Catholic Prophecy [Why some Catholics anticipate the return of Monarchy]

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[Brian Kopp DPM]

Catholic Prophecy

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT:  Sit down my readers, grab a cup of tea and I'll tell you a story about your future.  Actually it's our future, and the future of our children, and their children.  You'll want to pay close attention, because if you're under the age of fifty, you're likely to see these events transpire within your lifetime.

If you've been watching the news lately, you've probably noticed that it seems like the world is going to hell in a hand basket.  Well, you're a very perceptive person, because it truly is.  You see the bad news is that for the short term, things are only going to get worse, much worse.  Oh sure, we'll probably have some brief respites when things settle down a bit, but they'll be followed by calamities even worse.  I'm talking about the man-made kind actually, not the natural disasters, as we have always had those.  I'm talking about such man-made disasters as economic crisis, civil unrest, wars and famine.  You're probably wondering what went wrong?  Why is the world so screwed up?  What ever happened to the good ol' days?

Well, let me lay this out for you in very simple terms.  The good ol' days ended a long time ago, long before any of us were born, and long before anyone alive today can remember.  Would it surprise you to learn that our time was prophesied centuries ago with alarming accuracy?  Here, let me give you an example...

After the year 1900, toward the middle of the 20th century, the people of that time will become unrecognisable. When the time for the Advent of the Antichrist approaches, peoples minds will grow cloudy from carnal passions, and dishonour and lawlessness will grow stronger. Then the world will become unrecognisable. Peoples appearances will change, and it will be impossible to distinguish men from women due to there shamelessness in dress and style of hair. These people will be cruel and will be like wild animals because of the temptations of the Antichrist. There will be no respect for parents or elders, love will disappear, and Christian pastors, bishops, and priests will become vain men, completely failing to distinguish the right hand way from the left. At that time the morals and traditions of Christians and the Church will change. People will abandon modesty, and dissipation will reign. Falsehood and greed will attain great proportions, and woe to those who pile up treasures. Lust, adultery, homosexuality, secret deeds and murder will rule in society.

-- St. Nilus, 430 AD

I bet that got your attention!  A man writing some 1,600 years ago accurately predicted our present age down to the half century.  He states that this change in humanity will begin around the middle of the 20th century, and then he goes on to accurately describe the change in vivid detail.  Sure enough, during the 1960s (about the middle of the 20th century) the whole Western World underwent the a change that has been called the "sexual revolution," which radically altered our lives, habits, fashions, and appearances.  About the same time the crime rate skyrocketed, just as the early medieval prophet foretold so many centuries ago.

You'll notice in St. Nilus' prophecy a reference to Antichrist.  Now I should point out here that Nilus did not say the Antichrist would come in the 20th century, nor in the 21st century.  He specifically said "when the time for the advent of the Antichrist approaches."  In other words, when it is getting close to that time, but not necessarily the actual time itself.  That's important to remember, because our Evangelical Christian friends (God love 'em) actually believe the time of the Antichrist is here, and he'll make is presence known any day now.  Of course a lot of them believe they're going to be "raptured" as well, in a supernatural event that will snatch them out of this world so they will not have to endure the temptations of Antichrist.  Now, that's a pleasant thought, but totally unbiblical.  The early Church Fathers, those Christians who lived closest to the Apostolic age, knew nothing of this "rapture" as it is commonly taught, that is allegedly supposed to spare modern day Evangelicals from the same kind of hardship endured by the early Christians under the Roman persecutions.  It's no matter though, because in a very short time Evangelicalism will no longer exist.  For that matter, neither will any Protestant denomination or sect.  All of the pluralism we see in Christianity today will soon be extinct.

Now comes the journey.  I hope you're comfortable, because I'm about to reveal something to you that very few Christians today know, but was once common knowledge back in the early days of the Church.  It all centers around the time period leading up to the Antichrist, and in order to understand the Antichrist, we must first understand the centuries leading up to it, of which the 20th century marked the first.  We are now in the second - the 21st century.  What I don't know is how many centuries we have left to go.  What I do know is the time is short, and there are not many centuries left, but the one we currently live in will by far be the most interesting, the most terrifying and the most wonderful.  Are you sitting down?

And after these shall arise Antichrist and having by the signs and lying wonders of his magical deceit, beguiled the Jews as though he were the expected Christ, he shall afterwards characterize himself by all kinds of excesses of cruelty and lawlessness…and he shall perpetrate such things for 3 years and 6 months

"Antichrist will exceed in malice, perversity, lust, wickedness, impiety, and ruthlessness and barbarity all men that have ever disgraced human nature. Hence St. Paul emphatically calls him `the man of sin the son of perdition, the wicked one, whose birth and coming is through the operation of Satan, in all manner of seduction and iniquity.' (2 Thess., 2). Through his great power, deceit and malice he shall succeed in decoying or forcing to his worship two thirds of mankind; the remaining third part of men will continue true to the faith and worship of Jesus Christ most steadfastly. But in his satanic rage and fury, Antichrist will persecute these brave and devout Christians during three years and a half, and torture them with such an extremity of barbarity, with all the old and newly invented instruments of pain, as to exceed all past persecutors of the Church combined. He will oblige all his followers to bear impressed upon their foreheads or right hands the mark of the Beast and will starve to death all those who refuse to receive it."

This one shall seize the power of the Roman Empire and shall falsely style himself Christ. By the name Christ he shall deceive the Jews who are expecting the anointed and he shall seduce the Gentiles by his magical illusions.

-- St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 386 AD

Now as these writings get closer in proximity to the time of the Apostles, we can safely assume that what we are reading is not so much a mystical prediction of private revelation, as it is a faithful passing on of oral tradition from the Apostles themselves.  A lot is said about the Antichrist by the early Church Fathers, and from this we learn a lot about him.  We learn that he will deceive the Jews.  From other contemporary writings we learn that he will be a Jew himself, born in the Middle East somewhere in present-day Iraq, and will come to power in the area we now call Israel.  As a Jew he will deceive the Jewish people into believing he is the Messiah, and two-thirds of the world will follow him.  We do not know how long his actual reign in Jerusalem will be, but it is suspected that he will reign for a fairly long time (perhaps decades), but it is the last 3 1/2 years of his reign that is most interesting.  This is when he seizes control of the "Roman Empire."  It is during this time he unleashes the most ferocious persecution of Christians the world has ever known, rivaling that of all the Roman emperors in ages past, and the Communists and Muslims to today.   Let us understand something here.  Many evil men have reigned over various territories in the past, and it is likely that many more evil men are to come, but just being "evil" is not what makes one the Antichrist.  The word "Antichrist" is a biblical term.  It has religious underpinnings and outside of religion it means nothing.  The word "Antichrist" is the Greek rendering of a 1st century Jewish concept of the Anti-Messiah!  The Anti-Messiah is a false Messiah, and to be sure, the Jews have seen many anti-messiahs in their history. However, this one foretold in Christian Scripture and Tradition is a special case.  It is an Anti-Messiah (false Messiah) that is so convincing that he not only dupes almost all the Jews, but two-thirds of the world's population as well.  Christian Scripture and Tradition tell us he doesn't act alone, but he is aided by none other than the devil himself. All of this is extremely important to remember, because if we are to properly understand the Antichrist, we must do so strictly in Jewish terms.

Now it is the last portion of St. Cyril's record that is of particular interest to us.  He states the "this one" meaning Antichrist "shall seize the power of the Roman Empire."  Now that is interesting since the Roman Empire ceased to exist some 1,500 years ago in the West and some 550 years ago in the East.  Our Evangelical brethren, once again hot on the trail of a supposed present-day Antichrist, have pointed out the reunification of Europe under the European Union, and assume this must be the return of ancient Rome.  Once again that's a quaint idea but in order to truly have an empire you must first have an emperor - a single monarch who's rule is absolute.  Nothing like that exists today.  St. Cyril tells us the Antichrist "shall seize the power of the Roman Empire," implying that he just takes it, as if it is not rightfully his to begin with.   How then?  How does a man steal some nonexistent thing, from somebody who clearly does not exist?   The answer is simple.  The emperor and empire still have yet to come...

The Great Gaulish Monarch, who shall subject all the East, shall come around the end of the world. These things, then, coming to pass, beloved, and the one week being divided into two parts, and the abomination of desolation being manifested then, and the two prophets and forerunners of the Lord having finished their course, and the whole world finally approaching the consummation, what remains but' the coming of our Lord and Saviour from heaven, for whom we have looked in hope? who shall bring the conflagration and just judgment upon all who have refused to believe on Him

"Christ arose from among the Hebrews, and he (Antichrist) will spring from among the Jews. Christ showed His flesh as a Temple, and raised it up on the third day; and he, too, will raise up again the Temple of stone in Jerusalem.

-- St. Hippolytus, 236 AD

You'll notice we're going further back in time now.  This writing comes to us from the early third century, while Christians were still being thrown to lions under the Roman persecutions.  St. Hippolytus' grandfather would have been old enough to remember the Apostle John.  The teachings of the apostles about these things still would have been fresh in Church memory.  The context is in reference to the Antichrist, and indeed these early Church fathers did preoccupy themselves with the Antichrist in many of their writings.  Once again we learn a few new traits of this man of sin.  It is however, the first sentence that is of most interest to us now.  "The Great Gaulish Monarch, who shall subject all the East, shall come around the end of the world."  Notice the vague reference to time.  He shall come "around the end of the world."  It's not at the end of the world, or even immediately before the end of the world, but "around" that time.  So it is sometime in the centuries prior to the end of the world, and likewise the coming of Antichrist.  According to St. Nilus' prophecy above about the end times beginning around the later half of the 20th century, that would put the coming of this "Great Gaulish Monarch" sometime in our immediate proximity.  In case you're wondering, "Gaul" was what the ancient Romans called a certain portion of Western Europe.  Today we call it France.  In the centuries to follow, more Christians gave testimony to this tradition presumably coming from the Apostolic era...

A Frankish King will one day rule over the entire Roman Empire."

-- St. Augustine, 5th Century

He shall reign over the entire ancient Roman Empire."

-- Remy, 5th Century

Okay, so we now know that the early Christians believed there would one day come a French king who would rule over the entire Roman Empire, and that this will happen toward the end of the world, or more specifically in the centuries leading up to the time of Antichrist and the end of the world.  We currently live in an age of Republics right now.  Western monarchies are effectively neutered these days - little more than national figureheads.  There is no Roman Empire to speak of, because there is no Roman emperor.  Right now Europe is united as a loose confederacy of republics.  There is no central figurehead, and there is not likely to be under the constitutional system now set up.  So how can this happen?  Another 4th century saint gives us a clue...

A time will come when the enemies of Christ will boast: "We have subjected the earth and all its inhabitants, and the Christians cannot escape our hands." Then a Roman Emperor will arise in great fury against them... Drawing his sword, he will fall upon the foes of Christianity and crush them. Then peace will reign on earth, and priests will be relieved of all their anxieties.

In the latter days of the world, Christians will become ungrateful for the great favours they will receive through the coming of the great Monarch, by reason of the long period of peace and prosperity on earth which they will enjoy under his reign. Many man will then begin to doubt if the Christian faith is the only really sanctifying faith and will think perhaps the Jews are right because they are awaiting the Messiah.

--St. Methodius of Olympus, 311 AD

Okay, so now we have a chronology.  First a great time of trial for Christians comes.  Then the Great French Monarch comes to save the day, putting down the enemies of Christianity.  In turn however, because of the great peace he delivers that lasts a very long time, people will start to take it for granted.  As a result there will be a great apostasy, eventually leading two-thirds of the world's population away from Christ, and resulting in the rise of Antichrist. 

So now we have the big picture.  The reason why the Antichrist will eventually be able to steal the power of the Roman Empire is because the Roman Empire is coming back.  This time not as a Pagan system, but as the medieval Holy Roman Empire restored!  Only after a long period of such rule will the Antichrist come and attempt to steal it away.

As we look around us, we can see that the fall of democratic republicanism in our time is inevitable now. The Socialist-Islamic (IslamoSocialist) alliance in Europe has successfully exploited the weakness of our democratic system, and the problem will only get worse in the years (or decades) ahead. That coupled with the moral decline and economic decline of the western world, signals the end of the American and European republics.

(Zenit.org) - On an official visit to Italy this week, the Libyan chief of state caused a few ripples by stating that Europe should convert to Islam. The general public was perhaps more shocked, however, by his request for a few billion dollars to stop African immigration.

However, a missionary priest did call for taking seriously Muammar al-Qadhafi's statements on religion, saying a European conversion to Islam just might happen if the continent continues denying its Christian roots.

Father Piero Gheddo of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions and founder of the missionary news agency AsiaNews, said that far from being "folklore," al-Qadhafi's summons could become a reality in a few decades....

read full story here

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(CBN) Friday in Paris. A hidden camera shows streets blocked by huge crowds of Muslim worshippers and enforced by a private security force.

This is all illegal in France: the public worship, the blocked streets, and the private security. But the police have been ordered not to intervene. 

It shows that even though some in the French government want to get tough with Muslims and ban the burqa, other parts of the French government continue to give Islam a privileged status. 

An ordinary French citizen who has been watching the Islamization of Paris decided that the world needed to see what was happening to his city. He used a hidden camera to start posting videos on YouTube. His life has been threatened and so he uses the alias of "Maxime Lepante."

read full story here

The only counter to this IslamoSocialist infiltration is a healthy and robust Christianity - particularly CATHOLIC Christianity - as it is the only form of Christianity that abhors artificial birth control and has successfully repelled Islam in the past (in the crusades!).  What these ancient prophecies tell us is another crusade is coming.  It will be the last and final crusade - the mother of all crusades - that will deliver a death blow to the whole IslamoSocialist regime in Europe and the IslamoShariah system in the Middle East.

Before this can happen however, all of the Catholic prophecies and the teachings of the most ancient Church Fathers agree there must first be a crisis - a Chastisement of God - that will cause the present system of things to crumble.  The Chastisement marks the last epic of human history, starting with a calamity that changes the world, resulting in the longest period of peace the world has ever known.  It will be the last reign of Christian kings, with a Great Monarch ruling over a revived Holy Roman Empire, from Iberia to Siberia, that will far surpass everything that has previously existed.  This will last for an unspecified amount of time.  Catholic prophecies seem to indicate at least a couple centuries is likely.  During the latter part of that time period the world will fall back into it's depraved state, and it is at that time the Antichrist will arise, steal the power of the revived Holy Roman Empire for himself and use it in an attempt to destroy the Church.  He will nearly succeed before he is killed and sometime after that Jesus Christ will return to raise the dead and judge the nations.  We are now living in the time just before the Chastisement.

We don't know much about the Chastisement, but this we do know...

1. It is brought upon us by our worldwide sins against God ranging from artificial contraception to abortion to euthanasia, to sexual sins of various types (including homosexuality, adultery and fornication), as well as Socialism, Atheism, Hedonism and indifference toward the poor.  To summarize, it is caused by our personal and cultural abandonment of the Christian gospel message.
2. It consists of two parts.  The first part is man-made, the second part is God-made.
3. It begins with riots, civil unrest and war - particularly in Europe.
4. It is marked by an event that causes the pope to flee Rome and eventually be assassinated while in exile.
5. It results in the election of another pope (in exile) who crowns a new French king to save France from anarchy - this man later becomes the Great Monarch of the Holy Roman Empire.
6. It ends with three-days of strange darkness that will cover the whole world, poison the air, and leave 2/3 to 3/4 of the world's population dead.  The result of this ecological catastrophe leaves the enemies of the Great Monarch powerless to resist him.

7. It concludes with the Great Monarch restoring the Holy Roman Empire and ruling the whole world.  He abolishes all democratic republics and restores a system of monarchy over all the regions of the world.  In total, twelve monarchs will rule the entire planet, under the direction of the Great Monarch.  For Christians it will be the greatest time of peace and missionary outreach the world has ever known.

These seven events await our immediate future.  They could come as soon as tomorrow, or possibly as late as thirty years from now, but they will come - most certainly!

The American republic is slowly dying and European democracy will soon fade away.  According to the prophecies this Great Monarch is coming soon. Within our lifetime. I am sure of it....

Prophecies on the Rise of the Great Monarch

Rudolph Gekner, 17th Century: "His sword will be moved by Divine power..."

Monk Adso (10th Century): "Some of our teachers say that a King of the Franks will possess the entire Roman Empire. He will be the greatest and last of all Monarchs. After having wisely governed his kingdom, he will go into Jerusalem and will lay his sceptre and his crown upon the Mount of Olives. Immediately afterwards, Antichrist will come."

David Poreaus (17th Century): "The Great Monarch will be of French descent, large forehead, large dark eyes, light brown wavy hair, and an eagle nose. He will crush the enemies of the Pope and will conquer the East."

St. Francis of Paola (15th Century) "By the grace of the Almighty, the great Monarch will annihilate heretics and unbelievers. He will have a great army, and angels will fight at his side. He will be like the sun among the stars. His influence will spread over the whole earth. All in all, there will be on earth twelve Kings, one Emperor, one Pope, and a few Princes. They will all lead holy lives."

St. Augustine, 5th Century):" A Frankish King will one day rule over the entire Roman Empire."

Old Saxon prophecy: "He will come from the Fleur-de-Lis..."

St. Cataldus, 5th Century: "... a King of the House of Lilies..."

St. Caesar, 5th Century: "He shall recover the Crown of the Lilies....."

St. Hildegarde, German Abbess, 12th Century: "The White Flower again takes possession of the Throne of France."

Bishop Ageda, 12th Century: "He shall inherit the Crown of the Fleur-de-Lis"

Busto (15th Century): "The angelic Pope shall place an imperial crown on his head."

Remy (5th Century): "He shall reign over the entire ancient Roman Empire."

Aystinger: " ... by whom the ancient glory of the Empire shall be restored. He shall be Emperor of Europe."

St. Francis de Paola (15th Century): "(He and the Holy Pontiff) shall obtain dominion over the whole world.

Holzhauser: "He will restore everything."

St. Hildegarde:"Peace will return when the Lily ascends the Throne again. The land will be very productive."

St. Bridget: "And the earth shall enjoy peace and prosperity."

St. John-Mary Vianney, Cur‚ of Ars (19th Century): "This shall re-establish a peace and prosperity without precedent."

(Old German prophecy): "He will be lame afoot ... "

(Anne-Catherine Emmerich, 19th Century): "God touched the sinew of his hip. He was in great pain and from that day on, he walked with a limp ... "

(Peasant Jasper, Germany): "This Prince shall mount his horse on the right-hand side, because he limps from one foot .... "

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, July 12, 1820: "I had a vision of the holy Emperor Henry. I saw him at night kneeling alone at the foot of the main altar in a great and beautiful church . . . and I saw the Blessed Virgin coming down all alone. She laid on the altar a red cloth covered with white linen. She placed a book inlaid with precious stones. She lit the candles and the perpetual lamp . . . Then came down the Saviour Himself clad in priestly vestments. He was carrying the chalice and the veil. Two Angels were serving Him and two more were following . . . His chasuble was a full and heavy mantle in which red and white could be seen in transparency, and gleaming with jewels . . . Although there was no altar bell, the cruets were there. The wine was red as blood, and there was also some water. The Mass was short. The Gospel of St. John was not read at the end. When the Mass has ended, Mary came up to Henry (the Emperor), and she extended her right hand towards him, saying that it was in recognition of his purity. Then, she urged him not to falter. Thereupon I saw an angel, and he touched the sinew of his hip, like Jacob. He (Henry) was in great pain, and from that day on, he walked with a limp . . . "

The Catholic Knight laments the fall of the republics, but hails the return of the kings, particularly the great Christian king who will rule virtually all the world.  Within our lifetimes we shall likely see him.  Prepare yourselves, and prepare you children, for he will come, but only after a terrible Chastisement from God. If you would like to learn more about these events from one of the most reputable sources ever put to print, The Catholic Knight would like to invite you to read "Trial, Tribulation and Triumph" by Desmond Birch.

There are many books written on the coming Chastisement and the following Tribulation of Antichrist, but none offer such a well researched, exhaustive and orderly presentation of APPROVED Catholic prophecy than this book by Desmond Birch. If you read anything about End Times eschatology, than this is a book that belongs in your library. There are many other books out there, but in the opinion of The Catholic Knight, this one is the BEST!

[annalex]

rolling back the Vatican II nonsense.

Not all of it. Some aspects of Vatican II actually facilitate the reunion. For example, the Epiclesis is included in the Novus Ordo but not in the Tridentine Mass, but the Eaterns consider the Epiclesis the high point of the Liturgy. The cautious introduction of "subsists in the Catholic Church" rather than "is in" regarding the presence of God was probalby meant to sound more inclusive of especially the Easterns. Liturgy in the vernacular likewise is more palatable to the Orthodox than the alternative.

But I agree that the Vatican II introduced above all the spirit of incessant innovation in the Church and that is working against a meaningful reunion. I just think that in a few generations all who want to become Protestant and then march on to complete apostasy will do so, and with that the Latin Church will regain a good measure of orthodoxy.

[stfassisi]

“”Why should any free man care about a bootlicking Monarchist dreaming of bowing down to a man better than himself?””

Monarch leaders grounded in love of people acts as a servant of people.

When the republic elitist voted in by “We the People” in a society that thinks of evil as good, it will be you if live long enough that will be euthanized someday as a burden of society. So, you will be licking the boot of the those who run the democracy as they fill your veins with poison for the good of the people

[Cvengr]

A 1st or 2nd century Christian would find the whole idea of the rapture or premillenialism completely alien.

They also would find the whole idea of a Trinity completely alien, but they were still believers in Christ and neither doctrine is wrong.

[stfassisi]

There is such a thing as Christian Democracy as well.

Pope Leo spoke about this in this encyclical
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII
ON CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_18011901_graves-de-communi-re_en.html
Here is some excerpts.

Christian Democracy, by the fact that it is Christian, is built, and necessarily so, on the basic principles of divine faith, and it must provide better conditions for the masses, with the ulterior object of promoting the perfection of souls made for things eternal. Hence, for Christian Democracy, justice is sacred; it must maintain that the right of acquiring and possessing property cannot be impugned, and it must safeguard the various distinctions and degrees which are indispensable in every well-ordered commonwealth. Finally, it must endeavor to preserve in every human society the form and the character which God ever impresses on it. It is clear, therefore, that there in nothing in common between Social and Christian Democracy. They differ from each other as much as the sect of socialism differs from the profession of Christianity.

7. Moreover, it would be a crime to distort this name of Christian Democracy to politics, for, although democracy, both in its philological and philosophical significations, implies popular government, yet in its present application it must be employed without any political significance, so as to mean nothing else than this beneficent Christian action in behalf of the people. For, the laws of nature and of the Gospel, which by right are superior to all human contingencies, are necessarily independent of all particular forms of civil government, while at the same time they are in harmony with everything that is not repugnant to morality and justice. They are, therefore, and they must remain absolutely free from the passions and the vicissitudes of parties, so that, under whatever political constitution, the citizens may and ought to abide by those laws which command them to love God above all things, and their neighbors as themselves. This has always been the policy of the Church. The Roman Pontiffs acted upon this principle, whenever they dealt with different countries, no matter what might be the character of their governments. Hence, the mind and the action of Catholics devoted to promoting the welfare of the working classes can never be actuated with the purpose of favoring and introducing one government in place of another.

[Uri’el-2012]

All of the hype about Constantine is overblown.

Constantine, the Roman Pontiff, convened the Nicene Council in 325 CE and issued this edict:

ON THE KEEPING OF EASTER.

From the Letter of the Emperor to all those not present at the Council.
(Found in Eusebius, Vita Const., Lib. iii., 18-20.)

When the question relative to the sacred festival of Easter arose, it was
universally thought that it would be convenient that all should keep the
feast on one day; for what could be more beautiful and more desirable,
than to see this festival, through which we receive the hope of
immortality, celebrated by all with one accord, and in the same
manner? It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the
holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom [the calculation] of the
Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and
whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom,(1) we may
transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter,
which we have observed from the time of the Saviour's Passion to the
present day[according to the day of the week]. We ought not,
therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Saviour
has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and
more convenient course(the order of the days of the week); and
consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest
brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the
Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without
their direction we could not keep this feast. How can they be in the
right, they who, after the death of the Saviour, have no longer been led
by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They
do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness
and repugnance to all improvements, they frequently celebrate two
passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly
in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most
certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the passover twice in one
year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still
be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such
wicked people[the Jews]. Besides, consider well, that in such an
important matter, and on a subject of such great solemnity, there ought
not to be any division. Our Saviour has left us only one festal day of
our redemption, that is to say, of his holy passion, and he desired[to
establish] only one Catholic Church. Think, then, how unseemly it is,
that on the same day some should be fasting whilst others are seated
at a banquet; and that after Easter, some should be rejoicing at feasts,
whilst others are still observing a strict fast. For this reason, a Divine
Providence wills that this custom should be rectified and regulated in a
uniform way; and everyone, I hope, will agree upon this point. As, on
the one hand, it is our duty not to have anything in common with the
murderers of our Lord; and as, on the other, the custom now followed
by the Churches of the West, of the South, and of
the North, and by some of those of the East, is the most acceptable, it
has appeared good to all; and I have been guarantee for your consent,
that you would accept it with joy, as it is followed at Rome, in Africa,
in all Italy, Egypt, Spain, Gaul, Britain, Libya, in all Achaia, and in the
dioceses of Asia, of Pontus, and Cilicia. You should consider not only
that the number of churches in these provinces make a majority, but
also that it is right to demand what our reason approves, and that we
should have nothing in common with the Jews. To sum up in few
words: By the unanimous judgment of all, it has been decided that the
most holy festival of Easter should be everywhere celebrated on one
and the same day, and it is not seemly that in so holy a thing there
should be any division. As this is the state of the case, accept joyfully
the divine favour, and this truly divine command; for all which takes
place in assemblies of the bishops ought to be regarded as proceeding
from the will of God. Make known to your brethren what has been
decreed, keep this most holy day according to the prescribed mode; we
can thus celebrate this holy Easter day at the same time, if it is granted
me, as I desire, to unite myself with you; we can rejoice together,
seeing that the divine power has made use of our instrumentality for
destroying the evil designs of the devil, and thus causing faith, peace,
and unity to flourish amongst us. May God graciously protect you, my
beloved brethren.

from DOCUMENTS FROM THE FIRST COUNCIL OF NICEA [THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL] A.D. 325

The keeping of YHvH's commanded Feast, celebrated by Yah'shua was rejected by Nicea.

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach Adonai

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Liturgy in the vernacular likewise is more palatable to the Orthodox than the alternative.

Maybe the TLM in the vernacular, if it existed, but not the Novus Ordo. The Orthodox have the highest esteem for liturgical tradition and look upon the Novus Ordo and post VII liturgical developments with dismay and scorn. Furthermore they regard the Latin Church's treatment of traditionalist Catholics as a barometer of how they would be treated because of their loyalty and preservation of traditional liturgy.

[Quix]

No, my friend, it wasn’t a revolt against Christianity, not true Christianity andyways, it was a revolt against an ecclesiatical tyrannical monster (beast if you please) that called itself Christianity.

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ABSOLUTELY INDEED.

[Quix]

I’m beginning to think we don’t share enough common vocabulary to have a very meaningful even pretense of a dialogue.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

I’m beginning to think we don’t share enough common vocabulary to have a very meaningful even pretense of a dialogue.

From GK Chesterton:

The great temptation of the Catholic in the modern world is the temptation to intellectual pride. It is so obvious that most his critics are talking without in the least knowing what they are talking about, that he is sometimes a little provoked towards the very un-Christian logic of answering a fool according to his folly. He is a little bit disposed to luxuriate in secret, as it were over the much greater subtlety and richness of the philosophy he inherits; and only answer a bewildered barbarian so as to bewilder him still more. He is tempted to ironical agreements or even to disguising himself as a dunce. Men who have an elaborate philosophical defence of their views sometimes take pleasure in boasting of their almost babyish credulity. Having reached their own goal through labyrinths of logic, they will point the stranger only to the very shortest short cut of authority; merely in order to shock the simpleton with simplicity. Or, as in the present case, they will find a grim amusement in presenting the separate parts of the scheme as if they were really separate; and leave the outsider to make what he can of them. So when somebody says that a fast is the opposite to a feast, and yet both seem to be sacred to us, some of us will always be moved merely to say, "Yes," and relapse into an objectionable grin. When the anxious ethical enquirer says, "Christmas is devoted to merry-making, to eating meat and drinking wine, and yet you encourage this pagan and materialistic enjoyment," you or I will be tempted to say, "Quite right, my boy," and leave it at that. When he then says, looking even more worried, "Yet you admire men for fasting in caves and deserts and denying themselves ordinary pleasures; you are clearly committed, like the Buddhists, to the opposite or ascetic principle," we shall be similarly inspired to say, "Quite correct, old bean," or "Got it first time, old top," and merely propose an adjournment for convivial refreshment.

Nevertheless, it is a temptation to be resisted. Not only is it obviously our duty to explain to the other people that what seems to them contradictory is really complementary, but we are not altogether justified in any such tone of superiority. We are not right in making our geniality an expression of our despair. We are not entitled to despair of explaining the truth; nor is it really so horribly difficult to explain. The real difficulty is not so much that the critic is crude as that we ourselves are not always clear, even in our own minds, far less in our public expositions. It is not so much that they are not subtle enough to understand it, as that they and we and everybody else are not simple enough to understand it. Those two things are obviously part of one thing, if we are straightforward enough to look at the thing; and to see it simply as it is. I suggested recently that people would see the Christian story if it could only be told as a heathen story. The Faith is simply the story of a God who died for men. But, queerly enough, if we were even to print the words without a capital G, as if it were the cult of some new and nameless tribe, many would realise the idea for the first time. Many would feel the thrill of a new fear and sympathy if we simply wrote, "the story of a god who died for men." People would sit up suddenly and say what a beautiful and touching pagan religion that must be.

[Rashputin]

"I know most of the GOP leaders from Cantor down the list. They don’t impress me much."

Just curious, do you know DeMint?

[Quix]

THANKS.

Quite an interesting quote.

Sometimes, my energy etc. for going around the same mountain for the umpteenth time is quite lacking. Not an evil lacking. Just lacking.

And, sometimes, I really do doubt that there is sufficient shared vocabulary to make even a minimal earnest effort at dialogue an exercise in utter futility.

[campaignPete R-CT]

I’ve been reading this for 2 days and cannot catch up.

After the moslems conquer and overrun Europe, it will be obvious that the secularist democrats won’t be able to drive them out and restore civilization.

A French king makes sense. Would there be anybody else left in France to do the job? The Buddhists perhaps?

“France has over two hundred Buddhist meditation centers, including about twenty sizable retreat centers in rural areas.”

[campaignPete R-CT]

many of us hopeful that our country will some day be restored to a Constitutional Republic. But it is hard to see how that will happen through the democratic election process.

And once restored, 3 serious flaws would have to be addressed with no easy solution:

1. There is no method to create a constitution that has an effective enforcement mechanism. (how do you stop the Supreme Court from ignoring the text, when they are appointed/confirmed by federal political figures?)
2. Political parties fill the void when there is no permanent central government. We have tyranny of the parties. How do you constitutionally ban parties?
3. Universal suffrage is a no go. And how do you stop people from voting themselves money out of the treasury?

[Rashputin]

To begin with, repeal the 17th Amendment and you restore the balance of Federal and State power the Founding Fathers intended. Restore the Federal/State balance to what it was intended to be and there's no more problem with the Judicial Branch because those who are more accountable to their State than to a national party won't have a problem shedding judges. The appointment to a given court may be a lifetime appointment, but when the given district or some such goes away, the appointment is finished, that judge doesn't just stay in the system and transfer elsewhere. Solve the problem of judges in Federal courts lower than the Supreme Court and you solve the problem of the Justices at the same time.

We can return to the Constitutional Republic we were founded as by just reversing the insane tinkering that's been done via amendment. Just repeal those amendments. I wouldn't rule out returning to our original Republic through the democratic election process until we've exhausted a series of attempts to do so and at this point aren't even in the race much less exhausted.

JMHO

[campaignPete R-CT]

you killed it.

we finally started posting material that has nothing to do with 4th century theology and what happens to the thread? it dies.

#495. the end.

[rzman21]

Not well. But we’ve met.

[rzman21]

And spoken 1-on-1

[Quix]

But it is hard to see how that will happen through the democratic election process.

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JERUSALEM

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[annalex]

Yes, I agree with you, and especially this part:

Furthermore they regard the Latin Church's treatment of traditionalist Catholics as a barometer of how they would be treated because of their loyalty and preservation of traditional liturgy.

I am simply pointing out that a wholesale rollback of Vatican II is also not a good option, whereas the selective rollback is taking shape in this blessed pontificate.

[stfassisi]

I sometimes feel this isn’t any worse than an absolute monarchy. Congress and the presidency isn’t any worse than Rome under the Julio-Claudian dynasty

....And wee all know how that ended with Nero