued, not as parasites or polluters. 

    Fiction, poetry, music and other art forms can be used to express its principles.

    Where?

     Given the inhospitability to Catholicism is the contemporary cultural milieu, Catholic creatives can do two things:

     • Support established publishing venues when possible.

     • Create new ones favorable to Catholicpunk.

     • Take advantage of technology and self-publish.

    When? 

    NOW!!! We’re running out of time!!!!

    Why? 

    The Church was established by Jesus Christ to save humanity by means of safeguarding and developing His teachings, as well as through the sacramental life. If what the Church says about itself is true, that Her teachings are applicable to all people in all places in all times, then there should exist a means of cultural and artistic expression that demonstrate this. The Church has theories and teachings not just on faith and morals, but how those teachings can be expressed in the political and economic sphere. 

    How? 

    The literary and artistic forms by which a work can be considered ‘Catholicpunk’ are largely based upon the degree to which the work makes use of:

     • traditional Catholic Social Teachings (the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy; the Ten Commandments). Personalism, Agrarianism. Low-tech or if technological, then tech advances are tightly controlled by ethics and morality.

     • Catholic Economic Thought (particularly Distributism, but possibly also economics based on various collective or cooperative economics. If socialist, then stripped of atheism and state monopolies and command/planned economies.)

     • Catholic Political Thought (Christian Democracy, Monarchism, and any other political forms based upon Solidarism and Subsidiarity. This could include Voluntaryist and even Anarchist expressions apart from the probably more common Monarchist and Christian Democratic systems. For example, a Catholic State-less society would still have the hierarchical Church spread throughout the realms and inculcating and indoctrinating (not a bad word in this context) people in the moral code of the Ten Commandments, Beatitudes and the Works of Mercy. The Church, in guiding and instructing people about the Natural Law of Good and Evil would help establish a framework wherein which an anarchist society could develop. Anarchism is essentially a system where people practice self-governance. “I govern myself so that the government doesn’t have to.” Society would essentially govern itself by a system of social taboos and mores that would respect individual personal autonomy and self-governance. Any ‘State’ organization would be minimal and run along voluntaryist lines. NOTE: I am not personally advocating Anarchism or even Voluntarism, I’m just providing examples.

     • Catholicpunk may be expressed in any genre; but given its Catholic-centric view, may be more aligned with miscellaneous speculative fiction, fantasy and soft science-fiction genres and subgenres. Magic Realism, Catholic Triumphalism, and whatever else can all be used. The universality of Catholic doctrine proves that any literary genre can be employed. 

     • Catholicpunk is also anti-dystopian. It must be. Catholicism is a faith of Hope. Although I think it is possible that works can be about recovering from a dystopian culture. So, post-dystopian?

     • Inspired by Peter Maurin’s belief that CST can ‘build a new society within the shell of the old,’ Catholicpunk literature and music can be a blueprint for how that can be done via a natural development of society or by a resistance movement; or it can depict a mature, established Catholic civilization. 

     • But it should be considered an integral mission of Catholicpunk to be a blueprint or manual for how a Civilization of Love can be achieved.

    This is edited and adapted from the post I referenced in the first paragraph: Catholicpunkers emulate St. Maximilian Kolbe, who is acknowledged as the “Patron of Mass Media.” So, in this contemporary age we use such means as are available to us: blogs, social media and creative works like novels, short stories, poetry and visual arts to spread the aims and means of Catholicpunk. Kolbe had observed long ago that the visual arts, such as cinema and theatre, were being used to spread immoral ideas amongst the populace. Rather than shun such media as evil, he embraced the technology and the concept and worked to use it to spread moral values. His publishing empire included newspapers and magazines and books, and eventually a radio station. His friary of Niepokalanow never produced literary or cinematic works, but I believe they were eventually planned.

    Taking St. Maximilian’s suggestions of using cultural expressions to evangelize, we can visualize a future social order rooted in the Social Kingship of Christ and its various forms. We can use creative works: fiction, such as novels and shorter works; and for those inclined, videos to illustrate how the Social Kingship would look like. Do you think that Distributism is the ideal economic system? Great! Create stories in which Distributism is that model. Do you believe that Monarchism is the ideal political system? Fine! Create stories featuring a Catholic Monarchy and how it would wield power. Same for any of you anarchists and voluntarists. C’mon, quite talking about it, create worlds that typify it!

    Given St. Max’s interest in science, we should eventually endeavor to show that Religion and Science are two sides of the same coin. Divine Revelation occurs in two forms: God’s self-revelation through Sacred Scripture and the revelation of Himself through His works (the Universe and the means He used to create and sustain it.) Truth does not contradict Truth. Scientific research and investigation should be guided by moral principles. No more doing things just because we can; we should only proceed if the research can be seen to benefit the human condition in moral and ethical ways. In short, our humanity is enhanced, not sacrificed. This may include, when possible, space exploration and perhaps eventually colonization (remember that St. Max invented a plausible spaceship! [See Complete Writings!] So, perhaps stories involving space exploration of our Solar System and the Cosmos at large are in order! This fits wonderfully for those of us who have a predilection for science-fiction!

    I close with the final (edited for this piece) paragraphs of that Daily Marching Orders from Mary: (Be a militant, crazy Catholic and apply your Marian Consecration!) post: So, if you’re a Catholic with a talent for creativity, get started! Start writing or filming!! Is it crazy? Sure is! Read what Steve Jobs said about this (and yes, I know the Founder of Apple Computers was controversial in some regards and angered many by his behavior at times. Please recall the next to last petition in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” You can’t forgive Steve? He ‘trespassed’ against you? Be careful…)

    “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

    So be a crazy Catholicpunker misfit and rebel soldier of the Lord and change the world by showing how things can be. Cause trouble! Mother Angelica did! There are enough blogs and essay sites where people write non-fiction about Catholic culture, economics and politics. But what will it look like? Theory is one thing, the practical aspects will convince people. Show them how things can be! Disrespect the secular status quo. See things differently. Don’t listen to those who say “You can’t write that! No one will publish it!” So try self-publishing! Be a rebel! Be a Catholicpunker! Pray before writing, research as much as necessary so you at least appear to know what you’re talking about and then get to it!

    I will probably write another follow up piece to this and the “Daily Marching Orders…” post focusing on self-publishing. There are not a lot of Catholic markets for fiction. What few there are has limited space for a plethora of artists. This is why I bring up self-publishing. Perhaps that can be adapted for the “Create new ones favorable to Catholicpunk” bullet point I made above. If existing Catholic markets for fiction are not receptive to ‘Catholicpunk,’ then new online venues should be created to complement those who bypass markets and go directly to self—publishing.

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    Daily Marching Orders from Mary (Be a militant, crazy Catholic and apply your Marian Consecration!)

    Posted on by

    This Immaculate Heart Saturday post is intended to suggest ways to practically apply one’s Marian Consecration; this is the fruit of my closer studies of the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe and Militia of the Immaculata literature and lots of woolgathering. It will hopefully help make manifest my Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary in my daily life and society as a whole and to encourage you to join the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.). This can be a roadmap for others in and out of the M.I. inasmuch as we ‘become the change we wish to see’ in the people around us and in the world at large. The ultimate change we seek is to win the world for Jesus. This the ultimate goal of Marian Consecration, especially for an M.I.

    I used the formula of Marian Consecration developed by St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe when I consecrated myself to Mary on October 7, 2002. In doing so I became a member of the Militia of the Immaculata movement he founded in 1917. His formula differs slightly, but significantly, from the more popular method by St. Louis deMontfort. Whereas the latter is also a total dedication of yourself to Mary, that’s where it remains. You are her property, slave, subject, whatever. Kolbe’s method adds an additional evangelical level to the Consecration. You become Mary’s, but with the proviso that you are also allowing her to use you ‘like a pen (or paintbrush) in her hands’ to bring about the conversion of many to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (Incidentally, if you wish to join the Militia of the Immaculata, and already consecrated yourself to Our Lady by deMontfort’s method, that’s good enough. You needn’t use the consecration formula of Kolbe. Registering with your country’s national M.I. Office and letting them know when you consecrated yourself adds the evangelical dimension to it.)

    That is the essence of belonging to Mary: you become a soldier in her Militia. While you do not take up actual weapons of war, you do allow her to supply you with the graces needed to go on missions for her.
    In essence, you take up spiritual weapons to establish the Reign of the Sacred Heart. The Kingdom of the Sacred Heart includes the Social Reign of Christ: the institution of a just and moral social order based upon Traditional Catholic Social Justice Teachings; rooted in Scripture, Tradition (Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy) and exemplified by the governance of St. Maximilian in Niepokalanow (including during the Nazi Occupation), the life and teachings of St. Teresa of Calcutta and Therese of Lisieux, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, and Popes Leo XIII, Pius XI and St. John Paul II. Servant of God Dorothy Day emphasized the preference for such weapons by Christians in the 1930s and 1940s, when the world was ravaged by the World War II and its precursors, the Spanish Civil War and Japanese invasions of China. In winning the world for Jesus, we use our Marian Consecration by being “Christ-bearers;” since we belong to Mary we become like her in bearing Christ to others. True Marian Devotion always ends with Jesus, not Mary, and thus we help fulfill Mary’s desire to lead others to her Son. 

    To expand on this, an M.I. emulates St. Maximilian Kolbe in his role as the Prophet and Sign of the Civilization of Love and Apostle of a New Marian Era. (The ‘Civilization of Love’ and ‘New Marian Era’ are two phrases describing the same future culture.) This implies that we incorporate the Fatima Message of prayer, penance and reparation, since Fatima is a prophetic message that parallels Kolbe’s. The Fatima Apparitions prophesied the future establishment of the New Marian Era. We also seek to make use of the Message of Lourdes (daily recitation of the Rosary and a focus on Mary as the Immaculate Conception as the source of healing of the world’s ills, and not just medical and physical, but the political divisions that result in war and cultural clashes.) We can also call to mind the lessons of the Apparition of Our Lady at Guadalupe. There, an entire society was converted from barbaric paganism (human sacrifice was rampant) that was influence by the demonic over to Catholicism. Their new Catholic faith helped heal their society from its past and Guadalupe can serve as a lesson for the wholesale conversion of modern Western society.   

    As soldiers of Mary, we assist her in crushing the head of Satan and in destroying heresies. By heresies, I don’t think this only refers to traditional things such as doctrinal and dogmatic errors, but also combatting the influence of Satan in society by the pervasiveness of immorality, the normalization of sexual deviancy and political extremism of the Left and Right.

    We use our talents, such as they are, in accordance with our state in life.

    We surrender ourselves in love without reserving anything from her, enabling her to use us to bring others to her and thus onward to Jesus. This is how the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart is established; first in the hearts of humans and then by means of their will and actions, society. Everyone ‘becomes the change they wish to see’ and therefore society is renewed and transformed. We see this in the Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin as written by St. Maximilian Kolbe (and the boldface type is the part I emphasize that shows this ‘be the change you wish to see’ tactic):

    O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you.  I, (your name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property.  Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.

    If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: “She will crush your head,” and, “You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world.”  Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

    V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin.

    R. Give me strength against your enemies.

    Satan knows this, and is vigilant and always ready to attack Mary’s Knights and Ladies. We defend ourselves through our consecration, prayer (especially the Rosary), Mass, and the Sacraments, and reading Sacred Scripture and the Catechisms.

    Continuing with the concept of emulating St. Maximilian Kolbe, we acknowledge him being also the “Patron of Mass Media.” So, in this contemporary age we use such means as are available to us: blogs, social media and creative works like novels, short stories, poetry and visual arts to spread the aims and means of the Immaculata. Kolbe had observed long ago that the visual arts, such as cinema and theatre, were being used to spread immoral ideas amongst the populace. Rather than shun such media as evil, he embraced the technology and the concept and worked to use it to spread moral values. His publishing empire included newspapers and magazines and books, and eventually a radio station. His friary of Niepokalanow never produced literary or cinematic works, but I believe they were eventually planned.

    Taking St. Maximilian’s suggestions of using cultural expressions to advance the cause of the Immaculata, we can visualize a future social order rooted in the Social Kingship of Christ and its various forms. This recalls the main ‘title’ for St. Maximilian: “the Prophet and Sign of the Civilization of Love and Apostle of a New Marian Era.” He was the ‘Sign’ of this Civilization in his governance of the Niepokalanow friary, especially during the Nazi Occupation in his handling of refugees and making use of friary resources to assist the local population survive. He implemented his ideas of a just social order in hospitality and service to others. But, focusing on cultural tools, we can use creative works: fiction, such as novels and shorter works; and for those inclined, videos to illustrate how the Social Kingship would look like. Do you think that Distributism is the ideal economic system? Great! Create stories in which Distributism is that model. Do you believe that Monarchism is the ideal political system? Fine! Create stories featuring a Catholic Monarchy and how it would wield power. This latter example is interesting and intriguing given numerous Catholic prophecies (from approved apparitions and private revelations) involving a future “Great Catholic Monarch” and his realm existing during this ‘New Marian Era.’ 

    Given St. Max’s interest in science, we should eventually endeavor to show that Religion and Science are two sides of the same coin. Divine Revelation occurs in two forms: God’s self-revelation through Sacred Scripture and the revelation of Himself through His works (the Universe and the means He used to create and sustain it.) Truth does not contradict Truth. Scientific research and investigation should be guided by moral principles. No more doing things just because we can; we should only proceed if the research can be seen to benefit the human condition in moral and ethical ways. In short, our humanity is enhanced, not sacrificed. This may include, when possible, space exploration and perhaps eventually colonization (remember that St. Max invented a plausible spaceship! [See Complete Writings!] So, perhaps stories involving space exploration of our Solar System and the Cosmos at large are in order! This fits wonderfully for those of us who have a predilection for science-fiction!

    Of course, Distributism, Monarchism and science-fiction are suggestions based on my interests. You may have other ideas to creatively explore.

    The thought occurred to me that if science rejected its militant atheistic bent, then we may make even greater progress in scientific achievements. God desires us to know Him better, therefore if we approach scientific exploration with the idea of knowing God better through His handiwork, well then perhaps He may open our eyes to things. Cures! Cheap Fusion power! Rocket propulsion that opens up the Solar System to humanity! 

    So, if you’re an M.I. with a talent for creativity, get started! Start writing or filming!! Is it crazy? Sure is! Read what Steve Jobs said about this (and yes, I know the Founder of Apple Computers was controversial in some regards and angered many by his behavior at times. Please recall the next to last petition in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” You can’t forgive Steve? He ‘trespassed’ against you? Be careful…)

    “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” 

    So be the crazy Catholic misfit and rebel soldier of Mary and change the world by showing how things can be. Cause trouble. Mother Angelica did! There are enough blogs and essay sites where people write non-fiction about Catholic culture, economics and politics. But what will it look like? Theory is one thing, the practical aspects will convince people. Show them how things can be! Disrespect the secular status quo. See things differently. Don’t listen to those who say “You can’t write that! No one will publish it!” So try self-publishing! Be a rebel! Push the cause of the Immaculata forward! Pray before writing, research as much as necessary so you at least appear to know what you’re talking about and then get to it!

    I am not the only one who thinks that Steve Jobs can inspire you to be a better Catholic (as well as achieve mighty deeds as a Knight or Lady of Mary.) Watch this when you can.

    This is a weird way to conclude, but although Steve Jobs was not a Catholic, nor even a Christian, (he was Buddhist of a sort,) I do believe that if things were somehow different during his formative years he would have made an interesting one. I cannot help but think that during this hypothetical Catholic life of Steve Jobs, he would have been drawn to St Maximilian Kolbe by his life and creative vision. St. Maximilian was certainly a crazy misfit, troublemaker and dreamer. Jobs would have looked at St. Max’s M.I. movement, his writings on Marian Consecration and concluded that this would be an effective way to change the world. Whether he would have still invented the Apple computer, the iPod, iPad and iPhone is a whole different area of speculation. He quite possibly would have, but with his Catholic Faith and Marian Consecration through St. Maximilian, sustaining and inspiring him in ways superior to his Buddhist beliefs.

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    St. Maximilian Kolbe and: the Alliance of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary! Part 8

    Posted on by

    On this Sacred Heart Friday, I remind you that the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe is coming up this Monday. He is an ideal patron for those of us who are growing in their devotion to the Immaculate and Sacred Hearts of Mary and Jesus. His method of consecration is deeply rooted in the Two Hearts, for he wishes us to lead others through the Heart of Mary to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By purifying ourselves in the love of Mary by adopting her virtues, we can be more effective in being ‘Christ-bearers’ to others. 

    Since becoming a devotee of St. Maximilian over twenty years ago, I, like countless others have felt it most appropriate that he died of the Vigil of the Assumption. That glorious day when the Mother of God was assumed into Heaven and took up her role as Queen of Heaven and Earth is a day which should inspire us to yearn for our true home. We are but transients on the Earth; our destiny lies in Heaven. St. Maximilian’s work was done. He ran the race, kept the Faith and lived it most sincerely. He was ‘another Christ’ to the other inmates at Auschwitz. And not just in his capacity as a Catholic priest, but as one human ministering to others in a place akin to Hell. And then he was called home, welcomed as a good and faithful servant of Our Lord (and Lady.)

    While we may not ever be sentenced to a death camp (but not entirely out of the question,) we should take to heart his response to being subjected to such an evil. 

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    Hell

    Posted on by

    On this date (July 13) in 1917, Our Lady appeared to the seers of Fatima for the third time. This was one of the most memorable and crucial of the six, perhaps second only to the last one on October 13 with its Miracle of the Sun.

    For on this day, the three seers were gifted with a vision of Hell.

    The children saw people falling into Hell and the indescribable torments they suffered from demons. What I find interesting is that some of the demons appeared to be animals of unknown kinds. (Few ever bring that part up but it’s always intrigued me.)

    The children almost died from fright and horror off what they saw. It affected them deeply and Sts Jacinta and Francesco seemed particularly concerned with making reparations and offering sacrifices on behalf of people to prevent even more from damnation.

    “You saw hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.” – The Blessed Virgin Mary (to the children.)

    There were three secrets imparted to the children by Our Lady. I’m not going to go into details of the second and third secrets, since the vision of Hell was the first of the ‘Three Secrets of Fatima”  and is the subject of this post. You can read this piece for the particulars of the July apparition: What Our Lady Said About Hell at Fatima on July 13, 1917 .

    Hell is real and many people are in denial about its existence (meaning they keep it out of their conscious minds) or deny it exists altogether. I can understand if they aren’t Christian, but if they are then they are foolish on the one hand or calling Jesus a liar on the other. One of the biggest and sneakiest successes of Satan is getting people to disbelieve in him or Hell. If they do not exist for you, then you will not learn to avoid the road to Hell or Satan’s temptations.

    In AA meetings I’ve heard the basic conviction or feeling that once you’ve stopped drinking, that’s it. You’ve run the race and you’re “in”. That’s always bothered me. ‘Just not drinking today’ isn’t enough. You may still sin (that is, offend God), and perhaps even mortally sin and therefore consign yourself to Hell. There are whole other ways to screw up your life besides drinking. You may still do those. 

    Think of pain. Think of how you flinch for an instant when you experience it. Now dwell on that never-ending. 

    While you’re at it, please read this: Focus on the Message of Fatima.

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    The Unintended

    Posted on by

    My parents got drunk on their 25th wedding anniversary in April 1962.

    Nine months later I was born.

    My parents did this ‘later in life,’ Dad was shy of 50 and Mom had just turned 46. That’s ‘old’ to have kids even nowadays; in the early 1960s? “Ancient.”

    I never suspected. I recall asking my Mom as to when she expected me. My due date was a particular date in February 1963. So I counted backwards nine months and arrived in May 1962. Nothing extraordinary occurred in the family history in that month that would account for my being conceived, so I figured I was an ordinary accident. It wasn’t until the early 1990s when I found out the truth about what really happened around April 15, 1962! My sainted mother ‘obscured the truth.’ That’s more charitable than accusing her of ‘lying.’ She easily remembered my alleged due date as that is the date I was baptized. I had always thought that was a neat coincidence; they enshrined my original due date by having me christened on it! HAH!

    I honestly believe that people who ‘shouldn’t have been born’ because of the circumstances surrounding their conception have no special purpose in life. This refers to people conceived under sinful circumstances: drunkenness, rape, carelessness, whatever – the parents ‘sinned.’ If one or both parents behaved properly, then they wouldn’t have had the child. They are the Unintended. They weren’t willed by God to be born, just permitted to be and so weren’t assigned any real special task. Just be good, don’t sin as much as you are able to, follow the natural law of good and evil written on the hearts of all and muddle through life as best you can. Anything good and meritorious accomplished is an unintended bonus. Pure profit.

    I know it is said that we all have a special mission or purpose unique to us. Something only we can do, no one else. The old Baltimore Catechism said that we were born to ‘know, love, and serve God in this life and be happy with Him forever in the next.” That’s basic and applicable to everyone. Call it a ‘Default Purpose.’ Those willed to exist by God may have special features added to that. Those not willed by God to be born, the Unintended, just do the ‘know, love, and serve,’ stuff as a part of the “just be good, don’t sin as much as you are able to, follow the natural law of good and evil written on the hearts of all and muddle through as best you can” part.

    This is all kind of comforting to me, if correct. Nothing much is expected of me and so maybe I’ll be judged lightly when the time comes for my Particular Judgement upon death. Doesn’t mean I’ll be whisked right on through; I expect to become acquainted with Purgatory. But I really doubt that God willed a specific intended purpose for someone who ‘shouldn’t be.’

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    The Alliance of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary! Part 2

    Posted on by

    As I stated in Part 1 of today’s Sacred Heart Friday post from last week (this makes sense only you read the conversation I had with the voices in my head that was transcribed in the Part 1 post) an alliance is always serves as a means to an end. Political alliances bolster the political standing of each member on the world stage. Military alliances ensure the security of each member. So, what is the end of the Alliance of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary?

    Our salvation, of course!

    Like I said in the previous post, all authentic Marian devotion leads the soul to Jesus. “To Jesus Through Mary” is the theme of many saints’ writings; especially St. Louis deMontfort and St. Maximilian Kolbe. Even Our Lady said at Fatima that she desired devotion to not just her Immaculate Heart, but of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

    In Scripture, we’ve seen how Mary “kept all these things pondering them in her heart.” What things? What was being said about Jesus. Her heart was ever united to contemplating Him; she was His first disciple and greatest Apostle. Of course, neither role was mentioned in the Bible, but it stands to reason that she was. 

    There is also another reason for the union of the Two Hearts: genetic. Jesus had no human father; He received all His humanity from Mary. What this actually means and its significance may be difficult to understand, but her heart was identical to His. Given His Sacred Humanity and Divinity and her Immaculate Conception, this must mean the union of the Two Hearts had to have supernatural implications.

    Maybe we need to spend some time pondering these things in our hearts.

    Now to the ‘our salvation’ part. Mary (our Mother and Jesus’) and Jesus (our brother) desire nothing less than we join them in Heaven. The devotion to the Hearts is geared towards that. The Immaculate Heart of Mary has suffered from the indifference of souls air not outright sacrilege and blasphemy. The Devotion of the Five First Saturdays is about reparation for the offenses against her Heart. Read about that here: Five First Saturday Devotions. Similarly, the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is about reparation for our sins and the sins of others. You can read about that here: Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

    Both are about reparation for sin. Who knows how many have been turned back from the path of perdition and now enjoy the blessedness of Heaven because of these?

    Next week: “The Alliance of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary! Part 3!” I think it will be on the history of the Alliance, the saints that promoted it and so forth. That might need to carry over into a Part 4. There might be a Part 5, and that might involve Catholic Prophecy!

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    33 day Consecration to Mary can begin this Friday!

    Posted on by

    You can tell I’ve been reading St. Louis de Montfort.

    I discovered that the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary still exists, and still is managed by the Dominicans just like back in the days of St. Dominic and Bl. Alan de la Roche! (Should I have known that?) This association was mentioned quite often in a book by St. Louis de Monfort I read this past week. (I’ll tell you which one at the end. Which “ones” actually.)

    Because of this I may start another 33 day Montfortian consecration thingy this Friday April 28th. It’s de Montfort’s feast day. It’ll end just in time for May 31st which is the Feast of the Visitation on the new calendar 1970 calendar; it’s the Feast of the Queenship of Mary on the old 1962 calendar.

    My wife and I already did it once before, leading up to our wedding day. We may do it again, together, as a renewal. 

    Gabi of the GabiAfterHours YouTube Channel is also doing it beginning this Friday (just found that out.)

    You can look into his effort here: Gabi After Hours Community posting on 33 day consecration to Mary.

    I bring Gabi up because he’s uploaded several very important videos over the past few months or so.  He posted this one quite recently on several books that are must reads:

    This one: 

    …and this one:

    …started me on saying the entire Rosary daily. Gabi got the idea from one of the de Montfort books he recommends in the first video above. Those are the one’s that I’ve read this week (numbers 1 and 2 on Gabi’s list.) “The Secret of Mary” and “The Secret of the Rosary.” They’re wonderful, inspiring reads. De Montfort writes in a style similar to that of St. Alphonse Liguori. (His “The Glories of Mary” is number 4 on Gabi’s list.)

    This is a new one:

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    Marian Consecration and the Guarantee of Eternal life

    Posted on by

    Many saints have said that those who are consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary are never lost. Sts. Louis deMontfort, Alphonsus de Liguori, and Maximilian Kolbe have all declared at one time or another that those souls who become ‘the property’ of Our Lady will never suffer eternal damnation.

    This may seem to some as a kind of overconfidence and even the mortal sin of presuming upon God’s Mercy. This post will try to explain why it is not.

    I have many friends (or know of people online) who are consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, either through the method of Total Consecration by St. Louis deMontfort or that of St. Maximilian Kolbe. And yet I’ve heard them express some doubt as to their salvation! I know why they say this: they are fearful of presuming upon God’s Mercy or of acting with pride. They mean well, but I think they’re wrong.

    Here’s why I think this way. If you believe that consecrating yourself to the Blessed Mother safeguards your soul from eternal damnation, then still being concerned over its final destiny, as if you could still be damned, is—I think—a sign of mistrust in Our Lady’s promises (as known in private revelations) and of the judgment of saints.

    Now I’m not declaring that you should consecrate yourself to Our Lady and then think that you can just go ‘Lah-dih-dah!!!Look at me! I belong to Mary! I’m saved! I’m gonna now go drinkin’ and druggin’ and whorin’ and do all sorts of stuff because I won’t go to Hell!” That’s kind of like a Catholic variant of the ‘Once Saved; Always Saved’ heresy.

    I liken it to a relationship. Let’s say you’re married. This means that your relationship with someone has gotten to the point where you cannot live without them and that you wish to dedicate your life to them. You have the conviction that This Person is The One and Only and so you forsake all others. You remain faithful and married for the rest of your life. You’ve grown in maturity and wisdom and realize this person is It and you get married.

    Same with Marian Consecration. You’ve grown in holiness and spirituality and now you feel that as a Catholic you must take your relationship with Mary ‘to the next level.’ You’ve heard of Marian Consecration through all this and you go ahead and do it.

    So, after that, you’re the same person as before? No! If you’ve reached this level in your relationship with Mary, and therefore, with Jesus (since all authentic Marian devotion leads to Him,) then you have little desire to offend them and the rupture the relationship!

    It is not that you won’t sin. We are all sinners and we will still sin after Consecration. But I believe that Consecration enables us to become more sensitive to the state of our souls; that we rise up more easily after every fall and offer prayers of repentance and contrition (plus a resolution to go to Confession as soon as possible.) In fact, I think it is Consecration which makes it easier for me to go to Confession once a month or more.

    So, that is what I believe: that when you do Total Consecration to Our Lady your relationship is at a deeper level of trust and love and while you won’t stop sinning, you’ll make yourself more available to the sacraments and other means of obtaining the grace of repentance and amendment. And quite possibly the Blessed Mother, who is the channel by which graces come to us from the Lord, will help you achieve these graces, and thus ensure your salvation. You still may spend time in Purgatory; that’s OK. It’s better than Hell.

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    Follow me! (It’s that easy?)

    Posted on by

    In the Gospel reading for the Mass for the Saturday after Ash Wednesday we read of Jesus calling a tax collector (Levi, also known as Matthew) to become one of His disciples. 

    Luke 5:27-32

    Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.

    He said to him, “Follow me.”

    And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.

    Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,

    and a large crowd of tax collectors

    and others were at table with them.

    The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,

    “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

    Jesus said to them in reply,

    “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.

    I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

    And that was that. Levi was doing his job one day, one that paid him well not counting the typical graft tax collectors padded their purses with. He was hated by the people he collected taxes from, because of who he collected taxes for (the occupying Roman forces.) This made him a traitor in the eyes of his fellow Jews.

    So you might think that there was a confluence of factors at work here. He was hated, and no one likes that, no matter how good the pay is. Perhaps he was already hating his job to the point of quitting it soon. We don’t know. This is all conjecture on my part, but it makes for a good ‘spiritual growth’ and ‘conversion’ post. So, perhaps Jesus’ timing was perfect. He knew just when to approach Levi and get while the getting was good.

    Jesus always knows when the timing is right to ‘get us.’ I was a hard-heading pig brain when He got me. I had left the Church years before and then I was ready for His abduction about the same time I sobered up. I needed to be brought low to be receptive to His call.

    What about you?

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

    Take up your cross

    Posted on by

    In the Gospel for today’s Mass for the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, Jesus exhorts us to come and follow Him. However, there’s a catch. The road isn’t easy.

    Luke 9:22-25

    Jesus said to his disciples:

    “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected

    by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

    and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

     

    Then he said to all,

    “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself

    and take up his cross daily and follow me.

    For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

    but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

    What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

    yet lose or forfeit himself?

    The path to following Jesus isn’t always strewn with flower petals with birds singing and butterflies fluttering. It is a hard one since in following Christ, you are essentially telling the World with its transitory and vain ways that, “Sorry! I’m rejecting you! You may claim that the World’s ways are just and true and so forth; I know different! The World’s path leads to despair and emptiness. Many are aware of this but know not what to do except to fill that emptiness with immorality. Again, sorry! I will not comply!”

    And so the World reacts by persecuting you. If not outrightly, then by mockery and other means of tearing you down.

    You must reject your baser instincts that desire the World and its falsehoods and take up the counter-cultural path of following Jesus. It doing that you will save your life.

    I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

    My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)