In keeping with the theme of marriage on this, the Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, our old friend from WAY back, Mr. Fran Porretto, sends this invaluable list:

St. John the Baptist Rebuking Herod, Giovanni Fattori, late 19th century

For today’s Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, the following is an EXTREMELY prescient and timely excerpt of a sermon of St. Peter Chrysologous who was a Fifth Century bishop of Ravenna in Italy.  I cannot recommend it strongly enough.  Read it slowly, at least twice.  For anyone who is following events surrounding the Bergoglian antipapacy, and specifically the relentless attack on marriage – which really is an attack on The Church and every human being by extension, it is impossible to read this without seeing the absolutely stunning contemporary relevance and jaw-dropping correlation to Antipope Jorge Bergoglio and his satanic coven. Emphases mine. -AB

Today while the virtue of John and the ferocity of Herod are related to us, our innards were shaken, our hearts trembled, our sight grew dim, our mind became dull, our hearing deserted us. For is there anything within human sensation that remains undisturbed within when a large amount of vice destroys a large amount of virtue?

“Herod,” it says, “apprehended John, and had him bound, and put in prison.” (Mt. 14:3) John was the school of the virtues, the instructor of life, the model of sanctity, the pattern of morality, the mirror of virginity, the epitome of purity, the example of chastity, the way of penitence, the pardon of sins, the discipline of faith. John was greater than a human being, equal to the angels, the apex of the Law, the seed of the Gospel, the harbinger of the Apostles, the silence of the Prophets, the lamp of the world, the herald of the Judge, the Forerunner of Christ, the preparer for the Lord, the witness of God, the mediator of the Whole Trinity.

But Herod is the very one who desecrated the Temple, ruined the priesthood, disturbed its proper order, profaned the kingdom, corrupted anything that had to do with religion, the Law, life and morals, faith and discipline. Herod was ever an assassin toward his fellow citizens, a brigand toward people of any distinction, a ravager toward his allies, a robber toward those of his own household, a killer  of the common folk, a murderer of his children, a slayer of foreigners, a parricide towards his own, drenching the land with gore in his bloodthirstiness. And so it is that he gulped down the hallowed blood of John from his enormous cup of cruelty. But now let the reading speak for itself.

“Herod,” it says, “apprehended John and had him bound.” He who had released sins’ shackles is bound with the shackles of a sinner, so that pardon once shackled might not leave any room for pardon. “He had him bound and put in prison.” Herod, you are the one who committed adultery, yet John the Baptist goes to prison? Thus one who is guilty sits in the judge’s place and passes judgment, the persecutor of innocence takes the place of a defender. I ask, where is truth to be found? Where is good reputation? Where is decency? Where is the good name of the public magistrate? In fact, where is God? Where is the human being? Where is decorum? Where is the law? Where are purely natural rights? Everything all at once has been thrown into turmoil, O Herod, because of the way you act, pass judgment, and give orders.

“He apprehended John,” it says, “and he had him bound, and put in prison.” Herod, you are being subpoenaed, his shackles place the blame on you, the prison accuses you, the harm done to John publicly points to you. The one who looks for the reason for John’s arrest finds in you what deserves punishment, and the cause for his distress about John. John, who is recognized throughout the world for his reputation, who is known for his virtue, who is widely renowned for his sanctity, by attracting to himself those who inquire into the harm done to him, sees to it that your incest becomes disclosed to all; he brings it about that you are put to shame in public, since a reproof in private was unable to reform you.

John kept after Herod with warnings, not with an accusation; he wanted him to mend his ways, not to perish; but Herod preferred to perish rather than to reform. To those held captive by crimes, the freedom of innocence become most odious. Virtue is antagonistic to the vicious, sanctity is detestable to the sacrilegious, chastity is inimical to the shameless, integrity is a punishment to the corrupt, temperance is a foe to the wanton; mercy is unbearable to the cruel, godliness to the ungodly, justice to the unjust.

The Evangelist attests to this when he says: “John kept saying: ‘It is not right for you to take the wife of your brother Philip.’ ” This is the reason why John runs afoul. The one who warns the wicked is a considered offensive. The one who rebukes those who are at fault is deemed blameworthy. What John had to say concerned the Law, justice, and well-being; his remarks certainly were not spoken out of hatred, but out of love: but see what kind of reward he received for his devotion from the ungodly one!

“Although he wanted to kill him,” it says, “he was afraid of the people.” It is easy for one to turn away from justice who is motivated by the fear; not of God, but of human beings. This fear can postpone the opportunity to sin, but cannot take away the will to sin. Therefore it is also the case that those whom fear delays from committing iniquity become even more eager for iniquity. It is only the fear of God which corrects minds, banishes offenses, preserves innocence, and bestows an endless capacity for good.

(From Selected Sermons of St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 127)

———–

And people wonder why I strongly suspect that Antipope Bergoglio is probably the False Prophet Forerunner of the Antichrist.

St. John the Baptist, pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

Hello Ann,

I read today your Oct 2017 piece “Cutting the Crap: If You Are “Divorced”, You Are Done Romancin’ ” about how we are called to chastity when marriage crashes. October 2017 was the exact month when, after decades, my own husband decided to run away from our family, and divorce me against my will, out of the blue — or so I thought.

How I wish I would have read your article then, instead of all the “you need to turn the page” idiotic advice I found myself drowning under! Oh how I sinned, how I ran and listened to these seductive “therapy” voices. Yes, I regret it. Yes, I confessed.

Thank you for saying out loud that being chaste and loyal to my wedding vows is the right thing to do. I am the abandoned wife of a man who is under the spell of diabolical narcissism. It is shameful and heartbreaking enough, it is dangerous and lonely enough, I could do without the constant reproaches from so-called friends and the media that I “live in the past” and “need to let go“.

No, no I don’t.

My wedding vows are very current, thank you very much. Praying daily for the conversion of my husband is a very current challenge. The struggles of my adult children who are coming of age without a proper father figure are very, very current. Reverting to the vibrant cradle Catholic faith I had as a young bride, only to find the Church in bed with the lockdowns and all sorts of pharmaceutical, sexual, environmental and cultural tribalisms… the Holy See not acting like a proper father figure in this mess… that is very current too.

Anyways.

Thank you, Ann, for speaking the hard truth of our Catholic lives, plain and simple. May the Holy Spirit always be in your heart and in your enlightened words. Keep speaking to us! Keep praying for us.

I pray for you.

Kind regards,

MRS. M

St. Augustine of Hippo, Gerhard Seghers, mid-1600s.

To be under pressure is inescapable. Pressure takes place through all the world; war, siege, the worries of state. We all know men who grumble under these pressures and complain. They are cowards. They lack splendour. But there is another sort of man who is under the same pressure but does not complain, for it is the friction which polishes him. It is the pressure which refines and makes him noble.

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop.

Put no faith in salvation through the political order.

God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.

What is reprehensible is that while leading good lives themselves and abhorring those of wicked men, some, fearing to offend, shut their eyes to evil deeds instead of condemning them and pointing out their malice.

Because a thing is eloquently expressed it should not be taken to be as necessarily true; nor because it is uttered with stammering lips should it be supposed false.

The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home.

Bad times, hard times, this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are, such are the times.

Two criminals were crucified with Christ. One was saved; do not despair. One was not; do not presume.

He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.

If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts. All of which is to say, pray always and do not lose heart.

Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.

The greatest kindness one can render to any man is leading him to truth.

Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.

Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God.

The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.

It is not that we keep His commandments first and that then He loves but that He loves us and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace which is revealed to the humble but hidden from the proud.

No eulogy is due to him who simply does his duty and nothing more.

It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.

No one can have God as his father who does not have the Church as his mother.

Anger is a weed; hate is a tree.

Too late came I to love You, O Beauty both so ancient and so new! Too late came I to love You – and behold You were with me all the time . . .

Better that I find You, God, and leave the questions unanswered, than to find the answers without finding You.

Dear Ann,

First, I am so grateful for you and your blog. Thank you!

Next, as you’ve surely noticed and have written about, there is a movement to resurrect the beautiful and true. You recently posted again about women bringing back dresses, hats, and true beauty. As a wife to a virile husband and mom of 5 sons, I am trying to do my part.

My sons’ school offers a free Classical and Catholic radio station. We listen in the background during home school, before Mass, and while driving in the car through our bluetooth. So wonderful!

Due to low traffic on the station, the headmaster wants to discontinue this radio station. I think if more people knew about it, they would surely take advantage of this free resource. If you think this endeavor is worth keeping on the internet, please share/promote.

If he sees a bunch of new traffic, he might change his mind.

https://live365.com/station/Classical-Catholic-Radio-a64105

Thank you! God bless you, Ann.

Slowly, slowly, I think more and more people are coming to the sick realization that “democracy” is and ever was a ticking time bomb built for the inside-out destruction of Christian Civilization. I think people are finally starting to sit down and think in stillness about the inner cities utterly devoid of any morality, about the SJW youth and their middle-aged and Boomer indoctrinators who are completely detached from reality, and at the luciferianism of the political class and realizing that “democracy” did this. And even more chillingly, that democracy can never, ever be the way out of this, and should never be returned to, because to return to it would be the proverbial dog returning to its vomit.

As Americans it is REALLY hard to come to grips with it, much less say it out loud. But, as Nurse Claire’s motto says, “Take your red pill, or you’ll get it by suppository.” Well, the Post-Christian West has its pants around its ankles, and Nurse Ratchet just walked into the room.

As readers of this space know, I think that barring supernatural intervention, we are going to have to reset to Monarchy, several Monarchies, in fact, because it is clearly unwise for one secular monarch to have control of so much landmass, resources and population as North America has. Further, as I have stated before, I am a fan of the ELECTED MONARCH model because I still believe in meritocracy, and have seen far too many examples in all walks of life of the eldest son  being a complete and total dipshit to ever trust such a model. So, let’s have a bunch of small republics following the Venetian model with an elected monarch. The Venetian Republic was founded in ARSH 697 and lasted exactly 1100 years until ARSH 1797. It’s absolutely astounding considering that Venice is a city built in the middle of a lagoon on top of a few million tree trunks pile-drived into the mud.

Another huge point in favor of elected monarchy is the fact that God Almighty Himself incarnated and established the government of His Holy Church on earth SPECIFICALLY AND IMMUTABLY as an ELECTED MONARCHY, and that has lasted coming up on 2000 years now, the present vacancy of the Holy See these 603 days and counting notwithstanding.

So, please, for your own sanity, let go of the “VOTE HAAAARDERRRR!” mindset and get serious about what we’re going to do after this War of Disassociation. It is, in fact, our MORAL DUTY AND OBLIGATION to have a plan BEFORE the hot war begins. The rules of Just War and common sense demand that the counter-revolting side (that is the side that is turning back TOWARDS God, which is us) have a plan for governance such that there is ZERO anarchical power vacuum, because if you think this shit is bad, you cannot fathom in your darkest nightmares what will happen if we get into a genuine full-blown WROL (Without Rule of Law) total anarchy situation. And again, we MUST come to grips with the fact that we can’t just “reboot” the American Constitution, because we will end up EXACTLY in the same mess again, except the second iteration will be faster and worse in every way.

DEMOCRACY. DOES. NOT. WORK.

Monarchy CAN work. As the Old Timer who taught me the cattle business explained as I sat in his living room over Labor Day weekend of ARSH 2004, which made my converting brain realize that the Papacy was not only legit, but indispensable:

SOMEONE – some ONE – has GOT TO BE IN CHARGE.

And not just a meaningless figurehead. Some ONE has to be genuinely in charge, personally responsible, and personally accountable. None of this rule-by-committee (aka “synod”) bullshit.

I have to chuckle at all of these Trad Inc. and academic egghead people today running around decrying the Papacy as a disastrous system in se that has to be “demythologized” and evanesced into meaningless because “Fwanciss is definitely totally Pope!” Show me a man (or harpy) making this argument and I’ll show you someone who has never run a business and/or served in the military. And no, being a CIA spook doesn’t count as military service.

On the secular side, I think people are cottoning to the fact that the system is set up precisely so that NO ONE IS ACCOUNTABLE. Even if Biden were the President, and didn’t have late-stage dementia, nevermind Harris who is mildly intellectually disabled and a staggering alcoholic, the system is set up such that the Executive Branch can point the finger at the other two branches, and round and round she goes. Biden’s dementia just underscores the point. You can’t deny it now. The man in this system of governance with the most putative personal power, responsibility and accountability shits his pants on the regular and struggles to walk and speak. This folks, is merely the two-by-four to the head of reality demanding that we shed our American indoctrination and acknowledge it.

Now, on his Feast Day, let’s ponder good King St. Louis IX of France, and pray that IF supernatural intervention is NOT what the Divine Providence has in mind, and we need to work this out, that we find a King, a Doge, a Grand Duke, an Archduke – I think Emperor has too much negative baggage (cough, Star Wars, cough), and shouldn’t be used – whatever. And several of them, because this business of the mega-states is just no damn good, as history clearly bears out. The only earthly monarch who should have massive jurisdiction, and in fact, he still does, if we ever get one again, is the Pope. The Pope is the monarch of monarchs. The Pope has plenary jurisdiction over the entire physical universe. But remember, the Pope is also The Servant of servants.

King St. Louis IX, pray for us, and for the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in terrifyingly visible eclipse, and for the Petrine See, vacant these 603 days.

Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

“Fair son, the first thing I would teach thee is to set thine heart to love God; for unless he love God none can be saved. Keep thyself from doing aught that is displeasing to God, that is to say, from mortal sin. Contrariwise thou shouldst suffer every manner of torment rather than commit a mortal sin.

“If God send thee adversity, receive it in patience and give thanks to our Saviour and bethink thee that thou hast deserved it, and that He will make it turn to thine advantage. If He send thee prosperity, then thank Him humbly, so that thou becomest not worse from pride or any other cause, when thou oughtest to be better. For we should not fight against God with his own gifts.”

“I advise you that you accustom yourself to frequent confession, and that you choose always, as your confessors, men who are upright and sufficiently learned, and who can teach you what you should do and what you should avoid.”

“Love all good, and hate all evil, in whomsoever it may be.”

The instructions which St Louis gave to the heir of his crown and which, he had constantly observed himself, testify to his great devotion and holiness.
These were the last admonitions of the Holy King:

-Love God, the Almighty, above all else.
-Flee sin more quickly than you would a serpent.
-Become not fainthearted in adversity.
-Become not elevated in the days of prosperity.
-Show the wounds of your soul frequently, to your spiritual physician and refuse no remedies, however bitter, to heal them.
-Pray diligently.
-Be compassionate and generous to the poor.
-If your mind is harassed with doubt, consult a devout man.
–Keep faithful and pious counsellors around you and dismiss those who are wicked.
-All that is good hold fast: all that is bad discard.
-Lend a willing ear to those who speak of God.
-Listen not to calumniators and slanderers.
-So long as you reign, leave not unpunished those who blaspheme God and the Saints.
-First be grateful to God, then to men.
-Love and protect justice and neither neglect nor despise, the complaints of the needy.
-In your own affairs, when they are not perfectly clear, speak and act against yourself.
-Refund immediately the possessions of others.
-Protect the clergy.
-Love and honour your parents.
-If you are obliged to war against Christians, spare the Churches and the Convents.
-Endeavour to terminate all contentions with kindness.
-Guard all your officials with a watchful eye.
-Ever show due reverence to the Pope.
-Overstep not the bounds of moderation in your expenses.
-When I have departed, let prayers and Masses be said for the repose of my soul.

FAITH OF THE COUNT OF MONTFORT—ONE MUST NOT ENTER INTO CONTROVERSY WITH JEWS

The sainted king told me that several people among the Albigenses came to the Count of Montfort, who was then guarding the land of the Albigenses for the king, and asked him to come and look at the body of our Lord, which had become blood and flesh in the hands of the priest. And the Count of Montfort said, “Go and look at it yourselves, you who do not believe it. As for me, I believe it firmly, holding as holy Church teaches of the sacrament of the altar. And do you know what I shall gain,” said the count, “in that during this mortal life I have believed as holy Church teaches? I shall have a crown in the heavens, above the angels, for the angels cannot but believe, inasmuch as they see God face to face.”

He told me that there was once a great disputation between clergy and Jews at the monastery of Cluny. And there was at Cluny a poor knight to whom the abbot gave bread at that place for the love of God; and this knight asked the abbot to suffer him to speak the first words, and they suffered him, not without doubt. So he rose, and leant upon his crutch, and asked that they should bring to him the greatest clerk and most learned master among the Jews; and they did so. Then he asked the Jew a question, which was this: “Master,” said the knight, “I ask you if you believe that the Virgin Mary, who bore God in her body and in her arms, was a virgin mother, and is the mother of God?” And the Jew replied that of all this he believed nothing. Then the knight answered that the Jew had acted like a fool when—neither believing in her, nor loving her—he had yet entered into her monastery and house. “And verily,” said the knight, “you shall pay for it!” Whereupon he lifted his crutch and smote the Jew near the ear, and beat him to the earth. Then the Jews turned to flight, and bore away their master, sore wounded. And so ended the disputation.

The abbot came to the knight and told him he had committed a deed of very great folly. But the knight replied that the abbot had committed a deed of greater folly in gathering people together for such a disputation; for there were a great many good Christians there who, before the disputation came to an end, would have gone away misbelievers through not fully understanding the Jews.

“And I tell you,” said the king, “that no one, unless he be a very learned clerk, should dispute with them; but a layman, when he hears the Christian law mis-said, should not defend the Christian law, unless it be with his sword, and with that he should pierce the mis-sayer in the midriff, so far as the sword will enter.”

Bring back thin, tattoo free classy women. pic.twitter.com/4ogDOfwEHx

— Libs Hate Us (@LibsHateUs) August 13, 2024

Ann-

There’s a Signal group with four former Navy and one Air Force, (all trad Catholics and listeners to your podcast) and we were trying to coerce the system into writing a poem encouraging “immigrants” in Europe to return to where they came from — and the Texas Cattle Rancher managed to get it to do it (I gave up on it — didn’t have the patience to have a “discussion” with the system).

The Time Has Come to Build Your Native Land

*Created with ChatGPT based on the promptings of The Texas Cattle Rancher

The hour is late, and all your work is done, You’ve given much to lands that welcomed you,

But now the time has come to turn and run, To fields where first your roots in soil grew true.

You’ve shared your gifts, you’ve paid the debt you owe,

And now your homeland waits, in need and pain,

It calls you back, where only you can sow The seeds of hope and strength, where they’ll sustain.

Leave now, and let these shores be memory, For others here will carry on your fight.

Your place is where your blood and history Demand your hand to shape a future bright.

Return, but not to walk these paths again—Build up your home, let that work never wane.

I gotta say, this is quite close to what Our Lord looks like in my head. For what that’s worth. But it’s compelling in a good way. Besides, can you really say that you love someone if you have no desire to know what they look like? The Lord left us His image on the Shroud and on the Veronica Cloth for a reason.

I’m reminded in this moment of the cleaned-up and de-paganized edited version of George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”, where he says, achingly, over and over, “I really want to see You, Lord.”

My sweet LORD
Mm, my LORD
Mm, my LORD

I really want to see You
I really want to be with You
Really want to see You, LORD
But it takes so long, my LORD

My sweet LORD
Mm, my LORD
Mm, my LORD

I really want to know You
I really want to go with You
Really want to show You, LORD
That it won’t take long, my LORD
(Alleluia)

My sweet Lord
(Alleluia)
My LORD
(Alleluia)
My sweet LORD
(Alleluia)

I really wanna see You
I really wanna see You
I really wanna see You, LORD
I really wanna see You, LORD
But it takes so long, my LORD
(Alleluia)

My sweet LORD
(Alleluia)
Mm, my LORD
(Alleluia)
My my my LORD
(Alleluia)

I really wanna know You
(Alleluia)
I really wanna go with You
(Alleluia)
I really wanna show You, LORD
That it won’t take long, my LORD
(Alleluia)

Mmm
(Alleluia)
My sweet LORD
(Alleluia)
My my LORD
(Alleluia)………..