Absolutely HILARIOUS!

Watch the video, "That's Very Nice," about Fr. Nice in the Diocese of Nice and all his Nice parishioners. Michael Voris actually loses it and they have to do several re-takes, all shown in the video.

NYC lavender mafia attempts to smear Michael Voris with sins of his gay past to discredit his Church Militant apostolate

Michael Voris has often said that he was saved from a horrible life of sin through the intercession and sacrifices of his mother. Now, having on good authority that the New York archdiocese is collecting and preparing to quietly filter out details of his past 'gay' life with the aim of publicly discrediting him, his apostolate and work in Detroit, he has decided to 'beat the Devil to the punch' and reveal the details. Good for him! May St. Michael defend him.

All this came to my attention through a FB post entitled "Michael Voris: Beating the Devil to the Punch" (AKA Catholic, April 22, 2016). Scroll to the very bottom for Michael Voris' video statement; or see below:

"The Download - Advice for Seminarians"

This is just a "Trailer." I've seen the original half-hour-long discussion which is interesting and, on the whole, quite helpful, with a some notable insights.

Call for a moratorium on papal interviews, synods, and 'non-magisterial' documents

Well, certainly one can dream.... It would do us a lot of good, I'm sorry to say. Just imagine what a decade (or even a year) of blessed silence would be like!

I do not speak for the majority of Catholics, obviously. I am a lowly convert, an interloper, a pew peasant in the back row just happy to be in my parish church on Sunday. So I speak for myself and perhaps, to a degree, for other converts.

Too many Catholic converts, like myself, have had to learn the hard way that the Church's "official teaching" isn't necessarily to be found in what any given local pastor or bishop may say, or even what this or that pope may say in an interview. Sad to say. Where do you go to find it then? You have to dig for it. It's in the catechisms, at least if you have an accurate catechism (not like, say, the notoriously revisionist Dutch catechism); it's in the conciliar documents (at least where they're relatively clear); it's in papal encyclicals (at least where they're not weighing in on topics about which they have no expertise); it's in the sedimented records of Sacred Tradition.

Converts who have awakened to this fact have had to push back against a fairly recalcitrant sort of post-Vatican II Ultramontanism, which insists on taking every word of the reigning pope as the distilled nectar of authoritative magisterial Church teaching for our day. It's especially hard, for some, to learn that papal infallibility doesn't eliminate the fact that any given pontiff has feet of clay. It's good to remember that it was St. Peter, who betrayed our Lord and on one occasion had to be corrected by St. Paul who resisted him "to his face," that was the first in line (hand-picked by Christ) for that venerable office.

In that vein, Michael Voris' latest Vortex is a great tonic for this sort of ailment, and puts Pope Francis' recent foibles in historical perspective. I highly recommend it. It's called "A Disgrace to the Chair of Peter" (Church Militant, February 23, 2016).

Wow! What happened to Michael Voris as a 19-year-old lad at Notre Dame

Using the movie "Spotlight" as a foil, Mr. Voris launches into an amazing account of what happened to him personally while a student at the University of Notre Dame. It helps bring clarity to a number of things, though it's not easy hearing.

The rest of the story about "Spotlight": "Spotlight Exposed" (The Media Report)

Paris, the dying flowers of Christendom past, and light for the dark ages ahead

Two poignant reflections:

Dying Flowers (CM, November 20, 2015) - excerpts:

The outpourings of emotion and remembrances at the scenes of the Paris terrorist massacres are quite telling — piles of flowers and candles marking the specific spots where people gather to reflect. It all looks and sounds incredibly Catholic. But ... just how Catholic is it? 

It has all the outward signs of Catholicism, after all. But just how authentically Catholic is it? It is a curious thing when a nation which has officially abandoned Catholicism still has an almost instinctual Catholic response. But Catholicism is merely a shadow of its former self in the nation known as the Eldest Daughter of the Church. It's a strange balance between rejection and acceptance. In a kind of scaled-down way, it's kind of like the Catholics who show up only for Christmas and Easter. You wonder: Why are they here? It isn't theological or really even spiritual, beyond the most superficial understanding of the term "spiritual." 

The point to note in Paris, as mourners bring by their dying flowers and soon-to-be burnt-out and blown-out candles, some vestige of truth remains, however obscured and lost on the mourners themselves. It is a curious pity; you feel sorry for people who still respond on some foundational level to a tragedy, still respond out of a long-forgotten sense of Catholic identity. These scenes of Paris mourning are a cause of mourning in and of themselves. 

When you see them in poses resembling prayer, you wonder: What are they praying for; do they even know what to pray for? Do they have and hold a conscious thought that some of the souls of the victims may be in excruciating need of prayer in Purgatory? Are they showing up because of some melodrama playing out in their own individual psyches or personality types, the types drawn to drama or tragedy? They are memorializing an event, using Catholic signs and symbols to do so, yet don't really understand why, and have no lasting purpose to what they are doing because they do not understand.

Forming the Resistance (CM, November 19, 2015) - excerpts:

We are currently reduced to living on the fumes of that former civilization [of Christendom], as the last vestiges of it fade away. So what will replace it? Where will we be in 10 years? How will faithful Catholics live in the new Dark Ages? Thankfully, when we look at this vexing question, we do have precedent.  [That precedent is St. Benedict.]

In his 1981 book After Virtue, which we highlighted in yesterday's Vortex, Alasdair McIntyre, a brilliant man, drew some comparisons between the time of St. Benedict and our own time. He says near the very end 

This time, however, the barbarians are not waiting beyond the frontiers; they have already been governing us for some time. And it is our lack of consciousness of this that constitutes part of our predicament. We are waiting for another — doubtless very different — St. Benedict.

 Since McIntyre penned those closing words more than 30 years ago, much has changed in the world, although it would be difficult to view it as surprising given the trajectory of the past 50-plus years. But McIntyre nails it when he refers to need for another St. Benedict. What St. Benedict foresaw was the need for Catholic communities to preserve the Faith from the evil the world was sinking deeper into it. So he withdrew, but he did not retire.  

[Hat tip to Sir A.S.]

Fr. Blake on "Michael Voris the American Polemicist"

Fr. Ray Blake, "Michael Voris the American Polemicist" (Fr. Ray Blake's Blog, October 26, 2015).

Some genuine positives here, including his appreciation of Voris' reporting from Rome; his attempt to disambiguate Voris's critique of Benedict; some very good analysis of behind-the-scenes politics involving the Vatican secretary of state.

But also some dubious bits, beyond the perfunctory knee-jerk "Don't you find Michael Voris 'STB,' the most irritating man?" (That's a grandstanding cheap shot, Father, I'm sorry to say; and particularly sad when the Church has imploded to the point that the cheers and boo's of our "grandstands" are little more than tempests in a tiny teapot.)

Other dubious bits ... SUCH AS the well-intentioned but limping attempt to salvage Cardinal Dolan's role in the Gay Pride Day St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC; the too facile contrast between the "black-and-white" "American" "conservatism" of Voris vis-a-vis Fr. Blake's own "European" "trad" position; or the bald statement that Benedict "believed in the Tradition" (well, of course, it depends on what one means, doesn't it; as when we try to interpret what the emeritus pope meant by declaring Gaudium et spes the "Counter Syllabus"...).

Well, I usually love Fr. Ray's columns. Wish I could say more here; but I've gotta run. God bless.

The long trajectory from the Synodal crisis back to its roots

[Disclaimer: Rules 7-9]

Faithful Catholics are rightly uncomfortable with attacks on any pope, even if popes can make some pretty imprudent if not stupid decisions.

Michael Voris is an example of one who is unwilling to criticize Pope Francis, even though he has no problem criticizing many bishops who appear in one way or other to have betrayed the Faith or to have been negligent in their duties.

In today's "Vortex," Voris's daily 5-10 minute reflection, discussion, or fusillade aimed at trapping and exposing the latest falsehoods and lies about what concerns Holy Mother Church, he appears to have turned a corner. By way of reacting against the pervasive criticism of Pope Francis for mismanaging the Synod, Voris overtly shifts the blame away from Francis and back to Benedict XVI for having appointed so many of the cardinals and bishops who have turned out to be major disappointments and even saboteurs of the Faith in the present crisis. He also blames Benedict for resigning and abandoning the Church amidst the present confusion, effectively leaving a vacuum in theological leadership. Ironically, perhaps, in bending over backwards to avoid attacking Pope Francis, Voris attacks former Pope Benedict.

(And the attack on Benedict, be forewarned, is pointed and unrelenting -- See his "Vortex - Benedict's Fingerprints" [video with transcript] for the details.)

As painful as this attack on Benedict may be, especially for some among the more conservative Catholics and even some traditionalists, Voris is right about one thing: the roots of the present crisis are not to be found in the pontificate of Pope Francis and his two Synods on the Family, any more than these roots are ultimately to be found in Pope John XXIII and Paul VI and their Second Vatican Council, even if the latter was more seminal and decisive influence.

In that respect, Benedict cannot be justly cited as more than a very indirect instrumental cause (like John Paul II) in having made some unfortunate appointments as well as perhaps imprudent decisions during their pontificates. We are not privy to the personal rationales behind these appointments or decisions, or even to the full reasons or causes behind Benedict's resignation, as unfortunate as that has been. The more substantial and distant causes of the present crisis must be traced back through the aftermath of Vatican II, and through the Council itself to anterior causes in modernist movements of thought simmering beneath the surface of pre-conciliar pontificates. The long trajectory back to the ultimate roots of the present crisis lie far back, as a number of good studies on the rise of Modernism and Neo-Modernism attest (see for example, the book by H.J.A. Sire mentioned in my previous post).

For an example of traditionalists who have no hesitation whatsoever about laying the blame for this Synod at the feet of Francis, or for that matter tracing it back through Vatican II to even earlier movements, see this video interview of John Rao by Michael Matt, in what they self-identify as a prolonged "rant," with the over-the-top title of "Synod Send Off: It's the End of the Church as We Know It."

(Advisory: it will offend, but watch and learn. There are things you can pick up from these guys, precisely because of their hyper-sensitivity to the merest whiff of historical revisionism, that you won't find from the "Everything-is-Awesome-Because-The-Gates-Of-Hell-Will-Not-Prevail" crowd. The promises of Christ are not in question; but the recent performances by some of the princes of the Church are very much in question. The promises of Christ are no excuse either for blissful ignorance of what is happening today or for willful ignorance of the realities before us. We -- you and I -- are the generation now responsible for transmitting the Faith to our children, to our families, to our friends, and through our parishes so that it will not die. We are responsible, not just our priests and bishops and popes.)

What do you mean, "Failed Papacy"?

Michael Voris concludes that the verdict is still out on whether history will ultimately judge Bergoglio's as a "failed papacy" (and there are doubtless others who will cynically argue that it's been far too successful); but he offers an interesting synopsis of this Synod and its fallout in terms of its ultimate effects on the Church for either good or ill, and how these may reflect on the Holy Father. Whether you agree with this or that point, it's a brief discussion worth hearing. Pray for Pope Francis.

Related: Don Pio Pace, Op-Ed: "The Failed Francis Pontificate - Finding another Path for the Church: may Pope Pacelli help us!" (RC, October 22, 2015).

For the record: "Voris obtains 'clarification' from Bishop Schneider which confirms SSPX not in 'schism'”

[Disclaimer: See Rules 7-9]

"Voris refuted by clarification from Bp. Schneider" (SSPX news & events, August 14, 2015).

Voris vs. Matt on the proper Catholic attitude toward SSPX

Michael Voris, "The Vortex - Rome has not Spoken" (Church Militant, July 15, 2015)

Michael Matt, "News from Remnant TV ... Obsessed with the SSPX: Michael Voris & the CMTV Witch Hunt" (The Remnant, July 16, 2015)

Catholics: What part of this is not true or right?

Michael Voris, "Excommunicate Them All!" (The Vortex, July 1, 2015). He's talking about people like Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Harsh? Maybe. Or perhaps you would prefer a rainbow-colored Care Bear to cuddle with on your way to your ISIS execution or the Last Judgment?

Voris: secular media magisterium controls Vatican's message

Michael Voris, "The Teaching Media" (Church Militant, June 26, 2015):

What seems to be completely missed here by many in the Vatican is that the secular media has taken over the role of teacher — has totally taken it out of the hands of the Church. The situation has changed from Holy Mother Church to Holy Teaching Media. The secular media absolutely controls the message that comes out of the Vatican. The Vatican has simply lost control of the message, the terms of the debate, the entire vocabulary.

Read more >>

Real abortion numbers have NOT declined: pharmaceutical abortions are replacing surgical abortions

Michael Voris interviews John Allen, Edward Pentin, others on various defects in Catholic media coverage

[Advisory & Disclaimer: See Rules 7-9] "On this episode of Mic'd Up, Michael Voris breaks down the players in the UN-Catholic Media: various media outlets that present themselves as Catholic but undermine the Faith.

"Guests include Edward Pentin of the National Catholic Register and John Allen of Boston Globe's Crux, along with CMTV's own Matthew Pearson, Christine Niles, and Peter O'Dwyer."

1. [0.14] Voris' introduction to this episode of Mic'd Up
2. [4.15] Interview with Edward Pentin of the National Catholic Register
3. [10:05] Conversation with Matthew Pearson about anti-Catholic dissenting "Catholic" media outlets
4. [34:33] Discussion with Chistine Niles and Peter O'Dwyer about the "Reactionary Catholic Media"
5. [48:10] Interview with John Allen about secular media coverage of the Catholic Church [very interesting]

In the fourth section, Christine Niles summarizes how CMTV intends to position itself between two extremes it wants to avoid: (1) what she calls the "Church of Nice" Catholics, who provide the wrong diagnosis and the wrong cure for the current crisis, because they think everything is rosy, don't see the crisis, and regard everything coming from this pontificate as perfectly fine, and therefore see nothing to worry about; and (2) "Reactionary" Catholics, who provide the right diagnosis, recognize there are real problems that sometimes go all the way up to the top, but they provide the wrong cure, because their modus operandi is to mock, denigrate, bash and trash the Holy Father in ways that are absolutely unacceptable, and they drive people to independent Catholic communities that may be materially, if not formally, schismatic.

[I'm paraphrasing here, in the foregoing as well as in what follows.]

What, then, is the right diagnosis and right cure? Whatever the problems, says Voris, you can't depart from Peter ... even if Peter is wrong (and he won't be wrong on official teaching because that is protected by the Holy Spirit), and he can be wrong in the way he says something, even the way in which he understands things on the natural level. The doctrine of papal infallibility, stresses Niles, has very narrowly defined parameters. The Holy Father can say things that are vague, confusing, even wrong. But one must never depart from Peter. At one point, Voris refers to renegade bishops and stresses that even if they are notorious dissidents who are on the wrong side of major moral issues, one must respect the authority of their office and remain under their authority so long as they require of you only what is in keeping with Church teaching.

Related responses:

• Louie Verrecchio, "Trandwriter 25: Michael Voris almost gets the SSPX ..."
• John Venari, "CFN Media 4 - Response to yet another Voris Assault"
• John Venari, "CFN Media 5 - Response to Voris Pt 2: 'Reactionaries' and Blunder"
• Michael Matt and Christopher Ferrara, "INFLAMMATORY MEDIA: On Michael Voris & Mrs. Niles" (TheRemnantvideo, Feb.17, 2015)
• "The SSPX responds to false accusations" (District of the USA)

On whether this pope or any pope should ever be criticized: two viewpoints

[Advisory & Disclaimer: See Rules 7-9]

Two viewpoints in an ongoing "debate," the first by Michael Voris who eschews all criticism of the successors of St. Peter, the second by Michael Matt who takes the view that the faithful are sometimes called to "loyal opposition":




For the record, see the related article by the traditionalist, John Vennari, "Resisting Wayward Prelated According to the Saints" (Catholic Family News, April 3, 2014).

Church Militant TV reports from Rome

Related:

• Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith speaks: The Great Division - Müller rips the Synod Report: "Undignified, Shameful, Completely Wrong!" (La Repubblica, via RC, October 14, 2014).
• Robert Royal, "Synod Day 8 – A Bizarre Document and Process" (The Catholic Thing, October 14, 2014), with Fr. Z's commentary.
• Fr. Z, "Did no one know that when the MSM got hold of the ‘Relatio’, people were going to go bananas?" (Fr. Z's Blog, October 14, 2014).