Impressive Video about the Shroud!

Return to Order Signing in St. Louis

At an April 21 book signing in St. Louis, Mo., author John Horvat II presented his work, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We’ve Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go to St. Joe’s Java coffee shop.

Nearly thirty people attended the signing at the small shop which is actually located in the nearby suburb of St. Charles. St. Joe’s Java and adjoining bookstore is a special apostolate of Lu Cortese who often holds Catholic events at this location.

Her main operation however, is St. Joseph’s Radio. Behind the coffee shop, there is an extensive recording studio that produces quality Catholic programming for radio and television. Her film crew was on hand to film the presentation of the book by its author.
 
Return to Order Signing in St. Louis | Return to OrderReturn to Order

Nearly 400 Protest Blasphemous Play in New York

Nearly 400 Catholics from 5 states stood across from the Walter Kerr Theater in New York City, Rosaries in hand, at 6:00pm on Monday, April 22.  

Here are some photos from that event.
See report on the blasphemies in “The Testament of Mary” play here: REPORT
 
America Needs Fatima and the American Society for the Defense of Tradition Family & Property (TFP) members in full ceremonial habit carried a statue of Our Lady of Fatima on their shoulders while the group prayed and sang hymns in public reparation proudly defending their faith and comforting Our Lady as her name was being blasphemed within the theater.

Meeting in St. Louis this Sunday!

Come to the meeting this Sunday!
How to Restore the Economy and the

American Soul

 Come and listen to author John Horvat II explain how we arrived at our present situation and, even more importantly, hear about how we can reestablish a genuine return to the order that once made America great.  All this is found in his new ground-breaking book, Return to Order, which will be available at the talk.

DATE: Sunday, April 21, 2013
TIME: 2:30 PM
LOCATION:
St. Joe’s Java
3920 South Old Hwy 94 in St. Charles, MO
636-447-6000
BRING A FRIEND!
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

John Horvat II is an officer of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP). He is a scholar, researcher, educator,  speaker, and author. For more than two decades he has been researching and writing about the socio-economic crisis inside the United States that has culminated in the ground-breaking release of his new book Return to Order.

  For additional information about this meeting, contact Mark Serafino at (573) 459-5531.

Click here for a Google map

IMPRESSIVE: Thousands join Spontaneous Protests as France fast-tracks gay ‘marriage’ law

Hundreds gathered spontaneously at Place Bellecour in Lyons earlier this week to protest the gay 'marriage' law.

Le Salon Beige

April 16, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Since last Friday, public demonstrations against same-sex “marriage” and adoption in France have been escalating, not only in Paris but also in remote provincial towns and even abroad among French expatriates. The Senate’s approval of the gay marriage bill (known as the “loi Taubira,” after the Justice Minister that proposed the text to the legislature) has sparked off a wave of anger, and groups of determined young people all over the country have decided to make their presence felt.
For the Minister of the Interior and the police forces, the situation is turning into a nightmare. There is no centralized organization behind the rallies to look to for information about the next action, no unified group to follow, no “youths” who are “well known by the police,” as is the case when ethnic riots burst out in Paris.
The demonstrators are law-abiding citizens who have no wish to steal, vandalize or hurt the law enforcement officers. They are massively answering calls to join spur-of-the-moment demonstrations via their cell phones and social media. They are in the streets to stop a law that they believe would badly hurt the common good, and they are prepared to give their time, efforts and even a few hours in custody to put a stop to the redefinition of marriage.

Demonstration in Versailles

Le Salon Beige

Since the beginning, François Hollande’s socialist government has apparently been gambling on the idea that same-sex “marriage” opponents’ mobilization would flag in the face of an accelerated agenda to push the legislation through. But the contrary is true: even the “Manif pour tous” (“Demonstration for all”), the grass-root organization that ran the three major rallies in Paris in November, January and March, has now taken to organizing undeclared public demonstrations in defiance of French laws and regulations which make a preliminary declaration to the police compulsory.
Last Friday afternoon and evening, many thousands of people answered the “Manif pour tous’” call to voice their outrage at the manner in which the Senate adopted the “loi Taubira” with a show of hands in the absence of at least two thirds of the senators, followed within a few hours by the decision to return the text to the National Assembly as of Wednesday 17th April, five weeks ahead of the official calendar.
The demonstrators rallied near the Palais du Luxembourg, which houses the Senate, and were joined by the overtly Catholic group Civitas which had been praying there every evening for more than a week. As on March 24th, teargas was again used against the demonstrators and a number of them were hurt or picked up by the police.
Near midnight large groups of demonstrators managed to move to the main central arteries of Paris, successively blocking the Boulevard Saint-Germain, the rue de Rivoli, the Avenue de l’Opéra and the Town Hall Square; they finally reached the Elysée – the presidential palace – in two separate groups, taking the police by surprise and encircling them. As one of the demonstrators was to say afterwards: “If we had been hooligans things could have degenerated very fast.”

 For more read the rest of the article using the link below:

Thousands join dozens of spontaneous protests as France fast-tracks gay ‘marriage’ law | LifeSiteNews.com

Where We Got the Regina Coeli Prayer

Written by Andrea F. Phillips

From Holy Saturday to Pentecost we sing or recite one of the Church’s most joyful anthems, the Regina Coeli (O, Queen of Heaven), customarily said in place of the Angelus at twelve noon.

According to the Golden Legend, a thirteenth century work on the lives of the Saints, Pope St. Gregory the Great in the 6th century was leading a procession asking for relief from a pestilence afflicting the population of Rome.  Being carried in the procession was an icon of the Blessed Virgin reputedly painted by St. Luke.  Suddenly, the air was filled with a heavenly perfume dispelling the pestilence.  Looking up, St. Gregory beheld angels singing: “O, Queen of Heaven rejoice, Alleluia! For He whom you deserved to bear, Alleluia! Has risen as He said, Alleluia! " To which the holy Pope added: “O, pray to God for us, Alleluia!”

At the same time, the holy pontiff saw the angel of death sheathing his sword atop the Hill of Hadrian, today the Castle of Sant’Angelo.

Since then this story has been associated with the origins of the Regina Coeli.

The idea is to rejoice with Our Blessed Lady that her Son, after a grueling passion and frightful death, is alive again.  While the prayer of the Angelus celebrates Jesus’ Incarnation, the Regina Coeli celebrates His Resurrection and “congratulates” the Mother on her Son’s victory over sin and death.

Regina Coeli (O QUEEN OF HEAVEN)

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Has risen, as he said, alleluia.

Pray for us to God, alleluia.



Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

The Latin Text
Regina Coeli, laetare, alleluia
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia

Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Let us pray:
O God, who gave joy to the world through the
Resurrection of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we
Beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin
Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting
Life. Through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.
The Origin of the Regina Coeli Prayer

Nearly 15,000 French Mayors Will Refuse to Perform Homosexual 'Marriages'

by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

PARIS, April 11, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - According to the organization Mayors for Children, approximately 14,900 French mayors will refuse to celebrate "marriages" between couples of the same sex. More than 20,000 mayors and assistant mayors have signed a petition stating, "I am opposed to the bill that opens marriage and the adoption of children by two people of the same sex."

"Mayors for Children"
A survey conducted by the French polling agency IFOP offers confirmation of the startling figures, estimating that 52 percent of the country's mayors are opposed to the bill.

In France, mayors conduct civil marriage ceremonies or authorize others to do so.
According to Franck Meyer, mayor of the town of Sottesville-sous-le Val and spokesman for the group, in a total of 649 jurisdictions, not a single elected official is willing to perform civil "marriages" for homosexuals.

Meyer told the French magazine Le Figaro that "the law (creating homosexual "marriage") will be difficult to apply throughout the territory, if it is approved."

"It's rare for a bill to unite so many local elected officials against it!" he added, and noted that 3,000 leftist officials have also signed in opposition.

"These days, mayors have many other reasons for discontent, for example the electoral reform and the cycle of the school year, but this is the first time that such a group of mayors has been created," he said.

Despite the widespread opposition of elected officials, as well as massive demonstrations of opposition to the legalization of homosexual "marriage" and adoption, both houses of the French Parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate, have approved a bill to that effect.

The National Assembly is scheduled to review the law again next month before final approval.
According to various surveys in the last two years, more than 60 percent of French say they support homosexual "marriage," although less than 50 percent agree with permitting homosexual couples to adopt.

The current figures represent a major leap for the homosexual agenda in France similar to that of the United States. As late as 2006, 51 percent were opposed to homosexual "marriage" and 60 percent opposed to homosexual adoption.

An Special Invitation to an Event in St. Louis!

How to Restore the Economy and the

American Soul

 Come and listen to author John Horvat II explain how we arrived at our present situation and, even more importantly, hear about how we can reestablish a genuine return to the order that once made America great.  All this is found in his new ground-breaking book, Return to Order, which will be available at the talk.

DATE: Sunday, April 21, 2013
TIME: 2:30 PM
LOCATION:
St. Joe’s Java
3920 South Old Hwy 94 in St. Charles, MO
636-447-6000
BRING A FRIEND!
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

John Horvat II is an officer of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP). He is a scholar, researcher, educator,  speaker, and author. For more than two decades he has been researching and writing about the socio-economic crisis inside the United States that has culminated in the ground-breaking release of his new book Return to Order.

  For additional information about this meeting, contact Mark Serafino at (573) 459-5531.

Click here for a Google map

A Definition of an Economist

by John Horvat II

“An economist is someone who sees something happen in practice and wonders if it could work in theory”— Ronald Reagan

Quoted from the 2013 book, It Didn’t Have to Be This Way: Why Boom and Bust is Unnecessary—and How the Austrian School of Economics Breaks the Cycle, by Harry C. Veryster.

A Definition of an Economist | Return to OrderReturn to Order

The following are 21 statistics about the explosive growth of poverty in America that everyone should know…
1 – According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately one out of every six Americans is now living in poverty.  The number of Americans living in poverty is now at a level not seen since the 1960s.
2 – When you add in the number of low income Americans it is even more sobering.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 146 million Americans are either “poor” or “low income”.
3 – Today, approximately 20 percent of all children in the United States are living in poverty.  Incredibly, a higher percentage of children is living in poverty in America today than was the case back in 1975.
4 – It may be hard to believe, but approximately 57 percent of all children in the United States are currently living in homes that are either considered to be either “low income” or impoverished.

For the other statistic click here:

21 Statistics About The Explosive Growth Of Poverty In America

What is True Humility?

Written by Luiz Sérgio Solimeo

The virtue of humility, at least in its external aspects, arouses much sympathy even among those who are not particularly religious or otherwise oppose religion.

In a world dominated by pride and sensuality, it seems very timely to study this virtue, however briefly.

An Interior Act of Submission to God
As with any virtue, we must first consider humility in its interior aspect, its essence.

There is no better teacher to lead us in this task than the Common Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas.

According to him, “humility properly regards the subjection of man to God.”^[1] Therefore, it predisposes man to practice all the virtues, which consist in submitting our intellect and will to God.

Being Detached Without Despising the Gifts Received
Humility leads to detachment from self. It moderates our desire for excellence, keeping it in due proportion^[2] and leads to a healthy self-abasement. But when this is done to seek one’s own glory, it is false humility, a fruit of pride.^[3]

True humility does not prevent us from recognizing the gifts received from God. “It is a sign of humility if a man does not think too much of himself, observing his own faults; but if a man contemns the good things he has received from God, this, far from being a proof of humility, shows him to be ungrateful.”^[4]

There Is No Contradiction Among Virtues
Saint Thomas lays down the principle that there can be no contradiction between one virtue and another.^[5] Therefore there is no contradiction, for example, between the virtue of humility, on the one hand, and the virtues of magnanimity and magnificence on the other.

Thus, humility and magnanimity complete one another because “a twofold virtue is necessary with regard to the difficult good: one, to temper and restrain the mind, lest it tend to high things immoderately; and this belongs to the virtue of humility: and another to strengthen the mind against despair, and urge it on to the pursuit of great things according to right reason; and this is magnanimity.”^[6]

“[M]agnanimity urges the mind to great things in accord with right reason. Hence it is clear that magnanimity is not opposed to humility: indeed they concur in this, that each is according to right reason.”^[7]

A Seeming Contradiction
The reason why humility seems to contradict magnanimity is because these virtues consider two different aspects: “magnanimity makes a man deem himself worthy of great things in consideration of the gifts he holds from God: thus if his soul is endowed with great virtue, magnanimity makes him tend to perfect works of virtue; and the same is to be said of the use of any other good, such as science or external fortune. On the other hand, humility makes a man think little of himself in consideration of his own deficiency.”^[8]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at age 14. True humility does not prevent us from recognizing the gifts received from God. “But if a man contemns the good things he has received from God, this...shows him to be ungrateful.”

To Despise Honors Is to Despise the Ornament of Virtues
“Those are worthy of praise who despise riches in such a way as to do nothing unbecoming in order to obtain them, nor have too great a desire for them. If, however, one were to despise honors so as not to care to do what is worthy of honor, this would be deserving of blame.”^[9]

“Magnanimity,” Saint Thomas concludes, “is the ornament of all the virtues.”^[10]

Humility and Splendor
Humility does not clash with the virtue of magnificence, through which we seek splendor, especially in God’s worship. This is because the magnificent does not seek greatness as such but rather for God’s glory.

“The intention of magnificence is the production of a great work. Now works done by men are directed to an end: and no end of human works is so great as the honor of God: wherefore magnificence does a great work especially in reference to the Divine honor. Wherefore the Philosopher [Aristotle] says (Ethic. iv, 2) that ‘the most commendable expenditure is that which is directed to Divine sacrifices’: and this is the chief object of magnificence. For this reason magnificence is connected with holiness, since its chief effect is directed to religion or holiness.”^[11]

The magnificent does not seek greatness for itself but rather for God’s glory. The virtues of magnanimity and magnificence drive us to great achievements and incline us to pursue excellence and splendor – for the greater glory of God.

Humility Is Guided by Prudence
For Saint Thomas, humility, like all moral virtues, is perfected and guided by the virtue of prudence, the first of the virtues when it comes to practical action.

Prudence, he says, is “the principal virtue in practical matters.”^[12] “Prudence [is] the complement of all the moral virtues…. [T]he knowledge of prudence pertains to all the virtues.”^[13] “Prudence is the conductor of the virtues.”^[14]

Thus, the practice of humility should be guided by prudence by applying general principles to concrete situations^[15] and thus avoiding an erroneous assessment of occasions, circumstances and posts in which a person should practice humility. Prudence therefore avoids, in the practice of humility, errors which may cause scandal and confusion by disparaging one’s own office, especially ecclesiastical, and by showing contempt for the virtues of magnanimity and magnificence, whose practice is required by the office.

Accepting Honors in Submission to God
Honors due to superiors may be owed because of their personal virtue or because of the excellence of their office; for this latter reason, even bad superiors must be honored: “A wicked superior is honored for the excellence, not of his virtue but of his dignity, as being God’s minister, and because the honor paid to him is paid to the whole community over which he presides.”^[16]

Since the essence of humility is the inner act of submission to God, the external manifestations of this virtue should be aligned with this submission to the divine will, which has called someone to high office — whether civil or ecclesiastical — by accepting the splendor and honors linked thereto.

Summarizing
Humility is the virtue by which we fully submit ourselves to God and moderate our disproportionate desires of grandeur. Through the virtue of humility we abase ourselves in consideration of our faults and smallness before God.

The virtues of magnanimity and magnificence drive us to great achievements and incline us to pursue excellence and splendor.

Just as we honor those who are superior to us either because of their virtue or their office, so also we should receive the honors destined to us on account of the gifts we have received from the Creator or the office we occupy. We credit these honors to God and to the dignity of the office, rather than to our personal merits.

Since the moral virtues are guided by prudence, we should not perform public acts of abasement inconsistent with our office, as in doing so we would commit an act of imprudence and give occasion for scandal and confusion, shaking the faith of others.

Due to the harmonious unity existing between all the virtues, regardless of the circumstances, we cannot emphasize one virtue against another — at least in people’s eyes.

“Humility Is to Walk in Truth” (Saint Teresa)
It is worth recalling here the words of Saint Teresa of Avila:

“Once I was wondering why Our Lord was so fond of this virtue of humility and the answer immediately occurred to me: It is because God is the supreme Truth, and humility is to walk in truth; so it is well for us to see that all we have is misery and nothingness; and he who does not understand that, walks in a lie.”^[17]

Humility expresses the truth about ourselves and about others and counters false humility, which is based on a lie.

Related Articles:

Dignified Pride Is the Harmonious Complement of Humility
Humility Is Compatible with the Rich Dress of One’s Office
Are Public Awards and Punishments Good?

1.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 162, a. 1c; cf. ibid. q. 161 a.1, ad 5, and a.2, ad 3.^↑

2.

Cf. Ibid., II-II, q. 160 a. 2c.^↑

3.

Ibid., II-II q. 161, a.1 ad 2.^↑

4.

Ibid., I-II, q.35, a.1 ad 3.^↑

5.

Ibid., II-II, q. 129, a3 obj. 4.^↑

6.

Ibid., II-II, q. 161, a.1c.^↑

7.

Ibid., II-II, q. 161, a.1, ad 3.^↑

8.

Ibid., II-II, q. 129, a.3, ad 4.^↑

9.

Ibid., II-II, q. 129 a.1 ad 3.^↑

10.

Ibid., II-II, q. 129, a4, ad 3.^↑

11.

Ibid., II-II, 134 a.2 ad 3.^↑

12.

Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, book VI, no. 1256, translated by C. I. Litzinger, O.P., (Notre Dame, Ind.L Dumb Ox Books, 1993).^↑

13.

Summa Theologica, II-II, 166 a.2 ad 1.^↑

14.

II Sententiarum, dist. 41, q. 1, a.1 ob. 3.^↑

15.

Summa Theologica, II-II q. 47, a.6c.^↑

16.

Cf. Ibid., II-II q. 103, a. 2 ad 2.^↑

17.

St. Teresa of Avila, Las Moradas, chapter 10, no. 7,
http://hjg.com.ar/teresa_moradas/moradas_6_10.html.^↑

Humility, Magnanimity and Magnificence

VIDEO: What People Are Saying About Return to Order

The American TFP's Return to Order Campaign has just released a video explaining in depth what the book, Return to Order is all about. This video explains the book was written and its principal concepts. There are also numerous interviews by readers. 

KNIGHT: If no one can win, everyone loses - Washington Times

The last time I was in Ipswich, Mass., I had one of the tastiest plates of fried clams imaginable. They were fresh, full-bellied and cooked perfectly. Try getting something like this outside the Bay State.
If it weren’t for the bizarre political culture, which ranges from the Kennedys on the left to the Kennedys on the far left, Massachusetts would be a wonderful place to live, if only to enjoy the superlative seafood.I’ve thought about this a lot, and have concluded that it’s unfair. Yes, it’s not right that this little mom-and-pop place should have an advantage over restaurateurs who serve mediocre food. It’s especially unfair to restaurateurs in landlocked places such as Iowa or Nebraska, where fish sticks pretty much rule the seafood scene.To even things up, the Ipswich eatery ought to dump its clams and start serving something you can get anywhere — say, a greasy burger. Then, everyone will feel better.

I gleaned this idea from the principal of the Ipswich Middle School, David Fabrizio, who recently canceled the school’s tradition of Honors Night. That’s when top students are recognized for their scholarship. I’ll let Mr. Fabrizio explain, from the letter he sent to parents:

“The Honors Night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade-point average.”


Please read the rest of the article that mentions the TFP book, Return to Order! Click below.







Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/1/if-no-one-can-win-everyone-loses/#ixzz2PJqjzSFx
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KNIGHT: If no one can win, everyone loses - Washington Times