Defending the Citadel of Marriage

It is one of those strange contradictions of the liberals that they change their position when it suits them.

It was back in the sixties when they began their brutal attack on marriage. Feminists hated the institution because they said it enslaved them. Sexual liberation was to be extended to all consenting parties.

Everything was done to take away the prestige and esteem of this cherished institution. Soon it became fashionable for couples simply to live together. The results are well known. The institution of marriage has suffered immense damage. We see the consequences of free love in the proliferation of single-parent households, no-fault divorce, abortion, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and deviant sexual lifestyles of all sorts.

The only way marriage could valiantly defend itself was by not yielding and insisting that it remain a permanent union of exclusion admitting no others. Brave husbands and wives have resisted the free love onslaught of the sexual revolution and, although battered by the cultural war, the sacred standard of marriage still waves from the citadel despite everything.

Now it seems those who were so anti-marriage have become pro-marriage.

When marriage becomes an insurmountable obstacle for the sexual revolutionary agenda of free love, liberals have no problem of trying to turn marriage into an institution to promote their agenda in the form of same-sex “marriage.”

That is why the same people who promote the whole range of sexual revolutionary positions can now be found extolling the wonders of same-sex “marriage.”

When marriage becomes an insurmountable obstacle for the sexual revolutionary agenda of free love, those same people who were so anti-marriage, now promote their agenda in the form of same-sex “marriage.”

Those same people who called marriage enslaving in the sixties, now insist upon their “right to marry” today.

They have not changed their positions on abortion, contraception, divorce or free love. They still enthusiastically support these anti-marriage positions. We will find these liberals fleeing from chastity, abstinence, modesty and virginity like bats flee from light.

However, they take this new position because they know that, as long as the sacred standard of indissoluble marriage waves from the citadel, society recognizes the fact that morality still exists. As long as a morality still is perceived to exist, the agenda of free love suffers restraint which they find unbearable.

That is why they want to destroy the citadel not from outside marriage but from within. They seek to tear away the bonds of exclusivity that makes marriage what it is. That exclusivity that marked marriage as a fruitful and permanent union of one man and one woman now must become inclusive and sterile.

It is in the nature of the unbridled passions to accept no restraints and decry all morality. Thus, the new “defenders” of marriage will not be happy until the sacred standard of indissoluble marriage is wrenched down and the rainbow flag is hoisted in its place.

They will not be happy until any and all sexual relationships, “genders” and lifestyles are accepted. That is to say, they will never be happy because unbridled sexuality never brings happiness but only frustration, anxiety and disillusionment.

Lourdes Healing Called ‘Remarkable’

The incredible recovery of a French man, who walked the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route in Spain after being cured of a paralysed left leg following a trip to Lourdes is being examined as a possible 68th miracle of the shrine

Serge Francois, a TV repair worker said he felt a warm glow spread down his herniated leg during a visit to Lourdes in 2002.

After having prayed at the Lourdes Grotto (above) Mr Francois reported the healing to the international Medical Committee of Lourdes (CMIL) and 20 doctors have agreed on the remarkable nature of the healing.

“In the name of the Church, I publicly recognise the ‘remarkable’ character of the healing from which Serge Francois benefited at Lourdes on April 12, 2002,” said Bishop Emmanuel Delmas of Angers in western France, where Francois lives. “This healing can be considered a personal gift from God to man, as an event of grace, as a sign of Christ the Saviour.”

Bishop Delmas said Mr Francois’ case would now be examined further before it is officially recorded as the 68th miracle of Lourdes.

A Voice for the Unborn in Boston

Before talking about our flash rally against abortion in Boston, I should mention that we campaigned in Pawtucket and Warwick, near the airport, yesterday. The support for traditional marriage was excellent. “Our newspaper got a call about you, so I decided to come out and see what was going on,” said a reporter. “The caller said you had to be a Catholic group because you are so well dressed.” He took photos and was impressed with the amount of honks for God’s marriage from passing vehicles. “You’re really getting a lot of support,” he said.

In the afternoon we visited parking lots and placed the flier, 10 Reasons Why Homosexual “Marriage” Is Wrong and Must Be Opposed, on parked cars at malls and shopping centers. It’s a good way to get the right information into more hands.

Opposing Abortion in Boston

Our host family in Fall River, Massachusetts, invited us to go with them on Saturday, the Feast of Saint Joseph, to Boston. Planned Parenthood was holding a rally on the Boston Commons to secure continued tax-dollar funding for abortion and the culture of death. Local pro-life leaders organized a flash rally at the same location to give the unborn a voice.

While crossing the public park, a woman intercepted TFP volunteer Zachariah Long. “For real?” she said sarcastically. “You mean to tell me that you’re pure?” Zachariah was somewhat puzzled. Who on earth was this woman and why was she asking him that question. But he promptly answered: “Yes, I am.” In a huff, she walked away. Exiting the van in haste, Zachariah did not notice that the pro-life sign he carried read: “Purity is the answer, not Planned Parenthood.” It’s an effective sign. Powerful. “Your sign addresses the crux of the matter,” stated a man who approached Zachariah.

How is abortion health care?

At least 650 abortion advocates showed up to hear a line-up of speakers rant about the “rights” of the abortion industry, although the word abortion itself was carefully avoided as much as possible. Terms like “reproductive health” and “freedom to chose” don’t have the same stigma. The pro-abortion signage also avoided the abortion word, although I did see a sign that read: “Abortion saves lives.” Go figure. What nonsense.

About 75 motivated pro-lifers, young and old, assembled nearby. The rosary was recited aloud in reparation for the sin of abortion. Hymns were sung. And TFP bagpipers played Amazing Grace in memory of the countless innocent lives lost to the culture of death. A variety of homemade “Defund Planned Parenthood” signs were most visible. The prayers and the music unnerved some of the pro-aborts.

We met many fine pro-lifers who wanted to know all about our tour for traditional marriage in Rhode Island. Thank God, the voiceless were given a voice. Innocent life was defended. May God protect our nation from the sin of abortion as well as same-sex “marriage.”

Please keep praying for us. God bless you!

The Fatima Seers Help You Have the Best Lent Ever

by Dr. Jose Maria Alcacid

Lent, that time of the liturgical year when Holy Mother Church calls on Catholics to fast and abstain from meat in the spirit of penance and self-denial, also encourages the faithful to meditate on the dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this penitential exercise, Our Lord Jesus Christ serves as our supreme model- He led the way of mortification by denying Himself sustenance for forty days and forty nights in preparation for the commencement of His public ministry. He, who has most tender compassion for humble and repentant sinners, assures us, “I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance.” Luke 5:32. And in a supreme act of immolation, Our Lord offered Himself in sacrifice for our salvation and accepted His suffering humanity for the redemption of the world.

Fatima and the Need for Suffering

In light of the above, how are we to model our Lenten practices in the spirit of the Fatima message?

1. During Lent, Fatima’s constant theme of prayer, penance and amendment of life becomes ever more relevant in our daily lives.

Nowadays, many are accustomed to the conveniences that technological progress provides. Fast food, TV dinners, cell phones, ATM’s, express delivery, Internet, email, on-line shopping, etc – modern inventions that fuel that frenetic desire to get things done quickly and easily. Everything comes at one’s fingertips at one’s beckoning. And voila! The recurring mantra jumps out, “I want it and I want it NOW.” In short, no fuss, no delay; period!

• The appeal of the Seven Capital Sins

In a fast paced world as such, instant gratification is the rule. Sadly, it also opens the door wide to sin and vice. The myriad of ads that one watches or reads these days appeal in more ways than one to the seven capital sins. A new facial anti-wrinkle cream flatters a 50-year-old’s vanity; a luscious and tantalizing food product feeds one’s gluttonous tendencies; the Jones’ new car spur’s one envy; an exotic perfume wakes up ones passion and lust; a sales pitch for faster delivery service mitigates one’s anger over a previously botched job; and so it goes down the line.

• Our Ruling Passions

From another vantage view, each individual suffers from a ruling passion or vice that dominates all others and, frequently causes one to fall from grace. Be it pride or sensuality, intemperance, a loose tongue or what not, we know, more or less, our own weaknesses. Thankfully by the grace of God, Lent offers the opportunity for one to tackle this or that defect through serious reflection, prayer and the practice of mortification.

Would it burden us much if we cease to be creatures of comfort starting this Lenten season and mortify our senses for the good of our souls? Let us turn to the children of Fatima for inspiration and courage.

2. Exemplary models of penance and sacrifice

The Angel of Portugal taught the children the virtue of asking pardon for evildoers through prayer and offering sacrifices. He impressed upon them the compelling need to make reparation for the insults, sacrileges and indifference committed against the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Our Lady of Fatima consistently asked the children for prayers of reparation and sacrifice for poor sinners which culminated in the vision of hell that had a profound and lasting effect on them. Having seen the horrors and torments of everlasting infernal fire, the seers were transformed into heroes of mortification and penance.

• A belt of rope as self torment

The children devised innovative ways as they see them fit to observe mortified lives. Lucia found a rope one day and suggested it to be cut into three pieces so each of the seers could wear them continuously around their waists. This they practiced with such zeal that it bothered them in their sleep. Pleasing at it was to God, Our Lady had to intervene later and asked them to remove them at night.

• Suffering Hunger

Francisco thought it a good sacrifice to give their lunches to the sheep and in later days to poor children they met along the way. Thus they fasted much like in the spirit of austere monks. They thrived admirably on acorns from holm oak and oak trees, pine nuts, roots, berries, mushrooms and other things harvested from the roots of pine trees.

• Suffering Thirst

On one occasion, Lucia and the other two children, while suffering from severe thirst, decided to forego drinking from a jar of water that Lucia fetched from a nearby house and poured it instead into a hollow in a stone for the sheep to drink.

• Self-Inflicted pain

On other occasions, they would hit their own legs with nettles, "so as to offer to God yet another sacrifice."

Such were the edifying examples of mortification the child seers practiced because of their deep understanding of the urgent necessity of acts of reparation and sacrifices to appease Divine Justice and to mitigate the injuries perpetrated against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Let us take all these to heart and apply them to our own situation keeping in mind the widespread decadence corroding the moral well-being of our contemporary times. It is undeniable that much penance and prayers are needed to atone for all these transgressions. One needs just to open the newspaper or watch the nightly news to find proofs.

3. Adopting realistic resolutions appropriate for our condition and times

The messages revealed in the apparitions to the three Portuguese children by the Angel of Portugal and the Queen of Heaven and Earth all speak of the gravity of the sins and crimes of mankind - a tragedy that begs for serious and resolute atonement and conversion to appease the wrath of God. To avert a terrible chastisement, Our Lady asks men to pray ardently for the conversion of sinners and to offer many expiatory sacrifices.

• A sense of urgency and a call to action

We must take this warning with utmost seriousness and immediacy. It is a standing message for our times directed to all men.

The seers of Fatima responded to this call by making heroic acts of penance and reparation for they fully grasped the meaning of appeasing Divine wrath. Let us follow their lead and reconcile the Fatima message with the real moral crisis staring at us blankly.

• No easy way out

What has been written here so far would be put to waste if our intellect fails to change our mentality and move our will to make steadfast resolutions. If the service of God consisted only in fulfilling certain obligations, devotional practices and prescribed prayers compatible to a life of ease and comfort, then the Church would be flooded with new-found saints.

But such is not the case. Sadly, it is our human nature to shun sufferings, to avoid pain and to be self-satisfied with whatever little progress we gain in the spiritual life. Let us shed our false optimism. Let us cast our tepidity and lukewarm spirit. With a changed mentality, let us replace our misconceptions with a sincere abiding sorrow for our sins.

• Carrying the Cross

Take heart in the Divine counsel, ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23.

The cross is the embodiment of the Gospel and the glorious standard of a true Christian. And by carrying our cross, we must humble ourselves and look at ourselves as our greatest enemy; with whom we ought to wage a continual war for the rest of our lives.

The current situation and the message of Fatima place the above reflections in a different perspective. Whatever self denial or sacrifice we choose to practice, we must perform with humility and prudence. Lent or otherwise, we must imbue ourselves with a lasting penitential spirit in face of the unabated moral chaos besetting mankind for, indeed, we are in extraordinary times!

And lastly, let us turn Our Lady for inspiration, strength and fortitude, always hoping in Her promise at Fatima, “Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”

Video: In the Hornet's Nest At Brown University

What we faced today at Brown University, an Ivy League university, had the flavor of a religious persecution. As we peacefully campaigned, about 250 frenzied pro-homosexual students gathered to scream, spit, taunt, insult, assault, and even attempt to destroy our traditional marriage banner. Only with supernatural protection, and a strong police presence, did TFP volunteers manage to complete the campaign without serious injury.

On the front lines for traditional marriage

Situated in the heart of campus, Brown's central quad looked like a good spot to set up our campaign. As we strolled onto campus, the silence was shattered by a long, loud "Nooooooo, not at Brown!" After raising the American flag, TFP Standard and banner on the central quad, dozens of students gathered to take in the sight and snap photos on their cell phones. Also, one could not miss a large rainbow flag hanging from one of the campus buildings nearby. It was like a mini-Berkeley.

Suddenly, a loud thud-rip noise was heard. I looked up and saw a pro-homosexual student literally crashing through our traditional marriage banner, attempting to destroy it. Running at top speed, he flung himself into it and ripped one side loose. Some students watching from a distance approvingly cheered the act of violence. Then two women kissed in front of our banner to the applause of liberal onlookers.

"Why are you here?" many students asked. We politely told them how the TFP was on a state-wide tour defending traditional marriage. They would just stand there in a sort of daze, and repeat the question again: "But why are you here?" Some of them just couldn't believe it.

Soon, two campus police officers asked us to move to the public sidewalk, forty yards away. We promptly complied with their request and continued the campaign on the intersection of Waterman and Brown.

Student: No objection to pedophilia

TFP volunteer Mr. Danniel Pribble debated with one pro-homosexual student, illustrating how the acceptance of homosexual vice leads to the acceptance of pedophilia. In fact, during a recent session in Canadian parliament, experts claimed that pedophilia is a "sexual orientation."

"What moral grounds do you stand on to oppose pedophilia, once you've accepted homosexual behavior?" asked Mr. Pribble. "You're right," answered the student. "I don't have any substantive objection with pedophilia."

More police officers arrived and playfully told Mr. Charles Sulzen, our bagpiper: "You can stay as long as you keep playing the bagpipes..."

Students repeatedly approached our members with the same comment: "You're very brave for coming here." Watching the out-of-control behavior of dozens of pro-homosexual students, a gentleman on the sidewalk remarked: "They want tolerance. But they can swear, spit and scream all they want..."

As Mr. James Bascom distributed pro-family literature, a woman with a rainbow ribbon on her lapel said: "You're being so intolerant!"

"Why don't you tolerate us?" inquired Mr. Bascom. "So tolerance is a one-way street, then?"

"Yes, yes. It is," said the woman. It became amply clear that free speech at Brown University is not free and that the opposition would do everything they could to silence our message of truth: that marriage is between one man, and one woman.

He spat in TFP volunteer's face

Last week, pro-homosexual students held a protest against traditional marriage at the same location where we were now standing. Most of their signs included the word "equality." However, they clearly wanted to impede our right to equally assemble. "...They had their event last week," observed one of the police officers, "so what's wrong with your being here? I am totally with you."

By now, the number of pro-homosexual students increased to about 250. The pitch of their screaming intensified too, and in the chaos, one of our youngest volunteers, Zachariah Long, 17, was spat upon in the face. "What do I do with this on my face?" asked Zachariah. "Get it out of your eyes," said Mr. John Miller. He wiped the spittle off his face, then reported the incident to a police officer standing nearby. "Yea, I can tell," said the policeman. "It looks pretty bad. If you point him out to me right now, I will lock him up immediately." But the aggressor ran away. Patting Zachariah on the shoulder, the officer continued: "Let's file a report. We'll get him."

Approaching Zachariah, one student said: "Can I shake your hand? Because it takes a lot of courage to be out here." Another added: "This is great! But, I'm going to go right now before something happens. Keep up the good fight. Thanks for being here. It takes a lot of guts. It's really brave."

More debates...

Brown student: "Don't take their flier. The Catholic Church is against it."

TFP volunteer: "If you're Catholic, you'd know what the Church teaches. The 10 Commandments didn't change."

Brown: "No! That's outdated. Religion is just for the masses."

TFP: "Well, I guess you agree with Karl Marx."

Brown: "If you talk to Father so and so, he'll tell you that he's in favor of same-sex 'marriage.'"

TFP: "If he does, then he's not faithful to the teachings of the Church."

On the other side of the intersection, Mr. Leo Fitzsimmons, a TFP supporter, explained why marriage is important: "marriage produces children. And there's no future without marriage. Same-sex 'marriage' does not produce children." This simple reality befuddled the student who responded with profanities. "God bless America," responded Mr. Fitszimmons. The young student, who looked like an American, was so upset that she yelled, "I'm not American!"

Police escort to our vans

Seeing the violent attitude of the pro-homosexual students, the police chief wanted to escort us to our van and ensure our safe departure. After completing the 1 hour and 30 minute rally in its entirety, we prayed three Hail Marys, shouted our motto "Tradition Family Property – America" and left. Policemen surrounded us on all sides and were assisted by a patrol vehicle on the street. A rowdy group of approximately 250 pro-homosexual advocates attempted to break through the perimeter to harass us. Without ceasing, they screamed obscenities and yelled in chorus over and over again: "God loves gays!"

I never saw a more frenzied collection of students before.

Thank God, the police protected us as we packed our vans. But when we pulled away from the curb, many pro-homosexual students closed in to hit the sides of our vehicles with their fists or palms. A hard object, maybe a rock, was thrown against one of the vans.

Salve Regina at the feet of Our Lady

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is visiting churches in Rhode Island, giving us the opportunity to see her on several occasions. After such an intense campaign at Brown University, we were able to pray at her feet once again and sing the Salve Regina. I could think of no better way to end the day.

The International Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima

"Are you with TFP Student Action?" asked a lady crossing the church parking lot with small children in tow. "Yes," I answered. "I'm following your tour, watching the videos, seeing what abuses you endure and I truly admire what you are doing. Your valor makes us so happy. And we love the bagpipes.

There may have been 250 people yelling at you today at Brown, but I want you to know that there are many more families like ours supporting you and praying for you. There are a lot of people following behind your tall banner." Gathering her children around her, the lady continued: "These men are real Catholic men. They do what all Catholics should be doing. They are Catholic heroes. They stand on the street corners [for traditional marriage] and endure being spit upon and get things thrown at them. We need to give them our prayers and our thanks."

We thank Our Lady for granting us the grace to defend traditional marriage, certain that her victory predicted at Fatima will be accomplished: "Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!"

Understanding the Richness of the Angelus

The Angelus is a very brief, eminently logical and well made three-point meditation on the Incarnation.

The first meditation is: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived of the Holy Spirit. The second one is: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word. The third is: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

These three points of meditation are three aspects of the Incarnation. First we glorify the fact that there was an angelic message. Secondly, we recognize Our Lady’s attitude of entire obedience to that angelic message. Finally, we acknowledge the fact that the Word not only became flesh but dwelt among us. This short prayer condenses the whole history of the Incarnation into these three points. It does this in such a condensed, brief, logical and substantial way that nothing more need be added. Each point is followed by the recitation of a Hail Mary, which is a glorification of Our Lady from the standpoint of that truth which the angel announced.

Since the fact that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us is precisely the greatest event in the whole history of humanity and the greatest honor ever bestowed upon mankind, it became a habit born of Catholic piety to say the Angelus at dawn, noon and sunset. Thus, we repeat these truths at the three principle stages of the day, praising Our Lady regarding these truths and asking her for graces related to them.

The Angelus, so to speak, changes with the time of day. How beautiful is the Angelus said in the freshness of the morning. How different is the Angelus at noon, when the work pace is intense. When prayed at sunset, everything becomes much more suave and inviting as it begins to take on a tone of recollection.

It became a habit born of Catholic piety to interrupt one’s work to pray the Angelus at dawn, noon and sunset, giving thanks for the Incarnation, praising Our Lady for her obedience to the Divine Will, and asking for the graces related to the Incarnation. L’Angélus by Jean-François Millet.

The Church takes this jewel, the Angelus, and makes it shine differently as the day progresses as if to draw out all its beauty. We understand how Catholic things, built on Faith and with a kind of instinct from the Holy Ghost to do them well, display a great harmony. For example, the Angelus admirably harmonizes the greatest clemency, simplicity and profoundness of its concepts. There is also a kind of undefined beauty that comes from its simple poetic and literary elements that does not clash with its deep and profound meaning but, on the contrary, complements it.

Imagine if someone ordered a writer today to compose a prayer to be said every morning, noon and evening, day in, day out, over the ages. Considering the modern mentality, the result would be either a tiny prayer full of trifling and meaningless words or a dry or empty prayer. The prayer would never be able to match the Angelus of Christian piety practiced over the centuries.

What we lack today, especially in Catholic settings, is precisely this kind of spiritual richness whereby one is able to order things with logic, coherence and beauty. However this is done with such naturality that we hardly realize just how well-thought out, well-considered, well-prayed, and above all well-believed all these things are. This can be seen in the Angelus which contains and translates into words the wisdom of the ages.

The preceding text is taken from an informal lecture of Professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. It has been translated and adapted for publication without his revision. –Ed.

Pro-Homosexuals Attempt to Rip TFP Sign in Newport

Five minutes after we began campaigning on the waterfront in Newport, the police arrived and verified that our demonstration for traditional marriage was being conducted, as usual, in an orderly fashion on the public sidewalk. But it didn’t take too long before a group of pro-homosexual individuals arrived, attempting to silence our free speech. They bullied us. They cursed. And they spat at us.

Free speech under attack

The Newport waterfront is lined with small, upscale shops and restaurants and other attractions and a fair amount of people strolled about enjoying the sunny, brisk sea breeze. When the TFP campaign started, the bagpipes attracted a lot of interest. They seemed to make the evening even more enjoyable for the families walking on the sidewalk. But the calmness of the afternoon did not last very long.

A man with a British accent approached, yelling: “Bigots! Haters!” He told TFP volunteers to go home and “get out of town.” It was kind of strange to hear someone with a distinct foreign accent telling corn-fed Americans to go home. A while later, other pro-homosexual agitators spilled out of a restaurant to harass us. One of them physically pushed us, another attempted to rip our traditional marriage sign, and a third screamed and spat at us. Without exception, they all used obscene language and vulgar insults.

Hearing the pro-homosexual advocates hurling invectives, a puzzled pedestrian who was on the fence regarding traditional marriage, asked: “Did they just say what I thought they did?” TFP volunteer Mr. Charles Sulzen replied: “Yes, they did, we get that all the time.” The insults instantly turned the undecided pedestrian into a traditional marriage supporter.

The police arrived and established some order. But even they were harassed by the pro-homosexual advocates who insisted that our freedom of speech be silenced and that we be thrown out of town. It was fairly clear who was bullying who and the police allowed us to remain where we were as long as we wished. In fact, two police officers remained nearby for the duration of the campaign.

Newport, Rhode Island: Campaigning for true marriage.

You can’t be both Catholic and Pro-Homosexual

Two emotionally charged parents stopped to discuss the issue. “We’re good Catholics. Our son is gay and it’s not wrong. You want us to hate our son?” A TFP volunteer explained how one must hate the sin, but love the sinner. “We must hate the sin, love the sinner and pray that your son returns to the path of virtue.”

The parents disagreed: “No. We don’t hate the sin. Our priest told us it’s OK.”
“Catholic teaching is very clear. You cannot be a good Catholic and support homosexual acts,” replied the TFP member. “Homosexuality is like abortion, it’s part of the culture of death.”
“No it’s not. Abortion is a choice,” said the couple and then began cursing as they turned away.

From yells to a handshake

Something unusual happened next. A young lady stopped to debate, using more insults and clichés than reason. When I first saw her, she was practically yelling. After about ten minutes listening to Mr. John Miller, I looked back and saw her shaking his hand in a friendly manner. Her attitude had completely changed. “Well, thank you for talking to me,” she said. “I apologize for what I said earlier. I’m sorry. Now, I’m going to read your flier. Thank you! ”

Please continue to pray for the victory of traditional marriage in Rhode Island, and for the TFP volunteers who are now traveling from city to city, campus to campus, defending God’s law.

God bless you!

Beautiful Photos – Miraculous Pilgrim Virgin Statue

On March 19, the feast of Saint Joseph, members of the TFP-America Needs Fatima St. Joseph Caravan went to pray before the miraculous International Pigram Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Rhode Island, where they are campaigning for traditional marriage.

Here are some of the photos they took of the miraculous and marvelous statue during their prayer vigil, which I assume, must have been very blessed and full of graces.

I cannot help but think that Our Lady was obtaining many signal graces for the young TFP men who are on the streets, day after day, campaigning for God’s marriage, to oppose a trend that is being pushed by a handful of radicals to impose the terrible sin of homosexual “marriage” on the rest of society.

These photos remind us of Our Lady’s promise at Fatima to the three children:

“Finally, My Immaculate Heart will triumph!”

Home Depot Pushes Homosexual Sin to Children

According to news reports from the American Family Association

• In the 2010 annual homosexual pride festival of Central Pennsylvania, Home Depot had workshops geared towards children

• An “OK Gay Daddy” hosted The Home Depot workshop for children

• At the same festival, Home Depot employees marched children down the homosexual parade route

• The Home Depot mascot joined a homosexual parade in Chicago

Sign the petition
To have them stop the promotion of homosexual sin to children!

Again, according to the American Family Association, Home Depot signed on as a major sponsor of the 2010 Southern Maine Homosexual Pride event. But there’s more.

The Home Depot was also a vendor at the 2010 Southern Maine Homosexual Pride event and even held craft workshops for children amid activities where they were exposed to transvestites, cross-dressers, and homosexual activists.

Home Depot has also sponsored and participated in the 2010 Boston Homosexual Pride parade.

It’s time to tell The Home Depot that God-fearing Americans are extremely shocked with this blatant pushing of homosexual sin to children.

Sign the protest
Against The Home Depot’s promotion of homosexual sin to children!

For more details on how The Home Depot promotes homosexual sin to children, please go to:

http://action.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147498157

Refections of the Japanese Tsunami

Written by Luiz Sérgio Solimeo

The tragedy that befell Japan with the terrible earthquake of great magnitude followed by the devastating Tsunami should lead us to elevate our prayers to God for all those in this country. Let us pray to Divine Providence to lessen their suffering as much as possible and to give them the strength and confidence to deal with this disaster with supernatural spirit.

Trying to Understand the Tragedy

We naturally feel compassion for the victims of any natural disaster. However, man, as an intelligent being, also has the need to understand what happened both in the sense of the immediate natural causes of the disaster as well as its deeper meaning. In other words, every natural disaster raises the problem of the existence of God and of His goodness and wisdom.

The Secularist Viewpoint

For secularists, what happened in Japan was nothing more than a combination of material causes which, by virtue of nature’s inexorable laws, caused the earthquake and a huge tidal wave. They see the disaster as if God has nothing to do with establishing or the governing of these laws.

It was also a mere coincidence that tens of thousands died, millions were hurt and so many others lost their homes. The fact that it affected people from all walks of life, many of them poor fishermen, was just random chance they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Rehashing Old Arguments Against God
Thus, for secularists this new catastrophe is just another occasion for venting the old atheistic objection against God: If God allows so many people to die, and, even worse, punishes both the innocent and sinful together, He cannot be a just God. However, since the idea of an unjust God is absurd, and since such catastrophes must be either permitted or wished by God, the necessary conclusion is that He does not exist. The only other alternative is a deist vision that God exists only as described in Voltaire’s “watchmaker” metaphor: He makes the clock, winds it up, and then forgets about it.

Considering the earthquake that destroyed Lisbon in 1755 as divine punishment, Voltaire asked what kind of God could permit such a thing to occur? Did Lisbon really have so many more vices than London or Paris that it should be punished in such an appalling and indiscriminate manner?

Voltaire's eighteenth-century question to Christians - why Lisbon? - ought to generate a whole series of twenty-first-century equivalents for all the religions of the world.

Natural laws and the Author of Nature
It is obvious that the tsunami did have natural causes like any other natural catastrophe. While this may explain how it happened, it does not fully explain all the reasons why it happened. The human soul has a natural need to understand things according to their ultimate causes, which transcend the proximate and immediate circumstances surrounding events and looks for their more profound meaning.

To obtain such an understanding, one needs to know the role of God in governing creation. One must overcome the confusion that is often made between God directly acting in nature and the laws He puts in nature itself.

The very fact that man discovers the laws of nature that guide the workings of the material universe and understands their complexity and wisdom, cannot fail to make him think about God, the intelligence that conceived this universe and the power that created it all.

God, the Cause and Sustainer of Nature and its Laws

Voltaire’s image of a “Watchmaker God” is false. In fact, the artisan does not “create” the clock absolutely speaking, but only with the intelligent use of his skills gives shape to pre-existing material elements. Once he finishes itswork, the object becomes totally independent of him. God’s creation is different: all things that exist, and the laws that govern man and the universe, being created from nothing, do not have an existence totally independent from the One that made them. They exist by His will. Thus, God must be seen as the cause and sustainer of nature and its laws

How God Governs the Universe
Divine Wisdom could not have created a universe without meaning or finality, blindly governed by laws that escaped Divine control.[1]

The fact that God normally governs the universe through secondary causes does not mean they are not under His power. Being the primary Author of all that exists, He is also author of the substances that make up the secondary causes and the laws of nature. Thus, He can produce effects directly, unaided by these secondary causes.[2]

Therefore, a “natural” explanation of the tidal wave does not oppose a “supernatural” view of the phenomenon which can interpret it as a Divine intervention or a manifestation of God’s power in accordance with His unfathomable designs.

Why God Allows Catastrophes
Just as the movement of an arrow towards its target is caused by the impulse given by the archer, likewise at the root of any natural movement is an impulse set forth by the Creator of all things.

With his ordaining wisdom, God brings all things to a good end, which is His extrinsic glory. However, just as it would be opposed to good human governance to intervene constantly in the activities of subjects, so also Providence or Divine Government normally lets natural causes follow their course even if, occasionally, this could give rise to some evil. Like a human governor, God rarely intervenes directly by preventing or modifying the action of natural causes, save for extraordinary reasons.

Toward a Greater Good
Just as excessive intervention by human government would place excessive constraints on social life, so also continuous and extraordinary intervention of God impeding the normal course of nature would avoid some evils but also preclude some good. For just as the same fire that is fundamental to human life can cause devastating fires, so can rain, indispensable for agriculture, cause floods and so forth. Likewise, if the Creator were to prevent men from using their liberty in order to avoid their abuse of it, He would be infringing upon the rationality of their nature.

Thus, God allows catastrophes to happen knowing that the suffering caused by them, be it from natural or human causes, can be trials that give rational creatures an occasion to gain merits through acts of patience, charity, dedication and even heroism.

Likewise God also can make use of natural calamities and even of people’s misdeeds to punish humanity for its sins and set an example for men.

That is exactly how He acted during the Deluge and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were established as warnings for men which are to be remembered until the end of time.[3] God also used the fury of Nebuchadnezzar to punish the Chosen People for their prevarication.[4]

Just as God rewards peoples on this earth for the good they do, He likewise chastises them for their vices.

“If There is Evil, There Must be a God”
General punishments, however, do not fall only upon the evil, just as rewards on this earth are not given only to the good. Only in the future life will each one be judged individually according to his own merits or faults. By allowing the good to suffer calamities, God gives them an occasion to practice virtue. When God takes the life of an innocent child, he may be sparing the child from future tribulations known only to Him and giving the child the crown of life eternal.[5]

In sum, the frequent objection – If there is a God, why is there evil?—must be answered by reversing the phrase: If there is evil, there must be a God. For since evil is the absence of good, it only occurs because good exists. Without the existence of a supreme good that is the Cause of all created good, the latter would not exist and therefore its accidental absence – evil – would also not exist.[6]

Are There Reasons for God to be Displeased?
Only a person without a sense of sin would affirm that there are no reasons for God to be displeased with men.

Immorality and amorality have reached unparalleled levels. Even ancient pagans had greater notions of modesty, fidelity, honor and honesty than men today.

There is the breakdown of morality which has resulted in an incalculable number of divorces, abortions, and sexual deviations of all kinds, including an orchestrated campaign to favor and foster homosexuality.

Even worse, there is an unrelenting campaign of blasphemies and ridicule against God and all things sacred. It is an onslaught so crude and violent that the radical European anticlericalism of the nineteenth century pales into insignificance.

Judicial fiats are slowly but inexorably taking all references to God or religion out of public life and education.

Even Christmas, the most symbolic date in Christianity, is not kept sacred. Secular activists are accelerating their longstanding efforts to destroy the essence of the celebration by turning it into a merely commercial “holiday season.”

Many more reasons for the manifestation of God’s just ire could be given but are unnecessary for those who still preserve a sense of sin.

Why Japan?
We are in a globalized world. Catastrophes that befell one region or country affect the entire world. However, we cannot penetrate the unfathomable designs of Divine Providence. Let us respect the mysteries of God and adore His wisdom. And pray not only for the people directly hit by the present catastrophe, but for our entire sinful world.

The Fatima Connection
Facing the tsunami and the so many other recent natural disasters, one cannot but recall the warning of Our Lady at Fatima in 1917 about the chastisements that would befall humanity if men did not convert.[7]

However, God is merciful even when He punishes. The Lord “desires not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live.”[8]

This is the message of conversion that can be drawn from the terrible tidal wave that rocked our increasingly materialistic and neopagan world.

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[1] This does not mean that no form of happenstance or chance exists and that things often do happen for fortuitous reasons. However, this is a “relative” happenstance allowed and wished by God, rather than something that totally escapes His will and governing of the universe. Indeed, God disposes that some things will necessarily happen according to certain immutable laws of nature; and He makes other things depend on contingent causes, so that they may or not come to pass. In the case of intelligent beings, He respects human free will (Cf. Saint Thomas, Summa Teologica, I, q. 19 a. 8; Summa Contra Gentiles, I, n. 86)

[2] Cf. Saint Thomas, Summa Contra Gentiles, III, nn. 94-102.

[3] Saint Ambrose points to the sin of the flesh as the cause of the Flood and comments that, just as Noah saved himself by entering the ark, so also he who masters his concupiscence is freed from the danger of drowning in the torrent of passions. (Cf. Cornelii a Lapide, Commentaria in Scripitoram Sacrum, I, In Pentateuchum Mosis, Paris: 1831 p. 136). On Sodom and Gomorrah, John McKenzie writes: “The story of Sodom and Gomorrah … it becomes a proverbial example of the anger and judgment of Yahweh (Dt. 29:22f; WS 10:6: Am 4:11; Zp 2:9; Lk 17:29; 2 Pt 2:6; Jd 7” (John L. McKenzie, S.J, Dictionary of The Bible, The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, 1965, p. 827.

[4] McKenzie, p. 609, Jer. 25:27-29.

[5] Non-baptized infants, according to the most common opinion of theologians, are given eternal natural happiness in limbo.

[6] Of God and His Creatures – An Annotated Translation of the Summa Contra Gentiles of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Joseph Rickaby, S.J., The Carrol Press Westminster, Maryland, book III, n. 71, pp. 24-243; Cf. ibid. I, nn. 39, 95-96; Summa Theologica, I. q. 14, a. 10; 1 q. 48; I, q. 19, a. 9; (for Summa Theologica see http://www.newadvent.org/summa/) St. Augustine, The City of God, book VI, http://ccel.org/fathers/NPNF1-02/Augustine/cog/t31.htm#t31.htm.2.

[7] Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words (Fatima, Portugal: Secretariado dos Pastorinhos, 1998) pp. 170-174.

[8] Ezech. 33:11.

Evolution: The Lonely Dinosaur

Written by John Horvat

Some biologists teach that all dinosaurs became extinct because they simply could not adapt to the dramatic climate changes that shook the earth at that time. According to the dogma of “survival of the fittest,” the demise of the dinosaurs is a tragic example of what happens when there is a failure to evolve.

However, in their enthusiasm to declare the triumph of evolutionary theory, evolutionary theorists have overlooked one lonely dinosaur that stubbornly clings to life amid the most adverse conditions seeming to disprove their theory. That lonely dinosaur is figuratively speaking evolution itself.

No scientific theory has endured so much criticism and rejection. If left to its own devices, it would have long died out. But it is artificially sustained by a liberal establishment that provides the rarified air for the dinosaur to survive.

However, a recent national survey seems to suggest that even those who are supposed to be its most ardent supporters seem to want to let the poor beast die in peace. Indeed a recent survey of over 900 public high school biology teachers, those in the front line in the evolution battlefield, are waning in their support of the controversial theory. It found that only 28 percent cling to pure evolution theory. Another 13 percent explicitly promote creationism in a positive light and a cautious 60 percent avoid controversy altogether by endorsing neither one nor the other.

According to the evolutionary own dogma, such a dramatic situation should force some kind of adjustment. Yet Darwin seems frozen in time. Evolutionists simply refuse to respond to challenges to Darwin’s infallibility.

The survey, published in the Jan. 28 issue of Science, found the hostile attitude toward evolution in public schools to be spread evenly throughout the country. Teachers often explained evolution as a subject required by state examinations but which students need not believe in. The survey indignantly reports that teachers often tell students that are free to choose between evolution or creation according to their own beliefs.

It seems the students themselves are asking embarrassing questions since the survey recommend that the cautious 60 percent might benefit from more training so as to explain better the controversial topic to the skeptics.

Meanwhile those who teach creation armed with arguments such as intelligent design and science-based arguments feel they do not need more training. They simply reject the official line of Darwinism. These biology teachers with college degrees in the subject are intelligent people who know clearly what evolution is and they are not convinced by the “evidence.”

Randy Moore, a professor of biology at the University of Minnesota, sees the trend as just short of rebellion.

“They just reject what we told them,” he laments. “With 15 to 20 percent of biology teachers teaching creationism, this is the biggest failure in science education. There’s no other field where teachers reject the foundations of their science like they do in biology.”[1]

If something is not done soon, the lonely dinosaur will die from lack of rarefied air. Maybe it is time to tell the liberal establishment to let the dinosaur evolve into something more believable.

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[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/science/08creationism.html

Tour for Traditional Marriage Wraps up with Great Success

Victory for God’s Marriage in Maryland

By the grace of God, a bill that would have legalized same-sex “marriage” in Maryland failed on Friday. Although the fight for traditional marriage is far from over, the bill effectively died in the House of Delegates, lacking the votes needed for passage. The bill’s unexpected defeat stunned pro-homosexual activists.

Before the House proceedings started, TFP volunteers were at the doors of the Maryland State House peacefully demonstrating and praying. It was our ninth day on campaign and the atmosphere was highly charged. Anticipation loomed.

Good and evil: Two worlds apart

On arrival, we found our usual street corner occupied by a group of pro-homosexual activists. They held ambiguous signs with phrases meant to sound “normal” such as “protect all families.” The saddest scene was a baby stroller with two small infants flanked by two women. Over the babies heads was a sign: “Too young to hate.” The media flocked to them and ignored the pro-family supporters.

The police directed us to position ourselves down the street in a more obscure part of the Capitol complex. We complied, and joined a group of traditional marriage supporters chanting “Save marriage! Vote no.”

The honking kept up at a good rate for God’s marriage, although interspersed with a few obscene gestures and hateful screams. After a short while, a group of pro-homosexual individuals tried to take control of our location and push us further down the street, but their attempt earned them a rebuke from the police.

A ranting troublemaker

After a few hours, the homosexual activists abandoned their corner to hear the proceedings inside the State House. At an invitation from the police we moved our campaign to the much more advantageous position left empty by the opposition. At this location the honking drastically increased, but the display of hatred also escalated.

In fact, a pro-homosexual man blocked part of our banner with a sign that read “These people are BIGOTS.” Every other word out of his mouth was foul. When TFP volunteer William Stover asked him why he wanted to impose his viewpoint on others, he menacingly snapped: “I’m going to punch your teeth all the way down your ******* throat.”

A very sweet, motherly lady standing with us was his next target. He verbally insulted her with such obscene violence that she began weeping. Finally, a policeman escorted him away.

We fought the good fight and the Blessed Mother won

Soon, we received the first indication of victory. Pro-traditional marriage delegates approached the street corner with the joyful news that the bill had been sent back to committee and was therefore dead, for this year at least. We were also told that a number of junior Maryland delegates received tremendous pressure to favor the homosexual agenda, including personal phone calls from Dick Cheney and Hillary Clinton to legalize same-sex “marriage.”

After receiving many expressions of gratitude from traditional marriage supporters and delegates, we packed up the campaign, and departed, grateful for this great victory, which was won only with God’s grace, through the maternal intersession of Our Lady.

• TFP Rally Disrupted by Pro-Homosexual Blasphemers Yelling "God is Dead"

Difference in How Catholic and Protestant Monarchs Washed the Feet of the Poor

Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary, washes the feet of the poor on Holy Thursday

In 1850, Franz Joseph participated for the first time as emperor in the second of the traditional Habsburg expressions of dynastic piety: the Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony, part of the four-day court observance of Easter. The master of the staff and the court prelates chose twelve poor elderly men, transported them to the Hofburg, and positioned them in the ceremonial hall on a raised dais.

There, before an invited audience observing the scene from tribunes, the emperor served the men a symbolic meal and archdukes cleared the dishes. As a priest read aloud in Latin the words of the New Testament (John 3:15), “And he began to wash the feet of the disciples,” Franz Joseph knelt and, without rising from his knees, washed the feet of the twelve old men in imitation of Christ. Finally, the emperor placed a bag of twenty silver coins around the necks of each before the men were led away and returned to their homes in imperial coaches.

The Emperor washing the feet of the poor on Holy Thursday

William Thomas Walsh in Philip II states that the kings of Spain and England would perform this as well. I imagine all the kings of Catholic Europe had the tradition. It is very interesting what he says about the tradition when Elizabeth I, a Protestant, who usurped the English throne: (pp. 295)

So Elizabeth continued, every Maundy Thursday, to wash the feet of the beggars, as her sister had done. It was symbolic of that shriveling of the Catholic spirit under the outer husk of the new political Church of England that she disdained to touch the feet of the poor wretches until they had first been scrubbed with hot water and soap and well sprinkled with sweet-smelling herbs.

In Frederick for God's Marriage

Written by John Ritchie

This morning, in the bitter cold, we campaigned at two locations in Frederick – downtown and on Rt. 40 near Giant. Pedestrian traffic downtown gave us the opportunity to distribute 10 Reasons Why Homosexual “Marriage” is Harmful and Must be Opposed fliers and have some face-to-face discussions.



Few people are undecided on the issue. They either love or hate the campaign. And the reactions are instantaneous. There’s no hesitation.

A young U.S. Marine rolled his car window down and said: “The U.S. Military agrees with you. We’re against homosexuality too. Semper Fi!” Moments later, a pro-homosexual woman crossing the intersection spit at us. Luckily, the spittle did not land on anyone.

After lunch, the caravan stopped in Germantown for another campaign. Here, at a busy intersection, the HPM (honks per minute) were excellent.

Please continue to pray for the victory of traditional marriage in Maryland. And pray for us as we travel from city to city.



Help us stay on the road

To help us stay on the road for traditional marriage, please consider filling our gas tank. With an intense travel schedule, our fifteen passenger van consumes about one tank of gasoline per day. Your gift of $79.00 will keep us going for 330 miles.

Sponsor 1 Tank (330 miles) = $79
Sponsor 2 Tanks (660 miles) = $158
Sponsor 3 Tanks (990 miles) = $237

If you want to contact us on the tour, please call 717-495-5427. God bless you.

The Gazette published a story on the campaign:

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03072011/frednew131927_32556.php

For Lent: An Invitation to Love the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Written by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

While commemorating the forty days Our Lord fasted in the desert, we should remember a great and supreme truth that should illuminate all Lenten meditations.

The holy Gospels clearly show how much our merciful Savior pitied our spiritual and physical pains. Hence, He performed spectacular miracles to mitigate them. However, let us not imagine that these healings were the greatest gift He gave mankind.

This would not take into consideration the central aspect of Our Lord’s life: He was our Redeemer, Who willingly endured the cruelest sufferings to carry out His mission.

Even at the height of His Passion, Our Lord could have put an end to all His pains instantly by a mere act of His Divine will. From the first moment of His Passion to the last, He could have ordered His wounds to heal, His precious blood to stop pouring forth and the lacerations on His Divine body to disappear without a scar. He could have overcome the persecution that was dragging Him to death and gained a brilliant and jubilant victory.

However, He did not will this. He wanted to be led along the Via Dolorosa to the height of Golgotha. He willed to see His most holy Mother engulfed in the depths of sorrow and He wanted to cry out in piercing words that will echo until the consummation of the ages: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46).

We understand that by calling each of us to suffer a portion of His Passion, He clearly indicated the unrivaled role of the cross in the history of the world, His glorification and the whole of men’s lives. Thus, we still must pronounce our own consummatum est at death, despite the pains and sorrows of life.

If we misunderstand the role of the cross, refuse to love it and fail to walk along our own Via Dolorosa, we will shirk Providence’s designs for us. We will be unable, with our dying breaths, to repeat the sublime exclamation of Saint Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. As for the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Any quality, however exalted, will be useless, unless it is founded on a love of Our Lord’s cross, with which we obtain everything, though weighed down by the holy burden of purity and other virtues, unceasing attacks and mockeries of the Church’s enemies and betrayals of false friends.

The greatest foundation, of Christian civilization is a generous love for the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ in each and every person.

May Mary help us, and through her omnipotent intercession, we shall reconquer for her Divine Son, the reign of God that flickers so faintly in the hearts of men.

Assailed for Defending Marriage

After praying a few rosaries, our van rolled into Annapolis, the state capitol. We pondered how the homosexual movement is now pushing to legalize same-sex “marriage” in Maryland and how so many people are rightly concerned. One thing is certain: A great spiritual battle is raging between the forces of good and evil, sin and virtue, right and wrong.

TV interview in Annapolis.

Shortly after setting up at a busy intersection, reactions erupted from passing traffic. All sorts of reactions -- honks of approval, thumbs up, double thumbs up, and applause. Then there were some who let out ghastly strings of insults, all in the name of “tolerance.” Why did they insult us? Because our banner stated this truth: “God’s marriage = one man + one woman.”

What ensued in the next hour or so was like a sidewalk press conference. TV news crews showed up one after another wanting more information on the TFP campaign. Media outlets had converged on Annapolis for a hearing at the state house that was canceled, so many decided to cover the campaign for traditional marriage instead. The timing of it all was Providential.

Unusual Gift in a Shopping Cart

Remarkable things happen on campaign. “I brought you some drinks and snacks,” said a generous lady who approached the intersection pushing an entire grocery cart of food. We had never met this kind soul before and here she was delivering what we needed most just in time for lunch break. Before leaving, she said: “God bless you for what you are doing. If you need a place to stop, my house is 5 minutes away.”

TFP volunteer physically attacked

After a calm picnic lunch near the charming water front in Annapolis, we pressed forward for another campaign at Arundel Mills Mall. The rush hour traffic made for a splendid campaign. You could tell the message for traditional marriage was hitting home, making a difference. The only difficulty thus far was the whipping wind. The grommets on one banner even came loose. The banner tore slightly.

Pro-homosexual assailant who attacked Danniel

Having completed a successful campaign, we wrapped up and made our way up the sidewalk toward the parking lot where our van was parked. But our progress was violently interrupted. A man driving a purple beetle stopped on the curbside, lowered his window and started provoking us with insults. “I hope you don’t want to deny us our freedom of speech,” I said. But that didn’t help much. He kept screaming.

TFP volunteers always make it a point to conduct themselves peacefully, without responding to petty personal attacks. But the man in this car flung into a rage that I don’t ever recall witnessing before. He literally parked his car on the busy road, got out and started threatening us verbally while standing on a busy street, ignoring the passing traffic. Then he attacked the Bible.

“Obviously you think it’s [marriage] between a man and a woman because of your [expletive, expletive] Bible thing.”

Unable to control himself, he swiftly walked up to TFP member Danniel Pribble, who was on the sidewalk, and attempted to throw him to the ground, violently pushing him backwards by the shoulders. I must add that there was a fairly steep drop off near the sidewalk, and if this pro-homosexual assailant had succeeded in pushing Mr. Pribble down the incline more harm may have resulted.

Danniel Pribble did not push back or retaliate in any way, but remained peaceful. We simply repeated “aggressor” several times and the thug finally backed off into the street again. At some point, I said “you just attacked my friend and am going to call the police.” He responded: “I don’t care. [Expletive, expletive] “I’ll attack you too. Just wait here, I’m going to get my friends and come back, you [expletive, expletive]!”

The assault was reported to the local police station.

As you can tell, the “tolerance” of the homosexual movement is an empty slogan, a one-way street: anyone who wants to protect traditional marriage is not tolerated.

Please pray for us. With God’s help, we will be on tour for about 30 days.

TFP Rally Disrupted by Pro-Homosexual Blasphemers Yelling "God is Dead"

by John Richie
Before I tell you about the aggressive blasphemers dressed in black who disrupted our rally, let me briefly mention that the tour for traditional marriage took us to Towson, the White Marsh Mall and Timonium on Thursday. At all three locations, the campaign had wide exposure and great support.

Location: White Marsh Mall

In Towson, as we packed the van, a lady in the parking lot handed me a wad of cash: “Go get something for lunch,” she said, “and come back soon.” God bless her.

Hunt Valley Mall

This morning, Norman Fulkerson and Gregory Escaro joined us for the campaign. It was good to have the extra help. At the Hunt Valley Mall traffic was a bit slow and a number of people passed with an apathetic “what-do-I-care” attitude.

Nevertheless, loads of cars and trucks honked in support. So much so that a mall manager came out, concerned that our “political” signs might lead patrons to think that their establishment supports marriage. “We don’t get involved in politics,” she said.

Well, doesn’t marriage trump politics?

Next stop: Reisterstown Plaza Shopping Center in Baltimore. Here the support for traditional marriage was noticeably stronger than our previous location. Most of the blacks we met were extremely supportive and expressive.

Blasphemers in Black Yell “God is Dead”
(Caution: This part is troubling)

The homosexual movement’s well-oiled propaganda machine jumps through hurdles to find “nice” poster personalities to advance the acceptance of the immoral lifestyle. The more they hide the ugliness of sin, the more they advance their cause. For that reason, on television and so forth, a studied veneer of normalcy is tailor-made to avoid shocking American sensibilities.

But, today, on Route 45 in Timonium, the real face of the homosexual movement was visible to the public, this time, without the veneer.

TFP volunteer Alexander McKay (left) prays the rosary while a masked pro-homosexual anarchist yells blasphemies in his face.

At our rush-hour location, after the campaign was well under way, a beat up car pulled into the intersection. Four individuals dressed in black within the vehicle screamed insult after obscene insult at us. We ignored them and continued the campaign.

However, within a few minutes, they parked and approached to disrupt our rally. Two more women in dark, drab clothing arrived shortly after, then another. The men, with black handkerchiefs concealing their faces, screamed profanities, insults and blasphemies in our faces. They also brought crudely made signs in favor of same-sex “marriage,” which they used to block our traditional marriage banner.

Our best response is always prayer. And that is what we did, invoking the names of Our Lady, Saint Michael and Saint Joseph, the patron of our caravan. The prayers had an "exorcistic" effect, probably like holy water on the devil.

Hearing the prayer, one of the men flung into a rage: “God is dead! God is dead!” he repeated over and over in guttural, frantic bursts of hatred. He also repeatedly flung his arm into Matthew Shibler’s face, brushing his nose, saying, “get out of town.” We all made an effort to remain calm.

10 Reasons Why Homosexual "Marriage" is Harmful

Experiencing the Hatred

They screamed “get out of town!” but we weren’t about to be bullied in that fashion. Everything they uttered was laced with obscenities. Their breath smelled of hard liquor or drugs, or both. Then they proceeded to stand in the street, while chain-smoking cigarettes, interrupting the flow of traffic, forcing cars to swerve dangerously. I believe they were Satanist-anarchists. And their goal was clearly to intimidate and create chaos and confusion on the sidewalk.

The ring leader, with tattoos and garish ear lobe holes, wore a dirty jacket covered with animal hair, and this inscription on the back: “Gay rude boys and girls: Don’t accept a life in the closet, this is your world, and it’s not male or female, gay, straight or trans, white, tan, yellow or black. It belongs to us all so let’s TAKE IT BACK. – Leftover Crack.” His teeth were dirty and yellowish.

Praying the Rosary

As we prayed, they mumbled mockeries and blasphemies against God. One of the blasphemers screamed: “Jesus died for His sin, not mine.” Unexpectedly, a Catholic lady, member of America Needs Fatima, who saw what was happening pulled over, and bravely joined us in the recitation of the rosary. But she was safe standing near TFP volunteer Charles Sulzen who is tall and robust.

Mr. Sulzen said: “It looks like a police station up there.” We looked back and saw police cars and about 6 police officers standing on the knoll. They called one of the blasphemers aside and told him not to stand in the street. Unfortunately, the police sergeant refused to ask the blasphemers to move away from our signs. “They’re on a crusade too,” he said. I couldn’t believe it. On other campaigns, we’ve met police officers with a lot more wisdom.

We sang “God Bless America” and “We Want God,” composed by St. Louis de Montfort. When the rosary ended, we marched off to the sound of bagpipes courtesy of Mr. Sulzen.

Earlier in the day, a simple worker carrying a bucket of squeegees made it a point to stop and shake each TFP members’ hand. “Thank you,” he said warmly. “Thank you.” His final comment before walking away was: “God will win.” Echoing his words, we also affirm – GOD WILL WIN!

Please pray for us.

New Catholic Bible Replaces 'Young Woman' for Virgin in Isaiah

One of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ substitution in a new translation of the Bible may provoke an outcry from traditionalists if they interpret it as a dilution of a cornerstone of Catholic theology.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops ordered the new translation, which turned out to be a 17-year-project, in the interests of accuracy, user-friendliness, and poetic tone. The translation team included 50 scholars, linguistic experts, and theologians, and five bishops. The fruits of their labors are scheduled to be out on Ash Wednesday, March 9.

The potentially controversial change involves an Old Testament passage foretelling Jesus Christ’s birth to a virgin. The 1970 version of the New American Bible chronicles Isaiah 7:14 as noting that "the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." The new version refers to “the young woman” rather than a virgin.

The translation notes that “the original Hebrew word, ‘almah,’ may, or may not, signify a virgin.

The switch-out doesn’t signify a change in Catholic theology, Bishop Richard Sklba.

Mary Elizabeth Sperry of the bishops conference acknowledges that dropping the virgin may rankle some: "Some people will be gravely distressed, and others will be absolutely ecstatic and some will just say, 'I liked it the old way.' "

Proverbs 31:10, which riled many women because it detailed the image of "The Ideal Wife" from a man’s worldview, now is called a "Poem on the Woman of Worth."

"Women will like this: being measured by their own accomplishments, not in terms of a husband's perspective," Sperry says.

Video of TFP Campaign in Maryland for Traditional Marriage

Here is a short article and video from a Maryland newspaper about our campaign for traditional marriage yesterday.

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A national hot topic hit close to home for Severn and Hanover residents Wednesday afternoon as opponents to same-sex marriage picketed on Arundel Mills Boulevard.

Car horns and verbal shouts filled the air at the intersection by Ridge Road with every green light bringing a new set of responses.

The group of men held a flag, a banner and two large posters reading, “Honk for traditional marriage.” Beginning at around 3:45 p.m., the protestors continued throughout rush hour.

The whole article can be read by clicking here.

Louisiana Regional Conference Great Success

Tradition, Family and Property – Louisiana hosted its annual regional one-day conference at its headquarters in Lafayette, Louisiana on February 19. The topics were varied and well received by the nearly seventy TFP friends and supporters who came from all over the state as well as from Texas.

The atmosphere could not have been better on a spring-like Saturday afternoon. Inside, participants heard talks in the TFP’s newly remodeled auditorium. Outside under a tent, there was plenty of good conversation and refreshment.

American TFP Vice President John Horvat gave the opening talk, “Exploring Solutions to the Crisis in Leadership.” Using historic and even local examples, he showed how rigid mechanic solutions fail to consider the nature of that which must be resolved. He showed how organic solutions adapt to the circumstances while upholding unchangeable principles.

Nearly seventy TFP friends and supporters gathered in Lafayette, La. for the annual regional conference.

“Organic solutions focus on a few general rules from which come an immense variety of systems,” Mr. Horvat explained. “Socialist solutions focus on one system from which comes a thousand rules and regulations.”

It was with great joy that Mr. Thomas Drake, president of TFP – Louisiana presented considerations on the life of Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. He cited a passage from the book, Plinio: A Man for Our Times, by Louisiana authoress Andrea F. Phillips. Mrs. Phillips was present at the talk and graciously signed copies of her book that were made available to the participants.

TFP member James Bascom gave a presentation on “Avoiding False Solutions: Necessity of a Supernatural and Practical Spirit.” He especially focused on the virtues of temperance

Wine, cheese, pastries, and other delicacies, many of them provided by TFP friends and supporters, fed soul and body.

and prudence and how these virtues might be practiced by Catholics fighting for their Faith.

The final talk was delivered by TFP member and author Norman Fulkerson. It was on the controversial topic of the Internet. His presentation, “Digital Dilemma – How the Internet Harms Us,” was of great interest to all since everyone is in some way connected to the Internet. Mr. Fulkerson especially mentioned the dangers of the medium itself and its tendency to inhibit profound thought and reflection which is so necessary to the interior life.

The afternoon ended with wine and cheese – and conversation in a tent just beyond the shadow of three massive live oak trees. As evening approached, all left recharged and ready to confront the Revolutionary influences around them.

Spanish nun Expelled from Order over Facebook Usage

María Jesús Galán, dubbed "Sister Internet" by her fellow nuns, announced on her Facebook page that she had been asked to leave the convent after disagreements over her online activities.

The 54-year old, who lists her hobbies as "reading, music, art, and making friends" had almost 600 Facebook "friends"at the time of her eviction and now has fan pages with thousands of supporters from around the globe calling for her to be allowed back into the order.

The nun first became involved in the Internet when she began digitizing the archives contained within the convent's ancient walls and making them accessible to the world.

From there, the habit become obsessive. Despite admitting that her dedication to her vocation was as strong as ever she said she was driven from the convent by her fellow nuns who disapproved of her cyber activity and "made life impossible."

Sister Maria, who is now living at her mother's house, said she was ready to embark on a new chapter in her life. "I would like to visit London and New York," she posted on her page. "Such things were impossible to even dream when at the convent."