March 2003
Time of Quadragesima
vol 14, no. 5

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There is no quick fix!


    One day of Prayer once or twice a year, or one minute of prayer every thousand years so we might be in alignment with the numbers is like a bandaid on a malignant cancer. To hold fast to one council and ignore the wisdom of 20 others or to listen to what one, two and three popes have proclaimed over the past 40 years while ignoring the wisdom of the 260 who preceded them...is an insult to the Almighty and an indictment against all of us for allowing such malleability and lukewarmness to permeate our minds, hearts, souls and actions. We will all have to account for our folly.

    There is a universal grass-roots campaign underway, supported by many faiths for a moment of prayer on Monday, March 3. The reason is because war is imminent and the economy is taking a nosedive. Why is it we only turn to God in time of desperation? How many relationships would last if we only gave attention and concern when we needed something? There is no give in that, only take. Indeed, the world has become a universe of greed; selfishness rules today. You can see it in commercials, on the road, in the stores, even in our homes. We are a generation so spoiled by the world, the flesh and the devil that we do not recognize Heaven's omens when they hit us squarely in the face. We are a society of instant gratification which explains why we are only taking a "moment" to pray and "one day" to fast and do penance. We can't be bothered to give more to our Creator. After all, He'll understand. We're busy; more important things to deal with such as preparing for war, buying duct tape, keeping up with the Jones, and saving for that larger HTV 4' flatscreen so we can get the feeling of "being there."

    So God will bless all of this if we all take one minute out of an entire year. Oh, how our assumptions have become so warped and shallow! Consider the percentages. One minute out of 1,440 minutes a day; one minute out of 525,600 minutes a year! Sixty seconds out of 86,400 seconds a day; sixty seconds out of 31,536,000 seconds a year! Oh how we love the Almighty to so generously give him our precious time!

    The time is more symbolic than sincere; more numeric than virtuous. Thank God it's the thought that counts or Heaven would be mighty vacant. We have been reminded that Monday it will be 03-03-03 and some are calling for that day to be a day of prayer and fasting. However that would conflict with the bawdy and, what has become, sinful celebration of anything-goes-time, namely Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday has grown out of control, bulging into a full week of ribaldry that has given credence to the pagan ways the prophet Isaiah referenced in Isaiah 22: 13, in lamenting the devastation of Juda, "Let us eat, and drink; for tomorrow we shall die."

    Yet, many realize that getting the world to pray for a full day might be too much, therefore they narrowed it down to praying for only one minute at three minutes after three in the afternoon. That, they claim, makes it 03-03-03-03-03. Nice, but three things are wrong with this. First of all, as I mentioned above one minute can hardly make up for centuries of neglect and willful disobedience to God's Laws, unless, of course, it is in the confessional with a sincere, contrite heart. Secondly, one of the reasons given for stopping at this time to pray is that it would be their last chance to do so until 3003. God help those who forget eternity has no boundaries. Thirdly, in actuality to pray at 3:03 would be a.m. for the afternoon is 15:03. But that is minor. What is major is what everyone does after spending a minute in prayer. Most will return to whatever they were doing, feeling they have done "their duty" and remain mindless of Christ's charge in John 8: 11, "Go, and now sin no more."

    One reason for this ignorance, this lukewarmness, this obliviousness to the evident is how they have been instructed. The vast majority have no clue what the Scriptures say or what constitutes true Catholic doctrine. They have forgotten the absolutes and the safeguards that assured souls the protection of Sanctifying Grace. Three generations have trusted in the shepherds to guide them and these men, who should be successors of the Apostles, promote what the original twelve warned against, even condemned. Yet today's "shepherds" - most of whom are wolves in shepherds' clothing - have no clue why everything is imploding around them. They are all in a state of denial while passionately, desperately and illogically defending the course begun 40 years ago.

    And the denial stems not just from every diocese where the bishops have circled the wagons, trying to stave off the arrows of evidence that protrude from their ivory towers of negligence and deceit. No, it also comes from the very top. Proof of this is taken from the February issue this year of The Angelus in which the author attested:

    "Vittorio Messori met with me recently. He is the author who interviewed the Holy Father to write Crossing the Threshold of Hope. He's also the author of The Ratzinger Report. He told us he tried to elicit from the Pope an admission that, yes, there was something wrong in all this process from the Council and its reforms. But he told us that he was not able to get such an admission from the Holy Father. The Pope struck his fist on the table and said, "No, everything is fine.""

    Everything is so "fine" that John Paul II has called for a worldwide day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, March 5 this year. Vaticancrats and bishops have made this a big thing, something that will surely cause God to bless all the efforts of the postconciliar path. Not! First of all, what they have not added is that the Wednesday in question is a mandatory day of fasting and abstinence anyway. It's Ash Wednesday! Duhh! In fact, the postconciliar church has taken away the 51 days of fasting and abstinence and 12 Ember days which had been practiced for centuries. How has the modern church responded to the evil that permeates today's world? By reducing the penitent time of fasting and abstinence to only two days: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

    This cannot appease the Heavenly Father from exacting His Justice. Too many presume on His Mercy by tempting the fates. Have these learned hierarchs learned nothing in their Theology and Scriptural classes? Have they forgotten how God demands reparation? In Second Esdras, the Haydock Commentary for the Douay-Rheims points out that "True repentance requires the works of mortification, and particularly the removal of all occasions of sin and disorderly pleasures." Here Father George Leo Haydock is referring to Chapter 9, verse 1 and 2 where the "children of Israel" came together with fasting, and with sack-cloth, and earth upon them." This was not a one-day event where news cameras looking for the "Lenten angle" will catch each diocesan bishop in a show of mortification while the red light is on, but rather a concerted effort by sincere and penitent hearts who truly wanted to do right by God. If only the modern bishops of Newchurch had an ounce of sincerity and integrity in their bones, I daresay millions of souls would have been saved!!! Indeed, had they any integrity they would have exposed the postconciliar church soon after Vatican II and returned, nay fled back to the tried and true traditions.

    The holy Esther, urged on by Mardochai, petitioned the king on behalf of her people by a show of sincerity in first petitioning the Lord God with "fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed." Biblical giants like Job, David, Jeremias, Daniel and Jonah, to name but a few, saw the vital need to first make amends not only for their own sins, but for the sins of others. Who can forget Abraham's plea to the Lord to preserve a sinful city if ten just men could be found? Who also recalls that they could not be located anywhere? Who has not read the Lamentations of Jeremias and not equated present times? Who can doubt that the same fate, which befell Sodom and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon, and the time of Moab, will not visit our shores. Consider Chapter 48: 29 of the Book of Esther, "We have heard the pride of Moab; he is exceedingly proud; his haughtiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the loftiness of his heart." Are not all the major principals of the pending war in this same mold? Look at the pride of men like Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac, and the rest.

    Then consider the men whom we should be able to trust like John Paul II, the cardinals, the archbishops and bishops, even many priests. They continue to stand in denial, not admitting their errors though Heaven cries out at their futility of continuing on the fruitless primrose path forged by Vatican II. Just this past week deposed and disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law was subjected to intense depositions in order to glean if he should stand on criminal charges. One of the men who was part of that mess, Bishop John McCormack is resisting calls for him to step down. The pressure will continue and hopefully the same fate that befell Law, Archbishop Rembert Weakland better known as the "hypocrite of hypocrites," and so many others who have fallen by the wayside because they abandoned their vows. Then there was the "about-time-expose" of the Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown Bishop Joseph Adamec whose obstinate pride and outward disgust for anything traditional has plunged that diocese into scandal, This scandal was evident for years, yet only now is coming to the surface. The longer these bishops continue to cover-up, the greater will be their chagrin when the truth finally comes out. As we have said constantly for over a year, the scandals in Boston were just the tip of the iceberg. I encourage you to read Dr. Frank Joseph's column If These Men are Actual Shepherds, Pity the Poor Sheep! so you can see further undermining that is going on.

    For years there have been complaints from Stephen F. Brady of Roman Catholic Faithful, one of the most faithful of watchdogs in preserving the Faith. His letters to the various bishops and authorities have been backed by documentation of the moral wrong done or continuing. Yet, the bishops have virtually ignored him like nothing more than a gnat. As they do, their problems within each diocese mushroom out of control. Nevertheless, when Brady contacted Bishop Andrew Pataki, the head of the Byzantine Eparchy in the eastern United States, Pataki immediately removed the offensive, scandalous sodomite priest Francis Gera pastor of Holy Dormition Byzantine Church in Ormond Beach, Florida. He was traced to obscene porn where he posed as "Big Poppa." Such filth must be removed immediately if not sooner. Yet, those Vatican II bishops are so slow to act while the Byzantine shepherd cares about his sheep. Why? Could it be because the Vatican II bishops have much to hide themselves? I truly believe the domino effect will intensify, accelerating from the west coast to the east coast where, virtually, no diocese will be immune. They need to be purged. There is no other course, for the only destination for bad trees is the fiery furnace. Christ assured this in Matthew 7: 13-20.

    Our Lord also asked if men gather grapes of thorns, or figs off thistles? The answer is obvious, yet the hierarchy of the postconciliar church think otherwise, trying to squeeze the grapes from the thorns of ecumenism, trying to pluck figs from the thistles of novelty, innovation and secularism. Why? Because they have truly forgotten all that preceded 1960. Over nineteen hundred years of truth and tradition are ignored in favor of the New advent of Vatican II. If you don't believe me, read any document from the Vaticantwoarians whether these chronicles and statements are released by Rome or by a diocese, all references are made to only documents or proclamations since 1960. Very few reference anything prior, other than the Scriptures. For those growing up Catholic in these times, I daresay they have no clue what it means to be Roman Catholic. They have no idea there ever was the Roman Catechism formulated by the holy Council of Trent from which evolved the more condensed, simpler teaching tool of the Baltimore Catechism.

    Our Lord Himself has already warned us in Matthew 11: 21 and Luke 10: 13, "Wo to thee, Corozain, wo to thee Bethsaida; for if in Tyre and Sidon the mighty works had been done that have been done in you, they would long ago have done penance in sack-cloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you." If that isn't enough to send every Catholic scrambling for the confessional, the old Catechism, lives of the saints and totally amend their lives by virtuous living prefaced by fasting and sacrifice, then perhaps Christ's words that follow in verse 23-24 might be enough to shake the slumber: "And thou, Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted up to Heaven? thou shalt go down even unto hell. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom that have been done in thee, perhaps it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee."

    Fr. Haydock comments on these verses: "These four verses shew us how dangerous it is to resist the divine graces, and not to make good use of those favourable opportunities which the divine Providence hath placed us in, of working our salvation and of improving ourselves in virtue and sanctity."

    Interesting. Nothing here about "world peace for the sake of humanity" but the necessity to improve ourselves in "virtue and sanctity." That is something that you rarely hear from modern Rome and hardly ever from the pulpits (Traditional pulpits excluded, of course). Pope Saint Gregory the Great exclaimed that God would acknowledge man's efforts if he made reparation for the sins of one whole year by one short fast, lasting only one tenth of the year - Lent. However the postconciliar church has seen fit to reduce that from 40 to only two days total; and one - Ash Wednesday - they have to remind Catholics about, and even then there's still grumbling.

    Jesus chastised the Jews for their incredulity, their hardened hearts. But modern Rome exonerates the Jews, tolerating their heresy and compromising Holy Mother Church's immutable position of salvation. To state that the Jews can be saved outside of Christ is to put to a lie to Our Lord's definitive, uncompromising words in Mark 16: 16, "He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be condemned." Our Lord left no room for compromise. In His words just before that, "Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He didn't say that applied to only the Gentiles, but to "every creature".

    Are we then to believe the Word of God or the false prophets of modern Rome? If you have to think twice, you're really dumbed down. Fr. Haydock emphasizes that Christ's words "more tolerable" in Jesus words of Matthew 11: 24, mean "For as the fault of him who never had the truth announced to him, was less than of him who rejected it when offered, so also his punishment would be less." Consider then that the Jews were not ignorant of Christ's truth. Saints Stephen, Paul, Timothy, Titus and so many others could attest to that. Christ Himself had indicated very clearly that because of their rejection of Him He had formed a New Covenant. Now we are to deny this pact? To those who have subscribed to the "go-with-the-flow-of-the-world" mentality of Vatican II, a pact, a contract, a promise or an oath evidently mean little. After all, the Vatican II popes promptly broke their Pontifical Oath from the first sentence to the last they are in severe violation. This short Pontifical Oath could not be more simple, more precise:

      "I vow to change nothing of the received Tradition, and nothing thereof I have found before me guarded by my God-pleasing predecessors, to encroach upon, to alter, or to permit any innovation therein;

       "To the contrary: with glowing affection as her truly faithful student and successor, to safeguard reverently the passed-on good, with my whole strength and utmost effort;

       "To cleanse all that is in contradiction to the canonical order, should such appear; to guard the Holy Canons and Decrees of our Popes as if they were the divine ordinance of Heaven, because I am conscious of Thee, whose place I take through the Grace of God, Whose Vicarship I possess with Thy support, being subject to severest accounting before Thy Divine Tribunal over all that I shall confess;

       "I swear to God Almighty and the Savior Jesus Christ that I will keep whatever has been revealed through Christ and His Successors and whatever the first councils and my predecessors have defined and declared.

       "I will keep without sacrifice to itself the discipline and the rite of the Church. I will put outside the Church whoever dares to go against this oath, may it be somebody else or I.

       "If I should undertake to act in anything of contrary sense, or should permit that it will be executed, Thou willst not be merciful to me on the dreadful Day of Divine Justice.

       "Accordingly, without exclusion, We subject to severest excommunication anyone -- be it Ourselves or be it another -- who would dare to undertake anything new in contradiction to this constituted evangelic Tradition and the purity of the orthodox Faith and the Christian religion, or would seek to change anything by his opposing efforts, or would agree with those who undertake such a blasphemous venture."

    What could be clearer than that? Now, anyone, anyone out there. I dare you, nay challenge you to tell me with a straight face that John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II have not jeopardized themselves and countless souls and, possibly, gravely incurred the wrath of God for their disobedience to their holy oath. The facts and 'fruits' speak for themselves. Because of that, many believe, this editor included, that God has withdrawn His graces from the Church, allowed her to be cast adrift in a sea of restless turmoil at the mercy of the demons of the deep. Only when the Barque of Peter straightens its rudder and turns the sails back toward the winds of tradition will she be able to set her course on the Two Pillars of the True Holy Eucharist and Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary's Immaculate Heart.

    Therefore, that should be our constant prayer. When we pray for the "intentions of the Pope" we do not pray for his personal intentions (thank God) but that he will preserve the Faith as the Oath above had guaranteed for over 13 centuries.

    With Lent upon us it will do little, if any, good to set one day aside for prayer and fasting if we do not carry off that resolve throughout the remaining 46 days of Lent and Passiontide and beyond. If we do not continue to amend our lives then we have not charity as Paul says in the Epistle for Quinquagesima Sunday. This First Letter to the Corinthians is so often manipulated by Vaticantwoarians to indicate tolerance, whereas, in truth, true charity is to want our brothers and sisters to gain eternal salvation and to enjoy the journey together by striving in "virtue and sanctity." However, just as this epistle is misinterpreted, so also practically everything since Pope Pius XII passed away has been directed toward humanitarianism. It plays great with the public but not with God. If we desire it to be acceptable to the Holy Trinity it will only if we return to proclaiming all that has been true for over 1950 years. If it were true then, then it is still true today. If it is wrong now, then it was wrong then and that would mean Christ deceived us, Our Blessed Mother deceived us. That we know is not true. As our daily Act of Faith professes,

    "Oh my God I firmly believe that Thou art One God in Three Divine Persons - Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I believe that Thy Divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because THOU HAST REVEALED THEM WHO CANST NEITHER DECEIVED NOR BE DECEIVED."
Christ cannot deceive but the Vatican II Popes can and have! They have hijacked our beloved Church and only within the small remnant who still assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Tridentine Latin Mass is the Faith still alive.

    While so many cry out for God to save us from our own folly of engaging war, and rightfully praying for those combatants to know God and put down the sword of hate and pick up the Sword of Truth as in the Word of God which Paul encourages all to do in Ephesians 6: 11-18:

    "Put you on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the snares of the devil. For our wrestling wit is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness; against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Wherefore take unto you the armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the spirit, (which is the word of God). By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints. And for me, that speech may be given me, that I may open my mouth with confidence, to make known the mystery of the gospel; for which I am an ambassador in a chain, so that therein I may be bold to speak according as I ought."

    And so our prayer is that more will speak out according as they ought in expressing and spreading the Truths and Traditions of Holy Mother Church in the context of all that was taught for over nineteen and a half centuries. The enemy has stolen in, infiltrating our ranks, weakening our flanks. The only way to root out the real enemy is not by waging war on Iraq, but against the powers and principalities that make Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden child's play in the real war we are engaged in. If there is war it will not be a quick war like the Gulf War of '91. No, this will be far different, far more casualties. There are some who fear, like Vietnam, we will enter with the force of a tsunami and exit with the effectiveness of a mere trickle. The fact remains that what John Paul II has called for to bring peace and harmony in the world is merely a quick fix remedy that really won't remedy anything at all, only confuse Catholics and non-Catholics further. We need a pope with the courage of Daniel or Jonah. We need a pope who is not afraid to ask for heroic virtue the political correctness crowd be damned. We need a pope who will call the faithful to penance and sacrifice, put on the sack-cloth and ashes of mortification and repentance not for one day, but for at least one year if we want to appease the Father's righteous anger.

    Jonah spent three days inside the whale; John Paul II has spent 25 years in the belly of the appeasement of man. It is time for him to emerge from the darkness, to go forth and conquer in the name of uncompromising truth! He has so very little time left to redeem himself and turn the Barque of Peter back in the right direction. One day of Prayer and Penance once or twice a year will not cut it! We're not only insulting God, we're betraying ourselves! We better get used to the fact that to cure the ails that have assailed us and which we have allowed to manipulate us, there is no quick fix!

Michael Cain, editor

      MARCH 2003
      Time of Quadragesima
      vol 14, no. 5
      CATHOLIC PewPOINT commentary