“If you ever fear that your will should fall before the lower appetite, or other enemies that attempt to overcome it; if you perceive that your courage and determination are failing, hold your ground — do not retreat from the field. You must regard the victory as your own as long as you are not completely overcome. But, if at times temptations press you so hard that your will, almost overpowered, seems to lack sufficient strength to resist any longer, do not be disheartened, or throw down your arms. Defend yourself and cry out: “I shall never surrender to you! I shall not submit to you!” Act like a person who, struggling with a stubborn enemy and being unable to pierce him with the point, attacks him with the hilt of the sword….withdraw frequently into yourself. Recall your insignificance, your inability to accomplish anything. You will then place great confidence in the almighty power of God, so that you will be able, through His grace, to attack and conquer the passions that oppose you. Here you must implore: “My Lord, My God! Jesus! Mary! Do not abandon your soldier! Do not permit me to be conquered by this temptation!””
From a very good book that I haven’t picked up in twenty years:
Someone on Twitter suggested, for one’s daily Rosary, to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries and their fruits every day of Lent. I had never heard this before. Folks, let me just say, WOW, shockingly good results. Please try it.
Agony in the Garden, fruit of the mystery: Sorrow for sin
Scourging at the Pillar, fruit of the mystery: Purity
Crowing with Thorns, fruit of the mystery: Moral Courage
Carrying of the Cross, fruit of the mystery: Patience (first with yourself, then others)
The Crucifixion, fruit of the mystery: Self-denial
If you identify at all with Carmelite spirituality (OCD flavor… St. Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Little Flower) then I highly recommend Divine Intimacy from Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD. It’s a daily manual that follows the liturgical actions of each day of the year. If you are a Trad daily Mass goer, it fits like a glove. I’ve been doing it since Advent, not always great about it, but I like it a lot. Make sure you get a 1963 edition, that follows the 1962 calendar.
Ever wonder why all the same people always wind up on the wrong side of everything? -NVP
Continued Mass Psychosis Formation
by Father David Nix
One can have truth without love, but one can not have love without truth. Also, even though not all mental illness is directly due to sin, all sin eventually leads to mental illness. Such mental illness now seems to include a large part of North America’s population actually desiring nuclear war. This was something absent even in the Cold War of the 20th century. The below graph reveals that if mostpeople live in mortal sin, then most people will have insane desires:
NB I’m not saying that taking the C19 vaccine was necessarily a mortal sin. But I am saying that living in spiritual blindness for years has now led to obvious manifestations of medical blindness and political blindness.
(pssst… we’re the baddies) … Pray your Rosary. Stay close to the Sacraments.
March 21 (Reuters) – Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday it had summoned U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan to tell him that President Joe Biden’s calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” had pushed bilateral ties to the brink of collapse.
Biden said last week that Putin was a “war criminal” for sending tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine and targeting civilians. read more
“Such statements from the American president, unworthy of a statesman of such high rank, put Russian-American relations on the verge of rupture,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Kremlin earlier described the comments as “personal insults” against Putin. read more
The ministry also told Sullivan that hostile actions against Russia would receive a “decisive and firm response.”
State Department spokesman Ned Price confirmed that Sullivan met with Russian officials. But he declined to say whether the U.S. envoy told them that the United States stands behind the accusation Biden levelled at Putin.
That’s not going to cut it, no matter who is doing the consecration. In fact, I would be willing to bet this turns out to be the “consecration” of the brotherhood of man. Freemasonry. Any takers?
VATICAN—Today, at the Sunday Angelus, @Pontifex invited all the Faithful of the world to join in prayer of Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
An antipope has no authority over the Petrine Office whatsoever. The thing will not be done, unless there is some miraculous intervention/participation by Pope Benedict, who is still busy imparting his Apostolic Blessing. But beyond simply not being done, isn’t it more likely that something demonic might take place, given that Bergoglio has demonstrated time and again his hatred of the Blessed Virgin? His hatred of the Rosary? His blasphemy, idolatry, Marxism, Freemasonry? His exhortation on the ultimate end of Man being perfect human fraternity?
It was obvious Hunter’s laptop and photos and emails and Ukraine connections were real. Weeks before the fraud election. The shop owner made a copy for himself, so there could be no scuttling of the evidence. This was known in real time. Other than the Post, the media just would not report it, at all. Actually that’s not true – they DID report it – as Russian disinformation, turning poor Sleepy Joe into a victim. The very same media that now wants war with Russia, yay Ukraine, okay? -NVP
By Post Editorial Board March 18, 2022 8:35pm
They are the supposed nonpartisan group of top spies looking out for the best interest of the nation.
But the 51 former “intelligence” officials who cast doubt on The Post’s Hunter Biden laptop stories in a public letter really were just desperate to get Joe Biden elected president. And more than a year later, even after their Deep State sabotage has been shown again and again to be a lie, they refuse to own up to how they undermined an election.
The officials, including CNN pundit and professional fabricator James Clapper — a man who was nearly charged for perjury for lying to Congress — signed a letter saying that the laptop “has the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
What proof did they have? By their own admission, none. “We do not know if the emails . . . are genuine or not,” the letter said. They’re just “suspicious.” Why? Because they hurt Biden’s campaign, that’s evidence enough.
Keep in mind this was written Oct. 19, 2020, five days after The Post published its first story. Neither Joe Biden nor Hunter Biden had denied the story, they simply deflected questions. Didn’t these security experts think that if this was disinformation, the Biden campaign would have yelled to the heavens that the story was false?
Meanwhile, though the letter was advertised as being signed by people who worked “for presidents of both political parties,” a majority of the officials were Democrats.
Politico picked up the letter and ran the false headline “Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say.” That headline is still online today, even though the letter clearly says they don’t know if it’s Russian disinformation.
That headline was tweeted out by legions of Democrats, including current White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, as proof that it was all a con. That tweet also is still up despite being proven false.
Thus pure speculation by a group of biased officials became gospel among the media. This was “fake news,” and could be safely ignored.
Keep in mind that Twitter already had banned The New York Post a few days before. The rationale was that this was “hacked materials,” even though it wasn’t — and Twitter had no evidence to think it was. A Facebook official, meanwhile, said it wasn’t going to allow the sharing of The Post’s story until it was “fact checked” by a third party — a check that never happened.
Thus, Big Tech, former government officials, and the media conspired together to bury a story.
No, not just bury — create a false narrative that flipped the script to make Joe Biden the victim of a conspiracy.
In short, they peddled online disinformation to sway an election.
No one actually proved The Post’s reporting was wrong. Media outlets showed up at the doorstep of the computer repairman who had gotten the laptop, and he confirmed it. People who exchanged e-mails with Hunter Biden attested to their accuracy in the days and weeks that followed.
Only after the election was safely over did Hunter tacitly admit the laptop was his. Last year, a Politico reporter confirmed that the laptop’s materials were real. And now, the coup de grace: The Times said it’s “authenticated” material from the laptop.
There have been no consequences. Twitter and Facebook still censor information based on political bias, and Congress takes no action. Many of the letter signers continue to be used as “experts” by the media. Clapper, for instance, spent years on CNN calling Donald Trump a “Russian asset,” a lie invented and fed by political operatives of Hillary Clinton. He’s still there. Guess accuracy is not a condition of employment.
The Post’s Hunter Biden story was long verified before the New York Times “authenticated” the scoop.
Do the officials who tried to flip the 2020 election feel any regret for their actions? The Post reached out to those who signed the letter. Most would not answer the question. A few doubled-down, including Clapper. No remorse. No shame. And no apologies:
Mike Hayden, former CIA director, now analyst for CNN: Didn’t respond.
Jim Clapper, former director of national intelligence, now CNN pundit: “Yes, I stand by the statement made AT THE TIME, and would call attention to its 5th paragraph. I think sounding such a cautionary note AT THE TIME was appropriate.”
Leon Panetta, former CIA director and defense secretary, now runs a public policy institute at California State University: Declined comment.
John Brennan, former CIA director, now analyst for NBC and MSNBC: Didn’t respond.
Thomas Fingar, former National Intelligence Council chair, now teaches at Stanford University: Didn’t respond.
Rick Ledgett, former National Security Agency deputy director, now a director at M&T Bank: Didn’t respond.
John McLaughlin, former CIA acting director, now teaches at Johns Hopkins University: Didn’t respond.
Former CIA director John Brennan has not commented on The Post’s Hunter Biden story.
Michael Morell, former CIA acting director, now at George Mason University: Didn’t respond.
Mike Vickers, former defense undersecretary for intelligence, now on board of BAE Systems: Didn’t respond.
Doug Wise, former Defense Intelligence Agency deputy director, teaches at University of New Mexico: Didn’t respond.
Nick Rasmussen, former National Counterterrorism Center director, now executive director, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism: Didn’t respond.
Hunter Biden has reaped millions from Russian and Chinese business, all while Joe Biden was Vice President.
Russ Travers, former National Counterterrorism Center acting director: “The letter explicitly stated that we didn’t know if the emails were genuine, but that we were concerned about Russian disinformation efforts. I spent 25 years as a Soviet/Russian analyst. Given the context of what the Russians were doing at the time (and continue to do — Ukraine being just the latest example), I considered the cautionary warning to be prudent.”
Andy Liepman, former National Counterterrorism Center deputy director: “As far as I know I do [stand by the statement] but I’m kind of busy right now.”
John Moseman, former CIA chief of staff: Didn’t respond.
Larry Pfeiffer, former CIA chief of staff, now senior advisor to The Chertoff Group: Didn’t respond.
Jeremy Bash, former CIA chief of staff, now analyst for NBC and MSNBC: Didn’t respond.
Rodney Snyder, former CIA chief of staff: Didn’t respond.
Glenn Gerstell, former National Security Agency general counsel: Didn’t respond.
David Priess, former CIA analyst and manager: “Thank you for reaching out. I have no further comment at this time.”
Pam Purcilly, former CIA deputy director of analysis: Didn’t respond.
Marc Polymeropoulos, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta declined to discuss the revelations of The Post’s Hunter Biden story.
Chris Savos, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
John Tullius, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
David A. Vanell, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Kristin Wood, former CIA senior intelligence officer, now non-resident fellow, Harvard: Didn’t respond.
David Buckley, former CIA inspector general: Didn’t respond.
Nada Bakos, former CIA analyst and targeting officer, now senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute: Didn’t respond.
Patty Brandmaier, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
James B. Bruce, former CIA senior intelligence office: Didn’t respond.
David Cariens, former CIA intelligence analyst: Didn’t respond.
Janice Cariens, former CIA operational support officer: Didn’t respond.
Paul Kolbe, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Peter Corsell, former CIA analyst: Didn’t respond.
Brett Davis, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Roger Zane George, former national intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Steven L. Hall, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Kent Harrington, former national intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Don Hepburn, former national security executive, now president of Boanerges Solutions LLC: “My position has not changed any. I believe the Russians made a huge effort to alter the course of the election . . . The Russians are masters of blending truth and fiction and making something feel incredibly real when it’s not. Nothing I have seen really changes my opinion. I can’t tell you what part is real and what part is fake, but the thesis still stands for me, that it was a media influence hit job.”
Timothy D. Kilbourn, former dean of CIA’s Kent School of Intelligence Analysis: Didn’t respond.
Ron Marks, former CIA officer: Didn’t respond.
Jonna Hiestand Mendez, former CIA technical operations officer, now on board of the International Spy Museum: “I don’t have any comment. I would need a little more information.”
Emile Nakhleh, former director of CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program, now at University of New Mexico: “I have not seen any information since then that would alter the decision behind signing the letter. That’s all I can go into. The whole issue was highly politicized and I don’t want to deal with that. I still stand by that letter.”
Gerald A. O’Shea, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Nick Shapiro, former CIA deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to the director: Didn’t respond.
John Sipher, former CIA senior operations officer: Declined to comment.
Stephen Slick, former National Security Council senior director for intelligence programs: Didn’t respond.
Cynthia Strand, former CIA deputy assistant director for global issues: Didn’t respond.
Greg Tarbell, former CIA deputy executive director: Didn’t respond.
David Terry, former National Intelligence Collection Board chairman: Couldn’t be reached.
Greg Treverton, former National Intelligence Council chair, now senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies: “I’ll pass. I haven’t followed the case recently.”
Do you know St. Joseph? It’s a really good idea to befriend him, stay close to him. You will be very glad you did, because he is very generous. Let us pray, for ourselves, for our intentions, for the Church and impending circumstances. Happy feast!
Litany of St. Joseph
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us
St. Joseph, pray for us Noble son of David, Light of the Patriarchs, Spouse of the Mother of God, Chaste Guardian of the Virgin, Foster-father of the Son of God, Sedulous Defender of Christ, Head of the Holy Family, Joseph most just, Joseph most chaste, Joseph most prudent, Joseph most valiant, Joseph most obedient, Joseph most faithful, Mirror of patience, Lover of poverty, Model of all who labor, Glory of family life, Protector of virgins, Pillar of families, Consolation of the afflicted, Hope of the sick, Patron of the dying, Terror of the demons, Protector of Holy Church,
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. He made him the lord of his household. R. And prince over all his possessions.
Let us pray. God, Who, in Thine ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in Heaven whom, on earth, we venerate as our protector. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus by Guido Reni, c. 1635
The fact that the war on reality is now firmly centered on the center of creation, “male and female He created them,” is no coincidence. Those at war with God find this to be glorious. Some want to play God, others want to prove He doesn’t exist. But mostly, they want cover for their own depravity. It always come back to that.
Atlanta, Ga. — Lia Thomas was awarded an NCAA championship in the 500-yard freestyle swim on Tuesday after dominating the female athletes in the league. The cheers and applause within the McAuley Aquatic Center were — as in the Tuesday morning prelims — noticeably louder for the second- and third-place finishers.
As Thomas got out of the pool and gave remarks, many onlookers were neither clapping nor smiling. One women’s-rights protester shouted “shame on the NCAA” and “he’s a man!”
“He’s a man!” yells a women’s rights protestor as Lis Thomas gives remarks after finishing first in the women’s 500 freestyle finals. #NCAASwimDivepic.twitter.com/6Ct1iX4FnK
