“The Gray is Shrinking” – My Pro-Life Retreat Reflections
The Gray is Shrinking
Gray area is defined as an area or situation in which it is difficult to judge what is right and what is wrong. Throughout our country’s and our Church’s history, there have been a multitude of policies that were, for the most part, debatable. In our Church, we grapple with how best to teach; how best to evangelize; how best to minister to the poor, etc. In our country, we grapple with such things as the level of taxation; the value of unions; how best to handle immigration, etc. Different people have different opinions, so folks are free to get behind policies they like, or support contrary policies. Voting, in our country, is a way to give support or not to candidates and their policies. These are gray areas that are up to the voters’ discretion.
While the legalization of murdering children has been with us since 1973, most priests and bishops have remained silent in taking a stand, believing the “gray area” was wide, and debate over the pros and cons of policies and candidates was still on the table. However, there are many, like me, who cannot help being alarmed by a far more aggressive satanic attack on America, the Church and our world, in recent years.
Why is Satan so aggressive now? The Latin phrase, motus in fine velocior, is commonly used to indicate the faster passing of the time at the end of an historical period. I’ve heard it said that it means, “Things accelerate toward the end.” I believe we are living through an historical hour which is not necessarily the end of times, but certainly could be marked as the end of an era. I wrote about the potential significance of the 100 years since Fatima, which could be the “100 years of Satan.” That 100 years concluded in the year, 2017. Satan knew his time was short, so he got very busy.
In the United States, according to those who work in exorcism ministry, there is an alarming increase in demonic activity (see HERE). In the culture, we are seeing an overreach of evil never witnessed before. It is important to understand Satan’s names: “diabolos” means “he who places division or separation,” and “daio,” the root of “demon,” means “to divide.” We have all seen how these outrageous demonic activities have caused great division in our families and communities.
As Satan seductively coaxes more and more people away from the designs of God, these separated people look back, pointing an accusatory finger at those who simply remained at the foot of the cross with the Lord, saying, “You are the cause of division because you chose not to join the rebellion!!” … “Join us at this *new and modern* and *progressive* separated place, and we will find unity again!!” Of course, strong and devout Catholics simply cannot join the ranks of the separated, and so division continues to increase … as the gray is shrinking.
Just look how emboldened and brazen Satan had been in the final five years of his reign, and see how a restoration of confidence in the supernatural power of God erupted in the same period …
2012
Barack Obama wins a second term as President. Second term Presidents, generally, serve their last term with a “nothing to lose” attitude. President Obama would go on to do just that, in an unprecidented way.
June 28, 2012: The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACT).
August 2012: The White House confirms the ACT’s “contraceptive mandate.” After the intrusions on religious freedom began to become evident in Obamacare, Hobby Lobby stood its ground and dropped its coverage which allowed the abortafacient drugs, Plan-B and Ella. This lawsuit would go all the way to the Supreme Court.
Fortnight for Freedom: As the lawsuit garnered national attention, and other threats to religious liberty became more real, the USCCB called for a “Fortnight for Freedom” in 2012, June 26-July 4. But, we here in Madison, WI actually took it a step further and decided to gather every Thursday night that Summer and pray 15 decades of the rosary on the steps of our State Capitol. We averaged 200 people every Thursday night for these “Capitol Rosary Rallies” (these continued for the next two Summers).
On June 9, 2012, my book was published, “Church Militant Field Manual: Special Forces Training in the Life of Christ.” I discerned it was high-time to start training all of us in the art of spiritual warfare.
This was the year we moved, dauntless, into every effort to “purify the Novus Ordo” beginning with offering all Masses ad orientem. This was met with some resistance, and some elderly parishioners moved to other parishes, but it began an enormous influx of young devout families open to life into the parish. Young Catholics are searching for “strong identity Catholicism.”
We doubled-down on strongly teaching and encouraging the Sacrament of Confession, and the whole idea of living in a “state of grace,” and so this was the year I built a 24/7 Confessional in my rectory foyer.
2013
On February 11, Pope Benedict XVI announces his abdication of the Chair of Peter. Moments after his announcement, a lightning bolt strikes the Vatican.
On March 13, Pope Francis is elected pope. A great advocate for those at the fringes, he is often interpreted, by the secular media in particular, as a great friend of liberals and liberal policies. Catholic liberals who, under the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, were beginning to recede to the margins, are now once again brazen and emboldened. We must not fall into the trap of the media, and we must continue to pray for the Holy Father.
In the culture, Satan appears emboldened and moving unabated, as Hollywood idolizes Satanism in Super Bowl half time shows, award events, etc. Satanism and witchcraft explodes in popularity across the nation, especially among the youth. To date, it is reported that there are now an estimated 1.5 million witches in America.
A reawakening of Marian Consecration erupts like a volcano across the nation. On June 5, 2013, Fr. Michael Gaitley published his book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Hundreds of thousands of people across the nation journeyed together in the 33 day preparation for Marian Consecration.
Romancatholicman.com – my teaching website – was launched. At this critical time, I felt compelled to do the “Kolbe Thing,” and push back on the radical secular Left propaganda with TRUTH.
2014
On October 4, the Bishops Synod on the Family is convened. With the appointment of many liberal bishops, there is great trepidation among many. In the lead up to the synod, Cardinal Burke asks the world to pray the Chaplet of the Holy Face.
This was the year we knew a Supreme Court decision was pending that could redefine marriage for the first time in civilization.
Beyond promoting the Chaplet of the Holy Face, this was also the year we strongly encouraged a restoration of the enrollment in the Brown Scapular as a way to be covered and protected under the mantle of Mary.
2015
On June 26, the Supreme Court redefines marriage for the first time in civilization. The primaries begin for President of the United States, and they were brutal.
Holy League is launched: Inspired by an apostolate we launched in 2007 – the Knights of Divine Mercy – on March 7, we launched the “Holy League“ which called men to gather once a month for an evening of Adoration, Confession, Solemn Vespers, Inspiring Talk, and a Social (to build fraternity). Cardinal Burke happily agreed to be the Spiritual Head of the Holy League, as he stated, “This is exactly what is needed at this time in history.”
On October 4, the final (part two) – very contentious – Bishops Synod on the Family is convened. It was this synod, along with the rise of evil (including rampant Islamic terrorism) throughout the world, that compelled me to launch, through social media, the very first worldwide 54-Day Rosary Novena (over 20,000 participated). I built this into a 54-Day Basic Training in Holiness. The daily reflections are this basic training in holiness. Drawing from the truths found in the Holy Scriptures, the saints, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the first 27 days focus upon the qualities of excellence toward which we are all called to strive. The second 27 days contain excerpts from my book, the “Church Militant Field Manual: Special Forces Training for the Life in Christ.”
On November 23, my two new books that were released: the 54 Day Basic Training in Holiness, along with its companion, the Combat Prayer Book. Both inspired by the original World War II pocket prayer book, My Military Missal. Even down to the size and appearance of the original World War II prayer book.
2016
On April 8, a post-synodal apostolic exhortation is promulgated by Pope Francis: Amoris Laetitia. While it is a rich reflection on the mission of the family, chapter 8 “seems” to open the door for divorced and civilly remarried (living in a state of mortal sin) to receive Holy Communion, without the need to practice continence. Without any clarification from Pope Francis, Bishop Conferences – including Germany and Malta – begin to instruct their priests to allow divorced and civilly remarried (in a state of mortal sin) to receive Holy Communion. On September 19, four Cardinals – Italian Carlo Caffarra, American Raymond Burke and Germans Walter Brandmüller and Joachim Meisner – sent the five questions, called dubia (Latin for “doubts”) to the Holy Father and Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). We love Pope Francis and pray for him, especially to add this clarity that will bring peace and unity in truth to his flock.
On May 13 – exactly one year, to the day, prior to the 100th anniversary of Fatima – President Obama decreed that all American schools must make all bathrooms transgender or face lawsuits and potentially lose federal funding. That’s right, grown men should be allowed to share a bathroom with little girls.
Also, in 2016, we move into the “General Election” for President in, what most say, was the most contentious election in the history of the United States. Much of the left’s corruption and collusion is exposed.
On August 15, Novena for Our Nation is launched. Nearly 40,000 people from around the United States participate in the Novena for Our Nation from August 15 (Feast of the Assumption) – October 7 (Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary).
Answered prayers?
In the first week of our 54 Day Novena for Our Nation, the campaign of the Presidential candidate who would defend life was faltering, and it went in a completely different direction which included, among other things, the dismissal of Paul Manafort, and the hiring Kellyanne Conway. Mrs. Conway was hired on Day One of the Novena for Our Nation.
On October 7 (Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary), we concluded the Novena for Our Nation. That very same day, the Wikileaks were made public.
As the election drew near, many saw the media attacks as severe, and it seemed the polls were not looking in favor of a future Presidential candidate who would defend life. We then all prayed a St. Jude Novena (Oct. 20-28), leading to the Feast of St. Jude, who is the Patron Saint of lost causes. On October 28, on the Feast of St. Jude, F.B.I. director James Comey reopened the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails.
In the final nine days prior to the election, we prayed the “National Novena” with the Knights of Columbus.
To the surprise of almost everyone in the world, the pro-life candidate wins the Presidential election. Imagine the momentum of our country, had Hillary Clinton and the pro-death regime not been stopped!
2017
Hell seems to break loose as protests and riots erupt (many funded) around the world. “All” of the mainstream media disposes of any remaining journalistic integrity, and obsesses, daily, on anything they can find to destroy President Donald Trump, which continue for the President’s entire first four-year term. All of the sources of power – media, Hollywood, TV, universities, public schools, theater – who have relentlessly promoted the false gods of sexual hedonism, infanticide and radical narcissism for decades, are now feeling threatened, maybe for the first time. And so, Satan and his surrogates have had a four-year temper tantrum.
Archbishop Chaput wrote:
“Since Inauguration Day critics of Donald Trump have marched, rioted, verbally abused and in some cases viciously assaulted their opponents on a scale previously unseen … Mr. Trump is now President Trump, and curiously, some of the harshest, on-going fury directed at him has nothing to do with his personal character. Rather, it’s a very special brand of ‘progressive’ intolerance for the approach his administration may take toward a range of difficult social issues, including abortion.”
Within the Church, more division is brought on by a lack of clarity, especially with the troublesome speculation that heresy may be promoted at the highest levels of the Church. The final battle, indeed, is about marriage and family, as revealed to St. Lucia.
Nineveh 90 – the 90 days from February 13 to May 13 (100th Anniversary of Fatima) – is launched. Inspired by the biblical story of Jonah’s warning to the Ninevites, 40,000 (or more) people from around the United States and the world participated in this campaign of prayer and mortification, as they called out to God for redemption for themselves, the Roman Catholic Church and the world.
Beyond Nineveh 90, there is, quite evidently, a spirit of “fight” returning to the Church, that has been missing for many years. For decades, Satan has been allowed to move and grow unabated in our country and in our world. There is a very apparent awakening to our need for God and our need to fight back – Spiritual Warfare!!
Satan’s 100-year reign of “greater strength,” was overtaken once we began to revive our BELIEF in the supernatural power of God!! A religion, once sissified and secularized by a multitude of so-called “progressive” bishops, is now recovering it’s “Soldiers for Christ” spirit!!
This is not unlike the awakening of the Crusades when, after 100s of years of allowing Muslims to overthrow many lands and, now, threatened to overthrow the Holy Land.
Pope Urban II, also facing a soft and weakened Church, launched the First Crusade in 1095 with the primary goal of the Christian re-conquest of the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. So great was the pope’s speech in Clermont, France, on that day that the crowd was inspired to cry out: “Deus Vult! Deus Vult!” (“It is the will of God! It is the will of God!”). This became the battle cry of brave and noble knights who sought to recover that holy ground.
How about you! Are you ready to do battle? Are you ready to engage in Spiritual Warfare?
In the movie, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Aragorn calls his men to throw down the gauntlet against the forces of evil. Let this call be ours:
“My brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of Men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight!” (Excerpt from Church Militant Field Manual).
How Do We Explain 2017 -2020?
If it is true that a renewed belief in the supernatural power of God has led to our “greater strength” than Satan, since 2017, how do we explain the shocking eruption of evil since then? The answer is easy. Satan is mad as Hell about losing ground, and he’s throwing everything but the kitchen sink at us in order to regain his upper hand.
Because of this, Satan is over-reaching and, therefore, more and more people are recognizing the horror of Satan’s evil ways. A case could be made that we are going through a kind of illumination of conscience, or a “conscience correction.” In fact, on January 28 of this year, Fr. Mark Goring put up a Youtube video (see below) in which he prophesied that 2020 would be a year of illumination of conscience for many people. Evil, today, is bold and arrogant and right up in our face. There is little or no gray area any longer. So, we must choose. If we remain in league with evil, well, that is our choice. We are saying, I prefer Satan’s ways over God’s ways.
At sunset, last night (Sept. 18), it was the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets begins what is known as the Ten Days of Awe between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement, wherein the penitent humble themselves in preparation for the great Day of Atonement. I find it more than interesting that at the very minute the Feast of Trumpets began, as trumpets were blowing, breaking news reported the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It’s as though at that precise moment, we were all left to make a Conscience Check”; left to choose our future with who we would want to fill that momentous Supreme Court seat … more of Satan’s ways? Or, do we choose God’s ways?
And, for what it’s worth, I have always been intrigued that Trump/Pence sounds a lot like Trumpets.
And this was posted just now.
