Happy feast of St. Joan of Arc, the only person of either sex to be the supreme commander of the military forces of a nation at the age of seventeen. How lovely that her feast falls on Ascension Thursday this year.

Today, this quote seems especially fitting:

“Men are sometimes hanged for telling the truth.”

Indeed.

St. Joan, pray for us.

In the post immediately below about Dr. Kwasniewski’s review of Antonio Socci’s book “The Secret of Benedict XVI: Is He Still the Pope?”, I said:

“Pray for Dr. Kwasniewski, as he will no doubt receive all kinds of blow-back over this.”

I should have said, “Pray for him, that he not flee for fear of the wolves.”

Sure enough, after this post and others sent the review viral, Dr. Kwasniewski edited his review. Then he edited it again. Then he edited again. It appears the edits have stopped, and the review is now 180 degrees from where it began.

People are now being falsely accused of doctoring or manipulating the review. No, it was edited several times over a span of a few hours by Dr. K himself until the Wrongthink was purged. Everyone has screenshots, because frankly, this was not entirely unanticipated.

Well, perhaps this serves to prove a point about the pressure people are under who make their living, even tangentially, off the Church.

Anyway, Socci’s book is a very interesting read. Check it out.

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski has, apparently, come on-side.  I am not surprised in the least.  Dr. Kwasniewski is a genuinely GOOD MAN.  He is a husband and father, and one of the most charitable people I have ever met (he never says a bad word about ANYONE – something I wish I could claim of myself, but cannot).

I have met Dr. Kwasniewski twice over the years, and found him to be completely sincere, and detected not a WHIFF of elitism nor “liturgical fetishism” in him.  Dr. Kwasniewski is a married man with children, so, let the reader understand the point being made.  Both times that I saw him speak, years ago, it was obvious that he had what I often refer to as “a personal relationship with Jesus Christ”.  He loves Our Lord and His Holy Church, and the Liturgies of The Church (Mass/Divine Liturgy, Divine Office) because he loves Our Lord.  Full stop.

Given this, it is not surprising that Dr. Kwasniewski would, after reading the English translation of Antonio Socci’s book, “The Secret of Benedict XVI: Is He Still the Pope?”, published just a few days ago, instantly recognize the TRUTH, and be attracted to it, because, after all, the Truth is a Person, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  When you love Someone, you recognize Him when you see Him, and you go to Him, no matter what the earthly consequences.

I reprint here, in full, Dr. Kwasniewski’s Amazon.com review of Antonio Socci’s book “The Secret of Benedict XVI: Is He Still the Pope?”

Pray for Dr. Kwasniewski, as he will no doubt receive all kinds of blow-back over this.

Folks, the “Trad, Inc.” people who have launched a calumny campaign against me, admittedly being a person who has made myself a target over the years with the force of my rhetoric and willingness to do what the Prayer After Confession says and “avoid all evil company”, DARE NOT say ONE WORD against Dr. Kwasniewski.  If they do, may God Almighty verily have mercy on them, because that would be going just about as low as one could possibly go.

Dr. Kwasniewski’s Amazon.com review, in full, emphases mine:

(FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS)

Ever been troubled by what looks like two Popes at the Vatican?

I read this book expecting to be a little skeptical of an author who would argue that Benedict XVI did not validly resign the papacy. After all, it sure looked as if he intended to do that in his famous speech of abdication, and the world seems to have accepted it as such.

Socci, however, persuaded me otherwise with his careful analysis of Benedict’s XVI’s various utterances on the subject (and there are a surprising number of them!), Archbishop Gaenswein’s speeches, and, above all, the interpretations of canon lawyers — none of them traditionalists, by the way — who have proved in detail that the resignation lacks several conditions for validity. The argument is not based on the St. Gallen Mafia, but on the inherent actions and statements of Benedict XVI and others, all publicly available. In other words, this is no “conspiracy theory” but a soberly argued case. Even those who think they have a watertight case in favor of validity should, out of intellectual honesty, grapple with what Socci presents here. If they can defeat his arguments, all the better for the defense of truth. If they cannot or will not, however, this would seem to indicate a moral or mental weakness.

That is not the only aspect of this book I would praise. I also find much food for thought and prayer in Socci’s speculations about the prophetic message of Fatima and his spiritual-theological interpretation of the unprecedented situation in the Catholic Church. While I find his interpretation of Benedict XVI’s motivations overly positive, I think the way he tries to place current events in a prophetic and specifically Marian context is extremely helpful.

In short: highly recommended.

There are actually TWO “Barnhardt Axioms”.  The first is, “If you can’t stand in front of it and defend it with a rifle, then you don’t really own it, and never did.”

(cough, 401k accounts that your employer won’t let you touch, cough…)

The second, which is referenced below is:

“The culture has degraded such that seeking and/or holding office, especially national-level office, is, in and of itself, proof that a given person is psychologically and morally unfit to hold public office.”

A reader writes in to the [email protected] mailbox:

Hello guys,

I hope you all are well. I came across an early version of the Barnhardt Axiom by one J. R. R. Tolkien. I’ll attach a screenshot at the end. The book is from Jonathan Witt and J. W. Richards called “The Hobbit Party”.
Also, referring to the latest podcast, you hit the nail on the head with the topic of social media and adulterating (of marriage) through use of social media. I succumbed to it over 5 years ago when I came back from deployment. I’d rather forget the whole mess but you should know your warning is true.
Thank you and God be with you.
Listener

Here is the Tolkien quote:

“The most improper job of any man, even saints, is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.”

I commend each and every one of you to St. Philip Neri. Just tell him I sent you.

Don Fili, prega per noi.

Punctuation saves lives!

Zuckerberg is launching a cryptocurrency. You know, so he and his friends can help you make the proper purchasing decisions, and provide instantaneous disciplinary measures against those who might violate community standards. Those who engage in wrongthink will be economically paralyzed – to protect and encourage the others!

Nothing to worry about there. No red flags.

And lo, the Fifth Seal was broken….

Stay confessed, folks. Seriously.

“Everything is almost in readiness, Master. We await only your word….”

Yesterday was a Feria, so if you went to Mass you might have heard the Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Easter again. I mention this for the Epistle:

Lesson from the letter of St. James the Apostle

Dearly beloved: Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration….

No change nor shadow of alteration.

I am reminded of the Gloria Patri: as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be….

Fr. Z gives a good, albeit flawed in base premise, treatment to Antipope Bergoglio’s latest verbal skywriting of his obvious status as ‘not the Pope, in fact, not even Catholic’, which I link to instead of the Breitbart piece.

Note, especially, the despair and confusion amongst the faithful in Fr. Z’s commbox.

What part of “the Church must abandon tradition and renounce order and clarity” are we not getting here, folks? I’m thinking that having “Antipope and likely False Prophet Forerunner of the Antichrist“ tattooed across his forehead would actually be a MORE SUBTLE move for Bergoglio at this point.

But, hey, if Grand Master Luthermason Walter Kasper, orgy presider Coccopalmerio, pimpdaddy Maradiaga, Donna Wuerl and the rest of the apostate sodomite brain trust that is the College of Cardinals assure us that everything is on the up-and-up, and Bergoglio is totes da Pope, that’s INFALLIBLE DOGMA, stupid schismatic!

Canon 359 be damned!

The Good Shepherd Discourse is clearly one of those “traditions” that “must be abandoned.” Right along with “common sense”, “logic”, and “objective, visible reality.”

Old and busted: “papolatry”.

New hotness: CARDINALATRY.

I will conclude by renewing my challenge: say the following without laughing out loud: “THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ANTI-CHURCH CURRENTLY CO-EXIST IN THE SAME SACRAMENTAL, LITURGICAL AND JURIDICAL SPACE, and Jorge Bergoglio is the head of the True Church, opposing the anti-church.”

Nope!

Folks, the word here is…

PROPHETIC.

Hat tip to reader Peter for THE LINK.

“I’m The Slime”

I am gross and perverted
I’m obsessed ‘n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little has changed
I’m the tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious
But you can’t look away
I make you think I’m delicious
With the stuff that I say
I’m the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I’m the slime oozin’ out
From your TV set

You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don’t need you
Don’t go for help… no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold [Facebook!!]

That’s right, folks…
Don’t touch that dial

Well, I am the slime from your video
Oozin’ along on your livin’ room floor

I am the slime from your video
Can’t stop the slime, people, lookit me go

I am the slime from your video
Oozin’ along on your livin’ room floor

I am the slime from your video
Can’t stop the slime, people, lookit me go

Yes… and?? 😀

Ann,

I am just writing to say thank you for your latest podcast. Well, thank you for all of them actually.

It is nice to hear the voice of reason and common sense regarding modesty in dress. Thank you for pointing out to us all that pants are OK when worn appropriately! [Always cover the caboose, ladies!] Also that part of modesty is dressing WELL. [It is also a function of decorum and fraternal charity – fundamental respect for others.] I can be a bit slack in this regard, but am gradually sewing up a wardrobe of flattering what I call “Day Dresses.” Any way just thanks is all I wanted to say.

I don’t usually write or comment on blogs. I don’t like how it often seems to become some type of “team” people follow [Amen], “I’m for Fr Z” “I’m Church Militant” etc etc. But I wanted to give some encouragement regarding your podcasts:

I am sorry to admit that when I first found your blog, I thought you were some mad (as in angry) middle-aged, attention-seeking American lady. [You burn one Koran…] Don’t ask me why exactly. I still read through a lot your posts however and you were the first voice I heard calling out about “pope” Francis. I was suffering from the loss of Pope Benedict, him being the only Pope I really remember much of in my lifetime and was not willing to warm to a new one.  When I heard that it was through his “humility” that he (Bergoglio) was staying at the Casa Santa Martha rather than the papal quarters (I don’t know what they are properly called) [the Papal Apartment in the Apostolic Palace] I called B.S. as I just felt that a part of humility is accepting all the various extravagances, if you like, that go with the position you hold, you just do, and get on with things.

Anyway. hearing you on podcast was a revelation, because (as you well know) you sounded perfectly lovely, friendly, sane, and happy and my perspective changed. Thank you for keeping on keeping on.

Thanks to SuperNerd for enabling the podcasts.
God Bless you both.

C

Most of the people that I see every day in my neighborhood, parishes, etc. have no idea about my… online activities, and would simply have no idea whom you were talking about and/or not believe you if you described me based upon my “public persona”.  If you need to describe me to the neighbors, it is, “the nice lady who wears the hats.”  OH!  Yes!  HER!  The happy hat lady!

So there you go.  I am not a CAT lady, I’m the HAPPY HAT lady.  I’ll take it!

This is similar to my latest millinery acquisition, a wide-brimmed straw boater with changeable ribbon tie.  I got it for a song.  Hats are relatively inexpensive, I suppose, because there isn’t much demand for them – which is FANTASTIC for me.  It’s going to be a GREAT summer!

This note came across the transom in response to the post immediately below about Diabolical Narcissism and rage addiction. I was struck by how this sounds exactly like a testimony at an alcohol/drug addiction support group. Just replace the litany of social media and Apps with names of intoxicants and it is the exact same conceptual base: breaking addiction to a “introduced substance” which alters one’s mind (and soul).

Be edified by this person’s example.

Also, if you are struggling with social media and are balking at the idea of giving up FB, Twitter, or whatever, just think about what your life was like just a few short years ago before these social media “drugs” existed. Just a few short years ago, you didn’t need to check your notifications, you didn’t need that rush EVER, because it didn’t exist. And you got along just fine. Think about how this is exactly the same as the person who has started drinking heavily or doing drugs just within the past few years, and is now addicted to drugs or alcohol who honestly believes that they can’t live without it.

You can live without it.

You CAN give it up.

You don’t NEED it.

This is what “advancing in sanctity” looks like in the One-Nine, y’all:

Once again, Ann, you are the voice of reason. I ditched it all:

….