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Thursday 7 November 2024

Archdiocese of Toronto - Mass attendance falling off the cliff!

St. Michael's Cathedral, Toronto

Multiple reports indicate a worsening crisis for the Archdiocese of Toronto. Since 2016, Sunday mass attendance has fallen by over 30% to a typical attendance level of 9%. The decline began in 2016 but fell off the cliff with Thomas Cardinal Collins's "No Mass for You" policies and bedding down with corrupt authoritarian governments in 2020 and 2021. All of this was predicted, and they were warned, and still they did it.

There is no indication that any of the senior priests or episcopal leadership have a plan to reverse the trend. The "new springtime" is a bleak winter, and parish closings will be on the agenda. At the same time, bishops live in new, multi-million dollar real estate rather than rectories. They are not familiar with the smell of the sheep. They all have their own Casa Santas now. At least the real estate value will grow.

Yet, their rage is not at the reality of numbers or for their own failings but directed at those who expose it. The problem in the Catholic Church in Toronto began long ago. They were and are more concerned about the body politic than the Body of Christ. They have turned the Church here into a desolate city. There is no dialogue of trust, notwithstanding all the talk on listening.

They can't handle the truth. 

Friday 1 November 2024

LifeSiteNews - Antisemitic and Sedevacantist rants and I'm cancelled

One of the great things about having a blog is the ability to get the last word.

Over many years, I have supported LifeSiteNews, promoted them, and linked to them on this blog. I also did so through monthly contributions. I have even been a contact for their journalistic research and have been quoted. Suffice it to say, we've all been on the same side.

I've noticed for over a year now a strange push by John-Henry Westen to follow every so-called and self-promoted, "prophet." I follow none. I don't care what these private "prophets" say. I have what I need. Christ and His scripture and His Mass. I don't need false prophets and deluded souls and find John-Henry's overwhelming preoccupation with these spiritual grifters, unsettling. He reveals himself to not be serious about journalism.

For the last year, since the horrid events of October 7, 2023, in Israel, there has been a drift of clear anti-semitism at LifeSiteNews. One cannot separate the existence of Jews and the State of Israel from it, though the criticism of the government is another matter. Israel is home to not just Jews, but Christians and Druze. They are full citizens and as seen a few months ago in an attack on a soccer field, Druze children were murdered by Islamists from Lebanon. "From the river to the sea" is every Jew dead. As someone whose ancestors came from Mount Lebanon I thank Israel for taking out the Hezbollah trash. Lebanon is a failed nation-state for allowing this disease to survive. On the matter of the Gazans, I don't believe one exists that wants the death of all Jews. It is taught from infancy. If this makes me a Zionist, so be it. Look; I know people through family marriage in Israel. Christians in Israel proper. They have passports, vote, receive pensions and health care, have businesses and live their life. War is hell. I get that. But nations have the right to live in peace and defend themselves. There was a two-state solution in 1948. It was rejected then and ever since. 

I have written to Jalsevac and Westen about the drift. We choose to disagree.

Yesterday, they featured articles where they claimed that the events of October 7 were exaggerated and that Francis is not Pope. The first is repugnant, and the latter is ridiculous. Francis is Pope and a bad one but he holds the office and one cannot split the physical from the spiritual.

On those two articles, I left comments. Today, I find, I have been prohibited from making comments.

LifeSiteNews has declared itself to be a joke.

On the matter of Catholics, Jews and Israel, let me say this has nothing to do with Vatican II or Nostra Aetate. There exists among many Catholic traditionalists a hatred of all things Jewish and of Israel. It has its roots in Eastern pogroms and Western European Christian error. Know this: Our blessed Lord Jesus Christ came to die. He came to be sacrificed. The Jews did not kill him. I killed him. You killed him. As we sing in O Holy Jesus, "I crucified Thee!" Yes, I know, the Talmud states disgusting things. God will deal with this. The Jews will come to Christ, they will weep for their past rejection. But "trads" bring no good from the anti-semitism which has hit unacceptable amounts recently. 

Is this okay, John-Henry?