1.  The allegory of the Hedgerow.  Man up, mash the throttle and just go straight over the top.  There’s no more time for “around”, or “maybe there’s a gate over there”.  Thirty years ago?  Maybe.  Today?  Nope.  We need to be like Bradley’s First Army in the fields of Saint-Lo.

2.  Mailbag time!  THIS LETTER is why I openly state that Pope Francis is unintelligent.  Because when you explain these things – that is, REALITY – it allows people to process and understand what is happening.  Delusion, denial, pollyannaism, none of these things do anyone any good, and in fact, are repellant.  You know why?  Because at their core, they are all a form of LYING.  Remember, the Truth, even when it is horrific, STILL is connected to beauty because Truth and Beauty are both constitutive qualities of God Himself.  I sit and stare at an image of the Crucifixion for upwards of 90 minutes per day on average because the TRUTH communicated in the horror of God dead on the Cross is the most beautiful thing in the universe.  Read on:

Dear Ann,

I realize you would get masses of mail so am certainly not expecting acknowledgement of receipt of mine. Nevertheless I want to write to you to thank you for your very encouraging words re. (not) leaving The Church on account of Francis.

I have tried to see what Pope Francis has actually said as opposed to the select pieces that the msm tells the world. I feel very uncomfortable, thinking, let alone saying anything bad about the Pope. I have however been guilty of some very uncharitable thoughts and words after the “breeding like rabbits” episode.

I am the mother of 10 children, not because I was unaware of, or incompetent in the use of NFP, but because my husband and I decided more souls for Heaven was more important than an overseas trip. There is much sacrifice in this decision but of course the joy well outweighs it. My siblings all have large families and I know many other large families that are constantly having to defend their decisions to the world. Particularly a world that bows to a green god and to have the breeding like rabbits quote come from the mouth of the head of Christ’s Church made me cry. Breeding like rabbits when likened to human reproduction is ALWAYS a derogatory term, you can’t accidentally use it.

So while I would never leave The Church, I am increasingly wondering what the hell is going on? Where do we go from here? Was this really a Pope chosen by The Holy Spirit? Your words about leaving The Church “because of a staggeringly stupid South American Jesuit” (there I said it!) gave me much encouragement. I just have to keep my eyes on Jesus. Like Peter walking on the water but never faltering – all eyes on Him.

Yours in Christ,
J